HomeMy WebLinkAbout; ; 1990 - URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT; 1990-12-04•
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The Urban Water Management Plan
for the
Carlsbad Municipal Water District
Carlsbad, California
December 1990
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THE 1990 URBAN WATERMANAGEMENTPLAN
FOR THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATERDISTRICT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER!. INTRODUCTION
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING ACT
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT PROFILE
Water System History
Description of Treatment and Distribution Facilities
District Management
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF 1990
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
FORMAT OF THE REPORT
CHAPTERII. WATERUSE
WATER SERVICE AREA
Population Growth
Industrial and Commercial Activities
Economic Trends and Growth Management
WATER USE CHARACTERISTICS
Major Water Use Characteristics
Residential Sector Water Use
Commercial Sector Water Use
Irrigation Sector Water Use
Agricultural Sector Water Use
Industrial Sector Water Use
WATER USE FORECASTS
Historical and Projected Water Use Rates
Trends in Future Urban Water Use
Factors Causing Increase in Water Use Rates
Factors Causing Decrease in Water Use Rates
CHAPTER ill. WATER SUPPLIES
LOCAL WATER SUPPLIES
Major Groundwater Basins
Major River Systems and Reservoirs
Water Reclamation
IMPORTED WATER SUPPLIES
Los Angeles Aqueducts
Colorado River Supply
State Water Project (SWP) Supplies
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
POTENTIAL WATER SUPPLIES
Potential Colorado River Supplies
Potential State Water Project Supplies
QUALITY OF WATER SUPPLIES
Summary of Water Quality Impacts
CHAPTER IV. WATERSUPPLY MANAGEMENTPROGRAMS
OVERVIEW OF PAST AND CURRENT WATER
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Groundwater Management Programs
Surface Water Management
EXCHANGES AND TRANSFERS OF WATER
Past, Current and Proposed Exchanges
MANAGEMENT RESPONSE DURING DROUGHT
OR OTHER EMERGENCIES
CHAPTER V. CURRENT WATER CONSERVATION
REGIONAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Programs Through the Metropolitan Water District
Public Information and Education Programs
Conservation Credits Program
Conservation Research and Development
Programs Through the San Diego County Water Authority
Public Information and Education Programs
Mechanical Measures
Promotional Programs
Conservation Ordinances
System Water Audits
Source Meters
Leak Detection
LOCAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Public Education and Community Relations
Publications
In-School Education
Community Relations Programs
Advertising
System Measures
System Pressure Controls
Meters and Consumption Identification
Corrosion Control
Leak Detection
CONSERVATION THROUGH PRICING AND RATE STRUCTURES
Sources of Revenue
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
History of District Retail Water Rates
Conservation Effects of Pricing
OTHER LOCAL CONSERVATION INlTIATIVES
Enforcement of California Plumbing Code
Plumbing Fixture Retrofit Programs
Ultra-Low-Flush Toilet Rebate
Showerhead Retrofit
Residential Water Audits Program
Large Turf Irrigation Audits
Audits of Institutional Users
Water Bill Reformat
CHAPI'ER VII. EXPANSION OF CONSERVATIONPROGRAM
CONCEPTUAL APPROACH
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Retrofit of Showerheads and Toilets
Residential Water Audits
Distribution System Audits and Leak Detection
Large Landscape Water Audits
Landscaping Requirements for New Development
Governmental Water Audits
Commercial Water Audits
Enforcement of New California Plumbing Code
POTENTIAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Conservation-Oriented Retail Pricing
Toilet Giveaway/Rebate Program
Industrial Water Audits
Xeriscape Requirements for New Residential Developments
Efficient Residential Landscaping Programs
APPENDIX A -URBAN WATERMANAGEMENTPLANNING ACT
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TABLE
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LIST OF TABLES
TITLE
Residential Population and Housing Trends
in C.M.W.D.Service Area
Employment Data in C.M.W.D.Service Area
Disaggregated Water Consumption in C.M. W.D.
Service Area
Disaggregation of Residential Water Use
Projected Water Demands
Carlsbad Municipal Water District Retail Water
Rate Summary
Conservation Program Implementation Schedule
Conservation Program Cost/Benefit Summary
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LIST OF FIGURES
• FIGURE TITLE PAGE
1 Carlsbad Municipal Water District Service Area Map 3
2 Proposed Water Reclaimed Water System 4
• 3 Users by Sector -October 1989 thru September 1990 9
4 Agricultural vs. Total Usage -1980-81 thru 1989-90 12
• 5 Water Use by Sectors -
October 1989 thru September 1990 13
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I. INTRODUCTION
URBANWATERMANAGEMENT
PLANNING ACT
In 1983, the California Legislature added
sections 10610 through 10656 to the Water
Code requiring "every urban water supplier
providing water for municipal purposes to
more than 3,000customers or supplying more
than 3,000 acre feet of water annually to
prepare and adopt. .. an urban water
management plan." Known as AB 797 while
pending before the Legislature, the Urban
Water Management Planning Act became
effective January 1, 1984.
An important component of the Act calls for
a periodic review of the Plan at least once
every five years. The Carlsbad Municipal
Water District (District) adopted its initial
Urban Water Management Plan in 1985.
Therefore, this document will serve to satisfy
the requirements of the Act.
In early 1990, a list of water conservation
items was referred to the Water Commission
of the District for its consideration. Staff
developed a number of recommendations on
the various items that were ultimate! y
approved by the District's Board of Directors
on August 28th. Elements of that plan will be
transcribed into the appropriate sections of
this document. However, additional informa-
tion that was not included in any of the
previous plans on topics such as water usage,
water supply, and other pertinent topics will
be included in the following sections.
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CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER
DISTRICT PROFILE
Water System History
Incorporated in 1952, the City of Carlsbad
(City) encompasses approximately 25,000
acres along the northern San Diego County
coastline, of which 20,000 acres are within the
District's service area. Water demands for the
area were initially provided by the privately
held Carlsbad Mutual Water District through
the utilization of local supplies. Subsequently
purchased by the City, the Mutual District
constructed a series of wells, pumping
stations, and transmission facilities to quench
the thirsts of residential, commercial and
agricultural users.
The Mutual District obtained rights to 2,382
acre feet of water from the "Mission Basin" of
the San Luis Rey River Valley in eastern
Oceanside, and held a license by the State
Division of Water Rights for another 1,000
acre feet annually. Additionally, water rights
for another 150 acre feet annually were held
from Lake Calavera Creek and a lesser
amount from Los Monos Creek. The original
license was for irrigation purposes and was
later changed to recreational and fire
protection purposes.
As demands for water increased, another
problem was being realized with the existing
water system. In times of high demand,
seawater intrusion occurred when water levels
within the San Luis Rey River basin dropped.
In 1957, the gradual degradation of water
quality prompted the Mutual District to
abandon all attempts to utilize this water.
This created the need for imported sources
and prompted the formation of the District
and its membership in the San Diego County
Water Authority (Authority).
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Description of Treatment and Distribution
Facilities
The District purchases chloraminated water
from the Authority. The level of treatment
currently consists of injecting chlorine and
ammonia for disinfection purposes. The
extent of disinfection capabilities within the
District's distribution system is limited to
chlorine use only. This slightly hampers
operational efficiency of the distribution
system due to the fact that the mixture of
chloraminated and chlorinated supplies can
counteract each other and actually reduce
disinfection capabilities. This issue is being
mitigated and will soon be alleviated by
projects included in the District's Capital
Improvement Plan. Improvements in the
water treatment system at the 195 million
gallon Maerkle Reservoir include construction
of a new chloramination station.
During the development of the District's
distribution system, a tremendous commit-
ment was made to the provision of adequate
storage and sufficient pipeline capacities. The
District currently has approximately 14 days of
storage capacity at average daily demands.
Likewise, a recent study was completed and
resulted in the identification of only two lines
out of the 300 miles of pipeline in the
distribution system that need to be upgraded
to meet existing conditions.
Today, the District system provides water
service to approximately 54,000people within
its service area through 17,000services. Figure
1 shows a map of the service area and water
supply system.
District Management
In January 1990, the District became a subsid-
iary of the City of Carlsbad. This action
affected the manner in which the agency is
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governed. An independent five member
Board of Directors was replaced by the City
Council acting in an ex-officio capacity. The
previous Board was then given the responsi-
bility of forming the first Water Commission
for the District.
The District currently has 30 employees with
the responsibility of providing administration,
public education, engineering, and operations
and maintenance services. This is accom-
plished through the utilization of three
departments: administration, engineering and
field operations. One managerial position
exists to head each department. The General
Manager/District Engineer has responsibility
for daily operations and reports directly to the
Executive Manager (City Manager).
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF 1990
URBAN WATERMANAGEMENTPLAN
The development of the Urban Water Man-
agement Plan for the District began in April
1990. As previously mentioned, a list of
various conservation methods was referred to
the Water Commission by the Board of Direc-
tors for review. Staff developed a Water
Management Plan that evaluated all of the
conservation methods, estimated costs, and
projected potential water savings. This was
adopted by both the Commission and Board.
Staff is currently in the implementation
process. Various aspects of that document
have been incorporated into this Plan where
appropriate.
The Plan was reviewed by the Commission on
November 21, 1990. Changes were made and,
on December 5, 1990, the Commission
recommended approval to the Board. A
public hearing was held on December 11,
1990, after which the Board approved the
Plan.
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POTABLE
WA TEA SYSTEM -1990
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LEUCADIA COUNTY IJATER
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PROPOSED RECLAIMED
WATER SYSTEM -1990
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FORMAT OF TIIE REPORT
The chapters in this report correspond to the
outline presented in the Water Code, specifi-
cally Sections 10631, 10632 and 10633
(Appendix A). The elements set forth in
Section 10631 are required to be included in
all plans. Those set forth in Section 10632
are required to be included in all plans
prepared by agencies that will have a "need
for expanded or additional water supplies."
Section 10633 requires discussion of the
impacts of implementing the alternative water
management practices discussed in Sections
10631 and 10632.
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The first two chapters following this
introduction describe water use in the
District's service area and identify the water
supplies available. Since the District is
dependent upon the Authority, who in turn
relies upon the Metropolitan Water District
(Metropolitan) for its supplies, various
sections of the report will be taken from the
other agencies' Plans. Water supply and
drought management programs are described
in the fourth chapter. Finally, the fifth and
sixth chapters describe current and future
conservation measures .
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II. WATERUSE
SERVICE AREA DATA
Water use within the District's jurisdiction is
related to a number of climatic, demographic,
and economic factors. Increases in population
and regional economic growth are two factors
that have influenced water use in the past and
will continue to do so in the future. The
entire Southern California region has
experienced dramatic economic growth during
recent decades. Presently, it contains the
nation's second largest concentration of
people, business, and industry.
Population Growth
The San Diego Association of Governments
(SANDAG) population estimates of May 1989
(Series 7), indicate that approximately 40,500
people resided within the District's service
area in 1986. Recent estimates project that
current population has reached approximately
54,000. This is calculated by applying the
City's current population of 64,000 and
multiplying it by the percentage of area within
the City limits that is served by the District
(85 percent). The current and projected
populations for the years 1990 through 2010
are shown in Table 1. Approximately 36,000
additional people are anticipated to be
moving into the District's service area before
2010.
SANDAG also forecasts steady growth in
residential housing. The total housing stock
is anticipated to increase by approximately
17,300 dwelling units by 2010. This amounts
to an annual average increase of 4 percent.
Table 1 depicts the future SANDAG
projections through the year 2010 for both
population increases and housing trends. All
estimates for the year 1990 were developed by
District staff, and were included for
comparative purposes only .
TABLE!
RESIDENTIAL POPULATION AND HOUSING
TRENDS IN C.M.W.D.SERVICE AREA
% Change
1990 1995 2000 2010 1990-2010
Population 54,000 63,968 73,678 89,969 66.7
Housing Total 21,145 26,640 31,208 38,530 82.2
Single Family 12,100 13,846 17,876 22,381 85.0
Multi-Family 8,300 12,042 12,553 15,336 84.7
Mobil Homes 745 752 779 813 9.1
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Industrial and Commercial Activities
Carlsbad has prospered by attracting a broad
range of industries, who in turn provide a
diverse employment base. This is projected to
continue in the years to come. Current major
employers consist of commercial develop-
ments such as the Plaza Camino Real mall,
industrial developments including Hughes
Aircraft, and the recreational facilities of the
La Costa Hotel and Spa. Table 2 details
current and projected trends within the
employment base of the District's service
area. Estimates for 1990 were developed by
District staff.
