HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12-08; Municipal Water District; 824; Report on Water Conservation Within the Carlsbad Municipal Water District (CMWD) Service Area Through November 2015 and Adopt Resolution Recommending Modifications to theCARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT-AGENDA BILL
AB# 824 REPORT ON WATER CONSERVATION WITHIN THE DEPT. DIRECTOR ~'{.
DATE: 12-8-15 CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT (CMWD) GEN. COUNSEL ·1:-/)
SERVICE AREA THROUGH NOVEMBER 2015 AND
ADOPT RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING K1) MODIFICATIONS TO THE STATE WATER RESOURCES
CONTROL BOARD DROUGHT EMERGENCY
DEPT. PW-UTIL REGULATIONS EXEC. DIRECTOR
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Resolution No. 1540 recommending modifications to the State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB} drought emergency regulations to include credit for locally developed
supplies of water such as recycled water and desalinated seawater.
Receive and file report on water conservation within the Carlsbad Municipal Water District service
area through November 2015.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
On April 1, 2015, Governor Brown issued an executive order with actions necessary to address
California's severe drought conditions. In order to implement the executive order, on May 5, 2015,
the State Water Resources Control Board adopted Resolution No. 2015-0032, an Emergency
Regulation for Statewide Urban Water Conservation including, the mandatory 25 percent statewide
reduction in potable urban water use between June 2015 and February 2016. CMWD has been
mandated to reduce potable water use by 28 percent during this time period. The State compares
the District's monthly data to the same month in 2013 and a cumulative reduction is calculated.
Staff will provide a report on the effectiveness of the District's "Carlsbad Conserves" campaign and
will present water use reductions within the CMWD service area through Nov. 30, 2015.
On Nov. 13, 2015, the Governor signed another executive order declaring that the emergency
restrictions shall be extended through October 2016 if the severe drought continues. He further
directed the SWRCB to consider modifications that would address uses of potable and non-potable
water, as well as incorporate insights garnered from existing restrictions. Recycled water and
desalinated water sources have not been considered as local supplies in the executive orders.
A total of $53 million has been invested developing CMWD's recycled water program. The current
$29 million expansion increases capacity at the Carlsbad Water Recycling Facility and extends the
DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Wendy Chambers 760-438-2722 x7107 wendy.chambers@carlsbadca.gov
FOR SECRETARY USE. \2(' BOARD ACTION: APPROVED CONTINUED TO DATE SPECIFIC D
DENIED D CONTINUED TO DATE UNKNOWN D
CONTINUED D RETURNED TO STAFF D
WITHDRAWN D OTHER-SEE MINUTES D
AMENDED D REPORT RECEIVED D
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Report on Water Issues
December 8, 2015
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recycled water pipeline network. This will result in additional potable water offsets. Availability of
recycled water in Carlsbad is an innovative option for landscape irrigation, industrial processing,
cooling towers, and fire systems and will account for over 30 percent of our water portfolio at build
out. Also, CMWD's ratepayers have committed to paying in excess of $100 million over the life of
the Poseidon Desalination Facility in order to secure a drought proof and sustainable supply of
water.
The City of Carlsbad is an important center for high technology research and development
businesses, and has a robust tourist industry. These businesses are dependent on water and need
assurance that the state, the region, and CMWD are doing everything possible to develop drought-
resilient water supplies to serve businesses.
Last Spring, the Governor stated that the response to the drought must be accomplished in a
fashion that would mitigate potential impacts to the State's economy. Since the adoption of the
emergency regulations, reliance on a "simple" model of forced restrictions has imposed negative
economic impacts in many areas of the State. CMWD should receive credit for the impact of
tourism, as many of these visitors are coming from other areas of the state and country and are
utilizing the water supply. The increase in year-round tourism, coupled with population growth in
general, puts the community at a distinct disadvantage in the midst of greater numbers of
customers and tourists that help fuel not just the local economy but the region and State as well.
CMWD and the community have taken great pains to achieve "smart growth", with a cornerstone
of that effort being the diversification of the local water supply to mute the effect of the droughts
that the State periodically endures. The state's approach to calculating conservation targets could
be seen as discouraging innovation and investment in local supplies.
The State should amend the regulation to provide credits for the local supply development
discussed herein. A denial to recognize these important local supplies and investments will inhibit
the City of Carlsbad and the State's ability to maintain a healthy economy and support business that
is vital to ratepayers, the region, and the state economy as a whole.
CMWD recommends the following modifications to the State Water Resources Control Board
Drought Emergency Regulations:
• Provide credits for locally developed water supplies, particularly those which are
renewable, local and sustainable such as recycled water and desalinated seawater. The
credit should be a 1:1 reduction for each gallon of potable water that is replaced.
• Mitigate the impact on the economy for those communities/regions which experience
additional demand through tourism and residential/business growth. The offset should
account for new demand versus baseline demand, thus providing a level playing field and
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December 8, 2015
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not penalizing communities dependent on tourism and/or experiencing population
growth.
