Require Continued Transparency Mechanisms

Require that water consumption numbers and sourcing be made public in monthly reporting. Without transparency, effective enforcement of approvals based on water use and addressing harms will be more difficult. Reporting should include the following:

• Average monthly water usage, including cooling and ancillary uses
• Water-conservation-plan reporting
• An assessment of whether water demands require tapping surface or groundwater
• An assessment of whether potable water will be used

This information must be submitted to the local agency overseeing the permitting process to ensure compliance with the terms of the conditional permit. Information should also be reported to a state agency that gathers and discloses this information online. For more information about how states can track and publish these metrics online, see Establish a Statewide Clearinghouse.