Att #2 2025 Urban Water Management Plan — City Council/Public Financing Authority, May 5, 2026 (part 1 of 4)

2025 Urban Water
Management Plan
FINAL DRAFT / April 2026
in collaboration with and

2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH i
pw://Carollo/CA/MWDOC/204447-000000/03 Reports and Studies/02 Deliverables/Grp1_HB UWMP /_Cover_TOC_Abbrevs_AppxCovers.docx

2025 Urban Water Management Plan

April 2026 / FINAL DRAFT

2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH ii
Contents
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND UWMP OVERVIEW

1.1 Overview of Urban Water Management Plan Requirements 1-1

1.2 UWMP Organization 1-1
CHAPTER 2 UWMP PREPARATION

2.1 Individual Planning and Compliance 2-1

2.2 Coordination and Outreach 2-3

2.2.1 Integration with Other Planning Efforts 2-3

2.2.2 Wholesale and Retail Coordination 2-4

2.2.3 Public Participation 2-5
CHAPTER 3 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

3.1 Agency Overview 3-1

3.1.1 Formation and Purpose 3-1

3.1.2 City Council 3-1

3.1.3 Relationship to MWDOC 3-2

3.2 Water Service Area and Facilities 3-4

3.2.1 Water Service Area 3-4

3.2.2 Water Facilities 3-5

3.3 Climate 3-5

3.4 Population, Demographics, and Socioeconomics 3-6

3.4.1 Service Area Population 3-6

3.4.2 Demographics and Socioeconomics 3-6

3.4.3 Demographic Projection Methodology 3-6

3.5 Land Uses 3-7

3.5.1 Current Land Uses 3-7

3.5.2 Projected Land Uses 3-8
CHAPTER 4 WATER USE CHARACTERIZATION

4.1 Water Use in the Last Five Years 4-4

4.1.1 Direct Municipal & Industrial Use 4-5

4.2 Projected Water Use 4-5

4.2.1 Water Use Projections for 2026-2030 4-5

4.2.2 Water Use Projections for 2030-2050 4-5

4.3 Water Demand Projection Methodology 4-8

4.3.1 Econometric Approach, Data Acquisition, and Model Development 4-9

4.3.2 Forecasted Demands 4-11

4.4 Water Loss 4-12
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CHAPTER 5 CONSERVATION TARGET COMPLIANCE

5.1 Reporting Requirements 5-1
CHAPTER 6 WATER SUPPLY CHARACTERIZATION

6.1 Water Supply Overview 6-1

6.2 Imported Water 6-5

6.2.1 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 6-5

6.2.2 Colorado River Aqueduct 6-8

6.2.3 State Water Project 6-11

6.2.4 Storage, Transfers, and Conveyance Programs 6-14

6.2.5 Potential Future Water Projects 6-16

6.2.6 Supply Reliability within MET 6-17

6.3 Local Groundwater 6-22

6.3.1 Orange County Groundwater Basin 6-22

6.3.2 Planned Future Groundwater Sources 6-30

6.4 Surface Water 6-30

6.4.1 Existing Surface Water Sources 6-30

6.4.2 Planned Future Surface Water Sources 6-30

6.5 Stormwater 6-30

6.5.1 Existing Stormwater Sources 6-30

6.5.2 Planned Future Stormwater Sources 6-30

6.6 Wastewater and Recycled Water 6-30

6.6.1 Agency Coordination 6-31

6.6.2 Wastewater 6-33

6.6.3 Current Recycled Water Uses 6-34

6.6.4 Projected Recycled Water Uses 6-34

6.6.5 Potential Recycled Water Uses 6-34

6.6.6 Optimization Plan 6-35

6.7 Desalination Opportunities 6-36

6.7.1 Ocean Water Desalination 6-36

6.7.2 Groundwater Desalination 6-36

6.8 Water Exchanges and Transfers 6-36

6.8.1 Existing Exchanges and Transfers 6-36

6.8.2 Planned and Potential Exchanges and Transfers 6-36

6.9 Future Water Projects 6-37

6.10 Energy Intensity 6-37

6.10.1 Water Supply Energy Intensity 6-38

6.10.2 Wastewater and Recycled Water Energy Intensity 6-40

6.10.3 Key Findings and Next Steps 6-41
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CHAPTER 7 WATER SERVICE RELIABILITY AND DROUGHT RISK

ASSESSMENT

7.1 Water Service Reliability Overview 7-1

7.2 Factors Affecting Water Supply Reliability 7-2

7.2.1 Climate Change and the Environment 7-2

7.2.2 Regulatory and Legal 7-3

7.2.3 Water Quality 7-4

7.2.4 Locally Applicable Criteria 7-7

7.3 Water Service Reliability Assessment 7-8

7.3.1 Normal Year Reliability 7-8

7.3.2 Single Dry Year Reliability 7-9

7.3.3 Multiple Dry Years Reliability 7-10

7.4 Management Tools and Options 7-11

7.5 Drought Risk Assessment 7-12

7.5.1 Methodology 7-13

7.5.2 Total Water Supply and Use Comparison 7-14

7.5.3 Water Source Reliability 7-15
CHAPTER 8 WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLANNING

8.1 Background 8-1

8.2 Overview of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan 8-1

8.3 Summary of Water Shortage Response Strategy and Required DWR Tables 8-2 CHAPTER 9 DEMAND MANAGEMENT MEASURES

9.1 City of Huntington Beach Demand Management Measures 9-2

9.1.1 Operations Practices 9-3

9.1.2 Public Education and Outreach 9-6

9.1.3 Residential Indoor Rebate Programs 9-7

9.1.4 CII Programs 9-8

9.1.5 Landscape Programs 9-9

9.2 City of Huntington Beach DMM Implementation (2020-2025) 9-10

9.3 MWDOC Demand Management Implementation Assistance Programs 9-10

9.3.1 State Water Conservation Compliance Assistance 9-11

9.3.2 Regional Rebate Programs and Local Program Assistance 9-12

9.3.3 Research and Evaluation 9-12

9.4 Urban Water Use Objective and CII Performance Measure Compliance 9-13

9.4.1 UWUO Components 9-13

9.4.2 CII Performance Measures 9-15
CHAPTER 10 PLAN ADOPTION, SUBMITTAL, AND IMPLEMENTATION

10.1 Overview 10-1

10.2 Agency Coordination 10-2

10.3 Public Participation 10-3
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10.4 UWMP Submittal 10-3

10.5 Amending the Adopted UWMP or WSCP 10-3
CHAPTER 11 REFERENCES
Appendices

APPENDIX A UWMP WATER CODE CHECKLIST

APPENDIX B DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES (DWR) STANDARDIZED TABLES

APPENDIX C REDUCED DELTA RELIANCE

APPENDIX D AWWA WATER LOSS AUDITS
APPENDIX E 2022 BASIN 8-1 ALTERNATIVE UPDATE

APPENDIX F WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN

APPENDIX G WATER USE EFFICIENCY IMPLEMENTATION REPORT
APPENDIX H 2025 ORANGE COUNTY WATER DEMAND MODEL TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM

APPENDIX I NOTIFICATION OF PUBLIC AND SERVICE AREA PROVIDERS

APPENDIX J ADOPTED UWMP RESOLUTIONS
Tables
Table 2.1 Submittal Table 2-1 Retail: Public Water Systems 2-1 Table 2.2 Submittal Table 2-2: Plan Identification 2-2
Table 2.3 Submittal Table 2-3: Supplier Identification 2-2 Table 2.4 Submittal Table 2-4 Retail: Water Supplier Information Exchange 2-5 Table 3.1 Submittal Table 3-1 Retail: Population - Current and Projected 3-6 Table 3.2 City of Huntington Service Area Dwelling Units by Type 3-6 Table 4.1 Submittal Table 4-1 Retail: Total Uses for Potable and Non-Potable Water - Actual 4-4
Table 4.2 City of Huntington Beach’s Service Area Total Potable Demand for 2026-2030 4-5 Table 4.3 Submittal Table 4-2 Retail: Total Uses of Potable, and Non-Potable Water - Projected 4-6
Table 4.4 Submittal Table 4-3 Retail: Inclusion in Water Use Projections 4-7 Table 4.5 Submittal Table 4-4 Retail: Passive Water Savings Projections 4-8 Table 4.6 Summary of Demand Sectors 4-9
Table 4.7 Summary of Historical Data Collected for Model Development 4-10 Table 4.8 Future Model Parameters 4-12
Table 4.9 Submittal Table 4-5 Retail: Water Loss Audit Reporting 4-13 Table 4.10 Submittal Table 4-6 Retail: Progress Towards 2028 Water Loss Standard 4-14 Table 5.1 Submittal Table 5-1 Retail: SB X7-7 2020 Target Progress 5-2 Table 6.1 Water Supplies – 2025 Actual 6-3
Table 6.2 Water Supplies – Projected 6-4
Table 6.3 MET SWP Program Capabilities 6-12
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Table 6.4 MET’s Projected Supply Capability and Demands through 2050 for a Normal Year 6-18
Table 6.5 MET’s Projected Supply Capability and Demands through 2050 for a Single Dry Year 6-19
Table 6.6 MET’s Projected Supply Capability and Demands through 2050 for a Drought (5 Consecutive Water Years) 6-20
Table 6.7 MET’s Water Use, Supply, and Drought Risk Assessment for 2026-2030 6-21 Table 6.8 Groundwater Pumped in the past 5 Years within the City’s Service Area (AF) 6-22 Table 6.9 Management Actions Based on Changes in Groundwater Storage 6-26 Table 6.10 Wastewater Collected within the City’s Service Area in 2025 6-33 Table 6.11 Wastewater Treatment and Outcomes within the City’s Service Area in 2025 6-34 Table 6.12 Energy Intensity Reporting 6-39
Table 6.13 Energy Intensity Reporting – Wastewater 6-40 Table 7.1 Retail: Basis of Water Year Data (Reliability Assessment) 7-2 Table 7.2 Retail: Normal Year Supply and Use Comparison 7-9 Table 7.3 Retail: Single Dry Year Supply and Demand Comparison 7-10 Table 7.4 Retail: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Demand Comparison 7-11 Table 7.5 Retail: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Demand Comparison 7-15 Table 8.1 Cross-Reference for Standard vs Supplier Shortage Levels 8-4 Table 8.2 Supply Augmentation and Other Actions 8-4
Table 8.3 Demand Reduction Actions 8-5
Table 9.1 DMM Implementation Responsibility and Regional Programs in Orange County 9-2
Table 9.2 City of Huntington Beach Water Rates 9-3
Table 9.3 City of Huntington Beach Water Use Efficiency Program Participation 9-10 Table 9.4 MWDOC Programs to Help OC Retail Agencies Meet their Urban Water Use Objectives 9-13
Table 9.5 City of Huntington Beach CII BMP and Water Efficiency Programs and Incentives 9-15
Table 10.1 External Coordination and Outreach 10-1
Table 10.2 Submittal Table 10-1 Retail: Notification to Cities and Counties 10-2 Figures
Figure 3.1 Regional Location of the City of Huntington Beach and Other MWDOC Member Agencies 3-3
Figure 3.2 City of Huntington Beach Water Service Area 3-4 Figure 3.3 City of Huntington Beach Land Use Designations Map 3-8 Figure 3.4 Character of Change Map based on General Plan (City of Huntington Beach, 2017) 3-9
Figure 4.1 Historical Water Use and Population in Orange County 4-2 Figure 4.2 Projected Water Use Across All Orange County Water Agencies 4-3 Figure 4.3 Econometric Demand Forecast Development Process 4-11 Figure 6.1 City’s Projected Water Supply 6-2
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Figure 6.2 Major Aqueducts that Supply Imported Water to Southern California (MET, 2025) 6-6
Figure 6.3 MET Feeders and Transmission Mains that Serve Orange County 6-7 Figure 6.4 Map of the OC Basin (Source: OCWD, 2022) 6-24 Figure 6.5 MWDOC Imported Water Sales for Groundwater Replenishment 6-29 Figure 8.1 Purpose and Relationships of the UWMP, WSCP, and Water Shortage Response Ordinance 8-2

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Abbreviations
AB Assembly Bill
ACS American Community Survey
ADUs accessory dwelling units
AF acre-feet
AMI Advanced Metering Infrastructure
AVEK Antelope Valley-East Kern
AWWA American Water Works Association
BEA Basin Equity Assessment
BiOPS Biological Opinions
BMPs best management practices
BPP basin production percentage
BSA Boy Scouts of America
CAMP4W Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water
CDR California State University, Fullerton
CEE Consortium for Energy Efficiency
CII Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional
City City of Huntington Beach
CPTP Coastal Pumping Transfer Program
CRA Colorado River Aqueduct
CRSS Colorado River Simulation System
CUP conjunctive use program
CUWCC California Urban Water Conservation Council
CVP Central Valley Project
CWC California Water Code
CY Calendar Year
DCP Delta Conveyance Project
DDW Division of Drinking Water
Delta Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
DIMs dedicated irrigation meters
direct total demands
DMM Demand Management Measures
DOF Department of Finance
DRA Drought Risk Assessment
DVL Diamond Valley Lake
DWR California Department of Water Resources
EIR Environmental Impact Report
EO Executive Order
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ESA Endangered Species Act
FIRO Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations
FY Fiscal Year
GAC granular activated carbon
GAP Green Acres Project
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GHG greenhouse gas
GIS geographic information system
GPCD gallons per capital per day
gpf gallons per flush
gpm gallons per minute
GRP Groundwater Reliability Plan
GRP - February 2025 OCWD’s Groundwater Resilience Plan
GSA Groundwater Sustainability Agency
GSP Groundwater Sustainability Plan
GWRS Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System
HBSMS Huntington Beach Service Maintenance System
HDI hot-dry index
HECW High Efficiency Clothes Washer
HET High Efficiency Toilet
HRL healthy rivers and landscapes
ICS Intentionally Created Surplus
imported water treated
IRP Integrated Resources Plan
IWCM Interim Water Control Manual
IX ion-exchange
JADUs Junior accessory dwelling units
kWh kilowatt-hour
LAM landscape area measurements
LDAP Landscape Design Rebate Program
LMAP Landscape Design Rebate Program
LODES Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics
LRP Local Resources Program
LVL Leo J. Vander Lans Advanced Water Treatment Facility M&I municipal and industrial
MAF million acre-feet
MCLs Maximum Contaminant Levels
MET Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
MG million gallons
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mgd million gallons per day
MTU Meter Transmission Unit
MUMSs mixed-use CII meters
MWDOC Municipal Water District of Orange County
NCC Network Control Center
ND non detect
NDMA N-nitrosodimethylamine
ng/L nanograms per liter
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
OC Basin Orange County Groundwater Basin
OCSD Orange County Sanitation District
OCWD Orange County Water District
PCH Pacific Coast Highway
PFAS polyfluoroalkyl substances
PPCP pharmaceuticals and personal care products
ppt parts per million
QSA Quantification Settlement Agreement
QWEL Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper
R&I retail and municipal
RA Replenishment Assessment
RHNA Regional Housing Needs Assessment
RO reverse osmosis
SARCCUP Santa Ana River Conservation and Conjunctive Use Program SB Senate Bill
SCAB South Coast Air Basin
SCAG Southern California Association of Governments
SDCWA San Diego County Water Authority
SGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
SNWA Southern Nevada Water Authority
STEM science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Supplier urban water supplier
SWP State water Project
SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board
TAP Technical Assistance Program
TAZ traffic analysis zones
TDS total dissolved solids
TM Technical Memorandum
USACE US Army Corps of Engineers
USBR United States Bureau of Reclamation
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USGS, 2024 United States Geological Survey
UV ultraviolet
UWMP 2025 Urban Water Management Plan
UWUO Urban Water Use Objective
Valley San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
Water Code California Water Code
WCM Water Control Manual
WEEA Water Energy Education Alliance
WR P1 Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Plan Policy WR P1 WSAP Water Supply Allocation Plan
WSCP Water Shortage Contingency Plan
WSIP Water Savings Incentive Program

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND UWMP OVERVIEW
The City of Huntington Beach (City) prepared this 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) to submit to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to satisfy the UWMP Act of 1983 (UWMP Act or Act) and subsequent California Water Code (Water Code) requirements.

The City is a retail water supplier that provides water to its residents and other customers using the imported potable water supply obtained from its regional wholesaler, Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) and local groundwater from the Orange County Groundwater Basin (OC Basin), which is managed by the Orange County Water District (OCWD). The City, as one of MWDOC’s 27 member agencies, prepared this 2025 UWMP in collaboration with MWDOC, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET), OCWD, and other key agencies.

UWMPs are comprehensive documents that present an evaluation of a water supplier’s reliability over a long-term (20-25 year) horizon. In response to the changing climatic conditions since the 2020 UWMP, MWDOC has been assisting its member agencies and surrounding communities to manage both their water supplies and demands. The water loss audit program, water conservation measures, public outreach and education on conservation and efforts for increased self-reliance to reduce dependency on imported water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the “Delta”) are some of the water management actions that the City has taken to maintain the reliability of water supply for its service area. In addition, the City has been improving their local water supply through the installation of new wells and treatment systems .

This UWMP provides an assessment of the present and future water supply sources and demands within the City’s service area. It presents an update to the 2020 UWMP on the City’s water resource needs, water use efficiency programs, water reliability assessment and strategies to mitigate water shortage conditions.

It also includes the City’s updated 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) designed to prepare for and respond to water shortages. This 2025 UWMP contains all elements required by the Act.

1.1 Overview of Urban Water Management Plan Requirements The UWMP Act enacted by California legislature requires every urban water supplier (Supplier) providing water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre -feet (AF) of water annually to prepare, adopt, and file an UWMP with the DWR every five years in the years ending in six and one.

For this 2025 UWMP cycle, DWR continues to place emphasis on achieving improvements for long term reliability and resilience to drought and climate change in California. Despite there being no new statutory requirements, Suppliers must now report progress on meeting their 2028 Water Loss Standards and continue to state their compliance with Senate Bill (SB) X7-7 2020 Targets. Additional guidance on stored water accounting and recommendations on identifying the need for future or proposed water supply projects are provided by DWR as well.

1.2 UWMP Organization
This UWMP is organized into 10 chapters aligned with the DWR Guidebook recommendations.

The sections within each chapter are customized to include the City’s water supply reliability and future 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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projections as well as plans to overcome any water shortages over a planning horizon of the next 25 years. The chapters for each UWMP are listed below:

Chapter 1 Introduction and UWMP Overview gives an overview of the UWMP fundamentals and requirements for the 2025 UWMP.

Chapter 2 UWMP Preparation identifies this UWMP as an individual planning effort of the City, lists the type of year and units of measure used and introduces the coordination and outreach activities conducted by the City to develop this UWMP.

Chapter 3 System Description gives a background on the City’s water system and its climate characteristics, population projections, demographics, socioeconomics, and predominant current and projected land uses of its service area.

Chapter 4 Water Use Characterization provides historical, current, and projected water use by customer category for the next 25 years for the City and the projection methodology used by the City to develop the 25-year projections.

Chapter 5 Conservation Target Compliance restates that the City’s 2020 per capita water use in gallons per capita per day (gpcd) met the compliance target defined by SB X7-7.

Chapter 6 Water Supply Characterization describes the current water supply portfolio of the City as well as the planned and potential water supply projects and water exchange and transfer opportunities.

Chapter 7 Water Service Reliability and Drought Risk Assessment describes the assessment of the reliability of the City’s water supply service to its customers for a normal year, single dry year and five consecutive dry years scenarios. This section also includes a Drought Risk Assessment (DRA) of all the supply sources for a consecutive five-year drought period beginning 2026.

Chapter 8 Water Shortage Contingency Planning is a brief summary of the standalone WSCP document which provides a structured guide for the City to deal with water shortages, incorporating prescriptive information and standardized action levels, lists the appropriate actions and water use efficiency measures to be taken to ensure water supply reliability in times of water shortage conditions, along with implementation actions in the event of a catastrophic supply interruptio n.

Chapter 9 Demand Management Measures provides a description of the City’s current and planned measures and programs to help the retail customers in its service area be water efficient and comply with the City’s urban water use reduction targets.

Chapter 10 Plan Adoption, Submittal, and Implementation provides a record of the process the City followed to adopt and implement its UWMP.
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CHAPTER 2 UWMP PREPARATION
The City of Huntington Beach’s (City) 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) is prepared to meet the California Water Code (Water Code) compliance as a retail water supplier to its customers. The development of this UWMP involved close coordination with its wholesale supplier, the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), along with other key entities within the region.

2.1 Individual Planning and Compliance
As described in Chapter 1, every urban water supplier providing water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet (AF) of water annually must prepare, adopt, and file an UWMP with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) every five years to meet the compliance requirements of the UWMP Act. As shown in Table 2.1, the City meets this requirement as it has 54,459 municipal connections and supplied 24,854 AF in fiscal year (FY) 2025.

Table 2.1 Submittal Table 2-1 Retail: Public Water Systems Submittal Table 2-1 Retail: Public Water Systems
Has there been a change in the number of affiliated Public Water Systems since the 2020 UWMP? (OPTIONAL)
Public Water System
Number
Public Water System
Name
Number of Municipal
Connections 2025
Volume of
Water Supplied
2025
(AF)
Add additional rows as needed
CA3010053 City of Huntington
Beach 54,459 24,854
Total 54,459 24,854
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Table 2-3.

The City opted to prepare its own UWMP (Table 2.2) and comply with the Water Code individually, while closely coordinating with MWDOC and various key entities as discussed in Chapter 2.2 to streamline regional integration. The UWMP Checklist was completed to confirm the compliance of this UWMP with the Water Code (Appendix A). All DWR standardized tables are provided in Appendix B. The City has selected to report demands and supplies using fiscal year as the basis (Table 2.3). 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Table 2.2 Submittal Table 2-2: Plan Identification
Submittal Table 2-2: Plan Identification
Select
One or
Both
Type of Plan Name of Regional Alliance or
RUWMP (Drop Down List)
Individual UWMP

If Water Supplier is also a member of a
SB X7-7 Regional Alliance, select name
from the drop-down.

Orange County 20x2020 Regional Alliance
Regional Urban Water Management Plan (RUWMP)

If Supplier selected RUWMP, select name
from the drop-down.

Table 2.3 Submittal Table 2-3: Supplier Identification
Submittal Table 2-3: Supplier Identification
Type of Supplier (select one or both)
Supplier is a wholesale supplier
Supplier is a retail supplier
Fiscal or Calendar Year (select one)
UWMP Tables are in calendar years
UWMP Tables are in fiscal years
If using fiscal years provide month and date that the fiscal year begins (mm/dd) 7/1
Units of measure used in UWMP
(select from drop down)
Unit AF
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

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2.2 Coordination and Outreach

2.2.1 Integration with Other Planning Efforts
The City, as the retail supplier to its customers, coordinated the preparation of this UWMP with its water supplier wholesaler MWDOC, its regional wastewater management agency, the Orange County Water District (OCWD) as the manager of the Orange County Groundwater Basin, and Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD). The City also developed this Plan in conjunction with other regionally consistent efforts such as population projections from the Center for Demographic Research at California State University, Fullerton (CDR) and the Orange County Water Deland Projection Model Technical Memorandum.

Key planning and reporting documents that were used to develop this UWMP are listed below:
 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s (MET) 2025 UWMP uses assumptions that fall within the plausible futures contemplated in MET’s Integrated Water Resources Plan to evaluate MET’s future imported water supply reliability.
 MET’s 2020 Integrated Water Resources Plan (IRP) Regional Needs Assessment is a long-term, scenario-based planning document that guides Metropolitan’s programs and investments to ensure reliable water supplies in Southern California and provides a basis for water supply reliability in Orange County.
 MET’s Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water (CAMP4W) is an ongoing planning and decision-making tool that accounts for the complexities and uncertainties of climate change. Part of the second phase of MET’s long-term IRP planning process, CAMP4W incorporates the results and findings of MET’s 2020 IRP Regional Needs Assessment into a collaborative process to identify and evaluate integrated regional solutions.
 MET’s 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) provides a water supply availability assessment and guide for MET’s intended actions during water shortage conditions.  MWDOC’s 2025 WSCP provides a water supply availability assessment and structured steps designed to respond to actual conditions that will help maintain reliable supplies and reduce the impacts of supply interruptions.
 MWDOC’s 2023 Orange County Water Reliability Study is a planning document to help guide planning for future water supply reliability for water providers in Orange County and provide input on regional water supply issues for MET.
 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model Technical Memorandum is a collaborative effort amongst MWDOC, OCWD, and all retail water suppliers in Orange County that develo ped water demand projections to produce regionally consistent forecasts across all Orange County water agencies.
 OCWD’s Groundwater Resilience Plan (GRP - February 2025) is an adaptive strategies management plan outlining strategic projects to secure reliable future water supplies in the Orange County Basin.
 OCWD’s 2023-24 Engineer’s Report provides information on the groundwater conditions, water supply and basin utilization of the Orange County Basin.  2022 Basin 8-1 Alternative is an alternative to the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Orange County Basin, provides significant information related to sustainable management of the 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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basin in the past and hydrogeology of the basin, including groundwater quality and basin characteristics, and addresses DWR’s recommendations to ensure long-term basin sustainability.  City of Huntington Beach Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017) provides the basis for the seismic and other natural and natural disaster risk analysis of the water system facilities.  Water Master Plan of the City’s service area provides information on water infrastructure planning projects and plans to address any required water system improvements.

2.2.1.1 Statewide Water Planning
In addition to regional coordination with the various agencies described above, the City as a MWDOC member agency is currently a part of MET’s statewide planning effort to reduce reliance on the water imported from the Delta.

It is the policy of the State of California to reduce reliance on the Delta in meeting California’s future water supply needs through a statewide strategy of investing in improved regional supplies, conservation, technology innovation, partner collaborations and water use efficiency measures. This policy is codified through the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Plan Policy WR P1 (WR P1) and is measured through Supplier reporting in each Urban Water Management Planning cycle. WR P1 is relevant to water suppliers that plan to participate in multi-year water transfers, conveyance facilities, or new diversions in the Delta.

Additionally, with the recent amendments to the Bay Delta Plan, tributary flow objectives to the Delta are being updated to account for quality and habitat improvements for local environmental resources . This results in reduced reliance on Delta water supplies. Since 2022, the Bay-Delta Plan Amendment update has been in development. This effort considers additional tributaries from the southern San Joaquin Valley, triggering a re-evaluation of Delta flow requirements and conservation objectives, which ultimately may impact available supply to the State Water Project (SWP).

Through significant local investment, collaboration at both a local and regional scale and integration with MWDOC’s water use efficiency strategies and conservation programs, the City has demonstrated a reduction in Delta reliance. For member agencies of MWDOC that receive imported water from MET, these agencies have passively demonstrated a reduction in Delta reliance and a subsequent improvement in regional self-reliance by participating in MWDOC led regional strategies. A detailed description and documentation of the City’s consistency with Delta Plan Policy WR P1 is included in Chapter 7.4 and Appendix C.

2.2.2 Wholesale and Retail Coordination
The City developed its UWMP in conjunction with MWDOC’s 2025 UWMP. As a retail water supplier, the City provided its historical water use and initial water use projections data to MWDOC (Table 2.4).

MWDOC in turn provided the refined projections of the City’s water demand and the imported supply from MWDOC over the next 25 years.

The City also has been taking part in multiple regional programs administered by MWDOC to assist retail agencies in meeting various State compliance, such as the OC Regional Alliance for SBx7-7 compliance, regional water loss program or SB555 compliance, and regional water use efficiency programs. Chapters 5 and 9 provide detailed information on these programs.
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Table 2.4 Submittal Table 2-4 Retail: Water Supplier Information Exchange Submittal Table 2-4 Retail: Water Supplier Information Exchange Water Code Section 10631(h)
The retail Supplier has informed the following wholesale supplier(s) of projected water use in accordance with Water Code Section 10631 (h).

Wholesale Water Supplier Name
Add additional rows as needed
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Orange County Water District

2.2.3 Public Participation
For further coordination with other key agencies, and to encourage public participation in the review and update of this Plan, the City held a public hearing on May 5, 2026, and notified key entities and the public per the Water Code requirements. Chapters 10.2 and 10.3 describe these efforts in detail. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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CHAPTER 3 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The City of Huntington Beach (City) was incorporated in 1909 and is established to this day as a popular Orange County destination. In 1964, the City's Water Division was established as a Division of the Public Works Department. In 2003, the Public Works Wastewater Section was incorporated into the Water Division to form the Utilities Division.

The City’s water service area covers 27.3 square miles, along the Southern California Coast of Orange County, located 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 90 miles northwest of San Diego. The City’s Public Works Department operates four storage and distribution reservoirs with a combined capacity of 55 million gallons (MG), four booster stations, eight active groundwater wells and manages 607.2 -mile water mains system with 54,459 service connections.

Lying in the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB), its climate is characterized by southern California’s “Mediterranean” climate with mild winters, warm summers and moderate rainfall. In terms of land use, the City is mostly developed and is a predominantly single and multi-family residential community. Moving forward, new development will occur as a result of market response to changing conditions such as population growth, demographics, and the economy as well as the need to replace aging buildings and improve homes. The City will continue planning for its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation and future planned developments may potentially include accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The current population (2025) of 193,136 is projected to decrease by 2.9 percent over the next 25 years to 187,596. This equates to an annual decline rate of 0.11 percent.

3.1 Agency Overview
This section provides information on the formation and history of the City, its organizational structure, roles, and relationship to the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC ).

3.1.1 Formation and Purpose
The City is a predominantly residential community located along the California coastline in Orange County. It was incorporated in 1909 and is a charter city. From 1936 to 1964, the water system serving the City was owned and operated by the Southern California Water Company. In 1964, the City purchased the private system and the City's Water Division was established as a Division of the Public Works Department. In 2003, the Public Works Wastewater Section was incorporated into the Water Division to form the Utilities Division.

3.1.2 City Council
The City is administered under a council/administrator form of government and is governed by a seven-member elected City council, with part time council members. Current City Council members are:
 Casey Mckeon, Mayor.
 Butch Twining, Mayor Pro Tem.
 Pat Burns, Council Member.
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 Don Kennedy, City Council.
 Gracey Larrea-Van Der Mark, City Council.
 Chad Williams, City Council.
 Andrew Gruel, City Council.

3.1.3 Relationship to MWDOC
The City is one of MWDOC’s 27 member agencies purchasing imported water from MWDOC, Orange County’s wholesale water supplier and a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET). The City’s location within MWDOC’s service area is shown on Figure 3.1. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Figure 3.1 Regional Location of the City of Huntington Beach and Other MWDOC Member Agencies

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3.2 Water Service Area and Facilities

3.2.1 Water Service Area
The City is located 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 90 miles northwest of San Diego along the Southern California Coast of Orange County. The City's water service area is 27.3 square miles. The City is generally flat, with elevations ranging from a low of about five feet below sea level to 120 feet above sea level. The City also has 71 parks and public facilities and 8.5 miles of beaches. The City formerly supplied water to Sunset Beach, which is approximately 68 acres of land located off of the Pacif ic Coast Highway (PCH) near Huntington Harbor. A map of the City's water service area is shown as Figure 3.2.

Figure 3.2 City of Huntington Beach Water Service Area

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3.2.2 Water Facilities
The Public Works Department maintains the City's water facilities. Groundwater is currently pumped from eight active wells located throughout the City, with a combined design capacity of 26,300 gallons per minute (gpm). There is a total of approximately 607.2 miles of water mains. The City's water distribution system is connected to MET transmission mains at OC-9, OC-35, and OC-44 located along the northeast, northwest, and southeast sides of the City, respectively. The Public Works Department also operates four storage and distribution reservoirs; all located in the lower pressure zone (Zone 1) with a combined capacity of 55 MG. The storage system is supported with four booster stations located at each of the reservoir sites. The booster pumps have a total capacity of 60,190 gpm, which is adequate to keep the system pressurized under peak flow conditions.

3.3 Climate
The City's service area is located within the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB) that encompasses all of Orange County, and the urban areas of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. The climate in the SCAB area is characterized by southern California’s “Mediterranean” climate: a semi -arid environment with mild winters, warm summers, and moderate rainfall.

Local rainfall has limited impacts on reducing water demand in the City, except for the case of landscape irrigation demand. For example, in August 2023, Orange County as a region experienced the lowest seasonal water demand due to significant summer precipitation events from Tropical Storm Hilary. The increase in precipitation allowed landscape irrigation systems to be turned off, however other municipal and industrial uses (e.g. consumption, processing, and washing still remained the same).

Water that infiltrates into the soil may enter groundwater supplies depending on the local geography.

However, due to the large extent of impervious cover in Southern California, rainfall runoff quickly flows to a system of concrete storm drains and channels that lead directly to the ocean. Orange County Water District (OCWD) has successfully captured stormwater along the Santa Ana River and in recharge basins for years and used it as an additional source of supply for groundwater recharge. Based on the 2022 Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan Update, OCWD captured an average annual stormwater volume of approximately 54,000 AF over the period of five years, from Water Year 2016-17 to 2020-21.

MET's water supplies that come from the State Water Project (SWP) and the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) are influenced by climate conditions in northern California and the Colorado River Basin, respectively. Both regions have variable hydrologic conditions that can significantly affect MET’s supplies from year to year. This past decade has seen dramatic swings in annual precipitation, especially in the form of snowpack, which directly affect SWP supply allocations. Similarly, the Colorado River Basin also experienced year-to-year swings in hydrology, and due to the prolonged drought conditions since 2000, storage within the Colorado River system has declined to less than half of its reservoir capacity and has been fluctuating at that level (MET, 2025).
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3.4 Population, Demographics, and Socioeconomics

3.4.1 Service Area Population
The City serves a 2025 population of 193,136 according to the Center for Demographic Research at California State University, Fullerton (CDR). Overall, the population is projected to decrease 2.9 percent by 2050. Table 3.1 shows the population projections in five-year increments out to the year 2050 within the City’s service area.

Table 3.1 Submittal Table 3-1 Retail: Population - Current and Projected Submittal Table 3-1 Retail: Population - Current and Projected Water Code Section 10631(a)
Population
Served
2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050(opt)
193,136 191,623 191,480 191,409 190,021 187,596
Notes:

Source - Center for Demographic Research at California State University, Fullerton, 2025.

3.4.2 Demographics and Socioeconomics
As shown below in Table 3.2, the total number of dwelling units in the City service area is expected to increase by 4.6 percent in the next 25 years from 83,348 in 2025 to 87,196 in 2050.

Table 3.2 City of Huntington Service Area Dwelling Units by Type Dwelling Units 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Single Family 39,921 39,934 40,043 40,046 40,055 40,065 All Other(1) 43,427 44,511 45,325 45,899 46,512 47,131 Total 83,348 84,445 85,368 85,945 86,567 87,196
Notes:

Source: Center for Demographic Research at California State University, Fullerton, 2025. (1) Includes duplex, triplex, apartment, condo, townhouse, mobile home, etc. Yachts, houseboats, recreational vehicles, vans, etc. are included if is primary place of residence. Does not include group quartered units, cars, railroad box cars, etc.

In addition to the types and proportions of dwelling units, various socio-economic factors such as age distribution, education levels, general health status, income and poverty levels affect the City ’s water management and planning. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey, the City has about 20 percent of population of 65 years and over, 62 percent between the ages of 18 and 64 years, and 18 percent under the age of 18 years. Of the City’s population over 25 years of age,

94.1 percent is at minimum a high school graduate, with 44.5 percent of this age group having at least a bachelor’s degree.

3.4.3 Demographic Projection Methodology
CDR is a collaborative research center established in 1996 to provide accurate and timely demographic data on population, housing, and employment in Orange County. CDR serves as Orange County’s authoritative source for demographic information. The City obtains its service area population and 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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dwelling unit data from MWDOC via CDR. MWDOC contracts with CDR to update the 2010 population estimates through the current year and to provide an annual estimate of population served by each of its retail water suppliers within its service area. CDR uses geographic information system (GIS) mapping and data from the 2000, 2010, and 2020 U.S. Decennial Censuses, State Department of Finance (DOF) population estimates, and the CDR annual population estimates and Housing Inventory System (HIS).

These annual estimates incorporate annual revisions to the DOF annual population estimates, often for every year back to the most recent Decennial Census. As a result, all previous estimates are set aside and replaced with the most current set of annual estimates. Annexations and boundary changes for water suppliers are incorporated into these annual estimates.

Demographic projections used for this UWMP reflect the most recently available set of projections developed by CDR based on its 2022 Orange County Projections. Demographic projections for Orange County are updated every 4 years, with the next set of projections expected in the late fall of 2026. The 2022 Orange County Projections accounted for Draft RHNA rezone sites with jurisdictions including the number of dwelling units that are most likely to occur/get built by the end of 2050 under assumptions and trends existing at the time of the forecasting effort, including a parcel-level inventory of additional housing capacity from sites that were to be rezoned to accommodate the 6th RHNA cycle. In the summer of 2025, projections by water supplier for population and dwelling units by type were estimated using the 2022 Orange County Projections dataset. Growth for each of the five-year increments was allocated using GIS and a review of the traffic analysis zones (TAZ) data with a 2023 aerial photo. The growth was added to the 2025 estimates for each respective water supplier.

3.5 Land Uses

3.5.1 Current Land Uses
The City’s service area can best be described as a predominantly single and multi -family residential community located along the coast in northern Orange County. There is a large number of visitors to the City throughout the year to take advantage of the miles of coastline and beachfront activities.

Existing land uses in the City include a mix of residential, commercial, industrial, mixed use, parks, open space (e.g., wetlands, beaches), oil-related, and public uses. According to the General Plan Land Use Element, residential development is the predominant use in the City; housing uses constitute about 43 percent of all land uses in the planning area. Public uses, primarily comprising public rights -of-way, occupy an additional 28 percent of the planning area. Open space, commercial, and industrial development occupies most of the remainder of the planning area. There is very little vacant land available within the City, therefore, most growth is occurring through redevelopment of existing developed land.

Figure 3.3 shows the land use designations in the City based on the 2040 General Plan, which was adopted in 2017. As most of the planning area is already developed and maintained in good condition, the designations generally correspond to the pattern of existing uses.

Pursuant to the General Plan, land use in the City is being developed in accordance with the General Plan land use designation of each property. The General Plan land use designation specifies the uses, density, and intensity of development allowed on each property. In addition, there are 17 adopted specific plans in the City. These plans have predominantly been used to focus on the characteristics unique to a particular 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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area and customize the planning process and land use regulations and requirements that apply within that specific plan area. Two of the largest specific plans are the Beach and Edinger Corridors Specific Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan.

Figure 3.3 City of Huntington Beach Land Use Designations Map

3.5.2 Projected Land Uses
The City is mostly built-out and moving forward, new development is anticipated to occur as a result of market response to changing conditions such as population growth, demographics, and the economy as

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well as the need to replace aging buildings and improve homes. The 2017 General Plan anticipated a modest amount of growth through 2040, with most residential growth occurring in specific plan areas and non-residential growth occurring through implementation of a new Research and Technology land use designation as further described below.

Figure 3.4 indicates where change is encouraged to occur to accommodate future growth and development under the City’s General Plan and to what degree it can be expected. As shown, most areas in the City are proposed to remain much as they are today or would transform through guidelines provided by documents other than the General Plan.

Figure 3.4 Character of Change Map based on General Plan (City of Huntington Beach, 2017)

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The Huntington Beach General Plan differentiates three different characters of change, as follows:
 “Preserve” areas are developed portions of Huntington Beach, where land use changes are not envisioned and are not necessary to implement the Community Vision. Preserve areas include all established residential neighborhoods; most commercial, retail, and employment centers; many visitor-serving commercial uses; and all of the Downtown area.  “Conserve” areas include open space and recreational areas that provide valuable natural habitat or parkland and support the community recreational and aesthetic needs. This category includes the beach, the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, parks, golf courses, and other similar uses.  “Transform” areas consist of underdeveloped or underutilized portions of the planning area, where current developments might not adequately support future City goals. These areas are located within the Northwest Industrial Area and along the Gothard Corridor, where a majority of the city’s industrial uses are located.

The General Plan established a new land use designation, Research and Technology, to enable a broader mix of lower-intensity industrial and commercial uses that better meet current and future market demands, and capture employment growth in emerging fields. Additional areas in the City could transform via means other than those established within the General Plan (e.g., specific plan areas).

The City has identified the following major development project that will change the City’s total water demand in the future.
 Palm Goldenwest Specific Plan Amendment – An 800-home mixed-use development located along the Pacific Coast Highway between Goldenwest Street and Seapoint Street. Anticipated completion date of 2035.

It should be noted that the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model discussed in Chapter 4 was based on CDR’s 2022 Orange County projections. The development listed above may have been added or modified since. As a result, the future demands associated with this development may increase the City’s water demand beyond what is presented in this UWMP.

In addition to the above developments, the City will continue planning for the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation imposed by the State. Additionally, new developments may potentially include Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), while it is also anticipated that policy changes will make it easier for homeowners to add ADUs to existing residential properties.

The following requirements and changes in laws will impact the City’s future land use moving forward:
 Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) - State law requires jurisdictions to provide their share of the RHNA allocation. SCAG determines the housing growth needs by income for local jurisdictions through RHNA. The City’s RHNA allocation for 2021-2029 is 13,368 dwelling units. This includes 3,661 units for very low-income households, 2,184 units for low-income households, 2,308 units for moderate-income households, and 5,215 units for above moderate-income households. The City is currently finalizing its 2021-2029 Housing Element to provide an 8-year strategy to ensure the availability of adequate residential sites to accommodate these units.  Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – ADUs are separate small dwellings embedded within residential properties. There has been an increase in the construction of ADUs in California in response to the rise in interest to provide affordable housing supply. Since 2020, several landmark laws were passed by 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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State Legislature, updating ADU law to simplify the construction, rental, and sale of ADUs in California.

The most significant laws that have recently come into effect include:
 AB-1033 Accessory dwelling units: local ordinances: separate sale or conveyance which authorizes local governments to adopt ordinances permitting the sale of ADUs separately from the primary residence as condominiums.
 AB-976 Accessory dwelling units: owner-occupancy requirements which prohibits a local agency from requiring owner-occupancy for property owners to build and rent an ADU.  AB-1154 Junior accessory dwelling units which no longer requires owner-occupancy for Junior ADUs (JADUs) as long as they have their own bathroom.
 AB-1332 Accessory dwelling units: preapproved plans which requires local agencies to develop a program for pre-approved ADU plans, with projects using these plans having to be approved or denied within 30 days.
 SB-543 Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units which requires local agencies to determine if an ADU/JADU application is complete within 15 business days of submittal, revises ADU size to now be measured by “interior livable space”, and now re-defines a JADU to be no more than 500 square feet of interior livable space.
 SB-1211 Land use: accessory dwelling units: ministerial approval which authorizes multi-family property owners to build up to eight detached ADUs on a single lot, provided that the number of ADUs does not exceed the number of existing primary units.  AB-2533 Accessory dwelling units: junior accessory dwelling units: unpermitted developments which prohibits local agencies from denying permits for unpermitted ADUs/JADUs constructed before January 1, 2020 based on code violations unless the structure is a health or safety hazard.

In 2024, a total of 6,162 new residential units were permitted in Orange County, including those for ADUs (CDR, 2025). CDR projects that by 2050, approximately 13,000 more ADUs will be built in Orange County, with 99 ADUs expected within the City’s service area. The increase in ADUs is likely to result in an increase in number of people per lot of land. Depending on whether the addition of ADUs results in a net replacement of irrigated area (or other high water use features such as swimming pools), ADUs could increase or decrease water demands.
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CHAPTER 4 WATER USE CHARACTERIZATION
One of the main objectives of an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) is to provide an insight into the projected future water demands and supplies. This chapter describes the City of Huntington Beach’s (City) current and future water demands for their service area, factors that influence demands, and the methodology used to forecast future water demands over the next 25 years. For the 2025 UWMPs, water demand projections will span from planning year 2025 through planning year 2050.

Known for its suburban coastal communities and densely populated inland areas, Orange County has evolved greatly from its beginnings as an agricultural region. As some of the earliest cities in Orange County, from 1928 to 1931 the Cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana all joined with 10 other southern California cities to form the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET) with the ambitious dream to bring Colorado River water across the Mojave Desert. The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) later joined MET as a member agency in 1951, and with the merger with Coastal Municipal Water District in 2001, now represents the remainder of Orange County to provide and manage the imported water supplies within its service area. Orange County is now mostly comprised of residential, mixed-use, and commercial developments, with less industry in the region. Agriculture in the region has also declined significantly as Orange County has grown more suburban. Thus, modern-day water use within Orange County can be largely summarized by the following four demand sectors:
 Single-family Residential.
 Multifamily Residential.
 Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII).
 Dedicated Irrigation (potable, recycled & raw water).

Figure 4.1 shows Orange County’s overall historical water usage compared to population since 1990, when local water conservation programs were first established. As shown, from the early 1990s through the mid-2000s, Orange County’s water usage increased as the population increased. Population figures slowed significantly in 2018 and began to decrease during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020-2021. Since 2007, retail, municipal, and industrial water use in Orange County has declined due to multiple contributing factors. Decades of sustained investments in water-use efficiency and public education have led to significant adoption of water-efficient appliances and fixtures and increased public awareness of the need to use water wisely. Furthermore, in response to recurring droughts, growing urban demand, and increasingly limited water supplies, multiple regulatory requirements to promote water conservation have evolved and been implemented over the past several years throughout California and Orange County.
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Figure 4.1 Historical Water Use and Population in Orange County Orange County’s trending decline in water usage can most notably be attributed to Orange County water agencies’ past efforts to achieve regional and individual compliance with Senate Bill (SB) X7-7, the Water Conservation Act of 2009, through the Orange County 20x2020 Regional Alliance and compliance with Executive Order (EO) B-29-15. EO B-29-15 mandated 25 percent reduction in potable water use in response to the 2013-2014 drought. Furthermore, Orange County water agencies’ ongoing progress towards achieving SB 606 and Assembly Bill (AB) 1668, the “Making Conservation a California Way of Life” legislation, water use objectives continue to exemplify Orange County water agencies’ commitment to water conservation, water use efficiency, and overall reduction in potable water usage in recent decades.

