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Home My WebLink AboutCC AG PKT 2012-01-09 #If E SEI1Le AGENDA STAFF REPORT - ! DATE: January 9, 2012 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council THRU: Jill R. Ingram, City Manager FROM: Sean P. Crumby P.E., Assistant City Manager /Public Works SUBJECT: LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE GROUND WATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM EXPANSION SUMMARY OF REQUEST: It is requested that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6211 expressing support for the Orange County Water District Groundwater Replenishment System Initial Expansion; and authorize the Mayor to execute a letter of support. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS: The Orange County Water District (OCWD) was established in 1933. OCWD is responsible for managing and protecting the Orange County groundwater basin and is governed by a ten member Board of Directors. The Operational Recharge Facilities include the Prado Dam, Santa Ana River Facilities, and the Groundwater Replenishment System. The Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) is a joint project of the Orange County Water District and Orange County Sanitation District that has been operational since January 2008. The GWRS is a new advanced water purification facility that produces 70 million gallons of water per day. The system takes treated sewer water that would be wasted otherwise to the ocean, purifies it to near distilled quality, and then recharges it into the groundwater basin. This provides a new 72,000 acre -feet per year source of water, which is enough water for nearly 600,000 people. The Orange County Water District has requested a resolution and letter of support for two projects that will help provide additional water supplies to Orange County. The first project is the expansion of the GRWS to provide an additional 31,000 acre -feet per year of new water. This would bring the total production of the GWRS to 103,000 acre -feet per year, enough water for 850,000 people. The second project is the Prado Basin Feasibility Study, which provides a model of regional collaboration for Southern California water agencies seeking to reduce Agenda Item impacts to the Delta, protect and restore fragile ecosystems, and enhance water supply utilizing local resources. These projects are both beneficial to Orange County and therefore the City of Seal Beach. The City Council supports the GWRS Initial Expansion project, but does not support an increase to ratepayers. The Council recognizes that these improvements will be an increase to ratepayers generally; however, this method is the least expensive way of providing water as opposed to importing of water. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: This project complies with all requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). LEGAL ANALYSIS: The City Attorney has reviewed and approved as to form. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no Financial Impact. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6210 expressing support for the Orange County Water District Groundwater Replenishment System Initial Expansion; and authorize the Mayor to execute a letter of support and forward such to Orange County Water District. SUBMITTED BY: NOTED AND APPROVED: Sean P. Crumby, P.E. Jill . Ingram, City M nager Assistant City Manager /Public Works Prepared by: Michael Ho, City Engineer Attachments: A. Resolution No. 6210 B. Draft Letter of Support Page 2 RESOLUTION NUMBER 6210 A RESOLUTION OF THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL APPROVING SUPPORT FOR THE GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM INITIAL EXPANSION WHEREAS, managing Southern California's water resources is critical to the continued health and economic vitality of the region; and WHEREAS, currently, Southern California loses approximately 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater every day to ocean outfall from Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties due to a lack of water recycling resources; and WHEREAS, wastewater is a reliable constant source of water, yet recycling it is a minute fraction of California's water portfolio; and WHEREAS, the existing Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) facility purifies nearly 72,000 acre -feet per year (afy) of highly- treated wastewater, enough for 600,000 people; and WHEREAS, the GWRS Initial Expansion is expected to provide an additional of 31,000 afy of new water, bringing the total production of the GWRS facility to 103,000 afy, enough to meet the needs of nearly 850,000 people; and WHEREAS, the GWRS Initial Expansion decreases dependency on the imported water from the State Water Project and Colorado River; and WHEREAS, the GWRS Initial Expansion improves the quality of the water in thegroundwater basin by adding near - distilled quality water into the aquifer; and WHEREAS, the GWRS Initial Expansion will produce water at one -half the energy currently required to import water from the State Water Project into Southern California; and WHEREAS, the GWRS Initial Expansion will create hundreds of local jobs through development, construction and operation of the project; and WHEREAS, the GWRS Initial Expansion will produce ultra -pure water at a cost that is competitive to that of importing water. Imported water supplies are declining, and the demand and price are rising significantly. The more Orange County invests in water recycling, the less it becomes subject to supply shortages and price increases. THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY RESOLVE: Section 1. The City Council finds that GWRS Initial Expansion will be beneficial to the residents and rate payers in the City. Section 2. The City Council supports the Groundwater Replenishment System Initial Expansion. Section 3. The City Council hereby authorizes the Mayor to execute the letter of support. Resolution Number 6210 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Seal Beach City Council at a regular meeting held on the 9th day of January, 2012 by the following vote: AYES: Council Members NOES: Council Members ABSENT: Council Members ABSTAIN: Council Members ATTEST: Mayor City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA } COUNTY OF ORANGE } SS CITY OF SEAL BEACH } I, Linda Devine, City Clerk of the City of Seal Beach, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is the original copy of Resolution Number 6210 on file in the office of the City Clerk, passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a regular meeting held on the 9th day of January , 2012. City Clerk Michael R. Markus, P.E. General Manager Orange County Water District 18700 Ward St. Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Dear Mr. Markus: On behalf of the City of Seal Beach, I would like to express support for the Orange County Water District's (OCWD) Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) Initial Expansion. The GWRS Initial Expansion is an advanced water purification project that improves local water supply reliability through wastewater reclamation and groundwater replenishment. By creating a new local water supply, the project will help Orange County reduce its reliance on imported water supplies. The GWRS Initial Expansion will also help protect groundwater basin from seawater intrusion and improve groundwater quality by reducing the amount of dissolved solids (salt) in the groundwater basin. The existing GWRS facility purifies nearly 72,000 acre -feet per year (afy) of highly - treated wastewater through a three -step advanced treatment process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light disinfection with hydrogen peroxide. The GWRS Initial Expansion is expected to provide an additional 31,000 afy of new water — enough to meet the needs of nearly 250,000 people. This would bring the total production of the GWRS to 103,000 afy, enough water for 850,000 people. Since going on -line in 2008, the GWRS has proven to be a significant source of reliable, high - quality water for the region, made all the more valuable during California's recent drought. The GWRS has also garnered 21 awards, including the prestigious American Society of Civil Engineers 2009 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award and earned the Orange County Water District the 2008 Stockholm Industry Water Award. Projects like the GWRS Initial Expansion are essential to meet the region's increased demands as Southern California continues to reduce its dependence on imported water. These types of projects also improve our region's supply reliability by providing important local resources to draw upon when if disasters or other challenges impact traditional supplies. For these reasons, the City of Seal Beach strongly supports the GWRS Initial Expansion. Sincerely, Michael P. Levitt Mayor