CC 2019-08-27_10a Status Report Central Coast Blue Recycled WaterMEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JIM BERGMAN, CITY MANAGER
BY: TERESA MCCLISH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A STATUS REPORT FOR THE CENTRAL
COAST BLUE RECYCLED WATER PROJECT
DATE: AUGUST 27, 2019
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Receive and file a status report on the Central Coast Blue Recycled Water Project. No
formal action by the Council is anticipated.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
No financial impact identified.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council receive and file a status report for the Central
Coast Blue recycled water project.
BACKGROUND:
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
Ensure water use efficiency and drought protection through regional
conjunctive use, storage and management of surface and groundwater
supplies.
Since that time, the Council supported several significant efforts with our regional
partners. This includes the Northern Cities Management Area (NCMA) Technical
Group’s Strategic Plan that included recycled water and a 10-year work plan; completed
a Regional Recycled Water Strategic Plan with grant funding; completed a grant funded
groundwater basin characterization study of the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin that
provided a basis for the completion of a numerical groundwater model; and identified
through two separate regional project studies the most feasible project as a combined
and phased Central Coast Blue (CCB) project. On January 10, 2017, the Council
approved a Letter of Intent as a first step to advance the CCB project and secure a
Item 10.a. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF A STATUS REPORT FOR THE CENTRAL COAST BLUE
RECYCLED WATER PROJECT
AUGUST 27, 2019
PAGE 2
commitment to continue to collaborate toward establishing a new, local, drought
resistant, sustainable and highly purified water resource. Subsequently, in June 2017,
the Council approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Cities of Pismo
Beach, Grover Beach and the Oceano Community Services District to provide funding
and resources necessary to advance the CCB project for preliminary engineering
required for the Environmental Impact Report.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
The CCB project will inject advanced treated recycled water into the NCMA portion of
the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin (SMGB) to prevent groundwater contamination
caused by seawater intrusion. Additionally, the CCB project will increase water supply
reliability specifically for the agencies that pump from the NCMA, including the Cities of
Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach, and the Oceano Community Services
District.
The CCB agencies have hired Water Systems Consulting, Inc. (WSC) to manage
development of the CCB project. WSC will provide a presentation that was prepared for
each of the NCMA agencies that provides details of the project, a status report, and
identification of key milestones and decision points.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Receive and file the status report;
2. Provide other direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
The status report allows the City Council and public to receive information regarding the
development of the Central Coast Blue project.
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantages are identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with
Government Code Section 54954.2.
Item 10.a. - Page 2