• If a recycled water credit is not provided, the State should establish an alternate
compliance plan for those agencies that previously reduced their potable water
consumption by investing in recycled water. For instance, CMWD has already reduced its
potable water dependency by 24 percent (as reflected in its water portfolio -current
recycled water usage), and is struggling to achieve the additional 28 percent reduction. A
revised regulation would include 'the State working with CMWD to establish a
conservation goal that is achievable.
• SWRCB should consult with agencies at the federal, State and regional levels to evaluate
the impact of the hydrological conditions in all regions of the State, thus matching the
response in each area to the actual water supply conditions and provision in that area,
and make adjustments consistent with the regional conditions.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the staff report.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute a "project" within
the meaning of CEQA in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change in the
environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and
therefore does not require environmental review.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION:
None required.
EXHIBIT:
1. Resolution No. 1540 recommending modifications to the State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB) drought emergency regulations.
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RESOLUTION NO. 1540
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CARLSBAD
MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT RECOMMENDING MODIFICATIONS
TO THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD DROUGHT
EMERGENCY REGULATIONS TO INCLUDE CREDIT FOR LOCALLY
DEVELOPED SUPPLIES OF WATER SUCH AS RECYCLED WATER AND
DESALINATED SEAWATER
EXHIBIT 1
WHEREAS, pursuant to State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), Resolution No.
2015-0032 adopted on May 5, 2015, an Emergency Regulation for Statewide Urban Water
Conservation; and
WHEREAS, CMWD has been mandated to reduce potable water use by 28 percent
between Jun. 1, 2015 and Feb. 28, 2016; and
WHEREAS, on Nov. 13, 2015, the Governor signed an executive order declaring that the
emergency restrictions are to be extended through October 2016 if the historically severe
drought continues. He further directed the SWRCB to consider modifications that would address
uses of potable and non-potable water, as well as to incorporate insights garnered from existing
restrictions; and
WHEREAS, CMWD recommends the following modifications to the State Water Resources
Control Board Drought Emergency Regulations:
• Provide credits for locally developed water supplies, particularly those which are
renewable, local and sustainable such as recycled water and desalinated seawater.
• Mitigate the impact on the economy for those communities/regions which experience
additional demand through tourism and residential/business growth.
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• If a recycled water credit is not provided, the State should establish an alternate
compliance plan for those agencies that previously reduced their potable water
consumption by investing in recycled water.
• SWRCB should consult with agencies at the federal, State and regional levels to evaluate
the impact ofthe hydrological conditions in all regions of the State, matching the response
in each area to the actual water supply conditions and provision in that area, and make
adjustments consistent with the regional conditions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Carlsbad Municipal Water District Board of the
City of Carlsbad, California, as follows that:
1. The above recitations are true and correct.
2. That the District Board recommends modifications to the State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB) drought emergency regulations to include credit for locally developed
supplies of water such as recycled water and desalinated seawater.
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PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Carlsbad Municipal Water District of the City of Carlsbad on the gth day of December, 2015, by
the following vote to wit:
AYES: Board Members Hall, Blackburn, Schumacher, Wood, Packard.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ATIEST:
Report On Water Conservation For
November 2015
City Council Workshop
December 8, 2015
Wendy Chambers, General Manager
Mario Remillard, Meter Services Supervisor
and Conservation Coordinator
Agenda
•Carlsbad Conserves
•Water Use Reductions
•Recommended modifications to the
State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) drought emergency regulations
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Carlsbad Conserves
•Watering Times
•Calendars
•Water Use Reductions
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Monthly Water Production
-25%-29%
-24%
-28.5%-18.6%
-17.7%
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2013 2015 2013 2015 2013 2015 2013 2015 2013 2015 2013 2015
Ac
r
e
F
e
e
t
June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
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Cumulative Reduction
25%27%26%27%25%24%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015
Wa
t
e
r
P
r
o
d
u
c
t
i
o
n
June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
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Target28
Executive Order B-36-15
November 13, 2015
•Extends emergency regulations through October
2016 if drought persists through January
•Directs SWRCB to make certain modifications;
-modify existing restrictions to address uses of
potable and non-potable water
-incorporate insights garnered from existing
restrictions
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Workshop and Solicitation of
Comments
•December 7, 2015, SWRCB held a workshop to
discuss potential modifications to the existing
drought regulation
•Comment letters from the general public were
accepted until December 2, 2015
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CMWD Recommended
Modifications
•Provide credits for locally developed, sustainable
water supplies such as desal and recycled water
•Provide offsets that account for additional demand
through tourism and growth
•Establish an alternate compliance plan option if
recycled water credit is not provided
•Make adjustments consistent with regional water
supply conditions
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Recommendation
Approve Resolution No. 1540 recommending
modifications to the State Water Resources Control
Board (SWRCB) drought emergency regulations
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Questions
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