HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/15/2008, B1 - 2008 WATER RESOURCES STATUS REPORT I I \
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CITY O F SAN LUIS O B I S P O
FROM: John Moss, Utilities Director
Prepared By: Gary W. Henderson, Water Division Manager lzf7`/14
Ron Munds, Utilities Conservation Coordinator
SUBJECT: 2008 WATER RESOURCES STATUS REPORT
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file the City's 2008 Water Resources Status Report.
DISCUSSION
City staff have been providing an annual report relative to the City's water resources since 1985.
The initial reports were titled "Operational Plans" and were later renamed"Water Resources Status
Reports". This year marks a milestone for this annual report. This is the first time in over twenty
years that the report identifies that the City of San Luis Obispo has sufficient water supplies to meet
the water demands necessary to serve build-out as identified in the adopted General Plan and
related Elements. In addition, with the assumption of water deliveries from Nacimiento Lake
beginning in 2011, the City's water supplies are projected to last over eight years even assuming
return of drought conditions similar to those in the period from 1987 to 1991.
The purpose of the annual Water Resources Status Report (WRSR) is to provide an overview of
various aspects of the City's water resources. The attached report discusses five major topics:
1. Existing Water Supply Status
2. Multi-Source Water Supply Projects
3. Water Conservation Program
4. Water Supply Strategies to Meet Future Needs
5. Projected Water Supply Situation
Item 4 above may be deleted or the section heading revised in future reports to reflect the fact that
the City has currently met the City's future water supply needs based on water available from the
Nacimiento Pipeline Project, the Water Reuse Project, and the ongoing water conservation
programs. The following is a summary of the information contained in the attached 2008 Water
Resources Status Report.
Report Summary
This past year's (2007-08) rainfall amounts were near normal. The City's water resources are in
good shape with supplies projected to last under drought conditions to at least 2016. The City is
continuing to make progress on new water resources with ongoing implementation of the Water
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Council Agenda Report—2008 Water Resources Status Report Page 2
Reuse Project and its ongoing conservation programs. In addition, the Nacimiento Pipeline Project
is currently under construction with water deliveries anticipated to begin in late 2010.
While the current water supply situation is favorable, the City will continue its efforts relative to
implementation and expansion of the water conservation programs. Water conservation has proven
to be very cost effective and even with new water supplies from Nacimiento,it is very important to
utilize available resources efficiently. The 2008 Water Resources Status Report provides a brief
synopsis of the City's water supply status and its ongoing water conservation program efforts.
Existing Water Supply Status
The City's two water supply reservoirs (Salinas and Whale Rock) were at 95% and 74% of total
storage capacity respectively as of June 11, 2008. The City's total water use for 2007 was 6,488
acre feet (af) compared to 5,999 of in 2006. The City's per capita water use was higher in 2007
due to low rainfall and customers using water for irrigation purposes earlier than normal. It
should be noted that the per capita use rate is not the amount that the average person uses but
takes into account all water uses including residential, commercial, industrial, landscape, etc.
This past year's use was 131 gallons per capita per day(gpcd), an increase from last year's use of
121 gpcd. This increase in per capita use was likely the result of customers turning their
irrigation systems on earlier than normal in February and March of 2007.
Water Available for Development
The policies in the Water Management Element of the General Plan determine the water available
for new development. Table 1 below identifies the water available for development. The figures in
Table 1 include the additional water resources which were added in previous years from the Water
Reuse Project (130 af) and the expanded water conservation program (120 af). In addition, the
water available from the Nacimiento Project is included in the safe annual yield amount based on
adopted policies in the Water Management Element of the General Plan. With the Nacimiento
water supply, the City now has sufficient water to meet the community needs at full build-out as
identified in the General Plan.
Table 1: Water Available for Development
Year Population Present Water Safe Annual Water Available
Demand Yield > for Allocation
@ 145 gpcd
2008 44,697 7,260a.f. 11,090 a.f. 1,836 a.f.
1 From Water Management Element,Table l: includes reductions due to siltation to date
2 Includes additional water from Water Reuse (130 af). expanded conservation programs (120 af), and the Nacimiento
Pipeline Project(3,380 af).
3 Additional water needed to serve buildout population of 56,000.
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Council Agenda Report—2008 Water Resources Status Report Page 3
Multi-Source Water Supply Projects
For over 20 years, one of the major goals of the Council has been the pursuit of additional long term
water supplies to meet the current and future water demands of the community. With the Water
Reuse Project, ongoing water conservation programs, and the Nacimiento Pipeline Project the City
has attained this goal. This has been a significant accomplishment and will insure reliable water
supplies for the community.
The Water Reuse Project was completed in 2006 and the past year's efforts have focused on adding
new customers to the system. This past year the following sites were connected to the recycled
water system: Laguna Lake Golf Course, Laguna Village shopping center, the Courtyard by
Marriot, Costco and Irish Hills Plaza. For 2007, 71 acre feet of recycled water was used
throughout the City. With additional sites being added this year, it is anticipated that
approximately 130 acre feet will be used this next year.
