A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to make certain clarifications regarding the improvements to drought preparedness and response in north carolina made by the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 143‑355.2(a)(4) is repealed.
SECTION 2.  G.S. 143‑355.2(h) reads as rewritten:
"(h)	Water conservation measures imposed by a unit of local government that provides public water service or by a large community water system may be more stringent than the minimum water conservation measures required under this section. This subsection shall not be construed to authorize a unit of government, public water supply system, or private water supply system to regulate water use from a well located outside of its jurisdiction, a well not connected to its water system, or any other private well. Nothing herein shall be deemed to void or alter cross-jurisdictional agreements."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 143‑355.3(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Water Shortage Emergency Powers and Duties. – Whenever, pursuant to this Article, the Governor declares the existence of a water shortage emergency within a particular area of the State, the Secretary shall have the powers and duties set out in subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection. These powers may only be exercised within the designated water shortage emergency area, after the Secretary has consulted with the affected water systems and determined that the water shortage emergency cannot be effectively managed in the absence of exercising these powers, and only for the period of the water shortage emergency. Under these circumstances, the Secretary has the power and duty to:
(1)	Require any water system that has water supply in excess of that required to meet the essential water uses of its customers to provide water to a water system experiencing a water shortage emergency. The Secretary shall give preference to diversion of water from a water system within the same river basin as the water system that is experiencing a water shortage emergency. A diversion of water that requires a certificate under G.S. 143‑215.22L shall meet the requirements of that section. The amount required to be supplied shall be limited to the amount necessary to supply essential water uses within the receiving system. The required diversion of waters shall cease upon the termination of the water shortage emergency.
(2)	Adopt rules governing the conservation and use of water within the water shortage emergency area as shall be necessary to maintain essential water use within the water shortage emergency area. Before such rules and regulations shall become effective, they shall be published in two consecutive issues of a daily newspaper generally circulated in the emergency area. This subdivision shall not be construed to authorize a unit of government, public water supply system, or private water supply system to regulate water use from a well located outside of its jurisdiction, a well not connected to its water system, or any other private well.
(3)	Adopt rules governing conservation and use of water within the service area of the water system from which water is being diverted as shall be necessary to maintain essential water uses in the system while supplying water to the water shortage emergency area. This subdivision shall not be construed to authorize a unit of government, public water supply system, or private water supply system to regulate water use from a well located outside of its jurisdiction, a well not connected to its water system, or any other private well."
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.