Economic Trends and Growth Management
The level of economic growth within the
entire region depends upon national and
global economic factors, such as
unemployment, interest rates and capital
spending, as well as regional population and
job growth trends. Population, housing, and
employment growth in Carlsbad are assumed
to occur at levels projected by local, regional
and state planning agencies. Carlsbad has the
luxury of a comprehensive Growth
Management Program that ensures the
availability of public facilities prior to
development. All facilities are planned and
designed in compliance with growth
projections made by local as well as regional
agencies .
TABLE2
EMPLOYMENT DATA IN C.M.W.D.SERVICE AREA
% Change
1990 1995 2000 2010 1990-2010
Total 27,711 32,431 37,135 46,628 68.2
Agriculture 887 887 887 887 0.0
Manufacturing 6,781 7,718 8,421 9,739 43.6
Wholesale 657 744 802 925 40.7
Transportation 728 993 1,295 2,053 182.0
Hotel/Motel 1,228 1,228 1,338 1,591 29.6
State Fed Govt 0 0 0 0 0.0
Retail Trade 6,170 7,389 8,460 10,947 77.4
Retail Service 3,153 4,353 5,264 7,344 132.9
Business Service 2,733 3,118 3,690 4,772 74.6
F.I.R.E. 1,689 1,998 2,380 3,207 89.8
Local Government 1,331 1,533 1,937 2,121 59.3
Other 2,350 2,470 2,661 3,042 29.4
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WATERUSE CHARACTERISTICS
Major Water Use Characteristics
Water use within the District by various
sectors has been studied in an attempt to
develop a better understanding of water use
characteristics. Additionally, this information
will be used to assist staff in estimating
potential water savings from the various
proposed conservation programs .
Total water consumption has been disag-
gregated into five major sectors: residential,
commercial, agricultural, irrigation and
industrial. Water usage for the period of
October 1989 through September 1990 (most
recent data available) is depicted in Table 3.
TABLE3
DISAGGREGATED WATER CONSUMPTION
IN C.M.W.D.SERVICE AREA
Sector Usage (Gal.) % of Total
Residential 2,523,686,000 39
Commercial 1,431,945,000 22
Irrigation 1,406,763,000 22
Agricultural 773,392,000 12
Industrial 344,297,000 5
Total Usage 6,480,083,000 100
The information included in Table 3 is displayed in graphic form in Figure 3.
Residential Sector Water Use
All of the various sectors were analyzed in an
attempt to determine the seasonal fluctuation
of water usage. For the residential sector,
water demands in March equal 52 percent of
total demands in comparison to 42 percent in
August. Similar comparisons are included in
the sections that discuss the other sectors.
Water use of single and multi-family
developments was analyzed in even further
detail with assistance from the Metropolitan
Water District. A breakdown of specific
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residential uses into seasonal and nonseasonal
components was completed. This information
will give staff an increased understanding of
potential water savings. Table 4 summarizes
the estimates of disaggregated water uses in
the District's residential sector.
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FIGURE 3
Users by Sector
Oct. 1989 thru Sept. 1990
Rea. 39'9
Comm. 22'9
Ind. 6%
Agrl. 12'9
lrrlg. 22'9
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TABLE4
DISAGGREGATION OF RESIDENTIAL WATER USE
Component of Use
Nonseasonal use
Average
Most likely range
Seasonal Use
Average
Most likely range
Indoor Use
Average
Most likely range
Toilets
Showers/bath
Washing machines
Faucets
Dishwashers
Outdoor use
Average
Most likely range
Lawn/ garden irrigation
Swimming pool use
Car washing
Air conditioning
Total
Resid.
Sector
72.1
70-80
27.9
20-30
69.6
65-75
25.1
20.2
13.2
9.0
2.1
30.4
25-35
27.2
1.6
1.4
0.2
Commercial Sector Water Use
On average, commercial water use within the
District's service area equals 22 percent of
total consumption. This sector has the least
seasonal variation due to low exterior water
demands. The percentage of total consump-
tion varies from 23 percent in March to 25
percent in August.
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Single-
Family
Sector
68.7
65-75
31.3
25-35
65.4
60-70
22.2
18.3
14.4
8.5
2.0
34.6
30-40
30.8
2.0
1.8
0.0
Multi-
Family
Sector
83.9
80-90
16.1
10-20
82.2
75-85
31.2
25.6
12.3
11.5
1.6
17.8
15-25
16.1
0.4
0.9
0.4
Irrigation Sector Water Use
The effects of seasonal differences will have
an obvious influence on irrigation demands.
Slightly behind commercial water use,
irrigation is the third highest sector. The
development of Carlsbad has brought about
the creation of a large amount of irrigated
areas with various uses; medians, slopes,
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parkways, and greenbelts are just a few
examples. Seasonal fluctuations range from 8
percent of total demands in March to 13
percent in the month of August.
Recent revisions to the City of Carlsbad's
Landscape Manual for new developments
should assist the District in reducing future
irrigation demands. Numerous xeriphytic
principles are now required within the City.
Agricultural Sector Water Use
Agricultural water demands have been
decreasing within the District for the last
decade. In fiscal year 1981-82, this sector
amounted to over 32 percent of total
demands. Current agricultural water use in
the District amounts to approximately 12
percent of total demands. For comparative
purposes, Figure 4 shows the relationship
between agricultural demands and total
consumption for the last ten years.
This sector experiences wide seasonal
fluctuations due to the weather conditions and
timing of the growing seasons. In March,
agriculture amounts to 9 percent of total
consumption in comparison to 15 percent in
August.
Industrial Sector Water Use
Industrial demands amount to the smallest
sector in terms of annual water demands.
Averaging only 5 percent, the seasonal
variation fluctuates from 8 percent in March
to 5 percent in August. Similar to
commercial in this respect, the industrial
sector has a minimal amount of outside water
usage, which is the reason for the slight
variation. A graphic comparison of the water
usage patterns for all of the sectors is
included in Figure 5.
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WATER USE FORECASTS
Historical and Projected Water Use Rates
During fiscal year 1989-90, the District
purchased 17,918 acre feet of water from the
Authority for distribution within Carlsbad.
This was a nine percent increase over the
previous fiscal year. The majority of this
increase is attributable to expansion of the
water system to accommodate new
development.
The District has contracted with a consulting
engineering firm for the development of a
new potable water master plan. The plan is
currently under review by various local
agencies. Adoption by the District's Board of
Directors is scheduled for early January 1991.
However, staff has determined that the
projected water demands included in that
report are the best available. Table 5
specifies the projected build-out demands of
the District.
TABLES
PROJECTED WATER DEMANDS
Condition
Current Avg. Day
Average Day
Peak Mo. Avg. Day
Peak Day
Peak Hour
Gal/Min
11,110
17,042
23,107
28,439
52,278
Mil.Gal/Day
15.99
24.54
33.27
63.37
75.28
-N
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FIGURE 4
Agricultural vs. Total Usage
1980-81 thru 1989-90
Acre Feet (328,000 Gal.) 20-,....-------------------------,
Agricultural -Total Usage I
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10 -4 •••
5-···
0 I ------C --I ~--I I I
80-81 81-82 82-83 83-84 84-85 86-88 86-87 87-88 88-89 89-90
Fiscal Year
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FIGURE 5
Water Use By Sectors
October 1989 thru September 1990
Units (748 Gal.) 1000--------------,---,--~---,--------,
800
800
400
200
0
••••••••• : ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• : ••••••••• -~ .................... f ................ . . . . . . .
-.._ ·--
........ : .......... ~ ......... : ...... .
--
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb • Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Month
I -Rea. -Comm. • Agrl. -lrrlg. L Ind. I
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Trends in Future Urban Water Use
The total water use in the District's service
area is expected to grow because of
continuing increases in population. However,
the growth in water demand may be lower or
higher than the rate of population growth,
depending on a number of forces that are
known to influence water use. Some of these
forces are already affecting water use and are
expected to further modify future water
demands .
Factors Causing Increase in Water Use Rates
Several factors will tend to increase water use
rates in the future. Major factors in this
category are described as follows:
I) Decreasing household size. The
nationwide/ statewide trend is toward
decreasing household size (i.e. ,greater
numbers of homes with fewer occupants per
household). Because some household water
uses (i.e., landscaping) remain approximate! y
the same regardless of household size, this
trend will tend to increase per capita water
use .
2) Increasing household income. Substantial
increases in income will lead to home
improvement investments. These
expenditures often include water-using
appliances and installations (i.e., additional
landscaping and cooling systems.)
3) An increasing regional per capita product.
A greater share of the population will be
employed in the coming decades causing the
gross regional product to grow faster than
population.
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Factors Causing Decrease in Water Use Rates
Several factors are expected to decrease water
use rates (i.e., gross capita use) in the
District's service area. Two factors are
related to shifts in water use sectors. Other
factors represent water conservation.
Significant effects on water use will result
from conservation measures which are
currently practiced in the District's service
area. Major factors in this category are
described as follows:
1) An increasing share of multifamily housing
units in the total housing stock. Because
multifamily structures share landscaping and
swimming pools and generally have fewer
water-using appliances (i.e., washing machines
or dishwashers), the average water use is
lower than in detached single family
residences (about 30 gallons per day less per
dwelling unit). Currently, housing units in
multifamily structures represent about 43
percent of the housing stock and are expected
to account for about 48 percent by 2010.
2) The 1981 and 1992 California Plumbing
Codes. The requirement of water-efficient
plumbing fixtures will continue to affect water
use rates in all new structures (residential and
commercial) and all remodeled bathrooms.
The 1981 code requires (a) toilets with a
maximum average of 3.5 gallons per flush, (b)
urinals with 1.5 gallons per flush, and (c)
showerheads and faucets with a maximum
average flow rate of 2. 75 gallons per minute.
The 1992 code will require the installation of
toilets with 1. 6 gallons per flush in all new
buildings built after January 1, 1992.
3) Education programs. The effect of
educational programs will depend upon the
level of saturation of the public .
4) Conservation programs. Reductions in
water use will result from the implementation
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of best management conservation practices
such as (a) residential retrofit programs, (b)
leak detection and repair programs conducted
by retail agencies, ( c) landscaping water
efficiency measures, including education about
water practices and low water-using plants,
and the other measures outlined in
subsequent sections of this plan .
5) Changes in retail prices. Price increases
since the late 1970 levels to the current (1989)
price levels (in real terms) provide incentives
to consumers to use water more efficiently .
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These reduction factors are expected to offset
most of the increases in usage rates due to
income, population trends, and urban growth
and allow the District to maintain current
water use rates in the future at the most
efficient level if the ongoing and planned
conservation programs are successful.
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III. WATERSUPPLIES
LOCAL WATERSUPPLIES
Water supplies to the District are obtained
entirely from imported sources. However, in
Southern California, groundwater, surface
water, and reclaimed wastewater constitute
about 35 percent of current water needs.
Imported supplies from Los Angeles
Aqueduct, Metropolitan's Colorado River
Aqueduct, and Metropolitan's entitlement to
State Project water provide on the average
the remaining 65 percent of the regional
needs. Metropolitan provides supplemental
water supplies that meet about 55 percent of
Southern California's and over 90 percent of
the County's water needs. In the future, as
demands for water increase with population
growth, an increasing portion of the regional
water demands will be supplied by
Metropolitan.
Virtually all of the major river systems in
Southern California have been developed into
a comprehensive system of dams, flood
control channels, and percolation ponds for
supplying local water and artificially
recharging groundwater such that only a small
portion of runoff in the area is released to the
ocean. It is only during the largest of storms
that fresh water reaches the ocean. For
example, studies by the Los Angeles County
Department of Public Works have shown that
90 percent of the rainfall and runoff in the
county either percolates naturally into the
ground or is captured in the flood control
reservoirs. The sources of groundwater basin
replenishment are local precipitation and
runoff from the coastal ranges and artificial
recharge with imported water supplies .
Reclaimed wastewater is also used to
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replenish groundwater basins, subject to strict
public health controls.
Major Groundwater Basins
There is not a tremendous potential for
acquiring local water from groundwater basins
for use within the District. However, water
rights for Carlsbad still exist in the San Luis
Rey River Basin. The feasibility of
groundwater recharging in the Basin is
currently being studied by the City of
Oceanside. The potential exists for the
District to receive local water through direct
withdrawals or transfers.
Groundwater supplies account for about 90
percent of the natural water supplies within
Southern California. These supplies are
found in many basins throughout
Metropolitan' s service area, with safe yield in
some basins exceeding 200,000 acre feet per
year (AFY). The groundwater is collected
through the natural percolation of rainfall and
stream runoff into the groundwater basin. In
addition, runoff in certain areas is retained in
flood control reservoirs constructed in major
drainage areas and released into spreading
basins or ponds for additional percolation into
the groundwater basins. Groundwater is then
pumped to meet needs.
