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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Res 4148 1992-05-26 RESOLUTION ~/~l? A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN WHEREAS, the California Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 11 during the 1991 Extraordinary Session of the California Legislature (an act to amend the California Water Code; I and WHEREAS, AB11 mandates that every urban water supplier providing municipal water directly or indirectly to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually to develop a Water Shortage contingency Plan; and WHEREAS, the city of Seal Beach is an urban supplier of water to approximately 25,098 residents, and has, therefore, prepared and held for public review a Draft Water Shortage contingency Plan per the requirements of AB11, and a public hearing regarding said draft plan was held by the city council on May 26, 1992, and a Final Water Shortage contingency Plan prepared. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Seal Beach that; 1. The Water Shortage contingency Plan is hereby adopted and ordered filed with the City Clerk. 2. The city Manager is hereby authorized and directed to file the Water Shortage contingency Plan with the California Department of Water Resources. I PA Seal APPROVED and ADOPTED by the city coun,Si:j.h. of the city of ch, at a meeting ereof held on the ~~- day of , 1992 b the fol ing e: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS CITY OF SEAL BEACH ) . . I I, Joanne M. Yeo, City Clerk of Seal Beach, California, do hereby certify that the ge ing resolution is the original copy of Resolution Number on file in the office of the city Clerk, p d, approved, an adopted by the city Council of ~~city of Se each, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 6(1 - day of , 1992. Resolution Number 4/~t5 I THE WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN (An Amendment to the Urban Water Management Plan) FOR THE CIlY OF SEAL BEACH I May, 1992 I Resolution Number t.I/~~ TABLE or CONTENTS BXBC'DTIVB 81JM)1ARY Introduction . . . . . . 2 . . Section 1 10620 coordinated Planning . . . . . 3 Section 2 10621 State Mandate . . 3 . . . , . . Section 3 10631 (e)(l) past, CUrrent & Projected Water Use . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 Section 4 10631 (e)(2) Estimate of Minimum Water supply for 12, 24 and 36 Months . . 5 Section 5 10631 (e) (3) Stages of Action . . . . . 8 Section 6 10631 (e) (4) Mandatory prohibitions on Water Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Section 7 10631 (e) (5) Consumption Limits . . 10 section 8 10631 (e) (6) Penalties or Charges for Excessive Use . . . . . . . 10 section 9 10631 (e) (7) Analysis of Revenue and Expenditure Impacts . . . . 11 section 10 10631 (e) (8) Implementation of the Plan . 12 section 11 10631 (e) (9) Monitoring Procedures . . 12 BXBIBITS (Ordinance Number 1331; Water Conservation Measure; Resolution Number 3801) I I I I I I Resolution.Number ~/~lf EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In March of 1990 the City of Seal Beach, in response to AB797, adopted an Urban Water Management Plan. The intent of AB797 was to mandate the conservation and efficient use of water supplies at a local level. Furthermore, the plan provided the. Department of Water Resources (DWR) with a statewide perspective on provisions made by the water supply industry in the areas of drought management and conservation. Governor Pete Wilson recently signed an amendment to AB797. This new bill titled ABIIX extends the Urban Water Management Planning Act (AB797), by requiring water suppliers to prepare and submit a Water Shortage Contingency Plan to the State Department of Water Resources. The specific components required by ABll are: 1) To provide current, past and projected water use; 2) To provide an estimate of the minimum water supply available at the end of 12, 24 and 36 months, assuming worse case water supply shortage; 3) To provide stages of action to be undertaken by the urban water supplier; 4) To provide mandatory provisions to reduce water usage 5) To describe consumption limits in the most restrictive stages 6) To provide penalties or charges for excessive use 7) To provide analysis of the impact of the plan on revenues and expenditures; 8) and to adopt a resolution or ordinance to carry out the Urban Water Shortage Contingency Plan. In keeping with the requirements set forth in the Urban Water Management Planning Act, the City of