The current Water Supply Coordinating Council was established by the Delaware General Assembly (7 Del. Code Chapter 75A) to manage, protect, and ensure the adequacy of a clean water supply throughout Delaware.

The Council is charged with planning and managing Delaware water supplies to ensure they can meet peak demand during times of water shortage. This includes reviewing water supply self-sufficiency reports for northern New Castle County and developing water supply plans for New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties.

The Council, which works closely with the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, includes representatives from state and county governments, climatologists, geologists, businesses, the agriculture community, water utilities and others.

The legislation that established the current council, in 2023 (84 Del. Laws Chapter 208), expanded on an earlier council whose scope had originally been limited to New Castle County. The Council has been extended several times over the years.

Language in the Public Utilities portion of the Delaware State Code declares state policy on self-sufficient water supply and further defines the role and responsibilities of the Council. It requires water utilities to submit regular consumer water conservation plans and adequate water supply certifications to the Council (26 DE. Code Chapter 14).

Meetings, agendas and meeting minutes of the Council are posted on Delaware Public Meeting Calendar. Meetings are also listed on the DNREC Calendar of Events.

Council Membership

• The Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control or designee.
• The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture or designee.
• The Director of the Division of Public Health or designee.
• The Director of the Delaware Geological Survey or designee.
• The Director of the Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware or designee.
• The State Climatologist or designee.
• The Chair of the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council or designee.
• One representative of the executive branch as appointed by the elected county executive or appointed county administrator of each of the Governments of New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County.
• A representative of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.
• A representative from the Delaware Farm Bureau.
• A representative from the Delaware River Basin Commission.
• One representative from a public or private water utility in each county, to be appointed by the Chair.
• The Executive Director of the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association or designee.

Subcommittees

The Council has four permanent subcommittees, one for each of Delaware’s three counties and a Drought Advisory Subcommittee.

Each county-specific subcommittee includes the Council representative of that county’s government, who serves as chair of the subcommittee, a representative of each public and private water utility serving that county, and others as appointed by the Council.

The Drought Advisory Subcommittee includes, among other members as appointed by the Council:

• The secretaries (or designees) of DNREC and of the Department of Agriculture
• The directors (or designees) of the Division of Public Health, the Delaware Geological Survey and the Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware
• The State Climatologist (or designee)

Council History

A temporary Water Supply Coordinating Council was created by the General Assembly in 2000 (72 Del. Laws, c. 409), based on recommendations from a Governor’s Water Supply Task Force that had been asked to review Delaware’s water supply and demand. That body was focused on water supply in New Castle County.

In 2003, the Council was extended to 2010 (74 Del. Laws, c. 184) and its focus was expanded to include the entire state. The time frame for the work of the Council was further extended by the General Assembly in 2009 (77 Del. Laws, c. 107) and again in 2015 (80 Del. Laws, c. 108).

The Council achieved its goal of water supply self-sufficiency in northern New Castle County by 2010 and completed a water supply plan for southern New Castle County. It continued to work on water supply and water demand plans for Kent County and Sussex County.

Council Reports

Thirteenth Report to the Governor and General Assembly June 28, 2018

Water Use Recommendations and Restrictions for Three-Phase Drought Operating Plan Sept. 17, 2014

• Note: As amended and approved by the Delaware Water Supply Coordinating Council, Sept. 17, 2014, this report supersedes both Appendix C of the WSCC’s Seventh Report to the Governor and General Assembly and Appendix K of the Twelfth Report to the Governor and General Assembly.

Twelfth Report to the Governor and General Assembly June 20, 2014

Eleventh Report to the Governor and General Assembly June 14, 2011

Tenth Report to the Governor and General Assembly April 28, 2008

Ninth Report to the Governor and General Assembly June 30, 2006

Eighth Report to the Governor and General Assembly March 8, 2006

Seventh Report to the Governor and General Assembly June 24, 2005

Sixth Report to the Governor and General Assembly June 7, 2004

Fifth Report to the Governor and General Assembly Jan. 17, 2003

Fourth Report to the Governor and General Assembly May 1, 2002

Third Report to the Governor and General Assembly March 27, 2001

Second Report to the Governor and General Assembly March 1, 2001

First Report to the Governor and General Assembly May 31, 2000

Related Topics:  board, boards and commissions, clean water, council, drought, license, water, water supply, water well, well