These basins are managed in such a way that
extrications are limited, or replenishment is
provided using Metropolitan imported
supplies when the safe yield of the basin or
other groundwater management criteria are
being exceeded. In general terms, basin
management plans include protection from
seawater intrusion, water quality
deterioration, excessive lowering of water
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levels, while providing a hedge against water
shortages. The dependable natural
groundwater supplies (i.e., safe yield) in the
region are in the order of 1. 0 million acre feet
per year (MAFY). The replenishment of
basins with reclaimed water provides
additional groundwater supplies. Indeed, the
region's groundwater basins are a key asset
for the development of water management
plans in the future.
The recent drought conditions have caused a
significant reduction in the amount of water
stored in groundwater basins. This reduction
is the result of below-normal rainfall in five
out of the past six years.
The existing and projected quality of
groundwater supplies is of great concern to
water purveyors. Recently, trace amounts of
organic chemicals have been found in some
Southern California groundwater basins. Since
the 1930's, about 74,000 AFY of historic
groundwater production have been lost
because of high mineral concentrations
(primarily nitrates and total dissolved solids).
Organics in groundwater have resulted in
additional losses in production, currently
estimated at about 6,500 AFY.
Many of these wells have been returned to
production through blending or other means,
their use in the future may be jeopardized by
more stringent state and federal standards for
organic compounds. The potential for
adoption of more stringent federal and state
water quality standards and for movement of
these constituents within groundwater basins
raises uncertainties as to the future
availability of a portion of these supplies.
Loss of local production capacity due to
groundwater quality problems may be viewed
as a temporary problem because the value of
the resource to Southern California is too
great to allow its abandonment.
Consequently, cleanup facilities may have to
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be constructed to enable existing wells to
return to useful production. A number of
federal, state, and local agencies are spending
substantial funds on groundwater cleanup
projects. However, it appears that more
projects will need to be implemented in the
future. Water quality issues demand attention
and will undoubtedly be the subject of intense
investigation and potential legislative action.
Current planning studies assume that these
water quality problems will not affect the
long-term availability of groundwater, as there
are efforts being undertaken to develop
treatment and management approaches to
reclaim these supplies and maintain their
availability in the future.
Major River Systems and Reservoirs
Surface water resources consist of runoff
captured in storage reservoirs, held for direct
use, and of some direct diversions from
streams into local water systems. In Southern
California, there are currently 18 major
reservoirs that are owned and operated by
local water agencies. San Diego County
agencies operate 14 of these facilities. The 18
reservoirs maintain a storage capacity of
817,000acre feet (AF). The firm annual yield
of these supplies amount to about 100,000
AFY. It varies widely between wet and dry
years, and most reservoirs are operated with
minimal carry-over storage.
Locally, there are no major reservoirs within
either the District service area or in any
neighboring jurisdiction. However, the
Olivenhain Municipal Water District and the
Authority are currently studying the feasibility
of constructing an emergency storage
reservoir in the Mt. Israel area. This facility
could have a major impact upon the ability of
North County agencies to cope with an
extended water supply outage.
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Water Reclamation
Reclaimed wastewater in Southern California
has been used for several decades. Water
reclamation involves: (1) recapturing or
treating wastewater, degraded or
contaminated groundwater, or other
nonpotable water for beneficial uses, (2) its
transportation to the place of use, and (3) its
actual use.
Wastewater reuse and water reclamation are
integral parts of Southern California's water
supplies. Reclamation projects are integrated
into a complex regional water supply system
which maximizes the use of imported and
local supplies.
In October 1988, a survey of water and
wastewater agencies was completed to
determine the number of existing/under-
construction reclaimed water projects in
Southern California. The survey identified 43
existing/ under-construction reclamation
projects which provide reclaimed water to
more than 100 separate sites.
Many reclamation projects in Southern
California have gone beyond traditional
irrigation purposes to encompass groundwater
recharge and industrial applications.
Industrial applications include power plant
cooling water and process water for paper
plants. The largest use of reclaimed water in
Southern California is for groundwater
recharge. Groundwater replenishment is the
most efficient use of reclaimed water,
allowing large amounts of wastewater to be
used at a relatively modest cost. The
reclaimed water is either injected into
seawater intrusion barriers or percolated in
spreading basins for eventual reuse in potable
systems. Direct use of reclaimed water is
primarily for irrigation purposes. A variety of
golf courses, cemeteries, school yards, parks,
street medians, and freeway landscaping in
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Southern California are irrigated with
reclaimed water.
To ensure the maximum reuse of reclaimed
supplies, Metropolitan is providing financial
assistance to local agencies (through the Local
Projects Program) to build treatment plants
and distribution system facilities to increase
the use of reclaimed water and thus reduce
the demand on the importation system. This
program will be utilized by the District to
improve the financial feasibility of
constructing a reclaimed water system. Under
favorable conditions, by 2010, total use of
reclaimed water (direct reuse plus
groundwater recharge) would reach about
433,000 AFY in Southern California and
100,000 AFY in San Diego County .
Carlsbad is in a unique situation regarding the
development of a reclaimed water system. A
citywide Master Plan is currently under review
and will be adopted in early 1991. However,
one major development in Carlsbad has
already installed an extensive distribution
system for reclaimed water. Areas to be
irrigated with reclaimed water include a golf
course, slopes, greenbelts and common areas.
This is the first project in a series that will
ultimately provide reclaimed water to a wide
variety of users throughout the City. Figure 1
(page 3) depicts the first phase of the
reclaimed water system which should be
under construction during calendar year 1991 .
The projections for expansion of water
reclamation in this area are not assured
because they are subject to several
constraints. The most important constraint is
the public health concern. The California
Department of Health Services is currently
developing water quality criteria to regulate
direct and indirect use of reclaimed water.
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IMPORTED WATERSUPPLIES
As local supplies currently provide only about
30 percent of the water needs in Southern
California, the balance is made up from
imported sources. Most agencies and all
retail water suppliers depend on imported
water for a portion of their water supply .
For example, the city of Los Angeles, the
largest city in the state, obtains about 85
percent of its water from imported sources.
The city of San Diego, the second largest in
the state, obtains about 90 percent of its
water from imported sources. The magnitude
of these imported water requirements is
similar to that in other metropolitan sections
of the state, such as San Francisco Bay areas.
Los Angeles Aqueducts
The city of Los Angeles imports water
through the Los Angeles Aqueducts from the
Owens Valley and Mono Basin. The original
Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed in 1913
and imported water from the Owens Valley.
In 1940, the aqueduct was extended to Mono
Basin. A second Los Angeles Aqueduct,
which parallels the original aqueduct, was
completed in 1970.
The aqueducts have historically supplied an
average of about 450,000 AFY, consisting of
360,000 AFY from surface-water and
groundwater supplies in the Owens Valley
and 90,000 AFY from surface supplies in the
Mono Basin. However, in drier periods,
deliveries can be considerably lower.
The continuing ability of the Los Angeles
Aqueducts to deliver 450,000 AFY on the
average is unlikely because of litigation aimed
at reducing the city'sdiversion from the Mono
Basin. The amount of water that can be
delivered from the Los Angeles Aqueducts is
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also affected by the city's groundwater
management agreement with the county of
Inyo for the Owens Valley. For planning
purposes, an average supply of 450,999 AFY
and a firm supply of 312,000 AFY is used.
During severe droughts, the supplies can be
reduced even more.
Colorado River Supply
Metropolitan has water delivery contracts for
Colorado River water with the U.S.
Department of the interior for 1.212 MAFY
and an additional 180,000 AFY of surplus
water. However, as a result of the 1964 U.S.
Supreme Court decree in Arizona v.
California, Metropolitan's dependable supply
of Colorado River water was reduced to less
than 550,000 AFY. This reduction m
dependable supply occurred with the
commencement of Colorado River water
deliveries by the Central Arizona Project.
Although Metropolitan has a priority to divert
550,000 AFY of California's 4.4 MAFY basic
apportionment under its water delivery
contract with the Secretary of the Interior,
current water use by holders of present
perfected rights (such as Indian reservations,
towns, and other individuals along the
Colorado River that predate Metropolitan' s
rights) would reduce the dependable
diversions by about 30,000 AFY. Conveyance
losses along the Colorado River Aqueduct of
50,000 AFY would further reduce the amount
of Colorado River water received in the
coastal plain. Considering these reductions,
Metropolitan could obtain 470,000 AFY on a
dependable basis.
Implementation of a water conservation
program with Imperial Irrigation District
(IDD), the largest agricultural user of
Colorado River water, began in January 1990.
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In brief, the HD/Metropolitan agreement
provides for Metropolitan to finance the costs
of specific conservation projects. The
program calls for structural and nonstructural
conservation measures including lining
existing canals, constructing local reservoirs
and spill interceptor canals, installing nonleak
gates and automation equipment, and
instituting distribution system and on-farm
management activities. In return
Metropolitan will be entitled to divert from
the Colorado River, or store in a reservoir, a
quantity of water equal to the amount of
conserved water resulting from these projects,
which is estimated to total 106,110 AFY upon
full implementation.
Metropolitan' s ability to divert additional
Colorado River water in the short term
(beyond the 576,ll0AFY) will be dependant
upon hydrologic conditions in the Colorado
River Basin and the demand for water by
other users who also hold rights to Colorado
River water, such as the California
agricultural agencies and the states of Arizona
and Nevada.
State Water Project (SWP) Supplies
Metropolitan first received deliveries of SWP
supplies in 1972. Metropolitan has contracted
for the delivery of 2,011,500 AFY, about 48
percent of the total planned project yield.
The contract for all agencies provided for the
buildup in deliveries over time, with most
agencies reaching their maximum annual
entitlement by the year 1990.
The initial facilities of the SWP (i.e., Oroville
Dam, San Luis Dam, California Aqueduct,
and associated pumping plants) were
completed in the early 1970's. Currently, the
SWP is providing a dependable supply of
about one-half of the ultimate amount that
the state is contracted to deliver.
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The SWP was conceived so that additional
facilities to increase the yield would be
constructed over time as the contract
deliveries increased. However, no surface
reservoir storage or Delta transfer facilities
have been built to increase the yield since
completion of the California Aqueduct nearly
20 years ago. At the same time,
Metropolitan's need for water from the SWP
has been increasing.
POTENTIAL WATERSUPPLIES
Metropolitan states that it has many water
supply initiatives underway. These initiatives
include water exchanges and transfers,
efficient management of supplies, and other
programs to increase potential supplies. Prior
to the implementation of a number of these
programs, resolution of certain issues is
required. These issues, depending on the
particular program considered, may include
technical, legal, and financial matters,
mitigation of environmental impacts, State
and/or Federal legislative or regulatory
approvals, and negotiations of agreements
with other agencies. While all of these
programs are being pursued, no one project
can fully offset shortages in supplies. Since
the feasibility of these programs is not certain
at this time, the increase in supplies 1s
referenced as "potential" water supplies.
Potential Colorado River Supplies
Additional Colorado River water might be
available in the future from several sources
and programs:
1) Surplus Water. When the Colorado River
System reservoirs are nearly full, water from
the Colorado River is sometimes available
over and above normal apportionments.
During these times, the Secretary of the
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Interior may declare that surplus Colorado
River water is available for use by
Metropolitan. Surplus water was available
between 1986 and 1988 and is projected to be
available in the future from time-to-time.
However, because of a three-year dry period
in the Colorado River watershed, no surplus
water is available in 1990.
2) Unused Arizona and Nevada Water. The
Secretary of the Interior has the discretion to
allow California to use any water that Arizona
and Nevada have available from the Colorado
River under their contracts, but do not use.
Nevada is not expected to use its full
apportionment until after the year 2000.
Thus, up to 100,000 AFY of Nevada's
apportionment may be available for
Metropolitan's use for some period of time.
However, it is difficult to predict the criteria
the Secretary will use in determining whether
to release any unused water to California.
Arizona and Nevada, as well as the Upper
Basin states, are on record as wanting the
Secretary to keep the Colorado River system
reservoirs as full as possible rather than
releasing unused water to California.
3) Unused Agricultural Water. Of
California's apportionment of 4. 4 million acre-
feet per year (MAFY) from the Colorado
River, 3.85 MAFY (less the amount of water
made available to Metropolitan under the
water conservation agreement with the
Imperial Irrigation District) are available for
use by agricultural agencies in California. If
the agricultural agencies do not use their
entire available supply, Metropolitan has a
right to divert the unused portion. Forecasts
can be made during the year to project how
much of the agricultural water will go unused
for the current calendar year. Based on such
forecasts, Metropolitan can plan its operations
to take advantage of this unused agricultural
water in the latter part of the year. In some
years annual deliveries could be increased by
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as much as 100,000 to 200,000 AF through
this arrangement. Although agriculture use
was less than 3.85 MAF throughout much of
the 1980's, there was no unused agricultural
water available in 1989.
4) Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Water
Conservation Agreement. Through
negotiations with IID, an additional 150,000
AFY of conserved water may become
available.
5) All-American Canal and Coachella Branch
Lining. Up to 70,000acre-feet of water can be
conserved annually if about 30 miles of the
All-American Canal are lined. Similarly,
lining 38 miles of the Coachella Branch may
conserve up to 30,000 AFY.
6) Imperial County Groundwater Storage and
Recovery Program. Under this concept,
Colorado River water will be stored in a
groundwater basin in Southeastern Imperial
County and later be recovered. An
investigation of the potential yield of this
program is underway.
7) Colorado River Banking. Under this
concept, Metropolitan would limit its
diversions from the Colorado River and store
the remainder of its entitlement in Lake
Mead. During the years when water is
banked, additional SWP deliveries to the
coastal plain would replace the stored
Colorado River water. About 200,000 AFY
may eventually be available through this
program.
8) Land Fallowing Programs. Under this
concept, Metropolitan would pay landowners
in the Palo Verde Valley to leave land fallow
in exchange for use of about 100,000 AFY of
water. Similar concepts are being considered
for the Imperial Valley .
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Potential State Water Project (SWP) Supplies
Due to many complex issues, the facilities
needed to increase the yield of the SWP have
not been constructed. The Department of
Water Resources current efforts to increase
the SWP yield are focused on various
programs including:
1) West Delta Management Program. To
protect the reliability and quality of the Delta
water supply to the SWP, and to control
subsidence on Sherman Island, DWR along
with the Department of Fish and Fame
(DFG) are pursuing acquisition of agricultural
land on Sherman Island with the goal of
establishing a wildlife habitat management
program .
2) South Delta Management Program.
Facilities are proposed to provide sufficient
channel capacity in order to fully utilize the
four additional pumps at the Harvey 0. Banks
Delta Pumping Plant (Banks Pumping Plant)
to capture surplus flows in the Delta. The
program would also address problems related
to water levels and quality in the Southern
Delta. DFG has, however, expressed concern
related to possible adverse impacts on Delta
Fisheries.
3) North Delta Management Program.
Facilities are proposed in the North Delta to
improve SWP yield, enhance Delta fishery
conditions, as well as provide flood control
benefits.
4) Los Banos Grandes Reservoir. This
proposed 1. 75 million acre-foot surface
reservoir located near and functioning
similarly to San Luis Reservoir would provide
additional SWP storage and yield south of the
Delta.
5) Kem Water Bank. This combination of
groundwater storage programs being
developed in Kem County would provide
additional SWP storage and yield south of the
Delta .
6) Central Valley Project Water Purchase. A
proposed agreement would allow DWR to
make interim purchase of Central Valley
Project (CVP) water from the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation in exchange for wheeling CVP
water through the California Aqueduct.
These programs, if implemented, could supply
an additional 450,000 AFY of reliable
supplies to Metropolitan.
The State Water Resource Control Board as
part of its Bay /Delta water rights hearing is
now in the process of developing terms and
conditions for the export of water from the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This action
could lead to decreases in the amount of
water available to the State Water Project
and other projects diverting water from the
Delta. Numerous agencies are participating
in these hearings by providing information on
water needs and addressing issues pertaining
to environmental conditions in the Delta and
San Francisco Bay .
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QUALITY OF WATERSUPPLIES
Water quality regulations are an increasingly
important factor in the selection of raw water
sources, treatment alternatives, and
modifications to existing treatment facilities.
Water quality constituents, as well as water
treatment plant performance, are becoming
more strictly regulated by federal, state, and
local entities. Thus, future water quality
regulations will play a significant part in the
evaluation of proposed alternatives to
improve the water supply system .
The number of water quality regulations is
increasing rapidly. The first two water
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constituents of health-related significance
were regulated in 1914. The number of
regulations increased slowly during the next
70 years. However, between the year 1986,
when the safe drinking water act (SDWA)
was amended, and the year 2000, the number
of health-related regulations promulgated by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
will increase from 23 to more than 183.
EPA proposals to revise drinking water
regulations, congressional amendments to the
SDWA that mandate increased regulation,
and State Department of Health Services
(DRS) regulations will collectively impact
water quality monitoring and treatment
requirements.
Summary of Water Quality Impacts
Water quality is becoming a more explicit
consideration in distribution system planning
than in previous decades. More stringent
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drinking-water standards may lead to the
addition of new processes at treatment plants,
such as ozonation. Stricter treatment
performance standards may lead to reduced
capacity ratings at existing treatment facilities,
thus requiring greater physical plant capacity
to treat the same amount of water. In the
past, water purveyors have been able to
operate the treatment plants above their rated
filtration capacity during peak periods. In the
future, water quality regulations may dictate
a more conservative treatment plant operation
and the provision of greater reserve capacity
at treatment plants. These facts do not have
a direct impact upon the District since we do
not operate a treatment plant. However, it
can only lead to increased production costs
for agencies such as Metropolitan and the
Authority.
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IV. WATERSUPPLY MANAGEMENTPROGRAMS
OVERVIEW OF PAST AND CURRENT
WATERMANAGEMENTPROGRAMS
Groundwater Management Programs
The District does not currently manage a
groundwater basin. However, this water
source is very crucial in meeting the region's
demands. Over 90 percent of natural local
supplies in Southern California are produced
from groundwater basins. These supplies
account for a significant portion of all water
used. In addition, portions of the imported
supplies are stored in groundwater basins for
future use. These basins are managed
through a variety of programs designed to
maintain their usability, to avoid overdraft,
and to maximize their ability to meet water
demands .
Groundwater supplies have been fully
developed, with pumping rights in many of
the region's basins established by adjudication
or managed by public agencies. Groundwater
management agencies (1) provide orderly
withdrawals to ensure long-term safe yields or
other criteria, (2) maintain an orderly market
for the sale or lease of groundwater-pumping
rights, (3) assess pump taxes which are used
to buy imported or reclaimed replenishment
waters needed in excess of natural recharge,
and ( 4) pay for the spreading operations by
which replenishment water augments
underground supplies. For example, on the
coastal plain, groundwater managers buy
imported water from Metropolitan at
replenishment rates and assess retail
purveyors for their annual well pumpage in
amounts sufficient to repay replenishment
costs.
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In most of the basins, long-term safe yields
are established according to local groundwater
recharge. These safe yields consist of
recharge from natural precipitation and return
flow from delivered groundwater less losses
from subsurface outflow, rising water outflow,
evaporation, and infiltration into sewers.
Conjunctive use of groundwater basins means
that imported surface-water supplies and
existing groundwater supplies are used in
concert to meet the needs of the consumer.
The groundwater basin is artificially recharged
with the imported surface-water supplies
during years of ample supplies. During years
of inadequate supplies, the previously stored
water is pumped from the groundwater basin
and used to replace diminished surface-water
supplies. Surface water that has been used to
recharge basins typically includes storm waters
and water that is imported into a basin.
There are more than 70 such recharge
facilities within Southern California that are
currently being used to replenish groundwater
basins.
Surface Water Management
In addition to management of groundwater
basins, surface reservoirs are utilized to
capture local runoff, to store imported
supplies, and to regulate the delivery system.
The District stores imported water in its
Maerkle Reservoir. The District is currently in
the process of constructing facilities to
increase operational storage, upgrade
treatment capabilities, and ultimately provide
a lining and cover for the 195 million-gallon
reservoir.
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In 1988, Metropolitan began a preliminary
effort to expand reservoir storage capacity.
This program was undertaken to (1)
determine the amount of storage needed in
the future, (2) identify alternative sites for the
storage, (3) narrow the list of potential sites,
and ( 4) evaluate the potential for a reservoir
at one or more of those sites. The Authority
is in the process of studying many of the same
issues from the San Diego County perspective.
EXCHANGES AND TRANSFERS OF
WATER
Past, Current and Proposed Exchanges
The District currently has water system
interties with four neighboring water retailing
agencies: The Olivenhain Municipal Water
District, the San Dieguito Water District, the
Vallecitos County Water District and the City
of Oceanside. These interties are for the
purpose of transferring limited amounts of
water between agencies during emergencies
and short-term planned or unanticipated
water system outages.
No water agency adjacent to the District has
local water supplies that can satisfy more than
a fraction of each agency's current demands,
much less provide a short or long-term
additional supply to the District. Potentially,
future exchanges may occur if the City of
Oceanside wishes to utilize the District's
water rights in the San Luis Rey River Basin.
MANAGEMENT RESPONSE DURING
DROUGHT OR OTHER EMERGENCIES
The effective management of water supply
deficiencies is one of the most important
responsibilities of water purveyors. Possible
deficiencies in supplies may be caused by
droughts, failures of major water transmission
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facilities during earthquakes, an acute
contamination of supplies due to chemical
spills, or other adverse conditions. The need
for an effective management program to
mitigate water supply shortages arises from
experiences during the drought of 1976-77 and
the ongoing four-year drought which began in
1987. The following sections describe drought
response measures.
The District's ability to meet demands during
short-term outages or droughts is improved
significantly with the volume of storage
available at the Maerkle Reservoir. The
necessary supplies required to satisfy demands
in a short-term outage have always been
available.
The best example of the response to a long-
term outage or drought is the recent
declaration of a Stage 2 Water Alert. The
existing drought conditions created the need
to reduce demands by ten percent. Various
aspects of the District's Stage 2 reduce
irrigation and other non-essential uses in an
attempt to reduce overall demands. Some
extremely warm conditions during July
hampered conservation efforts. In spite of
this, to date, consumers in the District have
reduced per capita demands by 9.5% over
previous years. The specific methods chosen
to reduce demands may be altered in future
years. However, the District will continue its
commitment to promoting water conservation.
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V. CURRENTWATERCONSERVATION
REGIONAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Programs Through The Metropolitan Water
District
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California (Metropolitan) offers regional
programs and activities to its member
agencies. These measures are designed to
incorporate water conservation into short-
term and long-term water management plans.
Metropolitan developed a policy in August
1987 that facilitated the development and
implementation of water conservation
programs and agreements with member public
agencies and other organizations to make
more efficient use of water resources.
Some of the programs Metropolitan provides
to its members are outlined below .
Public Information and Education Programs
Public information is an integral part of any
water conservation program. This aspect is
crucial to the success of any agency"s ability to
realize actual water savings. One of the key
features of the Carlsbad Municipal Water
District's public information program is the
literature supplied by Metropolitan. Through
these publications, the District is better able
to illustrate the concepts and objectives of
water conservation. Some of the brochures
from Metropolitan that have been
incorporated into the District's program are:
"How to Have A Green Garden in a Dry
State"
"The Story of Drinking Water"
"A Journey Down the Colorado River
Aqueduct"
"Reclaiming Water"
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"How Much Water Does Your Lawn Really
Need?"
"WATER--California's Future in the Balance"
Many of these
incorporated into
programs as well.
brochures have been
the District's educational
Another aspect of Metropolitan's public
information activities is its timely dispatching
of all news releases to its member agencies.
In providing up-to-date information,
Metropolitan is helping its members respond
competently to public inquiry regarding these
matters. This is an important and valuable
service provided by Metropolitan.
Metropolitan also serves as a representative
of the Southern California water agencies
regarding legislation review and support.
Metropolitan acts as a liaison between several
government committees and its member
agencies, and participates actively in
organizations such as the Association of
California Water Agencies, the American
Water Works Association, and the California
Department of Water Resources.
The mass media campaigns instigated by
Metropolitan directly benefit the District by
increasing customer awareness about the need
to conserve and the severity of the drought.
These are campaigns whose costs prohibit the
District from developing them on its own.
Conservation Credits Program
The Conservation Credits Program, approved
in September 1988, offers economic incentives
to member agencies and their subagencies to
undertake water conservation measures.
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Metropolitan currently
foot for demonstrable
one-half of the cost
pays $154 per acre-
water savings up to
of each qualifying
conservation project. To qualify for this
program, a project must:
Have demonstrable water savings.
Reduce demands on Metropolitan.
Be technically sound.
Have local support.
Require Metropolitan's participation to make
the project financially and economically
feasible.
Some projects may have other benefits to
Metropolitan, including the following:
technology development, important research
results, protection of a vital resource, or
permanent loss of an opportunity to achieve
efficiency gains if the project is not
implemented. These benefits directly profit
the District in terms of possible water savings
and/or research and development.
Conservation Research and Development
In order to assess the success of the programs
supported by Metropolitan, it is necessary to
conduct substantial amounts of research to
determine the effectiveness of each. This
information is useful for member agencies to
evaluate the viability of using such a program
in their service areas.