Seal Beach has prepared the following Water Shortage Contingency Plan. By preparing this addendum to the existing Water Management Plan, the City of Seal Beach will be better prepared to sustain operations during water shortages reSUlting from prolonged drought, unanticipated accidents or failures in the system, and any host of unforeseen natural disasters. INTRODUCTION To avoid unnecessary repetition, this plan will include only those items required in AB11 and will not review in depth any information which can be found in the City's Urban Water Management Plan. the proceeding Contingency Management Plan will evaluate the City's existing water rate structure for its impact on water consumption and conservation trends. The plan will also review the city's present four phase water conservation ordinance adopted in 1991. The city's Drought Contingency Plan must be adopted through resolution during a public hearing. Until such tImes as a plan is submitted to the Department of Water Resources as prescribed in ABIIX, the City will be ineligible to receive drought assistance from the State. Regularly attended Water Manager meetings held at the offices of the Municipal Water District of orange County. Atte~ded '-ater Shortage Contingency Plan training sessions sponsored by the Department of Water Resources. Regularly attended Orange County Water District's Producer meetings. Reviewed reports and minutes of all Orange County Water District Technical Advisory Committee Meetings. The City of Seal Beach has a mutual aid agreement with the adjoining cities of Long Beach, Westminster and Huntington Beach. :In the future, the City of Seal Beach anticipates a similar I arrangement will be achieved with the Southern California Water District. , Resolution Number iI/J/8 sections 10631 (a-b) of Water Management Plan, document. 1. section 10620 Cdl C21 . HB PLAN the Act were addressed in the 1991 Urban and therefore, are omitted from this section 10620 (d) (2) requires each urban water supplier to coordinate preparation of its Urban Water Shortage Contingency Plan with other urban water suppliers and pUblic agencies in the area, to the extent possible. :In preparing its ABll plan (which was drafted by city staff), Seal Beach referred to reports and documents prepared by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), the Municipal Water District of orange County (MWDOC) and the Orange County Water District (OCWD). In addition, the City of Seal Beach also took the following initiative in exchanging ideas and information with other orange county Agencies: (a) (b) (c) (d) 2. Section 10621 Cal section 10621 (a) of the Act specifies that "Each urban water supplier shall, not later than January 31, 1992, prepare, adopt, and submit to the department an amendment to its urban water management plan which meets the requirements of subdivision (e) of Section 10631." This plan was not prepared and submitted within the time parameters specified. However, failure to submit the plan by the specified dates established does not result in any penalty fee assessment, but rather will result in the withholding of state drought assistance until such time as a plan is submitted as prescribed. 3. section 10631 teltl1 (e) (1) - section 10631 (e) (1) of the Act requires that the Water Shortage Contingency Plan include past, current, and projected water use and, to the extent records are available, segregate those uses between residential, industrial, commercial, and governmental uses. According to 1990 Census Figures, the City of Seal Beach has a current population estimated at 25,098. The new census figures represent a three percent decrease in population from the previous census taken in 1980. The City encompasses an 18 square mile area of the west central region of Orange county along the pacific Ocean. The City incorporated in 1915 and is primarily a residential community with the exception of Rockwell International, a US Naval Weapons Station and a 1,000 acre wildlife refuge. The city's land distribution is as follows: I I Resolution Number ~/~)1 BXISTING ACRES PROPflSED TOTAL ACRES % or TOTAL ACRES (R) 1,456 76.2 1,532.2 21% (C) 250 (. 