In 2025, MWDOC and Orange County Water District (OCWD), in collaboration with MWDOC’s member agencies and the Cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana, led the effort to develop the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model. The Orange County Water Demand Projection Model (MWDOC, 2025) was used to project long-term water demand under three hydrologic conditions (normal year, single dry year, and five consecutive dry years) over a 25-year horizon in 5-year increments, consistent with the 2025 UWMP requirements.

Although Orange County demands are forecast to be relatively flat into the future, with water use efficiency efforts counterbalancing new growth, Figure 4.2 shows that annual variations in weather could cause high fluctuations. Some examples of this are described below:
 Single-family consumption is highly seasonal, and the model correlates well with seasonality and temperature by capturing fluctuations in single-family outdoor irrigation.  Multi-family use is generally less responsive to weather than single-family demands, as much of multi-family outdoor irrigation has been shifted into the irrigation-specific water use sector (dedicated irrigation meters), and generally newer multi-family dwellings in Orange County have

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comparatively less landscaped area than generally older single-family dwellings due to Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinances (MWELO) mandated since 1993. Seasonal price elasticity varies the least between months for the multi-family sector.
 Commercial, Industrial and Institutional use is positively correlated to each job proportion as well as gross domestic product throughout Orange County, which means a higher amount of CII jobs and production value trend in an increase in water demands.  Irrigation is the most responsive to temperature and precipitation compared to the other sectors.

Figure 4.2 Projected Water Use Across All Orange County Water Agencies In terms of future development, North Orange County is substantially built out, with a majority residential land uses with some mixed-use areas dedicated to commercial, institutional, and governmental uses.

Future developments planned in North Orange County are mainly redevelopment and infill projects. As for the City’s service area specifically, future developments include housing to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation and potential Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which will all shape the City’s future water use.

Water use within the City’s service area has fluctuated in the past five years, with an annual average total water use of approximately 25,053 AF. Following one of the worst droughts in California history between 2017 and 2022, the significant wet year in 2023 saw a dramatic decrease in overall water use from FY 2021-22 to FY 2022-23 in the City’s entire service area.

Water use in FY 2024-25 included 24,854 AF of potable water. The City’s water use is primarily residential.

The projected water use in 2050 is 22,367 AF for potable water.

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4.1 Water Use in the Last Five Years
The five-year average water use within the City’s service area is approximately 25,053 AF provided by potable sources. Demand trends have regionally remained flat due to water-use efficiency efforts and increased precipitation in recent wet years, such as FY 2023. As mentioned in Chapter 3, the City is almost completely built out and population projections are expected to slightly decrease. Total demands have remained relatively stable due to ongoing water conservation programs and improved water use efficiency efforts.

FY2020-21 through FY 2021-22 saw the highest water uses over the last five years due to region-wide drought conditions. FY2022-23 proved to be one of the wettest years on record in the State and the City saw a general decrease in water demand following this wet year, as precipitation offsets landscape irrigation demands. These year-to-year fluctuations in precipitation will continue to influence the City’s annual demands. In general, the City saw a decrease in demands of 9.6 percent over the 5-year reporting period.

Table 4.1 presents the City’s service area existing water use by source for direct uses. There are no indirect uses within the City’s service area. The City’s service area total water usage in FY 2024-25 was 24,854 AF (Table 4.1). The total usage was met through a combination of potable sources, including groundwater and imported water. In FY 2024-25, about 87.1 percent of the total demand was met through Orange County Basin groundwater.

Table 4.1 Submittal Table 4-1 Retail: Total Uses for Potable and Non-Potable Water - Actual Submittal Table 4-1 Retail: Total Uses for Potable and Non-Potable Water — Actual Water Code Section 10631(d)(1)
Use Type
Additional Description
(as needed)
2025 Actual Water Use
Drop down list
May select each use multiple times
These are the only use types that will be
recognized by the WUEdata online
submittal tool
Level of Treatment
When Delivered
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down list
Volume
(AF)
Add additional rows as needed
Single Family Potable 11,352
Multi-Family Potable 5,473
Commercial Potable 3,491
Industrial Potable 400
Institutional/Governmental Potable 113
Landscape Potable 2,160
Distribution System Water Loss Potable 1,865
Subtotal Potable 24,854
Subtotal Non-Potable 0
Total 24,854
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: Distribution System Water Loss is calculated as the difference between total potable production and use for FY 2025.
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4.1.1 Direct Municipal & Industrial Use
As of FY 2024-25, there are 54,459 water service connections in the City’s water system. Table 4.1 summarizes the City’s potable water demand for FY2024-25; a total of 24,854 AF of potable water was used. The City has a mix of single and multi- family residential water use which account for 67.7 percent of their total potable water demand. Commercial, industrial, and institutional/governmental use accounts for a combined 16.1 percent of total potable demand. Landscape irrigation accounts for 8.7 percent of total potable demand. Distribution system water loss was calculated to be 7.5 percent in FY 2024-25. Since the City is essentially built out and population is projected to decrease, demands are expected to decrease slightly in the long term.

4.2 Projected Water Use
The water use projection for this UWMP is separated into a near-term period covering the next five years (2026-2030) and a long-term period extending from 2030 through 2050.

The water use projection is based on the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model Technical Memorandum (TM), which is included in Appendix H of this UWMP. The methodology used in this demand forecast links water use statistically to a set of explanatory variables through a regression, or econometric, model. Section 4.3 offers a description of the methodology used to calculate City demand projections.

4.2.1 Water Use Projections for 2026-2030
Total demands (direct) are met through imported water (treated) and groundwater. The City utilizes the projected total demands to incorporate the best available planning information when projecting the imported water demands of its service area. The City’s total water demand projection for the next five years is shown in Table 4.2. As shown, the City’s total service area water demands are expected to gradually decrease over the next five years (2026 to 2030), due to a projected decline in the service area’s M&I demands in the short term. The City does not project any non-potable demands for its service area in the next five years.

Table 4.2 City of Huntington Beach’s Service Area Total Potable Demand for 2026-2030 Total Water Demand
Fiscal Year Ending 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Total Water Demand (AF) 22,865 22,740 22,668 22,494 22,409 Notes:

AF – acre-feet

4.2.2 Water Use Projections for 2030-2050
The City service area’s total water demands (by use type) for the next 25 years are shown in Table 4.3. By 2050, total water demand is projected to be 22,367 AF, a 10 percent decrease from the 2025 demand of 24,854 AF. Table 4.4 indicates additional information for both future conservation efforts and low-income water demands included in the projections, while Table 4.5 presents the passive water savings included in Table 4.3 projections for 2030-2050.
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Table 4.3 Submittal Table 4-2 Retail: Total Uses of Potable, and Non-Potable Water - Projected Submittal Table 4-2 Retail: Total Uses of Potable, and Non-Potable Water - Projected Water Code Section 10631(d)(1)
Use Type
Additional
Description
(as needed)
Projected Water Use (Report To the Extent that Records are Available)
Drop down list
May select each use
multiple times
These are the only Use
Types that will be
recognized by the
WUEdata online
submittal tool
Potable or
Non-
Potable
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down
list
2030
(AF)
2035
(AF)
2040
(AF)
2045
(AF)
2050
(opt)
(AF)
Single Family Potable 10,419 10,392 10,396 10,329 10,268 Multi-Family Potable 4,483 4,513 4,550 4,549 4,547
Commercial Includes
Institutional
and
Industrial
uses
Potable 2,539 2,567 2,594 2,590 2,589
Landscape Includes
Agriculture
use
Potable 2,768 2,768 2,773 2,768 2,768
Distribution System
Water Loss
Includes
Other uses
Potable 2,200 2,203 2,211 2,203 2,196
Subtotal Potable 22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Subtotal Non-Potable 0 0 0 0 0
Total 22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2 -3.

NOTES: Source – 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model Forecast for City of Huntington Beach 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Table 4.4 Submittal Table 4-3 Retail: Inclusion in Water Use Projections Submittal Table 4-3 Retail: Inclusion in Water Use Projections Water Code Section 10631 (a), 10631 (d)(4)(A), and 10631 (d)(4)(B) Are Future Water Savings Included in Projections?
(Refer to Appendix K of UWMP Guidebook)
Drop down list (y/n)
Yes
If "Yes" to above:

State the section or page number, in the cell to the right, where citations of the codes, ordinances, or otherwise are utilized in demand projections are found.

OPTIONAL Suppliers may complete Optional Submittal Table 4-4 R to quantify the expected savings.

Chapter 4.3
Are Lower Income Residential Demands Included In Projections? (Refer to Appendix K of UWMP Guidebook)
Drop down list (y/n)
Yes
OPTIONAL If the method for accounting Lower Income Residential Demands has been included, provide page number where this accounting can be found. (An example is included in Appendix K.)
Chapter 4.3
NOTES: Future water savings include passive conservation (defined as water savings that occur without incentives). Active conservation (defined as water savings that occur with incentives) is not included in the projections.

The demand projection methodology accounted for the entire population of the service area (i.e. all income levels).
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Table 4.5 Submittal Table 4-4 Retail: Passive Water Savings Projections OPTIONAL Submittal Table 4-4 Retail: Passive Water Savings Projections Water Code Section 10631(d)(4)(A)
Description
(Codes, Standards, Ordinances, or Plans)
Passive savings
2030
(AF)
2035
(AF)
2040
(AF)
2045
(AF)
2050 (opt)
(AF)
285 285 285 284 283
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: Passive conservation here is defined as water savings that occur without incentives. Based on the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model, passive conservation is assumed to equal a 1.9% decrease in residential demand due to conservation by 2030 (linearly extrapolated), then remains constant in subsequent years.

4.2.2.1 Direct Municipal & Industrial Use
Total potable water demands are projected to increase to 22,367 AF by the year 2050, a decrease of about

0.2 percent between 2030 and 2050 (Table 4.3). It is projected that combined single- and multi-family residential water use will account for 66.2 percent of total potable water demand. Combined commercial, institutional, and industrial water use is expected to account for 11.6 percent, and landscape irrigation water use will account for 12.4 percent of total potable water use in the City by 2050. Distribution system water loss and other uses will account for 9.8 percent of total potable water demands.

4.3 Water Demand Projection Methodology
In 2025, MWDOC and OCWD, in collaboration with MWDOC’s member agencies and the Cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana, led the effort to develop the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model, (MWDOC, 2025). This effort developed a demand model by regressing historical water consumption data provided by each Orange County water agency against several explanatory variables known to influence water demand (including weather, water price, regional economic conditions, and housing density). The water demand projections were for the Orange County region as a whole and provided retail agency specific demands, spanning the years of 2025-2050. The full TM can be found in Appendix H.

The demand projections created four econometric, or regression, demand models representing the following four water billing sectors for each Orange County retail agency:
 Single-family Residential.
 Multifamily Residential.
 Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII).
 Dedicated Irrigation (potable, recycled & raw water).

Prior to developing the forecasts, model calibration and fine tuning for each of the four demand sectors occurred at the individual retail agency level. The demand across all four models, plus other uses for each 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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agency, is summed to a total forecast for each agency, the MWDOC service area, the OCWD service area, and total Orange County.

The demand projection methodology accounted for the entire population of each individual retail agency’s service area (i.e., all income levels), thus accounting for the water demand projections for lower income households within the City’s service area.

4.3.1 Econometric Approach, Data Acquisition, and Model Development A regression, or econometric, approach to demand forecasting statistically links retail level water use to weather, economic, and socioeconomic factors (explanatory variables). The model relies on a comprehensive dataset of historical water-use data for almost 40 different billing sectors collected from Orange County retail agencies, and MWDOC obtained explanatory variables from reputable sources, including weather databases and Census-based reports. The explanatory variables used in the regression were based on industry experience regarding what factors affect water use nationwide and in Southern California.

By statistically linking water use to explanatory variables, the econometric models provide a robust foundation for understanding variability and projecting future consumption patterns. Modeled water use is the product of the driver count (e.g. number of accounts), and the rate of water use per driver:

𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑊𝑊 = 𝐷𝐷𝑊𝑊𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝑊𝑊 × 𝑅𝑅𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝐶𝐶𝑜𝑜 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑊𝑊 𝑝𝑝𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝐷𝐷𝑊𝑊𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 Each of the four demand sectors modeled (single family, multifamily, CII, and irrigation) has a separate equation. Driver units change into the future based on housing, employment, and population projections.

The rate of water use per driver is based on the historical response of the use rate to explanatory variables (measured by coefficients) and the future values of those same explanatory variables.

Linear regression produces the coefficients for each explanatory variable to closely reproduce the historical rate of use per driver unit. The coefficients explain how (both in terms of magnitude and sign) water use responds to changes to explanatory variables.

MWDOC identified driver units based on data provided by agencies and the Center for Demographic Research at Cal State Fullerton (CDR) that can be easily projected into the future. The rate of water use per driver is based on agency provided billing sector uses from 2010 through 2024. Table 4.6 shows the driver units and rate of use for each of the four models.

Table 4.6 Summary of Demand Sectors
Sector Driver Units Rate of Use Definition
Single-family Residential Accounts Gallons/account/day
Multifamily Residential Gallons/account/day
Commercial, Institutional, Industrial (CII) Jobs Gallons/job/day Dedicated Irrigation (potable, recycled & raw water) Accounts Gallons/account/day 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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The rates of water use for each sector model are based on the historical responses to explanatory variables, and the future values of those explanatory variables. Addressing multiple influences on demand improves the accuracy and precision of all estimated parameters, and the modeling team identified a large range of explanatory variables based on past experience with demand modeling and available data.

Table 4.7 displays the explanatory variables.

Table 4.7 Summary of Historical Data Collected for Model Development Dataset Data Source(s)
Observed weather (monthly precipitation,
monthly maximum temperature)
Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM)
Water Price Retail agency provided (2010 – 2024)
Drought Restrictions State Water Resources Control Board Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Orange County, CA
Median Income US Census American Community Survey (ACS) Housing Density US Census ACS, California State University Fullerton Center for Demographics Research (CDR), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) land use data Persons Per Household
Relative Sectoral Economic Activity US Census LODES, CDR Passive Efficiency Estimates Analysis of trend indicators and MWDOC/FLUME insight COVID Binary Indicator Assumed active from March 2020 – May 2023 The MWDOC Water Use Efficiency Group provided annual water savings achieved by various active conservation measures. To avoid potential errors in the classification of historical conservation data, total historical conservation was modeled in each sectoral regression model using a linear trend to capture steady change over time. While historical conservation is captured in a linear trend, projected passive conservation is based on the best available data from 2021 Orange County Residential Water Efficiency Potential and Opportunities Study and assumes a 1.9 percent decrease in annual residential demand from 2025 to 2030, at which point passive conservation is projected to remain constant going forward. Future active conservation is not accounted for in baseline demand forecast, as water savings from active programs (programs that require customers to change behavior) are highly specific to retail agencies and to the formulation and timing of their implementation.

The process of identifying the explanatory variables to include in the regression equation and developing coefficients that accurately measure the response of water use to changes in these variables is the most time-intensive part of the demand forecasting process.

Prior to developing the forecasts, model calibration and fine tuning for each of the four demand sectors occurred at the individual retail agency level. The modeling team worked with each retail agency to calibrate sectoral model equations and quantify other uses (those not included in the single -family, multifamily, irrigation, or CII demand sectors).

Figure 4.3 presents the iterative process undergone to develop the econometric demand forecasts. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Figure 4.3 Econometric Demand Forecast Development Process

4.3.2 Forecasted Demands
Forecasted demand is a function of both the change in driver units into the future as well as the change in explanatory variables. Table 4.8 summarizes the future drivers and variables and assumptions for the baseline forecast. It should be noted that the CDR demographic forecast accounts for both the RHNA allocations and projected increase in Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The 2022 Orange County Projections accounted for Draft RHNA rezone sites 1 with jurisdictions including the number of dwelling units that are most likely to occur/get built by the end of 2050 under assumptions and trends existing at the time of the forecasting effort.

1 For the 2022 Orange County Projections, CDR collected initial draft input from local jurisdictions in September 2021 on their anticipated jurisdiction-level housing growth for each projection year. In December 2021-February 2022, CDR reviewed and extracted data from jurisdictions’ draft housing elements to create a parcel-level inventory of additional housing capacity from sites that were to be rezoned to accommodate the 6th RHNA cycle. These were reviewed by jurisdictions in spring 2022.

Jurisdictions completed the rezoning of the final sites after their housing elements were certified by the State Housing and Community Development Department starting in 2022. The final adop ted rezone sites will feed into CDR’s 2026 Orange County Projections.

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Table 4.8 Future Model Parameters
Data Category Variable Source Assumptions
Driver Units Single-family and
multifamily accounts
CDR Historical households per account; averages are
multiplied by households projected by CDR
Irrigation accounts Agency Billing Data Accounts are assumed to be constant into the future Sectoral Employment CDR Proportion of jobs within CII sectors projected by CDR
Explanatory
Variables
Monthly Maximum
Temperature and Total
Precipitation
PRISM 30-year historical normal weather
Water Price Retail Agencies Prices increase by 3% per year above inflation for 2025-2030 and keeps pace with inflation thereafter
(zero difference from inflation trend)
Water Use Restrictions State and Local
Restrictions
None
Seasonality Sine/cosine functions to capture monthly pattern Median Income US Census Constant income at 2022 value (real dollars) Housing Density CDR Derived from CDR housing unit projections, assuming residential area remains at 2024 levels
Persons Per Household CDR CDR projected demographics
Gross Domestic Product Federal Reserve Long-term GDP trend Relative Sectoral
Employment
CDR Calculated based on CDR projections
Passive Efficiency
Estimates
Flume Insight Assumes a 2% decrease in residential demand due to conservation by 2030 (linearly extrapolated), then
no change
COVID Binary Indicator None (occurred between March 2020 and May 2023) The normal year scenario was provided by the baseline forecast. In this model, the single dry year scenario used a hot-dry index (HDI) to identify the year with the most weather-sensitive demand, with 2014 selected for most agencies. The multiple dry year was developed to describe the potential impact of consecutive dry years.

The forecasts for individual agencies, including the City’s, was then summed to the regional level, providing regionally consistent forecasts for all of Orange County.

4.4 Water Loss
The City has conducted annual water loss audits since 2015 per the AWWA (American Water Works Association) methodology per SB 555 to understand the relationship between water loss, operating costs and revenue losses. Non-revenue water for Calendar Year (CY) 2020-2024 consists of three components:
real losses (e.g., leakage in mains and service lines, and storage tank overflows), apparent losses (unauthorized consumption, customer metering inaccuracies and systematic data handling errors), and unbilled water (e.g. hydrant flushing, firefighting, and blow-off water from well start-ups). Table 4.9 summarizes the status of the last five years of water loss audit reporting for the water system. Reports can 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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be found online at WUEdata - Water Audit Plans. Understanding and controlling water loss from a distribution system is an effective way for the City to achieve regulatory standards and manage their existing resources.

Table 4.9 Submittal Table 4-5 Retail: Water Loss Audit Reporting Submittal Table 4-5 Retail: Water Loss Audit Reporting
Water Code Section 10631(d)(3)(A)
Public Water System ID # Reported in
Table 2-1 R Reporting Period Submitted to DWR Water Loss Audit Program (yes/no)
Report submittal status for all five years for each Public Water System as available.

Add rows as needed
CA3010053
2020 Yes
2021 Yes
2022 Yes
2023 Yes
2024 Yes
DWR NOTES: Suppliers will provide a link to the WUEdata submittals of their Water Loss Audit Reports.

NOTES: Water Loss Audits reported in Calendar Years (CY).

Signed in 2018 and adopted in 2024, the “Making Conservation a California Way of Life” legislation (SB 606 and Assembly Bill 1668) establishes a new framework for long-term improvements in urban water use efficiency and drought planning as California adapts to climate change impacts. Under the regulation, Suppliers must annually calculate Urban Water Use Objectives based on standards applied at the service-area scale, including the Water Loss Performance Standard developed by the State Water Resources Control Board to minimize water waste through system leaks. The Water Loss Performance Standard requires that Suppliers must meet the real water loss standard and apparent water loss standard by 2028.

Table 4.10 presents the City’s progress towards compliance with the 2028 Water Loss Standard, as of the time of writing this UWMP. The most recent AWWA Water Loss Audit for CY 2024 was utilized for the calculations presented.
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Table 4.10 Submittal Table 4-6 Retail: Progress Towards 2028 Water Loss Standard Submittal Table 4-6 Retail: Progress Towards 2028 Water Loss Standard Water Code Section 10631(d)(3)(C)
Public
Water
System ID #
Reported in
Submittal
Table 2-1 R
Did the
Water
Board
Calculate
a Water
Loss
Standard
for this
Public
Water
System?
(y/n)
If no,
Supplier
will not
complete
this row.

Real Water Loss Apparent Water Loss
State Water Board
Standard
Most Recent AWWA Water
Loss Audit
Real Water
Loss Per Unit
per Day
State Water Board Standard
Most Recent AWWA Water Loss
Audit
Apparent
Water Loss
Per Unit per
Day
2028 Real
Water Loss
Standard per
Unit per day
Units for
Real Water
Loss
Drop down
list
Number of Units
(Connections or
Miles
corresponding
with units
selected)
Volume of
Total Real
Loss (from
AWWA
Water Loss
Audit)
2028
Apparent
Water Loss
Standard per
Unit per Day
Units for
Apparent
Water Loss
Number of
Connections
Volume of
Total
Apparent
Loss
(from
AWWA
Water Loss
Audit)
(AF)
(AF)
Add additional rows as needed.

CA3010053 Yes 19.4
Gallons per
Service
Connection
per Day
(GPSCD)
54,526 704.48 11.5 3.1
Gallons per
Service
Connection
per Day
(GPSCD)
54,526 171.74 2.8
Water Board's Calculated Water Loss Standards
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) for Water Loss MUST remain consistent with units reported in Submittal Table 2-3. The units reported in Submittal Table 2-3 are used in this table's calculations.

NOTES: Uses the Water Board’s calculated water loss standards updated as of 01/30/2026 and AWWA Water Loss Audit for CY 2024. Connection count may differ from what is reported in Table 2- 1 R for FY 2025.

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CHAPTER 5 CONSERVATION TARGET COMPLIANCE
The Water Conservation Act of 2009, also known as Senate Bill (SB) X7-7, mandated a 20 percent reduction in urban per-capita water use across California by 2020. To achieve this goal, the Act required each retail water supplier to establish an urban water-use target, contributing to the State’s collective efforts. The Legislature stated that the combined reductions from all retail suppliers would fulfill the statewide legislative mandate.

The goal of this chapter is to allow the retail water supplier to report on their progress toward meeting their urban water-use targets in their UWMP, pursuant to Water Code Section 10608.40. Suppliers that did not meet their 2020 target in 2020 are required to compare their 2025 water use to the 2020 target.

Retail water suppliers are required to comply with SB X7-7 individually or as a region in collaboration with other retail water suppliers or demonstrate they have a plan or have secured funding to be in compliance, in order to be eligible for water related state grants and loans.

When determining water use in an UWMP, two terms are often used interchangeably:
 Daily Per-Capita Water Use. The amount of water used per person per day. In the UWMP calculations, this is total water use within a service area, divided by population, and it is measured in gallons.
 Gallons Per-Capita Per Day (GPCD). This is the “daily per-capita water use” measured in gallons.

Therefore, the term commonly used when referring to “daily per-capita water use” is “gallons per-capita per day” or GPCD1.

5.1 Reporting Requirements
MWDOC’s Water Use Efficiency (WUE) programs helped Orange County meet the state’s 20x2020 mandate by coordinating conservation efforts across its member agencies, funding and implementing regionally cost-effective efficiency programs, and enabling compliance through the Orange County 20x2020 Regional Alliance. By aligning its WUE portfolio directly with SB X7-7 requirements, supporting high-impact measures (especially outdoor water savings), documenting eligible indirect potable reuse credits, and centrally handling regional target calculations and reporting, MWDOC allowed participating retailers to comply collectively rather than individually resulting in regional per-capita water use well below the required 2020 target.

As a result of MWDOC’s WUE program, all Orange County water retailers, including all MWDOC’s member agencies and the participating cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana, achieved compliance prior to

1 It is important to distinguish GPCD (as used in UWMPs) from the Residential Gallons Per Capita Per Day (R-GPCD) that is used in some reporting to the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).

GPCD is the total water use from all sectors within a service area (residential, commercial, institutional, and any others) minus allowable exclusions (as defined in SB X7-7), then divided by the population. This is used in UWMPs. R-GPCD is only a part of the GPCD; it is the estimated residential water use in a service area divided by population.
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2020. The following table with information taken from the 2020 UWMP verifies that City of Huntington Beach met their SB X7-7 requirement. A discussion of programs implemented to support the achievement of the agency’s per capita water reduction goals is covered in Section 9 – Demand Management Measures of this UWMP.

Table 5.1 Submittal Table 5-1 Retail: SB X7-7 2020 Target Progress Actual 2025 GPCD
(From SB X7-7
Compliance Form)
Did Supplier meet
the 2020 Target in
2025?
No Individual Target 142 88 Yes NA
Submittal Table 5-1 Retail: SB X7-7 2020 Target Progress Water Code Section 10608.40
NOTES: Supplier met the 2020 target, actual 2025 GPCD not required.

Did Supplier
Achieve Targeted
Reduction for
2020?
Actual 2020 GPCD2020 Target
Regional Alliance
Target or
Individual
Target?
Drop down list
DWR NOTES:

Suppliers calculating a 2025 GPCD will need to complete and submit SB X 7-7 Compliance Tables to verify the use of SB X7-7 Methodologies.

Suppliers that were part of a merger or consolidation since 2020 see Chapter 5 and Appendix P for guidance.

NA=Not Applicable
Check the box if the Supplier was not an Urban Water Supplier during or before the 2020 UWMP reporting cycle.

Proceed to the next table.

Only for suppliers that did not meet the
Target in 2020
See DWR NOTES below.

Was Supplier part of
a merger or
consolidation since
2020?

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CHAPTER 6 WATER SUPPLY CHARACTERIZATION
Orange County has a water supply portfolio made up from a variety of local and imported sources.

Groundwater is produced from the Orange County Basin, which is managed by the Orange County Water District (OCWD). To enhance the reliability of groundwater, OCWD has implemented projects and programs over the years that include: (1) the Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), which is the world’s largest water purification system for indirect potable reuse; (2) increased stormwater capture for groundwater recharge; and (3) participation in the Santa Ana River Conservation and Conjunctive Use Program (SARCCUP), a collaborative, watershed-scale approach for groundwater basin management, replenishment, and water transfers.

Imported water is provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET), the wholesale water provider to 26 member agencies in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura Counties. MET’s imported water sources are delivered through its own Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) and the California Aqueduct, under contract with the State Water Project (SWP). To enhance its reliability of its imported water, MET has implemented many programs such as canal lining and transfe rs of agricultural water, land fallowing programs with irrigation districts, water banking programs, and use of its storage reservoirs.

Local and imported water sources in Orange County are managed in such a way that they complement each other. For example, during wet and normal years additional MET water is purchased for groundwater replenishment in the Orange County Basin. During dry and drought years, when imported water is more limited, more groundwater can be produced to meet Orange County water demands. This coordinated management of water supplies has resulted in reliable water service even during multi- year droughts.

Based on the water supply assessment described in this chapter and in Chapter 7, the Orange County region will continue to receive a reliable water supply through the next 25 years.

Specifically, this chapter includes: (1) descriptions of each water supply source and their management; (2) quantification of water supply sources through 2050 under normal, dry, and multi -dry weather conditions; (3) opportunities for exchanges and transfers; and (4) discussion regarding any planned or potential future water supply projects. This chapter also includes the energy intensity of the water service.

6.1 Water Supply Overview
The City meets all of its demands with a combination of imported water and local groundwater to meet its water needs. The City works together with the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) and OCWD to deliver a safe and reliable water supply that will continue to serve the community in periods of average, dry and drought hydrologic conditions. MWDOC is the Orange County wholesaler of imported water and one of MET’s 26 member agencies. MET’s imported water is delivered from the SWP and MET’s CRA to Southern California. The City purchases imported water through MWDOC to supplement its local supplies.

Local sources presently account for 87 percent of the City’s water supplies, whereby groundwater is the major source of local supply. The primary source of groundwater originates from the Orange County Basin (OC Basin), which is located in the middle portion of MWDOC’s service area and is managed by the 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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OCWD. The GWRS is a joint project between OCWD and the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San).

Using advanced treatment purification, recycled wastewater is transformed into a high-quality water supply for groundwater replenishment.

The City’s main source of water supply is groundwater from the OC Basin. Imported water makes up the rest of the City’s water supply portfolio. In FY 2024-25, the City relied on approximately 87 percent groundwater and 13 percent imported water (Table 6.1).

In 2025, MWDOC developed a water demand forecast model for its participating water agencies that statistically correlates municipal and industrial (M&I) water use with demographic, socioeconomic, conservation and weather variables—as reported in the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model TM (MWDOC, 2025). Because the model isolates weather, future water demand projects can be estimated under single and multiple-year droughts and under future climate change scenarios.

It is projected that by 2050, the City’s water portfolio will change to approximately 85 percent groundwater and 15 percent imported water (Table 6.2 and Figure 6.1). It should be noted that these representations of supply match the projected demand. However, the City can purchase more MET imported water through MWDOC, should the need arise. Note that the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) supplies are included as part of groundwater pumping numbers.

The following subsections provide a detailed discussion of the City’s water sources as well as the future water supply portfolio for the next 25 years.

Figure 6.1 City’s Projected Water Supply
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
19,047 19,077 19,144 19,073 19,012
3,361 3,367 3,378 3,366 3,355
Groundwate r Imported Water
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Table 6.1 Water Supplies – 2025 Actual
Submittal Table 6-8 Retail: Water Supplies — 2025 Actual Water Code Section 10631(b)
Water Supply Additional Description
2025
Actual Volume
(AF)
Groundwater (not
desalinated) Orange County Groundwater Basin 21,641
Purchased or
Imported Water MWDOC 3,213
Total 24,854
NOTES: Source - MWDOC, 2025

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Table 6.2 Water Supplies – Projected
Submittal Table 6-9 Retail: Water Supplies — Projected
Water Code Section 10631 (b)
Water Supply
Additional
Detail on
Water Supply
Projected Water Supply (Report to the Extent Practicable)

2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 (opt)
Reasonably Available
Volume
Reasonably
Available
Volume
Reasonably
Available Volume
Reasonably
Available
Volume
Reasonably
Available
Volume
(AF) (AF) (AF) (AF) (AF)
Purchased or Imported Water MWDOC 3,361 3,367 3,378 3,366 3,355 Groundwater (not desalinated) OC Basin 19,047 19,077 19,144 19,073 19,012 Total 22,408 22,444 22,522 22,439 22,367
NOTES: Source – MWDOC, 2025.

Groundwater volumes assume OCWD’s basin production percentage (BPP) to be 85% for all years. Volumes of groundwater and imported water may vary depending on OCWD's actual BPP projections, which are established annually.

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6.2 Imported Water
The City supplements its water supply with imported water purchased from MET through MWDOC. In FY 2024-25, the City relied on approximately 3,213 AFY – approximately 15 percent of the City’s water supply portfolio for FY 2024-25 – of imported water from MET / MWDOC to meet its demands.

MET’s two principal sources of water are the Colorado River and the SWP. MET receives water from the Colorado River through the CRA and from the SWP through the California Aqueduct. For Orange County, the water obtained from these sources is treated at the Robert B. Diemer Filtration Plant located in the City of Yorba Linda. Typically, the Diemer Filtration Plant receives a blend of Colorado River water from Lake Mathews through the MET Lower Feeder and SWP water through the Yorba Linda Feeder.

6.2.1 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California MET is the largest water wholesaler in California, serving approximately 19 million customers in a 5,200 square mile service area. MET wholesales imported water supplies to 26 member agencies located in the six southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura.

MET is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of 38 appointed individuals with a minimum of one representative from each of MET’s 26 member agencies. The allocation of directors and voting rights is determined by each agency’s assessed valuation. Each member of the Board is entitled to cast one vote for each ten million dollars of assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes, in accordance with Section 55 of the Metropolitan Water District Act. Directors may be appointed by the chief executive officer of the member agency or by a majority vote of the agency's governing board . Directors are not compensated by MET for their service (The Metropolitan Water District Act, 1969).

MET is responsible for importing water into the region through its operation of the CRA, which brings Colorado River supply to its service area, and its SWP contract, which brings water from northern California via the California Aqueduct. MET supplements its direct deliveries of imported supplies with its storage reservoirs, water transfers, agricultural irrigation water conservation, and water banking programs.

Major imported water aqueducts bringing water to Southern California are shown in Figure 6.2. It should be noted that the Los Angeles Aqueduct is owned and operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and is not part of MET’s imported water supplies. Member agencies provide MET with estimates of imported water demand in April each year, indicating the amount of water they anticipate they will need to meet their demands over the next five years.

In Orange County, MWDOC and the cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana are MET member agencies that purchase imported water directly from MET. MWDOC purchases both treated potable and untreated water from MET to supplement its retail agencies’ local water supplies and for groundwater replenishment. Figure 6.3 illustrates the MET feeders and major transmission pipelines that deliver water within Orange County.
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Figure 6.2 Major Aqueducts that Supply Imported Water to Southern California (MET, 2025)

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Figure 6.3 MET Feeders and Transmission Mains that Serve Orange County

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6.2.2 Colorado River Aqueduct

6.2.2.1 Background
The Colorado River was MET’s original source of water after MET’s establishment in 1928. The original founding members created MET with the goal to build the CRA to bring water to Southern California. The CRA, which is owned and operated by MET, transports water from the Colorado River to its terminus Lake Mathews, in Riverside County. The actual amount of water per year that may be conveyed through the CRA to MET’s member agencies is subject to the availability of Colorado River water.

Approximately 40 million people rely on the Colorado River and its tributaries for potable water with

5.5 million acres of land using Colorado River water for irrigation. The CRA includes supplies from the implementation of the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) and its related agreements to transfer water from agricultural agencies to urban uses. The 2003 QSA enabled California to implement major Colorado River water conservation and transfer programs to stabilize water supplies and reduce the state’s demand on the river to its 4.4 million acre-feet (MAF) entitlement. Colorado River transactions are potentially available to supply additional water up to the CRA capacity of 1.25 MAF on an as-needed basis. Water from the Colorado River or its tributaries is available to users in California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Mexico. California is apportioned the use of 4.4 MAF of water from the Colorado River each year plus one-half of any surplus that may be available for use collectively in Arizona, California, and Nevada. In addition, California has historically been allowed to use Colorado River water apportioned to, but not used by, Arizona or Nevada. MET has fourth-priority rights, with a basic entitlement of 550,000 AFY of Colorado River water, plus surplus water up to an additional 662,000 AFY when the following conditions exist (MET, 2025):
 Water is unused by the California holders of priorities 1 through 3.  Water is saved by the Palo Verde land management, crop rotation, and water supply program .  When the U.S. Secretary of the Interior makes available either one or both of the following:
» Surplus water.
» Colorado River water that is apportioned to but unused by Arizona and/or Nevada.

6.2.2.2 Current Conditions and Supply
The Colorado River supply faces current and future imbalances between water supply and demand in the Colorado River Basin due to reductions in snowpack, long-term drought conditions, and climate change.

The last 25-year period has been called a megadrought, with Lake Mead’s elevation dropping from a high of 1,215 feet in 2000 to its lowest level of 1,040 feet in July 2022. While extreme wet conditions resulted in lake levels exceeding 1,077 feet in February 2024, levels have been persistently hovering aroun d 1,057 feet since May of 2025. The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) projects that there is a 53 percent likelihood that Lake Mead elevation could fall below 1,035 feet, which would trigger water shortages for MET under the current operating guidelines. As of August 2025, Lake Mead storage was approximately 31 percent of capacity per USBR’s 24-Month Study, which also projected continued Lower Basin shortage conditions in 2026 (MET, 2025).

The current operating guidelines for the Colorado River expire at the end of 2026, and a new, long -term operating plan must be in place by November 2026 to manage the river’s water supply. The ongoing Colorado River allocation negotiations are focused on creating a post-2026 operating plan, with states 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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and the federal government aiming for consensus on how to manage the river’s declining water supply due to the severe, prolonged drought in the Colorado River Basin. The drought on the Colorado River began around 2000 and has continued, in various degrees of severity, for over two decades, making it a historic megadrought that has significantly reduced water flow into the river and lowered water levels in reservoirs like Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Although some periods, like the wet winter of 2023, brought temporary relief with increased snowfall, they were not enough to fully replenish the system or overcome the prolonged lack of water and effects of climate change, such as aridification and increased evaporation according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS, 2024). Under the 2007 Interim Guidelines, together with the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (2019), the Intentionally Created Surplus (ICS) program has allowed MET to store conserved water in Lake Mead for subsequent recovery; these frameworks sunset with the Guidelines at the end of 2026 and are expected to be addressed in the post-2026 rules (MET, 2025).

The USBR, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the federal agency leading the negotiations and responsible for managing the river system. The ongoing Colorado River negotiations aim to find a fair and sustainable way to allocate the available water, which is significantly less than in the past. Talks are centering on a “natural flow” proposal that divides water based on current river conditions, rather than historical allocations. However, states remain at odds over how much water to all ocate to the Upper and Lower Basins, with the federal government planning to impose its own plan if an agreement is not reached by the November 2026 deadline. Some key challenges that remain to be resolved are the different interests of the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico) and the Lower Basin states (California, Arizona, Nevada) to reach consensus on how much water the Upper Basin should send downstream. In addition, Tribal nations are also seeking recognition of their rights and a r ole in the future management of the river. Given MET’s junior priority status within California’s Colorado River priority system, reductions to MET’s supplies are a possibility under future operating criteria; MET’s planning reflects this risk (MET, 2025).

Consistent with MET’s 2025 UWMP, supply capability planning uses USBR’s August 2023 Colorado River Simulation System (CRSS) assumptions, including a climate-adjusted flow reduction factor of approximately 9.3 percent per 1°C of warming over the planning horizon (2025– 2050). MET continues to utilize supply, storage, transfer, and conservation programs, including ICS participation under the current Guidelines, to manage risk and buffer shortages. In addition, conserved QSA-related transfer water delivered at Lake Havasu (including Imperial Irrigation District and canal-lining exchanges) is categorized in MET’s 2025 UWMP as Colorado River imported supply (previously treated as local supply), aligning accounting with current practice (MET, 2025).

6.2.2.3 MET Colorado River Current Programs
Over the years, MET has helped fund and implement various programs to improve Colorado River supply reliability and help resolve the imbalance between supply and demand. Implementation of such programs has contributed to achievements such as a record-low diversion of the Colorado River in 2019, a level not seen since the 1950s. Colorado River water management programs include:
 Lower Colorado Water Supply Projects – Authorized in 1980s, this project provides up to 10,000 AFY of water to certain entities that do not have or have insufficient rights to use Colorado River water. A contract executed in 2007 allowed MET to receive project water left unused by the 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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project contractors along the River – nearly 10,000 acre-feet (AF) were received in recent years when unused supplies were available.
 Imperial Irrigation District / MET Conservation Program – Under agreements executed in 1988 and 1989, this program allows MET to fund water efficiency improvements within Imperial Irrigation District’s service area in return for the right to divert the water conserved by those investments. An average of 105,000 AFY of water has been conserved since the program’s implementation.  Management of MET-Owned Land in Palo Verde – Since 2001, MET has acquired approximately 21,000 acres of irrigable farmland that are leased to growers, with incentives to grow low water -using crops and experiment with low water-consumption practices. MET continues to evaluate opportunities to formally account for verified long-term water savings associated with these lands as part of its Colorado River supply reliability strategy.
 Palo Verde Land Management, Crop Rotation, and Water Supply Program – Authorized in 2004, this 35-year program allows MET to pay participating farmers to reduce their water use, and for MET to receive the saved water. Over the life of the program, an average of 84,500 AFY has been saved and made available to MET.
 Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and MET Storage and Interstate Release Agreement – Entered in 2004, this agreement allows SNWA to store its unused, conserved water with MET, in exchange for MET to receive additional Colorado River water supply. MET has relied on the additional water during dry years, especially during the 2011-2016 California drought, and SNWA is not expected to call upon MET to return water until after 2026.  Lake Mead Storage Program – Executed in 2006 and subsequently integrated with Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) operations, MET may intentionally leave conserved water in Lake Mead for exclusive future use. MET has significantly expanded its use of intentionally created surplus (ICS) storage in recent years, including record storage creation (450,000 AF) in 2023 under DCP‑related conservation programs.
 Quagga Mussel Control Program – Developed in 2007, this program introduced surveillance activities and control measures to combat quagga mussels, an invasive species that impact the Colorado River’s water quality.
 Bard Seasonal Fallowing Program – Authorized in 2019, and subsequently expanded, this program allows MET to pay participating farmers in Bard to reduce their water use between the late spring and summer months of selected year. Under expanded program authorizations through 2026 (Quechan Seasonal Fallowing Program), this program can provide up to approximately 12,000 AFY in certain years.
 Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan – Signed in 2019, this agreement incentivizes storage in Lake Mead through 2026 and overall, it increases MET’s flexibility to fill the CRA as needed (MET, 2025).
 Lower Basin Conservation and System Efficiency Programs – In recent years, MET has participated in new, multi-agency conservation and system efficiency programs implemented between 2023 and 2026. These programs incentivize agricultural conservation, system efficiency improvements, urban conservation, and groundwater storage in the Lower Colorado River Basin, with the goal of reducing 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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system demands and increasing storage in Lake Mead during critically dry conditions. This includes programs such as the Quechan Diversion Forbearance program.  Exchange Programs – MET is involved in separate exchange programs with the USBR, which takes place at the Colorado River Intake and with San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), which exchanges conserved Colorado River water.

The Colorado River faces long-term challenges of water demands exceeding available supply with additional uncertainties due to climate change. Climate change impacts expected in the Colorado River Basin include the following:
 More frequent, more intense, and longer lasting droughts, which will result in water deficits .  Continued dryness in the Colorado River Basin, which will increase the likelihood of triggering a first-ever shortage in the Lower Basin.
 Increased temperatures, which will affect the percentage of precipitation that falls as rain or snow, as well as the amount and timing of mountain snowpack (MET, 2025).

Given these uncertainties, MET plans to continue implementing and expanding Colorado River conservation, storage, exchange, and transfer programs, while also supporting increased water recycling and system efficiency improvements within the Colorado River Basin. MET continues to evaluate additional transfer and conservation opportunities to further enhance regional supply reliability through the 2025 UWMP planning horizon.

6.2.3 State Water Project

6.2.3.1 Background
The SWP consists of a series of pump stations, reservoirs, aqueducts, tunnels, and power plants operated by California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and is an integral part of the effort to ensure that business and industry, urban and suburban residents, and farmers throughout much of California have sufficient water. Water from the SWP originates at Lake Oroville, which is located on the Feather River in Northern California. Much of the SWP water supply passes through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (“Delta”). The SWP is the largest state-built, multipurpose, user-financed water project in the United States. Nearly two-thirds of residents in California receive at least part of their water from the SWP, with approximately 70 percent of SWP’s contracted water supply going to urban users and 30 percent to agricultural users. The primary purpose of the SWP is to divert and store water during wet periods in Northern and Central California and distribute it to areas of need in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay area, the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, and Southern California (MET, 2025).

The Delta is key to the SWP’s ability to deliver water to its agricultural and urban contractors. All but five of the 29 SWP contractors receive water deliveries below the Delta (pumped via the Harvey O. Banks or Barker Slough pumping plants). However, the Delta faces many challenges concerning its long-term sustainability such as climate change posing a threat of increased variability in floods and droughts.

Sea level rise complicates efforts in managing salinity levels and preserving water quality in the Delta to ensure a suitable water supply for urban and agricultural use. Furthermore, other challenges include continued subsidence of Delta islands, many of which are already below sea level, and the related threat of catastrophic levee failure as water pressure increases or following a major seismic event. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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In May 2019, DWR withdrew its permit for the two-tunnel WaterFix project in favor of a smaller one-tunnel project alternative. In July 2022, the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the recommended Delta Conveyance Project alternative was issued, with the project potentially operational by 2045 (Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority, 2024), though its implementation faces strong opposition by environmental organizations and other interests in the Delta. The maximum value of the Delta Conveyance Project, when coupled with 250,000 AF of new regional storage, is estimated to be 367,000 AFY for MET, with 63,000 AFY of that amount for Orange County. The Delta Conveyance Project also reduces the probability that any shortage occurs by about 10 percent, meaning a doubling of the time between shortage conditions from once every 5 years to once every decade (MWDOC OC Water Reliability Study, 2023).

6.2.3.2 Current Conditions and Supply
Just like the Colorado River, the amount of water that can be delivered from the SWP to its 29 contractors varies annually based on hydrology and reservoir storage along the SWP. The DWR publishes the maximum entitlement of SWP water for each water contracting agency in “Table A.” DWR sets these allocations to balance the needs for human health and safety, agricultural, and municipal water, considering factors like reservoir storage, runoff forecasts, and Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements. The primary drivers that influence allocations are hydrologic conditions (precipitation and snowmelt) along with storage levels, especially in Lake Oroville. Actual deliveries typically average less than 50 percent of Table A due to hydrologic and regulatory constraints (MET, 2025). MET’s actual annual allocations based on springtime Table A values for the past UWMP cycles are summarized in Table 6.3.