The scope of research performed by
Metropolitan includes the areas of public
information, mass media campaigns,
landscaping technologies, retrofit methods,
and conservation audits.
Linked to the research of these programs is
the California Irrigation Management
Information System (CIMIS). This system is
a network of automated weather stations
which are connected via phone lines to the
Department of Water Resources (DWR)
27
mainframe computer in Sacramento. Each
CIMIS weather station has seven instruments
which record air speed and direction, air and
soil temperature, solar radiation, relative
humidity, and precipitation.
Programs Through the San Diego County
Water Authority
As a member of the San Diego County Water
Authority (Authority), the District can take
advantage of several water conservation
programs that would otherwise not be feasible
due to the cost of such programs. Addi-
tionally, the Authority provides widespread
educational and public information programs,
publications, and media advertising that
benefit all of its member agencies.
Public Information and Education Programs
The Authority provides the District with
several publications that enhance the
District's current public information programs.
The literature distributed by the Authority
covers subjects such as xeriscape, plumbing
retrofit instructions, water reclamation, and
lawn irrigation tips.
The Authority maintains a film, video and
slide library on water conservation-related
subjects for loan to community organizations
and other interested parties. This library is,
of course, available to the District at any
time.
Various types of media are utilized to convey
the importance of water conservation to the
public. Radio, television, newspaper, and
magazine ads have heightened water aware-
ness of consumers. Additionally, the
Waterhog developed by the Authority has
become a county symbol of water
conservation since its introduction.
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Educational presentations are offered to
schools throughout San Diego County that
teach students the importance of water
conservation, as well as explain the origin,
transportation and purification of water in
Southern California.
Mechanical Measures
The Authority has maintained an ongoing
plumbing retrofit kit distribution program.
The kit consists of showerhead flow
restrictors, toilet tank displacement devices
and toilet leak detection tablets. The
Authority has distributed over 250,000 of
these kits over the past two years. The
District has been able to take advantage of
this program and has received numerous
boxes of these kits to distribute to its
customers, in addition to its own customized
conservation kits.
The Authority also distributed low-flow
showerhead kits to its member agencies in
1990. The District received 1,200 kits and is
in the process of dispensing them to its
customers.
Promotional Programs
To help with the construction of xeriscape
demonstration gardens, the Authority has
provided up to $2,000 in design cost to assist
member agencies. Frequently, a helpful
listing of the plants, along with a description
of the irrigation system, has been
incorporated into brochures available at the
gardens.
The Authority recognizes water conservation
achievements through the presentation of
water conservation awards. The awards have
been presented to individuals as well as
organizations in recognition of contributions
in xeriscape, industrial conservation and other
conservation measures.
28
There is a staff water conservation
coordinator at the Authority who acts as the
coordinator of water conservation activities
between the agency and the general public,
and between the Authority and its member
agencies.
The Mission Resource Conservation District's
Mobile Laboratory Program is partially
funded by the Authority. This program offers
free audits of turf landscape of over five acres
in size to its member agencies. The District
is currently taking part in this program and is
scheduling audits for its customers who
qualify.
Conservation Ordinances
The Authority has provided its member
agencies with model water conservation and
emergency management ordinances to amend
and adopt as they see fit. These ordinances
are designed to standardize water use
restrictions in the San Diego area. The
District has adopted both ordinances after
minor modifications.
System Water Audits
System-wide water audits on the aqueduct
system are conducted by the Authority on at
least a monthly basis. Any unexplained water
losses are immediately investigated.
Source Meters
All water entering and leaving the Authority
pipeline system is completely metered. Each
Authority meter receives a complete
maintenance and calibration check at least
every four months. This procedure assures
that the source meters accurately record
information vital to performing effective water
audits .
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Leak Detection
Because of 100 percent metering, water
audits, centralized system control, and visual
inspection of all pipelines and easements on
a regularly scheduled basis, water losses due
to pipeline leakage are quickly noticed and
corrected. If undetected leakage is suspected,
field investigations and appropriate
mechanical and electronic leak detection tests
are conducted.
LOCAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS
The Carlsbad Municipal Water District began
a water conservation program in 1975. Early
program efforts were concentrated in the area
of public information with a long-term
approach, and coordination with the San
Diego County Water Authority was a key
element in the development of these efforts.
During the drought emergency of 1976-77,
more action-oriented measures were put into
place, and the public information programs
were expanded. After the drought emergency,
the District continued to implement the
majority of the new programs in addition to
the old ones, but took more of a public
information stance once again.
The District continues to emphasize public
information, but has since added several
programs to supplement the previous
measures in response to the four-year drought
California has been experiencing and the
need to convince customers that conserving
water is a necessary way of life in Southern
California. The District's current
conservation programs focus on long-term
lifestyle changes that will result in significant
water savings during the following years. As
always, the District is working in conjunction
with both the San Diego County Water
Authority and the Metropolitan Water
District to take advantage of these entities'
29
resources m order to achieve the most
efficient means of water conservation
available.
Public Education and Community Relations
Publications
The District utilizes brochures and
informational handouts provided by the
Authority and Metropolitan. A display rack
in the lobby of the District office offers all
available literature free to the public. In
addition to the above publications, the
District produces several of its own
informational pieces to distribute to its
customers .
The Waterline is a customer newsletter that
relates such things as water conservation tips,
results of the Annual Water Quality Report,
ordinances approved, and new developments
in the water supply situation.
A general informational piece on the District
and a xeriscape brochure were developed and
distributed to the District's customers .
At the request of the Authority, the District
declared a Stage 2 Water Alert on May 8,
1990. Shortly afterwards, a brochure was
mailed to all customers in the District's
service area outlining the restrictions and
specifications of Stage 2.
Other handouts purchased by the District
specifically for public information purposes
include Waterhog magnets and balloons with
the District name imprinted on them,
Waterhog buttons and stickers, bumper
stickers, and conservation kits with the
District logo and name.
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In-School Education
An employee of the District develops and
implements water awareness activities and
presentations for all elementary and junior
high school grade levels. These hour-long
presentations teach children about the origin
of Carlsbad's water, how it is treated, and how
to use conservation methods to make sure the
supply remains sufficient.
The District also sponsors an annual "Watch
Our Water" (:W.O.W.) program that involves
poster contests for the younger grades and
essay contests for the junior high students.
This program has received much public
attention, drawing widespread participation
and support from parents, faculty and
community leaders. Faculty are in-serviced
and provided with instructional materials to
supplement curriculum activities related to
water awareness. An annual awards
presentation ceremony spotlights and officially
recognizes students and others who have
participated in the W.O.W.program activities
and is a high point for all involved in the
program. The contest and winners are
covered by the local media.
Many teachers have contacted the District to
obtain water awareness materials, which are
assembled and distributed in a packaged
format. The kit contains literature, Waterhog
items, and worksheets on the water system,
the hydrologic cycle and water use in the
home.
Community Relations Programs
The District participates in several community
which is a street fair covering approximately
six square city blocks and drawing a crowd of
about 60,000 people. The District sets up a
table at the Chamber of Commerce booth
and distributes literature, Waterhog handouts,
and conservation kits. Displays of current
projects are exhibited, and District personnel
are available to answer any questions the
public may have regarding water supply,
purification, storage, or conservation.
The District works closely with Scout troops
in coordinating the distribution of conser-
vation kits or for presentations of water
supply, use and conservation.
A speakers bureau is available to community
groups, such as homeowners associations, for
presentations on water use and conservation,
or on newsworthy subjects such as water
reclamation plants and the declaration of
water conservation stages.
Advertising
Several local media are accessible to the
District for advertising purposes.
Advertisements have been placed in The San
Diego Union, The Tribune, and the Blade-
Citizen newspapers. These ads have
addressed both water conservation and the
Stage 2 Water Alert notification. Other
publications in which advertisements have
been placed include Carlsbad Magazine and
The Carlsbad Business Journal. Amont the
ads used are Waterhog ads provided by the
Authority as well as ads developed by the
District.
activities, other than educational, that serve to System Measures
heighten consumer awareness regarding water
conservation. System Pressure Controls
Twice a year, the Carlsbad Chamber of
Commerce holds the Carlsbad Village Faire,
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Water supplied by the District is purchased
from the Authority and is received from the
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Authority aqueducts generally at pressures in
excess of what is needed. To insure adequate
but not excessive pressures to its consumers,
the District has established mechanically-
regulated pressure zones. This reduces the
chance of leaks caused by over-pressurized
lines. Individual customers experiencing high
pressures have small pressure regulators
installed at their service connections.
Meters and Consumption Identification
All of the District's service connections are
metered. The meters are read on a monthly
basis by the City's Utilities crew. A complete
maintenance and calibration schedule is
established and adhered to by City personnel.
Improperly operating meters are promptly
repaired or replaced by the City.
Additionally, the meters are placed into
customer classes. Records can be obtained to
determine what percentage of water is used
by each of the five classes: residential,
irrigation, commercial, agricultural and
industrial. This type of data is most useful in
targeting conservation programs to address
the types of uses which are increasing most in
the District's service area .
Corrosion Control
The District has cooperated with
Metropolitan in programs to ascertain what,
if any, chemical changes occur when water is
transported through various types of pipelines.
Leak Detection
District and City personnel are instructed to
watch for and report suspected system water
leaks. All such reported leaks, as well as all
leaks reported by the public and by other
agencies are promptly investigated and
corrected.
31
CONSERVATION THROUGH PRICING
AND RATE STRUCTURES
Sources of Revenue
As a public agency, the District does not
operate to earn a profit. Also, it is exempt
from many types of taxes. However, it has
certain costs that must be paid each year, and
consequently it must receive sufficient
revenue to cover its costs. The District's
primary source of revenue is from water sales.
Other sources of income include property
taxes, interest earnings, connection fees, major
facility charges, and rent for land.
History of District Retail Water Rates
From 1958 until July of 1977, the District
used a declining block rate system, in which
water rates decreased as consumption
increased. During this time, the need was not
apparent for customers to conserve water.
Therefore, the pricing structure actually
encouraged residents to use more water in
order to obtain a lower per-unit water rate.
During the drought of 1977, the rate structure
was changed to a uniform rate in order to
prompt wise water use. Over the years, as the
wholesale price for water has increased, the
District has found it necessary to increase
retail water prices.
As a result of the 1984 merging of some of
the functions of the District with those of the
City of Carlsbad, the District has not been
billing the individual water service customers.
All water is sold by the District to the City of
Carlsbad at a uniform, non-declining rate, and
the City's water rate to the retail water
service customers is also a uniform, non-
declining rate.
Table 6 shows the increase in unit price from
July 1977 to the present.
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TABLE6
• CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
RETAIL WATER RATE SUMMARY
Operating Capital Total
Date Cents/Unit Cents/Unit Cents/Unit
July 15, 1989 88.0 13.0 101.0
August 15, 1988 85.0 13.0 98.0
September 15, 1987 84.0 13.0 97.0
• July 1, 1986 80.0 0.0 80.0
July l, 1985 69.9 4.6 74.5
September l, 1984 74.l 0.4 74.5
.. January l, 1984 73.5
August 1, 1983 61.5
July 1, 1982 47.5
July 1, 1980 46.0 .. July 1, 1979 40.0
July 1, 1977 33.0
September 1, 1975 First 1,000 cubic feet 33.0
Over 1,000 cubic feet 24.0 ..
July 1, 1970 First 1,000 cubic feet 33.0
Next 2,000 cubic feet 24.0
Over 3,000 cubic feet 15.0
August 1, 1969 First 1,000 cubic feet 30.0
• Next 2,000 cubic feet 21.0
Over 3,000 cubic feet 12.5
September 20, 1960 First 1,000 cubic feet 24.0
Next 2,000 cubic feet 17.0
Over 3,000 cubic feet 10.0 • October 14, 1958 First 1, 000 cubic feet 25.0
Next 2,000 cubic feet 18.0
Over 3,000 cubic feet 10.0
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Conservation Effects of Pricing
In the past, water agencies often used
declining block rate schedules; i.e. ,customers
were charged less per unit of water as water
consumption rose, which encouraged water
consumption. However, rate structures can be
altered to encourage water conservation
rather than consumption. Increasing block
rates are one way of encouraging the
customer to use water wisely and install
water-conserving devices to avoid the high per
unit charge for water. The most effective
increasing block rates have a small customer
service charge, resulting in a higher per unit
water rate.
Obviously, the greatest challenge is in
developing an equitable rate structure. A fine
line is created when considering the
differentials between the increasing blocks.
They need to be significant enough to create
"meaningful" incentives to encourage
conservation while, at the same time, not
becoming too extreme. The severity of the
water supply situation must also be taken into
account. As the situation worsens, the
differential in costs between blocks should be
increased.