26) 224 3% (I) 163.6 (-0.6) 163 n (OP) 20S ------ 20S 3% I (golf course) (P) 178.9 13.9 192.S 3% (M) 5,005 ------ 5,005 68% 7,261.5 101.4 7,362.9 100% KEY - TABLE I R - RESIDENTIAL C - COMMERCIAL P - PUBLIC' OP - QUASI PUBLIC I - INDUSTRIAL M - MILITARY · Source: City OeDeral PlaD I Over the long term, urban water demand is a function of popula- tion and per capita consumption. In the short term, water usage can vary considerably due to such factors as weather, and climatic changes. When planning for and a~ticipating future water usage, both current and long term water demands must be factored into projections. Historically, per capita consumpion rates in developed areas tend to increase at a low annual qrowth rate. Table 2 compares the average annual usage of dometic water within Seal Beach from 1980- to 1990, and also shows the daily per capita consumption during the same period. As shown in Table 2, the overall per capita consumption rose minimally while the population remained rather constant during this decade. The current population is expected to increase minimally through the year 2010 when population' is expected to grow to 29,318.. TABLE 2 1980 1990 2010 USAGE A,,., 3363, 3561 3805 POPULATION OPCD YEAR 25,975 25,098 29,318 115.6 116.2 115.9 . Year 2010 populatioD - fiqurfOs based UpOD COUDty of oraDge AdmiDistrative Office projections and do not include 1990 Census findings There are currently 4,778 water meter accounts within the city of Seal Beach. I 4. Section 10631 Cel C2l Section 10631 (e)(2) of the Act requires that the Water Shortage Contingency Plan include "An estimate of the minimum water supply available at the end of 12, 24, and 36 months assuming the worse case water supply shortages." Seal Beacb receives its water from two different sources. percent of its water comes from the groundwter basin and percent is purchased from the Municipal Water District of County. The qroundwater basin is manaqed by the Orange Water District of Orange County. Eighty twenty Orange County Resolution Number ~~)? Since 1858 which dates back to the first records of climatolo- gical data, California has weathered three periods of severe drought: 1928-34, 1976-77, and 1987-1991. Though the year 1977 is considered to be the driest year on record, Orange County experienced few adverse impacts due to ample supply of Colorado River water and groundwater stored in the lower Santa Ana basin. The current drought has created considerably more concern for Southern California and Orange County. Four factors have contributed to this alarm: . The first factor is that little progress has been made in the last 20 years towards increasing the delivery capacity of the State Water Project (8WP) to meet contractual demands. This lack of eff iciency has resulted in 8n cutbacks for all classes of users." I . The second factor is the ever present possibility that large quantities of water will be diverted from the Colorado River via way of the Central Arizona Project (CAP). Had it not been for heavy summer rainfall in Arizona which resulted in reduced CAP demands during 1989-90; Metropolitan's supply would have again received its full allocation from the Colorado aqueduct. However, prudent; supply planning would suggest that under normal conditions CAP demands will reduce the Metropolitan supply by 650,000 acre feet per year by 1995. . The third factor arose from legal action in the Owens Valley and Mono Basin, which reduced the svpply available from the OWens valley Aqueduct for the City of Los Angeles. To substi tute for that shortage, the City of Los Angeles has increased its demand on Metropolitan, making less water av~ilable for other agencies. . . The fourth concern is related to the groundwater basin itself. Roughly one-half of Orange County is served by this basin. Currently, the groundwater basin contains about 600,000 of the usable one million acre feet in storage. To help mitigate water shortage situations additional extractions from the basin would be made for another several years, however, the basin must be refilled in the future, during periods of water abundance. ,I II To do this, OCWD purchases water from MWDOC which is then percolated into the groundwater basin. Further, the current average flow in the Santa Ana River, which is captured and percolated into the groundwater basin, is over 125,000 acre-feet per year and in the next 15 years is expected to reach 225,000 acre-feet. Upstream urbanization is the major factor in the growth of this resource. Because expansion of the SWP to its contracted delivery levels has not occurred, service area demands upon MWD supply have now reached the point where shortages can be expected in any series of years when supplies from Northern California are less than eighty-five percent of normal. Unlike some cities in Southern Orange County, Seal