REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 20, 2014
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION -- Amend the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan to allow outdoor watering one-day per week during the winter season (December 1 to March 1)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve an amendment to the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan to allow outdoor watering one day per week during the winter season (December 1 to March 1).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City currently uses a four-stage Water Shortage Contingency Plan that escalates water conservation measures based on supply, demand and emergency conditions. The City of Fresno enacted Stage 2 water conservation measures effective August 1, 2014. The Stage 2 water conservation measures limit summer outdoor irrigation to twice a week and prohibit all outdoor irrigation during winter months (December 1 to March 1).
After reviewing the water consumption data for the City's public water system, data indicates that the majority of the City's total water consumption is by the single-family residential customer class, and 96 percent of outdoor watering for single-family residential customers occurs between March 2 and November 30 of each year. Therefore, the Department of Public Utilities recommends that the City Council amend the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan to allow one-day per week of outdoor watering during the winter season (December 1 to March 1).
BACKGROUND
The City of Fresno has been actively engaged in promoting water conservation practices since 1981. The City currently uses a four-stage Water Shortage Contingency Plan that escalates water conservation measures based on supply, demand and emergency conditions. The original Drought Contingency Plan was adopted in 1989; the Water Shortage Contingency Plan was adopted in 1994; and the 2010 Urban Water Management Pan updated the 1994 Water Shortage Contingency Plan to its current status. The City of Fresno has been operating under year-round Stage 1 water conservation measures since 1993, and from 2008 to 2013, community water conservation efforts have resulted in a drop in average daily water usage from about 329 gallons to less than 240 gallons per person per day.
On July 15, 2014, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted an Emergency Regulation for Statewide Urban Water Conservation with the goal of achieving a 20-percent water reduction throughout the State. In response to the Emergency Regulation, as well as the continued drought conditions in the region and uncertainty regarding the Water Division's capital plan, the City of Fresno enacted Stage 2 water conservation measures effective August 1, 2014. The Stage 2 water conservation measures limit summer outdoor irrigation to a twice a week and prohibit all outdoor irrigation during winter months (December 1 to March 1).
After reviewing water usage data for the City's public water system, it has been determined that the single family residential (SFR) customer class uses 56 percent of all water produced by the City. Further data analysis indicates that winter (December 1 to March 1) water consumption and summer (March 2 to November 30) water consumption average approximately 10,000 gallons per month and 23,000 gallons per month, respectively, for the SFR customer class - with 54 percent of all water used by the SFR customer class estimated to be used for outdoor irrigation. Of the total outdoor irrigation water used by the SFR customer class, the water consumption data indicates that 96 percent of the outdoor irrigation water is used between March 2 and November 30, and 4 percent of the outdoor irrigation water is used between December 1 and March 1.
Recognizing the differences in summer and winter water use patterns for the SFR customer class, and that 96 percent of outdoor irrigation by the SFR customer class is used between March 2 and November 30, the Department of Public Utilities recommends revising the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan to allow one-day per week of outdoor watering during the winter season (December 1 to March 1). Although outdoor irrigation by the SFR customer class places a significant burden on the City's public water system, the level of usage by SFR customers during the winter months will not adversely impact the City overall water supply. The recommended changes apply exclusively to winter watering days. All of the existing water conservation contained in the City's Stage 2 conversation measures will still appropriately target summer outdoor irrigation by continuing to limit summer outdoor irrigation to two days per week.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
CEQA section 15282(v) exempts the preparation and adoption of Urban Water Management Plans (UWMP), and the recommended amendment of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan falls within the scope of the City's UWMP as Chapter 9.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because the Resolution does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
As this is an enterprise operation, there is no impact to the General Fund.
Attachment: Resolution