REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 03, 2015
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to submitting a WaterSMART grant application to the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, as co-applicant with the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District:
1. RESOLUTION - Authorizing an application, in cooperation with the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District, to the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation for a FY2016 WaterSMART: Water and Energy Efficiency Grant in the amount of $300,000 to convert the irrigation systems at four (4) retention basins from potable water service to non-potable water service to reduce water demands on the City’s public water system, and
2. Authorize the Director of Public Utilities or designee(s) to execute all application documents on behalf of the City of Fresno and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends that Council adopt a Resolution authorizing 1) City of Fresno submitting an application to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, for a WaterSMART: Water and Energy Efficiency Grant in the amount of $300,000 to convert the irrigation systems at four retention basins owned and operated by the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District from potable water service to non-potable water service for irrigation purposes; and 2) Director of Public Utilities or designee(s) to execute all application documents on behalf of the City and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD) provides flood control and urban storm water management services for the Fresno/Clovis metropolitan area with a system of approximately 655 miles of pipeline and 153 stormwater retention basins.
As drought conditions have continued to worsen in California, the City of Fresno and FMFCD have been working to identify opportunities to reduce potable water consumption at existing facilities owned by FMFCD. One water use reduction opportunity identified by FMFCD is to convert the irrigation systems at four retention basins from potable water service to non-potable water service. Such a conversion will save approximately 128 acre feet of potable water annually, which is the equivalent volume of water used by approximately 260 homes annually in the City of Fresno water service area. The total estimated cost of the retrofit project is estimated at $600,000, and 50 percent of the project can be funded by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) with a WaterSMART: Water and Energy Efficiency Grant. The remaining 50 percent of the project will be funded by FMFCD. Given that WaterSMART grants can only be offered to public water supply agencies and entities with water rights, the City has offered to serve as the primary applicant on behalf of FMFCD for this important project.
Staff recommends that Council adopt the attached Resolution authorizing the City of Fresno to submit an application to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation for a WaterSMART Grant in the amount of $300,000 to assist FMFCD with an irrigation retrofit project that will reduce water consumption in the City’s service area.
BACKGROUND
The FMFCD provides flood control and urban storm water management services in a 399-square mile watershed located between the Kings and San Joaquin Rivers. The District is home to roughly 650,000 people and includes both urban and agricultural land uses. FMFCD provides flood control and urban storm water management services for the Fresno/Clovis metropolitan area with a system of approximately 655 miles of pipeline and 153 stormwater retention basins.
As drought conditions have continued to worsen in California, the City of Fresno has been actively engaged in water supply planning and coordination efforts with the City of Clovis, the Fresno Irrigation District, and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District. The planning and coordination has focused on opportunities to increase the capture of stormwater flows and flood release flows, and opportunities to reduce potable water consumption at existing facilities.
A water use reduction opportunity identified by FMFCD is to convert the irrigation systems at four retention basins from potable water service to non-potable water service. Maps showing the location of the four retention basins are included in Attachment 2, which is the agenda item approved by the FMFCD Board on October 28, 2015, for the proposed project and grant application. It is estimated that this conversion will save approximately 128 acre feet of potable water annually, which is the equivalent volume of water used by approximately 260 homes annually in the City of Fresno water service area. Fortunately, the Department of Interior, United State Bureau of Reclamation provides 50/50 cost-share grants for water saving projects such as the irrigation retrofit project proposed by FMFCD. Given that the WaterSMART grants are only offered to public water supply agencies and entities with water rights, FMFCD cannot apply for the WaterSMART grant directly, and the City has offered to serve as the primary applicant on behalf of FMFCD.
The total estimated cost of the retrofit project is estimated at $600,000, and the entire project cost will be funded through the WaterSMART grant and FMFCD. The City of Fresno’s responsibility will be to serve as the primary applicant for the WaterSMART grant, and provide oversight inspections when the new non-potable water irrigation system is installed for primary irrigation service and the City’s potable water system will be dedicated to secondary (i.e. backup) irrigation service.
Staff recommends that Council adopt the attached Resolution authorizing the City of Fresno to submit an application to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation for a WaterSMART: Water and Energy Efficiency Grant in the amount of $300,000. The proceeds from the WaterSMART grant will be used to convert the irrigation systems at four retention basins from potable water service to non-potable water service, which will reduce water demands on the City’s public water system.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
FMFCD reviewed this project and determined it to be a subsequent project fully within the scope of the Master Environmental Impact Report ("MEIR”) prepared for FMFCD’s 2004 District Services Plan (SCH # 1999111132). The installation of non-potable irrigation at these sites, including minor modifications to an existing outfall structure inside each basin with the inclusion of a submersible pump related to this item, was included within the scope of the project and was environmentally assessed in the MEIR.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local Preference was not considered because this action does not include a bid or an award of a City construction contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approving the Resolution will not impact the General Fund. Project construction costs will be funded through the USBR WaterSMART Grant and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District. With the implementation of this project, the Water Division will receive reduced revenues from the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District resulting from reduced water sales at these four retention basin sites. However, this reduced water use requirement will also result in energy savings from reduced groundwater pumping to serve irrigation needs at these basins.
Attachments:
Attachment 1- Resolution
Attachment 2- FMFCD Board Action pertaining to submitting application to WaterSMART program