Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 - Water Conservation Best Management PracticesCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. lo July 26, 2005 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Utilities Department Terresa Moritz, Management Analyst, (949) 644 -3013, tmoritz @city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding with the California Urban Water Conservation Council for Best Management Practices ISSUE: Should the City become a signatory to specific Water Conservation Best Management Practices (BMPs)? RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the Mayor to execute a future Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) regarding water conservation Best Management Practices (BMPs). DISCUSSION: Background: In 1991, the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) was formed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by its participating agencies. Signatories to the MOU agree to implement a set of fourteen cost - effective Best Management Practices (BMPs). These BMPs are recognized worldwide as a framework for advancing the efficient use of valuable water resources. The majority of Orange County Cities and Water Districts are signatories to the MOU. Best Management Practices for Urban Water Conservation In 1991, the CUWCC was created to address urban water conservation efforts. The Council has no regulatory authority and membership and dues are voluntary. Annual dues have been funded in the past by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC). MOU with CUWCC for BMPs July 26, 2005 Page 2 Signatories to the MOU agree to implement a set of fourteen (14) cost - effective BMPs. 1. Residential surveys 2. Residential plumbing retrofit 3. System water audits, leak detection and repair 4. Metering 5. Large landscape programs and incentives 6. High- efficiency clothes washer rebates 7. Public information programs 8. School education programs 9. Commercial, Institutional and Industrial programs 10. Wholesale agency assistance programs 11. Conservation pricing 12. Conservation Coordinator 13. Water waste prohibition 14. Residential Ultra Low Flow Toilet (ULFT) replacement programs Each BMP has a set of specific requirements for documentation and implementation. A water agency can exempt itself from implementing a BMP if it can show that the practice is not cost - effective, if adequate funds are not available, or if the agency does not have the legal authority to implement the practice. Staff has reviewed the BMPs with water conservation staff at MWDOC. Of the thirteen BMPs that apply to Newport Beach ( #10 applies only to wholesale agencies like MWDOC) nine are already in place, some by virtue of programs sponsored by MWDOC, the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD), Orange County Water District (OCWD) and the MWD. These are presented below. #3 — Distribution System Audits — leak detection was performed as part of the Water Master Plan. The City's unaccounted for water percentage is currently 7 %. As long as this figure remains below the established threshold of 10 %, the City complies with this BMP without any further action. At 10% or more, a full -scale system audit is called for. #4 — Metering — All water service connections in the City are metered. #5 — Large Landscape Conservation Programs — MWDOC is the lead on these programs and the City participates. #6 — High- efficiency washing machine rebate program — MWDOC and MWD are implementing a program. #7 — Public Information — MWDOC provides a number of publications and other public information efforts that supplement those distributed by the City. MOU with CUWCC for BMPs July 26, 2005 Page 3 #8 — School Education — MWDOC provides literature and presentations to schools throughout its service area. The Utilities Department has participated in presentations including the Annual Children's Water Education Festival. #11 — Conservation Pricing — One definition of conservation pricing is "rates designed to recover the cost of providing service." The City's rates are designed in this fashion. In addition, the City's Finance Committee has asked that the City begin studying a use -based tiered rate system similar to that of the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD), which covers about 20% of the city. #12 — Conservation Coordinator — The Management Analyst for the Utilities Department has been designated as the Conservation Coordinator and has received certification from the California- Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) as a Level I Water Conservation Practitioner. #14 — Ultra Low Flow Toilet (ULFT) Program — MWDOC provides a regional rebate program available to citizens of Newport Beach. (There are no longer "Free" Toilet Giveaways, because the field is saturated.) Essentially, compliance with the remaining BMPs, with the exception of #13, would consist of participation and coordination with programs either in development or already established by regional agencies. Benefits There are a number of benefits to the City becoming a signatory to the MOU: • Current negotiations on a CALFED Bay /Delta solution indicate that the BMPs will likely become mandatory. If this occurs, agencies that are already a signatory would be recognized by MWD and the State Water Resources Control Board, the oversight agency monitoring BMP implementation, and have access to the State's drought bank. • The City is given conservation credits by OCWD for water - conserving toilet and showerhead replacements. For each acre foot of quantifiable conservation, OCWD allows the City to pump an equal amount over its basin pumping percentage, thereby saving the difference in pumped water over import water (currently about $320 /acre foot). Or the City could opt for a recently approved direct funding program. So, while on the surface it appears that conservation efforts would negatively impact revenue and therefore Water Fund Reserves, the opposite is the case. • OCSD may begin funding water conservation programs at a higher level thereby reducing or eliminating the City's up front costs for certain programs. MOU with CUWCC for BMPs July 26, 2005 Page 4 • Conservation efforts for irrigation and landscaping have been shown to effectively reduce urban runoff. • BMP implementation is contingent upon the program being cost effective. Therefore, any up front costs to the City for a specific program would need to be recouped and savings demonstrated or the program would not need to be implemented. • Previous conservation efforts have been associated with periods of drought and were therefore reactive. Adoption of the BMPs illustrates a proactive approach to responsibly and effectively managing the City's water resources. Based on the benefits above, we recommend that the City become a signatory to the memorandum of understanding. Becoming a signatory simply requires the appropriate signatures on the signature sheet of the most recent (April 8, 1998) MOU. This is then forwarded to the CUWCC where they vote, as a formality, and accept Newport Beach as a member. Current signatories in Orange County are: Anaheim, East Orange County Water District, El Toro Water District, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine Ranch Water District, Mesa Consolidated Water District, Moulton Niguel Water District, MWDOC, OCWD, the County of Orange, OCSD, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Southern California Water Company, South Coast Water District, Trabuco Canyon Water District and the Water Advisory Committee of Orange County. Environmental Review: Not applicable. Funding Availability: Annual dues for signatories in Orange County have been paid since 1998 by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Municipal Water District of Orange County. Should this funding be withdrawn in the future, the City would be responsible for approximately $3,300 annually, which will be budgeted under 5500 -8303 Water Conservation, Education and Public Relations. Prepared by: Submitted by: 'rerresa Moritz, Management Analyst Dave iff Assistant City Oanager