Table 6.3 MET SWP Program Capabilities
Year Average Annual Table A Spring Allocation (MAF)
2015 0.38
2020 0.38
2025 0.96
Percent Change* +252.6%
Notes:
(1) Percent change is between the years 2020 and 2025. Source: SWP Allocations 1996-2026 SWP contractors may additionally receive Article 21 water on a short-term basis in addition to Table A water if requested. Article 21 of SWP contracts allows contractors to receive additional water deliveries only under specific conditions, generally during wet months of the year (December through March).

Because a SWP contractor must have an immediate use for Article 21 supply or a place to store it outside of the SWP, there are few contractors like MET that can access such supplies (MET, 2025).

Carryover water is SWP water allocated to an SWP contractor and approved for delivery to the contractor in a given year but not used by the end of the year. The unused water is stored in the SWP’s share of San Luis Reservoir, when space is available, for the contractor to use in the following year (MET, 2025).

Turnback pool water is Table A water that has been allocated to SWP contractors who have exceeded their demands. This water can then be purchased by another contractor depending on its availability (MET, 2025).
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The following factors affect the ability to estimate existing and future water delivery reliability:
 Water availability at the source: Availability can be highly variable and depends on the amount and timing of rain and snow that fall in any given year. Generally, during a single dry year or two, surface and groundwater storage can supply most water deliveries, but multiple dry years can result in critically low water reserves. Fisheries issues can also restrict the operations of the export pumps even when water supplies are available.
 Water rights with priority over the SWP: Water users with prior water rights are assigned higher priority in DWR’s modeling of the SWP’s water delivery reliability, even ahead of SWP Table A water.  Climate change: Mean temperatures are predicted to vary more significantly than previously expected. This change in climate is anticipated to bring warmer winter storms that result in less snowfall at lower elevations, reducing total snowpack. From historical data, DWR pro jects that by 2050, the Sierra snowpack will be reduced from its historical average by 25 to 40 percent. Increased precipitation as rain could result in a larger number of “rain-on-snow” events, causing snow to melt earlier in the year and over fewer days than historically, affecting the availability of water for pumping by the SWP during summer. Furthermore, water quality may be adversely affected due to the anticipated increase in wildfires. Rising sea levels may result in potential pumping cutbacks on the SWP and CVP. DWR’s recent planning documents and the Draft 2025 DCR describe climate -adjusted “existing conditions” baselines and future scenarios used by agencies for UWMPs.  Regulatory restrictions on SWP Delta exports: The BiOps protect special-status species such as delta smelt and spring- and winter-run Chinook salmon and imposed substantial constraints on Delta water supply operations through requirements for Delta inflow and outflow and export pumping restrictions. Restrictions on SWP operations imposed by state and federal agencies contribute substantially to the challenge of accurately determining the SWP’s water delivery reliability in any given year (DWR, 2020b).
 Ongoing environmental and policy planning efforts: Following the 2019 withdrawal of WaterFix, DWR certified the Delta Conveyance Project Final EIR and approved the Bethany alignment in December 2023, a key modernization initiative for the SWP. EcoRestore and related habitat efforts continue to advance.
 Delta levee failure: The levees are vulnerable to failure because most original levees were simply built with soils dredged from nearby channels and were not engineered. A breach of one or more levees and island flooding could affect Delta water quality and SWP operations for several months.

When islands are flooded, DWR may need to drastically decrease or even cease SWP Delta exports to evaluate damage caused by salinity in the Delta.

It can be concluded that the federal regulatory framework affecting the Bay-Delta's ecosystem, species, and water supply are constantly evolving by adapting to new scientific information, changing climate conditions, and legal challenges. This dynamic and complex regulatory landscape, along with hydrologic and storage conditions along the SWP, continues to result in water supply uncertainties that impact all SWP contractors, including MET, MWDOC, and its member agencies (MET, 2025).

6.2.3.3 SWP Programs/Plans
In the past five years, MET has updated and implemented planning, regulatory, infrastructure, and operational programs to improve the reliability of the SWP supplies while addressing environmental, 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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seismic, and climate-related risks in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and along the California Aqueduct.

Key SWP programs and planning efforts include:
 SWP Biological Opinions and California Incidental Take Permit – Updated federal Biological Opinions and a California ITP issued in 2024 provide a new operating framework intended to improve flexibility and species protection. The 2025 MET UWMP characterizes the net reliability benefit at approximately +60,000 AFY relative to prior permits, subject to hydrologic and regulatory conditions.  Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) Voluntary Agreements – MET supports the State’s proposed HRL program, which establishes a voluntary framework for improving Delta ecosystem conditions through coordinated flow contributions and habitat restoration projects. The HRL approach is intended to provide regulatory stability while supporting environmental objectives consistent with SWP operations.

6.2.4 Storage, Transfers, and Conveyance Programs
Storage is a major component of MET’s dry year resource management strategy. MET’s likelihood of having adequate supply capability to meet projected demands, without implementing its Water Supply Allocation Plan (WSAP) depends on its storage resources. Following a significant drawdown during the 2020–2022 drought, MET rebuilt storage as hydrologic conditions improved. By the end of 2023, MET had approximately 3.4 MAF of regional dry-year storage. Storage increased to 3.8 MAF by the end of 2024, with levels projected to reach approximately 3.9 MAF by the end of 2025. MET also maintains approximately 750 TAF of emergency storage dedicated to catastrophic supply interruption conditions, including a major seismic failure of the Delta levees.

In its 2025 UWMP, MET evaluates storage based on median starting storage at the beginning of each five-year increment, representing a 50 percent probability that actual storage will be higher or lower. This approach differs from earlier UWMPs, which relied on average storage assumptions, and provides a more conservative and realistic representation of storage availability. All storage capability values incorporate conveyance and recovery constraints associated with SWP terminal reservoirs, the CRA, and MET ’s in-region and out-of-region groundwater banking programs.

Lake Oroville continues to serve as the SWP’s largest storage facility with a capacity of approximately

3.5 MAF. Water released from Oroville moves to the Feather River and then to the Sacramento River before being pumped south at the Harvey O. Banks pumping plant into the California Aqueduct. MET ’s storage portfolio includes surface reservoirs such as Diamond Valley Lake, Lake Mathews, and Lake Skinner; SWP terminal storage in San Luis Reservoir; groundwater banking programs including Semitropic, Arvin-Edison, the High Desert Water Bank, Kern Delta, and Mojave; and ICS storage in Lake Mead. These storage assets provide operational flexibility during dry years and help maintain supplies during extended droughts or emergency events.

MET endeavors to increase the reliability of water supplies through the development of flexible storage and transfer programs including groundwater storage (MET, 2025). These include:
 Antelope Valley-East Kern (AVEK) Water Agency Exchange and Storage Program: Under the exchange program, for every 2 AF MET receives, MET returns 1 AF back to AVEK, and MET will also be able to store up to 30,000 AF in the AVEK’s groundwater basin, with a dry-year return capability of 10,000 AF.
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 Arvin-Edison Storage Program: The storage program is estimated to deliver 75,000 AF, and the specific amount of water MET can expect to store in and subsequently receive from the program depends on hydrologic conditions and any regulatory requirements restricting MET’s ability to export water for storage. During wet years, MET has the discretion to use to program to store portions of its SWP supplies which are in excess, and during dry years, the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District returns MET’s previously stored water to MET by direct groundwater pump-in or by exchange of surface water supplies.
 Diamond Valley Lake to Rialto Pipeline – Planned for completion in 2028, this project creates new conveyance that improves the ability to move non-SWP supplies (120 cubic feet per second (cfs), including CRA and banked water) into areas historically dependent on SWP deliveries, increasing drought and seismic resilience.
 High Desert Water Bank Program: Developed in partnership with AVEK, this regional groundwater banking program allows MET to store up to 280,000 AF of SWP Table A or other available supplies in the Antelope Valley groundwater basin. The program provides a put-and-take capability of up to approximately 70,000 AFY, with infrastructure including monitoring and production wells, California Aqueduct turnouts, pipelines, recharge basins, and pump facilities. Phase 1 became operational in 2023, with full build-out expected by approximately 2030.  Kern-Delta Water District Storage Program: This groundwater storage program has 250,000 AF of storage capacity, and water for storage can either be directly recharged into the groundwater basin or delivered to Kern-Delta Water District farmers in lieu of pumping groundwater. During dry years, the Kern-Delta Water District returns MET’s previously stored water to MET by direct groundwater pump-in return or by exchange of surface water supplies.  Mojave Storage Program: MET entered into a groundwater banking and exchange transfer agreement with Mojave Water Agency that allows for the cumulative storage of up to 390,000 AF. The agreement allows for MET to store water in an exchange account for later return.  Richvale & Western Canal Water Transfers – These multi-year transfer options will provide supplemental dry-year supplies when available, with volumes up to approximately 54,000 AF (2025-2027).
 San Bernardino Valley MWD Surplus SWP Program – Programmatic access to surplus SWP supplies (approximately 13 TAF) will be available from SBVMWD under certain hydrologic and operational conditions.
 Semitropic Storage Program: The maximum storage capacity of the program is 350,000 AF, and the minimum and maximum annual yields available to MET are 34,700 AF and 236,200 AF, respectively.

The specific amount of water MET can expect to store in and subsequently receive from the pro gram depends on hydrologic conditions, any regulatory requirements restricting MET’s ability to export water for storage and demands placed by other program participants. During wet years, MET has the discretion to use the program to store portions of its SWP supplies which are in excess, and during dry years, the Semitropic Water Storage District returns MET’s previously stored water to MET by direct groundwater pump-in or by exchange of surface water supplies. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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 Sepulveda Feeder Pump Stations (Stage 1) – This program includes pumping improvements that expand westward movement of CRA/SWP/banked supplies across service areas to address localized system constraints. Pumping capacity is expected to be 30 cfs upon completion of Stage 1 in 2027.  Yuba Accord Extension – This project is a continuation of an established dry-year transfer program from the Yuba watershed that can be accessed subject to hydrologic and regulatory conditions. As of 2025, the extension is under negotiation for approximately 250,000 AFY in supply.

6.2.5 Potential Future Water Projects

6.2.5.1 Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water
In February 2023, MET’s Board directed its staff to integrate water resources planning, climate resilience planning, and financial planning into a Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water (CAMP4W). Then a Joint Task Force of Board Members and Member Agency Managers was convened to facilitate the development of CAMP4W in a timely and transparent process. The main elements of CAMP4W include:
 Identify climate and growth scenarios, building from analyses conducted for MET’s Integrated Resources Plan (IRP).
 Develop time-bound targets for new regional water supplies and system improvements.  Establish a framework for decision-making and annual reporting.  Form policies, initiatives, and partnerships.
 Evaluate business models and funding strategies.

Because investments required for regional supply reliability and system resilience are significant, it is important that decisions are made through an adaptive management process to avoid the risks associated with over-investment or under-performance. Tracking signposts and progress towards time-bound targets is therefore critical for CAMP4’s annual reporting. Currently, regional projects being explored by MET include Pure Water Southern California, new reservoir storage in Southern California of up to 155,000 AFY, regional seawater desalination, and participation in California’s Delta Conveyance Project.

These projects will be scored against the following CAMP4W criteria: (1) reliability; (2) resilience; (3) financial; (4) adaptability/flexibility; (5) equity; and (6) environmental co-benefits.

Pure Water Southern California – The potential Pure Water Southern California program, a partnership with the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, would purify wastewater treatment effluent that currently flows to the ocean to produce high quality recycled water. The purified water would be delivered to Metropolitan’s member agencies to meet their groundwater replenishment and storage requirements .

It should be noted that the 2025 MET UWMP does not include Pure Water yield in projected supplies (MET, 2025).

Sites Reservoir – This potential project includes a water storage reservoir of 1.5 MAF and would require the construction of two large dams up to 310 feet high and nine smaller saddle dams. The water stored in the reservoir, located north of Sacramento, would be diverted from the Sacramento River during high flow events and returned to the Sacramento River during dry and critical years, thereby providing additional dry-year water for environmental flows and project partners including SWP agencies south of t he Delta.

The current operations model estimates the annual water yield of the Sites Reservoir Project at approximately 270,000 AFY by 2032, when the Sites Reservoir Project is scheduled to be operational (MET, 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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2025). It should be noted that the 2025 MET UWMP does not include Sites Reservoir in projected supplies (MET, 2025).

Delta Conveyance Project – Following DWR’s withdrawal and subsequent termination of the California WaterFix project, the State advanced a new single-tunnel Delta Conveyance Project to address seismic risk, sea-level rise, extreme weather, and regulatory uncertainty while improving long -term SWP delivery reliability. The environmental review was completed in 2023 and DWR has approved the project. Potential yield used in planning analyses is on the order of approximately 400,000 AFY. It should be noted that the 2025 MET UWMP does not include Delta Conveyance Project yield in projected supplies pending future milestones and contracting decisions (MET, 2025).

6.2.6 Supply Reliability within MET
MET’s 2025 UWMP reports on its water reliability and identifies projected supplies to meet the long -term demand within its service area. The MET 2025 UWMP discusses the current water supply conditions and long-term plans for supply implementation and continued development of a diversified resource mix.

It describes the programs being implemented, such as the CRA, SWP, Central Valley storage/transfer programs, water use efficiency programs, local resource projects, and in-region storage that will enable the region to meet its water supply needs. MET’s 2025 UWMP also presents MET’s supply capacities from 2025 through 2050 for average year, single dry year, five consecutive dry years, and more frequent and severe droughts, as specified in the UWMP Act.

Information concerning MET’s UWMP, including the background, associated challenges, and long -term development of programs for each of MET’s supply sources and capacities have been summarized and included in the following subsections. Additional information on MET can be found directly in MET’s 2025 UWMP.

6.2.6.1 MET’s Water Service Reliability Assessment Results In MET’s 2025 UWMP, MET evaluated supply reliability by projecting supply and demand under a normal year, single-dry year, and five-year consecutive dry years, based on conditions affecting the SWP (MET’s largest and most variable supply). For this supply source, the average of 100 historical years 1922-2021 most closely represents water supply conditions in a normal water year, the single driest year was 1977 and the five-year dry period was 1988-1992. The analyses also include Colorado River supplies under the same hydrological variations.

MET also incorporated the SWP and Colorado River’s reliability factors, such as water quality objectives set by the SWRCB, BiOps, and amendments to the Coordinated Operations Agreement for the SWP and Quantification Settlement Agreements for the Colorado River into their assessment.

MET has concluded that the region can provide reliable water supplies under normal, single -dry, and five-year consecutive dry conditions as presented in Table 6.4, Table 6.5, and Table 6.6, respectively.

In each of the following tables, “Current Programs” supplies include:
 In-Region Supplies and Programs:
» Metropolitan Surface Storage (Diamond Valley Lake, Lake Mathews, Lake Skinner). » Flexible Storage in Castaic Lake and Perris Lake.
» Groundwater Storage for Conjunctive Use.
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 California Aqueduct (SWP), including Central Valley transfers and storage program supplies conveyed by the aqueduct.
 Colorado River Aqueduct, including deliveries, programs, and exchanges with SDCWA .

These supplies are impacted - typically reduced - by the single dry year and multiple dry year scenarios.

Though demands increase in these drought conditions, MET projects reliable supply, even surplus, through 2050. MWDOC is a MET member agency, and MET’s projections take into account the imported demands from Orange County. As so, MET’s water reliability assessments are used to determine that demands within MWDOC can be met for all three hydrological conditions.

Table 6.4 MET’s Projected Supply Capability and Demands through 2050 for a Normal Year

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Table 6.5 MET’s Projected Supply Capability and Demands through 2050 for a Single Dry Year

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Table 6.6 MET’s Projected Supply Capability and Demands through 2050 for a Drought (5 Consecutive Water Years)

6.2.6.2 MET’s Drought Risk Assessment Results
For its Drought Risk Assessment (DRA), MET assessed the reliability of each individual water supply source over the five-consecutive-year drought through a modeling method using the same historical hydrologic conditions as the water service reliability assessment: 1922 to 2021. MET used the five consecutive years of 1988 to 1992 to complete its DRA, because this represents the driest five-consecutive year historical sequence for MET’s supply. As shown in Table 6.7, MET’s total supplies are insufficient to fully meet projected demands under these drought conditions, resulting in annual shortfalls in four of the five years and a cumulative deficit of approximately 1.1 MAF by FY 2029–30. These results indicate that MET’s SWP and CRA supplies alone cannot meet demands during this five‑year drought period without additional

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actions. MET’s 2025 UWMP therefore identifies Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) action s, as necessary tools to close the deficit and maintain service through the modeled drought sequence (Table 6.7).

Table 6.7 MET’s Water Use, Supply, and Drought Risk Assessment for 2026-2030

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6.3 Local Groundwater
Among all local supplies available to the City’s service area, groundwater supplies make up the majority, with the primary supply from the Orange County Groundwater Basin (OC Basin). The water supply resources within the City’s service area are enhanced by the existence of groundwater basins, which provide a reliable local source and, additionally, are used as reservoirs to store water during wet years and draw from storage during dry years. Table 6.8 shows a breakdown of historical groundwater production by the City.

This section describes the groundwater basin(s) used by the City and provides a 25-year projection of the service area’s groundwater supply.

Table 6.8 Groundwater Pumped in the past 5 Years within the City’s Service Area (AF) Submittal Table 6-1 Retail: Groundwater Volume Pumped
Water Code Section 10631(4) and 10631(4)(c)
Groundwater Type
Water Type
(Potable/Non-
Potable)
(OPTIONAL)
Location or
Basin Name
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
(AF) (AF) (AF) (AF) (AF)
Add additional rows as needed
Alluvial Basin
Orange County
Groundwater
Basin
23,448 21,329 19,900 20,064 21,641
Total 23,448 21,329 19,900 20,064 21,641
NOTES: Source – MWDOC, 2025

6.3.1 Orange County Groundwater Basin
This section describes the OC Basin and the management measures taken by OCWD, the basin manager and member agency of MWDOC, to optimize local supply and minimize overdraft.

The OCWD was formed in 1933 by a special legislative act of the California State Legislature to protect and manage the County's vast, natural, groundwater supply using the best available technology and defend its water rights to the OC Basin. This legislation is found in the State of California Statutes, Water – Uncodified Acts, Act 5683, as amended. The OC Basin is managed by OCWD under the Act, which functions as a statutorily-imposed physical solution. The OCWD Management Area includes approximately 89 percent of the land area of the OC Basin, and 98 percent of all groundwater production occurs within the area. Approximately 2.5 million residents live within OCWD’s boundaries and rely upon the basin for their primary water supply. OCWD manages water resource monitoring programs, land use elements related to basin management, groundwater elevation, groundwater quality, and coastal area monitoring through a number of monitoring programs. OCWD monitors the basin by collecting groundwater elevation and quality data from approximately 400 District-owned wells and manages an electronic database that stores water elevation, water quality, production, recharge, and other data on over 2,000 wells and facilities within and outside OCWD boundaries (OCWD, 2023). For detailed monitoring programs and management information, refer to the 2017 Basin 8-1 Alternative (Appendix D). 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Groundwater levels are managed within a safe basin operating range to protect the long -term sustainability of the OC Basin and to protect against land subsidence. OCWD, a member of agency of MWDOC, purchases untreated water from MET for basin recharge, as needed. In addition, OCWD regulates groundwater levels in the OC Basin by regulating the annual amount of pumping and setting the Basin Production Percentage (BPP) for the water year. As defined in the District Act, the BPP is the ratio of water produced from groundwater supplies within the OCWD service area to all water produced within the area from both supplemental sources and groundwater within the OCWD (OCWD, 2020a).

More information regarding the BPP is discussed in Section 6.3.1.3.

6.3.1.1 Basin Characteristics
The OC Basin underlies the northern half of Orange County beneath broad lowlands. The OC Basin, managed by OCWD, covers an area of approximately 350 square miles, bordered by the Coyote and Chino Hills to the north, the Santa Ana Mountains to the northeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. The OC Basin boundary extends to the Orange County-Los Angeles Line to the northwest, where groundwater flows across the county line into the Central Groundwater Basin of Los Angeles County. A map of the OC Basin is shown on Figure 6.4. The total thickness of sedimentary rocks in the OC Basin is over 20,000 feet, with only the upper 2,000 to 4,000 feet containing fresh water. The OC Basin’s estimated full storage volume is approximately 66 MAF.

There are three major aquifer systems that have been subdivided by OCWD, the Shallow Aquifer System, the Principal Aquifer System, and the Deep Aquifer System. These three aquifer systems are hydraulically connected as groundwater is able to flow between each other through intervening aquitards or discontinuities in the aquitards. The Shallow Aquifer system occurs from the surface to approximately 250 feet below ground surface. Most of the groundwater from this aquifer system is pumped by small water systems for industrial and agricultural use. The Principal Aquifer system occurs at depths between 200 and 1,300 feet below ground surface. Over 90 percent of groundwater production is from wells that are screened within the Principal Aquifer system. Only a minor amount of groundwater is pumped from the Deep Aquifer system, which underlies the Principal Aquifer system and is up to 2,000 feet deep in the center of the OC Basin.
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Figure 6.4 Map of the OC Basin (Source: OCWD, 2022)

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6.3.1.2 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
In 2014, the State of California adopted the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to help manage its groundwater sustainably and limit adverse effects such as significant groundwater-level declines, land subsidence, and water quality degradation. SGMA requires all high- and medium-priority basins, as designated by DWR, to be sustainably managed. DWR designated the Coastal Plain of OC Basin as a medium-priority basin, primarily due to heavy reliance on the OC Basin’s groundwater as a source of water supply. Compliance with SGMA can be achieved in one of the following two way s (OCWD, 2023):

1. A Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is formed and a GSP is adopted.

2. Special Act Districts created by statute, such as OCWD, and other agencies may prepare and submit an Alternative to a GSP.

The agencies within Basin 8-1, OCWD and La Habra, collaborated to submit the original Alternative to a GSP in 2017, titled the “Basin 8-1 Alternative” to meet SGMA compliance. Under SGMA, alternatives must undergo periodic review and updating at 5-year intervals, analogous to GSP updates. OCWD prepared its first such periodic update, the 2022 update to the Basin 8-1 Alternative, and submitted it around January 2022.

6.3.1.3 Basin Production Percentage
Background
The OC Basin is not adjudicated and as such, pumping from the OC Basin is managed through a process that uses financial incentives to encourage groundwater producers to pump a sustainable amount of water. The framework for the financial incentives is based on establishing the BPP, the percentage of each Producer’s total water supply that comes from groundwater pumped from the OC Basin. Groundwater production at or below the BPP is assessed the Replenishment Assessment (RA). While there is no legal limit as to how much an agency pumps from the OC Basin, there is a financial disincentive to pump above the BPP. The BPP is set uniformly for all Producers by OCWD on an annual basis. Agencies that pump above the BPP are charged the RA plus the Basin Equity Assessment (BEA). The BEA is presently calculated so that the cost of groundwater production is equivalent to the cost of importing potable water supplies.

This approach serves to discourage, but not eliminate, production above the BPP, and the BEA can be increased to discourage production above the BPP if necessary.

The BPP is set based on groundwater conditions, availability of imported water supplies, and Basin management objectives. The supplies available for recharge must be estimated for a given year. The supplies of recharge water that are estimated are: 1) Santa Ana River stormflow, 2) natural incidental recharge, 3) Santa Ana River baseflow, 4) GWRS supplies, and 5) other supplies such as imported water and recycled water purchased for the Alamitos Barrier. The BPP is a major factor in determining the cost of groundwater production from the OC Basin for that year. For the 2025–26 water year, OCWD is set to maintain a BPP of 85 percent. Under normal hydrologic conditions, groundwater production could reach approximately 315,000 AFY; however, OCWD anticipates groundwater production during 2025–26 will be approximately 297,000 AFY due to PFAS related impacts that continue to limit well availability across several producers.
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BPP Adjustments for Basin Management
OCWD has established management guidelines that are used to establish future BPPs, as seen in Table 6.9. Raising or lowering the BPP allows OCWD to manage the amount of pumping from the basin.

OCWD has a policy to manage the groundwater basin within a sustainable range to avoid adverse impacts to the basin. OCWD seeks to maintain some available storage space in the basin to maximize surface water recharge when such supplies are available, especially in relatively wet years. By keeping the basin relatively full during wet years, and for as long as possible in years with near-normal recharge, the maximum amount of groundwater could be maintained in storage to support pumping in future drought conditions. During dry hydrologic years, when less water is available for recharge, the BPP could be lowered to maintain groundwater storage levels. A component of OCWD’s BPP policy is to manage the groundwater basin so that the BPP will not fluctuate more than 5 percent from year to year.

The OCWD’s GWRS came online in 2008 with a capacity of approximately 70 million gallons per day (mgd) and was expanded to 100 mgd in 2015. In 2023, it was expanded again to a final capacity of 130 mgd. The GWRS provides a resilient local water supply that recharges the Orange County groundwater basin with advanced treated wastewater. The additional yield supported OCWD’s move to raise the BPP from the long-standing ~77 percent level prior to 2023 to 85 percent beginning in February 2023. Monthly water-resources reports show agencies achieving 86 percent-88 percent pumping shares after the final expansion in late-2024 to early-2025, reflecting how GWRS production has enabled higher local reliance over the last decade, along with the relatively low water demands of approximately 400,000 AFY .

Modeling and forecasts generate estimates based on historical averages. Consequently, forecasts use average hydrologic conditions, which smooth the dynamic and unpredictable local hydrology. Variations in local hydrology are the most significant impact to supplies of water available to recharge the groundwater basin.

The current BPP of 85 percent is based on modeling of average annual rainfall weather patterns and estimated groundwater recharge volumes. If OCWD were to experience a relatively dry period, the BPP could be reduced to maintain water storage levels, by as much as 5 percent.

Table 6.9 Management Actions Based on Changes in Groundwater Storage Available Storage Space(1) Basin Management Action to Consider Less than 100,000 AF Raise BPP
100,000 to 300,000 AF Maintain and / or raise BPP towards 85% goal 300,000 to 350,000 AF Seek additional supplies to refill basin and / or lower the BPP
Greater than 350,000 AF Seek additional supplies to refill basin and lower the BPP Notes:
(1) Amount below full basin condition.

Basin Equity Assessment Exemptions
In some cases, OCWD encourages treating and pumping groundwater that does not meet drinking water standards to protect water quality. This is achieved by using a financial incentive called the BEA Exemption. A BEA Exemption is used to promote beneficial uses of poor-quality groundwater and reduce or prevent the spread of poor-quality groundwater into non-degraded aquifer zones. OCWD uses a partial or total exemption of the BEA to compensate a qualified participating agency or Producer for the costs of treating poor quality groundwater, which typically include capital, interest and operations and 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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maintenance costs for treatment facilities (City of La Habra et al., 2017). Similarly, for proactive water quality management, OCWD exempts a portion of the BEA for their Coastal Pumping Transfer Program (CPTP). The CPTP encourages inland groundwater producers to increase pumping and coastal producers to decrease pumping to reduce the groundwater basin drawdown at the coast and protect against seawater intrusion. Inland pumpers can pump above the BPP without having to pay the full BEA for the amount pumped above the BPP (OCWD, 2015). Coastal pumpers receive BEA revenue from OCWD to assist in offsetting their additional water supply cost from taking less groundwater.

OCWD Groundwater Reliability Plan
To adapt to the substantial growth in water demands in OCWD’s management area, it is paramount to anticipate and understand future water demands and develop projects to increase future water supplies proactively to match demands. The Groundwater Reliability Plan (GRP) is a continuation of these planning efforts that estimates the OC Basin’s sustainable average annual production and extrapolates water needs of the OC Basin by combining recently completed water demand projections, and modeling of Santa Ana River flows available for recharge. These data will be used to evaluate future water supply projects and guide management of the OC Basin.

The OC Basin is unadjudicated and is therefore subject to implementation of a GSP. DWR approved an alternative to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the OC Basin. The alternative plan was submitted to DWR to meet requirements of the SGMA and demonstrate how water managers have already achieved or will achieve sustainable groundwater management. DWR received 15 alternative plans and nine were approved. The alternative report that was approved by DWR, entitled Basin 8-1 Alternative, was prepared in collaboration with the City of La Habra and Irvine Ranch Water District. OCWD has an adopted Groundwater Management Plan but elected to create a new report in a format that mirrors a GSP, which is required under SGMA.

Current water demand projections show a relatively slow increase over the 25-year planning horizon, which is generally of similar magnitude as the additional production from the GWRS since its final expansion in early 2023 to 130 mgd. This locally controlled, drought proof supply of water reduces the region’s dependance on imported water.

Historically, the Santa Ana River has served as the primary source of water to recharge the OC Basin . To determine the availability of future Santa Ana River flows, OCWD utilized surface water flow modeling of the upper watershed. Modeling was developed to predict the impacts future stormwater capture and wastewater recycling projects in the upper watershed would have on future Santa Ana River flow rates at Prado Dam. Santa Ana River base flows are expected to decrease as more water recycling projects are built in the upper watershed. OCWD continues to work closely with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to temporarily impound and slowly release up to approximately 20,000 AF of stormwater in the Prado Dam Conservation Pool. To some extent, the losses in baseflow are partially offset through the capture of additional stormwater held in the Prado Dam Conservation Pool. When available, OCWD will continue to augment groundwater recharge through the purchase of imported water through MET.

OCWD will diligently monitor and evaluate future water supply projects to sustainably manage and protect the OC Basin for future generations. Specifically, in April 2021 USACE modified the Interim Water Control Manual change (IWCM) to allow 505 ft year-round, formalizing the higher pool and associated release operations used for conservation. And in February 2025, the USACE approved a new minor deviation permitting temporary storage up to elevation 508 ft, with potential future increases evaluated to 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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510–512 ft, enabling capture of roughly 2 billion gallons more stormwater and corresponding managed release rates tailored to OCWD’s recharge capacity.

OCWD Engineer’s Report
The OCWD Engineer’s Report documents groundwater conditions and evaluates water supply and Basin utilization within OCWD’s service area. The most recent report is the 2023–24 Engineer’s Report released in February 2025. As reported, the BPP for the 2023–24 water year was established at 85 percent by the OCWD Board of Directors. The overall BPP achieved within OCWD for non‑irrigation use was 83.8 percent, with the reduced achievement attributed primarily to PFAS‑related well shutdowns. Groundwater stored in the Basin increased by 56,000 acre-feet for the 2023–24 water year, and the annual overdraft was 52,800 AF, which reflects the amount by which natural replenishment was exceeded. The increase in storage was supported by total groundwater recharge of 336,421 acre-feet, including significant contributions from supplemental water recharged by the GWRS.

For the 2025–26 water year, OCWD is proposing to maintain a BPP of 85 percent. Under normal hydrologic conditions, groundwater production could reach approximately 315,000 AF; however, OCWD anticipates groundwater production during 2025–26 will be approximately 297,000 AF due to PFAS-related impacts that continue to limit well availability across several producers.

It is estimated that approximately 8,000 AF of additional production above the BPP will be undertaken by the City of Tustin, City of Huntington Beach, Mesa Water District, and Irvine Ranch Water District to support groundwater quality improvement projects. As in prior years, groundwater produced above the BPP for these water‑quality projects will be partially or fully exempt from the Basin Equity Assessment (BEA) due to the Basin‑wide benefit of pumping and treating poor‑quality groundwater.

During the 2023–24 water year, MET untreated full‑service water supplies were available for groundwater replenishment; however, OCWD did not purchase replenishment water due to favorable Basin storage conditions. OCWD likewise does not plan to purchase untreated full‑service water for repl enishment in 2025-26.

6.3.1.4 Recharge Management
Recharging water into the OC Basin through natural and artificial means is essential to support pumping from the OC Basin. Active recharge of groundwater began in 1949, in response to increasing drawdown of the OC Basin and, consequently, the threat of seawater intrusion. The OC Basin’s primary source of recharge is supplied from the Santa Ana River, which is diverted into recharge basins and its main Orange County tributary, Santiago Creek. Other sources of recharge water include natural infiltration, recy cled water, and imported water. Natural recharge consists of subsurface inflow from local hills and mountains, infiltration of precipitation and irrigation water, recharge in small flood control channels, and groundwater underflow to and from Los Angeles County and the ocean.

Recycled water for OC Basin recharge is from two sources. The main source is the GWRS, which completed its final expansion in 2023 and now produces up to 130 mgd of advanced‑purified water for recharge at the Talbert Seawater Barrier and in the Kraemer, Miller, Miraloma, and La Palma basins. The second source is recycled water purified at the Water Replenishment District of Southern California’s (WRD) Leo J. Vande r Lans Advanced Water Treatment Facility (LVL), which provides up to 8 mgd for injection at the Alamitos Seawater Barrier (owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works). In recent 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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years, WRD’s upgrades and operations have increased the use of recycled water at the Alamitos Barrier and reduced reliance on imported supplies. Injection of recycled water into these barriers is an ongoing effort by OCWD (in coordination with WRD and Los Angeles County) to control seawater intrusion into the OC Basin; operation of the injection wells forms a hydraulic barrier to seawater intrusion.

OCWD also purchases imported water for recharge through MWDOC. Untreated imported water can be used to recharge the OC Basin through the surface recharge system at multiple locations, such as Anaheim Lake, the Santa Ana River, Irvine Lake, and San Antonio Creek, while treated imported water may be used for in‑lieu recharge when appropriate. For current planning context and detailed recharge management strategies, refer to OCWD’s most recent planning documents, including the 2024 OCWD Resilience Plan, in addition to prior foundational documents (Appendix D).

6.3.1.5 MET Imported Water for Groundwater Replenishment In the past, OCWD, MWDOC, and MET have coordinated water management to increase storage in the OC Basin when imported supplies are available for this purpose. MET’s groundwater replenishment program was discontinued on January 1, 2013, and currently MET via MWDOC sell s replenishment water to OCWD at the full-service untreated MET rate. Figure 6.5 shows MWDOC’s imported water sales to OCWD since FY 1990-91, which averages approximately 27,888 AF per year. In three of the past five water years, OCWD did not need to purchase more imported water to replenish groundwater.

Figure 6.5 MWDOC Imported Water Sales for Groundwater Replenishment

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6.3.2 Planned Future Groundwater Sources
The City plans to drill two new wells – Wells 14 and 15 – to offset the production lost from abandoned and reduced-capacity wells. Well treatment at Wells 6 and 8 are also planned to resolve nuisance odor and color issues that have caused either a reduction in production or temporary shutdown at these wells.

These projects are planned to ensure reliable local groundwater and continued drinking water safety.

These projects are further described in Section 6.9.

On a regional scale, OCWD regularly evaluates potential projects and conducts studies to review the feasibility of new projects or sources. Groundwater basin-related projects that are planned or in progress are described below:

Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) at Prado Dam – Stormwater represents a significant source of water used by OCWD to recharge the OC Basin. Much of this recharge is made possible by the capture of Santa Ana River stormflows behind Prado Dam in the Conservation Pool. FIRO represents the next generation of operating water reservoirs using the best available technology. Advances in weather and stormwater runoff forecasting hold promise to allow USACE to safely impound more stormwater while maintaining equivalent flood risk management capability behind Prado Dam. Analyses indicate that FIRO would increase average annual recharge by approximately 4,000–6,000 AFY, and up to 23,000 AF in very wet years, consistent with earlier preliminary analyses. Federal and local partners have indicated FIRO at Prado Dam is moving from technical assessment toward implementation via Water Control Manual (WCM) updates.

6.4 Surface Water

6.4.1 Existing Surface Water Sources
There are, currently, no direct surface water uses in the City’s Service area.

6.4.2 Planned Future Surface Water Sources
As of 2025, there are no planned surface water uses in the City’s service area.

6.5 Stormwater

6.5.1 Existing Stormwater Sources
There are, currently, no direct stormwater uses in the City’s Service area.

6.5.2 Planned Future Stormwater Sources
As of 2025, there are no planned stormwater uses in the City’s service area.

6.6 Wastewater and Recycled Water
The City is directly involved in wastewater services through its ownership and operation of the wastewater collection system in its service area. However, the City does not own or operate wastewater treatment facilities. The City's sewer system includes 360 miles of sewer lines ranging from 6 inches to 30 inches in 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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diameter, 10,000 manholes and 27 lift stations. The wastewater system serves approximately 200,000 customers.

Recycled water is wastewater that is treated through primary, secondary and tertiary processes and is acceptable for most non-potable water purposes such as irrigation, and commercial and industrial process water per Title 22 requirements. Recycled water opportunities have continued to grow in Southern California as public acceptance and the need to expand local water resources continues to be a priority.

Recycled water also provides a degree of flexibility and added reliability during drought conditions wh en imported water supplies are restricted. The City is indirectly involved in recycled water production, through its supply of wastewater for IPR. The following sections expand on the existing agency collaboration involved in these efforts as well as the City’s projected recycled water use over the next 25 years.

6.6.1 Agency Coordination
The City does not own or operate wastewater treatment facilities and sends all collected wastewater to OC San for treatment and disposal. OC San provides treated water to OCWD, the manager of the Orange County Groundwater Basin. OCWD is the manager of the Orange County Groundwater Basin and strives to maintain and increase the reliability of the Orange County Groundwater Basin through replenis hment with imported water, stormwater, and advanced treated wastewater. A full description of the Orange County Groundwater Basin is available in Section 6.3.1. OCWD and OC San have jointly constructed and expanded two water recycling projects to meet this goal that include: 1) OCWD Green Acres Project (GAP) and 2) OCWD GWRS.

6.6.1.1 Orange County Sanitation District
OC San collects wastewater from residential, commercial, and industrial customers in 2 0 cities, four special districts, and portions of unincorporated Orange County, totaling 479 square miles that serves more than

2.6 million residents in northwest and central Orange County (OC San, 2025). These flows include dry weather urban runoff collected from 15 diversion points and discharged into the sewer system for treatment and Santa Ana River Interceptor flows from the upper Santa Ana watershed (OC San, 2017).

OC San operates and maintains two treatment plants: Reclamation Plant No. 1, located in Fountain Valley with a capacity of 320 mgd, and Reclamation Plant No. 2 located in Huntington Beach with a capacity of 312 mgd. OC San also operates 572 miles of collection system pipelines along with 15 offsite pump stations. Approximately 150 mgd of secondary effluent undergoes advanced treatment at the GWRS facility operated by the OCWD and 7 mgd undergoes tertiary treatment at OCWD's GAP facility. Treated wastewater is discharged to the Pacific Ocean via an ocean outfall in compliance with state and federal requirements as set forth in OC San's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. OC San's ocean outfall is
120-inch diameter and extends four miles off the coast of Huntington Beach. A 78-inch diameter emergency outfall also exists that extends 1.3 miles off the coast (OC San, 2017).

OC San Reclamation Plant No. 1 - Reclamation Plant No. 1 treats raw wastewater and has a maximum treatment capacity of 320 mgd. The plant provides primary and secondary treatment and supplies secondary effluent to OCWD for further tertiary treatment at their GAP facility and advanced treatment at their GWRS. Reclamation Plant No. 1 is the only plant that provides water to OCWD fo r additional treatment and recycling. An interplant pipeline allows flows to be conveyed to Treatment Plant No. 2. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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OC San Treatment Plant No. 2 - Treatment Plant No. 2 provides primary and secondary treatment to raw wastewater and has a maximum treatment capacity of 312 mgd. All secondary effluent from their plant is discharged to the ocean through the ocean outfall.

6.6.1.2 Orange County Water District
OCWD is the manager of the OC Basin and provides water to 19 municipal water agencies and special districts. A full description of the OC Basin is available in Section 6.3.1. OCWD and OC San have jointly constructed and expanded two water recycling projects that include: 1) OCWD GAP and 2) OCWD GWRS.

OCWD GAP
OCWD owns and operates the GAP, a water recycling system that treats up to 7.5 mgd and provides 8,400 AFY of recycled water for irrigation and industrial uses. GAP provides an alternate source of water that is mainly delivered to parks, golf courses, greenbelts, cemeteries, and nurseries in the cities of Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana. Approximately 100 customer sites use GAP water, current recycled water users include Mile Square Park and Golf Courses in Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa Country Club, Chroma Systems carpet dyeing, Kaiser Permanente, and Caltrans.

OCWD GWRS
OCWD’s GWRS allows southern California to decrease its dependency on imported water and creates a local and reliable source of water. OCWD’s GWRS purifies secondary treated wastewater from OC San to levels that meet and exceed all state and federal drinking water standards. The GWRS Phase 1 plant has been operational since January 2008 and uses a three-step advanced treatment process consisting of MF, reverse osmosis (RO), and ultraviolet (UV) light with hydrogen peroxide. A portion of the treated water is injected into the seawater barrier to prevent seawater intrusion into the groundwater basin. The other portion of the water is pumped to ponds where the water percolates into deep aquifers and becomes part of Orange County’s water supply. The treatment process is described on OCWD’s website. (OCWD, GWRS, 2020).

The GWRS first began operating in 2008 producing 70 mgd and in 2015, it underwent a 30-mgd expansion. Approximately 39,200 AFY of the highly purified water is pumped into the injection wells and 72,900 AFY is pumped to the percolation ponds in the City of Anaheim where the water is naturally filtered through sand and gravel to deep aquifers of the groundwater basin. The OC Basin provides approximately 77 percent of the potable water supply for north and central Orange County. The design and construction of the first phase (78,500 AFY) of the GWRS project was jointly funded by OCWD and OC San; Phase 2 expansion (33,600 AFY) was funded solely by OCWD.

The Final Expansion of the GWRS is the third and final phase of the project and was completed in 2023.

The plant now produces 130 mgd and requires additional treated wastewater from OC San. This additional water comes from OC San’s Treatment Plant 2, which is in the City of Huntington Beach approximately 3.5 miles south of the GWRS. The Final Expansion project included expanding the existing GWRS treatment facilities, constructing new conveyance facilities at OC San Plant 2 and rehabilitating an existing pipeline between OC San Plant 2 and the GWRS. Following completion, the GWRS plant now recycles 100 percent of OC San’s reclaimable sources and produces enough water to meet the needs of over one million people.
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6.6.2 Wastewater
The City operates and maintains the local sewer collection pipes that feed into the OC San's trunk sewer system to convey wastewater to OC San's treatment plants. OC San has an extensive system of gravity flow sewers, pump stations, and pressurized sewers. OC San’s Plant No. 1 in Fountain Valley has a capacity of 320 mgd and Plant No. 2 in the City has a capacity of 312 mgd. Both plants share a common ocean outfall, but Plant No. 1 currently provides all of its secondary treated wastewater to OCWD’s GWRS for beneficial reuse. The 120-inch diameter ocean outfall extends 4 miles off the coast of the City. A 78-inch diameter emergency outfall also extends 1.3 miles off the coast. Residential homes northwest of Sunset Beach, in the area known as Surfside, have sewer flow that goes to the Sunset Beach Sanitary District, which eventually connects into the City’s sewer collection system. The Sunset Aquatic Marina also sends its sewer flow to the City’s sewer collection system. Lastly, a property at the northeast corner of Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue is within the City of Westminster, but their sewage also goes to the City.

Table 6.10 summarizes the wastewater collected by the City and transported to OC San's system in 2025.

No wastewater is treated or disposed in the City’s service area as OC San treats and disposes all the City's wastewater.

Table 6.10 Wastewater Collected within the City’s Service Area in 2025 Submittal Table 6-2 Retail: Wastewater Collected Within Service Area in 2025 Water Code Section 10633(a)
Wastewater Collection Recipient of Collected Wastewater Name of Wastewater
Collection Agency
Wastewater
Volume
Metered or
Estimated?
Volume of
Wastewater
Collected
from UWMP
Service Area
2025
Name of Wastewater
Treatment Plant (WWTP)
and Place ID Number
Is WWTP
Located
Within
UWMP Area?
(AF)
City of Huntington
Beach Estimated 16,155
OCSD Plant 1, Place ID
758392 No
OCSD Plant 2, Place ID
259158 Yes
Total Wastewater Received from
UWMP Service Area in 2025: 16,155
NOTES: Assumed return rate of 65% (City of Huntington Beach, 2015) 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Table 6.11 Wastewater Treatment and Outcomes within the City’s Service Area in 2025 Submittal Table 6-3 Retail: Wastewater Treatment and Outcomes Within UWMP Service Area in 2025
Water Code Section 10633(a)
Wastewater
Treatment
Plant Name
and Place ID
Number
Does This
Plant Treat
Wastewater
Generated
Outside the
UWMP
Service
Area?
2025
Volume of
Wastewater
Received
from UWMP
Service Area
Total
2025
Volume
of
Water
Treated
2025 Outcomes of Treated
Wastewater
Water Recycled
Outside of UWMP
Service Area
Effluent Discharge
that is not a
Permitted Recycled
Water Use
Treatment
Level
Volume Treatment
Level
Volume
(AF) (AF) (AF) (AF)
OCSD Plant
2, Place ID
259158
Yes 16,155 75,173 Tertiary 25,763
Secondary,
Disinfected
- 2.2
49,410
Total 16,155 75,173 25,763 49,410
NOTES: Source - OC San, 2026.

GWRS influent consists of the combined influent from OCSD Plant 1 and Plant 2. Typically, Plant 2 contributes ~23 mgd during normal operations. Ocean outfall includes effluent not used for reclamation, GWRS RO brine, and occasional effluent from IRWD during the wet season. The flow could be diverted from Plant 1 to Plant 2 on different occasions.

6.6.3 Current Recycled Water Uses
There are currently no direct recycled water uses within the City’s service area. For indirect use, the City also benefits from OCWD’s GWRS system that provides IPR through replenishment of Orange County Groundwater Basin with water that meets state and federal drinking water standards.

6.6.4 Projected Recycled Water Uses
As of April 2019, the State of California amended its recycled water policy to expand its numeric goal of recycled water use to 2.5 million AFY by 2030 and added annual required reporting requirements for wastewater and recycled water. The City does not have any direct non-potable uses within their service area and does not currently have the potential for non-potable reuse because of non-existent or planned recycled water infrastructure. The City will continue to supply wastewater to support the region’s IPR via GWRS.