Beach is fortunate to be able to draw upon ample supplies of ground water. Due to this advantage and stepped up conservation efforts taken by the community, Seal Beach has had greater supply capability than demand. I It is not possible to arrive at exact assumptions in way of worse case water supply predictions. Metropolitan allocates water supply based upon past usage. Should a 50 percent cutback in water supplies occur in the next; 12, 24 or 36 month period, MWDOC would receive approximately 146,690 acre feet from Metropoitan annually. It is safe to assume that if the water supply outlook actually were this bleak, MWDOC would allocate water supplies to its member agencies based upon calculations of stage VI of its Incremental Interruption and Conservation Plan,IICP. (See Chart below). Resolution Number L/ILj/J MWDOC IICP STAGES stage Non-Firm Firm Expected Savings Percent Deliveries Deliveries AFY Saved I Voluntary 5% Voluntary 5% 15,000 II 20 5 30,300 10% III 30 10 50,400 17% I IV 40 15 70,500 24% V 50 20 90,600 31% VI 90% 30 115,200 50% The City of Seal Beach purchases water from MWDOC under an agreement for non-firm deliveries. Traditionally, this has meant that in exchange for a lower rate per acre foot of water, the City agrees to be given less delivery priority during water shortages and emergencies. The City of Seal Beach normally purchases thirty percent of its water supply in non-firm deliveries from MWDOC, and pumps the remaining 70% from the basin. However, with the current drought this distribution ratio is now 20% water imported from MWDOC, with the remaining 80% being domestic basin water. this reduced reliance upon MWDOC water is due to elevated water conservation awareness among the community combined with the Orange County Water District's decision to increase distribution allowances of basin water. 'I The city of Seal Beach purchases water from MWDOC under an agreement for non-firm deliveries. Traditionally, this has meant that in exchange for a lower rate per acre foot of water, the City agrees to be given less delivery priority during water shortages and emergencies. The City of Seal Beach normally purchases thirty percent of its water supply in non-firm deliveries from MWDOC, and pumps the remaining 70% from the basin. However, with the current drought this distribution ratio is now 20% water imported from MWDOC, with the remaining 80% being domestic basin water. This reduced reliance upon MWDOC water is due to elevated water conservation awareness among the community combined with the Orange County Water District's decision to increase distrit.l~tion allowances of basin water. In times of severe drought, MWDOC would drastically curtail water supplies to the City qf Seal Beach. In this event, Seal Beach would rely more heavily upon its groundwater basin. According to OCWD, this basin holds approximately one-million acre-feet of usable water. Estimates of total capacity are much higher, however, this is deeper water, meaning increased drilling and pumping costs and water of less quality. Concurrently, Seal Beach would implement Stage. 4 of its water conservation ordinance (Ord. 1331, Exhibit A). This ordinance was adopted by Seal Beach city Council on March 11, 1991. I 5. section 10631(e) (3) Section 10631 (e)(3) of the Act requires that stages of action be undertaken by the urban water supplier in response to a .rater supply shortage, including up to a fifty percent reduction in water supply. An outline of specific water supply conditions which are applicable to each stage is to be included in the Plan. Shortly after submitting its Urban Water Management Plan to the State Department of Water Resources in November of 1991, the City of Seal Beach adopted Ordinance 1331. This ordinance established a water conservation program through empowering the city to enact anyone of four graduated drought control measures depending upon the severity of water shortages. The phases outlined are: Resolution Number ~/~i.1 PHASE X - VOLUNTARY COMPLXANCE - WATER WATCH. Applies during periods when the possibility exists that the City will not be able to meet all of the demands of its customers. During PHASE 1, the community is asked to embrace a series of water conservation measures on a voluntary basis. PHASE II - MANDATORY COMPLIANCE - WATER ALERT. Applies during periods when the probability exists that the city will not be able to meet all of the water demands of its customers. I During PHASE II, the City council may enact mild water