Whether or not consumers respond to
changes in water rates by conserving water
has yet to be determined. Studies have shown
that water consumption has decreased after
an inclining block rate structure is
implemented, but there are usually other
conservation programs in place to which the
drop in water use could be attributed, such as
public information for water awareness due to
a drought situation, ultra-low-flush toilet
rebate programs, residential retrofits,
landscape water audits, and landscape
requirements for new developments.
Metropolitan has researched the relationship
between price and water demand and has
33
found that there are still four issues which
have yet to be resolved.
1) The need to identify a proper measure of
the price variable in multiple-part price
structures (such as increasing block or
decreasing block rates),
2) Unverified assumption about the observed
price being independent of water use,
3) The distinction between short-term and
long-term responses to price changes, and
4) The interaction between price response
(demand reduction) and the effects of other
conservation measures.
Most empirical studies of water demand
assume that the observed prices are
independent of water use. In reality, the
prices are determined through a rate-setting
process in which the revenue is related to
total quantity of water used, and price should
be treated as a dependent variable.
Considering the most common rate-making
philosophy of spreading the total cost of water
service among consumers (i.e., average-cost
pricing), one may argue that water use in
some small communities is not low because
the price of water is high, instead the prices
are set high because water use is low. An
increase in water use in such communities
could lead to the reduction of water rates .
The responsiveness of water users to price
signals can be expected to be greater over a
long period of time when the stock of water-
consuming capital goods can be replaced with
more efficient goods (i.e., front-loaded
washing machines, drip irrigation system).
The lack of information on the time required
to achieve a desired level of adjustment in
water use is compounded further by the
problem of determining the range of validity
for point price elasticity estimates.
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Theoretically, only the effects of small
changes in price are quantified by price
elasticity. Therefore, for example, the effects
of an average 60 percent retail price increase
in a given year cannot be accurately predicted
using point price elasticity estimates.
As mentioned earlier, the effect of price
change cannot be easily separated from the
effects of conservation measures. Consumers
may reduce their water use in response to a
price increase by installing low-flow
showerheads and modifying their toilets to use
less water. Citywide retrofit programs
preempt this response option and should
effectively lower the elasticity of water
demand with respect to price.
OTHER LOCAL CONSERVATION
INITIATIVES
Enforcement of California Plumbing Codes
The building department of the City of
Carlsbad has a Code Enforcement Officer
who currently inspects structures within the
service area of the District to be sure that
they conform with all city, county and state
codes, including plumbing codes.
Plumbing Fixture Retrofit Programs
Ultra-Low-Flush Toilet Rebate
The District is currently offering a $100
incentive to residents interested in voluntary
plumbing fixture upgrades. The rebate is only
given for toilets that use 1. 6 gallons or less
per flush. After a customer completes an
application form and submits it along with a
proof of purchase, a representative from the
District inspects the residence to verify
installation. A follow-up questionnaire will be
sent to each participant in the program in
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order to obtain data for analysis purposes. As
a pilot program, this conservation measure
will only be offered for 200 toilets during this
fiscal year. If the program is successful, the
District will consider expanding the program
for the following fiscal year, with the
possibility of participating jointly with the
Authority.
According to various studies performed in
California and across the country, an ultra-
low-flush toilet can save as much as 24 gallons
of water per day. This figure is based on an
average household of 2.7 persons and 1.8
toilets that are flushed six times per day. A
1. 6-gallon model that replaces a low-flush
toilet that uses 3.5 gallons per flush can result
in 12 gallons per day in savings. This is based
only on residential installations.
If 200 water-guzzling toilets are replaced, a
savings of 44,000 gallons per year is expected.
A state mandate that will be enacted in 1992
will require that all new construction include
the installation of ultra-low-flow toilets. The
Code Enforcement Officer of the City of
Carlsbad will be responsible for enforcing this
mandate .
Showerhead Retrofit
The District is participating in a pilot
showerhead retrofit program sponsored by the
Authority and San Diego Gas & Electric
Company. In this program, 2,500 low-flow
showerheads of 1.4 and 1. 7 gallons per minute
will be installed in single-family, pre-1981
homes in Carlsbad. San Diego Gas &
Electric supplied the showerheads and the
Authority is paying for half of the cost of
installation. The District is responsible for
half of the cost of its service area's
installation .
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A contractor has been hired to perform the
installations, collect the data and produce a
final report on expected water savings and
customer acceptance. This program is due to
be completed by December 31, 1990. If it is
successful, this program may spawn an
expansion program extended to all water
agencies in San Diego County .
In addition, 1,200 showerheads were
distributed to the District by the Authority.
These are being dispensed to multi-family
residences in contiguous areas so that water
savings can be more easily calculated.
Residential Water Audits Program
A residential water audit program is being
implemented by the District during this fiscal
year. Large water users will be identified and
contacted with a letter notifying them that
they are an above-average water user and
asking them to participate in this program.
Upon response from the resident,
appointments will be made and audits
performed. During the audit, a representative
from the District will install showerhead flow
restrictors, toilet tank displacement bags, and
use leak detection tablets in the toilet tanks.
Information on further actions that can be
taken to conserve water, including a lawn
watering guide, is provided.
This incentive program will promote the
availability of the free audits to homeowners
and encourage them to schedule an
appointment.
Savings from a water audit depend on the
measures installed and actions taken by
homeowners in response to the audit. Based
on 2. 7 persons per household in California
and a 5 percent customer acceptance rate, the
District estimates that water savings will be 15
million gallons during the first year. This is
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based on . 7 gallon saved per flush, on two to
five gallons saved per minute per shower, and
for 20 percent of the toilets that are tested to
have leaks and undergo repair.
Large Turf Irrigation Audits
The District is currently offering large turf
irrigation audits to all customers with five or
more acres of irrigated landscape. This
service is provided by the Mission Resource
Conservation District and funded by the
Authority. The program is specifically
targeted to homeowners associations, parks,
and schools.
When a customer calls and requests this
service, the District makes the appointment
with Mission Resource Conservation District
and coordinates it with the customer. An
audit consists of soil content analysis,
irrigation system analysis, development of a
customized irrigation schedule, and an
irrigation evaluation report. To date, the
City's Parks and Recreation department has
taken advantage of this opportunity to have
audits performed on five city parks.
The water savings from the irrigation audit
program are estimated to be 20 percent for
systems with automatic controllers and 15
percent for others. This assumes an
establishment with one acre of typical
turfgrass and 4,370 square feet of ornamental
plants. At a 20 percent savings among 25
percent of the irrigation meters, the District
expects to save approximately 53,400 gallons
of water per year .
Audits of Institutional Users
The large institutional users in the District's
service area were identified. Twenty-nine
large users are targeted for the water audits
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to be performed by District staff. This
program is designed to take an inward focus
and concentrate on City/Government users.
As customers are asked to cut back on their
water consumption, public agencies will be
under greater scrutiny. It is necessary for the
City to do a complete audit of public facilities
to be certain that every measure is being
taken to conserve water within these facilities.
This initial step would be to inspect all
governmental facilities to ensure that all
feasible steps are being taken to reduce water
demands.
To date, all city facilities have been inspected
and, where applicable, showerhead flow
restrictors and toilet tank displacement bags
have been installed .
The amount of water savings from this
program is still undetermined. Data is not
available on how many facilities will need
installation of water-saving devices and to
what extent they will need them.
Water Bill Reformat
The current water bill mailed by the City
displays water usage in units. This measure-
ment is not easily interpreted by the general
36
public; using gallons as the measurement unit
would increase the comprehension of the
customers. The present billing format does
not lend itself to lengthy messages from the
City or the District, nor does it provide the
capability to enclose a stuffer that could
include water conservation suggestions as well
as other relevant information.
The reformatting of the bill would allow the
City to include the previous year's water
usage, an itemization of charges to contain
dollar amount per gallon and standby fee, and
more room for messages at the bottom of the
bill.
Water bills that show the water use for the
same billing period the previous year in
addition to current use would supply the
customer with a comparison of his/her past
experience that would, in tum, help increase
awareness of water use patterns and prevent
a gradual increase in per capita use. An
explanation of the changes to the bill will be
included with the first new formatted
statement.
The current supply of old bills will be
exhausted by March 1991. At this time, the
new format will be in effect.
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VI. EXPANSION OF CONSERVATION PROGRAM
CONCEPTUAL APPROACH
To achieve savings in addition to the existing
conservation measures discussed in the
previous chapters, Metropolitan, the
Authority, and several other urban water
districts in the state have proposed the
development and implementation of
additional water conservation techniques
called "best management practices." Two
types of practices are distinguished: "present"
and "potential." The present best
management practices are conservation
methods for which water savings, economic,
environmental, and social effects are being
documented in field applications.
Documented savings from these practices will
be incorporated into the overall water supply
planning program of the agencies participating
in the program. The potential best
management practices are those with
uncertain outcomes which require the
development of technical, economic, and
social acceptability data before a major
commitment of resources for their
implementation can be made. Also, the
savings of potential best management
practices will be incorporated into long-term
plans of balancing demand with supply in
Southern California after the practice has
been designated as a best management
practice and reliable data on water savings
become available.
The best management practice approach to
water conservation could provide water
suppliers with the assurance of reasonable
water conservation estimates being used in
the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) water rights decisions, while at the
same time providing the SWRCB with the
37
assurance it needs that water is being used
efficiently.
Water use reductions achievable through
implementation of best management practices
will be expressed in ranges. The lower end of
these ranges will represent reliable,
achievable savings based on well designed and
monitored field demonstration programs. The
water agencies participating in the program
will commit to programs and schedules which
go beyond the reliable savings to achieve the
maximum levels of savings which are
technically, economically, and socially feasible.
The upper end of these ranges will represent
potentially achievable savings.
It is important to continually evaluate best
management practices, once in place, in order
to modify current practices or add new
practices as a result of information gathered
from these studies. Pilot programs provide an
ideal mechanism through which these
conservation measures can be tested. The
feedback from monitoring and evaluation will
allow agencies to:
1) Enhance public information programs.
2) Reinforce current conservation behavior.
3) Identify opportunities for program im-
provement.
4) Design and implement additional best
management practices.
The Conservation Credits Program sponsored
by Metropolitan allows member agencies to
implement best management practices on a
pilot program basis and then incorporate
them into their conservation program
permanently once modifications have been
made that make them more feasible and
efficient.
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BEST MANAGEMENTPRACTICES
The following sections describe the best
management practices which are being
evaluated as part of the District's conservation
program. These practices are at various
stages of development; however, they will be
implemented in the next ten years if their
technical, economic, and other effects are
found to be satisfactory. Table 7 gives a
planned implementation schedule for these
practices.
Retrofit of Showerheads and Toilets
An indoor residential plumbing retrofit
program is designed to reduce domestic water
use. It involves replacing existing
showerheads with more efficiently designed
heads, which limit the flow rate of a shower
to less than 3.5 gallons per minute (gpm). It
also involves a modification of existing toilets
to reduce the volume of water used to flush
the toilet. Although such retrofits can and
are being performed by individual
homeowners, independently of programs
sponsored by water agencies, significant water
savings can be achieved if a large number of
households retrofit these bathroom fixtures.
An agency-sponsored retrofit program usually
involves free distribution and, sometimes,
installation of devices included in a retrofit
kit. These kits generally contain the following
items:
1) Toilet tank displacement devices
2) Low-flow showerheads or flow restrictors
3) Dye tablets that help identify toilet leaks
4) Instructions for installation and use of the
devices
5) Information on additional conservation
methods
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There are several methods of program
implementation ranging from low-intensity
programs such as "depot" distribution and "on-
request" deliveries to high intensity programs
using a door-to-door distribution and
installation.
Several factors can influence the actual
savings of a retrofit program. The obvious
variables include (1) water pressure at the
plumbing outlets, (2) the model of the old
showerhead or toilet, (3) the degree to which
shower valves are open during showering, and
(4) the degree to which consumers change
their habitual use of the fixture after it has
been retrofitted. In addition, the aggregate
savings in all homes targeted by a retrofit
program will depend on the proportion of
households that actually install the devices.
Somewhat less obvious variables that could
influence water savings achieved in various
communities are the demographic
characteristics of the residential sector of
water users, such as average household size
and family composition as well as some
socioeconomic variables such as income and
education.
