HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/16/1991, 1A - WATER SUPPLY STATUS AND DECISION ON SHORT-TERM DESALINATION PROJECT MEETING DATE:
Iuj�d�H MY Of San WIS OBISPO ARril 16, 1991
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ITEM NUMBEA: /�
ADDENDUM
FROM: William T. Hetland, Utilities Director
Gary W. Henderson, Utilities Engineer 4wu
SUBJECT: Water Supply Status and Decision on Short-Term Desalination Project
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Direct staff to place the short-term desalination project on hold for one year and authorize
staff to terminate consultant contracts at appropriate point.
BACKGROUND:
Since the development of the agenda report for the Short-Term Desalination Project
Overview meeting, rainfall has caused significant changes in the City's water situation. The
storage in the City's reservoirs (including minimum pool) currently is 21,163 acre-feet, as
of April 8, 1991. The reservoir storage is outlined below:
Salinas Reservoir 132473 AF
Whale Rock Reservoir 79690 AF
This storage is approximately at the same level that the City was at in August, 1988. Based
on current projections, the water storage will last until spring of 1994 (see Table 1). This
projection assumes that wells produce 1,800 acre-feet per year. The rainfall has recharged
the groundwater basin and the groundwater levels have increased to the approximate levels
that existed when the wells were first placed in service.
At the December 11, 1991 City Council meeting, staff presented the feasibility report
concerning the desalination project. Council directed staff to proceed with the design of
the project and begin the environmental impact report. A "fast-track" schedule was
developed for the project to meet a completion date of July 1992. This schedule was
necessary based on worst rase projections of the City's available water which indicated that
Whale Rock Reservoir would reach minimum pool in the fall of 1992 (Salinas Reservoir
was already at minimum pool). The schedule was developed to allow for a "Go-No-Go"
decision in April so that the water supply status could be assessed prior to full project
commitment.
James M. Montgomery Consulting Engineers were retained to provide design services for
the project. Preliminary design, the draft water supply agreement and the request for
proposals have been completed. Woodward-Clyde. Consultants were hired to prepare the
environmental impact report The project description will be finalized shortly. Both of
these contracts would need to be terminated, if the Council decides to put the project on
hold. Staff recommends that the consultants finalize the water supply agreements and
project description so that the project can be reactivated in the future. The consultants will
also identify key items which will need to be addressed if the project is reactivated.
/0 3
l � 1n ilk city of San OBISp0
COUNCIL. AGENDA REPORT
Page Two i
FISCAL IMPACT
The costs incurred to date and the estimated costs to the point of termination of the
contracts are shown below:
Cost to Date Additional Cost Total
James M. Montgomery $400,000 $12,000 $412,000
Woodward-Clyde $339000 $5,000 $38,000
The total amount budgeted for the preliminary design by James M. Montgomery Consulting
Engineers was $438,000 (excluding the cost for the feasibility study). The budgeted amount
for the environmental impact report prepared by Woodward-Clyde Consultants was
$2.56,200.
Table I: Total Reservoir Storage, March 31, 1991
21'
2D-
19-
I&-
1 Moderate 15Z
t7
t
t serious 25Z
m 13-
0 12-
U- g 11
Severe .,
t
Q Criticoi 507.
Minimum Pool
1
1/90 4/90 7/90 10190 1/91 4191 7/91 10191 1/92 4/92 7192 10/92 1/93 4/93 7/93 10/93 1/94
PROJECTION WITH 1,800 AF WELLS.
b Original Projection Actual Level — Adjusted Model
I
0
I�I�����i�(VIIIIIII�I(jIIUIN city of san Luis oBispo
GNS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Page Three
ALTERNATIVES
Though the reservoirs have received significant storage the City is definitely not out of the
drought. If next winter does not bring adequate rainfall to provide additional storage, the
City will be in the same situation we were in a month ago; declining reservoirs, the
potential for continuance of the drought, and no additional water resources available except
desalination. So in essence, the March rains only brought us one more winter before the
desalination question must be revisited again. With this in mind, the following alternatives
are suggested:
1. Proceed with a permanent long term desalination project. This project may j
be of smaller capacity and may have to be located somewhere other than the
PG&E site. With the project being of a permanent nature and the possibility !
of having to find a new site, it would take additional time to complete the
project. Therefore, beginning immediately with this alternative would be
necessary.
2. A second alternative would be to place the project as currently envisioned on
hold for at least one year. If additional rains were not received next winter, i
the project could be reactivated and the City could proceed from there. j
RECOMMENDATION
i
Direct staff to place the short-term desalination project on hold for one year and authorize
staff to terminate consultant contracts at appropriate point.
I
NOTE: Attached is the initial draft of the "Go—No—Go"
staff report for Council's information and background.
This report was distributed at the Desalination Project
Overview Meeting held on March 27, 1991.
i
3 •�3