The Nacimiento Project is currently under construction. The project administration is being
handled by the County of San Luis Obispo and the construction is currently proceeding on
schedule. It is anticipated that construction will be complete in late 2010 with water deliveries
beginning shortly thereafter.
Two years ago, the City Council added 120 acre feet to the City's safe annual yield based on an
expanded water conservation program approved and implemented during the 2003-2005
Financial Plan period. The Utilities Conservation Office continues to evaluate potential water
saving opportunities and this summer will be implementing a pilot study for "Smart" irrigation
controllers.
Projected Water Supply Situation
The City utilizes a computer program to project how long the City's available water supplies would
last based on a number of assumptions. The model uses historical drought weather patterns,
projected water demands,etc., to forecast the City's water supply position and to make certain water
policy recommendations. Figure 5 in the Water Resources Status Report is the model assuming no
additional water from Nacimiento and Figure 5a reflects the assumption of 3,380 acre feet per year
from Nacimiento beginning in 2011. The model predicts current water supplies would last until
June 2014 (Figure 5) without Nacimiento supplies and into 2016 with additional water from
Nacimiento.
Water Management Element Update
The policies contained in the Water Management Element of the General Plan were developed at a
time of water scarcity for the City. Many of the policies need to be reconsidered based on the
current water resource situation. An example would be Policy 1.13.3 which reserves half of the
available water for infill projects within the existing City limits as of July 1994, are likely no longer
needed since there is sufficient water to meet the build-out need identified in the General Plan.
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Council Agenda Report—2008 Water Resources Status Report Page 4
City staff has initiated the first steps in the process to identify the policies in the Water Management
Element (WME) that may need revision based on the current water resources situation. Staff will
be soliciting public input during the early stages of the process and will then proceed with public
hearings before the Planning Commission and the City Council for revisions to the current policies.
One area that will be included in the discussions concerns the City's "reliability reserve". The
reliability reserve was originally included as a policy in the WME and was subsequently added to
the City Charter. A revision to the WME in September of 2002 deleted the policy relative to the
"reliability reserve" due to the cost and difficulty to develop the reserve at that time. With City
participation in the Nacimiento Project, revisions to the WME included policies for acquiring
additional water supplies to meet "Secondary Water Supply Requirements". The updates to the
WME will discuss the similarities and differences between these two policies and seek the Planning
Commission's and Council's input and ultimate resolution.
FISCAL IlVIPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action. Any fiscal impacts associated
with the pursuit of additional water supply projects or additional conservation measures have been
or will be addressed through the City's Financial Plan processes.
ATTACHMENT
2008 Water Resources Status Report
Attachment 1
City ofSan Luis Obispo
2008 Water Resources
Status Report
June 2008
Prepared by: Gary Henderson, Water Division Manager
Ron Munds, Utilities Conservation Coordinator
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Attachment 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
L EXISTING WATER SUPPLY SITUATION..........................................................:..1
CurrentStatus............................................................................................................................2
WaterConsumption..»..............................................................................................................3
Water Available for Development............................................................................................4
11. MULTI-SOURCE WATER PROJECTS...............................................................5
WaterReuse Project......»»..».».».»..........»..»._.»._..»....._...».............. .»»...»....»..».....5
NacimientoPipeline Project......................................................................................................6
III. WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS............................................................6
High Efficiency Washing Machine Replacements .................».»....»............................».....8
TechnicalAssistance..................................»............».......................................».......................8
Public Information&Education..............................................................................................9
OtherProgram Highlights......................................................................................................10
Future Water Conservation Programs.........................».......................................................11
IV. WATER SUPPLY STRATEGY TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS.........................12
V. PROJECTED WATER SUPPLY SITUATION......................................................13
Reservoir Storage Curve.........................................................................................................13
VI.. SUMMARY.............................................................................................:.............14
1 Attachment 1
City of San Luis Obispo
2008 Water Resources Status Report
City staff have been providing an annual report relative to the City's water resources since
1985. The initial reports were titled "Operational Plans" and were later renamed "Water
Resources Status Reports". This year marks a milestone for this annual report. This is the
first time in over twenty years that the report identifies that the City of San Luis Obispo has
sufficient water supplies to meet the water demands necessary to serve build-out as
identified in the adopted General Plan and related Elements. In addition, with the
assumption of water deliveries from Nacimiento Lake beginning in 2011, the City's water
supplies are projected to last over 8 years even assuming return of drought conditions
similar to those in the period from 1987 to 1991.
The annual Water Resources Status Report for the City of San Luis Obispo is prepared by
the Utilities Department to provide the City Council and interested members of the
community with an update of the status of existing water resources as well as water
supply projects being pursued to meet the community's future needs. The report covers
five main areas:
1. Existing Water Supply Status
2. Multi-Source Water Supply Projects
3. Water Conservation Programs
4. Water Supply Strategy to Meet Future Needs
5. Projected Water Supply Situation
The report provides an opportunity to evaluate the existing water supply situation for the
City, identify the amount of water currently available to serve new development, and
discuss issues relative to existing polices and water projects and programs being pursued.
