Mayor and City Council Martin Pastucha, Director, Public Works, Water Resources

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1 City Council Report To: From: Mayor and City Council Martin Pastucha, Director, Public Works, Water Resources City Council Meeting: May 24, 2016 Agenda Item: 9.A Subject: Public Hearing for the City of Santa Monica s 2015 Urban Water Management Plan Recommended Action Staff recommends that City Council: 1. Hold a public hearing and receive public comment to be incorporated into the City s 2015 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP); 2. Adopt Method 1, establishing 123 gallons per capita per day, as the year 2020 target pursuant to SBx7-7 (Water Code Section 10608) as the method for establishing the City s water usage target; 3. Approve the attached Resolution adopting the 2015 UWMP. Executive Summary The Urban Water Management Planning Act ( Act ) codified in California Water Code Sections through requires every urban water agency supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually or serving 3,000 or more connections to prepare and adopt an UWMP every five years. Amendments to the California Water Code require that the UWMP address the agency s plan to comply with a State mandate to reduce water consumption by 20 percent by the year The draft UWMP prepared for Santa Monica includes the selection of Method 1 (among four options) as the preferred method for establishing the City s water usage target based on achievability, sustainability, and continued eligibility for State funding. This is the most stringent option available in the state requirements. Beyond merely meeting the State requirements for preparing an UWMP, the City of Santa Monica continues its proactive approach in managing its water resources through significant policy and practice developments since These include the City s Water Shortage Response Plan, Sustainable Water Master Plan, and Groundwater Basin Assessment. All of these reports support and align with the 2015 UWMP. Background Urban Water Management Plans (UWMP) are prepared by California urban water suppliers to support their long-term resource planning and ensure adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future water demands. Every urban water supplier that either provides over 3,000 acre-feet of water annually or serves 3,000 or more connections is required to assess the reliability of its water sources over a 20-year planning horizon considering normal, dry, and multiple dry years. This assessment is to 1 of 5

2 be included in the UWMP, which must be prepared every five years and submitted to the Department of Water Resources (DWR). DWR then reviews the submitted plans to ensure completion of the requirements identified in the Urban Water Management Planning (UWMP) Act ( Act ) of 1983 (Division 6 Part 2.6 of the Water Code ). The required elements of the UWMP include Water Sources and Supplies, Water Quality, Water Demands, Reliability Planning, Conservation Measures, Contingency Planning, and Climate Change. In consideration of changes in the reporting format for submission of the 2015 UWMPs, DWR has extended the deadline for submitting the UWMP to July 1, Discussion The 2015 Urban Water Management Plan meets the statutory requirements of the Urban Water Management Planning Act of The plan takes into consideration, and is consistent with, the City s adopted self-sufficiency goals as outlined in the 2014 Sustainable Water Master Plan and its 2013 Groundwater Assessment report. Both reports are included as attachments to the 2015 UWMP. The 2015 UWMP includes a review of the requirements of the Water Conservation Act of 2009, more commonly referred to by its Senate bill reference SBx7-7 (section 10608, California Water Code). This legislation supported then-governor Schwarzenegger s call for a statewide 20 percent per capita water use reduction by the year In addition to requiring water agencies to establish a year 2020 water use target pursuant to SBx7-7, the legislation also created an interim year 2015 target, and the opportunity for a one-time amendment to this target in Failure to comply with interim and final State targets would make the City ineligible for grants and loans from the State that are necessary to achieve the City s goal of water self-sufficiency by the year The City has received as much as $300,000 in recent years for conservation programs. SBx7-7 presented four options for determining the 2020 water use target. The options were established in order to avoid undue hardship on water agencies which were already implementing conservation measures for some time, as Santa Monica has. The methods, and their corresponding water use targets, are summarized below. Method 1: Straight 20-percent reduction from the baseline period ( citywide water consumption). The target corresponding to this method is 123 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) and is the lowest of the options considered. Method 2: Indoor water use targeted at 55 gpcd, plus reduction in commercial, industrial, and institutional water use by 10 percent, plus reduction in landscape irrigation amount allowed in the DWR Model Landscape Ordinance (this method applies to agencies which utilize water-budget based rate structures, with comprehensive information regarding building size and landscape plant evapotranspiration rates; this method is not appropriate for Santa Monica). 2 of 5

