Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Consider approval of a Reimbursement Agreement with Sonoma Water for services and materials for implementation and administration of the City's Water Use Efficiency Program
Date: May 23, 2023
Written by: Craig Scott, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Recommendation
It is recommended the City of Cotati City Council by motion approve a reimbursement agreement with Sonoma Water for the City's Water Use Efficiency Program and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
Background
The City owns and operates a public drinking water utility and provides retail services for its customers. To encourage its customers to use water efficiently, the City has a Water Use Efficiency Program (Program) and offers education and rebates on the implementation of water efficient measures including replacement of toilets and appliances with ones that are highly water efficient and replacing lawns with water efficient landscaping. The City’s program is similar or identical to programs by neighboring retailers and resources are available to help staff implement and administer its Program.
Analysis/Discussion
The City contracted with the City of Santa Rosa until October 2022, to conduct certain aspects of its water conservation program. Namely, City of Santa Rosa staff would conduct water audits, required for eligibility for water efficiency rebates, and final inspections. Due to an overwhelming demand for these services within their own service area, the City of Santa Rosa ended these services for the City. City staff found Sonoma Water offers these services and has negotiated an agreement to reimburse Sonoma Water for labor and materials in helping to implement and administer the City’s Program.
The services include scheduling and conducting pre and post rebate audits and sending the City applicants found to be eligible for rebate payments. The draft agreement states a not to exceed amount of $37,000, which is anticipated to last many years before that total amount is reached.
For example, there were two cash for grass rebates paid in the current fiscal year to date and no toilet rebates or washing machine rebates. Records for the period 2011 through 2019, the City completed 27 cash for grass rebates, 51 high efficiency toilet rebates, and 133 high efficiency washer rebates for an average per year of 3, 5.7, and 14.8 for cash for grass, toilets and washing machines, respectively.
Financial Considerations
The City budgets annually for contract service costs, to help administer the Program, and for the rebates. Having the service provider change from the City of Santa Rosa to Sonoma Water is not projected to have a discernable impact to the budget. However, if the pace of Program expenditures were projected to exceed the approved budget, Staff would return to City Council for appropriation of additional funds prior to expending those funds.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
Attachments:
For Signature, Sonoma Water Agreement 2223-069 (PDF)