I. EXISTING WATER SUPPLY SITUATION
The City of San Luis Obispo currently utilizes five sources of water supply to meet the
community's water demand: Santa Margarita Lake (also referred to as Salinas Reservoir),
Whale Rock Reservoir, groundwater, recycled water from the City's Water Reclamation
Facility and additional water conservation programs. The adopted safe annual yield from
Salinas and Whale Rock Reservoirs, and groundwater resources for 2008 is 7,460 acre
feet (af) which takes into account annual estimated reductions due to siltation at both
reservoirs. In addition, the 2006 Water Resources Status Report added an additional 130
of of water from the Water Reuse Project and 120 of from the expanded water
conservation program.
Policy 1.13.2.A. in Chapter 8 "Water and Wastewater" section of the General Plan states:
"Allocations from a new water supply project shall be considered available at the time
project construction is initiated." With the Nacimiento Project currently under
construction, this policy means that the additional 3,380 acre feet per year of water from
the Nacimiento Project should now be added to the water available for new development.
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2008 Water Resources Status Report -"� Attachment 1
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With these additional water supply sources, which are discussed in more detail in the
following sections, the total safe annual yield for 2008 is 11,090 af., The actual total city-
wide water use for 2007 was 6,488 of (including recycled water) which was about 8.2%
higher than last year's use of 5,999 af. Much of the increase in water use can be
attributed to the below normal rainfall in February and March of 2007.
Current Status
For the 2007-08 rainfall year, rainfall for the City of San Luis Obispo was near normal as
reflected in Table 1. In fact, Salinas Reservoir was actually right at the average. The
majority of this year's rainfall was received early in the season, with Salinas Reservoir
receiving 60% of the total year's rainfall in January alone. With the large rainfall events
in January, a "live stream" was declared for the Salinas River on January 6, 2008 and the
reservoir began spilling on January 28`h. As of June 11, 2008, Salinas and Whale Rock
Reservoirs were at 95.2% and 73.7% of total capacity respectively.
For the calendar year Table 1: Area Rainfall
of 2007, the water _ _ __ _Avera -
Location 2007/08 e e a
demand for the City t g Average
of San Luis Obispo City of SLO—Reservoir 19.9" 22.4" 89%
was provided from #1
the five sources as Whale Rock Reservoir 14.0" 19.7" 71%
shown in Table 2. Salinas Reservoir L 21.5" 21.4" 100%
The total water
demand for all City- 1. Rainfall through June 1,2008
uses in 2007 was 6,488 of which was approximately 8.2% higher than the total water use
for 2006. The total amount of City water use shown in Table 2 does not include domestic
water delivered to Cal Poly University which is accounted for from their available water
supply from Whale Rock Reservoir. As of May 1, 2007, the City's available water
storage in Salinas Reservoir (above minimum pool) was 21,578 acre feet. The City's
share of the Whale Rock storage (above minimum pool) was 13,685 acre feet. The
combined total water storage available to meet city water needs was 33,263 acre feet.
This equates to 77% of maximum available storage if the reservoirs were full.
Table 2: Water Supply Sources
Whale Additional Total
Salinas Rock Groundwater* Recycled Conservation Water
Used**
1,782 of 4,534 of 101 of 71 of 120 of 6,488
* 137 of total,including Corp Yard and Golf Course wells
** Dos not include amount for additional water conservation
Based on the available water storage in both reservoirs, estimated groundwater
production, Nacimiento water deliveries beginning in 2011 and assuming the return of
drought conditions as experienced during the late 1980s, the City has approximately 8
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2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
Page 3
years of water supply, according to the computer storage model as shown in Figure 5a
(figures are at end of report). The model assumes that additional conservation measures,
consistent with our water shortage contingency plan, are implemented when supplies are
estimated to last only three years. The various stages of conservation are indicated in
Figure 5 & 5a and are discussed in more detail in the City's Water Shortage Contingency
Plan. The Water Shortage Contingency Plan is part of the Urban Water Management
Plan that was updated and adopted in December of 2005.
Water Consumption Table 3: Population Estimates,Water Use & Rainfall
Year Population Total Per Rainfall
As noted previously, Water Use Capita (inches)
the total City water use (acre feet) (gpcd)
for 2007 was1997 41,807 6,220 133 31.36
approximately 8.2% _f9 9-8 42,201 5,853 124 43.54
higher than the use for 1999 42,446 6,172 130 16.34
2006. Table 3 shows 2000 44,174 6,121 124 24.97
the population 2001 44,218 5,886. 119 24.53
estimates from 1997 2002 44,333 6,032 121 22.91
through 2007 as well as 2003 44,225 5,968 120 16.08
the total City water use 2004 44,163 6,239 126 40.09
and corresponding per 2005 44,619 6,098 122 30.35
capita use rate. As 2006 44,326 5,999 121 10.28
previously mentioned, 2007 44,489 6,488 131 19.92
the per capita use rate 1. Rainfall amounts for July through lune from Cal Poly weather station
was higher in 2007 due 2. Rainfall amount from County rain gage at City's Reservoir#I
to the low rainfall and customers using water for irrigation purposes earlier than normal.