As previously mentioned, the District is
participating in a pilot showerhead retrofit
installation program with the Authority and
San Diego Gas & Electric. The 2,500
retrofits are expected to result in 25 million
gallons of water saved over the next five
years. During the next fiscal year, the
Authority will be sponsoring the continuation
and expansion of this program. The District
plans to again be involved in retrofitting
additional households built before 1981. The
number of showerheads that will be allocated
to the District has not yet been determined
due to the fact that other water agencies have
expressed the desire to participate. Final
allocations will be decided when all
participants have been identified. Therefore,
the District cannot yet estimate potential
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TABLE7
• CONSERVATION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
Projected Start Date
Program 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 2000 2005+
• ULF Toilet Rebate X--X
Showerhead Retrofit X-
• Residential Water Audits x--X
Large Turf Audits X--X
Audit of Institutional Users X
• Water Bill Reformat X
System Audits and Leak Detection X--X
• Landscaping Requirements
for New Development x--X
Government Water Audits X--X
Commercial Water Audits x--X •
Conservation Oriented Retail Pricing X--X
Toilet Giveway X--X
• Industrial Water Audits X--X
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water savings as a result of its participation in
this program during the next fiscal year.
The District currently offers, and has offered
over the past several years, free conservation
kits to its customers. These kits contain two
toilet tank displacement bags, showerhead
flow restrictors, dye tablets for identification
of toilet leaks, and instructions for the use
and installation of the contents of the kit.
Since it is difficult to determine if the devices
have been installed and the length of time
they are in use, the amount of water savings
from this program cannot be identified.
Residential Water Audits
This practice requires substantial water
agency expenditures. However, it can also
produce substantial improvements in water
use efficiency. A home water audit is an
evaluation of a homeowner's outdoor and
indoor water use by a trained professional.
The cost of a water audit per home is high;
however, it can be justified if only houses with
the greatest potential for savings are audited.
Empirical data on water use in individual
households show a substantial variation in
water use. This indicates that a certain
fraction of households account for dispro-
portionate amounts of total residential water
use in a given community. Conducting water
use audits in those homes may allow water
agencies to achieve significant savings at a
reasonable cost.
The home water audit savings are achieved by
educating the homeowner on water conserva-
tion practices and by installing indoor retrofit
devices and irrigation control devices and
materials. The District's materials will
include:
I) Two toilet tank displacement bags
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2) Two showerhead flow restrictors
3) Dye tablets for detection of toilet leaks
4) Irrigation schedule and guide
The activities performed by the auditor will
include:
1) Measurement of indoor fixture water-flow
rates
2) Identifying faucet or other fixture leaks
3) Testing of toilet tanks for leaks
4) Installation of conservation devices
5) Comparison of average indoor water
requirements and current use
6) Testing the sprinkler precipitation rate
7) Making specific recommendations to the
homeowner regarding the required repair of
indoor fixtures, optimal water times and
frequency, grass height and other conservation
tips
Based on the materials that will be used by
the District, it is predicted that a total of 186
million gallons will be saved over a ten-year
period. The District expects a five percent
participation rate. It is anticipated that over
13,000 homes will be audited during the ten-
year lifetime of this plan. The District will be
seeking financial assistance from Metropolitan
through the Conservation Credits Program.
Distribution System Audits and Leak
Detection
This management practice is very important
because it helps to eliminate some avoidable
leaks in the distribution system. It involves a
thorough examination of the accuracy of
water agency records and distribution system
flow control equipment (including pipes,
meters, valves, hydrants, and other elements
of the system). The water audit is used in
order to develop a "balance sheet"
representing total volume of water flowing
into the system, water sales, unmetered uses,
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water losses, and recoverable leakage. The
result of the water audit is the development
of a leak detection and repair plan.
Unaccounted water use may include autho-
rized unmetered uses (such as firefighting,
sewer flushing, underregistration of meters,
and street cleaning) and unauthorized uses
(such as leakage, major breaks, and illegal
connections). Normally, authorized
unmetered uses represent only a small
percentage of the total unaccounted water.
The District is planning to conduct a system
leak detection and repair program in
conjunction with the Authority during the next
fiscal year. This liaison with the Authority
will allow the District to utilize more
sophisticated and expensive leak detection
equipment that would not otherwise be
possible due to price constraints. This
program will be continued until all 300 miles
of pipeline are examined. The lifetime of the
leak detection survey is estimated to be two
years, so this program will be repeated every
two years over the ten-year period of this
plan.
A leak detection survey needs to be preceded
by testing of large customers' meters (3 inches
and larger) during a water audit. Meter
underregistration might erroneously appear to
be leakage if the amount of unrecorded usage
is significant. The effects of underregistration
in smaller meters has been mitigated by the
recent completion of the City's meter
replacement program. All 5/8" meters that
had been in operation for more than 15 years
were replaced .
Due to the fact that the District's distribution
system is fairly new, it is estimated that a
savings of 3 percent of system supply will be
realized from this program. This amounts to
a savings of 89,000 gallons per year.
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Large Landscape Water Audits
A landscape water audit involves a careful
evaluation of water requirements and actual
water use on large landscape areas including
commercial/industrial sites, parks, cemeteries
and golf courses. It is designed to assist
landscape managers in making more efficient
use of water by correcting problems with
irrigation systems and devising efficient
irrigation schedules. An auditor examines the
vegetation, irrigation system, the irrigation
schedule of a selected site and then
recommends more efficient irrigation
practices.
The District has already begun a large turf
irrigation audit sponsored by the Authority .
Implementation of this program entails:
1) Public information program consisting of
direct mail to relevant customers informing
them of the availability of this service .
2) Determine priority of sites, based on
irrigated acreage and past water use.
3) Direct mail of audit program letter and
commercial irrigation guides.
4) Audits performed by an agency
representative which produce a customized
schedule for the building owner and landscape
manager.
5) Continued support of the program by
future monitoring of water use and savings.
The objective is to provide landscape
managers with information to enable them to
do timely equipment maintenance and to
apply accurate irrigation amounts throughout
the year based on explicit customized reports.
During the audit process, brochures describing
the causes and cures of maintenance and
management problems in large turf irrigation
systems will be included with the agency's
irrigation guide .
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As stated earlier in this plan, the savings are
estimated to be 20 percent for systems with
automatic controllers and 15 percent for
others. At this rate, the District expects to
save approximately 53,400 gallons of water
per year. This program is planned for
continuation over the next ten years.
Landscaping Requirements for New
Development
Landscape requirements are designed to
promote the use oflow water-using plants and
irrigation systems instead of landscapes with
turf and plant materials with high water
requirements. The requirements normally
regulate the amount of turf, type of plants in
nonturf areas, types of irrigation control
systems, and methods of irrigation. The
requirements have been applied in a small
number of cities to industrial, commercial,
and public agencies, street medians,
multifamily complexes, residential
developments with common areas, and model
home single-family developments.
An important consideration of this best
management practice is the effect of urban
vegetation on cooling energy and CO2
em1ss1ons. Recent research indicates that
there are significant tradeoffs between water
and energy use in desert cities of the
Southwest. The data indicate that
landscaping can affect cooling energy use by
as much as 30 percent. Well-irrigated lawns
reduce air temperature 2 meters above the
turf level by as much as 12 degrees
Fa!Irenheit compared to a dry soil surface.
These effects influence the temperature inside
and outside a home.
The development oflandscaping requirements
for residential and nonresidential structures is
important in order to achieve the benefits of
shading and evaporative cooling by vegetation
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without a substantial increase in irrigation
water requirements. Proper selection of trees,
shrubs, and ground cover in desert climates
can achieve the same effect as a well-irrigated
lawn or non-native plants with high water
requirements.
The District worked with the City's Parks and
Recreation Department to revise the
Landscape Guidelines Manual to include the
following elements:
1) Addition of water conservation standards
2) Review of median planting design
standards
3) Updating of standards with input from
Planning, Engineering and the District
4) Revision of format to simplify and
highlight important issues
In addition, the guidelines were changed to
requirements. This document will be used to
mandate as many water-conserving measures
as possible. The new document updates the
list of Xeriphytic planting materials and
promotes efficient irrigation techniques. The
manual was finalized and approved by the
City Council in November 1990.
The water savings from the use of the
Landscape Manual and incorporation of
xeriscaping is estimated to be 50 percent per
household and per commercial establishment.
A typical resident with 1,500 square feet of
turfgrass and 300 square feet of ornamental
beds or trees is assumed. A typical
establishment is assumed to have one acre of
turfgrass and 4,370 square feet of ornamental
plants .
Governmental Water Audits
This best management practice will involve
retrofitting toilets and other sanitary fixtures
in all public buildings built before 1980.
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Public administration, schools, universities and
other public agencies employ about 2,000,000
persons in Southern California. Each
employee uses 15 to 20 gallons of water for
sanitary purposes. In addition, rest room
facilities in many public buildings are used by
the general public.
Retrofits of tank-type toilets are expected to
reduce sanitary use in public buildings by 1.5
gallons per day per person employed in the
building. In cases where there is a frequent
use of rest rooms by the general public or
visitors, these savings can amount to as much
as 10 gallons per day per employee.
As mentioned in the previous chapter, the
District is in the process of auditing all
institutional users that have been identified.
To date, all city facilities have been inspected
and retrofitted appropriately. A total of
twenty-nine users are being audited.
Commercial Water Audits
This best management practice involves on-
site visits to large commercial users of water.
The purpose of each audit is to identify the
water conservation potential at each site and
offer technical assistance to implement
conservation practices.
The District has already identified the top
twenty commercial water users. Specific
water conservation methods will be targeted
to this select group, such as turf audits and
on-site building audits.
Enforcement of New California Plumbing
Code
The new plumbing code will require that (in
addition to low-flow showers) 1.6 gallon/flush
toilets are used in all new or remodeled
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buildings constructed after 1992. Because
water savings from this measure can be
expected only if builders comply with the law,
the City's Code Enforcement Officer will
conduct inspections of new buildings to assure
that the code is being followed. In addition,
Metropolitan is planning to disseminate
information about code requirements to all
real estate developers and construction firms
in Southern California and work toward the
revision of American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) standards for the plumbing
devices .
POTENTIAL BEST MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES
Conservation-Oriented Retail Pricing
As discussed earlier m this plan, the
responsiveness of customers to price changes
has yet to be determined. There are basic
estimates of consumer price elasticity, but
these vary from study to study and with
associated variables, such as income, climate
and size of community.
The District is presently studying the
possibility of adopting an inclining block rate
structure. Preliminary research indicates that
the inclining block rate is successful in
reducing water use at the onset of the rate.
However, customer price sensitivity appears to
lessen over time, and the effective lifetime of
a particular rate structure is about three
years. At that time, it is necessary to re-
evaluate the system and restructure it .
Other alternatives being considered include
seasonal rates in which customers are charged
a higher rate during the summer months when
consumption is greater and demands on the
system increase. Time-of-day rates are
another alternative, but are less successful in
reducing overall water consumption. This is
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used primarily for diminishing peak load
periods. Once a rate structure has been
chosen, it will be evaluated continuously to
determine its effectiveness and value.
In any event, the rate structure at the City will
be altered to reflect the importance of water
conservation in an effort to reduce water
consumption per capita over the next ten
years and beyond.
Toilet Giveaway/Rebate Program
This best management practice is designed to
promote voluntary installation of ultra-low-
flow toilet fixtures in all types of housing
units. Because the use of these toilets in new
construction will be mandatory in the near
future, all existing homes in Southern
California can achieve additional
improvements in water use efficiency
(including homes which already have toilets
using 3.5 gallons per flush).
During this fiscal year (1990-91), the District
has budgeted for two hundred $100 rebates
for residents who choose to replace their
current plumbing fixture with an ultra-low-
flow toilet (1.6 gallons/flush or less). The
Authority is in the process of developing a
program in which member agencies can
participate. The District will be taking part in
this program with the Authority during the
next fiscal year (1991-92). The funding for
the rebate program will be included in the
'91-92 budget.
The potential household savings due to the
installation of 1. 6 gallon toilets are not well
documented. The engineering estimates
derived from reduced flushing volumes
indicate that they may range from 8 to 16
gallons per day per each person in a
household. The data collected in Phoenix
indicate reductions ranging from 8.6 to 15.2
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gallons with an average of 10.8 gallons per
day per person.
Industrial Water Audits
An industrial water audit is a study of a
facility's water use. The audit consists of the
determination of water uses and water needs
followed by recommended measures for
reducing the water uses.
Industrial customers can have very different
water requirements. The differences stem
from the type of water uses at each site which
may vary from sanitary to process use to
evaporative cooling. Therefore, the auditors
need to be trained so they can offer a variety
of site-specific technical services.
Water audits of large manufacturing plants
can take one person between two and five
days to complete, depending on the
complexity of the site. The audits would be
voluntary, and there is no data yet on the
participation rates that could be achieved if
water agencies offer such a program.
The District has already identified the top
twenty users in Carlsbad and arranged them
in terms of descending daily water use. Large
manufacturing plants are not really a
consideration in Carlsbad, as there are few.
There are smaller manufacturing plants, but
none of these are included in the high water
user category. Therefore, the audit process
will mostly consist of plumbing and irrigation
recommendations.