6.6.5 Potential Recycled Water Uses
While the City recognizes the potential for beneficial reuse in their service area, there is no source of recycled water supply in proximity to the City. The City's wastewater is conveyed to OC San's regional treatment facilities where the wastewater is treated, recycled, or discharged to the ocean. Recycled water analyses performed over the years have shown that local treatment and reuse facilities are not feasible. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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The City supports the continued development of recycled water and potential uses throughout the region with OCWD’s GWRS.

6.6.6 Optimization Plan
Studies of water recycling opportunities within Southern California provide a context for promoting the development of water recycling plans. It is recognized that broad public acceptance of recycled water requires continued education and public involvement. Currently, most of the recycled water available being directed toward replenishment of the groundwater basin and improvements in groundwater quality. As a user of groundwater, the City supports the efforts of OCWD and OC San to use recycled water as a primary resource for groundwater recharge in Orange County.

6.6.6.1 Public Education
The City participates in the MWDOC public education and school education programs, which include information on water recycling. MWDOC's water use efficiency public information programs are a partnership with agencies throughout the county. Through a variety of public information programs, MWDOC reaches the public, including those in the City, with information regarding present and future water supplies, the demands for a suitable quantity and quality of water, including recycled water, and the importance of implementing water efficiency techniques and behaviors. Through MWDOC, water education programs have reached thousands of students in the City with grade-specific programs that include information on recycled water.

6.6.6.2 Financial Incentives
The implementation of recycled water projects involves a substantial upfront capital investment for planning studies, EIRs, engineering design and construction before recycled water is available to the market. The establishment of new supplemental funding sources through federal, state and regional programs now provides significant financial incentives for water agencies to develop and make use of recycled water locally. Potential sources of funding include federal, state and local funding opportunities.

These funding sources include the USBR, California Proposition 13 Water Bond, Proposition 84 and MET Local Resources Program (LRP). These funding opportunities may be sought by the City or possibly more appropriately by regional agencies. The City will continue to support seeking funding for regional water recycling projects and programs.

6.6.6.3 Optimization Plan
The City does not use recycled water, therefore, there is no need for a recycled water optimization plan. In other areas of Orange County, recycled water is used for irrigating golf courses, parks, schools, businesses, and communal landscaping, as well as for groundwater recharge. Analyses have indicated that present worth costs to incorporate recycled water within the City are not cost effective as compared to purchasing imported water from MWDOC or using groundwater. The City will continue to conduct feasibility studies for recycled water and seek out creative solutions such as funding, regulatory requirements, institutional arrangement, and public acceptance for recycled water use with MWDOC, OCWD, MET, and other cooperative agencies.
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6.7 Desalination Opportunities

6.7.1 Ocean Water Desalination
There are currently no ocean desalination opportunities within the City’s service area.

6.7.2 Groundwater Desalination
There are currently no brackish groundwater opportunities within the City’s service area.

6.8 Water Exchanges and Transfers

6.8.1 Existing Exchanges and Transfers
The City maintains three connections with MET transmission mains as follows:
 OC-9 (northeast side of City).
 OC-35 (northwest side of City.
 OC-44 (southeast side of City).

Interconnections with other agencies result in the ability to share water supplies during short term emergency situations or planned shutdowns of major imported systems. The City maintains five emergency connections with adjacent water agencies as follows:
 By Anderson Street and PCH (with Golden State Water Company).  On PCH, north of Sea Way (with Golden State Water Company).  On Garfield Avenue, east of Bushard Street (with City of Fountain Valley).  On Sugar Drive, east of Rushmoor Lane (with City of Westminster).  On Heil Ave, west of Newland (with City of Westminster).

6.8.2 Planned and Potential Exchanges and Transfers
MWDOC supports its retail agencies, such as the City, in developing both local and regional transfer and exchange opportunities that promote reliability within their systems. Examples of these future projects include:

Santa Ana River Conservation and Conjunctive Use Project – SARCCUP is a joint project established by five regional water agencies within the Santa Ana River Watershed (Eastern Municipal Water District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Western Municipal Water District, Orange County Water District, and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District). In September 2021, the participating agencies, in coordination with MET, executed a regional agreement framework establishing SARCCUP as a watershed-scale groundwater banking program to improve drought reliability across Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

In 2016, SARCCUP received $55 million in Proposition 84 funding from DWR; however, implementation has since advanced with the 2021 agreements and subsequent program updates. The overall SARCCUP program consists of three main elements: (1) Watershed-Scale Cooperative Water Banking Program; 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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(2) Water Use Efficiency—landscape design/irrigation improvements and water budget assistance; and (3) Habitat creation and Arundo donax removal within the Santa Ana River.

The Watershed-Scale Cooperative Water Banking Program is the largest component of SARCCUP. Under MET’s arrangement with San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (Valley), when Valley declares surplus SWP water and offers it to MET, MET offers at least 50 percent of an equivalent amount to SARCCUP member agencies for storage and later use in the Santa Ana River watershed, consistent with MET policy. This structure formalizes the purchase and storage pathway that had been under development and aligns with MET’s extraordinary supply policy during allocations.

Program capacity planning identifies up to ~137,000 AF of storage across six basins, including up to 36,000 AF in the Orange County Groundwater Basin for use in dry years. Stored SARCCUP supplies may be designated “extraordinary supplies” during a MET allocation if managed consistent with MET’s Water Supply Allocation Plan, thereby enhancing participating agencies’ drought reliability.

Within Orange County, extraordinary supply assignment agreements among MET , MWDOC/OCWD, and certain retail agencies (e.g., Anaheim, Fullerton, Santa Ana) document how SARCCUP extraordinary supply is assigned and delivered locally. Program implementation and participation details continue to be refined among OCWD, retail agencies, and MWDOC.

6.9 Future Water Projects
The City continually reviews practices that will provide its customers with adequate and reliable supplies.

Trained staff continue to ensure the water quality is safe and the water supply will meet present and future needs in an environmentally and economically responsible manner.

The City has identified the following future water projects. Although the City has numerous projects planned to maintain and improve the water system, there are currently no City-specific planned projects that have both a concrete timeline and a quantifiable increase in supply.

New Well 14 - A new well with a projected design capacity of around 1,500 to 2,000 gpm will be installed by Edwards Street in the Ex-NAVY Easement Right-of-Way. This project would help offset the well capacity reductions from the existing eight active wells.

New Well 15 – A new well with a projected design capacity of around 1,500 to 2,000 gpm will be installed by Goldenwest Street in the Ex-NAVY Easement Right-of-Way. This project would help offset the well capacity reductions from the existing eight active wells.

6.10 Energy Intensity
The City owns and operates a water distribution system and a wastewater collection system. This section reports the energy intensity for each system using data from CY 2024. Water and energy resources are inextricably connected. Known as the "water-energy nexus", the California Energy Commission estimates the transport and treatment of water, treatment and disposal of wastewater, and the energy used to heat and consume water account for nearly 20 percent of the total electricity and 30 percent of non-power plant related natural gas consumed in California. In 2015, California issued new rules requiring 50 percent of its power to come from renewables, along with a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Consistent with energy and water conservation, renewable energy 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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production, and GHG mitigation initiatives, the City reports the energy intensity of its water and wastewater operations.

The methodology for calculating water energy intensity outlined in Appendix O of the UWMP Guidebook was adapted from the California Institute for Energy Efficiency exploratory research study titled “Methodology for Analysis of the Energy Intensity of California’s Water Systems” (Wilkinson 2000).

The study defines water energy intensity as the total amount of energy, calculated on a whole -system basis, required for the use of a given amount of water in a specific location. UWMP reporting is limited to available energy intensity information associated with water processes occurring within an urban water supplier’s direct operational control. Operational control is defined as authority over normal business operations at the operational level. Any energy embedded in water supplies imparted by an upstream water supplier (e.g., water wholesaler) or consequently by a downstream water purveyor (e.g., retail water provider) is not included in the UWMP energy intensity tables. The City’s calculations conform to methodologies outlined in the UWMP Guidebook and Wilkinson study.

6.10.1 Water Supply Energy Intensity
In CY 2024, the City consumed 334.2 kilowatt-hour (kWh) per million gallons (MG) for water extraction and delivery (Table 6.12). The basis for calculations is provided in more detail in the following subsections.

6.10.1.1 Operational Control and Reporting Period
As described throughout the report, the City is a retail agency that relies on groundwater and imported water. Water supply energy intensity was calculated for the 2024 calendar year. This is a standard for energy and GHG reporting to the Climate Registry, California Air Resources Board and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Calendar year reporting provides consistency when assessing direct and indirect energy consumption within a larger geographical context, as fiscal year starting dates can vary between utilities and organizations.

6.10.1.2 Volume of Water Entering Processes
According to the MWDOC Compiled Water Audits, the City extracted 20,792 AF of groundwater from the OC Basin and distributed 22,880 AF of both groundwater and imported water. Water volume is based on water audit data. The Extracted volume is based on the “Volume from Own Sources” data point while water deliveries are based on “Authorized Consumption.” This calculation excludes water loss es so that the final energy intensity is based on the water that is actually delivered to customers.

6.10.1.3 Energy Consumption and Generation
According to Southern California Edison Electricity Bills, groundwater wells consumed 2,264,520 kWh of electricity and pump stations along the distribution system consumed 519,533 kWh of electricity.

Currently, the City does not generate renewable energy. Energy consumption is based on metered data.

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Table 6.12 Energy Intensity Reporting
Optional Submittal Table O-1A: Recommended Energy Reporting - SINGLE DELIVERY PRODUCT - WATER SUPPLY PROCESS APPROACH Water Delivery
Product
Retail
Potable
Deliveries
Only for Water Delivery Products Under the Urban Water Supplier's Operational Control Start Date of Reporting
Period 1/1/2024
Water Management Process Non-Consequential
Hydropower
End Date of Reporting
Period 12/31/2024
Is upstream embedded
energy included in the
values reported?
No

Units for
Water
Volume
Extract
and Divert
Place
into
Storage
Conveyance Treatment Distribution Total
Utility Hydropower Net Utility
Volume of Water Entering Process AF 20,792 0 0 0 22,880 22,880 0 22,880 Energy Consumed (kWh) N/A 2,264,520 0 0 0 519,533 2,784,053 0 2,784,053 Energy Intensity (kWh/vol. converted
to MG) N/A 334 0.0 0.0 0.0 69.7 373 0.0 373
Quantity of Self-Generated Renewable Energy
0 kWh
Data Quality (Estimate, Metered Data, Combination of Estimates and Metered Data) Combination of Estimates and Metered Data
Data Quality Narrative:

Volume of Water Entering Process: Extraction data based on MWDOC Compiled Water Audits “Volume From Own Sources” and Distribution data based on MWDOC Compiled Water Audits “Authorized Consumption.” Non- Revenue Water is not considered in this calculation – the energy efficiency is based on water delivered to customers.

Energy Consumed: Based on metered data.

Narrative:

The City of Huntington Beach relies on imported water and local groundwater to meet its customers' water needs. Operational control is limited to groundwater wells and potable water booster stations.
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6.10.2 Wastewater and Recycled Water Energy Intensity
In CY 2024, the District consumed 66.8 kWh per AF for wastewater services (Table 6.13). The basis for calculations is provided in more detail in the following subsections.

6.10.2.1 Operational Control and Reporting Period
The City’s existing sewer system is made up of a network of gravity sewers and 27 lift stations. As explained in Section 6.6, the City owns and operates wastewater lift stations but no treatment facilities.

Similar to the water supply energy intensity, wastewater energy intensity was calculated for CY 2024.

6.10.2.2 Volume of Wastewater Entering Processes
In CY 2024, the District collected and conveyed an estimated 16,155 AF of wastewater to OC San. As described earlier in this section, this estimate is based off of potable water deliveries in the service area.

6.10.2.3 Energy Consumption and Generation
According to estimates referencing Southern California Edison Electricity Bills, the City’s 27 wastewater lift stations consumed 1,079,426 kWh of electricity. There are no other wastewater facilities that are owned and operated by the District. Currently, the District does not generate renewable energy.

Table 6.13 Energy Intensity Reporting – Wastewater
Optional Submittal Table O-2: Recommended Energy Reporting - WASTEWATER

AND RECYCLED WATER
Start Date of Reporting
Period 1/1/2024 Only for Water Delivery Products Under the Urban Water Supplier's Operational Control End Date of Reporting Period 12/31/2024
Is upstream embedded
energy in the values
reported?
No Water Management Process
Units of Measure for
Water (AF) Collection /
Conveyance Treatment Discharge /
Distribution Total
Volume of Wastewater Entering Process (volume
units selected above) 16,155 0 16,155 32,310
Wastewater Energy Consumed (kWh) 1,079,426 0 0 1,079,426 Wastewater Energy Intensity (kWh/volume) 205 0.0 0.0 103 Quantity of Self-Generated Renewable Energy related to recycled water and wastewater operations 0 kWh
Data Quality
Combination of Estimates and Metered Data
Data Quality Narrative:

Volume of Water Entering Process: Estimated based on potable water consumption in the service area.

Wastewater Energy Consumed: Based on metered data.
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Optional Submittal Table O-2: Recommended Energy Reporting - WASTEWATER

AND RECYCLED WATER
Narrative:

Huntington Beach operates the local wastewater collection system but does not operate treatment facilities. Operational control is limited to a wastewater lift station in the local collection system. This table does not include downstream energy consumed to treat the wastewater, after Huntington Beach's control.

6.10.3 Key Findings and Next Steps
Calculating and disclosing direct operationally controlled energy intensities is another step towards understanding the water-energy nexus. However, much work is still needed to better understand upstream and downstream (indirect) water-energy impacts. When assessing water supply energy intensities or comparing intensities between providers, it is important to consider reporting boundaries as they do not convey the upstream embedded energy or impacts energy intensity has on downstream users. Engaging one’s upstream and downstream supply chain can guide more informed decisions that holistically benefit the environment and are mutually beneficial to engaged parties. Suggestions for further study include:
 Supply-chain engagement – The City relies on a variety of water sources for their customers. While some studies have used life cycle assessment tools to estimate energy intensities, there is a need to confirm this data. The 2025 UWMP requirement for all agencies to calculate energy intensity will help the City and neighboring agencies make more informed decisions that would benefit the region as a whole regarding the energy and water nexus. A similar analysis could be performed with upstream supply chain energy, for example, with State Project Water.  Internal benchmarking and goal setting – With a focus on energy conservation and a projected increase in water demand despite energy conservation efforts, the City’s energy intensities will likely decrease with time. Conceivably, in a case where water demand decreases, energy intensities may rise as the energy required to pump or treat is not always proportional to water delivered. In the course of exploring the water-energy nexus and pursuing renewable energy goals, there is a need to assess whether energy intensity is a meaningful indicator or if it makes sense to use a different indicator to reflect the City’s commitment to energy and water conservation. Current efforts could be expanded with the addition of a wastewater energy intensity evaluation.  Regional sustainability – Water and energy efficiency are two components of a sustainable future.

Efforts to conserve water and energy, however, may impact the social, environmental, and economic livelihood of the region. In addition to the relationship between water and energy, overtime, it may also be important to consider and assess the connection these resources have on other aspects of a sustainable future.
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CHAPTER 7 WATER SERVICE RELIABILITY AND DROUGHT

RISK ASSESSMENT
This chapter of the Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) describes the City of Huntington Beach’s water service reliability assessment for three long-term hydrological conditions: a normal year, a single dry year, and a drought period lasting five consecutive years. The Drought Risk Assessment assesses water supply reliability during a severe drought lasting the next five consecutive years, from 2026 to 2030.

Factors affecting reliability, such water quality, regulations and climate change, are also summarized in this assessment of reliability.

7.1 Water Service Reliability Overview
As part of the UWMP, every urban water supplier is required to assess the reliability of their water service to its customers under a normal year, a single dry year, and multiple dry years. The City of Huntington Beach’s water sources are from local groundwater and imported water purchased from the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC). MWDOC is one of 26 member agencies of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET), which imports water from the Colorado River through its own Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) and from Northern California through the California Aqueduct managed by the State Water Project (SWP).

MET has also invested in numerous programs and projects to augment its direct deliveries of imported water such as water transfers, groundwater banking, and use of its reservoir storage as summarized in Chapter 6. Local groundwater in the Orange County Basin is managed by the Orange County Water District (OCWD). As summarized in Chapter 6, OCWD has developed programs and projects to improve groundwater recharge and augment groundwater through recycled water, conjunctive use and water transfers. OCWD assesses groundwater conditions and sets its Basin Production Percentage (BPP), which determines how much water will be pumped from the basin year, and the Basin Equity Assessment (BEA), which is a surcharge for exceeding the BPP. Currently, the BPP is set at 85 percent. Likewise MET has also invested in numerous programs and projects to augment its direct deliveries of imported water such as water transfers, groundwater banking, and use of its reservoir storage as summarized in Chapter 6. MET’s draft 2025 UWMP demonstrates that MET will be able to meet its projected water demands for the next 25 years under normal, dry and multiple dry year conditions (MET, 2025).

In 2025, all water agencies in Orange County, in collaboration with their wholesalers, MWDOC and OCWD, developed a water demand forecast model for their service areas that estimated water demand at the individual retail water agency level. The demand model statistically correlates municipal and industrial (M&I) water use with demographic, socioeconomic, conservation, and weather variables as reported in the 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model TM (MWDOC, 2025). Because the model isolates weather, future water demand can be estimated under single and multiple-year droughts and under future climate change scenarios. The model
used a 33-year dataset (1991-2024) to estimate demand
under average (normal), single-dry year, and five consecutive dry years hydrologic conditions. Correlation coefficients between demand, temperature, and precipitation were applied to the hottest and driest 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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historical sequences to calculate high-demand scenarios, which were expressed as scaling factors relative to the 33-year average demand.

Table 7.1 Retail: Basis of Water Year Data (Reliability Assessment) OPTIONAL Submittal Table 7-1 Retail: Basis of Water Year Data (Reliability Assessment) Year Type
Base Year
If not using a
calendar year,
type in the last
year of the fiscal,
water year, or
range of years,
for example,
water year 2024-
2025, use 2025
Available Supplies if
Year Type Repeats

Check the box if quantification of available
supplies is not compatible with this table and is
provided elsewhere in the UWMP.

Location: [insert location from UWMP]
Quantification of available supplies is provided in this table as either volume only, percent only, or both.

Volume Available % of Average Supply
Average Year 1991-2024 100%
Single-Dry Year 2014 106%
Consecutive Dry Years 1st
Year 1991-2024 106%
Consecutive Dry Years 2nd
Year 1991-2024 112%
Consecutive Dry Years 3rd
Year 1991-2024 113%
Consecutive Dry Years 4th
Year 1991-2024 115%
Consecutive Dry Years 5th
Year 1991-2024 117%

7.2 Factors Affecting Water Supply Reliability
To prepare realistic water supply reliability assessments, various factors affecting reliability were considered. These include climate change and environmental requirements, regulatory changes, water quality impacts, and locally applicable criteria. In May 2025, DWR published a technical addendum to the 2023 State Water Project Delivery Capability Report (DCR) describing the impact of subsidence to future SWP deliveries. The study showed that SWP deliveries could be reduced by future subsidence. DWR recommends using the 2025 DCR to support long-term planning efforts because DWR has planned near- term fixes and is committed to restore the conveyance capacity of the California Aqueduct. MET will continue to stay informed and incorporate any suitable subsidence modeling in the future.

7.2.1 Climate Change and the Environment
Changing climate patterns are expected to shift precipitation patterns and affect water supply availability.

Unpredictable weather patterns will make water supply planning more challenging. Although climate change impacts are associated with exact timing, magnitude, and regional impacts of these temperature

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and precipitation changes, researchers have identified several areas of concern for California water planners (CAMP4W, 2025). These areas include:
 A reduction in Sierra Nevada Mountain snowpack.
 Extreme heat threatens both infrastructure and the health and safety of human lives.  Prolonged drought periods.
 Water quality issues associated with increase in wildfires.  Rising sea levels resulting in:
» Impacts to coastal groundwater basins due to seawater intrusion. » Increased risk of damage from storms, high-tide events, and the erosion of levees. » Potential pumping cutbacks to the SWP and Central Valley Project (CVP).

Other important issues of concern due to global climate change include:
 Effects on local supplies such as groundwater.
 Changes in urban and agricultural demand levels and patterns.  Alterations to power generation and pumping regime.
 Increases in ocean algal blooms affected seawater desalination supplies.

Without additional surface storage, earlier and heavier runoff will flow to the ocean instead of being held as mountain snowpack, causing California to lose more water. California therefore needs to place a strong emphasis on expanding storage.

As described in Chapter 6, the Colorado River Basin supplies have been inconsistent since about the year 2000, with precipitation near normal while runoff has been less than average in two out of every three years. Climate models are predicting a continuation of this pattern whereby hotter and drier weather conditions will result in continuing lower runoff, pushing the system toward a drying trend that is often characterized as long-term drought. Dramatic swings in annual hydrologic conditions have affected water supplies available from the SWP over the last decade. The declining ecosystem in the Delta has also led to a reduction in water supply deliveries, and operational constraints will likely continue until a long -term solution to these problems is identified and implemented (MET, 2025).

Climate change is also projected to impact future water demands. The 2025 Orange County Water Demand Model TM developed a sensitivity for the water demand forecast based on using future climate variables from a subset of 15 downscaled global climate models (GCMs) from the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Future weather variables under two climate scenarios were substituted for baseline historical average weather, with the results indicating that projected water demands under one to five consecutive dry years could be 5 percent to 17 percent greater than baseline demands (MWDOC, 2025).

7.2.2 Regulatory and Legal
Ongoing regulatory restrictions, such as those imposed by the Biological Opinions (Bi Ops) on the effects of SWP and the federal CVP operations on certain marine life, also contribute to the challenge of determining water delivery reliability. Endangered species protection and conveyance needs in the Delta have resulted in operational constraints that are particularly important because pumping restrictions impact many water resources programs – SWP supplies and additional voluntary transfers, Central Valley 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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storage and transfers, and in-region groundwater and surface water storage. BiOps protect special-status species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and imposed substantial constraints on Delta water supply operations through requirements for Delta inflow and outflow and export pumping restrictions.

In addition, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) has set water quality objectives that must be met by the SWP including minimum Delta outflows, limits on SWP and CVP Delta exports, and maximum allowable salinity level. SWRCB has implemented the new Lower San Joaquin River flow objectives from the Phase 1 Delta Plan amendments through adjudicatory (water rights) and regulatory (water quality) processes. The Lower San Joaquin River flow objectives are estimated to reduce water available for municipal water use. New litigation, listings of additional species under the ESA, or regulatory requirements imposed by the SWRCB could further adversely affect SWP operations in the future by requiring additional export reductions, releases of additional water from storage, or other operational changes impacting water supply operations.

The Colorado River 2007 Interim Guidelines governing the Lower Basin water supply shortages and the operations of Lakes Mead and Powell are set to expire in 2026, and new operating guidelines will need to be developed for 2027 and beyond. At the time of this 2025 UWMP, negotiations over the successor post-2026 guidelines are ongoing and the outcome is highly uncertain. It is anticipated that California will likely be required to reduce its supplies from the Colorado River, on average, under the new guidelines, and that as the junior priority, MET is at risk. A final EIS with a Selected Alternative is expected in the summer of 2026 with a record of decision to follow.

The difficulty and implications of environmental review, documentation, and permitting pose challenges for multi-year transfer agreements, recycled water projects, and seawater desalination plants. The timeline and roadmap for getting a permit for recycled water projects are challenging and inconsistently implemented in different regions of the state. Indirect Potable Reuse (IRP) projects face regulatory restraints such as treatment, blend water, retention time, and Basin Plan Objectives, which may limit how much recycled water can feasibly be recharged into the groundwater basins. New regulations and permitting uncertainty are also barriers to seawater desalination supplies, including updated Ocean Plan Regulations, Marine Life Protected Areas, and Once-Through Cooling Regulations (MET, 2025).

7.2.3 Water Quality
The following sub-section describes the water quality of the region’s water supplies and the measures being taken to continue delivering high-quality drinking water that meets federal and state regulations.

7.2.3.1 Imported Water
MET is responsible for providing high quality potable water throughout its service area. Over 250,000 water quality tests are performed per year on MET’s water to test for regulated contaminants and additional contaminants of concern to monitor the safety of its waters (MET, 2025). MET’s supplies originate primarily from the CRA and from the SWP. A blend of these two sources, proportional to each year’s availability of the source, is then delivered throughout MET’s service area.

Although the CRA and SWP have different water quality characteristics, MET has implemented effective treatment and management strategies to maintain high-quality water. The CRA water source contains higher Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and the SWP contains higher levels of naturally occurring organic 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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matter, lending to the formation of disinfection byproducts. To remediate the CRA’s high level of salinity and the SWP’s high level of organic matter, MET blends CRA and SWP supplies and has upgraded all its treatment facilities to include ozone treatment processes. In addition, MET has been engaged in efforts to protect its Colorado River supplies from threats of uranium, perchlorate, and chromium VI while also investigating the potential water quality impact of the following emerging contaminants:

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP), microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and 1,4-dioxane (MET, 2025).

PFAS is a group of widely used man-made “forever chemicals” that include both PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate. MET has voluntarily monitored PFAS in its source and treated waters since 2017. Most samples have shown non-detect (ND) for all tested PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS. A limited number of other PFAS—such as PFHxA, PFBA, PFPeA, PFDoA, PFTA, and PFBS, have been detected only at trace levels below their method detection limits. PFOA and PFOS have not been detected in Metropolitan’s imported or treated water supplies. Some member agencies, however, have detected these compounds in local groundwater wells, which may require treatment or source management to comply with emerging DDW regulations. As DDW and EPA establish enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS, some agencies may supplement their local supplies with increased purchases of Metropolitan water (MET, 2025).

EPA finalized the first national drinking water standards for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These standards include enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS set at 4 parts per trillion (ppt). In May 2025 the EPA announced that it would extend the compliance deadline for PFOA and PFOS from 2029 to 2031 to provide additional time for testing, planning, and installation of treatment technologies. While MET and its member agencies continue to monitor and test PFAS in imported and local sources, the delay in the federal compliance date allows additional time to evaluate treatment options, coordinate funding, and plan system upgrades necessary to meet forthcoming federal PFAS standards.

The presence of quagga mussels in water sources is a water quality concern. Quagga mussels are an invasive species that was first discovered in 2007 at Lake Mead, on the Colorado River. This species of mussels forms massive colonies in short periods of time, disrupting ecosystems and blocking water intakes. They can cause significant disruption and damage to water distribution systems. MET has had success in controlling the spread and impacts of the quagga mussels within the CRA; however, the future could require more extensive maintenance and reduced operational flexibility than current operations allow. It also resulted in MET eliminating deliveries of CRA water into Diamond Valley Lake (DVL) to keep the reservoir free from quagga mussels (MET, 2025).

In addition, Golden Mussels, another invasive species capable of disrupting pipelines and altering ecosystems, were detected in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta in October 2024 and are now spreading through the SWP. These mussels pose similar concerns due to their ability to obstruct raw water conveyance facilities and negatively affect aquatic environments. Although their presence does not typically result in violations of drinking water standards, unmanaged infestations can degrade habitats, clog infrastructure, and reduce the aesthetic and recreational value of lakes and reservoirs. State and regional agencies continue to monitor golden mussel movement and evaluate appropriate response strategies to limit their spread (MET, 2025).
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7.2.3.2 Groundwater
Groundwater is a reliable component of the water supply for Orange County, and the Orange County Water District (OCWD) manages the basin to provide long-term quality and sustainability. The basin supports a significant portion of the region’s water demands and is monitored through an extensive network of production, monitoring, and recharge wells that provide data on water levels and water quality conditions across the aquifer system.

Orange County Groundwater Basin
OCWD is responsible for managing the OC Groundwater Basin. To maintain groundwater quality, OCWD conducts an extensive monitoring program that serves to manage the OC Basin’s groundwater production, control groundwater contamination, and comply with all required laws and regulations. A network of nearly 700 groundwater wells provides OCWD a source for samples, which are tested for a variety of purposes. OCWD collects samples each month to monitor Basin water quality. The total number of water samples analyzed varies year-to-year due to regulatory requirements, conditions in the basin, and applied research and/or special study demands. These samples are collected and tested according to approved federal and state procedures as well as industry-recognized quality assurance and control protocols (City of La Habra et al., 2017). OCWD routinely tests for hundreds of regulated constituents, but the parameters discussed, PFAS, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and nitrate, are of focus because they represent the most relevant regional and regulatory considerations that influence groundwater management and long-term supply planning. These issues do not indicate that the groundwater basin is unsafe; rather, they are discussed because they are key focus areas for state agencies and water suppliers throughout Southern California.

PFAS are of particular concern for groundwater quality, and since the summer of 2019, the Division of Drinking Water (DDW) requires testing for PFAS compounds in some groundwater production wells in the OCWD area. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the established federal Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for certain PFAS compounds in drinking water, including 4 nanograms per liter (ng/L), or parts per trillion (ppt), for PFOA and PFOS. In addition, the California State Water Resources Control Board has established health-based Notification Levels (NLs) and Response Levels (RLs) for several PFAS compounds. The current NLs are 4 ng/L for PFOA and 4 ng/L for PFOS, while the RLs are 10 ng/L for PFOA and 40 ng/L for PFOS. If PFAS concentrations exceed the NL, water systems must notify their governing body; if concentrations exceed the RL, water systems are expected to take corrective actions such as removing the source from service or implementing treatment.

PFAS have been detected in the OC Basin in very tiny amounts (parts per trillion), entering primarily via the Santa Ana River whose flows infiltrate into the basin. Despite playing no role in releasing PFAS into the environment, OCWD is working with its cities and retail water districts to remove it from local water supplies in order to comply with new state and federal regulations. More than 100 wells have been impacted due to various state and federal regulations. Fifteen impacted agencies will have to te mporarily purchase more costly imported water to replace PFAS contaminated supplies. As of 2025, 53 impacted wells are back online due to close to a billion dollars being spent on state-of-the-art testing, research and piloting of different treatment systems, and design and construction of treatment plants that are now operational.

By 2025 OCWD had restored 49 wells to service with operational treatment systems, with an additional 57 wells in planning, design, or construction stages (ACWA, 2025).These systems continue to rely primarily 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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on granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion‑exchange (IX) media operated in lead–lag configuration to achieve non‑detect PFAS levels consistent with evolving state and federal regulatory standards (Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board & Orange County Water District, 2023.) Groundwater production in FY 2023–24 totaled 280,420 acre-feet, with slight increases projected over the next two years as additional treatment systems come online, showing continued reductions associated with PFAS‑impacted wells that remain offline across several agencies. Salinity is a significant water quality problem in many parts of southern California, including Orange County. Salinity is a measure of the dissolved minerals in water including both TDS and nitrates. OCWD continuously monitors the level s of TDS in wells throughout the Orange County (OC)Basin. TDS currently has a California Secondary MCL of 500 mg/L. The portions of the OC Basin with the highest levels are generally located in the cities of Irvine, Tustin, Yorba Linda, Anaheim, and Fullerton. There is also a broad area in the central portion of the OC Basin where TDS ranges from 500 to 700 mg/L. Sources of TDS include the water supplies used to recharge the OC Basin and from onsite wastewater treatment systems, also known as septic systems. The TDS concentration in the OC Basin increased on average from 415 mg/: in 2022 -23 to 432 mg/L in 2023-24 (OCWD, 2025).

Nitrates are one of the most common and widespread contaminants in groundwater supplies, originating from fertilizer use, animal feedlots, wastewater disposal systems, and other sources. The MCL for nitrate in drinking water is set at 10 mg/L. OCWD regularly monitors nitrate levels in groundwater and works with producers to treat wells that have exceeded safe levels of nitrate concentrations. OCWD manages the nitrate concentration of water recharged by its facilities to reduce nitrate concentrations in grou ndwater.

This includes the operation of the Prado Wetlands, which was designed to remove nitrogen and other pollutants from the Santa Ana River before the water is diverted to be percolated into OCWD’s surface water recharge system. Although water from the deep aquifer system is of very high quality, it is amber-colored and contains a sulfuric odor due to buried natural organic material, requiring treatment before use as drinking water. The principal aquifer, which supplies most basin pumping, occurs at depths of roughly 300–1,200 feet below ground surface (OCWD, 2025). The total volume of amber-colored groundwater in the deep system is estimated at approximately 1 MAF.

7.2.4 Locally Applicable Criteria
Within Orange County, there are no significant local applicable criteria that directly affect reliability. Over the years, the water agencies in Orange County have made tremendous efforts to integrate their systems to provide flexibility for interchanging with different sources of supply. T here are emergency agreements
in place to provide adequate supply of water in all parts of the County." In the northern part of the County, agencies can meet most of their demands from groundwater with very little limitation, except for the OCWD BPP. For the agencies in south Orange County, most of their demands are met with imported water, and their limitations are based on the capacity of their systems, which are very robust. However, if a major earthquake on the San Andreas Fault occurs, it can potentially be damaging to key water aqueducts and disrupt imported supplies to the entire Southern California for up to six months. The MET region would likely require a water-use reduction of 10-25% until the system is repaired. However, MET has taken proactive steps to handle such disruption, such as constructing DVL, which mitigates potential imp acts.

DVL, along with other local reservoirs, can store a six to twelve-month supply of emergency water (MET, 2025).
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7.3 Water Service Reliability Assessment
This section assesses the reliability of Huntington Beach’s water service to its customers. This is completed by comparing the projected long-term water demand (Chapter 4), to the projected water supply sources available to Huntington Beach (Chapter 6), in five-year increments, for a normal water year, a single dry water year, and a drought lasting five consecutive water years.

7.3.1 Normal Year Reliability
In 2025, MWDOC and OCWD in collaboration with Orange County retail agencies, developed water demand forecast models for individual retail water agencies in Orange County, as described in detail in Chapter 4. This 25-year demand forecast uses statistical models to account for demographic, socioeconomic, conservation, and weather variables (MWDOC, 2025). For normal year reliability, the demand forecast represents average weather conditions.

Huntington Beach is 100 percent reliable for normal year demands from 2025 through 2050. Huntington Beach receives imported water from MWDOC via connection to MET's regional distribution system.

Although pipeline and connection capacity rights do not guarantee the availability of water, they do guarantee the ability to convey water into the local system when it is available to the MET distribution system.

A comparison between the supply and demand for projected years between 2025 and 2050 is shown in Table 7.2. The table demonstrates that projected supplies and demands are equal in every planning year, with no anticipated surpluses or shortfalls. As stated above, the available supply will meet projected demands due to a diversified supply and conservation measures limiting and reducing imported demands in the later years. Huntington Beach ’s supplies are provided by MWDOC and Orange County Groundwater Basin. In MWDOC’s 2025 Urban Water Management Plan, they identify their wholesale supplies as 100 percent reliable under normal-year conditions (Submittal Table 7‑2; MWDOC, 2025). 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Table 7.2 Retail: Normal Year Supply and Use Comparison Submittal Table 7-2 Retail: Normal Year Supply and Use Comparison Water Code Section 10635 (a)
2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 (Opt)
(AF) (AF) (AF) (AF) (AF)
Supply totals
(autofill from Submittal
Table 6-9 R)
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Use totals
(autofill from Submittal
Table 4-2 R)
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
NOTES: This table compares the projected demand and supply volumes determined in Sections 4.3.2 and 6.1, respectively.

7.3.2 Single Dry Year Reliability
A single dry year is defined as a single year of minimal to no rainfall within a period where average precipitation is expected to occur. Orange County’s water demand projection model (described in Section 4.3.1), isolated the impacts that weather and future climate can have on water demand through the use of a statistical model. The impacts of hot/dry weather conditions are reflected as a percentage increase in water demands from the normal year condition. For a single dry year condition (FY 2013-14), the model projects a six percent increase in demand for Huntington Beach’s service area (MWDOC, 2025).

Detailed information of the model is included in Appendix E.

Huntington Beach has documented that it is 100 percent reliable for single dry year demands from 2025 through 2050. As shown in Table 7., projected single dry year supplies and demands are equal from 2030 to 2050, resulting in no anticipated shortages. This assessment incorporates a six percent increase in demand above normal-year levels and shows the significant reserves and conservation measures available within MET.
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Table 7.3 Retail: Single Dry Year Supply and Demand Comparison Submittal Table 7-3 Retail: Single Dry Year Supply and Use Comparison Water Code Section 10635(a)
2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 (Opt)
(AF) (AF) (AF) (AF) (AF)
Supply totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667 Use totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667 Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
NOTES: The single dry year projections estimate a 6% increase on imported M&I demand .

7.3.3 Multiple Dry Years Reliability
Multiple dry years are defined as five or more consecutive dry years with minimal rainfall within a period of average precipitation. Orange County water demand projection model (described in Chapter 4) isolated the impacts that weather and future climate can have on water demand through the use of a st atistical model. The impacts of hot/dry weather conditions are reflected as a percentage increase in water demands from the normal year condition. During multiple dry years, the UWMP applies dry -year adjustment factors to reflect future climate conditions and retail level water demand. These increase 6 percent in single-dry and first multiple-dry year, going up to 12, 13, 15, and 17 percent in subsequent drought years, relative to average-year demand (see Error! Reference source not found.) (MWDOC, 2025). Rather than repeating the single-dry-year factor for all five years, the five-year multi-dry-year scenario applies the year-specific dry-year adjustment factors for each consecutive year, reflecting the increasing impacts of extended drought.

Huntington Beach has demonstrated that its water supplies remain fully reliable throughout a five‑consecutive‑year dry period from 2025 through 2050. Even assuming a conservative demand increase of 6-17 percent per year for over five consecutive years, Huntington Beach is capable of meeting all customers’ demands from 2025 through 2050 (Table 7.), with significant reserves held by MET and conservation.

The table includes treated water from MET for M&I and non-M&I demands. The multiple dry-year projections estimate a six percent increase on imported M&I demand. The 2030 column assesses supply and demand for FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30; the 2035 column assesses FY 2030-31 through FY 2034-35 and so forth, to end the water service reliability assessment in FY 2045-50. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Table 7.4 Retail: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Demand Comparison Submittal Table 7-4 Retail: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Use Comparison Water Code Section 10635(a)
2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 (Opt)
(AF) (AF) (AF) (AF) (AF)
First year
Supply totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667
Use totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
Second
year
Supply totals 25,086 25,126 25,214 25,120 25,040
Use totals 25,086 25,126 25,214 25,120 25,040
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
Third year
Supply totals 25,243 25,283 25,371 25,277 25,196
Use totals 25,243 25,283 25,371 25,277 25,196
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
Fourth
year
Supply totals 25,720 25,761 25,851 25,755 25,672
Use totals 25,720 25,761 25,851 25,755 25,672
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
Fifth year
Supply totals 26,157 26,198 26,290 26,192 26,108
Use totals 26,157 26,198 26,290 26,192 26,108
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
NOTES: The 2030 column assesses supply and demand for FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30; the 2035 column assesses FY 2030-31 through FY 2034-35 and so forth, in order to end the water service reliability assessment in FY 2049-50.

7.4 Management Tools and Options
Existing and planned water management tools and options that seek to maximize local resources and results in minimizing the need to import water are described below:
 Reduced Delta Reliance: Both MWDOC and MET have demonstrated consistency with Reduced Reliance on the Delta Through Improved Regional Water Self-Reliance (Delta Plan policy WR P1) by reporting the expected outcomes for measurable reductions in supplies from the Delta. MET has improved its self-reliance through methods including water use efficiency, water recycling, stormwater capture and reuse, advanced water technologies, conjunctive use projects. Similarly, Orange County water agencies have further invested in water use efficiency, local water supply projects, and advanced water technologies to increase regional self-reliance. In the near term (2030), regional self-reliance during a normal water year for the entire MET service area is projected to increase by approximately 601 TAF compared to the 2010 baseline, an improvement equal to nearly 20 percent of projected 2030 retail demands. Looking ahead to 2050, normal year regional self-reliance is expected to grow by more than 1.0 MAF above the 2010 baseline, representing an increase of roughly 20 percent of projected 2050 retail demands (MET, 2025).
 The continued and planned use of groundwater: The water supply resources within Huntington Beach’s service area are enhanced by the existence of groundwater basins that account for the majority of local supplies available. As described in Chapter 4, the OC Basin is also used as reservoirs to store water during wet years and draw from storage during dry years, subsequently minimizing MWDOC service area’s reliance on imported water. Groundwater basins are managed within a safe 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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basin operating range so that groundwater wells are only pumped as needed to meet water use.

Although Buena Park does not manage any of the service area’s groundwater basins, as a groundwater producer, Buena Park supports the efforts to maintain the health of the local basins through local groundwater recharge efforts such as OCWD’s GWRS Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) program.
 Groundwater storage and transfer programs: OCWD’s involvement in Santa Ana River Conservation and Conjunctive Use Program (SARCCUP) includes participation in a conjunctive use program that improves water supply resiliency and increases available dry-year yield from local groundwater basins. The groundwater bank has 137,000 AF of storage (Inland Empire Utilities Agency, 2021). MET has numerous groundwater storage and transfer programs in which MET endeavors to increase the reliability of water supplies, including the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency (AVEK) Waster Agency Exchange and Storage Program and the High Desert Water Bank Program. In addition, MET has encouraged storage through its cyclic and conjunctive use programs that allow MET to deliver water into a groundwater basin in advance of agency demands, such as the Cyclic Storage Agreements under the Main San Gabriel Basin Judgement.
 MWDOC Water Loss Program: The water loss audit program reduces Huntington Beach’s dependency on imported water from the Delta by implementing water loss control technologies after assessing audit data and leak detection.
 Increased use of recycled water: OCWD’s GWRS and Green Acres Project (GAP) help southern California reduce its reliance on imported water by providing a local, reliable water supply that meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards. OCWD completed the final expansion of the GWRS in 2023 to increase production to 130 MGD, further strengthening regional water self-sufficiency.
 Implementation of demand management measures during dry periods: During dry periods, water reduction methods to be applied to the public through the retail agencies will in turn reduce Huntington Beach’s overall demand on local and imported water. Huntington Beach met its conservation target of 20 percent by 2020 as part of the Orange County Regional Alliance as well as individually.

7.5 Drought Risk Assessment
California Water Code (CWC) Section 10635(b) requires every urban water supplier to include, as part of its UWMP, a DRA for its water service as part of information considered in developing its demand management measures and water supply projects and programs. The DRA is a specific planning action that assumes Huntington Beach is experiencing a drought over the next five years and addresses water supply reliability in the context of presumed drought conditions. Together, the water service reliability assessment, DRA, and water shortage contingency planning (WSCP) allow Huntington Beach to have a comprehensive picture of its short-term and long-term water service reliability and to identify the tools to address any perceived or actual shortage conditions.

CWC Section 10612 requires the DRA to be based on the driest five-year historical sequence for Huntington Beach’s water supply. However, CWC Section 10635 also requires that the analysis consider plausible changes on projected supplies and demands due to climate change, anticipated regulatory changes, and other locally applicable criteria.
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The following sections describe the methodology and results from Huntington Beach’s DRA.

7.5.1 Methodology
As described in more detail in Chapter 4, the water demand forecasting model prepared for Huntington Beach isolated the impacts that weather and future climate can have on water demand through the use of an econometric model. In addition to weather related factors, the model incorporates explanatory variables that influence both historical and projected water use, including water price, gross domestic product (GDP), median household income, housing density, persons per household, households per account, sectoral employment mix (for CII demand), seasonal patterns, historical conservation trends, drought restrictions, and COVID19 behavioral effects. These variables allow the model to separately quantify how economic conditions, demographic shifts, land use characteristics, and institutional constraints affect demand across residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and irrigation sectors (MWDOC, 2025).

The impacts of hot/dry weather condition are reflected as a percentage increase in water demands from the average condition. For a single dry year condition (FY 2013-14), the model projects a six percent increase in demand for Huntington Beach’s service area (MWDOC, 2025). The model used a 33-year dataset (1991-2024) to estimate demand under average (normal), single-dry year, and five consecutive dry years hydrologic conditions. Correlation coefficients between demand, temperature, and precipitation were applied to the hottest and driest historical sequences to calculate high-demand scenarios, which were expressed as scaling factors relative to the 33-year average demand For Huntington Beach, the five consecutive dry year demand scenario is based on the demand model’s multiple dry year methodology. In accordance with the econometric demand model approach used to develop UWMP demand projections, a single hot/dry year was first identified based o n weather conditions that produced the greatest demand response. Consecutive dry years were then represented by applying incremental scaling factors to this single hot/dry year demand to account for the compounding effects of persistent warm and dry conditions over time. These scaling factors show long-term relationships between regional water use and multi‑year temperature and precipitation deficits and are applied sequentially to simulate second through fifth consecutive dry years. This approach is consistent with the demand modeling framework summarized in Table 7.1 and 7.5.

7.5.1.1 Water Demand Characterization
Huntington Beach’s water supplies consist of groundwater from the Orange County Groundwater Basin and purchased water from MWDOC, regardless of hydrologic conditions. As described in Chapter 6, MET’s supplies are from the Colorado River, SWP, and in-region storage. In MET’s 2025 UWMP, the Drought Risk Assessment (DRA) concluded that even without activating WSCP actions. Beyond this, MET’s DRA indicated a surplus of supplies that would be available to all of its member agencies, including MWDOC, should the need arise. Therefore, any increase in demand that is experienced in MWDOC's service area is assumed to be met by MET's water supplies.

