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
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CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR REGIONAL
WATER INITIATIVES
JANUARY 12, 2016
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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
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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.
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