Based on the policies contained in the Water Management Element of the General Plan,
the City has adopted a per.capita water use rate of 145 gallons per person per day (gpcd)
for projecting future water supply needs and determining the availability of water for new
development. The 145 gpcd figure is not the amount that the average person uses but is a
planning figure and takes into account all water uses including residential, commercial,
industrial, landscape, etc. Chart i shows the water use between different customer
classes for 2007 (landscape use is only specific dedicated landscape meters) which is
very consistent with previous years. The City-wide water use is monitored to insure that
actual water use remains below the adopted planning figure of 145 gpcd so that the City
does not exceed our available water resources.
Chart 1:Water Use by Category While the per capita water
Landscape use increased following the
Irrigation Single end of the 1986-91 drought
11% Family and the end of mandatory
Non- Residential conservation measures in
ResidentialGI 40% 1992, the use rate has
30% stabilized since 1997 as
Multi-family reflected in Table 3. This last
Residential
19%
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2008 Water Resources Status Report - Attachment 1
Page 4
year's per capita water use was approximately 131 gpcd, which was an increase from last
year's use of 121 gpcd. There are a number of factors that can affect the per capita use
rate including: population estimates provided by the State and timing and amount of
rainfall each year.
Water Available for Development
The policies in the Water Management Element (Chapter 8) of the General Plan determine
the water available for new development. Section 1.13.2.A. states"The City will determine
the water available for allocation to new development by either; the adopted safe annual
yield of the City's water supplies minus present demand as identified in Policy 3.1.4, or
the projected demand at build-out as identified in Policy 3.1.3 minus present demand as
identified in.Policy 3.1.4; whichever is less. Available allocations will be assigned to
development in a way that supports
balanced growth, consistent with the 3.1.3 Overall Projected Demand: Applying 145
General Plan." With the additional gallons per person per day to a projected City
water- supplies in this analysis the resident population of about 56,000 at General
amount of water available for allocation Plan build-out results in a projected water demand
is based on the projected demand at of 9,096 acre-feet per year(excluding demand from
build-out minus the present demand. the Cal Poly campus;which has separate
Policy 3.1.4 and related policies define entitlements).
present water use as the current 3.1.4 Present Demand. Present water demand
population times the adopted per capita shall be calculated by multiplying the water use
water use rate (145 gallons per capita identified in Policy 3.1.2 by the current city
per day). Based on these policies,Table population(as determined by the California
4 indicates the water available to Department of Finance, Population Research
allocate to new development in 2008. Unit).
The population figures are provided by
the California Department of Finance. The estimates provided recently adjusted the .
population estimate for 2007 from 44,239 to 44,489. This year's estimate of 44,697
represents an approximate 0.5% population increase from last year.
Table 4: Water Available for Develo went
Year Population Present Water Safe Annual Water Available
Demand Yield' for Allocation
@ 145 geed based on General
Plant
2008 44,697 7,260 of 11,090 of 1,836 of
1. From Water Management Element,Table 1:includesreductions due to siltation to date. Includes the increase in safe
annual yield from the Water Reuse Project (130 afy) , the expanded conservation programs (120 afy) and the
Nacimiento Project(3.380 afy).
2. Additional water needed to serve build-out population of 56,000(demand at build-out minus present demand or 9,096
—7,260=1.836).
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2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
Page 5
Per Water Management Element Policy 8.1.3, one-half of the water available for allocation
will be reserved to serve intensification and infill development within city limits existing as
of July 1994. With the participation in the Nacimiento Project, the City now has sufficient
water to meet the build-out population that is identified in the City's General Plan.
Therefore, the policy for reserving water for infill projects may no longer be needed Staff
will be recommending several revisions to the Water Management Element this year based
on the significant positive changes in the City's available water resources.
II. MULTI-SOURCE WATER PROJECTS
Water Management Element Policy 1.11.1 identifies the strategy of developing multiple
sources of water supply as a basis for strengthening the security and reliability of the
water resources to meet the City's needs. The policy states that "The City shall continue to
develop and use water resource projects to maintain multi-source water supplies, and in this
manner, reduce reliance on any one source of water supply, to provide for peak operating
demands in the event one of the City's major water supply sources is unavailable, and to
increase its supply options in future droughts or other water supply emergencies." Much
like financial planning strategies, a diversified "portfolio" of water supplies will protect
against future uncertainties of any one water source.