3 Method 3: Reduction of gpcd to 95 percent of the South Coast Hydrologic Region s average gpcd. The target corresponding to this option is 141 gpcd. Method 4: Reduction target calculation based upon estimated savings which would likely result from retrofit of inefficient indoor residential fixtures, plus commercial, industrial, and institutional water use efficiency savings, plus conversions from unmetered to metered connections (indoor water fixture efficiency conversion is near saturation level already in Santa Monica, all connections in the city are metered; this method is not appropriate for Santa Monica). At the time the 2010 UWMP was being considered, Council adopted the Method 1 year 2020 target of 123 gpcd. The interim 2015 target for the city was 139 gpcd. In 2015, as a result of intensive conservation efforts driven by implementation of the City s drought response plan and effective community response, City water consumption was 113 gpcd. Given the continuing drought conditions prevalent in Southern California and the continuation of the City s drought response plan and extensive water conservation strategies, policies, incentives, and programs, it is reasonable to project that per capita water consumption will remain below the Method 1 target of 123 gpcd. Accordingly, staff recommends that Council reaffirm its SBx7-7 year 2020 target, as previously adopted at 123 gpcd, the most stringent option available in the state requirements. Conformance with other City plans Santa Monica remains on the forefront of water management issues as evidenced in recent years through its development of important water management strategies detailed in the following reports: Conceptual Groundwater Basin Model and Assessment of Available Groundwater Supplies Santa Monica Groundwater Basin, 2013 Sustainable Water Master Plan, 2014 City of Santa Monica Water Shortage Response Plan, 2015 These documents are included as appendices in the 2015 UWMP. Much of the information used in preparing the UWMP was taken from these reports. In addition, the City of Santa Monica, in accordance with other stakeholders overlying the Santa Monica Groundwater Basin, is currently in the process of establishing a Groundwater Sustainability Agency in advance of preparing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the basin as required by the State s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of While the 2015 UWMP meets the requirements of California s Urban Water Management Act, the City of Santa Monica remains committed to proactively managing its water resources with a focus on sustainability, best management practices, and 3 of 5

4 resiliency. Commission Action On April 18, 2016, elements of the Draft 2015 UWMP were presented to the Task Force on the Environment. No action was taken by the Task Force. Comments received at the Task Force meeting and responses have been included in Appendix M of the UWMP. Comments and answers from this Public Hearing will be included as Appendix N in the final document. Public Notice On March 29, 2016, and April 5, 2016, notice was published in the Santa Monica Daily Press inviting public participation in the preparation of the 2015 UWMP, including staff name and phone number for the public to contact for questions. The notice included the date, time, and location of two public information meetings held on April 5, 2016 and May 3, Public Hearing In accordance with state law, this public hearing was noticed on May 10, 2016, and May 17, 2016, in the Santa Monica Daily Press, and copies of the draft UWMP were made available online, at libraries, City Hall, and at the offices of the Water Resources Division. Financial Impacts & Budget Actions There are no financial impacts or budget actions resulting from this public hearing. Nevertheless, the adoption of the UWMP, utilizing Method 1 to establish water usage targets, carries with it the following positive economic impacts: Certainty in achieving the regulatory threshold to maintain eligibility for State assistance (for example, approximately $300,000 in state assistance was received in 2013 and applied to water conservation programs). If State assistance is available, lower revenue may be required from rate payers 4 of 5

5 Prepared By: Approved Jessica Arden, Civil Engineer Forwarded to Council Attachments: A. UWMP Resolution B. Draft UWMP (May 2016) C. Written comments D. powerpoint 5 of 5