REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
May 21, 2015
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
SUBJECT
Title
An Emergency Ordinance of the City of Fresno, California Amending Section 6-520 of the Fresno Municipal Code Relating To Regulations for Urban Water Conservation to Limit Water Waste.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Administration recommends that Council:
1. Adopt by Emergency Ordinance the proposed revisions to Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) Section 6-520 - Wastage of Water, which incorporate mandatory prohibition of the Water Board's Emergency Regulations from 2014 and 2015; and
2. Implement the measures outlined in FMC Section 6-520(c), based upon the State of Emergency declared by the Governor on January 17, 2014.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 1, 2015, the Governor of the State of California issued an unprecedented Executive Order, mandating a 25% reduction in statewide water use beginning June 1, 2015. As required by the Executive Order, on April 18, 2015, the State Water Resources Control Board ("Water Board") issued draft regulations and a water use report segregating urban water suppliers into nine water reduction tiers based on self-reported residential per capita water consumption factors. The City of Fresno reported a residential per capita water consumption of 150.7 gallons per person, per day, placing the City in Tier 7 with a mandate to reduce water use by 28% compared to 2013. On May 6, 2015, the Water Board approved Article 22.5 - Drought Emergency Water Conservation ("Emergency Regulations"), which includes mandatory water reduction measures for urban water suppliers, including the City of Fresno, effective through February 2016.
Based on the water reduction measures specified in the Emergency Regulations published by the Water Board on May 6, 2015, the Administration recommends:
1. Council adopts by Emergency Ordinance the proposed revisions to Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) Section 6-520 - Wastage of ...
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