The City is currently pursuing or expanding use of the following supplemental water
supply projects: Water Reuse Project and the Nacimiento Pipeline Project. Additional
groundwater resources, potential desalination facility, and the Salinas Reservoir
Expansion Project are additional options that are not currently being pursued. The
following is a brief status report on the projects currently being implemented to meet the
City's future water needs.
Water Reuse Project
The construction of the Water Reuse Project was completed in 2006 and the first recycled
water deliveries began in May of 2006. The first user site for recycled water was the new
landscaped median islands along Los Osos Valley Road. Later in 2006, additional sites
were added including the Damon-Garcia Sportsfields, Calle Joaquin street landscaping,
and other minor sites. This past year the following sites were connected to the recycled
water system: Laguna Lake Golf Course, Laguna Village shopping center, the Courtyard
by Marriot, Costco and Irish Hills Plaza.
It was anticipated that approximately 130 acre feet of recycled water would be used in
2007 and was included as additional water supplies last year as noted in the "Water
Available for Development" section of this report. Due to delays in user site
modifications and other constraints, only 71 acre feet of recycled water was used during
2007. It is anticipated that additional user sites will be added this year and that
approximately 130 acre feet should be utilized from the recycled water system. It is
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2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
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projected that an additional 25 acre feet will be delivered each year thereafter as
additional user sites are added to the system.
Nacimiento Pipeline Project
On June 29, 2004, the City Council authorized participation in the Nacimiento Pipeline
Project for a total of 3,380 acre feet. The project was broken into five bid packages and
bids were received during July and August of this past year. Table 5 below shows the
original bid estimates and the actual bids received for the construction work. With the
relatively good bidding climate this past summer, the project construction bids were
about$15 million lower than the engineer's estimate.
Table 5: Nacimiento Project Construction Costs(in millions)
Construction Contract Engineer's Estimate Actual Construction
_ Bid
#1 —Intake Facilities $13.1 $20.8
#2—Tanks &Pump Stations $30.8 $25.6
#3 —Pipeline North $49.8 $38.4
#4—Pipeline Centra_1 $27.1 $22.7
#5 —Pipeline South $18.2 $16.3
TOTAL_ $139.0
Construction on all five project packages is currently underway. The current construction
schedule anticipates water deliveries beginning by the end of 2010.
III.WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
The Water Conservation Program is an integral part of the City's overall water
management strategy and has added reliability to the water supply system over the years.
Since the mid 1980's, the City has implemented water efficiency programs and policies
that have enabled the City to decrease overall demand while the population continues to
grow. The importance of the program for the last 19 years should not be understated.
During this period, the City was able to sustain its economic development and support its
growth objectives. Even with the greatly improved water supply picture with the addition
of the Nacimiento Project, conservation will continue to play an important role in the
future as the City faces new water supply challenges such as the unknown effect of
climate change on weather patterns and the subsequent impacts on the City's water
supply.
In 1991, the City was one of the original signatories to the Best Management Practices
(BMPs) as defined in the Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Urban Water
Conservation in California (MOU). This agreement is a voluntary collaborative effort by
California water agencies and environmental organizations. The BMPs are a list of 14
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2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
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specific conservation measures that MOU signatories agree to implement. These
measures include water audits, incentive programs, and public information programs.
Based on the BMP's, the City's Water Conservation Program is divided into three
primary components:
1. Financial incentives for the installation of water efficient devices
2. Technical assistance
3. Public education and information
The following is a summary of these water conservation program components:
Financial Incentives Summary
Financial incentives have been a very important tool for the water conservation program
since 1990. For a number of years, toilet retrofitting was the focus of the incentive
program with the Toilet Rebate Program running from June 1990 through June 2007.
The High Efficiency Washing Machine Rebate Program was added to the financial
incentive program in 2001 and is still in place today. New irrigation equipment incentive
pilot programs are being tested this summer and are described in more detail later in the
report.
Toilet Retrofit Summary-Final Summary
As of December 2007, approximately 32,700 toilets out of an estimated 39,000 toilets
have been retrofitted either through the Retrofit Rebate, Retrofit Upon Sale (RUS) and/or
the Water Offset Programs. This equates to approximately 84% of all toilets within the
City of San Luis Obispo and represents an annual estimated water savings of over 1,400
acre feet.
Table 6: Summary of Toilet Retrofitting
Year Other Rebate Offset. Total Estimated
(RUS) Savings
1990-2001 9,081 21,651 30,732 1,389 of
2002 54 860 914 44 of
2003 93 274 367 17 of
2004 38 297 335 20 of
2005 53 117 170 10 of
2006 49 0 49 2 of
2007 46 99 .0 145 7 of
Totals Since
1990 46 %467 23,199 32,712 1,489 afy
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2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
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Table 6 summarizes the toilet retrofit activity and the program totals since 1990. A vast
majority of the toilets replaced through the years have been through the Water Offset
Program (Retrofit to Build). The mandatory Water Offset Program was terminated in
January 2002. As can be seen in Table 6, toilet replacement has dramatically decreased
since that time. There was some added rebate activity in 2007 when customers became
aware the program was ending. The retrofit upon sale (RUS) requirement is still in effect
and in future reports, staff will report on this activity.
