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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 4.E 06/20/2016DATE: June 20, 2016 Agenda Item #4.E TO: HonorableNay - or and Members of the City Council through City Manager FROM: Da S Jo SCE — Director, Public Works and Utilities Leah G. Walker, P.E. — Environmental Services Manager SUBJECT: Resolution Repealing Resolution No. 2015-075 N.C.S., To End Enactment of Stage Two of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Establishing a Voluntary Goal of 10 Percent Reduction of City Water Demand RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council Adopt a Resolution Repealing Resolution No. 2015-075 N.C.S., To End Enactment of Stage Two of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Establishing a Voluntary Goal of 10 Percent Reduction of City Water Demand. BACKGROUND California has experienced four years of drought, and in response, the Governor's office has issued several executive orders and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) has enacted a number of regulations to address the drought. On November 13, 2015, Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-36-15, which directed the SWRCB to extend the May 2015 Emergency Regulations through October 31, 2016. With areas of California still experiencing drought through January 2016, the SWRCB extended and revised emergency regulations on February 2, 2016 to ensure that urban potable water conservation continues. Since June 2015, Petaluma has demonstrated a 23% residential water use reduction compared to a 16% target mandated by the 2015 regulations. While parts of the state are still experiencing drought, current drought conditions for some areas in California are less severe or non-existent. On April 20, 2016, the SWRCB held a public workshop to receive input on the potential modification of the current Emergency Regulation for Statewide Urban Water Conservation. The workshop addressed which elements of the existing February 2016 Emergency Regulation should be modified, and answered the following: How should the State Water Board account for regional differences in precipitation and lingering drought impacts, what methods should be adopted to deal with regional differences, and to what extent should the State Water Board consider the reliability of urban water suppliers supply portfolios in this emergency regulation? Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-37-16 on May 9, 2016 that directed SWRCB to adjust and extend its emergency water conservation regulations in recognition of the varying water supply conditions throughout California. Adopted by the SWRCB, the new regulations in effect through January 2017 require local water supply agencies, such as the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), to assure adequate available water supply assuming three more drought years like those experienced between 2012 and 2015. Water agencies that project a shortage under the three dry -years scenario will be required to meet a conservation standard equal to the amount of that projected shortage. SCWA submitted a Self -Certification of Supply Reliability that demonstrated sufficient regional water supply even after three more dry years. The analysis is based on total water production capability, projected demand from recently completed urban water management plans, drought period rainfall, and available and permitted regional supplies including storage in the three major reservoirs that serve SCWA's water supply. As a result of SCWA's self -certification, the City of Petaluma will not have a mandated conservation target under the regulations, which would otherwise be required to be implemented beginning on June 1. The new regulations issued by SWRCB also require specific prohibitions against certain water uses. Those prohibitions include watering driveways or sidewalks with potable water except where necessary to address an immediate health and safety need, the serving of drinking water except upon request in facilities that serve food and drinks, and the irrigation with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians. DISCUSSION The purpose of the recommended Council action is to relieve Petaluma residents of mandatory water demand reduction requirements while assuring compliance with the SWRCB's recent water conservation regulations and the Governor's executive order, and to promote continued water conservation. The recommended Council action will repeal the implementation of Stage 2 of the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP). While not required by the SWRCB's recent emergency regulations for Petaluma, it is recommended that residents be encouraged to achieve a voluntary 10 percent reduction compared to the same month in the June 2013 through May 2014 time period. The recommended Council action endeavors to assure long-term water conservation and compliance with state regulations. Although the City is not required to reduce demand due to the sufficient supplies from SCWA, the importance of ongoing water conservation is ever present, and the voluntary goal of 10 percent will help assure that the City continues to conserve. To achieve this, it is recommended that City staff conduct outreach and provide assistance to. In addition, it is recommended that Council adopt specific prohibitions against certain water use practices to reflect state requirements. These prohibitions were included in the SWRCB's recent emergency regulations, and will be included in a future revision of the City's water conservation regulations. The City will notify SWRCB of the results of our Self -Certification of Supply Reliability and therefore not be subject to meeting a mandatory conservation limit. The Council has budgeted a robust water conservation program that can well support continued conservation programs, in addition to the continued enforcement of the year round water conservation measures contained in our Petaluma Municipal Code. It is believed that none of the other principle contractors for 2 SCWA supply are implementing a stage of their respective WSCP's as a result of the new regulations and SCWA's Self -Certification of Supply Reliability analysis. FINANCIAL IMPACTS Minor increases in water revenue may occur with offsetting increases in the cost of water supply. ATTACHMENTS 1. Resolution Attachment 1 RESOLUTION REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 2015-075 N.C.S., TO END ENACTMENT OF STAGE TWO OF THE WATER STORAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN AND ESTABLISHING A VOLUNTARY GOAL OF 10 PERCENT REDUCTION OF CITY WATER DEMAND WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma is a City empowered to provide water service within certain boundaries; and WHEREAS, the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) is a wholesaler of water to the City of Petaluma; and WHEREAS, on June 1, 2015, the City Council, by Resolution No. 2015-075 N.C.S., adopted an amended Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP); and WHEREAS, on May 9, 2016, Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-37-16 that permanently prohibits practices that waste potable water and ordered the SWRCB to adjust and extend emergency regulations; and WHEREAS, on May 18, 2016, the SWRCB adopted a statewide water conservation approach that replaces the prior percentage reduction -based water conservation standard with a localized approach that mandates urban water suppliers act now to ensure at least a three year supply of water to their customers under drought conditions.; and WHEREAS, water supply conditions indicate that no demand reduction is required by SCWA to ensure at least a three year supply of water to the City under current conditions; and WHERAS, the City is a principle contractor of wholesale water supply from SCWA for 95 percent or more of the City's water demand and can therefore certify that its water supply condition indicates a zero percent water conservation target; and WHEREAS, the Public Works and Utilities staff recommends that water conservation be encouraged to assure continued awareness of the importance of water supplies. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council declares that under the current water conditions a Water Shortage Emergency does not exist within the area served by the City Water System; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Petaluma as follows: 1. The above recitals are true and correct and hereby declared to be findings of the City Council of the City of Petaluma. 11 2. The previous resolution establishing Stage 2 of the WSCP, Resolution No. 2015-075 N.C.S., is hereby repealed. 3. The City Council encourages Petaluma residents to voluntarily reduce water demand by 10 percent compared to 2013 usage. 4. The City Council directs the City Manager to bring forward action for the Council to consider adopting the following prohibitions on certain water use practices to ensure compliance with state regulations. Water use prohibitions are to be in effect until Council adoption of the following prohibitions into the City's Water Conservation Regulations: a. The application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks, except where necessary to address immediate health and safety need or to comply with a term or condition in a permit issued by a state or federal agency. b. The serving of drinking water other than upon request in eating or drinking establishments, including but not limited to restaurants, hotels, cafes, cafeterias, bars, or other public places where food or drink are served and/or purchased. c. The irrigation with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians. 5. This resolution shall become effective immediately.