Based on the water demand projection model discussed in more detail in Chapter 4, in a single dry year, demand is expected to increase by six percent above a normal year (see Table 7.1). Huntington Beach’s DRA conservatively assumes that a drought from FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30 is based on the FY2025 normal year supply with the five-year consecutive dry year hydrology (from Table 7.1) (MWDOC, 2025). 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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7.5.1.2 Water Supply Characterization
Huntington Beach’s assumptions for its supply capabilities are discussed and presented in 5 -year increments under its water reliability assessment in Section 7.3. For Huntington Beach’s DRA, these supply capabilities are further refined and presented annually for the years 2026 to 2030, which the Orange County Demand Model (2025) applied a historical dry-year sequence from within 1991-2024 dataset as an analog for five consecutive dry years. Groundwater is sustainably managed through the BPP and robust management measures (Section 6.3.4 and Appendix G), direct and indirect recycled water uses provide additional local supply (Section 6.6), and based on MET’s and MWDOC's UWMP, imported water is available to close any local water supply gap (Section 7.5.1). For its DRA, the model assessed the reliability of supplies available to Orange County through MET using historical supply availability under dry-year conditions. MET’s supply sources under the CR, SWP, and in-region supply categories are individually listed and discussed in detail in MET’s UWMP. Future supply capabilities for each of these supply sources are also individually tabulated in Appendix 3 of MET’s UWMP, with consideration for plausible changes on projected supplies under climate change conditions, anticipated regulatory changes, and other factors. In addition, Buena Park may benefit from MET‑implemented supply augmentation actions during regional shortages. These actions are planned and exercised by MET based on regional conditions and in accordance with the Water Supply Contingency Plan (WSCP) and are not assumed as base line or guaranteed supplies for Huntington Beach. Such actions may include the use of supplies and storage programs within the Colorado River, SWP, and in‑region storage portfolios.

7.5.2 Total Water Supply and Use Comparison
Huntington Beach’s anticipated total water use and supply under a five-year drought from FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30, are compared in Table 7.5. Huntington Beach’s assessment reveals that its supply capabilities are expected to balance with its projected water use for the next five years, from 2026 to 2030 . 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Table 7.5 Retail: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Demand Comparison Submittal Table 7-5 Retail: Five-Year Drought Risk Assessment Water Code Section 10635(b)(3)
2026 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 26,299
Total Supplies (AF) 26,299
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
2027 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 27,824
Total Supplies (AF) 27,824
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
2028 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 27,997
Total Supplies (AF) 27,997
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
2029 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 28,527
Total Supplies (AF) 28,527
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
2030 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 29,011
Total Supplies (AF) 29,011
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0

7.5.3 Water Source Reliability
Huntington Beach’s water supply portfolio is predominantly supported by the Orange County Groundwater Basin, which provides roughly 85 percent of the City’s water under the FY 2025–26 BPP and is expected to remain a reliable source through FY 2029–30. OCWD’s active basin management, such as adjusting the BPP and securing supplemental recharge supplies, helps maintain long-term groundwater reliability. Local supply is further strengthened by Huntington Beach’s use of indirect potable reuse water from OCWD’s Groundwater Replenishment System, which enhances drought resilience. While emergency interconnections with neighboring agencies are not part of the normal supply mix, they offer additional backup capacity if ever needed. Huntington Beach’s DRA concludes that available supplies meet projected demands during a modeled five-year drought, with the ability to increase MET purchases if necessary.

As detailed in Chapter 8, Huntington Beach has in place a robust WSCP and comprehensive shortage response planning efforts that include demand reduction measures and supply augmentation actions.

However, since Huntington Beach’s DRA shows a balance, no water service reliability concern is anticipated, and no shortfall mitigation measures are expected to be exercised over the next five years.

Huntington Beach and its wholesale, MWDOC, will periodically revisit its representation of the supply sources and of the gross water use estimated for each year, and will revise the DRA if needed. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 8-1
CHAPTER 8 WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY

PLANNING

8.1 Background
Water shortage contingency planning is a strategic planning process that the City of Huntington Beach (City) engages to prepare for and respond to water shortages. A water shortage is defined when water supply available is insufficient to meet the customer demand at a given point in time. This may occur due to water supply availability changes, water quality changes, and/or catastrophic events (e.g., earthquake).

The Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), included in Appendix F and summarized in this chapter, provides a water supply availability assessment and structured steps designed to respond to actual conditions. This level of detailed planning and preparation is intended to help maintain reliable supplies and reduce the impacts of supply interruptions.

The Water Code Section 10632 requires that every urban water supplier that serves more than 3,000 AFY or has more than 3,000 connections prepared adopt a standalone WSCP as part of its UWMP. The WSCP is required to plan for a greater than 50 percent supply shortage. The WSCP may require updating based on new DWR requirements every five years and will be adopted as a current update for submission to DWR by July 1, 2026.

8.2 Overview of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan
The WSCP serves as the operating manual that the City will use to prevent catastrophic service disruptions through proactive, rather than reactive, mitigation of water shortages. The WSCP defines the processes and procedures that would be deployed when shortage conditions arise so that the City’s governing body, its staff, and the public can easily identify and efficiently implement pre-determined steps to mitigate a water shortage to the level appropriate for the degree of water shortfall anticipated. The relationship between the three procedural documents related to planning for and responding to water shortages is graphically depicted in Figure 8.1.
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Figure 8.1 Purpose and Relationships of the UWMP, WSCP, and Water Shortage Response Ordinance A complete version of the City’s WSCP is provided in Appendix F and includes the steps to assess if a water shortage is occurring, and what level of demand reduction actions to trigger the most appropriate response to the water shortage conditions. The WSCP has prescriptive elements, including an analysis of water supply reliability; the drought shortage actions that align with water shortage levels that correspond to water shortage percentages ranging from 10% to greater than 50%; an estimate of pot ential to close supply gap for each measure; protocols and procedures to communicate identified actions for any current or predicted water shortage conditions; procedures for an annual water supply and demand assessment; monitoring and reporting requirements to determine customer compliance; and reevaluation and improvement procedures for evaluating the WSCP.

8.3 Summary of Water Shortage Response Strategy and Required DWR Tables
The WSCP is organized into the following three main sections with Section 3 aligned with the California Water Code Section 16032 requirements.
 Section 1 Introduction and WSCP Overview gives an overview of the WSCP fundamentals.  Section 2 Background Information provides a background on the City's water service area.  Section 3 Water Shortage Contingency Preparedness and Response Planning.  Section 3.1 Water Supply Reliability Analysis provides a summary of the water supply analysis and water reliability findings from the 2025 UWMP.
 Section 3.2 Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Procedures provide s a description of procedures to conduct and approve the AWSDA.
 Section 3.3 Six Standard Water Shortage Stages explains the WSCP's six standard water shortage levels corresponding to progressive ranges of up to 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and more than 50 percent shortages.

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 Section 3.4 Shortage Response Actions describes the WSCP's shortage response actions that align with the defined shortage levels.
 Section 3.5 Communication Protocols addresses communication protocols and procedures to inform customers, the public, interested parties, and local, regional, and state governments, regarding any current or predicted shortages and any resulting shortage response actions.  Section 3.6 Compliance and Enforcement describes customer compliance, enforcement, appeal, and exemption procedures for triggered shortage response actions.  Section 3.7 Legal Authorities describes the legal authorities that enable the City to implement and enforce its shortage response actions.
 Section 3.8 Financial Consequences of the WSCP provides a description of the financial consequences of and responses for drought conditions.
 Section 3.9 Monitoring and Reporting describes monitoring and reporting requirements and procedures that ensure appropriate data is collected, tracked, and analyzed for purposes of monitoring customer compliance and to meet state reporting requirements.  Section 3.10 WSCP Refinement Procedures addresses reevaluation and improvement procedures for monitoring and evaluating the functionality of the WSCP.  Section 3.11 Special Water Feature Distinction provides a required definition for inclusion in a WSCP per the Water Code.
 Section 3.12 Plan Adoption, Submittal, and Availability describes the process the City followed to adopt its WSCP.

The WSCP is based on adequate details of demand reduction and supply augmentation measures that are structured to match varying degrees of shortage will aim to make the relevant stakeholders understand what to expect during a water shortage situation. The City adopted water shortage levels consistent with the requirements identified in Water Code Section 10632 (a)(3)(A) (Table 8.1).

The six shortage levels the City uses in their water shortage planning and documented in their WSCP are the same as DWR’s six standard shortage levels, as indicated in Table 8.1. The water supply augmentation measures that align with each agency shortage level are described in Table 8.2 This table also estimates the extent to which that action will augment supplies to reduce the gap between supplies and demands .

The demand reduction action measures that align with each shortage level and how each measure will reduce the shortage gap between expected supplies and the shortage level is summarized in Table 8.3.

The purpose of Table 8.2 and Table 8.33 is to demonstrate the results the City can expect once shortage level actions are implemented. to deliver the expected outcomes necessary to meet the requirements of a given shortage level.
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Table 8.1 Cross-Reference for Standard vs Supplier Shortage Levels Submittal Table 8-1: Cross-reference for Standard vs Supplier Shortage Levels Water Code Section 10632(a)(3)(B)

Check the box if the Supplier uses the Standard six levels of water shortage.

Proceed to the next table.

Standard Shortage
Levels Percent Shortage Range Suppliers Shortage
Levels Percent Shortage Range
1 Up to 10%
2 Up to 20%
3 Up to 30%
4 Up to 40%
5 Up to 50%
6 >50%
NOTES:

Table 8.2 Supply Augmentation and Other Actions
Submittal Table 8-2 Retail: Supply Augmentation and Other Actions Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(A),(C) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no) Shortage
Level
Supply Augmentation Methods
and Other Actions by Water
Supplier
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool
How much is this going to
reduce the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or
Reference
(OPTIONAL)
Volume or
Percentage
Drop down
Shortage Gap
Reduction
Value
(May be a
range)
(AF)
Add additional rows as needed
1 through 6 Other Purchases Percentage 0 - 100% Additional imported water purchases through MWDOC
1 through 6 Other Purchases Percentage 0 - 100%
Additional groundwater
pumping in the Orange
County Groundwater Basin
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: Additional imported water purchases and groundwater pumping may be subject to rate penalties from MWDOC and OCWD, respectively.

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Table 8.3 Demand Reduction Actions
Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Watering or irrigation of
nonfunctional turf (NFT) on
State and local government
properties,
commercial, industrial and
institutional owned
landscapes,
homeowners' associations co
mmon area landscapes, and
local government facilities in
disadvantaged communities
(DAC) is prohibited. See Note
1 below
No
0 Other water feature or
swimming pool
restriction

Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
All decorative water features
must re-circulate water or
users must secure a waiver
from the City.

Yes
0 Other
Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Washing or hosing down
vehicles is prohibited except
by use of a hand held
container, hose with an
automatic shut off device, or
at a commercial car wash.

Yes
0 Other - Prohibit use of
potable water for
washing hard surfaces

Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Washing hard or paved
surfaces is prohibited except
to alleviate safety or sanitary
hazards using a hand held
container, hose with an
automatic shut off device, or
a low-volume high pressure
cleaning machine that
recycles used water.

Yes
0 Landscape - Restrict or
prohibit runoff from
landscape irrigation

Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Watering vegetated areas in
a manner that causes
excessive water flow or runoff
onto an adjoining sidewalk,
driveway, street, alley, gutter,
or ditch is prohibited.

Yes
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Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Irrigating ornamental turf on
public street medians is
prohibited.

Yes
0 Landscape - Other
landscape restriction or
prohibition

Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
No landscape watering shall
occur within 48 hours after
measurable precipitation.

Yes
0 Landscape - Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific times

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Watering or irrigation with a
device that is not
continuously attended to is
limited to fifteen (10) minutes
per day per valve. Low flow
drip type systems, water
efficient stream rotor
systems, and sensor/weather
controlled systems are
exempt.

Yes
0 Other - Customers must
repair leaks, breaks, and
malfunctions in a timely
manner

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers
promptly/within 5 day(s). Yes
0 CII - Restaurants may
only serve water upon
request

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

CII - Restaurants may only
serve water upon request Yes
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Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

CII - Lodging establishment
must offer opt out of linen
service
Yes
0 CII - Other CII restriction
or prohibition
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

No single pass cooling
systems may be installed in
new or remodeled buildings.

Yes
0 Other - Prohibit vehicle
washing except at
facilities using recycled
or recirculating water

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

All new commercial car wash
and laundry facilities must re-
circulate the wash water or
obtain a waiver from the City
of Huntington Beach.

Yes
0 CII - Commercial
kitchens required to use
pre-rinse spray valves

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Food preparation
establishments must use
water efficient kitchen spray
valves.

Yes
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Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Watering or irrigation of
vegetated areas is prohibited
between 9 am and 5 pm
except by use of a hand held
device, hose equipped with
an automatic shutoff device,
or for adjusting or repairing
an irrigation system for short
periods of time.

Yes
0 Other - Require
automatic shut of hoses
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Use a shutoff nozzle on
hoses. Yes
0 Other
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Unauthorized use of hydrants
is prohibited. Authorization
for use must be obtained from
water supplier.

Yes
1 Expand Public
Information Campaign Percentage 0-1%
Encourage customers to use
pool covers to minimize
evaporation.

Yes
1 Other - Customers must
repair leaks, breaks, and
malfunctions in a timely
manner
Percentage 0-1% Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers
promptly/within 72 hours. Yes
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Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

How much is this going to reduce
the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or
Reference
(OPTIONAL)
Penalty, Charge,
or Other
Enforcement?
For Retail
Suppliers Only
Drop Down List
Volume or
Percentage
Drop down
Shortage Gap
Reduction Value
(May be a range)
(AF)
1 Landscape - Other
landscape restriction or
prohibition
Percentage 0-5%
New residential automated
irrigation systems must be
equipped with rain sensors
that shut off the system when
it rains, or smart controllers
or evapo-transpiration
sensors that use weather-
based data to set efficient
watering schedules.

Yes
1 Improve Customer
Billing Percentage 0-3%
AMI Customer Leak Reports
with Detection and Repair
Assistance
Yes
1 Provide Rebates for
Landscape Irrigation
Efficiency
Percentage 0-1% Expanded/Enhanced Rebate
Programs Yes
1 Provide Rebates on
Plumbing Fixtures and
Devices
Percentage 0-1% Provide Rebates on Plumbing
Fixtures and Devices Yes
1 Provide Rebates for Turf
Replacement Percentage 0-1% Provide Rebates for Turf
Replacement Yes
1 Increase Water Waste
Patrols Percentage 0-1% Increase Water Waste Patrols Yes 2 Other - Customers must
repair leaks, breaks, and
malfunctions in a timely
manner
Percentage 0-1% Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers
within 48 hours. Yes
2 Landscape - Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific days
Percentage 5-10%
Irrigation shall be limited to 3
days per week turf watering
when using potable water.

Plant containers, trees,
shrubs and vegetable
gardens may be watered
additional days using only
drip irrigation or hand
watering.

Yes
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Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

How much is this going to reduce
the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or
Reference
(OPTIONAL)
Penalty, Charge,
or Other
Enforcement?
For Retail
Suppliers Only
Drop Down List
Volume or
Percentage
Drop down
Shortage Gap
Reduction Value
(May be a range)
(AF)
2 Water Features -
Restrict water use for
decorative water
features, such as
fountains
Percentage 0-1%
Filling or refilling ornamental
lakes and ponds is prohibited.

Ornamental lakes and ponds
that sustain aquatic life of
significant value and were
actively managed prior to the
storage declaration are
exempt.

Yes
2 Improve Customer
Billing Percentage 0-1%
Improve customer billing
reports to include more
details on water use
Yes
2 Decrease Line Flushing Percentage 0-1% Decrease Line Flushing Yes 3 Other - Customers must
repair leaks, breaks, and
malfunctions in a timely
manner
Percentage 0-1% Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers
within 24 hours Yes
3 Other - Prohibit use of
potable water for
construction and dust
control
Percentage 0-1%
Require a construction water
use plan be submitted to the
water supplier that addresses
how impacts to existing water
users will be mitigated (such
as dust control).

Yes
3 Landscape - Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific days
Percentage 10-25%
Irrigation shall be limited to 2
days per week turf watering
when using potable water.

Plant containers, trees,
shrubs and vegetable
gardens may be watered
additional days using only
drip irrigation or hand
watering.

Yes
4 Reduce System Water
Loss Percentage 0-5%
Real Loss Reduction -
Pressure Management and
More Aggressive Leak
Detection and Repair
Yes
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Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E)
Yes Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no)

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories
that will be accepted by the
WUEdata online submittal tool.

Select those that apply.

How much is this going to reduce
the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or
Reference
(OPTIONAL)
Penalty, Charge,
or Other
Enforcement?
For Retail
Suppliers Only
Drop Down List
Volume or
Percentage
Drop down
Shortage Gap
Reduction Value
(May be a range)
(AF)
4 Landscape - Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific days
Percentage 5-20%
Irrigation shall be limited to 1
days per week turf watering
when using potable water.

Plant containers, trees,
shrubs and vegetable
gardens may be watered
additional days using only
drip irrigation or hand
watering.

Yes
5 Landscape - Prohibit all
landscape irrigation Percentage 5-10%
All irrigation is prohibited
except with hand-held bucket
or hand-held hose equipped
with a positive self-closing
shut off nozzle or device.

Yes
6 Other Percentage 0-1%
The city of Huntington Beach
may discontinue service to
consumers who willfully
violate any water
conservation provisions
Yes
6 Landscape - Prohibit all
landscape irrigation Percentage 0-5%
The City of Huntington Beach
may shut off all non-essential
water services. All irrigation is
prohibited.

Yes
6 Other Percentage 0-70%
Water use for public health
and safety purposes only.

Customer rationing may be
implemented.

Yes
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: Note 1: NFT irrigation requirements begin January 1, 2027 for State and local government properties, January 1, 2028 for commercial, industrial and institutional owned landscapes, January 1, 2029 for homeowners' associations common area landscapes, and January 1, 2031 for local government properties in disadvantaged communities (DAC).

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CHAPTER 9 DEMAND MANAGEMENT MEASURES
Over the past several decades, water use efficiency and conservation have evolved from voluntary best practices into core regulatory requirements shaping urban water management throughout California and Orange County. In response to recurring droughts, growing urban demand, and increasing competition for limited water supplies, the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) was formed in 1991 to promote statewide cooperation on urban water conservation. Through the development and implementation of the CUWCC Best Management Practices, water agencies established a consistent, voluntary framework for improving efficiency through locally tailored programs. This early foundation was later strengthened by legislative actions, most notably Senate Bill (SB) X7-7, the Water Conservation Act of 2009, which set enforceable urban water use reduction targets to cut per capita use by 20 percent by 2020 and required retail water suppliers to actively manage demand as part of long-term water planning. All Orange County water agencies came together to create the Orange County 20x2020 Regional Alliance and met compliance as a region. The City of Huntington Beach (City) also met compliance individually.

These efforts reflected a growing recognition that efficient water use is essential to ensuring reliability amid population growth, limited supplies, and increasing climate variability.

Recurring drought conditions have further accelerated the pace and scale of conservation efforts in the last decade. The 2013–2014 drought prompted a statewide emergency response, culminating in an executive order mandating a 25 percent reduction in urban water use across California. All Orange County Water Agencies, including the City, met this reduction target as reported in Chapter 5 of this 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). More recently, the 2021–2022 drought reinforced the need for sustained efficiency gains and durable demand management strategies beyond temporary emergency actions. These regulatory and hydrologic drivers ultimately led to the passing and adoption of SB 606 and Assembly Bill (AB) 1668, the “Making Conservation a California Way of Life” legislation (passed in 2018 and adopted in 2024). The legislation establishes long-term water use objectives for individual water suppliers and reinforces conservation as a permanent element of water management. Together, these milestones underscore the necessity for the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) and the City to implement comprehensive demand management measures and meet established urban water use reduction targets to ensure regional water supply resilience.

The goal of the Demand Management Measures (DMM) chapter is to provide a comprehensive description of the water use efficiency programs that the City has implemented in the most recent five years, is currently implementing, and plans to implement to meet its urban water use reduction targets.

Per the “Making California a Conservation Way of Life” Framework (Conservation Framework), each Urban Water Supplier is required to calculate and report their Urban Water Use Objective (UWUO) and to stay within their calculated annual water budget. The UWUO is an aggregate efficient water use of:
 Indoor Residential Use (population x gallons per capital per day (GPCD) standard).  Outdoor Residential Use (measurements of irrigated/irrigable area, local weather data, and a landscape efficiency factor).
 Outdoor Use with Dedicated Irrigation Meters (measurements of irrigated area, local weather data, and a landscape efficiency factor).
 Distribution System Water Losses.
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 Approved Variances.
 Potable Reuse Bonus.

Additionally, the Conservation Framework includes commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) non-volumetric Performance Measures, including CII customer account classifications, thresholds for converting mixed-use CII meters (MUMs) irrigating over half an acre of landscape to dedicated irrigation meters (DIMs) or in lieu technologies, CII best management practices (BMPs), and identification of and information sharing with disclosable buildings.

One of the City’s top priorities since the adoption of the “Making California a Conservation Way of Life” Framework has been to make progress toward compliance with the Conservation Framework. This chapter will describe the City’s DMM activities, including those administered by its wholesaler and supplemental programs administered locally at the retail-level.

9.1 City of Huntington Beach Demand Management Measures This section describes the specific DMMs performed by the City, including DMMs offered in partnership with MWDOC, its wholesale supplier, to encourage water conservation within their service area. Table 9.1 summarizes DMM implementation by the City as well as responsibilities of MWDOC.

Table 9.1 DMM Implementation Responsibility and Regional Programs in Orange County Efficiency Measure Responsibility of: MWDOC Regional
Program and
Activities Retailer MWDOC as a
Wholesaler
Operations Practices
Wholesale Agency Assistance Programs -  
Conservation Pricing   
Conservation Coordinator   
Water Waste Prevention  - 
Water Loss Control
(System Water Audits, Leak Detection and Repair)
 (1) 
Metering with Commodity Rates  (1) (1)
Education and Outreach
Public Outreach Programs   
K-20 Water Education Initiatives and K-12 School Programs    OC Scouts Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and OC Girl
Scouts Programs
  
Water Awareness Poster Contest   
Water Energy Education Alliance   
Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) Training
Program
  
Residential Indoor Implementation
Residential Indoor Rebates  - 
Flow Monitor Device Rebates  - 
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Efficiency Measure Responsibility of: MWDOC Regional
Program and
Activities Retailer MWDOC as a
Wholesaler
Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Implementation Water Savings Incentive Program  - 
On-site Retrofit Program  - 
CII Indoor Rebates
(High Efficiency Toilets and Urinals, Plumbing Flow Control Valves, Connectionless Food Steamers, Air-cooled Ice
Machines, Food Defrosters, Cooling Tower Conductivity
Controllers and pH Controllers, Dry Vacuum Pumps,
Laminar Flow Restrictors)
 - 
Landscape Programs
Turf Replacement Program (including Tree Rebate)  - 
Spray-to-Drip Irrigation Rebate Program  - 
Landscape Rebates
(Smart Timers, High Efficiency Sprinkler Nozzles, Large Rotary Nozzles, In-stem Flow Regulators)
 - 
Residential Landscape Design Assistance Program  - 
Notes:
(1) MWDOC does not own or operate a distribution system; water wholesaled by MWDOC is delivered through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET) distribution system and meters.

9.1.1 Operations Practices

9.1.1.1 Wholesale Agency Assistance Programs
MWDOC’s Assistance Programs are described in Section 9.3.

9.1.1.2 Conservation Pricing
The entirety of the City is metered, and this method is used to determine consumption per connection.

The charge for water service is made up of three components: (1) the basic monthly (meter) charge, (2) the water usage or commodity charge, and 3) a capital facilities charge. The fees charged for each of these are designed to recover the cost of providing this component to the customer.

The City’s basic daily charge per meter size is shown in Table 9.2. The City’s commodity rate is uniform at $3.0551 per 100 cubic feet of water. The rates are generally updated annually with City Council approval.

Table 9.2 City of Huntington Beach Water Rates
Meter Size/Type Daily Rate
3/4” or 5/8” $0.6950
1” $1.1582
1”-1 1/2” $2.3162
2” $3.7059
3” $8.1067
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Meter Size/Type Daily Rate
4” compound $11.5808
4” Fire Meter $16.2135
6” compound $23.1616
6” Fire Meter $37.0583
8” Fire Meter $64.8523
10” Fire Meter $101.9106

9.1.1.3 Conservation Coordinator
The City’s Public Works Department shares the implementation and promotion of water conservation programs as part of its duties. The City’s Water Conservation Coordinator has obtained the Water Conservation Practitioner Certificate from the American Water Works Association ( AWWA). The City’s Water Conservation Coordinator participates in the Water Use Efficiency meetings hosted by MWDOC and works with MWDOC to implement the DMMs. Funding for the City’s water conservation program is from the City’s Water Fund.

9.1.1.4 Water Waste Prevention Ordinances
The City Council adopted the Water Conservation and Water Supply Shortage Program Ordinance No. 4022 on April 21, 2014; per Huntington Beach Municipal Code 14.18.050. Ordinance No. 4022 establishes permanent water conservation requirements and prohibition against waste that are effective at all times and are not dependent upon a water shortage for implementation, as follows:
 Limits on watering hours.
 Limit on watering duration.
 No excessive water flow or runoff.
 No washing down hard or paved surfaces.
 Obligation to fix leaks, break, or malfunctions.
 Re-circulating water required for water fountains and decorative water features.  Limits on washing vehicles.
 Drinking water served upon request only.
 Commercial lodging establishments must provide guests the option to decline daily linen services.  No installation of single pass cooling systems.
 No installation of non-recirculating water systems in commercial car wash and laundry systems.  Restaurants are required to use water conserving dish wash spray valves.  Commercial car wash systems must have installed operational recirculating water systems .  Construction activities may not use potable water for compaction or dust control when non -potable water is available and must use hoses with an automatic shut-off nozzle.  Hydrants must only be used for emergencies without first obtaining a permit. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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 Indiscriminate use prohibited.
 Measurable rainfall event- watering prohibited.

In the event of a water supply shortage, the ordinance further establishes six levels of water suppl y shortage response actions to be implemented during times of declared water shortage or declared water shortage emergency, with increasing restrictions on water use in response to worsening drought or emergency conditions and decreasing supplies. The provisions and water conservation measures to be implemented in response to each shortage level are described in the City’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan.

The City has a water conservation hot line and a website to receive water waste complaints and water conservation related service requests. Once a complaint is received, the City’s water conservation coordinator investigates the complaint then notifies the resident and/or tag with a water conservation ordinance brochure accordingly. When a service request is received, a work order is filled out and entered into the City’s Work Order system known as the Huntington Beach Service Maintenance System (HBSMS). The HBSMS is used to track data related to water waste and non-compliance on irrigation schedule to be reported to State Water Resource Control Board. During FY 2014 -15, the City also conducted field patrol to identify water waste and non-compliance on irrigation schedule. The field inspector leaves a door hanger and follows up with a phone call during business hours.

9.1.1.5 Water Loss Control
SB 555 signed into law in 2015 requires urban water suppliers to submit annual, validated water loss audit reports to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Water auditing is the basis for effective water loss control. DWR’s UWMP Guidebook includes a water audit manual intended to help water utilities complete the AWWA Water Audit on an annual basis. Audits must be validated by a certified water auditor to ensure accuracy.

A Water Loss Audit was completed for the City which identified areas for improvement and quantified total loss. Based on the data presented, the three priority areas identified were customer metering inaccuracies, billed metered, and volume from own sources. Multiple criteria are a part of each validity score, and a system wide approach will need to be implemented for the City’s improvement. The City completes a system water audit to calculate water losses on an annual basis. Expressing water loss audit results in terms of Real Losses per Service Connection per Day allows for standardized comparison across MWDOC retailer agencies and is a metric consistent with the Water Board’s forthcoming economic model.

The City does not have a leak detection program. However, sudden drastic changes in monthly water bills are monitored as customers are notified of potential leaks by either mail notification or by phone.

9.1.1.6 Metering
All of the City’s water connections are fully metered and customers are billed for volume of use. The City does not have any mixed-use meters (e.g., meters that measure irrigation as well as restroom uses at parks). All new irrigation meters for commercial/industrial/institutional customers are required to be dedicated irrigation meters.

The City uses an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system by ACLARA. The City has 34 Data Collection Units (DCU) operating throughout the City. The DCU receives the reads from the Mete r 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Transmission Unit (MTU) multiple times per day. The DCU then sends all of the captured reads to the Network Control Center (NCC). The City is able to view hourly reads for customer’s consumption.

To ensure accurate billing based on consumption, water utilities replace water meters periodically. Water meters and their registers often lose accuracy as they age; this requirement allows the City to provide you with continued accurate meter readings. These meter replacements are a regulatory requirement and are not optional. They are typically replaced every 15 to 20 years.

9.1.2 Public Education and Outreach
The City implements several public education and outreach measures, including the programs administered by MWDOC, its wholesale supplier. The City develops, coordinates, and delivers a substantial amount of public information, education, and outreach programs aimed at elevating water agency and consumer awareness and understanding of current water issues as well as efficient water use and water - saving practices, sound policy, and water reliability investments that are in the best interest of the region.

These efforts encourage good water stewardship that benefits all of the City’s residents, businesses, and industries across all demographics. An outline of the City’s public education initiatives is below.

9.1.2.1 K-20 Water Education Initiatives and K-12 School Programs Over the past several years, MWDOC’s investment in K-20 water education has significantly grown, evolving to include programs and activities that support environmental literacy for all Orange County students. The effort has expanded beyond K-12 water education programs to include career and workforce development initiatives in higher education through the Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA) described in more detail in Section 9.1.2.4.

MWDOC’s K-12 Water Education School Programs bring standards-aligned, engaging water lessons directly into classrooms and connect water to every part of students’ lives. All elementary, middle, and high school programs meet California State Standards and Next Generation Science Standa rds, providing students with high-quality, relevant learning experiences that build both academic and real-world understanding. This includes a Grab-and-Go Water Activities program, developed in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education, that provides free, self-guided water activities for K-12 teachers, parents and students.

9.1.2.2 OC Scouts Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and OC Girl Scouts Programs The City, in partnership with MWDOC, hosts multiple water education workshops each year to help Scouts BSA earn the Soil & Water Conservation Merit Badge and Girl Scouts earn the MWDOC Water Resources & Conservation Patch. These hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) clinics teach children of all ages where their water comes from, how to use water more efficiently, and how all life depends on the health and security of our natural resources, fostering water awareness and responsibility through fun, activity-based learning.

9.1.2.3 Water Awareness Poster Contest
The City participates in MWDOC’s annual Water Awareness Poster Contest, offered for students in grades K-12. The Poster Contest presents children with an opportunity to use their artistic talents to express the 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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importance and value of water through artwork. Each year, hundreds of entries are collected from students and classrooms across the county, and from these entries, 40 winners are selected.

9.1.2.4 Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA)
The WEEA unites over 260 water, energy, and education leaders across the state to build and strengthen career pathways for all California students. Administered and led by the MWDOC, WEEA is comprised of a powerful statewide coalition of education leaders, workforce advocates, and industry experts to raise student awareness, forge strong partnerships, and cultivate a diverse, highly skilled talent pipeline. By connecting students with high-impact opportunities, WEEA is shaping a workforce that fuels industry success, enhances worker well-being, and ensures a resilient, thriving California.

9.1.2.5 Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) Training Program Since 2018, MWDOC along with the City, has offered free Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) certification classes designed for landscape professionals. Classes are open to any city staff, professional landscaper, water district employee, or maintenance personnel that would like to become a Qualifi ed Water Efficient Landscaper. The QWEL certification program provides 20 hours of instruction on water efficient areas of expertise such as local water supply, sustainable landscaping, soil types, irrigation systems and maintenance, as well as irrigation controller scheduling and programing. QWEL has received recognition from EPA WaterSense for continued promotion of water use efficiency. To earn the QWEL certification, class participants must demonstrate their ability to perform an irrigation audit as well as pass the QWEL exam. Successful graduates will be listed as a Certified Professional on the Wa terSense website as well as on MWDOC’s landscape resources page, to encourage Turf Removal participants or those making any landscape improvements to hire a QWEL certified professional.

Started in December 2020, a hybrid version of QWEL is available in conjunction with the California Landscape Contractors Association’s Water Management Certification Program. This joint effort allows landscape industry an opportunity to obtain two nationally recognized EPA WaterSense Professional Certifications with one course and one written test. This option is offered through MET.

9.1.3 Residential Indoor Rebate Programs
The City partners with MWDOC to implement residential measures that target indoor water use efficiency for single family and multifamily residential customers.

9.1.3.1 High Efficiency Clothes Washer and Toilet Rebate Programs The High Efficiency Clothes Washer (HECW) Rebate Program provides residential customers with rebates starting at $85 for purchasing and installing HECWs that use 35-50 percent less water than standard washer models. Devices must meet or exceed the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) Tier 1 Standard, and a listing of qualified products can be found at ocwatersmart.com. There is a maximum of one rebate per home.

The Premium High Efficiency Toilet (HET) Rebate Program offers residential customers rebates starting at $40 for replacing their toilets using 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) with Premium HETs. Premium HETs use just

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9.1.3.2 Flow Monitor Device Pilot
This pilot program provides rebates starting at $100, or more in select areas, per flow monitor device installed. These devices monitor a home’s water use and can help detect leaks, making them a proactive tool for preventing expensive water bills and water damage due to unforeseen leaks. A list of residential rebate-eligible flow monitoring devices is provided.

9.1.4 CII Programs
The City provides a variety of financial incentives, in partnership with MWDOC, to help businesses, restaurants, institutions, hotels, hospitals, industrial facilities, and public sector sites achieve their efficiency goals. Water users in these sectors have options to choose from a standardized list of water efficient equipment/devices or may complete customized projects through a pay-for-performance where the incentive is proportional to the amount of water saved. Such projects include hig h efficiency commercial equipment installation and manufacturing process improvements.

9.1.4.1 Water Savings Incentive Program
The Water Savings Incentive Program (WSIP) is designed for non-residential customers to improve their water efficiency through upgraded equipment or services that do not qualify for standard rebates. WSIP is unique because it provides an incentive based on the actual amount of water saved by the customers.

This “pay-for-performance” design lets customers implement custom projects for their sites. The City partners with MWDOC and MET to offer this program.

Projects must save at least 10 MG of water to qualify for the Program and incentives are paid by MET based on the amount of water saved. Payment amount is up to $0.60 per 1,000 gallons saved per year over the project life, up to a maximum of 10 years. Payments are limited to 50 percent of the eligible project costs while funding is available. Additional funding may be available through MWDOC, but it is limited. Examples of successful projects include but are not limited to: changing industrial process system water to capture and reuse process wastewater, capturing condensation and using it to supplement cooling tower water supply, and replacing water-using equipment with more efficient products.

9.1.4.2 Recycled Water On-site Retrofit Program
Through the Recycled Water On-site Retrofit Program, the City in partnership with MWDOC and MET, offers incentives for CII properties to convert potable water irrigation or industrial systems to recycled water. Financial incentives of up to $1,950 per acre-foot of potable water saved are available for the customer-side on the meter retrofits. Projects may also be eligible for up to an additional $325 per AF of annual water savings from MWDOC. Recycled water conversion projects can help to ensure a more reliable water future for Orange County.

9.1.4.3 CII Rebates
The City offers additional financial incentives under the SoCal Water$mart Rebate Program which offers rebates for various water efficient devices to CII customers. Core funding is provided by MET and supplemental funding is sourced from MWDOC via grant funds and/or retail water agencies. Devices include: High Efficiency Toilets and Urinals, Plumbing Flow Control Valves, Connectionless Food 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Steamers, Air-cooled Ice Machines, Food Defrosters, Cooling Tower Conductivity Controllers and pH Controllers, Dry Vacuum Pumps, and Laminar Flow Restrictors.

9.1.5 Landscape Programs
Some of the most active and effective water use efficiency programs the City provides are those that target the reduction of outdoor water use. With a large proportion of water consumed outdoors via landscape demands, this sector has been and will continue to be a focus for MWDOC and the City.

9.1.5.1 Turf Replacement Program
The Orange County Turf Replacement Program offers incentives to replace existing turf grass with California-native, drought-tolerant plants and landscaping. Residential, commercial, and public properties in the City’s service area are all eligible for this program. The goals of this program are to increase water use efficiency through sustainable landscaping practices that result in multi-benefit projects across Orange County. Participants are encouraged to utilize smart irrigation timers and furthermore, projects are required to include a stormwater capture feature, such as a rain garden or dry stream bed, and have a minimum of three plants per 100 square feet to increase plant density and promote healthy soils. These projects save water and reduce dry and wet weather runoff, increase urban biomass, and sequester more carbon than turf landscapes.

Additionally, MWDOC is piloting a tree program that allows eligible trees to qualify as a sustainability feature in Turf Replacement projects. Beginning March 4, 2024, Turf Replacement Program participants became eligible for an additional incentive for planting trees as part of their Turf Replacement project.

Participants can receive up to $100 per tree, for up to 5 trees ($500), in addition to the Turf Replacement rebate. The pilot goals include increasing the presence of trees in Turf Replacement project s and breaking down barriers to participation. It is anticipated that the pilot will be evaluated in 2026.

9.1.5.2 Spray-to-Drip Rebate Program
The Spray to Drip Rebate Program offers residential, commercial, and public agency customers rebates for converting areas irrigated by traditional high-precipitation rate spray heads to low-precipitation rate drip irrigation. Drip irrigation systems are extremely water efficient. Rather than spraying wide areas subject to wind drift, overspray and runoff, drip systems use point emitters to deliver water to specific locations at or near plant root zones. Water drips slowly from the emitters either onto the soil surface or below ground.

As a result, less water is lost to wind, evaporation, and overspray, saving water, and reducing irrigation runoff and non-point source pollution. The City partners with MWDOC to provide $1 per square foot of conversion area when replaced with eligible drip irrigation products.

9.1.5.3 SoCal Water$mart Rebate Program for Landscape
The City also offers financial incentives under the SoCal Water$mart Rebate Program for a variety of water efficient landscape devices, such as Smart Irrigation Timers and Central Computer Irrigation Controllers, large rotary nozzles and rotating sprinkler nozzles, soil moisture sensors, irrigation master valves, and in-stem flow regulators.
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9.1.5.4 Landscape Design Assistance Rebate
This program is offered for residential customers who are participating in the turf replacement program and are seeking professional design services. Participants must hire a landscape design professional to provide a design that meets the rebate eligible design requirements. Participants will receive up to $1,000 upon completion of their turf replacement project if they have used a professional designer.

9.2 City of Huntington Beach DMM Implementation (2020-2025) During the past five years, FY 2020-21 to 2024-25, the City, with the assistance of MWDOC, has continued water use efficiency programs for its residential, CII, and landscape customers with the participation shown in Table 9.3. The City will continue to implement all applicable programs in the next five years.

Table 9.3 City of Huntington Beach Water Use Efficiency Program Participation Program FY20/21 FY21/22 FY22/23 FY23/24 FY24/25
High Efficiency Clothes Washer (HECW) 164 83 69 89 59
High Efficiency Toilets (HETs) 12 3 0 3 0
Flow Monitoring Devices (FMD) -- 0 0 0 6
Commercial Plumbing Fixtures (CII) 0 235 0 280 0
Water Savings Incentives Projects (WSIP) 0 0 0 0 0
Turf Replacement (Res.) 19,238 32,411 44,842 29,038 20,037 Turf Replacement (Comm.) 1,097 19,914 89,264 64,199 72,389 Landscape Design Rebate Program (LDAP) 31 38 34 9 3
Landscape Design Rebate Program (LMAP) 17 18 19 5 0
Spray-to-Drip (Res.) 12,159 17,600 22,073 16,370 7,505
Spray-to-Drip (Comm.) 0 0 58,877 42,300 98,964
Rotating Nozzles (Small Res.) 80 0 79 72 98
Rotating Nozzles (Small Comm.) 0 0 0 0 0
Rotating Nozzles (Large Comm.) 0 0 0 0 0
Smart Timers (Res.) 75 52 78 72 47
Smart Timers (Comm.) 2 18 2 20 8
Rain Barrels 10 6 14 9 5
Recycled Water Onsite Retrofits 0 0 0 0 0

9.3 MWDOC Demand Management Implementation Assistance
Programs
To help facilitate implementation of DMMs throughout Orange County, MWDOC’s wholesale efforts focus on the following three areas: 1) State Water Conservation Compliance Assistance (e.g., Conservation Framework and Non-Functional Turf), 2) Regional Rebate Programs and Local Program Assistance, and 3) Research and Evaluation. This both complies with and goes beyond the Foundational BMPs of Utility Operations Programs requirements.
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9.3.1 State Water Conservation Compliance Assistance
To support Orange County retailers with compliance of SB 606 and AB 1668, MWDOC is providing multi - level support to assist agencies in meeting the primary goals of the legislation, including to use water more wisely and to eliminate water waste. Beginning in 2023, urban water suppliers were required to calculate and report their annual UWUO, submit validated water audits annually, and implement and report BMP CII performance measures.

MWDOC offers Orange County water suppliers a “Conservation Framework Technical Assistance Program (TAP)” and “Meter Area Measurements Program” to assist them with compliance with the Conservation Framework.

9.3.1.1 Conservation Framework Technical Assistance Program (TAP) This program provides Orange County water suppliers with support on tasks that are required as part of the Conservation Framework. An agency may opt in to receive support with any of the following:
 Readiness Assessment - perform a retailer-specific readiness assessment, including task recommendations and pricing to help retail agencies understand what areas need to be addressed.  Conservation Framework Compliance Plan - create a customized Framework Compliance Plan that outlines (1) what the retailer needs to do to prepare for compliance and (2) what needs to be implemented to achieve the water savings necessary to comply with the Urban Water Use Objective  Annual Report Compilation and Data Management - support the retailer with Annual Report preparation and assistance; and organize and manage data needed to comply with the reporting requirements of the Regulation.
 CII Account Classification - classify CII customer accounts according to the Regulation requirements and create a guidance plan to keep classifications at 95 percent (or higher).  CII Best Management Practices (BMPs) and In-Lieu Technologies Implementation Plan - create a customized implementation plan mapping compliance with the Conservation Framework regulation, including the CII BMP requirements of § 974, the in-lieu technologies and accompanying BMP requirements in § 973, and disclosable buildings requirements in § 974a.  Miscellaneous Framework Technical Assistance – various activities such as:
» Development of Development of metrics and annual targets to demonstrate progress. » Additional training or technical support.
» Workshop or webinar facilitation to spur cross-team collaborations. » Develop outreach and engagement plans and implement meetings to support engagement of internal and external collaborators.

9.3.1.2 Meter Area Measurements Program
The Program assists Orange County water supplier in providing (1) landscape area measurements (LAM) associated with dedicated irrigation meters (DIMs), which may include the creation of water efficiency budgets for dedicated landscape meter customers; (2) identification of mixed-use CII meters (MUMs) irrigating landscapes greater than half acre and subject to the regulation; and (3) reconciliation of DIM and residential LAMs where areas may overlap.
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9.3.2 Regional Rebate Programs and Local Program Assistance MWDOC develops, obtains funding for, and implements regional water savings rebate programs on behalf of all retail water agencies in Orange County, such as the Turf Replacement Program. This approach minimizes confusion for consumers by providing the same programs with the same participation guidelines, maintains a consistent message to the public to use water efficiently, and provides support to retail water agencies by acting as program administrators for the region. As a leader of water efficiency in Orange County, MWDOC provides a holistic suite of programs that are accessible to all consumer groups in the region. When requested, MWDOC also assists retail agencies in developing and implementing local programs within their service areas. This assistance includes collaboration with each retail agency to design a program that fits that agency’s local needs, including providing staffing, targeting customer classes, acquiring grant funding from a variety of sources, and implementing, marketing, reporting, and evaluating the program.

On behalf of its member agencies, MWDOC also organizes and provides the following:
 Monthly coordinator meetings.
 Marketing materials.
 Public speaking.
 Community events.

9.3.3 Research and Evaluation
An essential part of MWDOC’s regional water use efficiency program is the ongoing research and evaluation of both existing and potential initiatives. Research allows an agency to measure the water savings benefits of a specific program and compare those benefits to the costs of implementing th e program. This allows the agency to evaluate the economic feasibility of the program when compared to other efficiency projects or existing or potential sources of supply, before investing in new initiatives or continuing to implement existing programs. MWDOC routinely conducts statistical water savings (impact) evaluations and process evaluations to guide strategic investment and ensure the effective management of its regional water use efficiency programs.

From 2021 to 2025, MWDOC conducted several research initiatives to support informed decision -making.

In partnership with Flume Data Labs, MWDOC completed its Residential End Use Study in 2021, with subsequent updates in 2022 and 2024. This study provided detailed insights into disaggregated residential indoor and outdoor water use, significantly enhancing the understanding of water use patterns across Orange County. In 2023, MWDOC released its Potential and Opportunities study , which quantified the remaining water savings potential in the Orange County residential market, identified the most promising and cost-effective methods for reducing residential demand, and made recommendations on how best to direct financial and technical assistance to Retail Agencies and consumers for implementing residential water efficiency upgrades.

To assess the economic impact of the Conservation Framework, MWDOC worked with M.Cubed and in 2023 published the Draft Water Use Efficiency Standards Economic Analysis: Impact Assessment of State-Mandated Urban Water Use Objectives. MWDOC continues to evaluate the impact of the regulation and Orange County retailer compliance.
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Additionally, MWDOC is piloting a tree program that allows eligible trees to qualify as a sustainability feature in Turf Replacement projects. Pilot goals include increasing the presence of trees in Turf Replacement projects and breaking down barriers to participation. It is anticipated that the pilot will be evaluated in 2026. A pilot research program investigating water savings associated with the replacement of broken pressure regulating valves at residential homes wrapped up in 2025. The results of this study are expected in 2027.

