Report Prepared by: Leah Brown, Water Conservation Coordinator, Public Works
Title
SUBJECT: Public Hearing to Consider the Adoption of the Draft 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and the Draft Water Shortage Contingency Plan and to Review and Set the Level of Water Conservation
REPORT IN BRIEF
Request City Council introduce resolutions approving the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan following a Public Hearing and setting the level of water conservation.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Adopting Resolution 2021-73, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, approving and adopting the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan for the City of Merced; and,
B. Adopting Resolution 2021-74, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, approving and adopting the 2020 Water Shortage Contingency Plan for the City of Merced; and,
C. Authorizing submittal of the Final Plans to the Department of Water Resources.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by staff; or,
2. Return to staff to review public comments and revise; or,
3. Deny; and,
4. Discuss and set the level of water conservation.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Article II, Section 200, and Article IV, Section 405 of the Merced Municipal Code (MMC), and Article XIII of the California State Constitution in accordance the MMC, Title 15.
California Water Code Sections 10610-10656 requires that the City provide an updated Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) every five years.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2021-22 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION
At the City Council meeting of December 21, 2020, Blackwater Consulting Engineers, Inc. was selected to update our Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Draft final reports have been completed and the link (<https://www.cityofmerced.org/departments/public-works/water/urban-water-management-plan>) to both plans was sent to Merced County, Merced Irrigation District, and Merced County Association of Governments. Hard copies were made available for review at the Merced County Library, the City of Merced Clerk’s and Public Works’ offices. Staff prepared a Notice of Public Hearing (See Attachment), advertised the notice in the newspaper for the required two weeks and prepared Resolutions (see attached) to adopt the 2020 UWMP and WSCP.
The UWMP Act of the Water Code, Section 10610-10656 states that every urban water supplier that provides water to 3,000 or more customers should make every effort to ensure the appropriate level of water service reliability to meet the needs of its customers during normal, dry, and multiple dry years. The Act requires urban water suppliers to update and submit their adopted UWMP to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) for years ending in zero and five.
New elements to this 2020 UWMP include a lay person’s description of the water system reliability, incorporation of projected land use changes in demand forecasting, seismic risk assessment, energy analysis, a stronger inclusion of climate change, inclusion of the Ground Water Sustainability Plan, and an updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP). The updates required for the WSCP include the need to separately adopt that plan with revisions to our water conservation ordinance. On July 6, 2021, Ordinance No. 2526, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, amending sections 15.42.050, “Water conservation levels and prohibitions, “ and 15.42.100 “Prohibited uses - mandatory” of the Merced Municipal Code, was introduced. On July 19, 2021, the ordinance was adopted and will go into effect on August 19, 2021.
The following is a summary of the new levels of conservation in the ordinance:
|
Levels |
% Shortage |
Triggering Events |
Shortage Response Action |
|
1 |
Up to 10% |
Everyday Conservation |
Prohibits wasteful practices. |
|
2 |
Up to 20% |
Overdraft |
Outdoor watering allowed 3-days per week. Watering by persons with even numbered addresses is only allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Watering by persons with odd numbered addresses is only allowed on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Watering is allowed before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on your days. |
|
3 |
Up to 30% |
Drought |
Outdoor watering allowed 2-days per week. Watering by persons with even numbered addresses is only allowed on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Watering by persons with odd numbered addresses is only allowed on Wednesdays and Sundays. Water Rates change to the Drought Water Rate Schedule. |
|
4 |
Up to 40% |
Ongoing drought |
Outdoor watering allowed-1 day per week. Watering by persons with even numbered addresses is only allowed on Saturdays. Watering by persons with odd numbered addresses is only allowed on Sundays. Landscape irrigation leaks detected by the City should be fixed as soon as reasonably possible. |
|
5 |
Up to 50% |
Ongoing drought or system emergency |
Outdoor watering not allowed, except for minimal maintenance watering in parks, active playing fields, schools, and cemeteries. Landscape irrigation leaks detected by the City should be fixed within 48 -72 hours. |
|
6 |
> 50% |
Catastrophe |
Outdoor watering prohibited. |
Changes to the current level of conservation should be discussed and decided upon. Currently the city is in level 2, outdoor watering is allowed 3 days per week and wasteful practices are prohibited. If the Council decided to move to level 3, then watering would only be allowed 2 days per week and the drought rate would be implemented.
Items to consider when making this decision include that Governor Newsom declared a drought emergency for our area on May 10, 2021. On July 8, 2021, the Governor called on Californians to voluntarily reduce water use by 15%. The City of Merced is currently using 181 gallons per capita per day, which is a steep reduction from our baseline average of 310 gallons per capita per day. The baseline average time frame was from 1996-2005. We were required to reduce 20% by 2020 per Senate Bill x7-7. We surpassed that mandate by an additional 21.6% for a total reduction in water use of 41.6%. The Governor has not mandated additional reductions in water use. If we go to level 3 conservation, water rates would move to the drought rate schedule effective August 15, 2021.
A dependable water supply is imperative to the economic and social vitality of the City. Therefore, following the Public Hearing, staff recommends: adopting the attached resolutions approving the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan, acknowledging any public comments received during the public hearing, and authorizing submittal of the Final Plans to the Department of Water Resources.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Funding for the UWMP and WSCP came from the Water Fund 557-1106-532.17-00, no additional funds are required.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Notice of Public Hearing
2. Resolution for Adoption of 2020 UWMP
3. Resolution for Adoption of the WSCP