Hikh Efficiency Washinje Machine Replacements
The High Efficiency Washing Machine Rebate Program was implemented in 2001 and
offered $150 dollar rebate
Table 7: Washing Machine Rebates for qualifying machines. As
Year Rebate Savings in acre indicated in Table 7,
feet,per year participation in the program
2001 45 .75 has been up and down. In
2002 131 2,2 2005, a two tier rebate
2003 31 _52 schedule of a $100 or $150
2004 60 1 was implemented based on
2005 87 1.5 the water savings of the
2006 47 78 machine purchased. Staff
continues to market the
2007 76 1.2 program to the local
Total 401 7.95 appliance dealers and is
hopeful that participation
will increase with the stepped up efforts. It is estimated that about 7.95 acre feet of water
will be saved annually by these water efficient machines with considerable energy
savings as a side benefit.
Technical Assistance
Residential and Commercial Water Audits
The Utilities Conservation Office (UCO) offers technical assistance to water customers
via free indoor and outdoor water audits. The audits Table 8. 2007 Water Audits
include indoor and outdoor leak detection services,
irrigation system evaluation, landscape plant material Description Number
information and other information on how to use
water efficiently. The requests for audits are typically Toilet Leak 80
received from people experiencing high water bills, Excessive Irrigation 223
residents participating in the low income assistance Irrigation Leak 104
program, or customers requesting a utility bill Service Line Leak 45
adjustment through the Utility Billing Adjustment
Committee.
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The Water Audit Program has been very active the last several years mainly due to the
staff follow-ups to high meter readings and the mailing of letters to customers using more
than 25 units of water per billing cycle in the summer and 20 units in the winter. For the
calendar year 2007, UCO sent out 1,837 letters to customers with high water use. Based
on the data analyzed from 2003 through 2.007, this program is conservatively saving an
average of 100 acre feet of water per year.
The water audit programs often reveal problems which are then corrected by the property
owner and results in lower water use and reduced water bills. The most common
problems experienced by customers are summarized in Table 8. A total of 2,962 contacts
were made by the UCO, either by letter, telephone or direct contact during 2007.
Water Budgets for Irrigation Accounts
There are 448 potable water and 12 recycled water accounts with dedicated landscape
(irrigation only) meters in the City. Since 2004, approximately 154 water budgets have
been developed for these accounts. A water budget is created by measuring the area of a
landscape by plant type (i.e. turf, shrub, etc.) and calculating the amount of water it
would need if efficiently irrigated. This is accomplished by using the City's GIS as a
mapping and measuring tool and software developed by Cal Poly to calculate the
landscape water needs.
When the actual water use on the account is greater than the calculated water.
requirement, a letter is sent to the customer offering a landscape water audit free of
charge by UCO staff. In 2007, 24 budgets were sent to high use customers, offering the
complementary water use audit.
The next phase of this project will be an evaluation of the effectiveness of this multi-year
endeavor in meeting our goals of more efficient water use by our customers.
Mixed Use Commercial Landscape Water Budgets
These customers are defined as commercial properties with a single water meter which
measures both indoor and outdoor water use. There are approximately 200 accounts that
meet this definition in the City. To date, 46 water budgets have been developed for these
customers. Establishing irrigation budgets for these accounts is especially challenging
since staff must estimate the indoor use for the facility in order to calculate the outdoor
water budget. Staff is in the process of systematically evaluating each of these customers
to determine the method and approach for providing technical assistance to this group.
Public Information & Education
In our ongoing effort to educate the public on efficient resource utilization, the Utilities
Conservation Office provides informational brochures on a variety of water, water
quality, energy conservation, and recycling topics upon request. Additionally, Utilities
Department staff produces a quarterly newsletter which focuses on current information
regarding water, wastewater, storm water and solid waste issues. The newsletter is
2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
Page 10
mailed to approximately 20,000 households. .Additional information has been distributed
through paid media advertising and public service announcements (Sammy the Steelhead
and family) and participation at Farmer's Market, home shows, etc. The current
emphasis in the water conservation program's information and education campaign is
efficient irrigation practices and new irrigation technology.
In addition to the above programs, in 1999 the Utilities Department implemented a water
education program within San Luis Obispo Coastal Unified School District. The program
targets third through fifth grades, to compliment the study of water within the school
district's existing curriculum. Teachers have been enthusiastic about the program,
particularly with the field trip to the Water Reclamation Facility.
During the 2007-2008 school year, 15 class presentations and 14 field trips were given for
schools within the city. The class presentations were 45 minutes and covered the subjects
of: Water Cycle, Water Treatment, Water Use, Water Conservation, and Water
Reclamation. The classroom presentation is a prerequisite for the field trip.