9.4 Urban Water Use Objective and CII Performance Measure Compliance
A large focus for the City is to implement DMMs that will help them to meet the requirements of the Conservation Framework. DMMs described in this chapter may help to support member agencies with meeting their required UWUO and achieving CII Performance Measure Compliance. In addition, MWDOC provides support to agencies to assist with the calculation of UWUOs and compliance with CII Performance measures via the Meter Area Measurement and TAP Programs, as described in section 9.3.

9.4.1 UWUO Components
Table 9.4 describes MWDOC’s programs that will assist agencies in meeting their UWUO , through both direct measures (programs/activities that result in directly quantifiable water savings) and indirect measures (programs that provide resources promoting water efficiencies to the public that are impactful but not directly measurable). Additionally, MWDOC provides technical assistance to support water suppliers with compliance.

Table 9.4 MWDOC Programs to Help OC Retail Agencies Meet their Urban Water Use Objectives UWUO Component Calculation Program Impact
Indoor Residential Population and
GPCD standard
Direct Impact
High efficiency indoor fixtures
and appliance rebates
Direct Impact
Increased indoor residential
efficiencies and reductions of
GPCD use
Outdoor
Residential
Irrigated/irrigable area
measurement and a
landscape efficiency
factor of local ETo
and effective
precipitation
Direct Impact
Turf Replacement
High efficiency irrigation
rebates
Indirect Impact
Online resources such as OC
Friendly Gardens Webpage
Educational classes
Direct Impact
Increase outdoor residential
efficiencies and reductions of
gallons per ft2 of irrigated/
irrigable area used
Indirect Impact
Provide information, resources,
and education to promote
efficiencies in the landscape
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UWUO Component Calculation Program Impact
Outdoor Dedicated
Irrigation Meters
Irrigated area
measurement and a
landscape efficiency
factor of local ETo
and effective
precipitation
Technical Assistance
DIM landscape classification
and measurement
Direct Impact
Turf Replacement
High efficiency irrigation
rebates
Indirect Impact
OC Friendly Gardens Webpage
Educational training and
resources
Technical Assistance
Classification and measurement
of landscapes associated with
DIMs are required to complete
the calculation.

Direct Impact
Increase outdoor residential
efficiencies and reductions of
gallons per ft2 of irrigated/
irrigable area used.

Indirect Impact
Provide information, resources,
and education to promote
landscape efficiencies.

Water Loss Agency-specific loss
factor and number of
connections
Technical Assistance
Water Balance Validation
Customer Meter Accuracy
Testing
Distribution System Pressure
Surveys
Direct Impact
Distribution System Leak
Detection
Technical Assistance
The accuracy of the water loss
audit is validated for submission
to the State.

Direct Impact
Identify areas of the distribution
system that need repair,
replacement, or other actions to
limit water loss.

Bonus Incentives Volume of indirect
potable reuse water
applied to residential
and DIM irrigation
uses; not to exceed
15% of UWUO
Direct Impact
Groundwater replenishment
system (GWRS)
Direct Impact
The GWRS (run by OCWD)
recharges the groundwater basin
with purified, highly treated
wastewater, allowing OCWD-
member agencies to access
indirect potable reuse.
2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 9-15

9.4.2 CII Performance Measures
Urban water supplies are required to report BMPs for CII customers. The City, in partnership with MWDOC, offers a broad variety of programs and incentives to help CII customers implement BMPs and increase their water efficiencies (Table 9.5).

Table 9.5 City of Huntington Beach CII BMP and Water Efficiency Programs and Incentives Component Requirement Program Offered Impact
CII Customer Account
Classifications
Classify each CII water user,
based on the end-use of
water for the water user, in
accordance with Energy Star
Portfolio Manager’s 18 broad
categories, in addition to 4
other categories.

Technical Assistance
CII Customer
Account
Classification
Technical Assistance
Classify customer accounts
according to the specified
categories to comply with
the regulation.

Large Landscape
Identification
Identify all CII water users
associated with large
landscapes – landscapes
irrigated with a mixed-use
meter greater than half an
acre
Technical Assistance
Large Landscape
identification
Technical Assistance
Identify and map landscapes
associated with MUM
landscapes that are greater
than half an acre to comply
with the regulation.

Best Management Practices
(BMPs)
Offer CII BMPs for
customers that exceed the
recommended size, volume
of water use, or another
threshold
Technical Assistance
BMP
Implementation
Plan
Technical Assistance
Provide a BMP
Implementation Plan to
guide water suppliers with a
roadmap to compliance with
the regulation.

Disclosable Buildings Identify disclosable buildings
in service area according to
the list provided by the
California Energy
Commission
Technical Assistance
Disclosable
buildings list
Technical Assistance
Provide the California
Energy Commission list of
disclosable buildings by
water supplier to comply with
the regulation.

2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 10-1
CHAPTER 10 PLAN ADOPTION, SUBMITTAL, AND

IMPLEMENTATION
The Water Code requires the Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) to be adopted by the City of Huntington Beach’s (City) governing body. Before the adoption, the City must hold a public hearing allowing members of the public to provide input on the UWMP. Prior to the public hearing, the City must notify the public and surrounding cities, counties and water agencies within its service area o f the scheduled public hearing. Upon completion of the public hearing, the City’s governing body shall vote to adopt the UWMP. Post adoption, the City submits the UWMP to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) while also making it available for public access. This section provides a record of the process the City followed to adopt and implement its UWMP.

10.1 Overview
Recognizing that close coordination among other relevant public agencies is key to the success of its UWMP, the City worked closely with many other entities, including representation from diverse social, cultural, and economic elements of the population within its service area, to develop and update this planning document. The City also encouraged public involvement through its public review and hearing process, which provided residents with an opportunity to learn and ask questions about their water supply management and reliability. Through the public hearing, the public has an opportunity to comment and put forward any suggestions for revisions of the Plan.

Table 10.1 summarizes external coordination and outreach activities carried out by the City and their corresponding dates. The UWMP checklist to confirm compliance with the Water Code is provided in Appendix A.

Table 10.1 External Coordination and Outreach
External Coordination and Outreach Date Reference
Notified city or county within supplier’s service area that water supplier is preparing an updated UWMP (at least 60 days prior to public hearing) 2/26/2026 Appendix I
Public Hearing Notice 4/21/2026 &
4/28/2026
Appendix I
Held Public Hearing 5/5/2026
Adopted UWMP and WSCP 5/5/2026 Appendix J
Submitted UWMP to DWR (no later than 30 days after adoption) 6/4/2026 Submitted UWMP to the California State Library (no later than 30 days after adoption)
6/4/2026
Submitted UWMP to the cities and county within the supplier’s service area (no later than 30 days after adoption)
6/4/2026
Notes:

UWMP – Urban Water Management Plan; WSCP – Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 10-2
This UWMP was adopted by the City Council on May 5, 2026. A copy of the adopted resolution is provided in Appendix J.

10.2 Agency Coordination
The Water Code requires the Suppliers preparing UWMPs to notify any city or county within their service area at least 60 days prior to the public hearing. As shown in Table 10.2, the City sent a Letter of Notification to the County of Los Angeles, County of Orange, and the cities within its service area on February 26, 2026 to state that it was in the process of preparing an updated UWMP. This notice of preparation is included in Appendix I.

Table 10.2 Submittal Table 10-1 Retail: Notification to Cities and Counties Submittal Table 10-1 Retail: Notification to Cities and Counties Water Code Section 10621(b) and 10642
City Name 60 Day Notice
Drop Down (yes/no)
Notice of Public Hearing
Drop Down (yes/no)
Bolsa Chica Yes Yes
Fountain Valley Yes Yes
Seal Beach Yes Yes
Westminster Yes Yes
County Name
Drop Down List
60 Day Notice
Drop Down (yes/no)
Notice of Public Hearing
Drop Down (yes/no)
Los Angeles County Yes Yes
Orange County Yes Yes
The City’s water supply planning relates to the policies, rules, and regulations of its regional and local water providers. The City is dependent on imported water from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET) through Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), its regional wholesaler.

The City is also dependent on groundwater from Orange County Water District (OCWD), the agency that manages the Orange County Basin. As such, the City involved the relevant agencies in this 2025 UWMP at various levels of contribution as described below.

The City’s 2025 UWMP leveraged data and regionally consistent analyses supplied by MWDOC, such as population projections from the California State University, Fullerton Center for Demographic Research and the information quantifying water availability to meet the City’s projected demands for the next 25 years, in five-year increments. This 2025 UWMP was developed in collaboration with MWDOC’s 2025 UWMP to ensure consistency between the two documents.

As a groundwater producer who relies on supplies from the OCWD-managed Orange County Basin, the City coordinated the preparation of this 2025 UWMP with OCWD. Several OCWD documents, such as the Groundwater Reliability Plan, Engineer’s Report, and Basin 8-1 Alternative were used to retrieve the required relevant information, including the projections of the amount of groundwater the City is allowed to extract in the 25-year planning horizon.

The various planning documents of the key agencies that were used to develop this UWMP are listed in Chapter 2.2.1.
2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 10-3

10.3 Public Participation
The City encouraged community and public interest involvement in the Plan update through a public hearing and inspection of the draft document on May 5, 2026. As part of the public hearing, the City discussed adoption of the UWMP, key components of the UWMP and the conclusions that served as the basis of the UWMP. Copies of the draft 2025 UWMP were made available for public review on the City’s website.

Notices of the public meeting were posted inside City Hall. Legal public notices for the meeting were published in the local newspaper and posted at City facilities. A copy of the Notice of Public Hearing is included in Appendix I.

The hearing was conducted during a regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council.

10.4 UWMP Submittal
The City Council reviewed and approved the 2025 UWMP at its May 5, 2026, meeting after the public hearing. See Appendix J for the resolution approving the Plan.

By June 4, 2026, the City's adopted 2025 UWMP was filed with DWR sent directly to the California State Library, the County of Los Angeles, the County of Orange, and the cities within its service area. The submission to DWR was done electronically through the online submittal tool – WUE Data Portal. The City will make the Plan available for public review on its website no later than 30 days after filing with DWR.

10.5 Amending the Adopted UWMP or WSCP
Based on DWR’s review of the UWMP, the City will make any amendments in its adopted UWMP, as required and directed by DWR and will follow each of the steps for notification, public hearing, adoption, and submittal for the amending the adopted UWMP.

If the City revises its Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) after UWMP is approved by DWR, then an electronic copy of the revised WSCP will be submitted to DWR within 30 days of its adoption. 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 11-1
CHAPTER 11 REFERENCES
California Department of Water Resources (DWR). (2026, January). Final Urban Water Management Plan Guidebook 2025. https://cwc.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Programs/Water-Use- And-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Use-Efficiency/Urban-Water-Management-Plans/Final-2025-UWMP- Guidebook/Final-2025-UWMP-Guidebook-Accessible.pdf
Center for Demographic Research (CDR). (2025, July). Orange County Progress Report 2025 Volume 54.

City of Huntington Beach (2022, December). Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. https://cms3.revize.com/revize/huntingtonbeachca/Documents/Departments/Fire/Our%20Comm unity%20and%20Risk%20Reduction/Emergency%20Managment/HB%202022%20LHMP%20City% 20Council%20Adopted.pdf?t=202407151911150&t=202407151911150 City of Huntington Beach (2021, June). Urban Water Management Plan. https://cms3.revize.com/revize/huntingtonbeachca/Documents/Departments/Utilities/Urban%20 Water%20Management%20Plan/2020-Urban-Water-Management-Plan.pdf City of Huntington Beach (2023, November). Water Master Plan Update. https://cms3.revize.com/revize/huntingtonbeachca/Documents/Departments/Utilities/Water%20Ma ster%20Plan%20(2023).pdf?t=202509151627440&t=202509151627440 City of Huntington Beach (2017, October). City of Huntington Beach General Plan. https://huntingtonbeachca.gov/departments/community_development/planning_zoning/general_ plan.php#outer-741
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET). (2025, December). 2025 Urban Water Management Plan Draft. https://www-admin.mwdh2o.com/media/5ralzxit/public-review-draft- february-2026-uwmp.pdf.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET). (2020, April). 2020 Integrated Water Resources Plan – Regional Needs Assessment.
https://d1q0afiq12ywwq.cloudfront.net/media/sgvlkith/2020_irp_needs_assessment.pdf Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET). (2025, April). CAMP4W Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water. https://cawaterlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CAMP4W-Climate- Adaptation-Management-Plan-for-Water.pdf
Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC). (2023, July). Orange County Water Reliability Study. https://www.mwdoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MWDOC_2023-OC-Water-Reliability- Study-Final.pdf
Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), Orange County Water District (OCWD), Hazen & Sawer. (2025, December). 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model Technical Memorandum. https://www.mwdoc.com/your-water/water-reliability-planning/ Orange County Water District (OCWD). (2025, February). OCWD Resilience Plan – Adaptive Strategies for Securing Abundant and Reliable Water Supplies. https://www.ocwd.com/wp- content/uploads/OCWD-Resilience-Plan.pdf
2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH 11-2
Orange County Water District (OCWD). (2025, February). Engineer’s Report on Groundwater Conditions, Water Supply and Basin Utilization in The Orange County Water District. https://www.ocwd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-24-Engineers-Report_Final.pdf Orange County Water District (OCWD), City of La Habra, Irvine Ranch Water District . (2022, February).

Basin 8-1 Alternative 2022 Update. https://www.ocwd.com/wp-content/uploads/05cbasin-8-1- alternative-2022-update.pdf
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). (2024, April). Connect SoCal 2024. https://scag.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/23-2987-connect-socal-2024-final-complete- 040424.pdf
2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO

CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH

APPENDIX A UWMP WATER CODE CHECKLIST

Retail
(x = required)
Wholesale
(x = required) Order 2025 Guidebook
Location
Water Code
Section Summary as Applies to UWMP Subject Relevant Submittal Table 2025 UWMP Location x x 1 Chapter 1 10615
A plan shall describe and evaluate sources of
supply, reasonable and practical efficient uses,
reclamation and demand management
activities.

Introduction and overview n/a Section 1.2
x x 1 Chapter 1 10630.5
Each plan shall include a simple description of
the Supplier’s plan including water availability,
future requirements, a strategy for meeting
needs, and other pertinent information.

Additionally, a Supplier may also choose to
include a simple description at the beginning
of each chapter.

Plan preparation n/a Executive Summary, Chapters 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
x x 2.1 Section 2.1 10620(b)
Every person that becomes a Supplier shall
adopt UWMP within one year after it has
become a Supplier.

Plan preparation n/a Chapter 1 and Section 2.1
x n/a 2.5 Section 2.5 10644
Supplier shall report the Public Water Systems
number, volume of delivered water, and
number of connections that are included in
this UWMP.

Plan preparation 2-1 Section 2.1
x x 2.5 Section 2.5 10644
Supplier shall report if this UWMP is an
individual UWMP and whether the Supplier
belongs to a regional UWMP or regional
alliance.

Plan preparation 2-2 Section 2.1
x x 2.5 Section 2.5 10644
Supplier shall report whether the data is in
fiscal or calendar years and the units of
measure used for reporting water volumes.

Plan preparation 2-3 Section 2.1
x x 2.4 Section 2.4 10642
Provide supporting documentation that the
Supplier has encouraged active involvement of
diverse social, cultural, and economic elements
of the population within the service area prior
to and during the preparation of the plan and
contingency plan.

Plan preparation n/a Sections 2.2.3, 10.1 and 10.3,
Appendix I
x x 2.4 Section 2.4.2 10620(d)(3)
Coordinate the preparation of its plan with
other appropriate agencies in the area,
including other Suppliers that share a common
source, water management agencies, and
relevant public agencies, to the extent
practicable.

Plan preparation n/a Sections 2.2.1 and 10.2
x n/a 2.4 Section 2.4.1 10631(h)
Retail Suppliers will include documentation
that they have provided their Wholesale
Supplier(s)—if any—with water use projections
from that source.

Plan preparation 2-4 R Sections 2.2.2 and 4.2
n/a x 2.4 Section 2.4.1 10631(h)
Wholesale Suppliers will provide their Suppliers
with identification and quantification of the
existing and planned sources of water
available from the Wholesale Supplier to the
Supplier during various water year types.

Plan preparation 2-4 W N/A for Retailers
x x 3 Chapter 3.0 10631(a) Describe the Supplier service area. System description n/a Section 3.2 x x 3.3 Section 3.3 10631(a) Describe the climate of the Supplier’s service area. System description n/a Section 3.3
x x 3.4 Section 3.4.1 10631(a)
Provide the current and projected service area
populations for 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and
optionally 2050.

System description 3-1 Section 3.4
x x 3.4 Section 3.4.2 10631(a)
Describe other social, economic, and
demographic factors affecting the Supplier’s
water management planning.

System description n/a Section 3.4.2
x x 3.5 Section 3.5 10631(a)
Describe the land uses within the service
area… include the current and projected land
uses within the existing or anticipated service
area affecting the Supplier’s water
management planning. Describe the land uses
within the service area.

System description and baselines n/a Section 3.5
x Optional 4.2 Sections 4.2.3 and

4.2.4 10631(d)(1)
Quantify past, current, and projected water
use, identifying the uses among water use
sectors.

System water use 4-1 and 4-2 Sections 4.1 and 4.2
x Optional 4.3 Section 4.3.1 10631(d)(3)(A
)
Report the distribution system water loss for
each of the five years preceding the plan
update.

System water use 4-5 Section 4.4 and Appendix D
x n/a 4.3 Section 4.3.2 10631(d)(3)(C
)
Retail Suppliers shall provide data to show the
distribution loss standards were met. System water use 4-6 Section 4.4 x n/a 4.2 Section 4.2.5.4 10631.1(a)
Include projected water use needed for lower
income housing projected in the service area
of the Supplier.

System water use 4-3 Section 4.3
x n/a 4.2 Section 4.2.5.3 10631(d)(4)(A
)
In projected water use, include estimates of
water savings from adopted codes, plans, and
other policies or laws.

System water use 4-3 Section 4.2
x n/a 4.2 Section 4.2.5.3 10631(d)(4)(B
)
Provide citations of codes, standards,
ordinances, or plans used to make water use
projections.

System water use 4-3 Section 4.3 and Appendix H
x n/a 4.2 Section 4.2.5.3 10631(d)(4)(B
)(ii)
To the extent that a Supplier reports the
information described in subparagraph (A), an
urban water Supplier shall… Indicate the
extent that the water use projections consider
savings from codes, standards, ordinances, or
transportation and land use plans. Water use
projections that do not account for these
water savings shall be noted of that fact.

System water use 4-3 Section 4.3.1
x x 4.2 Section 4.2.5.6 10635(b)
Demands under climate change considerations
must be included as part of the drought risk
assessment.

System water use n/a Section 4.3.2 and Appendix H
n/a x 5.1 Section 5.1 10608.36
Wholesale Suppliers shall include an
assessment of present and proposed future
measures, programs, and policies to help their
Retail Suppliers achieve targeted water use
reductions.

Baselines and targets n/a N/A for Retailers
x n/a 5.2 Section 5.2 10608.4
Retail Suppliers shall report on their compliance
in meeting their water use targets. Reporting
requirements will vary depending on whether
the Supplier:
-    Was considered an urban retail water
supplier in 2020,
-    Met its 2020 target in 2020, or
-    Was part of a merger or consolidation since
2020.

Chapter 5 Subsections 5.2.1, 5.2.2, and 5.2.3
address each of these situations.

Baselines and targets 5-1 Section 5.1
x x 6.1 Section 6.1 10631(b)(2)
When multiple sources of water supply are
identified, describe the management of each
supply in relationship to other identified
supplies.

System supplies n/a Sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, and 6.8 x x 6.1 Sections 6.1 and

6.2 10631(b)(1)
Provide a discussion of anticipated supply
availability under a normal, single dry year,
and a drought lasting five years, as well as
more frequent and severe periods of drought,
including changes in supply due to climate
change.

System supplies n/a Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and 7.5
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(C
)
Indicate whether groundwater is an existing or
planned source of water available to the
Supplier. If groundwater is identified as an
existing or planned source of water… (include)
a detailed description and analysis of the
location, amount and sufficiency of
groundwater pumped by the Supplier for the
past five years.

Water supplies and recycled
water 6-1 Section 6.3
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(A
)
Indicate whether a groundwater sustainability
plan or groundwater management plan has
been adopted by the Supplier or if there is any
other specific authorization for groundwater
management. Include a copy of the plan or
authorization.

System supplies n/a Section 6.3.1.2 and Appendix E
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(B
) Describe the groundwater basin. System supplies n/a Section 6.3.1.1 x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(B
)
Indicate if the basin has been adjudicated and
include a copy of the court order or decree and
a description of the amount of water the
Supplier has the legal right to pump.

System supplies n/a Sections 6.3.1.2 and 6.3.1.3
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(B
)
For unadjudicated basins… (include)
information as to whether DWR has identified
the basin as a high- or medium-priority basin
in the most current official departmental
bulletin…
Water supplies and recycled
water n/a Section 6.3.1.2
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(B
)
For unadjudicated basins… describe efforts by
the Supplier to coordinate with sustainability
or groundwater agencies to achieve
sustainable groundwater conditions.

Water supplies and recycled
water n/a Sections 6.3.1.2, 6.3.1.3, 6.3.1.4,
and 6.3.1.5
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2. 10631(b)(4)(C
)
If groundwater is identified as an existing or
planned source of water… (include) a detailed
description and analysis of the location,
amount and sufficiency of groundwater
pumped by the Supplier for the past five
years.

System supplies n/a Sections 6.3 and 6.3.1
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.2 10631(b)(4)(D
)
Provide a detailed description and analysis of
the amount and location of groundwater that
is projected to be pumped.

System supplies 6-9 Sections 6.1, 6.3.1.1, 6.3.2
x x 6.1 Section 6.1 10631(b)
Identify and quantify the existing and planned
sources of water available for 2025, 2030,
2035, 2040, 2045 and optionally 2050.

System supplies 6-8 and 6-9 Sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, and 6.8 x x 6.2 Section 6.2.7 10631(c)
Describe the opportunities for exchanges or
transfers of water on a short-term or long-
term basis.

System supplies n/a Section 6.8
x n/a 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(a)
Describe the wastewater collection and
treatment systems in the Supplier’s service
area with quantified amount of collection and
treatment and the disposal methods.

System supplies (recycled water) 6-2 Section 6.6.2
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(b)
Describe the quantity of treated wastewater
that meets recycled water standards, is being
discharged, and is otherwise available for use
in a recycled water project.

System supplies (recycled water) 6-3 Section 6.6.2
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(c) Describe the recycled water currently being used in the Supplier's service area. System supplies (recycled water) 6-4 Section 6.6.3 x x 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(d)
Describe and quantify the potential uses of
recycled water and provide a determination of
the technical and economic feasibility of those
uses.

System supplies (recycled water) 6-4 Section 6.6.5
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(e)
Describe the projected use of recycled water
within the Supplier's service area at the end of
5, 10, 15, and 20 years, and describe the
actual use of recycled water in comparison to
uses previously projected.

System supplies (recycled water) 6-4 and 6-5 Section 6.6.4 x x 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(f)
Describe the actions that may be taken to
encourage the use of recycled water and the
projected results of these actions in terms of
acre-feet of recycled water used per year.

System supplies (recycled water) 6-6 Section 6.6.4
x x 6.2 Section 6.2.5 10633(g) Provide a plan for optimizing the use of recycled water in the Supplier's service area. System supplies (recycled water) n/a Section 6.6.6 x x 6.2 Section 6.2.6 10631(g) Describe desalinated water project opportunities for long-term supply. System supplies 6-7 Section 6.7 x x 6.2 Section 6.2.10 10631(f)
Describe the expected future water supply
projects and programs that may be
undertaken by the water Supplier to address
water supply reliability in average, single-dry,
and for a period of drought lasting five
consecutive water years.

System supplies 6-7 Sections 6.2.6, 6.3.2, 6.6.4, 6.8.2 x x 6.3 Section 6.3 and
Appendix O 10631.2(a)
The UWMP must include energy information,
as stated in the code, that a Supplier can
readily obtain.

System suppliers, energy
intensity O-1A, O-1B, O-1C, and O-2 Section 6.10
x 7.1 Section 7.1 10634
Provide information on the quality of existing
sources of water available to the Supplier and
the manner in which water quality affects
water management strategies and supply
reliability.

Water supply reliability
assessment n/a Section 7.2.3
x x 7.2 Section 7.2 10635(a)
Service Reliability Assessment: Assess the
water supply reliability during normal, dry, and
a drought lasting five consecutive water years
by comparing the total water supply sources
available to the Supplier with the total
projected water use over the next 20 years.

Water supply reliability
assessment 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4 Section 7.3
x x 7.2 Section 7.2.3 10620(f)
Describe water management tools and options
to maximize resources and minimize the need
to import water from other regions.

Water supply reliability
assessment n/a Section 7.4
x x 7.3 Section 7.3 10635(b)
Provide a drought risk assessment as part of
information considered in developing the
demand management measures and water
supply projects.

Water supply reliability
assessment n/a Section 7.5
x x 7.3 Section 7.3 10635(b)(1)
Include a description of the data,
methodology, and basis for one or more
supply shortage conditions that are necessary
to conduct a drought risk assessment for a
drought period that lasts five consecutive
years.

Water supply reliability
assessment n/a Section 7.5.1
x x 7.3 Section 7.3 10635(b)(2)
Include a determination of the reliability of
each source of supply under a variety of water
shortage conditions.

Water supply reliability
assessment n/a Sections 7.3, 7.5.2, 7.5.3
x x 7.3 Section 7.3 10635(b)(3)
Include a comparison of the total water supply
sources available to the Supplier with the total
projected water use for the drought period.

Water supply reliability
assessment 7-5 Section 7.5.2
x x 7.3 Section 7.3 10635(b)(4)
Include considerations of the historical drought
hydrology, plausible changes on projected
supplies and demands under climate change
conditions, anticipated regulatory changes,
and other locally applicable criteria.

Water supply reliability
assessment n/a Sections 7.2 and 7.5.1
x x 8 Chapter 8 10632(a) Provide a water shortage contingency plan (WSCP) with specified elements below.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
x x 8 Chapter 8 10632(a)(1) Provide an analysis of water supply reliability (from Guidebook Chapter 7) in the WSCP.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.1)
x x 8.2 Section 8.2 10632(a)(2)(A
)
Provide the written decision-making process
and other methods that the Supplier will use
each year to determine its water reliability.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.2.1)
x x 8.2 Section 8.2 10632(a)(2)(B
)
Provide data and methodology to evaluate the
Supplier’s water reliability for the current year
and one dry year pursuant to factors in the
code.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.2.2)
x x 8.3 Section 8.3 10632(a)(3)(A
)
Define six standard water shortage levels of
10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% shortage, and
greater than 50% shortage. These levels shall
be based on supply conditions, including
percent reductions in supply, changes in
groundwater levels, changes in surface
elevation, or other conditions. The shortage
levels shall also apply to a catastrophic
interruption of supply.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.3)
x x 8.3 Section 8.3 10632(a)(3)(B
)
Suppliers with an existing WSCP that uses
different water shortage levels must cross
reference their categories with the six
standard categories.

Water shortage contingency
planning 8-1 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.3)
x x 8.4 Section 8.4 10632(a)(4)(A
)
Suppliers with WSCPs that align with the
defined shortage levels must specify locally
appropriate supply augmentation actions.

Water shortage contingency
planning 8-2 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.4)
x x 8.4 Section 8.4 10632(a)(4)(B
)
Specify locally appropriate demand reduction
actions to adequately respond to shortages.

Water shortage contingency
planning 8-3 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.4.2)
x x 8.4 Section 8.4 10632(a)(4)(C
)
Specify locally appropriate operational
changes.

Water shortage contingency
planning 8-2 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.4.3)
x x 8.4 Section 8.4 10632(a)(4)(D
)
Specify additional mandatory prohibitions
against specific water use practices that are in
addition to State-mandated prohibitions are
appropriate to local conditions.

Water shortage contingency
planning Table 8-3 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.4.4)
x x 8.4 Section 8.4 10632(a)(4)(E
)
Estimate the extent to which the gap between
supplies and demand will be reduced by
implementation of the action.

Water shortage contingency
planning 8-2 and 8-3 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Appendix A)
x x 8.4 Section 8.4.6 10632.5 The UWMP shall include a seismic risk assessment and mitigation plan. Water shortage contingency plan n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP (Section 3.4.5)
x x 8.5 Section 8.5 10632(a)(5)(A
)
Suppliers must describe that they will inform
customers, the public and others regarding
any current or predicted water shortages.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.5)
x x 8.5 Section 8.5
10632(a)(5)(B
),
10632(a)(5)(C
)
Suppliers must describe that they will inform
customers, the public and others regarding
any shortage response actions triggered or
anticipated to be triggered and other relevant
communications.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.6)
x n/a 8.6 Section 8.6 10632(a)(6)
Retail Supplier must describe how it will
ensure compliance with and enforce provisions
of the WSCP.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.6)
x x 8.7 Section 8.7 10632(a)(7)(A
)
Describe the legal authority that empowers the
Supplier to enforce shortage response actions.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.7)
x x 8.7 Section 8.7 10632(a)(7)(B
)
Provide a statement that the Supplier will
declare a water shortage emergency per Water
Code Chapter 3. Water Shortage Emergencies .

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.7)
x x 8.7 Section 8.7 10632(a)(7)(C
)
Provide a statement that the Supplier will
coordinate with any city or county within
which it provides water for the possible
proclamation of a local emergency.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.7)
x x 8.8 Section 8.8 10632(a)(8)(A
)
Describe the potential revenue reductions and
expense increases associated with activated
shortage response actions.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.8)
x x 8.8 Section 8.8 10632(a)(8)(B
)
Provide a description of mitigation actions
needed to address revenue reductions and
expense increases associated with activated
shortage response actions.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.8)
x n/a 8.8 Section 8.8 10632(a)(8)(C
)
Retail Suppliers must describe the cost of
compliance with Water Code Chapter 3.3,
Excessive Residential Water Use During
Drought .

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.8)
x n/a 8.9 Section 8.9 10632(a)(9)
Retail Suppliers must describe the monitoring
and reporting requirements and procedures
that ensure appropriate data are collected,
tracked, and analyzed for purposes of
monitoring customer compliance.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.9)
x x 8.10 Section 8.10 10632(a)(10)
Describe reevaluation and improvement
procedures for monitoring and evaluation the
WSCP to ensure risk tolerance is adequate and
appropriate water shortage mitigation
strategies are implemented.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.10)
x n/a 8.11 Section 8.11 10632(b)
Analyze and define water features that are
artificially supplied with water, including
ponds, lakes, waterfalls, and fountains,
separately from swimming pools and spas.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.11)
x x 8.12 Section 8.12 10632(c)
Make available the WSCP to customers and
any city or county where it provides water
within 30 days after adoption of the plan.

Water shortage contingency
planning n/a 2025 UWMP Appendix F - WSCP
(Section 3.12)
x n/a 9.1 Sections 9.1 10631(e)(1)
Retail Suppliers shall provide a description of
the nature and extent of each demand
management measure implemented over the
past five years. The description will address
specific measures listed in code.

Demand management measures n/a Section 9.2
n/a x 9.2 Sections 9.2 10631(e)(2)
Wholesale Suppliers shall describe specific
demand management measures listed in code,
their distribution system asset management
program, and Supplier assistance program.

Demand management measures n/a N/A for Retailers
x n/a 10 Chapter 10 10608.26(a)
Retail Suppliers shall conduct a public hearing
to discuss adoption, implementation, and
economic impact of water use targets
(recommended to discuss compliance).

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 2.2.3, 10.1, and 10.3
x x 10.2 Section 10.2.1 10621(b)
Notify, at least 60 days prior to the public
hearing, any city or county within which the
Supplier provides water that the Supplier will
be reviewing the UWMP and considering
amendments or changes to the plan.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation 10-1 Sections 10.1 and 10.2, Appendix I
x x 10.4 Section 10.4 10621(f)
Each urban water Supplier shall update and
submit its 2025 plan to DWR by July 1,
202 6.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 10.1 and 10.4
x x 10.2 Sections 10.2.2,

10.3, and 10.5 10642
Provide supporting documentation that the
Supplier made the UWMP and WSCP available
for public inspection, published notice of the
public hearing, and held a public hearing about
the UWMP and WSCP.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 2.2.3, 10.1 and 10.3,
Appendix I
x x 10.2 Section 10.2.2 10642
The Supplier is to provide the time and place
of the hearing to any city or county within
which the Supplier provides water.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation 10-1 Appendix I
x x 10.3 Section 10.3.2 10642
Provide supporting documentation that the
UWMP and WSCP has been adopted as
prepared or modified.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Appendix J of UWMP and Appendix
E of WSCP
x x 10.4 Section 10.4 10644(a)
Provide supporting documentation that the
Supplier has submitted their UWMP to the
California State Library.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 10.1 and 10.4
x x 10.4 Section 10.4 10644(a)(1)
Provide supporting documentation that the
Supplier has submitted their UWMP to any city
or county within which the Supplier provides
water no later than 30 days after adoption.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 10.1 and 10.4
x x 10.4 Sections 10.4.1
and 10.4.2 10644(a)(2)
The UWMP, or amendments to the UWMP,
submitted to DWR shall be submitted
electronically.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Section 10.5
x x 10.7 Section 10.7.2 10644(b) If revised, submit a copy of the WSCP to DWR within 30 days of adoption.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Section 10.5 of UWMP and Section

3.12 of WSCP
x x 10.5 Section 10.5 10645(a)
Provide supporting documentation that, not
later than 30 days after filing a copy of its
UWMP with DWR, the Supplier has or will
make the plan available for public review
during normal business hours.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 10.1 and 10.4
x x 10.5 Section 10.5 10645(b)
Provide supporting documentation that, not
later than 30 days after filing a copy of its
WSCP with DWR, the Supplier has or will make
the plan available for public review during
normal business hours.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a Sections 10.1 and 10.4, Appendix F
x x 10.6 Section 10.6 10621(c)
If Supplier is regulated by the Public Utilities
Commission, include its plan and contingency
plan as part of its general rate case filings.

Plan adoption, submittal, and
implementation n/a N/A - Supplier is not regulated by
the Public Utilities Commission
2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO

CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH

APPENDIX B DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
(DWR) STANDARDIZED TABLES

CA3010053 City of Huntington Beach 54,459 24,854
54,459 24,854
Submittal Table 2-1 Retail: Public Water Systems
Add additional rows as needed
NOTES:

Volume of Water
Supplied 2025 (AF)
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

Total
Public Water System
Number
Public Water System
Name
Number of Municipal
Connections 2025
Select
One
Name of Regional Alliance or
RUWMP (Drop Down List)
Orange County 20x2020 Regional
Alliance
NOTES:

Submittal Table 2-2: Plan Identification
Type of Plan
Individual UWMP
If Water Supplier is also a member of a SB X7-7
Regional Alliance, select name from the drop-down.

Regional Urban Water Management Plan (RUWMP)
If Supplier selected RUWMP, select name from the
drop-down.

Supplier is a wholesale supplier
Supplier is a retail supplier
UWMP Tables are in calendar years
UWMP Tables are in fiscal years
Unit AF
Submittal Table 2-3: Supplier Identification
Type of Supplier (select one or both)
Fiscal or Calendar Year (select one)
If using fiscal years provide month and date that the fiscal year begins (mm/dd)
Units of measure used in UWMP
(Select from the drop down list).
7/1
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent
throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES:

Submittal Table 2-4 Retail: Water Supplier Information Exchange Water Code Section 10631(h)
The retail Supplier has informed the following wholesale supplier(s) of projected water use.

Wholesale Water Supplier Name
Add additional rows as needed
Municipal Water District of Orange County
Orange County Water District
NOTES:
2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050(opt)
193,136 191,623 191,480 191,409 190,021 187,596
Submittal Table 3-1 Retail: Population - Current and Projected Water Code Section 10631(a)
Population
Served
NOTES:

Source: Center for Demographic Research at California State University, Fullerton, 2025 Use Type
Drop down list
May select each use multiple times
These are the only use types that will be recognized by the WUEdata online submittal tool
Potable or Non-Potable
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down list
Volume (AF)
Single Family Potable 11,352
Multi-Family Potable 5,473
Commercial Potable 3,491
Industrial Potable 400
Institutional/Governmental Potable 113
Landscape Potable 2,160
Distribution System Water Loss Potable 1,865
24,854
0 24,854Total
Submittal Table 4-1 Retail: Total Uses for Potable and Non-Potable Water — Actual Water Code Section 10631(d)(1)
NOTES:

Distribution System Water Loss is calculated as the difference between total potable production and use for FY 2025.

DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3. 2025 Actual Water Use
Add additional rows as needed
Subtotal Potable
Subtotal Non-Potable
Additional Description
(as needed)
Use Type
Drop down list
May select each use multiple times
These are the only Use Types that will be recognized
by the WUEdata online submittal tool
Potable or Non-Potable
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down list
2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) 2050 opt (AF)
Single Family Potable 10,419 10,392 10,396 10,329 10,268 Multi-Family Potable 4,483 4,513 4,550 4,549 4,547
Commercial
Includes Institutional and
Industrial uses Potable 2,539 2,567 2,594 2,590 2,589
Landscape Includes Agriculture use Potable 2,768 2,768 2,773 2,768 2,768 Distribution System Water Loss Includes Other uses Potable 2,200 2,203 2,211 2,203 2,196 22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
0 0 0 0 0
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Submittal Table 4-2 Retail: Total Uses for Potable, and Non-Potable Water — Projected Water Code Section 10631(d)(1)
Projected Water Use
(Report To the Extent that Records are Available)
Additional Description
(as needed)
NOTES: Source – 2025 Orange County Water Demand Projection Model Forecast for City of Huntington Beach Total
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

Subtotal Non-Potable
Subtotal Potable
Add additional rows as needed.

Are Future Water Savings Included in Projections?
Drop down list (y/n) Yes
If "Yes" to above, state the section or page number, in the cell to the right, where citations of the codes, ordinances, or otherwise are utilized in demand projections are found.

Optional Suppliers may complete Optional Submittal Table 4-4 R to quantify the expected savings.

Chapter 4.3
Are Lower Income Residential Demands Included In Projections? Drop down list (y/n) Yes
Optional If the method for accounting Lower Income Residential Demands has been included, provide page number where this accounting can be found. Chapter 4.3 Submittal Table 4-3 Retail: Inclusion in Water Use Projections Water Code Section 10631 (a), 10631 (d)(4)(A), and 10631 (d)(4)(B) NOTES: Future water savings include passive conservation (defined as water savings that occur without incentives). Active conservation (defined as water savings that occur with incentives) is not included in the projections.

The demand projection methodology accounted for the entire population of the service area (i.e. all income levels).

DWR NOTES: Additional guidance is provided in Appendix K. 2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) 2050 opt (AF)
285 285 285 284 283
NOTES: Passive conservation here is defined as water savings that occur without incentives. Based on the Demand Projection TM, passive conservation is assumed to equal a 1.9% decrease in residential demand due to conservation by 2030 (linearly extrapolated), then remains constant in subsequent years.

Optional Submittal Table 4-4 Retail: Passive Water Savings Projections Water Code Section 10631(d)(4)(A)
Passive savings
Add additional rows as needed
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

Description
(Codes, Standards, Ordinances, or Plans)
Public Water System ID # Reported
in Table 2-1 R Reporting Period Submitted to DWR Water
Loss Audit Program (yes/no)
2020 Yes
2021 Yes
2022 Yes
2023 Yes
2024 Yes
Submittal Table 4-5 Retail: Water Loss Audit Reporting
Water Code Section 10631(d)(3)(A)
DWR NOTES: Suppliers will provide a link to the WUEdata submittals of their Water Loss Audit Reports.

NOTES: Water Loss Audits reported in Calendar Years (CY).

Report submittal status for all five years for each Public Water System as available.

Add rows as needed
2028 Real Water Loss
Standard per Unit per
day
Units for Real
Water Loss
Drop down list
Number of Units
(Connections or Miles
corresponding with
units selected)
Volume of Total Real
Loss
(from AWWA Water
Loss Audit)
(AF)
2028 Apparent Water
Loss Standard per
Unit per Day
Units for
Apparent Water
Loss
Number of
Connections
Volume of Total
Apparent Loss
(from AWWA Water
Loss Audit)
(AF)
CA3010053 Yes 19.4
Gallons per
Service
Connection per
Day (GPSCD)
54,526 704.48

11.5 3.1
Gallons per
Service
Connection per
Day (GPSCD)
54,526 171.74

2.8 Submittal Table 4-6 Retail: Progress Towards 2028 Water Loss Standard Water Code Section 10631(d)(3)(C)
NOTES:

Uses the Water Board’s calculated water loss standards updated as of 01/30/2026 and AWWA Water Loss Audit for CY 2024. Connection count may differ from what is reported in Table 2-1 R for FY 2025.

Apparent Water Loss
Did the Water Board Calculate a
Water Loss Standard for this
Public Water System? (y/n)
If no, Supplier will not complete
this row.

Real Water Loss
Water Board's Calculated Water Loss Standards
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) for Water Loss MUST remain consistent with units reported in Submittal Table 2-3. The units reported in Submittal Table 2-3 are used in this table's calculations.

Public Water
System ID #
Reported in
Submittal Table 2-1
R
Add additional rows as needed.

Most Recent AWWA Water Loss Audit
Real Water
Loss Per Unit
per Day
Most Recent AWWA Water Loss Audit
Apparent Water
Loss Per Unit per
Day
State Water Board Standard State Water Board Standard
Actual 2025 GPCD
(From SB X7-7
Compliance Form)
Did Supplier meet
the 2020 Target in
2025?
No Individual Target 142 88 Yes NA
Submittal Table 5-1 Retail: SB X7-7 2020 Target Progress Water Code Section 10608.40
NOTES:

Did Supplier
Achieve Targeted
Reduction for
2020?
Actual 2020 GPCD 2020 Target
Regional Alliance
Target or
Individual
Target?
Drop down list
DWR NOTES:

Suppliers calculating a 2025 GPCD will need to complete and submit SB X 7-7 Compliance Tables to verify the use of SB X7-7 Methodologies.

Suppliers that were part of a merger or consolidation since 2020 see Chapter 5 and Appendix P for guidance.

NA=Not Applicable
Check the box if the Supplier was not an Urban Water Supplier during or before the 2020 UWMP reporting cycle. Proceed to the next table.

Only for suppliers that did not meet the
Target in 2020
See DWR NOTES below.

Was Supplier part of a
merger or
consolidation since
2020?
Groundwater Type
Drop Down List
May use each category
multiple times
Potable or
Non-Potable
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down list
Location or Basin Name 2021 (AF) 2022 (AF) 2023 (AF) 2024 (AF) 2025 (AF) Alluvial Basin Orange County Groundwater
Basin 23448 21329 19900 20064 21641
23,448 21,329 19,900 20,064 21,641
Add additional rows as needed
Submittal Table 6-1 Retail: Groundwater Volume Pumped
Water Code Section 10631(4) and 10631(4)(c)
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: Source - MWDOC, 2025
Total
Check the box if the Supplier does not pump groundwater.

Proceed to the next table.

Check the box if all or part of the groundwater described below is desalinated. (OPTIONAL) Name of Wastewater
Collection Agency
Wastewater
Volume Metered
or Estimated?

OPTIONAL
Drop Down List
Volume of Wastewater
Collected from UWMP
Service Area 2025 (AF)
Name of Wastewater
Treatment Plant (WWTP) and
Place ID Number
Drop down list
Is WWTP Located
Within UWMP
Area?
Drop Down List
OCSD Plant 1, Place ID 758392 No
OCSD Plant 2, Place ID 259158 Yes
16,155
Check the box if there is no wastewater collection system.

Proceed to the next table.

NOTES: Assumed return rate of 65% (City of Huntington Beach, 2015) Submittal Table 6-2 Retail: Wastewater Collected Within Service Area Water Code Section 10633(a)
Percentage of 2025 service area population served by wastewater collection system (OPTIONAL)
Percentage of 2025 service area served by wastewater collection system (OPTIONAL) DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

Additional Guidance : See Appendix M, Section M.21 for detailed guidance on this table.

Wastewater Collection Recipient of Collected Wastewa ter Total Wastewater Received from UWMP
Service Area in 2025:

Add additional rows as needed
City of Huntington Beach Estimated 16,155
Treatment Level
Drop down list
Volume
(AF)
Treatment Level
Drop down list
Volume
(AF)
Treatment Level
Drop down list
Volume
(AF)
Treatment Level
Drop down list
Volume
(AF)
Treatment Level
Drop down list
Volume
(AF)
Name of other
entity
OCSD Plant 2, Place ID
259158 Yes 16155 75,173 Tertiary 25,763 Secondary, Disinfected - 2.2 49410
16,155 75,173 0 25,763 49,410 0 0
Submittal Table 6-3 Retail: Wastewater Treatment and Outcomes Within UWMP Service Area Water Code Section 10633(b)
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

IPR: Indirect Potable Reuse would have the treatment level of its end use requirement in the Level of Treatment drop-down.

Additional Guidance: See Appendix M, Section M.21 for detailed guidance on this table.

Water Recycled Outside of
UWMP Service Area
(enter data as applicable)
Effluent Discharge that is
not a Permitted Recycled
Water Use
(enter data as applicable)
Required Discharge for
Instream Flow
(enter data as applicable)
Delivered to Another Entity for Additional
Treatment
(enter data as applicable)
Add additional rows as needed
2025 Outcomes of Treated Wastewater
Check the box if no wastewater is treated or disposed of within the UWMP service area.

Proceed to the next table.

Does This Plant
Treat
Wastewater
Generated
Outside the
UWMP Service
Area?
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down list
Wastewater Treatment
Plant Name and Place ID
Number
Drop down list
Total 2025
Volume of
Water
Treated (AF)
NOTES: Source - OC San, 2026. GWRS influent consists of the combined influent from OCSD Plant 1 and Plant 2. Typically, Plant 2 contributes ~23 MGD during normal operations.

