Report Prepared by: Stan Murdock, Director of Public Works Operations
Title
SUBJECT: City of Merced Water Conservation Efforts Update
REPORT IN BRIEF
Report on the efforts made to date by City forces for water conservation.
RECOMMENDATION
Information Only
Body
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Water Conservation
DISCUSSION
In response to the Governor’s Executive Order and the resulting regulations from the State Water Resources Board, the City of Merced Public Works Department has undertaken several steps to conserve our underground water supply. Based on those efforts and the water savings our citizens have accomplished, it is appropriate to update Council on conditions to date.
Council will recall the regulations which arose from the Governor’s Executive Order mandated that Merced (along with many other agencies throughout California) reduce monthly water consumption by 36% when compared to the same month in 2013. Merced has exceeded the mandated reduction every month since reporting began in June 2013.
Urban water suppliers that failed to meet the regulatory mandate imposed upon them have been contacted by the State. State intervention can range from a warning letter to a $10,000 per day fine should an agency violate a Cease and Desist Order.
City Water Use
• Water pumped in millions of gallons in the month of July from 2012 to 2015
o July 2012 1,163 MGD
o July 2013 1,197 MGD
o July 2014 1,090 MGD
o July 2015 666 MGD
City Staff Conservation Efforts
Sports Fields and Parks
• Sports fields irrigated twice per week
• Neighborhood Parks - with no organized sports activity
o 1 time per week irrigation beginning in late June
o 2 times per week irrigation beginning in mid-August
Medians and Park Strips
• Olive Avenue Median was constructed with drip irrigation system
• Areas converted to drip irrigation (as required in the Executive Order)
o Yosemite Avenue, R Street to El Redondo
o Yosemite Avenue, San Jose Avenue to R Street
o R Street, Donna Drive to Yosemite Avenue
o G Street, west side north of El Portal Avenue to Yosemite Avenue, (maintenance district)
• Areas yet to be converted
o G Street, Bear Creek to El Portal Avenue
o El Redondo, Santa Monica to Sarasota
o Remaining street landscape strips throughout Merced
§ Conversion throughout remainder of year as staff and budget levels allow
Recycled Water Program
Residents will start seeing City watering trucks on the streets with little purple signs that say: Recycled Water in Use, Do Not Drink.
These trucks will be hauling recycled water to irrigate trees and plants that need an extra drink or two because of the drought. Recycled water is the end-product that comes out of the City’s wastewater treatment plant after the water has gone through tertiary treatment with extensive filtering and UV disinfection. The water normally would pour into Hartley Slough and nourish our wetlands, but instead some is going to feed our local landscaping.
The City’s Recycled Water Program will be expanding in the near future to allow people in the private sector to take advantage of the water source to irrigate trees, gardens, vegetables and lawns, wash cars or outdoor surfaces such as paths, walls or windows. In addition to the landscape irrigation program, the City will also use it to flush sewer lines and for street sweeping.
Water meters
The City is actively encouraging residents and businesses to conserve water both indoors and out. In May, 2015 the City Council approved spending more than $3 million to install water meters for the half of Merced homes that did not have meters. A $2.5 million state grant is helping pay for the meter program. All businesses, industries, parks and medians in the City already have water meters.
A look at water consumption trends in Merced shows that homes without water meters tend to use about twice as much water as those with a water meter.
Since June, the City has installed 6,100 water meters. The conversion to water meters is expected to be completed by Spring 2016.
Other Efforts
• Fire Hydrant Flushing - all water is captured and used on urban forest, primarily Fahrens Park and M Street eucalyptus groves
• Fire Department Exercises - water from exercises is also captured and used for landscaped areas
• Re-use of WWTP effluent is waiting final approval by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. (anticipated first week of September)
o Many uses possible, including street sweeping
o Watering of redwoods and similar tree species
• The City hired a water conservation specialist in 2011 year to educate the residents and enforce its water ordinances. Workshops with the Master Gardeners and extensive media campaigns have helped educate the public on how to save water.
• The City had its first water conservation ordinances in 1992 with an odd-even outdoor watering schedule and other water-saving measures. Last year the Council limited outdoor watering from three days a week to two days a week. Residents with even addresses can water on Tuesdays and Saturdays, those with odd addresses can water on Wednesdays and Sundays. No outdoor watering can take place between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Summary
After four years of extreme drought, coupled with mandatory reduction in irrigation this year, it is undeniable there have been and continue to be impacts on the urban landscape. A greater than average loss of trees and landscape plantings will continue to occur until the drought is over. Older trees and water loving species may be especially hard hit. The loss among evergreen trees, especially redwoods, will be particularly noticeable; however, in general the urban forest in Merced is in fair to good health.
Redwood trees were often proposed for park development in the past as they are fast growing, attractive trees - which are not truly suited for the environment in Merced. While they will grow here successfully when there is adequate rainfall, they are very sensitive to a lack of rainfall, and as mentioned a significant number of Merced’s redwoods will succumb to the drought. More appropriate alternatives are available, and are being recommended by staff, including the Deodor Cedar and the Incense Cedar.
In conclusion, Merced residents and staff alike are to be commended for their swift response to the drought and the Governor’s Executive Order this year.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Funds are being expended that were not anticipated as part of the annual 2016 FY budget, particularly in the area of irrigation system modification. Complete budget impacts are not known at this time, but will likely cause a reduction is services in other areas of the Parks Maintenance budget.