use restrictions except when reclaimed water is utilized. PHASE XXX - MANDATORY COMPLIANCE - WATER WARNING Applies during periods when the City will not be able to meet all of the water demands of its customers. During PHASE III, the City Council may enact moderate water use restrictions except when reclaimed water is utilized. PHASE IV - MANDATORY COMPLIANCE - WATER EMERGENCY Applies when a major failure of any supply or distribution facility, whether temporary or permanent, occurs in the water distribution system of the state Water Project, Metropolitan Water District, or City facilities. Durinq PlDl.SE IV, the City Council may adopt austere water use restrictions except when reclaimed water is used. IZhibit B is a matrix illustrating measures that the city of Seal Beach will taken (with city Council approval) to increase supply and/or reduce demand during short term and/or extended drought deficiency periods. The water conservation program was designed to encourage customers to reduce water usage. The citizens of Seal Beach already have been very cooperative, reducing water usage between January 1990 to December 1991 by 14.7%. 6. section 10631(e}(4} Section 10630(e)(4) requires that mandatory stage provisions to reduce water use which include prohibitions against specific wasteful practices, such as gutter flooding, be addressed. During the most restrictive stage of the City's Water Conservation Plan, only basic and essential water uses which are necessary to maintain the health, safety, and welfare of the public shall be permitted. Non essential uses such as the washing down of paved areas, the operation of ornamental fountains and swimming pools and the rinsing of vehicles shall be prohibited. These restrictions shall be enforced as follows: (a) First violation. The Director of Public Works or his designee shall issue a written notice of the fact of a first violation to the customer. (b) A 15% surcharge of the customers water bill shall be imposed. (c) Third and subsequent violations shall result in the installation of a flow restricting device on the customer's service connection. The City's Public Work's Department shall charge the customer's account for reasonable costs incurred during installation and removal of the device. I 01 I I I Resolution Number 41141).? 7. Section 10631CelC51 section 10631(e) (5) requires consumption limits in the most restrictive stages. The City of Seal Beach has adopted a conservation ordinance which is aimed at reducing behavior and habits which result in the improper use of water'. The City's ordinance does not include provisions for any type of base allotment or target allocations. The City of Seal Beach's water rate structure is not tiered and does not include methods of pricing disincentives such as inclining block structures. The City employs a standard block rate pricing structure with a minimum monthly charge of $7.00 for a minimum quantity allowance of 600 cubic feet of water. Each additional 100 cubic feet of water is billed at $1.00 per unit. currently, the city of Seal Beach has usage figures dating back to July of 1989. However, the city's data resources are limited. without an overhaul of the present system it would be difficult to implement any type of rationing program or a rate structure which would fairly influence consumption habits. The City will stay current on State water supply forecasts and follow any cues issued by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), the Municipal water District of Orange County (MWOOC), the Orange county Water District (OCWO), or the State Department of Water Resoures (DWR). Future consumption limits will be predicated or based upon state wide water supply projections. The City of Seal Beach is currently reviewing its water pricing policy and will investigate alternate rate structures. As the City continues its efforts in water conservation, changes in water pricing and regulation needs will be assessed and could with Council approval be amended. 8. Section 10631CelC61 Section 10631(e) (6) requires that penalties or charges for excessive use be addressed. A customer is charged a minimum monthly charge of $7.00 for the first 600 cubic feet of water, and an additional $1.00 for each additional 100 cubic feet of water used. (See chart below for water equivalents): ----------------------------------------------------------------- WATER EOUIVALENTS TABLE * 1 cubic foot .......... 7.48 gallons ....... 62.4 pounds of water 1 acre foot ......... 