Ocean outfall includes effluent not used for reclamation, GWRS RO brine, and occasional effluent from IRWD during the wet season. The flow could be diverted from Plant 1 to Plant 2 on different occasions.

Total
2025 Volume of
Wastewater
Received from
UWMP Service
Area
(As Reported in
Submittal Table
6-2 R) (AF)
Water Recycled Within
UWMP Service Area
(enter data as applicable)
Volume Narrative page number
(OPTIONAL)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total
Use Type
Drop down list
Potable or Non-Potable
(after treatment if treated)
(OPTIONAL)
Drop down list
Additional Information
(as needed)
Add additional rows as needed
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

Additional Guidance: See Appendix M, Section M.21 for detailed guidance on this table.

Potential recycled water use: a description of the feasibility of these uses must be included in the narrative.

Multiple Producers: If you have multiple recycled water producers, submit a separate table for each.

NOTES:
2050 (AF) 2025 (AF) 2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) Subtotal Potable
Subtotal Non-Potable
Check box if recycled water is not used and is not planned for use within the service area of the supplier. The supplier will only complete the column on "Potential Recycled Water Use" and submit an accompanying narrative on the feasibility of that potential recycled water use.

Submittal Table 6-4 Retail: Recycled Water Direct Beneficial Uses Within Service Area Water Code Section 10633 (c),(d),(e)
Potential Recycled Water Use
Name(s) of Facility/ies Producing (Treating) the Recycled Water (OPTIONAL) :

Name of Supplier Operating the Recycled Water Distribution System (OPTIONAL) :

Volume of Supplemental Water Added in 2025 (OPTIONAL) :

Source of 2025 Supplemental Water (OPTIONAL) :
2020 Projection
for 2025 (AF)
2025 Actual
Use (AF)
0 0
Submittal Table 6-5 Retail: 2020 UWMP Recycled Water Use Projection Compared to 2025 Actual
Water Code Section 10633(e)
Check the box if recycled water was not used in 2025 nor previously projected for use in 2020.

Proceed to the next table.

Add additional rows as needed
NOTES:

Total
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure reported in Submittal Table 2-3 Additional Guidance: See Appendix M, Section M.21 for detailed guidance on this table.

Use Type
Drop Down list
Name of Action Description Expected Increase in Recycled Water Use (AF)
0 0
Total (AF)
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) MUST remain consistent with units reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

The unit conversion to Acre Feet addresses the Water Code's requirement that this value be provided in acre-feet.

NOTES:

Submittal Table 6-6 Retail: Methods to Encourage Future Recycled Water Use Water Code Section 10633(f)
Check the box if the Supplier does not plan to expand recycled water use in the future. Supplier will not complete the table below but will provide narrative explanation.

Provide page location of narrative in the UWMP
Add additional rows as needed
Unit Conversion to AF
Planned Implementation Year
Drop Down
List
(yes/no)
If Yes, Supplier Name
Planned for Use in
Year Type
Drop Down List
NOTES:

Submittal Table 6-7 Retail: Expected Future Water Supply Projects or Programs Water Code Section 10631(f)
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

Check the box if some or all of the supplier's future water supply projects or programs are not compatible with this table and are described in a narrative format.

Check the box if there are no expected future water supply projects or programs that provide a quantif iable increase to the agency's water supply.

Proceed to the next table.

Planned
Implementation
Year
Add additional rows as needed
Joint Project with other suppliers? Expected
Increase in
Water Supply
to Supplier
(This may be a
range) (AF)
Provide page location of narrative in the UWMP
Name of Future Projects
or Programs
Additional Description
(as needed)
Potable or Non-Potable
(after treatment if treated)
(OPTIONAL)
Drop Down list
Water Supply
Drop down list
May use each category multiple times.

These are the only water supply
categories that will be recognized by the
WUEdata online submittal tool
Potable or Non-Potable
(after treatment if treated)
(OPTIONAL)
Drop Down list
Actual Volume
(AF)
Total Entitlement
(OPTIONAL)
See 'DWR Notes' below
(AF)
Groundwater (not desalinated) Orange County Groundwater Basin 21,641 Purchased or Imported Water MWDOC 3,213
0 0
0 0
24,854 0
Submittal Table 6-8 Retail: Water Supplies — Actual
Water Code Section 10631(b)
2025
NOTES: Source - MWDOC, 2025
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table identifies the unit of measure selected in Submittal Table 2-3.

Total Entitlement: e.g. Water Right, Groundwater Allocation, Contracted Amount.

Add additional rows as needed
Total
Subtotal Potable
Subtotal Non-Potable
Additional Description
(as needed)
Water Supply
Reasonably
Available
Volume (AF)
Total Entitlement
(OPTIONAL)
See 'DWR Notes'
below (AF)
Reasonably
Available
Volume (AF)
Total Entitlement
(OPTIONAL)
See 'DWR Notes'
below (AF)
Reasonably
Available
Volume (AF)
Total Entitlement
(OPTIONAL)
See 'DWR Notes'
below (AF)
Reasonably
Available
Volume (AF)
Total Entitlement
(OPTIONAL)
See 'DWR Notes'
below (AF)
Reasonably
Available
Volume (AF)
Total Entitlement
(OPTIONAL)
See 'DWR Notes'
below (AF)
Purchased or Imported Water MWDOC Potable 3,361 3,367 3,378 3,366 3,355 Groundwater (not
desalinated) OC Basin Potable 19,047 19,077 19,144 19,073 19,012 Recycled Water Non-Potable 0 0 0 0 0
22,408 0 22,444 0 22,522 0 22,439 0 22,367 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22,408 0 22,444 0 22,522 0 22,439 0 22,367 0
Submittal Table 6-9 Retail: Water Supplies — Projected
Water Code Section 10631 (b)
Projected Water Supply (Report to the Extent Practicable) Drop down list
May use each category multiple
times. These are the only water
supply categories that will be
recognized by the WUEdata online
submittal tool
Additional
Detail on
Water
Supply
Potable or Non-Potable
(after treatment if treated)
(OPTIONAL)
Drop Down list
2050 (opt)
Add additional rows as needed
Total
NOTES: Source - MWDOC, 2025; groundwater volumes assume OCWD’s basin production percentage (BPP) to be 85% for all years. Volumes of groundwater and imported water may vary depending on OCWD's actual BPP projections, which are established annually.
2030 2035 2040 2045
Subtotal Non-Potable
Subtotal Potable
DWR NOTES:

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

Total Entitlement: e.g. Water Right, Groundwater Allocation, Contracted Amount.

Retail Potable
Deliveries
1/1/2024
12/31/2024
No
Units for
Water
Volume
Extract and
Divert
Place
into
Storage
Conveyance Treatment Distribution Total Utility
See DWR NOTES Hydropower Net Utility
AF 20792 22880 22880 22880
N/A 2264520 519533 2784053 2784053
N/A 334 0 0 0 70 373 0 373
Quantity of Self-Generated Renewable Energy
0 kWh
Data Quality (Estimate, Metered Data, Combination of Estimates and Metered Data) Combination of Estimates and
Metered Data
Data Quality Narrative:

Narrative:

Optional Submittal Table O-1A: Recommended Energy Reporting - SINGLE DELIVERY PRODUCT - WATER SUPPLY PROCESS APPROACH Water Delivery Product
drop down list
(If delivering more than one type of product recommend using Table O- 1C)
Only for Water Delivery Products Under the Urban Water Supplier's Operational Control Start Date of Reporting Period
Water Management Process Non-Consequential Hydropower
(if applicable)
End Date of Reporting Period
Is upstream embedded energy included in the values reported? Volume of Water Entering Process
Energy Consumed (kWh)
Energy Intensity (kWh/vol. converted to MG)
DWR NOTES: Total Utility:The volume of water entered in the “Total Utility” column should equal the volume of water entering the distribution system (excluding recycled water); in most cases, this is the total volume calculated in UWMP Table 4-1: 2025 Actual Total Uses for Potable and Non-Potable Water. Note if recycled water is included in your Submittal Table 4-1, you must exclude it from your volume in this table.

Volume of Water Entering Process: Extraction data based on MWDOC Compiled Water Audits “Volume From Own Sources” and Distribution data based on MWDOC Compiled Water Audits “Authorized Consumption.” Non-Revenue Water is not considered in this calculation – the energy efficiency is based on water delivered to customers.

Energy Consumed: Based on metered data.

Huntington Beach relies on imported water, local groundwater, and recycled water to meet their customers' water needs. Operational control is limited to groundwater wells and potable water booster stations. This table does not include upstream embedded energy consumed prior to Huntington Beach taking control. Distribution is based on the authorized consumption for 2024.

NOTES:

Start Date of Reporting Period 1/1/2024
End Date of Reporting Period 12/31/2024
Is upstream embedded energy in the values reported? No
Units of Measure for Water AF Collection /
Conveyance Treatment Discharge /
Distribution Total
16,155 16,155 32310
1,079,426 1079426
205.1 0.0 0.0 102.5
0 0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Quantity of Self-Generated Renewable Energy related to recycled water and wastewater operations
0 kWh
Data Quality (drop down)
Combination of Estimates and Metered Data
Data Quality Narrative:

Narrative:

Optional Submittal Table O-2: Recommended Energy Reporting - WASTEWATER AND RECYCLED WATER Only for Water Delivery Products Under the Urban Water
Supplier's Operational Control
Water Management Process
Volume of Water Entering Process: Estimated based on potable water consumption in the service area.

Wastewater Energy Consumed: Based on metered data.

NOTES:

Volume of Wastewater Entering Process (volume units selected above) Wastewater Energy Consumed (kWh)
Volume of Recycled Water Entering Process (volume units selected above) Recycled Water Energy Consumed (kWh)
Wastewater Energy Intensity (kWh/volume converted to MG) Recycled Water Energy Intensity (kWh/volume converted to MG) % of Average Supply
Average Year 1991-2024 100%
Single-Dry Year 2014 106%
Consecutive Dry Years 1st Year 1991-2024 106%
Consecutive Dry Years 2nd Year 1991-2024 112%
Consecutive Dry Years 3rd Year 1991-2024 113%
Consecutive Dry Years 4th Year 1991-2024 115%
Consecutive Dry Years 5th Year 1991-2024 117%
Year Type
Base Year
If not using a calendar
year, type in the last
year of the fiscal,
water year, or range
of years, for example,
water year 2024-
2025, use 2025
Optional Submittal Table 7-1 Retail: Basis of Water Year Data (Reliability Assessment) Available Supplies if
Year Type Repeats
Check the box if quantification of available supplies is not compatible with this table and is provided elsewhere in the UWMP.

Location: [insert location from UWMP]
Volume Available (AF)
Quantification of available supplies is provided in this table as either volume only, percent only, or both.

NOTES:

DWR NOTES: Supplier may use multiple versions of Submittal Table 7-1 R if different water sources have different base years and the supplier chooses to report the base years for each water source separately. If a Supplier uses multiple versions of Submittal Table 7-1 R, in the "Note" section of each submittal table, state that multiple versions of Submittal Table 7-1 R are being used and identify the particular water source that is being reported in each submittal table.

Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG ) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3. This table reports the units of measure reported in Submittal Table 2-3. 2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) 2050 (AF)
Supply totals
(autofill from Submittal Table
6-9 R)
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367 2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) 2050 (AF) 2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) 2050 (AF) Use totals
(autofill from Submittal Table
4-2 R)
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Supply totals
(autofill from Submittal
Table 6-9 R)
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Supply totals
(autofill from Submittal
Table 6-9 R)
0 0 0 0 0
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
Use totals
(autofill from Submittal
Table 4-2 R)
22,409 22,444 22,523 22,439 22,367
Use totals
(autofill from Submittal
Table 4-2 R)
0 0 0 0 0
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0 Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0 WSCP - supply augmentation
benefit
WSCP - use reduction savings
benefit
WSCP - supply augmentation
benefit
WSCP - supply augmentation
benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall) WSCP - use reduction
savings benefit
WSCP - use reduction
savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall) Revised Surplus/(shortfall) If you choose to fill these optional tables, please paste the combined information in the submittal table to the left.

OPTIONAL Submittal Table 7-2 Retail: Normal Year Supply and Use Comparison -

POTABLE
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
NOTES:

OPTIONAL Submittal Table 7-2 Retail: Normal Year Supply and Use Comparison -

NON-POTABLE
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
NOTES:

OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
Submittal Table 7-2 Retail: Normal Year Supply and Use Comparison Water Code Section 10635 (a)
NOTES:

DWR NOTES : Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

Supply totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667
Use totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
WSCP - supply
augmentation benefit
WSCP - use reduction
savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
2050 (AF)
DWR NOTES : Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: It is conservatively assumed that a single dry year demand is 6% greater than each respective year's normally projected total water demand. Groundwater is sustainably managed through the BPP and robust management measures (Section 6.3.4 and Appendix G) and based on MET’s and MWDOC's UWMPs, imported water is available to close any potable water supply gap that local sources cannot meet (Section 7.5.1).

Submittal Table 7-3 Retail: Single Dry Year Supply and Use Comparison Water Code Section 10635(a)
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF)
2030 (AF) 2035 (AF) 2040 (AF) 2045 (AF) 2050 (AF)
Supply totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667
Use totals 23,711 23,749 23,832 23,744 23,667
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
Supply totals 25,086 25,126 25,214 25,120 25,040
Use totals 25,086 25,126 25,214 25,120 25,040
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
Supply totals 25,243 25,283 25,371 25,277 25,196
Use totals 25,243 25,283 25,371 25,277 25,196
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
Supply totals 25,720 25,761 25,851 25,755 25,672
Use totals 25,720 25,761 25,851 25,755 25,672
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
Supply totals 26,157 26,198 26,290 26,192 26,108
Use totals 26,157 26,198 26,290 26,192 26,108
Surplus/(shortfall) 0 0 0 0 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
Submittal Table 7-4 Retail: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Use Comparison Water Code Section 10635(a)
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
Third year
Fifth year
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions
Fourth year
NOTES: The 2030 column assesses supply and demand for FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30; the 2035 column assesses FY 2030-31 through FY 2034-35 and so forth, in order to end the water service reliability assessment in FY 2049-50.

First year
OPTIONAL WSCP Actions Second year
2026 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 26,299
Total Supplies (AF) 26,299
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit (AF)
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit (AF)
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
2027 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 27,824
Total Supplies (AF) 27,824
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit (AF)
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit (AF)
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
2028 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 27,997
Total Supplies (AF) 27,997
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit (AF)
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit (AF)
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
2029 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 28,527
Total Supplies (AF) 28,527
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit (AF)
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit (AF)
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
2030 Total
Total Water Use (AF) 29,011
Total Supplies (AF) 29,011
Surplus/Shortfall w/o WSCP Action 0
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit (AF)
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit (AF)
Revised Surplus/(shortfall)
NOTES:

DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

Submittal Table 7-5 Retail: Five-Year Drought Risk Assessment Water Code Section 10635(b)(3)
OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions (use reduction and supply augmentation) OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions (use reduction and supply augmentation) OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions (use reduction and supply augmentation) OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions (use reduction and supply augmentation) OPTIONAL Planned WSCP Actions (use reduction and supply augmentation) Standard
Shortage
Levels
Percent Shortage
Range
Suppliers
Shortage
Levels
Percent
Shortage Range
1 Up to 10%
2 Up to 20%
3 Up to 30%
4 Up to 40%
5 Up to 50%
6 >50%
Submittal Table 8-1: Cross-reference for Standard v s
Supplier Shortage Levels
Water Code Section 10632(a)(3)(B)
Check the box if the Supplier uses the Standard
six levels of water shortage.

Proceed to the next table.

NOTES:

Yes
Volume or
Percentage
Drop down
Shortage Gap
Reduction Value
(May be a range) (AF)
1 through 6 Other Purchases Percentage 0 - 100% Additional imported water purchases through MWDOC
1 through 6 Other Purchases Percentage 0 - 100% Additional groundwater pumping in the Orange County Groundwater Basin
Submittal Table 8-2 Retail: Supply Augmentation and Other Actions Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(A),(C) and (E)Add additional rows as needed Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no) How much is this going to reduce the
shortage gap?
Shortage
Level
Supply Augmentation Methods and
Other Actions by Water Supplier
Drop down list
These are the only categories that will be
accepted by the WUEdata online submittal tool
Additional Explanation or Reference
(OPTIONAL)
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

NOTES: Additional imported water purchases and groundwater pumping may be subject to rate penalties from MWDOC and OCWD, respectively.

Yes
Shortage Gap
Reduction Value
(May be a range)
(AF)
0 Landscape - Prohibit certain types of
landscape irrigation
Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Watering or irrigation of nonfunctional turf (NFT) on
State and local government properties,
commercial, industrial and institutional owned
landscapes, homeowners' associations common
area landscapes, and local government facilities in
disadvantaged communities (DAC) is prohibited.

See Note 1 below
No
0 Other water feature or swimming pool
restriction
Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
All decorative water features must re-circulate water
or users must secure a waiver from the City. Yes
0 Other
Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Washing or hosing down vehicles is prohibited
except by use of a hand held container, hose with
an automatic shut off device, or at a commercial car
wash.

Yes
0 Other - Prohibit use of potable water
for washing hard surfaces
Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Washing hard or paved surfaces is prohibited
except to alleviate safety or sanitary hazards using a
hand held container, hose with an automatic shut
off device, or a low-volume high pressure cleaning
machine that recycles used water.

Yes
0 Landscape - Restrict or prohibit runoff
from landscape irrigation
Statewide
Prohibition is
Required
Watering vegetated areas in a manner that causes
excessive water flow or runoff onto an adjoining
sidewalk, driveway, street, alley, gutter, or ditch is
prohibited.

Yes
0 Landscape - Other landscape
restriction or prohibition
Statewide
Prohibition is
Irrigating ornamental turf on public street medians is
prohibited. Yes
0 Landscape - Other landscape
restriction or prohibition
Statewide
Prohibition is
No landscape watering shall occur within 48 hours
after measurable precipitation. Yes
0 Landscape - Limit landscape irrigation
to specific times
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Watering or irrigation with a device that is not
continuously attended to is limited to fifteen (10)
minutes per day per valve. Low flow drip type
systems, water efficient stream rotor systems, and
sensor/weather controlled systems are exempt.

Yes
0 Other - Customers must repair leaks,
breaks, and malfunctions in a timely
manner
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers promptly/within 5
day(s). Yes
0 CII - Restaurants may only serve water
upon request
On-going Long
Term-
CII - Restaurants may only serve water upon
request Yes
0 CII - Lodging establishment must offer
opt out of linen service
On-going Long
Term-
CII - Lodging establishment must offer opt out of
linen service Yes
0 CII - Other CII restriction or prohibition On-going Long Term-
No single pass cooling systems may be installed in
new or remodeled buildings. Yes
0 Other - Prohibit vehicle washing
except at facilities using recycled or
recirculating water
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

All new commercial car wash and laundry facilities
must re-circulate the wash water or obtain a waiver
from the City of Huntington Beach.

Yes
0 CII - Commercial kitchens required to
use pre-rinse spray valves
On-going Long
Term-
Food preparation establishments must use water
efficient kitchen spray valves. Yes
0 Landscape - Limit landscape irrigation
to specific times
On-going Long
Term-
Watering or irrigation of vegetated areas is
prohibited between 9 am and 5 pm except by use of Yes
0 Other - Require automatic shut of
hoses
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Use a shutoff nozzle on hoses. Yes
0 Other
On-going Long
Term-
Conservation
Savings Measure.

Not applicable to
Water Shortage
Contingency Plan
quantifiable
savings.

Unauthorized use of hydrants is prohibited.

Authorization for use must be obtained from water
supplier.

Yes
1 Expand Public Information Campaign Percentage 0-3%
Community Outreach and Messaging (Expand
Public Information Campaign) Yes
1 Expand Public Information Campaign Percentage 0-1% Encourage customers to wash only full loads when washing dishes or clothes. Yes
1 Expand Public Information Campaign Percentage 0-1% Encourage customers to use pool covers to minimize evaporation. Yes
1 Other - Customers must repair leaks,
breaks, and malfunctions in a timely
manner
Percentage 0-1% Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers promptly/within 72 hours. Yes
1 Landscape - Other landscape
restriction or prohibition Percentage 0-5%
New residential automated irrigation systems must
be equipped with rain sensors that shut off the
system when it rains, or smart controllers or evapo-
transpiration sensors that use weather-based data
to set efficient watering schedules.

Yes
1 Improve Customer Billing Percentage 0-3% AMI Customer Leak Reports with Detection and Repair Assistance Yes
1 Provide Rebates for Landscape
Irrigation Efficiency Percentage 0-1% Expanded/Enhanced Rebate Programs Yes 1 Provide Rebates on Plumbing Fixtures
and Devices Percentage 0-1% Provide Rebates on Plumbing Fixtures and Devices Yes 1 Provide Rebates for Turf Replacement Percentage 0-1% Provide Rebates for Turf Replacement Yes 1 Increase Water Waste Patrols Percentage 0-1% Increase Water Waste Patrols Yes 2 Other - Customers must repair leaks,
breaks, and malfunctions in a timely
manner
Percentage 0-1% Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers within 48 hours. Yes 2 Landscape - Limit landscape irrigation
to specific days Percentage 5-10%
Irrigation shall be limited to 3 days per week turf
watering when using potable water. Plant
containers, trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens
may be watered additional days using only drip
irrigation or hand watering.

Yes
2 Water Features - Restrict water use for
decorative water features, such as
fountains
Percentage 0-1%
Filling or refilling ornamental lakes and ponds is
prohibited. Ornamental lakes and ponds that
sustain aquatic life of significant value and were
actively managed prior to the storage declaration
are exempt.

Yes
2 Improve Customer Billing Percentage 0-1% Improve customer billing reports to include more details on water use Yes
2 Decrease Line Flushing Percentage 0-1% Decrease Line Flushing Yes 3 Other - Customers must repair leaks,
breaks, and malfunctions in a timely
manner
Percentage 0-1% Fix leaks or faulty sprinklers within 24 hours Yes 3 Other - Prohibit use of potable water
for construction and dust control Percentage 0-1%
Require a construction water use plan be submitted
to the water supplier that addresses how impacts to
existing water users will be mitigated (such as dust
control).

Yes
3 Landscape - Limit landscape irrigation
to specific days Percentage 10-25%
Irrigation shall be limited to 2 days per week turf
watering when using potable water. Plant
containers, trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens
may be watered additional days using only drip
irrigation or hand watering.

Yes
4 Reduce System Water Loss Percentage 0-5% Real Loss Reduction - Pressure Management and More Aggressive Leak Detection and Repair Yes
4 Landscape - Limit landscape irrigation
to specific days Percentage 5-20%
Irrigation shall be limited to 1 days per week turf
watering when using potable water. Plant
containers, trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens
may be watered additional days using only drip
irrigation or hand watering.

Yes
5 Landscape - Prohibit all landscape
irrigation Percentage 5-10%
All irrigation is prohibited except with hand-held
bucket or hand-held hose equipped with a positive
self-closing shut off nozzle or device.

Yes
5 Moratorium or Net Zero Demand
Increase on New Connections Percentage 0-2% Moratorium or Net Zero Demand Increase on New Connections Yes
6 Landscape - Prohibit all landscape
irrigation Percentage 0-1% Previous waivers for watering during an establishment period will be revoked. Yes
6 Other Percentage 0-1%
The city of Huntington Beach may
discontinue service to consumers who willfully
violate any water conservation provisions
Yes
6 Landscape - Prohibit all landscape
irrigation Percentage 0-5% The City of Huntington Beach may shut off all non- essential water services. All irrigation is prohibited. Yes 6 Other Percentage 0-70%
Water use for public health and safety purposes
only. Customer rationing may be implemented. Yes
Is the Supplier completing this table using the standard six levels? (yes/no) Submittal Table 8-3 Retail: Demand Reduction Actions
Water Code Section 10632(a)(4)(B) and (E) How much is this going to reduce the shortage gap?
DWR NOTES: Units of measure (AF, CCF, MG) must remain consistent throughout the UWMP as reported in Submittal Table 2-3.

Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction Actions
Drop down list
These are the only categories that will be
accepted by the WUEdata online
submittal tool. Select those that apply.

Additional Explanation or Reference
(OPTIONAL)
Penalty, Charge, or
Other
Enforcement?
For Retail Suppliers Only
Drop Down List
Volume or Percentage
Drop down
Add additional rows as needed
City Name 60 Day Notice
Drop Down (yes/no)
Notice of Public
Hearing
Drop Down (yes/no)
Bolsa Chica Yes Yes
Fountain Valley Yes Yes
Seal Beach Yes Yes
Westminster Yes Yes
County Name
Drop Down List
60 Day Notice
Drop Down (yes/no)
Notice of Public
Hearing
Drop Down (yes/no)
Los Angeles County Yes Yes
Orange County Yes Yes
Submittal Table 10-1 Retail: Notification to Cities and Counties Water Code Section 10621(b) and 10642
Add additional rows as needed
Add additional rows as needed
NOTES:
2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO

CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH

APPENDIX C REDUCED DELTA RELIANCE

Appendix C

REDUCED DELTA RELIANCE REPORTING

C.1 Background
Under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009, state and local public agencies proposing a covered action in the Delta, prior to initiating the implementation of that action, must prepare a written certification of consistency with detailed findings as to whether the covered action is consistent with applicable Delta Plan policies and submit that certification to the Delta Stewardship Council. Anyone may appeal a certification of consistency, and if the Delta Stewardship Council grants the appeal, the covered action may not be implemented until the agency proposing the covered action submits a revised certification of consistency, and either no appeal is filed, or the Delta Stewardship Council denies the subsequent appeal.

An urban water supplier that anticipates participating in or receiving water from a proposed covered action such as a multi-year water transfer, conveyance facility, or new diversion that involves transferring water through, exporting water from, or using water in the Delta should provide information in their 2015 and beyond Urban Water Management Plans (UWMPs) that can then be used in the covered action process to demonstrate consistency with Delta Plan Policy WR P1, Reduce Reliance on the Delta Through Improved Regional Water Self-Reliance (WR P1).

WR P1 details what is needed for a covered action to demonstrate consistency with reduced reliance on the Delta and improved regional self-reliance. WR P1 subsection (a) states that:
(a) Water shall not be exported from, transferred through, or used in the Delta if all of the following apply:
(1) One or more water suppliers that would receive water as a result of the export, transfer, or use have failed to adequately contribute to reduced reliance on the Delta and improved regional self-reliance consistent with all of the requirements listed in paragraph
(1) of subsection (c);
(2) That failure has significantly caused the need for the export, transfer, or use; and (3) The export, transfer, or use would have a significant adverse environmental impact in the Delta.

WR P1 subsection (c)(1) further defines what adequately contributing to reduced reliance on the Delta means in terms of (a)(1) above.
(c)(1) Water suppliers that have done all the following are contributing to reduced reliance on the Delta and improved regional self-reliance and are therefore consistent with this policy:
(A) Completed a current Urban or Agricultural Water Management Plan (Plan) which has been reviewed by the California Department of Water Resources for compliance with the applicable requirements of Water Code Division 6, Parts 2.55, 2.6, and 2.8;

(B) Identified, evaluated, and commenced implementation, consistent with the implementation schedule set forth in the Plan, of all programs and projects included in the Plan that are locally cost effective and technically feasible which reduce reliance on the Delta; and (C) Included in the Plan, commencing in 2015, the expected outcome for measurable reduction in Delta reliance and improvement in regional self -reliance. The expected outcome for measurable reduction in Delta reliance and improvement in regional self- reliance shall be reported in the Plan as the reduction in the amount of water used, or in the percentage of water used, from the Delta watershed. For the purposes of reporting, water efficiency is considered a new source of water supply, consistent with Water Code section 1011(a).

The analysis and documentation provided below include all of the elements described in WR P1(c)(1) that need to be included in a water supplier’s UWMP to support a certification of consistency for a future covered action.

C.2 Summary of Expected Outcomes for Reduced Reliance on the Delta As stated in WR P1 (c)(1)(C), the policy requires that, commencing in 2015, UWMPs include expected outcomes for measurable reduction in Delta reliance and improved regional self -reliance. WR P1 further states that those outcomes shall be reported in the UW MP as the reduction in the amount of water used, or in the percentage of water used, from the Delta.

The expected outcomes for the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) regional self-reliance were developed using the approach and guidance described in Appendix C of DWR’s Urban Water Management Plan Guidebook 2025 – Final Draft (Guidebook Appendix C) issued in January 2026. The data used in this analysis represent the total regional efforts of Metropolitan , MWDOC, and its member agencies and were developed in conjunction with Metropolitan as part of the UWMP coordination process.

The following provides a summary of the near-term (2030) and long-term (2050) expected outcomes for the City of Huntington Beach’s (City) Delta reliance and regional self -reliance. The results show that as a region, MWDOC, Metropolitan, and its member agencies are measurably reducing reliance on the Delta and improving regional self - reliance, both as an amount of water used and as a percentage of water used.

Expected Outcomes for Regional Self-Reliance for the City • Near-term (2030) – Normal water year regional self -reliance is expected to increase by 15.4 TAF from the 2010 baseline; this represents an increase of about 41.4 percent of 2030 normal water year retail demands (Table C-2).
• Long-term (2050) – Normal water year regional self-reliance is expected to increase by nearly 14.6 TAF from the 2010 baseline ; this represents an increase of about 41.2 percent of 2050 normal water year retail demands (Table C-2).

C.3 Demonstration of Reduced Reliance on the Delta
The methodology used to determine the City’s reduced Delta reliance and improved regional self -reliance is consistent with the approach detailed in DWR’s UWMP Guidebook Appendix C, including the use of narrative justifications for the accounting of supplies and the documentation of specific data sources. Some of the key assumptions underlying the City’s demonstration of reduced reliance include:
• All data were obtained from the current 2025 UWMP or previously adopted UWMPs and represent average or normal water year conditions.
• All analyses were conducted at the service area level, and all data reflect the total contributions of the City and MWDOC in conjunction with information provided by Metropolitan. • No projects or programs that are described in the UWMPs as “Projects Under Development” were included in the accounting of supplies.

Baseline and Expected Outcomes
In order to calculate the expected outcomes for measurable reduction in Delta reliance and improved regional self-reliance, a baseline is needed to compare against. This analysis uses a normal water year representation of 2010 as the baseline, which is consistent with the approach described in the Guidebook Appendix C. Data for the 2010 baseline were taken from MWDOC ’s 2005 UWMP as the UWMPs generally do not provide normal water year data for the year that they are adopted (i.e., 2005 UWMP forecasts begin in 2010, 2010 UWMP forecasts begin in 2015, and so on).

Consistent with the 2010 baseline data approach, the expected outcomes for reduced Delta reliance and improved regional self -reliance for 2015 , 2020, and 2025 were taken from the City’s 2010 , 2015, and 2020 UWMPs, respectively. Expected outcomes for 2030-2050 are from the current 2025 UWMP. Documentation of the specific data sources and assumptions are included in the discussions below.

Service Area Demands without Water Use Efficiency
In alignment with the Guidebook Appendix C, this analysis uses normal water year demands, rather than normal

water year supplies to calculate expected outcomes in terms of the percentage of water used. Using normal water year demands serves as a proxy for the amount of supplies that would be used in a normal water year, which helps alleviate issues associated wit h how supply capability is presented to fulfill requirements of the UWMP Act versus how supplies might be accounted for to demonstrate consistency with WR P1.

Because WR P1 considers water use efficiency savings as a source of water supply, water suppliers such as the City needs to explicitly calculate and report water use efficiency savings separate from service area demands to properly reflect normal water year demands in the calculation of reduced reliance. As explained in the Guidebook Appendix C, water use efficiency savings must be added back to the normal year demands to represent demands without water use efficiency sav ings accounted for; otherwise the ef fect of water use efficiency savings on regional self-reliance would be overestimated. Table s C-1 and C-2 show the results of this adjustment for the City. Supporting narratives and documentation for the data shown in Tables C-1 and C-2 are provided below.

Table C-1: Calculation of Water Use Efficiency

Service Area Water Use Efficiency Demands
(Acre-Feet) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Service Area Water Demands with Water Use Efficiency
Accounted For

36,931

32,616

28,090

26,399

22,409

22,444

22,523

22,439

22,367
Non-Potable Water Demands
-

-
Potable Service Area Demands with Water Use Efficiency
Accounted For

36,931

32,616

28,090

26,399

22,409

22,444

22,523

22,439

22,367

Total Service Area Population Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Service Area Population

191,004

196,440

197,792 193,136 191,623 191,480 191,409 190,021 187,596

Water Use Efficiency Since Baseline
(Acre-Feet) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Per Capita Water Use (GPCD)

173

148

127

122

104

105

106
Change in Per Capita Water Use from Baseline (GPCD)

(24)

(46)

(51)

(68)

(67)

(66)
Estimated Water Use Efficiency Since Baseline

5,366

10,153

10,944

14,642

14,579

14,486

14,302

13,905

Table C -2: Calculation of Service Area Water Demands Without Water Use Efficiency

Total Service Area Water Demands
(Acre-Feet) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Service Area Water Demands with Water Use Efficiency Accounted For

36,931

32,616

28,090

26,399

22,409

22,444

22,523

22,439

22,367
Reported Water Use Efficiency or Estimated Water Use Efficiency Since Baseline

5,366

10,153

10,944

14,642

14,579

14,486

14,302

13,905
Service Area Water Demands without Water Use Efficiency Accounted For

36,931

37,982

38,243

37,343

37,051

37,023

37,009

36,741

36,272

Service Area Demands with Water Use Efficiency
The service area demands shown in Table C-1 represent the total retail water demands for the City’s service area and may include municipal and industrial demands, agricultural demands, recycled, seawater barrier demands, and storage replenishment demands. These demand types and the modeling methodologies used to calculate them are described in Section 4.3 of the City’s 2025 UWMP.

Non-Potable Water Demands
The non-potable water demands shown in Table C -1 represent demands for non -potable recycled water, replenishment water for groundwater basin recharge , and sea water barrier demands. In accordance with section C.3.6 of the UWMP Guidebook, MWDOC characterizes demands for groundwater basin recharge and seawater barrier demands as indirect uses of water. In order to avoid double counting of water use these supplies are generally excluded from demand projections, since they are already captured as part of the City’s retail water demand. Additionally, non-potable supplies have a demand hardening effect due to the inability to shift non -potable supplies to meet potable water demands. When water use efficiency or conservation measures are implemented, they fall solely on the potable water users. This is consistent with the approach for water conservation reporting used by the State Water Resources Control Board.

Total Service Area Population
The City’s total service area population as shown in Table C-1 comes from the Center for Demographic Research, with actuals and projections further described in Section 3.4 of the City’s 2025 UWMP.

Water Use Efficiency Since Baseline
The water use efficiency numbers shown in Table C -1 and C-2 represent the formulation that the City utilized, consistent with Appendix C of the UWMP Guidebook approach.

Service area demands, excluding non-potable demands, are divided by the service area population to get per capita water use in the service area in gallons per capita per day (GPCD) for each five -year period. The change in per capita water use from the baseline is the comparative GPCD from that five-year period compared to the 2010 baseline. Changes in per capita water use over time are then applied back to the City’s service area population to calculate the estimated WUE Supply. This estimated WUE Supply is considered an additional supply that may be used to show reduced reliance on Delta water supplies.

The demand and water use efficiency data shown in Table C-1 were collected from the City’s following sources:
• Baseline (2010) values – 2005 UWMP
• 2015 values – 2010 UWMP
• 2020 values – 2015 UWMP
• 2025 values – 2020 UWMP
• 2030-2050 values – 2025 UWMP
It should be noted that the results of this calculation differ from what the City calculated under Chapter 5 pertaining to the Water Conservation Act of 2009 (SB X7-7) due to differing formulas.

C.4 Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance
For a covered action to demonstrate consistency with the Delta Plan, WR P1 subsection (c)(1)(C) states that water suppliers must report the expected outcomes for measurable improvement in re gional self -reliance. Table C -3 shows expected outcomes for supplies contributing to regional self -reliance both in amount and as a percentage. T he numbers shown in Table C -3 represent efforts to improve regional self -reliance for the City’s entire service area and include the total contributions of the City. Supporting narratives and documentation for the data shown in Table C-3 are provided below.

The results shown in Table C-3 demonstrate that the City’s service area is measurably improving its regional self - reliance. In the near -term (2030), the expected outcome for normal water year regional self- reliance increases by

15.4 TAF from the 2010 baseline; this represents an increase of about 41.4 percent of 2030 normal water year retail

demands. In the long-term (2050), normal water year regional self-reliance is expected to increase by more than

14.6 TAF from the 2010 baseline; this represents an increase of about 41.2 percent of 2050 normal water year retail demands.

Table C-3: Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance

Water Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance
(Acre-Feet) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Water Use Efficiency

5,366

10,153

10,944

14,642

14,579

14,486

14,302

13,905
Water Recycling
Stormwater Capture and Use
Advanced Water Technologies
Conjunctive Use Projects
Local and Regional Water Supply and Storage Projects

18,289

20,058

18,298

22,439

19,047

19,077

19,144

19,073

19,012
Other Programs and Projects the Contribute to Regional Self- Reliance
Water Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance

18,289

25,424

28,452

33,383

33,689

33,656

33,630

33,375

32,917

Service Area Water Demands without Water Use Efficiency (Acre-Feet) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Service Area Water Demands without Water Use Efficiency Accounted For

36,931

37,982

38,243

37,343

37,051

37,023

37,009

36,741

36,272

Change in Regional Self Reliance
(Acre-Feet) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Water Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance

18,289

25,424

28,452

33,383

33,689

33,656

33,630

33,375

32,917
Change in Water Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance

7,135

10,163

15,094

15,399

15,367

15,341

15,086

14,628

Percent Change in Regional Self Reliance
(As Percent of Demand w/out WUE) Baseline
(2010)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
(Optional)
Percent of Water Supplies Contributing to Regional Self-Reliance 49.5% 66.9% 74.4% 89.4% 90.9% 90.9% 90.9% 90.8% 90.8% Change in Percent of Water Supplies Contributing to Regional Self- Reliance 17.4% 24.9% 39.9% 41.4% 41.4% 41.3% 41.3% 41.2%

Water Use Efficiency
The water use efficiency information shown in Table C-3 is taken directly from Tables C-1 and C-2 above.

Water Recycling
The City does not have recycled water production.

Local and Regional Water Supply and Storage Projects
The values shown in Table C-3 reflect groundwater production from the Orange County Groundwater Basin (OC Basin) as described in Section 6.3 of the City’s 2025 UWMP.

Advanced Water Technologies
The OC Basin is augmented by advanced treated recycled water from the Orange County Water District’s Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). The amount of indirect potable reuse in the OC Basin has increased over time to account for about 35 percent of total OC Basin production. The City’ s total groundwater production is captured as “Local Water Supply Project”. Supplies contributed from indirect potable reuse are not reported to avoid double-counting.

C.5 Reliance on Water Supplies from the Delta Watershed Metropolitan’s service area as a whole, reduces reliance on the Delta through investments in non -Delta water supplies, local water supplies and demand management measures . Q uantifying the City’s investments in self- reliance, locally, regionally, and throughout Southern California is infeasible for the reasons as noted in Section C.6 . Due to the regional nature of these investments, the City is relying on Metropolitan’s regional accounting of measurable reductions in supplies from the Delta Watershed.

The results shown in Table C-4 (from Metropolitan’s Table A.10-3) demonstrate that Metropolitan’s service area, which includes the City, is measurably reducing its Delta reliance. In the near- term (2030), the expected outcome for normal water year reliance on supplies from the Delta watershed decreased by 466 TAF or 6.5 percent from the 2010 baseline. In the long-term (2050), normal water year reliance on supplies from the Delta watershed is expected to decrease by 537 TAF or 9.4 percent from the 2010 baseline.

Table C-4: Metropolitan’s Reliance on Water Supplies from the Delta Watershed

Water Supplies from the Delta Watershed
(Acre-Feet)
Baseline
(2010) 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
CVP/SWP Contract Supplies 1,472,000 1,029,000 984,000 1,133,000 949,000 924,000 901,000 877,000 877,000 Delta/Delta Tributary Diversions - - - - - - - - -
Transfers and Exchanges of Supplies from the Delta Watershed 20,000 44,000 91,000 58,000 77,000 77,000 78,000 78,000 78,000 Other Water Supplies from the Delta Watershed - - - - - - - - - Total Water Supplies from the Delta Watershed 1,492,000 1,073,000 1,075,000 1,191,000 1,026,000 1,001,000 979,000 955,000 955,000

Service Area Demands without Water Use Efficiency
(Acre-Feet)
Baseline
(2010) 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Service Area Demands without Water Use Efficiency Accounted For 5,493,000 5,499,000 5,219,000 4,925,000 4,969,000 5,102,000 5,209,000 5,302,000 5,391,000

Change in Supplies from the Delta Watershed
(Acre-Feet)
Baseline
(2010) 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Water Supplies from the Delta Watershed 1,492,000 1,073,000 1,075,000 1,191,000 1,026,000 1,001,000 979,000 955,000 955,000 Change in Supplies from the Delta Watershed NA (419,000) (417,000) (301,000) (466,000) (491,000) (513,000) (537,000) (537,000) Percent Change in Supplies from the Delta Watershed
(As a Percent of Demand w/out WUE)
Baseline
(2010) 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Percent of Supplies from the Delta Watershed 27.2% 19.5% 20.6% 24.2% 20.6% 19.6% 18.8% 18.0% 17.7% Change in Percent of Supplies from the Delta Watershed NA -7.6% -6.6% -3.0% -6.5% -7.5% -8.4% -9.1% -9.4%

C.6 Metropolitan Member and Sub-Member Agency Infeasibility of Accounting Supplies from the Delta Watershed
Metropolitan’s member agencies and retail subagencies individually contribute to reduced reliance on the Delta in two ways. First, through the development of local projects and demand management measures in their own service areas, and second, through their investments in regional projects and programs through Metropolitan. Regional investments are funded through revenues from water purchases from Metropolitan or one or more of its member agencies. Metropolitan uses a portion of revenues from those purchases to fund projects and programs that contribute to the region’s reduced reliance on Delta water supplies. Because some or all of these regional investments may not be constructed or implemented directly in a particular water supplier’s service area, a water supplier’s demands on Metropolitan or one or more of its member agencies will not accurately reflect that water supplier’s total contributions to reduced reliance on supplies from the Delta watershed. It is infeasible for a water supplier that makes investments in regional projects and programs to quantify its individual contributions to reduced reliance and reflect them prop erly in its demands on Metropolitan or one or more of Metropolitan’s member agencies.

The following discussions outline how regional funding is provided through Metropolitan’s local resources and conservation incentive programs and how funding for those programs is collected through Metropolitan’s water rates.

The history and participation of Metropolitan’s member agencies and the local agencies that purchase water from Metropolitan’s members in local resource and demand management in the region have spanned more than four decades, and thus make accounting of these contributions at the individual agency level infeasible for those agencies to calculate.

Local Resources Programs
In 1982, Metropolitan began providing financial incentives to its member agencies to develop new local supplies to assist in meeting the region’s water needs. Because of Metropolitan’s regional distribution system , these programs benefit all member agencies regardless of project location because they help to increase regional water supply reliability, reduce demands for imported water supplies, decrease the burden on Metropolitan’s infrastructure, reduce system cost s, and free up conveyance capacity to the benefit of all the agencies that rely on water from Metropolitan. For example, the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) operated by the Orange County Water District, is the world's largest water purification system for indirect potable reuse and was fun ded, in part, by Metropolitan’s local resource program and its Member Agencies. With the latest expansion, GWRS is capable of producing approximately 130,000 acre-feet of reliable, locally controlled, drought -proof supply of high -quality water to recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin and protect it from seawater intrusion. GWRS is a premier example of a regional project that significantly reduced the need to utilize imported water for groundwater replenishment in the Metropolitan Service area, increasing regional and local supply reliability and reducing the region’s reliance on imported supplies, including supplies from the State Water Project.

Today, nearly one-half of the total recycled water and groundwater recovery production in the region is developed with an LRP incentive by Metropolitan.

Metropolitan’s local resource incentive programs have evolved since 1982 to encourage member agencies to develop local supplies – including recycled water, groundwater recovery, seawater desalination, and stormwater capture to reduce reliance on imported water. Over the decades, programs have evolved to meet regional water needs. Key current program elements include:
• Local Resources Program (LRP): Sliding scale or fixed incentives for recycled water, recovered groundwater, and seawater desalination projects.
• On-Site Retrofit Program (ORP): Funding for small-scale infrastructure upgrades to connect end-users to existing recycled water systems.
• Stormwater Pilot Programs: Financial incentives to study and develop stormwater capture projects for direct use or groundwater recharge.

Water Use Efficiency Programs
Metropolitan’s Water Use Efficiency programs reflect a longstanding recognition that managing demands is as important as securing supply. By reducing retail water consumption across the service area, these programs help decrease reliance on imported water , lower infrastructure costs, and free up conveyance capacity – benefits that extend to all member agencies regardless of where savings occur.

Metropolitan’s incentive-based conservation efforts operate through several complementary programs. The Conservation Credits Program provides member agencies with financial assistance for conservation projects that reduce imported water demand. The Member Agency Administered Program allows agencies to implement locally tailored rebate programs with Metropolitan funding, provided they supplement rather than duplicate regional offerings. The Water Savings Incentive Program (WSIP) targets commercial and indust rial users with custom efficiency pro jects that fall outside the standard rebate structures.

