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CC 2016-01-12_12a Appt of CC Rep for Regional Water Initiatives MEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: DIANNE THOMPSON, CITY MANAGER BY: TERESA MCCLISH, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT OF CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR REGIONAL WATER INITIATIVES DATE: JANUARY 12, 2016 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended the City Council appoint one Council Member and one alternate to serve as a representative to meet with neighboring agencies regarding regional water initiatives. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: There is no direct financial impact. Staff resources will continue to be required for participation in ongoing regional efforts. Addressing water supply is one of the City’s priorities identified in the Critical Needs Action Plan. BACKGROUND: After studying numerous supplemental water supply options the City has identified recycled water as a priority. In 2009 a comprehensive Water Recycling Study was completed, which was an update to an original study prepared in 2001. Additional studies were prepared in 2010 to assess the potential for a distribution system from either the South County Sanitation District or Pismo Beach wastewater treatment plants to potential users. In 2014, the Council directed staff to pursue the following goals:  Meet the City’s future projected water demand of its buildout population by:  Meeting the reduction in per capita use as prescribed in the Water Conservation Act of 2009;  Proceeding with work necessary to develop a recycled water project that can be used to prevent seawater intrusion in order to provide long-range protection of the City’s groundwater supply; and Item 12.a. - Page 1 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR REGIONAL WATER INITIATIVES JANUARY 12, 2016 PAGE 2  Ensure water use efficiency and drought protection through regional conjunctive use, storage and management of surface and groundwater supplies. Additionally, in 2014, the Council supported the NCMA Technical Group’s Strategic Plan that provides a framework for identifying common water resource planning goals and objectives and to establish a 10-year work plan for implementation of those efforts, including pursuing recycled water options. In November 2014, the Regional Recycled Water Strategic Plan (RRWSP) was completed that was one component of an update to the SLO Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP), and was funded by a Round 2 IRWM Regional Planning Grant from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) (See Attachment 1 for the Executive Study). According to the study, the SSLOCSD has the largest volume of effluent considered in the RRWSP and the largest opportunities for large-scale reuse; however, landscape irrigation projects are expensive ($3,000+/af) and the more cost effective reuse opportunities – agricultural irrigation, industrial reuse, groundwater recharge, seawater intrusion barrier, and surface water augmentation –require institutional, legal, outreach, and financial planning to be feasible. In May of 2015, an Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Plan planning grant funded a groundwater basin characterization study of the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin. The objectives of the overall study were to compile previous studies and data, develop a lithologic database and prepare geologic cross-sections, perform and analyze pumping tests, and evaluate several key hydrogeologic issues for the study area. It is primarily intended to be a basis for future studies related to a Salt and Nutrient Management Plan and the development of a numerical groundwater model. Also in 2015, two specific recycled water projects have emerged as potential regional projects. The City of Pismo Beach completed a Recycled Water Facilities Planning Study and the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitary District (SSLOCSD) is performing a Recycled Water Facilities Planning Study for a Satellite Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), potentially located along one of the upstream trunk lines that conveys Arroyo Grande’s wastewater to the regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. On June 23, 2015, the Council directed staff to continue collaboration and participation in each of the regional recycled water projects. On November 10, 2015, the Council heard a further update regarding the status of both recycled projects as well as potential excess supply from the PG&E Seawater Desalination Facility. Staff received direction to continue to collaborate on the Pismo Beach led project that is a Regional Groundwater Sustainability (RGS) Program as Item 12.a. - Page 2 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR REGIONAL WATER INITIATIVES JANUARY 12, 2016 PAGE 3 well as a letter of interest for the excess water from PG&E. The Council directed staff to hold off on the Satellite Water Resource Recovery Facility study in order to pursue an expanded regional facility through the grant. In December 2015, the City received an invitation from the City of Pismo Beach for a Council representative to accompany the City Manager and one technical staff person to attend a meeting to discuss the Pismo Beach Regional Groundwater Sustainability Project. The purpose of the meeting will be to review the goals, objectives, features and benefits of the Project, and discuss opportunities for ongoing cooperation and collaboration among the Northern Cities. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: Given the invitation offered by the City of Pismo Beach as well as the continued need for agency collaboration on recycled water and regional desalination water initiatives, it is recommended that the Council select a member representative to participate in meetings with Council/Board representatives from area agencies on regional water initiatives. ALTERNATIVES: The following alternatives are presented for consideration: - Appoint one Council Member and an alternate; or - Provide staff other direction. ADVANTAGES: The selection of a Council member representative will allow better agency coordination regarding the facilitation of a regional water project. DISADVANTAGES: No disadvantages have been identified. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: No environmental review is required for this item. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS: The Agenda was posted in front of the City Hall on Thursday, January 7, 2016 and the Agenda and staff report were posted on the City’s website on Friday, January 8, 2016. Item 12.a. - Page 3 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Item 12.a. - Page 4