43,560 cubic feet ... 325.900 gallons an acre-foot supplies . family of 5 for 1 year * source:M1fDOC ----------------------------------------------------------------- The rate structure currently employed by the City of Seal Beach neither benefits nor penalizes high water use. If the system promoted high water usage a declining block rate would be employed in which customers are charged less incrementally for each additional unit of water purchased. Once popular, most declining block methods were abandoned during the 77' drought and replaced with uniform rates. Pricing mechanisms employed to discourage high water usage include increasing block and seasonal rates. Seal Beach has been using a uniform block rate in which a fixed $1.00 charge has been established for every 100 cubic feet over the minimum (see Bxhibit C). Thus, a customer is charged for the water Resolution Number ~/4l~ he/she uses, but there are no pr~c~ng incentives built into the system which would discourage excessive use. The City is in the process of reviewing water rate structures. Seal Beach will continue to promote conservation and strive to educate the community on ways to conserve water. 9. section 10631(e\(7\ Section 10631(e) (7) requires an analysis of the impact of the plan on the revenues and expenditures of the urban water supplier, and proposed measures to overcome those impacts, such as the development of reserves and rate adjustments. I The City's Water Services Division receives its revenue from fixed revenues, minimum bi-monthly charges and unit charges. Should the Municipal Water District ever enact Stage VI of its Incremental Interruption and Conservation Plan (rrCP), Seal Beach would be required to reduce its water consumption by 27%. Such a cutback, over an extended period of time could result in the loss of approximately $315,858 or 20% of the Water Department's required revenue to meet current service levels. To balance the budget, the City council should consider establishment of a water replacement fund and/or reexamine expenditures and the water rate structure. 10. section 10631(e) (8) section 10631(e)(8) requires a draft water shortage c~ntingency resolution or ordinance to carry out the Urban Water Shortage contingency Plan. Included as Exhibit D is a copy of the proposed Seal Beach resolution establishing a water shortage contingency plan. 11. Section 10631CelC91 section 10631(e)(9) requires a mechanism for determining actual I reduction in water use pursuant to the Urban Water Shortage Contingency Plan. A monthly water allocation report is prepared by the city's Water Services Division to access current water usage. I I I I Resolution Number ~/~lf PROOF OF PUBLICATION (2015.5 C.C.P.) STATE OF CALIFORNIA, County of Orange This space for for the County Clerk's Filing Stamp I am a citizen of the United States and a resident of the County afore- said; I am over the age of eighteen years, and not a party to or Inter- ested in the above-entitled matter. I am the principal clerk of the printer of the SEAL BEACH JOURNAL. a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published weeklv in the City of Seal Beach. County of Orange and which newspaper has been adjudged a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of the County of Orange, State of California, under the date of 2/24175. Case Number A82583; that the notice of which the annexed Is a printed copy (set in type not smaller than nonpareil). has been published In each regular and entire Issue of said newspaper and not In any supplement thereof on the following dates, to-wit: '111~ Ii all In the year 9 92 . Proof of Publication of PUBLIC NOTICE/Public Hearing ..:.......~............... wrd0-. .~. . . . -f,~ .t!mJ!f!ttfJ I!!a-,J , .NCmCi OF , . ~.~,. NOlICE._._.....~ Coudal..~a1.........IIIld. ..-. .........,.......... 8. '-'. :;-.:,,';..~.~;t:;.: _llIopIIonalrillili-......._ 8haIIIlII c..a...""...... Ii"_ .........iI..-._..,... -......... .JO!!~..... ..........;:r.-iiiit,.. -~...IIiIid.., ,.- ..., .,J!'......"4 ...,...,--,....- ...:::...~-II!I,Iil'!".:.~'!'~-ido~.ll ......w _........ ._ _....~a1...._II,.. """............. ' . oomnellt1l_a1..... _:' llIrdIl\... . ~w- _'~1-' -.................. I certify (or declare) under penalty of perjury that the foregoing Is true and correct. Dated at~al Beach.. California, this / day of 11Ztk'( . 19~. Gz ~(! dd:lua. ~ IV~....,...) Signature PUBLICATION PROCESSED BY: THE JOURNAL NEWSPAPERS 216 Main Street P.O. Box 755 Seal Beach, CA 90740 (213}430-7555