The Department's hope is that the conservation education programs are lively, fun and
interesting, so that the teachers will continue to want to use the presentations, water
education toolkits and tours as a way of enhancing their current water education
curriculum. Instilling water awareness in children leads to increased parental water
awareness. It also positively affects future generations: these students are tomorrow's
leaders and they will have the information to make informed and appropriate decisions
about water.
A new water quality module focusing on storm water runoff and creek and ocean health
has been developed. This will add another option for teachers to select when looking for
water education activities. Since this a relatively new module, only 6 class presentations
were given this school year.
Other Prozram Hizhlikhts
Residential Irrigation Pilot Program
UCO staff conducted a pilot program during the summer of 2007 to test the efficiency of
rotary nozzles which are the latest innovation in sprinkler technology. These nozzles
shoot multi-trajectory, rotating streams that apply water more slowly and uniformly than
conventional sprays and rotors, especially when adjusted for specific site conditions.
Though the technology worked in many situations, it was determined that the nozzles did
not yield the water savings anticipated at the start of the pilot program. Conservation
staff is now testing another irrigation equipment replacement program that evaluates sites
on a case by case basis and suggests equipment change outs, such as replacing an
irrigation controller or converting a landscape area to drip, and then offering rebates
based on the equipment installed by the homeowner. Upon completion of the pilot
2008 Water Resources Status Report J Attachment 1
Page 11
program, staff will evaluate the water savings potential and determine if the program
should be added to the City's list of incentive programs.
Large Landscape "Smart"Irrigation Controllers
Smart Controllers for irrigation work on a simple principle: provide the appropriate
watering schedule, adjust for weather changes and irrigate based on the needs of the
landscape.
There are a variety of weather-based "smart" controllers available for commercial
applications. In recent studies, Smart Controllers were able to avoid over-watering and
excessive run-off by scheduling the amount of irrigation based on the type of landscape
and current weather conditions. Statistics show that as much as 50% of commercial
water is used for irrigation. In many cases, by installing a smart controller, over-irrigation
and excessive run-off could be avoided while enhancing the health and beauty of the
landscape.
A pilot program to test the effectiveness of Smart Controllers in the City has been
implemented this spring. The target customers are Home Owner Associations and
commercial properties with large landscapes. Based on the results of the pilot program,
staff will determine the appropriate financial incentive to be offered in the future based
on water savings achieved.
Future Water Conservation Programs
Because of the City's affiliation with the California Urban Water Conservation Council
(CUWCC), valuable information regarding water conservation program development and
implementation is available. Most of the nation looks to California, and more
specifically to the CUWCC and the BMP's when developing water efficiency programs.
Given this fact, the City's water conservation program uses the CUWCC information to
determine if the implementation of a new program will provide dependable water savings
in a cost effective manner. The CUWCC, through its sub-committee process, compiles a
list of potential BMPs for evaluation and future implementation. The measures being
evaluated at this time are:
1. Residential dishwashers
2. Commercial vehicle wash systems
3. Synthetic turf
4. Turf replacement
5. High efficiency toilets (1.28 gallons per flush)
As more information and studies are made available, staff will be evaluating the results
and make recommendations for implementation in the future.
✓ Y - 1
2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
Page 12
Summary
The water saved through the Water Conservation Program, historically, has been the
lowest cost option when looking at new sources of supply. The City has implemented
numerous programs over the years.which have resulted in a dramatic decrease in per
capita water use. When evaluating the potential yield from a new conservation measure,
it is very important to factor in the reliability of the program to achieve the estimated
savings. As previously mentioned, the Council added 120 of to the Safe Annual Yield in
2006 based on the water use reduction associated with the intensified water efficient
landscape irrigation and commercial sector programs. After reviewing all the monitoring
data and information for 2006 and 2007, staff is confident that the 120 of is being
achieved. On an ongoing basis, staff will continue to monitor these programs from a
reliable saving perspective each year to ensure the appropriate level of savings is being
attained.
As previously stated, numerous studies statewide are currently underway which. are
evaluating new water conservation technology. Advancements in irrigation technology
equipment appears to be the next major source of water savings.
The strategy at this point is to continue to focus on proper irrigation scheduling and
upgrading poorly designed systems, then as more information is available relative to the
effectiveness of new technology, it could be considered as a new program. Staff will
continue to monitor new and up and coming water conservation technologies and make
recommendations to the Council at the appropriate time. .
IV.WATER SUPPLY STRATEGY TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS
The City of San Luis Obispo is currently pursuing or expanding our use of multiple water
supply projects/strategies to meet the projected community needs based on the policies
contained in the General Plan and related Elements. Based on the General Plan build-out
population of 56,000 and
the per capita water use Table 9: Primary Supply Requirements (acre feet)
rate of 145 gpcd, the Safe Annual Yield Required at Build-out 9,096
projected demand at full Current Safe Annual Yield (2008) 11,090
build-out is 9,096 acre feet Additional Safe Annual Yield Required 0
per year (afy). Table 9
shows the primary water supply requirements based on the adopted policies to meet
General Plan build-out. With the additional water available from the Nacimiento Project,
no additional water supplies are needed to meet the General Plan build-out. The Water
Management Element policies identify that any water available above that needed to
serve build-out will be for secondary water needs (future siltation, loss of a supply
source, etc.) and will not be made available to serve new development above adopted
General Plan build-out.
