Consent Agenda Item 3k
STAFF REPORT
Consent Agenda Item
DATE: January 20, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Brian Issa, Public Works Director
THROUGH: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Approve a $12,000 Supplemental Budget Request and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Professional Services Agreement with Freshwater Environmental Services to Prepare an Update of the City’s Urban Water Management Plan
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
The Public Works Department recommends that the City Council approve a $12,000 Supplemental Budget Request and authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Freshwater Environmental Service to prepare an updated Urban Water Management Plan and ordinance.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Fortuna is required to prepare an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) in compliance with the requirements of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) pursuant to the Urban Water Management Act (UWM Act) and the Water Conservation Bill of 2009. The UWMP Act requires urban water suppliers with 3,000 or more service connections or supplying 3,000 or more acre-feet of water per year are to prepare a UWMP every five years (the previous plan was adopted by Resolution in 2021).
The UWM Act (California Water Code §10610 et seq.) requires urban water suppliers to report, describe, and evaluate the following four areas:
• Water deliveries and uses;
• Water supply sources;
• Efficient water uses; and
• Demand Management Measures (DMMs), including implementation strategy and schedule.
The purpose of the UWMP Act is to direct water agencies in carrying out their long-term resource planning responsibilities to ensure adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future demands. In addition to acting as a planning tool, UWMP is required for an urban water supplier to be eligible for water management grants or loans administered by Department of Water Resources and State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), both of which have been key funding sources for City water, wastewater, and stormwater projects. Our last update in 2021 Consent Agenda Item 3k
was conducted by Freshwater Environmental and they have completed UWMPs for most jurisdictions in Humboldt County since the requirement was created in 2009. The City anticipates considerable savings by utilizing the same consultant for this update.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The funds for the supplemental budget request in the amount of $12,000 will be paid for with water rate revenue reserve funds as Professional Services through an additional appropriation to account 500-6025-6000.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Approve a $12,000 Supplemental Budget Request and authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Freshwater Environmental Service to prepare an updated Urban Water Management Plan and ordinance. Consent Agenda vote.
ALTERNATIVE TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
1. No Action. Update of the UWMP is non-discretionary, and failure to adopt and updated plan could result in state sanction including withholding of grant funds or inability to apply for state loans/grants
2. Alternative procurement. Staff could release an RFP for this work and rank proposals received.
3. Complete the update in-house. Completing the project in-house would not be the most efficient use of City funds. Getting up to speed on the requirements and completing the project would require delaying or suspending other planned work. Hiring consultants with extensive experience with state reporting means we can take advantage of cost savings using templates and processes that apply broadly to multiple jurisdictions.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposal from Freshwater Environmental
2. SBR