Xeriscape Requirements for New Residential
Developments
This potential best management practice is an
extension of a similar current practice aimed
at nonresidential landscapes. The City has
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already adopted an ordinance mandating that
new developments adhere to requirements set
forth in the new landscape manual completed
by the City's Parks and Recreation
Department.
Efficient Residential Landscaping Programs
Landscapes around residential buildings in
Southern California can be improved or
retrofitted without losing environmental
amenities of the neighborhoods. As with the
above practice, new residential developments
will also be required to follow the
specifications included in the new landscape
manual produced by the City .
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TABLES
CONSERVATION PROGRAM COST/BENEFIT SUMMARY
Estimated Annual Costs Est Annual Water Savings* Environmental
Program 1990-91 Subseq Years 1990-91 Subseq Years hnpacts
Ultra-low-flush Toilet $20,000 $20,000 44,000 2,500,000 Reduced waste-
water flows
Showerhead Retrofit $14,000 $10,000 5,000,000 5,000,000 Reduced waste-
water flows
Residential Water Audit $36,000 15,000,000 Reduced infiltra-
tion into sewer
laterals
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0\
Large Turf Irrigation Audit $0 $0 53,400 53,400 Reduced infiltra-
tion into sewer
laterals
System Audits & Leak Detection $10,000 50,000 Undetermined
Conservation-Oriented Retail
Pricing $0 $0 222,000 222,000 Reduced waste-
water flows
*Savings in gallons
Programs not includeJ in the abow: analysis haw: costs and water savings thol Oll dther undetemuned or negligible. All of the programs includeJ in the Plan
will retlua! water consumption and, therefoTt!, impact the environmmt positiw:ly by reducing dther wastewaJer flows or infiltration into sewer laterals ,or both.
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APPENDIX A
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Assembly Bill No. 797
CHAPTER 1009
An act to add and repeal Part 2.6 ( commencing with Section 10610) to Division 6 of
the Water Code, relating to water conservation.
[Approved by Governor September 21, 1983. Filed with
Secretary of State September 22, 1983.]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 797, Klehs. Water: management planning.
(1) Under existing law, local water suppliers may, but are not required to, adopt and
enforce water conservation plans.
This bill would require every urban water supplier providing water for municipal
purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water
annually to prepare and adopt, in accordance with prescribed requirements, an urban
water management plan containing prescribed elements. The bill would require the plan
to be filed with the Department of Water Resources, and would require the department
to annually prepare and submit to the Legislature a report summarizing the status of the
plans. The bill would require each supplier to periodically review its plan in accordance
with prescribed requirements, would specify requirements for actions or proceedings
arising under the bill, and would specify related matters.
The bill would make legislative findings and declarations in this connection.
The provisions of the bill would remain in effect only until January 1, 1991.
(2) Article XIII B of the California Constitution and Sections 2231 and 2234 of the
Revenue and Taxation Code require the state to reimburse local agencies and school
districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Other provisions require the Depart-
ment of Finance to review statutes disclaiming these costs and provide, in certain cases,
for making claims to the State Board of Control for reimbursement.
This bill would impose a state-mandated local program as its requirements would be
applicable to local public agencies.
However, the bill would provide that no appropriation is made and no reimburse-
ment is required by this act for a specified reason.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Part 2.6 ( commencing with Section 10610) is added to Division 6 of the
Water Code, to read:
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Ch 1009
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PART2.6 URBANWATERMANAGEMENTPlANNING
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL DECLARATION AND POLICY
10610. This part shall be known and may be cited as the "Urban Water Management
Planning Act."
10610.2 The legislature finds and declares as follows:
(a) The waters of the state are a limited and renewable resource subject lo ever
increasing demands.
(b) The conservation and efficient use of urban water supplies are of statewide
concern: however, the planning for that use and the implementation of those plans can
best be accomplished al the local level.
10610.4 The Legislature finds and declares that it is the policy of the state as follows:
(a) The conservation and efficient use of water shall be actively pursued to protect
both the people of the stale and their water resources.
(b) The conservation and efficient use of urban water supplies shall be guiding
criterion in public decisions.
(c) Urban water suppliers shall be required to develop water management plans lo
achieve conservation and efficient use .
Chapter 2. DEFINITIONS
10611. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions of this chapter govern
the construction of this part.
10611.5 "Conservation" means those measures that limit the amount of water used
only to that which is reasonably necessary for the beneficial use to be served.
10612 "Customer" means a purchaser of water from a water supplier who uses the
water for municipal purposes, including residential, commercial, governmental and
industrial uses.
10613. "Efficient use" means those management measures that result in the most
effective use of water so as to prevent its waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable
method of use.
10614, "Person" means any individual, firm, association, organization, partnership,
business, trust, corporation, company, public agency, or any agency of such entity.
10615. "Plan" means an urban water management plan prepared pursuant to this
part. A plan shall describe and evaluate reasonable and practical efficient uses and
conservation activities. The components of the plan may vary according to an individual
community or area's characteristics and its capabilities to efficiently use and conserve
water. The plan shall address measures for residential, commercial, governmental, and
industrial water management as set forth in Article 2 ( commencing with Section 10630)
of Chapter 3. In addition, a strategy and time schedule for implementation shall be
included in the plan .
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Ch. 1009
10616. "Public agency'' means any board, commission, county, city and county, city,
regional agency, district, or other public entity.
10617. "Urban water supplier" means a supplier, either publicly or privately owned,
providing water for municipal purposes either directly or indirectly to more than 3,000
customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually. An urban water
supplier includes a supplier or contractor for water, regardless of the basis of right, which
distributes or sells for ultimate resale to customers. This part applies only to water
supplied from public water systems subject to Chapter 7 ( commencing with Section 4010)
of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Health and Safety Code.
CHAPTER 3. URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS
Article 1. General Provisions
10620. (a) Every urban water supplier serving water directly to customers shall, not
later than December 31, 1985, prepare and adopt an urban water management plan in the
manner set forth in Article 3 ( commencing with Section 10640).
(b) Every person that becomes an urban water supplier after December 31, 1984,
shall adopt an urban water management plan within one year after it has become an urban
water supplier.
(c) An urban water supplier indirectly providing water to customers may adopt an
urban water management plan or participate in areawide, regional, watershed, or
basinwide urban water management planning; provided, however, an urban water
supplier indirectly providing water shall not include planning elements in its water man-
agement plan as provided in Article 2 ( commencing with Section 10630) that would be
applicable to urban water suppliers or public agencies directly providing water, or to their
customers, without the consent of those suppliers or public agencies.
( d) An urban water supplier may satisfy the requirements of this part by participation
in areawide, regional, watershed, or basinwide urban water management planning where
those plans will reduce preparation costs and contribute to the achievement of conserva-
tion and efficient water use .
( e) The urban water supplier may prepare the plan with its own staff, by contract,
or in cooperation with other governmental agencies.
10621. Each urban water supplier shall periodically review its plan al least once every
five years. After the review, it shall make any amendments or changes to its plan which
are indicated by the review. Amendments or changes in its plan shall be adopted and filed
in the manner set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 10640) .
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Ch.1009
Article 2. Contents of Plans
10630. It is the intention of the Legislature, in enacting this part, to permit levels of
water management planning commensurate with the numbers of customers served and
the volume of water supplied.
10631. A plan shall include all of the following elements:
(a) Contain an estimate of past, current, and projected water use and, to the extent
records are available, segregate those uses between residential, industrial, commercial,
and governmental uses.
(b) Identify conservation measures currently adopted and being practiced.
(c) Describe alternative conservation measures, if any, which would improve the
efficiency of water use with an evaluation of their costs and their environmental and other
significant impacts .
( d) Provide a schedule of implementation for proposed actions as indicated by the
plan.
( e) Describe the frequency and magnitude of supply deficiencies, including condi-
tions of drought and emergency, and the ability to meet short-term deficiencies.
10632. In addition to the elements required pursuant to Section 10631, a plan
projecting a future use which indicates a need for expanded or additional water supplies
shall contain an evaluation of the following:
(a) Waste water reclamation.
(b) Exchange or transfer of water on a short-term or long-term basis.
(c) Management of water system pressures and peak demands.
( d) Incentives of alter water use practices, including fixture and appliance retrofit
programs .
( e) Public information and educational programs to promote wise use and eliminate
waste.
(f) Changes in pricing, rate structures, and regulations.
10633. The plan shall contain an evaluation of the alternative water management
practices identified in Sections 10631 and 10632, taking into account economic and none-
conomic factors, including environmental, social, health, customer impact, and techno-
logical factors.
Evaluation of the elements in Section 10632 shall include a comparison of the
estimated cost of alternative water management practices with the incremental costs of
expanded or additional water supplies, and in the course of the evaluation first considera-
tion shall be given to water management practices, or combination of practices, which
offer lower incremental costs than expanded or additional water supplies, considering all
the preceding evaluation factors .
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Article 3. Adoption and Implementation of Plans
10640. Every urban water supplier required to prepare a plan pursuant to this part
shall prepare its plan pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 10630).
The supplier shall likewise periodically review the plan as required by Section 10621,
and any amendments or changes required as a result of that review shall be adopted
pursuant to this article.
10641. (a) An urban water supplier required to prepare a plan may consult with, and
obtain comments from, any public agency or state agency or any person who has special
expertise with respect to water conservation and management methods and techniques.
(b) In order to assist urban water suppliers in obtaining needed expertise as provided
for in subdivision (a), the departments, upon request of an urban water supplier, shall
provide the supplier with a list of persons or agencies having expertise or experience in
the development of water management plans.
10642. Prior to adopting a plan, the urban water supplier shall make the plan
available for public inspection and shall hold a public hearing thereon. Prior to the
hearing, notice of the time and place of hearing shall be published within the jurisdiction
of the publicly owned water supplier pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code.
A privately owned water supplier shall provide an equivalent notice within its service area .
After the hearing, the plan shall be adopted as prepared or as modified after the hearing.
10643. An urban water supplier shall implement its plan adopted pursuant to this
chapter in accordance with the schedule set forth in its plan.
10644. An urban water supplier shall file with the department a copy of its plan no
later than30 days after adoption. Copies of amendments or changes to the plans shall be
filed with the department within 30 days after adoption .
The department shall annually prepare and submit to the Legislature a report sum-
marizing the status of the plans adopted pursuant to this part.
CHAPTER 4. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
10650. Any actions or proceedings to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the acts
or decisions of an urban water supplier on the grounds of noncompliance with this part
shall be commenced as follows:
(a) An action or proceeding alleging failure to adopt a plan shall be commenced
within 18 months after that adoption is required by this part, or within 18 months after
commencement of urban water service by a supplier commencing that service after
January 1, 1984 .
(b) Any action or proceeding alleging that a plan, or action taken pursuant to the
plan, does not comply with this part shall be commenced within 90 days after filing of the
plan or amendment thereto pursuant to Section 10644 or the taking of that action .
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Ch. 1009
10651. In any action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul a plan,
or an action taken pursuant to the plant by an urban water supplier on the grounds of
noncompliance with this part, the inquiry shall extend only to whether there was a
prejudicial abuse of discretion. Abuse of discretion is established if the supplier has not
proceeded in a manner required by law or if the action by the water supplies is not
supported by substantial evidence .
10652. The California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 ( commencing with
Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code) does not apply to the preparation and
adoption of plans prepared and adopted under this part. Nothing in this part shall be
interpreted as exempting projects for implementation of the plan or for expanded or
additional water suppliers from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality
Act.
10653. The adoption of a plan shall satisfy any requirements of state law, regulation,
or order, including those of the State Water Resources Control Board, for the prepara-
tion of water management plans or conservation plans; provided, that if the State Water
Resources Control Board requires additional information concerning water conserva-
tion to implement its existing authority, nothing in this part shall be deemed to limit the
board in obtaining that information. The requirements of this part shall be satisfied by
any water conservation plan prepared to meet federal laws or regulations after the
effective date of this part, and which substantially meets the requirements of this part, or
by any existing water management or conservation plan which includes the contents of a
plan required under this part.
10654. All costs incurred by an urban water supplier in developing or implementing
its plan shall be borne by it unless otherwise provided for by statute .
10655. If any provision of this part or the application thereof to any person or
circumstances is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applica-
tions of this part which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application
thereof, and to this end the provisions of this part are severable.
10656. This part shall remain in effect only until January 1, 1991, and as of that date
is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, which is chaptered before January 1, 1991,
deletes or extends that date.
SEC. 2. No appropriation is made and no reimbursement is required by this act
pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution or Section 2231 or
2234 of the Revenue and Taxation Code because the local agency or school district has
the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program
or level of service mandated by this act.
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