13 d - 18'
i
2008 Water Resources Status Report Attachment 1
Page 13
The Water Reuse Project was completed in May of 2006 and recycled water deliveries
began shortly thereafter. This past year, approximately 71 acre feet of recycled water
was used for irrigation purposes. It is anticipated that approximately 130 acre feet will be
used to offset potable demand in 2008/2009. Additional yield will be developed from the
reuse project as development occurs in the southern portion of the City. In addition, the
Water Reuse Master Plan has identified opportunities to systematically expand the use of
recycled water.
The Nacimiento Project has required significant City staff involvement over the past
several years to move the project forward. With the Nacimiento Project under
construction, it is anticipated that City staff resources and involvement will be reduced.
The primary areas of focus for staff in the next several years will be: commission
meetings, oversight of construction issues and related costs, and other related project
issues. The City will continue to dedicate the staff resources necessary to complete this
important water supply project.
The third area of focus will be to continue to improve our conservation efforts. Efficient
use of our resources extends the availability of our water supplies and has proven to be
very cost effective. As part of the 2003-05 Financial Plan, the Council endorsed an
expanded water conservation program to achieve long-term water reductions. Efforts to
date indicate an additional 120 of of water savings have been achieved through the
expanded water conservation programs. In addition, as new technology or information
becomes available in the future, the City needs to continue to evaluate the potential for
conservation strategies to reduce our demand for, and efficient use of, water.
With the successful completion of the Nacimiento Pipeline Project, expansion of the
Water Reuse Project and continued efforts associated with improving water efficiency
within the City, the City of San Luis Obispo will be able to meet the City's primary and
secondary water needs as identified in the General Plan and related Elements.
V. PROJECTED WATER SUPPLY SITUATION
Reservoir Storaee Curve
The Reservoir Storage Curve is integral to the City's annual water resource analysis. It is a
computer model used to estimate the City's future reservoir storage based on historical
drought weather patterns, water use projections, reservoir data and available groundwater
supplies. The model is used to forecast the City's water supply position and to make certain
water policy recommendations. Figure 5 is the reservoir storage curve assuming no
additional water from Naciniiento and Figure 5a reflects the assumption of 3,380 acre feet
per year from Nacimiento beginning in 2011. The models also assume implementation of
Stage I conservation when supplies are projected to last only three years. Stages II and III
conservation measures are implemented when water supplies are estimated to last only 2
years and 1 year, respectively(as shown on Figure 5 & 5a). The model has been updated to
43 l - 1 ?
2008 Water Resources Status Report J Attachment 1
Page 14
reflect the City's current water storage and the policies contained in the Water Management
Element of the General Plan.
The model predicts current water supplies would last until June 2014 (Figure 5) without
Nacimiento supplies and into 2016 with water from Nacimiento.
VI. SUMMARY
This past years rainfall was near average for our area. This past winters rainfall filled
Salinas Reservoir to capacity and it began spilling on January 28`h. The City's surface
water supplies from Salinas and Whale Rock Reservoirs are in good shape. Even with
these available supplies, the City needs to continue to utilize water in an efficient manner. It
is evident that water conservation will continue to be a crucial element of the City's water
resources planning in the future. With the multi-source water policy,the Nacimiento Project
under construction, strong water conservation programs and other related policies which
were adopted as part of the W.M.E., the City is pursuing a direction which will insure a
reliable supply of water to meet the current and future needs of the community.
Attachments:
1. Definitions &Information
2. Figures 1-6
� 1 - 20
ATTACHMENT t
Definitions & Information
Safe Annual Yield:
The maximum quantity of water which can be delivered from the water
source each year during a critical dry period(i.e. historical drought period).
Acre Foot:
* 1 acre foot = 325,851 gallons
* Enough water to cover a football field with 1 foot of water
Enough water to serve approximately 3.5 average single family homes (in San Luis
Obispo)per year
Gallons per Capita per Day(gpcd):
Calculation= Total Acre Feet x 325.851
City Population x 365
Present Water Demand(acre feet per year):
Calculation= 145 gpcd x Current City Population x 365
325,851
Salinas Reservoir:
Maximum Storage Capacity =23,842.9 acre feet
Minimum Pool=storage amount when water extractions must cease=2,000 acre feet
Surface Area=730 acres
Drainage Area= 112 square miles =71,700 acres
Whale Rock Reservoir:
Maximum Storage Capacity=40662 acre feet
Minimum Pool=storage amount when water extractions must cease 2,000 acre feet
Surface Area=594 acres
Drainage Area=20.3 square miles 13,000 acres
ATTACHMENT I
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