Beyond rebates, Metropolitan also pursues non -incentive conservation efforts, including landscape training, large -scale water audits, technology research, public outreach and education, and advocacy for water -efficient building codes and legislation. Together, these programs have driven significant cumulative water savings , representing a major long -term investment in region al water supply reliability. Chapter 9 of this UWMP provides details on the array of water use efficiency programs the City has implemented in its service area, which have contributed to the region's overall success in reducing reliance on imported water.

Infeasibility of Accounting
The accounting of the regional investments that contribute to reducing Metropolitan’s reliance on the Delta is straightforward to calculate and report at the regional aggregate level. However, any similar accounting is infeasible at the individual member o r sub -member agency level. As described above, the region (through Metropolitan) makes significant investments in resources and programs that reduce reliance on the Delta. In fact, all of Metropolitan’s investments in Colorado River supplies, groundwater and surface storage, local resources development and demand management measures that reduce reliance on the Delta are collectively funded by revenues generated from the member agencies (and their subagencies) through rates and charges. The relative contributions for a member agency may be able to be approximately quantified or estimated by proxy through relative water purchases, however making an estimate of any quantifiable savings in gallons or acre-feet is not feasible. Water purchases cannot, with any accuracy or precision, be tied to the actual projects or programs that deliver water to the collective member agencies and their subagencies.

Additionally, using water purchases as a proxy for member agenc ies and subagencies would result in projects and programs done outside of the Metropolitan incentive programs to be omitted and discounted. Accounting at the regional level allows for the incorporation of these local supplies and water use efficiency programs implemented by member agencies and subagencies in both the regional programs and their own specific local programs. Projects and programs each have different online dates, useful lives, production, incentive rates and contributions that cannot be matched to the demands or supply production history of an individual agency, or consistently across the agencies within Met ropolitan’s service area. As shown above, despite that infeasibility, Metropolitan’s members and their subagencies have together made substantial contributions to the region’s reduced reliance.

2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
APRIL 2026 / FINAL DRAFT / CAROLLO

CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH

APPENDIX D AWWA WATER LOSS AUDITS

4 Name of Contact Person: All audit data are entered on the Reporting Worksheet Email Address: Value can be entered by user
Telephone (incl Ext.): Value calculated based on input data Name of City / Utility: These cells contain recommended default values City/Town/Municipality:

State / Province: Pcnt: Value:

Country: 0.25%
Year: 2020 Calendar Year
Start Date: Enter MM/YYYY numeric format
End Date: Enter MM/YYYY numeric format
Audit Preparation Date: 8/9/2020
Volume Reporting Units:

PWSID / Other ID:

If you have questions or comments regarding the software please contact us via email at: [email protected] The spreadsheet contains several separate worksheets. Sheets can be accessed using the tabs towards the bottom of the screen, or by clicking the buttons below.

Chris Davis
Acre-feet
Please begin by providing the following information The following guidance will help you complete the Audit California (CA)
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0
City of Huntington Beach
The following worksheets are available by clicking the buttons below or selecting the tabs along the bottom of the page Huntington Beach
chris.davis@surfcity-hb,org
Auditors are strongly encouraged to refer to the most current edition of AWWA M36 Manual for Water Audits for detailed guidance on the water auditing process and targetting loss reduction levels This spreadsheet-based water audit tool is designed to help quantify and track water losses associated with water distribution systems and identify areas for improved efficiency and cost recovery. It provides a "top-down" summary water audit format, and is not meant to take the place of a full-scale, comprehensive water audit format.

CA3010053
USA
Use of Option
(Radio) Buttons:

Select the default percentage
by choosing the option button
on the left
To enter a value, choose
this button and enter a
value in the cell to the right
Instructions
The current sheet.

Enter contact
information and basic
audit details (year,
units etc)
Performance Indicators
Review the performance
indicators to evaluate the
results of the audit
Comments
Enter comments to
explain how values
were calculated or to
document data
sources
Water Balance
The values entered in
the Reporting
Worksheet are used to
populate the Water
Balance
Dashboard
A graphical summary
of the water balance
and Non-Revenue
Water components
Grading Matrix
Presents the possible
grading options for
each input component
of the audit
Service Connection
Diagram
Diagrams depicting
possible customer
service connection line
configurations
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements for
the AWWA Free Water
Audit Software v5.0
Loss Control
Planning
Use this sheet to
interpret the results
of the audit validity
score and
performance
indicators
Definitions
Use this sheet to
understand the terms
used in the audit
process
Example Audits
Reporting Worksheet
and Performance
Indicators examples
are shown for two
validated audits
Reporting
Worksheet
Enter the required
data on this worksheet
to calculate the water
balance and data
grading
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Instructions 1
Water Audit Report for:

Reporting Year:

All volumes to be entered as: ACRE-FEET PER YEAR
Master Meter and Supply Error Adjustments
WATER SUPPLIED Pcnt: Value:

Volume from own sources: 5 21,813.800 acre-ft/yr n/a acre-ft/yr Water imported: 7 4,631.200 acre-ft/yr 7 acre-ft/yr
Water exported: acre-ft/yr acre-ft/yr
Enter negative % or value for under-registration
WATER SUPPLIED: 26,445.000 acre-ft/yr Enter positive % or value for over-registration .

AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION
Billed metered: 5 24,926.820 acre-ft/yr
Billed unmetered: n/a acre-ft/yr
Unbilled metered: n/a acre-ft/yr Pcnt: Value:

Unbilled unmetered: 5 66.113 acre-ft/yr 1.25% acre-ft/yr24061 AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION: 24,992.933 acre-ft/yr
WATER LOSSES (Water Supplied - Authorized Consumption) 1,452.068 acre-ft/yr Apparent Losses Pcnt: Value:

Unauthorized consumption: 66.113 acre-ft/yr 0.25% acre-ft/yr Customer metering inaccuracies: 3 62.473 acre-ft/yr 0.25% acre-ft/yr Systematic data handling errors: 5 62.317 acre-ft/yr 0.25% acre-ft/yr Apparent Losses: 190.903 acre-ft/yr
Real Losses (Current Annual Real Losses or CARL)
Real Losses = Water Losses - Apparent Losses: 1,261.165 acre-ft/yr WATER LOSSES: 1,452.068 acre-ft/yr

NON-REVENUE WATER
NON-REVENUE WATER: 1,518.180 acre-ft/yr
= Water Losses + Unbilled Metered + Unbilled Unmetered

SYSTEM DATA
Length of mains: 9 607.2 miles
Number of active AND inactive service connections: 7 55,088 Service connection density: 91 conn./mile main
Yes
Average length of customer service line: ft
Average operating pressure: 6 70.3 psi

COST DATA
Total annual cost of operating water system: 10 $21,759,547 $/Year Customer retail unit cost (applied to Apparent Losses): 10 $2.17 Variable production cost (applied to Real Losses): 5 $634.85 $/acre-ft WATER AUDIT DATA VALIDITY SCORE:

PRIORITY AREAS FOR ATTENTION:
1: Volume from own sources
2: Customer metering inaccuracies
3: Billed metered
Based on the information provided, audit accuracy can be improved by addressing the following components:
$/100 cubic feet (ccf)
Default option selected for unauthorized consumption - a grading of 5 is applied but not displayed *** YOUR SCORE IS: 60 out of 100 ***
A weighted scale for the components of consumption and water loss is included in the calculation of the Water Audit Data Validity Score Default option selected for Systematic data handling errors - a grading of 5 is applied but not displayed Average length of customer service line has been set to zero and a data grading score of 10 has been applied Are customer meters typically located at the curbstop or property line? AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Reporting Worksheet

66.113
2020 1/2020 - 12/2020
City of Huntington Beach (CA3010053)
<----------- Enter grading in column 'E' and 'J' ----------> ?
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Please enter data in the white cells below. Where available, metered values should be used; if metered values are unavailable please estimate a value. Indicate your confidence in the accuracy of the input data by grading each component (n/a or 1-10) using the drop-down list to the left of the input cell. Hover the mouse over the cell to obtain a description of the grades ?
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(length of service line, beyond the property
boundary, that is the responsibility of the utility)
Use buttons to select
percentage of water
supplied
OR
value
?Click here:
for help using option
buttons below
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+
+ Click to add a comment
WAS v5.0
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American Water Works Association.

Copyright © 2014, All Rights Reserved.
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To select the correct data grading for each input, determine the highest grade where the utility meets or exceeds all criteria for that grade and all grades below it.

Use Customer Retail Unit Cost to value real losses
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Reporting Worksheet 2 Water Audit Report for: City of Huntington Beach (CA3010053) Reporting Year:

System Attributes:

Apparent Losses: 190.903 acre-ft/yr + Real Losses: 1,261.165 acre-ft/yr = Water Losses: 1,452.068 acre-ft/yr Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL): 909.37 acre-ft/yr Annual cost of Apparent Losses: $180,451
Annual cost of Real Losses: $800,650 Valued at Variable Production Cost Performance Indicators:

Non-revenue water as percent by volume of Water Supplied: 5.7% Non-revenue water as percent by cost of operating system: 4.7% Real Losses valued at Variable Production Cost Apparent Losses per service connection per day: 3.09 gallons/connection/day Real Losses per service connection per day: 20.44 gallons/connection/day Real Losses per length of main per day*: N/A
Real Losses per service connection per day per psi pressure: 0.29 gallons/connection/day/psi From Above, Real Losses = Current Annual Real Losses (CARL): 1,261.16 acre-feet/year

1.39 * This performance indicator applies for systems with a low service connection density of less than 32 service connections/mile of pipeline AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

System Attributes and Performance Indicators
*** YOUR WATER AUDIT DATA VALIDITY SCORE IS: 60 out of 100 *** Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) [CARL/UARL]:
2020 1/2020 - 12/2020
Return to Reporting Worksheet to change this assumpiton ?
American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
Financial:

Operational Efficiency:

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Performance Indicators 3 General Comment:

Audit Item Comment
Volume from own sources:

Vol. from own sources: Master meter
error adjustment:

Water imported:

Water imported: master meter error
adjustment:

Water exported:

Water exported: master meter error
adjustment:

Billed metered:

Billed unmetered:

Unbilled metered:

Unbilled unmetered:

Use this worksheet to add comments or notes to explain how an input value was calculated, or to document the sources of the information used.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

User Comments
WAS v5.0
American
Water
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Comments 4
Audit Item Comment
Unauthorized consumption:

Customer metering inaccuracies:

Systematic data handling errors:

Length of mains:

Number of active AND inactive
service connections:

Average length of customer service
line:

Average operating pressure:

Total annual cost of operating water
system:

Customer retail unit cost (applied to
Apparent Losses):

Variable production cost (applied to
Real Losses):

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Comments 5
Water Audit Report for:

Reporting Year: 2020 1/2020 - 12/2020
Data Validity Score: 60
Water Exported

0.000
Billed Metered Consumption (water exported
is removed) Revenue Water
24,926.820
Own Sources Authorized
Consumption 24,926.820 Billed Unmetered Consumption 24,926.820

0.000
24,992.933 Unbilled Metered Consumption

0.000
21,813.800 66.113 Unbilled Unmetered Consumption

66.113
Water Supplied Unauthorized Consumption 1,518.180
Apparent Losses 66.113
26,445.000 190.903 Customer Metering Inaccuracies

62.473
Systematic Data Handling Errors
Water Losses 62.317
Water Imported 1,452.068 Leakage on Transmission and/or Distribution Mains
Real Losses Not broken down
4,631.200 1,261.165 Leakage and Overflows at Utility's Storage Tanks
Not broken down
Leakage on Service Connections
Not broken down
AWWA Free Water Audit Software: Water Balance
Non-Revenue Water
(NRW)
Billed Authorized Consumption
Unbilled Authorized Consumption
(Adjusted for known
errors)
Billed Water Exported
City of Huntington Beach (CA3010053)
WAS v5.0
American Water Works Association.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Water Balance 6 Water Audit Report for:

Reporting Year: 2020 Show me the VOLUME of Non-Revenue Water Data Validity Score: 60 Show me the COST of Non-Revenue Water AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Dashboard
1/2020 - 12/2020
City of Huntington Beach (CA3010053)
0 100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
Cost $
Total Cost of NRW =$1,256,881
Unbilled metered (valued at Var. Prod. Cost)
Unbilled unmetered (valued at Var. Prod. Cost)
Unauth. consumption
Cust. metering inaccuracies
Syst. data handling errors
Real Losses (valued at Var. Prod. Cost)
WAS
American Water Works Association.

Water Exported
Authorized Consumption
Water Losses
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Water Exported
Water Imported
Volume From Own Sources
Water Exported
Billed Auth. Cons.

Unbilled Auth. Cons.

Apparent Losses
Real Losses
Water Exported
Revenue Water
Non Revenue Water
The graphic below is a visual representationof the
Water Balance with bar heights propotional to the
volume of the audit components
Water Exported
Water Supplied
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Dashboard 7
Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Volume from own sources:

Select this grading only if
the water utility
purchases/imports all of
its water resources (i.e.
has no sources of its
own)
Less than 25% of water production
sources are metered, remaining
sources are estimated. No regular
meter accuracy testing or electronic
calibration conducted.
25% - 50% of treated water
production sources are metered;
other sources estimated. No regular
meter accuracy testing or electronic
calibration conducted.

Conditions between
2 and 4
50% - 75% of treated water
production sources are metered,
other sources estimated.

Occasional meter accuracy testing
or electronic calibration conducted.

Conditions between
4 and 6
At least 75% of treated water
production sources are metered, or at
least 90% of the source flow is derived
from metered sources. Meter
accuracy testing and/or electronic
calibration of related instrumentation is
conducted annually. Less than 25%
of tested meters are found outside of
+/- 6% accuracy.

Conditions between
6 and 8
100% of treated water production
sources are metered, meter accuracy
testing and electronic calibration of
related instrumentation is conducted
annually, less than 10% of meters are
found outside of +/- 6% accuracy
Conditions between
8 and 10
100% of treated water production
sources are metered, meter accuracy
testing and electronic calibration of
related instrumentation is conducted
semi-annually, with less than 10%
found outside of +/- 3% accuracy.

Procedures are reviewed by a third
party knowledgeable in the M36
methodology.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Volume from
own Sources" component:
to qualify for 2:

Organize and launch efforts to
collect data for determining volume
from own sources
to maintain 10:

Standardize meter accuracy test
frequency to semi-annual, or more
frequent, for all meters. Repair or
replace meters outside of +/- 3%
accuracy. Continually investigate/pilot
improving metering technology.

Volume from own sources
master meter and supply error
adjustment:

Select n/a only if the
water utility fails to have
meters on its sources of
supply
Inventory information on meters
and paper records of measured
volumes exist but are incomplete
and/or in a very crude condition;
data error cannot be determined
No automatic datalogging of
production volumes; daily readings
are scribed on paper records
without any accountability controls.

Flows are not balanced across the
water distribution system:
tank/storage elevation changes are
not employed in calculating the
"Volume from own sources"
component and archived flow data
is adjusted only when grossly
evident data error occurs.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Production meter data is logged
automatically in electronic format
and reviewed at least on a monthly
basis with necessary corrections
implemented. "Volume from own
sources" tabulations include
estimate of daily changes in
tanks/storage facilities. Meter data is
adjusted when gross data errors
occur, or occasional meter testing
deems this necessary.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Hourly production meter data logged
automatically & reviewed on at least a
weekly basis. Data is adjusted to
correct gross error when
meter/instrumentation equipment
malfunction is detected; and/or error is
confirmed by meter accuracy testing.

Tank/storage facility elevation
changes are automatically used in
calculating a balanced "Volume from
own sources" component, and data
gaps in the archived data are
corrected on at least a weekly basis.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Continuous production meter data is
logged automatically & reviewed each
business day. Data is adjusted to
correct gross error from detected
meter/instrumentation equipment
malfunction and/or results of meter
accuracy testing. Tank/storage
facility elevation changes are
automatically used in "Volume from
own sources" tabulations and data
gaps in the archived data are
corrected on a daily basis.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Computerized system (SCADA or
similar) automatically balances flows
from all sources and storages; results
are reviewed each business day. Tight
accountability controls ensure that all
data gaps that occur in the archived
flow data are quickly detected and
corrected. Regular calibrations
between SCADA and sources meters
ensures minimal data transfer error.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Master meter
and supply error adjustment"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Develop a plan to restructure
recordkeeping system to capture all
flow data; set a procedure to review
flow data on a daily basis to detect
input errors. Obtain more reliable
information about existing meters
by conducting field inspections of
meters and related instrumentation,
and obtaining manufacturer
literature.
to maintain 10:

Monitor meter innovations for
development of more accurate and less
expensive flowmeters. Continue to
replace or repair meters as they
perform outside of desired accuracy
limits. Stay abreast of new and more
accurate water level instruments to
better record tank/storage levels and
archive the variations in storage
volume. Keep current with SCADA
and data management systems to
ensure that archived data is well-
managed and error free.

Water Imported:

Select n/a if the water
utility's supply is
exclusively from its own
water resources (no bulk
purchased/ imported
water)
Less than 25% of imported water
sources are metered, remaining
sources are estimated. No regular
meter accuracy testing.
25% - 50% of imported water
sources are metered; other sources
estimated. No regular meter
accuracy testing.

Conditions between
2 and 4
50% - 75% of imported water
sources are metered, other sources
estimated. Occasional meter
accuracy testing conducted.

Conditions between
4 and 6
At least 75% of imported water
sources are metered, meter accuracy
testing and/or electronic calibration of
related instrumentation is conducted
annually for all meter installations.

Less than 25% of tested meters are
found outside of +/- 6% accuracy.

Conditions between
6 and 8
100% of imported water sources are
metered, meter accuracy testing and
electronic calibration of related
instrumentation is conducted
annually, less than 10% of meters are
found outside of +/- 6% accuracy
Conditions between
8 and 10
100% of imported water sources are
metered, meter accuracy testing and
electronic calibration of related
instrumentation is conducted semi-
annually for all meter installations, with
less than 10% of accuracy tests found
outside of +/- 3% accuracy.
to qualify for 4:

Locate all water production sources on maps and in the
field, launch meter accuracy testing for existing meters, begin to install meters on unmetered water production
sources and replace any obsolete/defective meters.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software: Grading Matrix
The grading assigned to each audit component and the corresponding recommended improvements and actions are highlighted in yellow. Audit accuracy is likely to be improved by prioritizing those items shown in red to qualify for 6:

Refine computerized data collection and archive to include hourly production meter data that is reviewed at least on a weekly basis to detect specific data anomalies and gaps.

Use daily net storage change to balance flows in calculating "Water Supplied" volume. Necessary corrections to data errors are implemented on a weekly basis.
to qualify for 8:

Ensure that all flow data is collected and archived on at least an hourly basis. All data is reviewed and detected errors corrected each business day. Tank/storage levels variations are employed in calculating balanced "Water
Supplied" component. Adjust production meter data for
gross error and inaccuracy confirmed by testing.
to qualify for 10:

Link all production and tank/storage facility elevation change data to a Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) System, or similar computerized monitoring/control system, and establish automatic flow balancing algorithm and
regularly calibrate between SCADA and source meters. Data is reviewed and corrected each business day.
to qualify for 6:

Formalize annual meter accuracy testing for all source
meters; specify the frequency of testing. Complete
installation of meters on unmetered water production
sources and complete replacement of all obsolete/defective meters.
to qualify for 8:

Conduct annual meter accuracy testing and calibration of related instrumentation on all meter installations on a regular basis. Complete project to install new, or replace defective existing, meters so that entire production meter population is metered. Repair or replace meters outside of +/- 6% accuracy.
to qualify for 10:

Maintain annual meter accuracy testing and calibration of related instrumentation for all meter installations. Repair or replace meters outside of +/- 3% accuracy. Investigate new meter technology; pilot one or more replacements with
innovative meters in attempt to further improve meter
accuracy.
to qualify for 4:

Install automatic datalogging equipment on production
meters. Complete installation of level instrumentation at all tanks/storage facilities and include tank level data in automatic calculation routine in a computerized system.

Construct a computerized listing or spreadsheet to
archive input volumes, tank/storage volume changes and
import/export flows in order to determine the composite "Water Supplied" volume for the distribution system. Set a procedure to review this data on a monthly basis to
detect gross anomalies and data gaps.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 8 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Water
Imported Volume" component:
(Note: usually the water
supplier selling the water -
"the Exporter" - to the utility
being audited is responsible
to maintain the metering
installation measuring the
imported volume. The utility
should coordinate carefully
with the Exporter to ensure
that adequate meter upkeep
takes place and an accurate
measure of the Water
Imported volume is
quantified. )
to qualify for 2:

Review bulk water purchase
agreements with partner suppliers;
confirm requirements for use and
maintenance of accurate metering.

Identify needs for new or
replacement meters with goal to
meter all imported water sources.
to maintain 10:

Standardize meter accuracy test
frequency to semi-annual, or more
frequent, for all meters. Continue to
conduct calibration of related
instrumentation on a semi-annual
basis. Repair or replace meters
outside of +/- 3% accuracy.

Continually investigate/pilot improving
metering technology.

Water imported master meter
and supply error adjustment:

Select n/a if the Imported
water supply is
unmetered, with Imported
water quantities estimated
on the billing invoices sent
by the Exporter to the
purchasing Utility.

Inventory information on imported
meters and paper records of
measured volumes exist but are
incomplete and/or in a very crude
condition; data error cannot be
determined Written agreement(s)
with water Exporter(s) are missing
or written in vague language
concerning meter management and
testing.

No automatic datalogging of
imported supply volumes; daily
readings are scribed on paper
records without any accountability
controls to confirm data accuracy
and the absence of errors and data
gaps in recorded volumes. Written
agreement requires meter accuracy
testing but is vague on the details of
how and who conducts the testing.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Imported supply metered flow data is
logged automatically in electronic
format and reviewed at least on a
monthly basis by the Exporter with
necessary corrections implemented.

Meter data is adjusted by the
Exporter when gross data errors are
detected. A coherent data trail
exists for this process to protect both
the selling and the purchasing Utility.

Written agreement exists and clearly
states requirements and roles for
meter accuracy testing and data
management.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Hourly Imported supply metered data
is logged automatically & reviewed on
at least a weekly basis by the
Exporter. Data is adjusted to correct
gross error when
meter/instrumentation equipment
malfunction is detected; and to correct
for error confirmed by meter accuracy
testing. Any data gaps in the archived
data are detected and corrected
during the weekly review. A coherent
data trail exists for this process to
protect both the selling and the
purchasing Utility.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Continuous Imported supply metered
flow data is logged automatically &
reviewed each business day by the
Importer. Data is adjusted to correct
gross error from detected
meter/instrumentation equipment
malfunction and/or results of meter
accuracy testing. Any data
errors/gaps are detected and
corrected on a daily basis. A data trail
exists for the process to protect both
the selling and the purchasing Utility.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Computerized system (SCADA or
similar) automatically records data
which is reviewed each business day
by the Exporter. Tight accountability
controls ensure that all error/data gaps
that occur in the archived flow data are
quickly detected and corrected. A
reliable data trail exists and contract
provisions for meter testing and data
management are reviewed by the
selling and purchasing Utility at least
once every five years.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Water
imported master meter and
supply error adjustment"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Monitor meter innovations for
development of more accurate and less
expensive flowmeters; work with the
Exporter to help identify meter
replacement needs. Keep
communication lines with Exporters
open and maintain productive relations.

Keep the written agreement current
with clear and explicit language that
meets the ongoing needs of all parties.

Water Exported:

Select n/a if the water
utility sells no bulk water
to neighboring water
utilities (no exported water
sales)
Less than 25% of exported water
sources are metered, remaining
sources are estimated. No regular
meter accuracy testing.
25% - 50% of exported water
sources are metered; other sources
estimated. No regular meter
accuracy testing.

Conditions between
2 and 4
50% - 75% of exported water
sources are metered, other sources
estimated. Occasional meter
accuracy testing conducted.

Conditions between
4 and 6
At least 75% of exported water
sources are metered, meter accuracy
testing and/or electronic calibration
conducted annually. Less than 25%
of tested meters are found outside of
+/- 6% accuracy.

Conditions between
6 and 8
100% of exported water sources are
metered, meter accuracy testing and
electronic calibration of related
instrumentation is conducted
annually, less than 10% of meters are
found outside of +/- 6% accuracy
Conditions between
8 and 10
100% of exported water sources are
metered, meter accuracy testing and
electronic calibration of related
instrumentation is conducted semi-
annually for all meter installations, with
less than 10% of accuracy tests found
outside of +/- 3% accuracy.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Water
Exported Volume"
component:
(Note: usually, if the water
utility being audited sells
(Exports) water to a
neighboring purchasing
Utility, it is the responsibility
of the utility exporting the
water to maintain the
metering installation
measuring the Exported
volume. The utility exporting
the water should ensure that
adequate meter upkeep
takes place and an accurate
measure of the Water
Exported volume is
quantified. )
to qualify for 2:

Review bulk water sales
agreements with purchasing
utilities; confirm requirements for
use & upkeep of accurate metering.

Identify needs to install new, or
replace defective meters as
needed.
to maintain 10:

Conduct meter accuracy testing for all meters on a semi- annual basis, along with calibration of all related
instrumentation. Repair or replace meters outside of +/- 3% accuracy. Investigate new meter technology; pilot one or more replacements with innovative meters in attempt to
improve meter accuracy.
to qualify for 10:

Conduct accountability checks to confirm that all Imported supply metered data is reviewed and corrected each business day by the Exporter. Results of all meter accuracy tests and data corrections should be available for sharing between the Exporter and the purchasing Utility. Establish a schedule for a regular review and updating of the contractual language in the written agreement between the selling and the purchasing Utility; at least every five years.

To qualify for 4:

Locate all exported water sources on maps and in field, launch meter accuracy testing for existing meters, begin to install meters on unmetered exported water
interconnections and replace obsolete/defective meters
to qualify for 8:

Complete project to install new, or replace defective, meters on all imported water interconnections. Maintain annual meter accuracy testing for all imported water meters and conduct calibration of related instrumentation at least annually. Repair or replace meters outside of +/- 6%
accuracy.

To qualify for 4:

Locate all imported water sources on maps and in the
field, launch meter accuracy testing for existing meters, begin to install meters on unmetered imported water
interconnections and replace obsolete/defective meters. to qualify for 6:

Formalize annual meter accuracy testing for all imported water meters, planning for both regular meter accuracy
testing and calibration of the related instrumentation.

Continue installation of meters on unmetered imported
water interconnections and replacement of
obsolete/defective meters.
to qualify for 10:

Maintain annual meter accuracy testing for all meters. Repair or replace meters outside of +/- 3% accuracy. Investigate new meter technology; pilot one or more replacements with innovative meters in attempt to improve meter accuracy. to qualify for 4:

Install automatic datalogging equipment on Imported
supply meters. Set a procedure to review this data on a monthly basis to detect gross anomalies and data gaps.

Launch discussions with the Exporters to jointly review terms of the written agreements regarding meter accuracy testing and data management; revise the terms as
necessary.
to qualify for 6:

Refine computerized data collection and archive to include hourly Imported supply metered flow data that is reviewed at least on a weekly basis to detect specific data anomalies and gaps. Make necessary corrections to errors/data
errors on a weekly basis.
to qualify for 8:

Ensure that all Imported supply metered flow data is
collected and archived on at least an hourly basis. All data is reviewed and errors/data gaps are corrected each
business day.
to qualify for 6:

Formalize annual meter accuracy testing for all exported water meters. Continue installation of meters on unmetered exported water interconnections and replacement of
obsolete/defective meters.
to qualify for 8:

Complete project to install new, or replace defective, meters on all exported water interconnections. Maintain annual meter accuracy testing for all exported water meters.

Repair or replace meters outside of +/- 6% accuracy.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 9 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Water exported master meter
and supply error adjustment:

Select n/a only if the
water utility fails to have
meters on its exported
supply interconnections.

Inventory information on exported
meters and paper records of
measured volumes exist but are
incomplete and/or in a very crude
condition; data error cannot be
determined Written agreement(s)
with the utility purchasing the water
are missing or written in vague
language concerning meter
management and testing.

No automatic datalogging of
exported supply volumes; daily
readings are scribed on paper
records without any accountability
controls to confirm data accuracy
and the absence of errors and data
gaps in recorded volumes. Written
agreement requires meter accuracy
testing but is vague on the details of
how and who conducts the testing.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Exported metered flow data is
logged automatically in electronic
format and reviewed at least on a
monthly basis, with necessary
corrections implemented. Meter
data is adjusted by the utility selling
(exporting) the water when gross
data errors are detected. A
coherent data trail exists for this
process to protect both the utility
exporting the water and the
purchasing Utility. Written
agreement exists and clearly states
requirements and roles for meter
accuracy testing and data
management.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Hourly exported supply metered data
is logged automatically & reviewed on
at least a weekly basis by the utility
selling the water. Data is adjusted to
correct gross error when
meter/instrumentation equipment
malfunction is detected; and to correct
for error found by meter accuracy
testing. Any data gaps in the archived
data are detected and corrected
during the weekly review. A coherent
data trail exists for this process to
protect both the selling (exporting)
utility and the purchasing Utility.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Continuous exported supply metered
flow data is logged automatically &
reviewed each business day by the
utility selling (exporting) the water.

Data is adjusted to correct gross error
from detected meter/instrumentation
equipment malfunction and any error
confirmed by meter accuracy testing.

Any data errors/gaps are detected
and corrected on a daily basis. A
data trail exists for the process to
protect both the selling (exporting)
Utility and the purchasing Utility.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Computerized system (SCADA or
similar) automatically records data
which is reviewed each business day
by the utility selling (exporting) the
water. Tight accountability controls
ensure that all error/data gaps that
occur in the archived flow data are
quickly detected and corrected. A
reliable data trail exists and contract
provisions for meter testing and data
management are reviewed by the
selling Utility and purchasing Utility at
least once every five years.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Water
exported master meter and
supply error adjustment"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Monitor meter innovations for
development of more accurate and less
expensive flowmeters; work with the
purchasing utilities to help identify
meter replacement needs. Keep
communication lines with the
purchasing utilities open and maintain
productive relations. Keep the written
agreement current with clear and
explicit language that meets the
ongoing needs of all parties.

Billed metered:
n/a (not applicable).

Select n/a only if the
entire customer
population is not metered
and is billed for water
service on a flat or fixed
rate basis. In such a case
the volume entered must
be zero.

Less than 50% of customers with
volume-based billings from meter
readings; flat or fixed rate billing
exists for the majority of the
customer population
At least 50% of customers with
volume-based billing from meter
reads; flat rate billing for others.

Manual meter reading is conducted,
with less than 50% meter read
success rate, remaining accounts'
consumption is estimated. Limited
meter records, no regular meter
testing or replacement. Billing data
maintained on paper records, with
no auditing.

Conditions between
2 and 4
At least 75% of customers with
volume-based, billing from meter
reads; flat or fixed rate billing for
remaining accounts. Manual meter
reading is conducted with at least
50% meter read success rate;
consumption for accounts with failed
reads is estimated. Purchase
records verify age of customer
meters; only very limited meter
accuracy testing is conducted.

Customer meters are replaced only
upon complete failure.

Computerized billing records exist,
but only sporadic internal auditing
conducted.

Conditions between
4 and 6
At least 90% of customers with
volume-based billing from meter
reads; consumption for remaining
accounts is estimated. Manual
customer meter reading gives at least
80% customer meter reading success
rate; consumption for accounts with
failed reads is estimated. Good
customer meter records exist, but only
limited meter accuracy testing is
conducted. Regular replacement is
conducted for the oldest meters.

Computerized billing records exist with
annual auditing of summary statistics
conducted by utility personnel.

Conditions between
6 and 8
At least 97% of customers exist with
volume-based billing from meter
reads. At least 90% customer meter
reading success rate; or at least 80%
read success rate with planning and
budgeting for trials of Automatic
Meter Reading (AMR) or Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in one
or more pilot areas. Good customer
meter records. Regular meter
accuracy testing guides replacement
of statistically significant number of
meters each year. Routine auditing
of computerized billing records for
global and detailed statistics occurs
annually by utility personnel, and is
verified by third party at least once
every five years.

Conditions between
8 and 10
At least 99% of customers exist with
volume-based billing from meter reads.

At least 95% customer meter reading
success rate; or minimum 80% meter
reading success rate, with Automatic
Meter Reading (AMR) or Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI) trials
underway. Statistically significant
customer meter testing and
replacement program in place on a
continuous basis. Computerized billing
with routine, detailed auditing, including
field investigation of representative
sample of accounts undertaken
annually by utility personnel. Audit is
conducted by third party auditors at
least once every three years.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Billed
Metered Consumption"
component:

If n/a is selected because
the customer meter
population is unmetered,
consider establishing a
new policy to meter the
customer population and
employ water rates based
upon metered volumes.
to qualify for 2:

Conduct investigations or trials of
customer meters to select
appropriate meter models. Budget
funding for meter installations.

Investigate volume based water rate
structures.
to maintain 10:

Continue annual internal billing data
auditing, and third party auditing at
least every three years. Continue
customer meter accuracy testing to
ensure that accurate customer meter
readings are obtained and entered as
the basis for volume based billing. Stay
abreast of improvements in Automatic
Meter Reading (AMR) and Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and
information management. Plan and
budget for justified upgrades in
metering, meter reading and billing
data management to maintain very high
accuracy in customer metering and
billing.

AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION
to qualify for 10:

Conduct accountability checks to confirm that all exported metered flow data is reviewed and corrected each business day by the utility selling the water. Results of all meter accuracy tests and data corrections should be available for sharing between the utility and the purchasing Utility.

Establish a schedule for a regular review and updating of the contractual language in the written agreements with the purchasing utilities; at least every five years.
to qualify for 6:

Refine computerized data collection and archive to include hourly exported supply metered flow data that is reviewed at least on a weekly basis to detect specific data anomalies and gaps. Make necessary corrections to errors/data
errors on a weekly basis.
to qualify for 8:

Ensure that all exported metered flow data is collected and archived on at least an hourly basis. All data is reviewed and errors/data gaps are corrected each business day.
to qualify for 8:

Purchase and install meters on unmetered accounts. If
customer meter reading success rate is less than 97%,
assess cost-effectiveness of Automatic Meter Reading
(AMR) or Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system
for portion or entire system; or otherwise achieve ongoing improvements in manual meter reading success rate to
97% or higher. Refine meter accuracy testing program.

Set meter replacement goals based upon accuracy test
results. Implement annual auditing of detailed billing records by utility personnel and implement third party
auditing at least once every five years.
to qualify for 4:

Purchase and install meters on unmetered accounts.

Implement policies to improve meter reading success.

Catalog meter information during meter read visits to
identify age/model of existing meters. Test a minimal
number of meters for accuracy. Install computerized
billing system.
to qualify for 6:

Purchase and install meters on unmetered accounts.

Eliminate flat fee billing and establish appropriate water rate structure based upon measured consumption. Continue to achieve verifiable success in removing manual meter
reading barriers. Expand meter accuracy testing. Launch regular meter replacement program. Launch a program of annual auditing of global billing statistics by utility personnel. to qualify for 10:

Purchase and install meters on unmetered accounts. Launch Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) or Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (AMI) system trials if manual meter reading success rate of at least 99% is not achieved within a five-year program. Continue meter accuracy testing program.

Conduct planning and budgeting for large scale meter
replacement based upon meter life cycle analysis using
cumulative flow target. Continue annual detailed billing data auditing by utility personnel and conduct third party auditing at least once every three years.
to qualify for 4:

Install automatic datalogging equipment on exported
supply meters. Set a procedure to review this data on a monthly basis to detect gross anomalies and data gaps.

Launch discussions with the purchasing utilities to jointly review terms of the written agreements regarding meter
accuracy testing and data management; revise the terms
as necessary.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 10 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Billed unmetered:

Select n/a if it is the policy
of the water utility to
meter all customer
connections and it has
been confirmed by
detailed auditing that all
customers do indeed
have a water meter; i.e.
no intentionally
unmetered accounts exist
Water utility policy does not require
customer metering; flat or fixed fee
billing is employed. No data is
collected on customer
consumption. The only estimates
of customer population
consumption available are derived
from data estimation methods using
average fixture count multiplied by
number of connections, or similar
approach.

Water utility policy does not require
customer metering; flat or fixed fee
billing is employed. Some metered
accounts exist in parts of the system
(pilot areas or District Metered
Areas) with consumption read
periodically or recorded on portable
dataloggers over one, three, or
seven day periods. Data from these
sample meters are used to infer
consumption for the total customer
population. Site specific estimation
methods are used for unusual
buildings/water uses.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Water utility policy does require
metering and volume based billing in
general. However, a liberal amount
of exemptions and a lack of clearly
written and communicated
procedures result in up to 20% of
billed accounts believed to be
unmetered by exemption; or the
water utility is in transition to
becoming fully metered, and a large
number of customers remain
unmetered. A rough estimate of the
annual consumption for all
unmetered accounts is included in
the annual water audit, with no
inspection of individual unmetered
accounts.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Water utility policy does require
metering and volume based billing but
established exemptions exist for a
portion of accounts such as municipal
buildings. As many as 15% of billed
accounts are unmetered due to this
exemption or meter installation
difficulties. Only a group estimate of
annual consumption for all unmetered
accounts is included in the annual
water audit, with no inspection of
individual unmetered accounts.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Water utility policy does require
metering and volume based billing for
all customer accounts. However, less
than 5% of billed accounts remain
unmetered because meter
installation is hindered by unusual
circumstances. The goal is to
minimize the number of unmetered
accounts. Reliable estimates of
consumption are obtained for these
unmetered accounts via site specific
estimation methods.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Water utility policy does require
metering and volume based billing for
all customer accounts. Less than 2%
of billed accounts are unmetered and
exist because meter installation is
hindered by unusual circumstances.

The goal exists to minimize the number
of unmetered accounts to the extent
that is economical. Reliable estimates
of consumption are obtained at these
accounts via site specific estimation
methods.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Billed
Unmetered Consumption"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Conduct research and evaluate
cost/benefit of a new water utility
policy to require metering of the
customer population; thereby
greatly reducing or eliminating
unmetered accounts. Conduct pilot
metering project by installing water
meters in small sample of customer
accounts and periodically reading
the meters or datalogging the water
consumption over one, three, or
seven day periods.
to maintain 10:

Continue to refine estimation methods
for unmetered consumption and
explore means to establish metering,
for as many billed remaining unmetered
accounts as is economically feasible.

Unbilled metered:
select n/a if all billing-
exempt consumption is
unmetered.

Billing practices exempt certain
accounts, such as municipal
buildings, but written policies do not
exist; and a reliable count of
unbilled metered accounts is
unavailable. Meter upkeep and
meter reading on these accounts is
rare and not considered a priority.

Due to poor recordkeeping and
lack of auditing, water consumption
for all such accounts is purely
guesstimated.

Billing practices exempt certain
accounts, such as municipal
buildings, but only scattered, dated
written directives exist to justify this
practice. A reliable count of unbilled
metered accounts is unavailable.

Sporadic meter replacement and
meter reading occurs on an as-
needed basis. The total annual
water consumption for all unbilled,
metered accounts is estimated
based upon approximating the
number of accounts and assigning
consumption from actively billed
accounts of same meter size.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Dated written procedures permit
billing exemption for specific
accounts, such as municipal
properties, but are unclear regarding
certain other types of accounts.

Meter reading is given low priority
and is sporadic. Consumption is
quantified from meter readings
where available. The total number
of unbilled, unmetered accounts
must be estimated along with
consumption volumes.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Written policies regarding billing
exemptions exist but adherence in
practice is questionable. Metering
and meter reading for municipal
buildings is reliable but sporadic for
other unbilled metered accounts.

Periodic auditing of such accounts is
conducted. Water consumption is
quantified directly from meter readings
where available, but the majority of the
consumption is estimated.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Written policy identifies the types of
accounts granted a billing exemption.

Customer meter management and
meter reading are considered
secondary priorities, but meter
reading is conducted at least annually
to obtain consumption volumes for
the annual water audit. High level
auditing of billing records ensures that
a reliable census of such accounts
exists.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Clearly written policy identifies the types
of accounts given a billing exemption,
with emphasis on keeping such
accounts to a minimum. Customer
meter management and meter reading
for these accounts is given proper
priority and is reliably conducted.

Regular auditing confirms this. Total
water consumption for these accounts
is taken from reliable readings from
accurate meters.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Unbilled
Metered Consumption"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Reassess the water utility's policy
allowing certain accounts to be
granted a billing exemption. Draft
an outline of a new written policy for
billing exemptions, with clear
justification as to why any accounts
should be exempt from billing, and
with the intention to keep the
number of such accounts to a
minimum.
to maintain 10:

Reassess the utility's philosophy in
allowing any water uses to go
"unbilled". It is possible to meter and
bill all accounts, even if the fee charged
for water consumption is discounted or
waived. Metering and billing all
accounts ensures that water
consumption is tracked and water
waste from plumbing leaks is detected
and minimized.

Unbilled unmetered:

Extent of unbilled, unmetered
consumption is unknown due to
unclear policies and poor
recordkeeping. Total consumption
is quantified based upon a purely
subjective estimate.

Clear extent of unbilled, unmetered
consumption is unknown, but a
number of events are randomly
documented each year, confirming
existence of such consumption, but
without sufficient documentation to
quantify an accurate estimate of the
annual volume consumed.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Extent of unbilled, unmetered
consumption is partially known, and
procedures exist to document
certain events such as
miscellaneous fire hydrant uses.

Formulae is used to quantify the
consumption from such events (time
running multiplied by typical flowrate,
multiplied by number of events).

Default value of

1.25% of system
input volume is
employed
Coherent policies exist for some forms
of unbilled, unmetered consumption
but others await closer evaluation.

Reasonable recordkeeping for the
managed uses exists and allows for
annual volumes to be quantified by
inference, but unsupervised uses are
guesstimated.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Clear policies and good
recordkeeping exist for some uses
(ex: water used in periodic testing of
unmetered fire connections), but
other uses (ex: miscellaneous uses of
fire hydrants) have limited oversight.

Total consumption is a mix of well
quantified use such as from formulae
(time running multiplied by typical
flow, multiplied by number of events)
or temporary meters, and relatively
subjective estimates of less regulated
use.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Clear policies exist to identify permitted
use of water in unbilled, unmetered
fashion, with the intention of minimizing
this type of consumption. Good
records document each occurrence
and consumption is quantified via
formulae (time running multiplied by
typical flow, multiplied by number of
events) or use of temporary meters.
to qualify for 8:

Communicate billing exemption policy throughout the
organization and implement procedures that ensure proper account management. Conduct inspections of accounts
confirmed in unbilled metered status and verify that
accurate meters exist and are scheduled for routine meter readings. Gradually increase the number of unbilled
metered accounts that are included in regular meter
reading routes.
to qualify for 8:

Push to install customer meters on a full scale basis.

Refine metering policy and procedures to ensure that all accounts, including municipal properties, are designated for meters. Plan special efforts to address "hard-to-access" accounts. Implement procedures to obtain a reliable
consumption estimate for the remaining few unmetered
accounts awaiting meter installation.
to qualify for 10:

Continue customer meter installation throughout the service area, with a goal to minimize unmetered accounts. Sustain the effort to investigate accounts with access difficulties, and devise means to install water meters or otherwise measure water consumption.
to qualify for 4:

Review historic written directives and policy documents allowing certain accounts to be billing-exempt. Draft an outline of a written policy for billing exemptions, identify criteria that grants an exemption, with a goal of keeping this number of accounts to a minimum. Consider
increasing the priority of reading meters on unbilled
accounts at least annually.
to qualify for 6:

Draft a new written policy regarding billing exemptions based upon consensus criteria allowing this occurrence.

Assign resources to audit meter records and billing records to obtain census of unbilled metered accounts. Gradually include a greater number of these metered accounts to the routes for regular meter reading.
to qualify for 10:

Ensure that meter management (meter accuracy testing,
meter replacement) and meter reading activities for unbilled accounts are accorded the same priority as billed accounts.

Establish ongoing annual auditing process to ensure that water consumption is reliably collected and provided to the annual water audit process.
to qualify for 4:

Implement a new water utility policy requiring customer metering. Launch or expand pilot metering study to
include several different meter types, which will provide data for economic assessment of full scale metering
options. Assess sites with access difficulties to devise means to obtain water consumption volumes. Begin
customer meter installation.
to qualify for 6:

Refine policy and procedures to improve customer metering participation for all but solidly exempt accounts. Assign staff resources to review billing records to identify errant unmetered properties. Specify metering needs and funding requirements to install sufficient meters to significant reduce the number of unmetered accounts
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 11 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Unbilled
Unmetered Consumption"
component:
to qualify for 5:

Utilize the accepted default value of

1.25% of the volume of water
supplied as an expedient means to
gain a reasonable quantification of
this use.
to qualify for 2:

Establish a policy regarding what
water uses should be allowed to
remain as unbilled and unmetered.

Consider tracking a small sample of
one such use (ex: fire hydrant
flushing).
to qualify for 5:

Utilize accepted default value of

1.25% of the volume of water
supplied as an expedient means to
gain a reasonable quantification of
all such use. This is particularly
appropriate for water utilities who are
in the early stages of the water
auditing process, and should focus
on other components since the
volume of unbilled, unmetered
consumption is usually a relatively
small quantity component, and other
larger-quantity components should
take priority.
to qualify for 6 or
greater:

Finalize policy and
begin to conduct field
checks to better
establish and quantify
such usage.

Proceed if top-down
audit exists and/or a
great volume of such
use is suspected.
to maintain 10:

Continue to refine policy and
procedures with intention of reducing
the number of allowable uses of water
in unbilled and unmetered fashion.

Any uses that can feasibly become
billed and metered should be converted
eventually.

Unauthorized consumption:

Extent of unauthorized
consumption is unknown due to
unclear policies and poor
recordkeeping. Total unauthorized
consumption is guesstimated.

Unauthorized consumption is a
known occurrence, but its extent is a
mystery. There are no requirements
to document observed events, but
periodic field reports capture some
of these occurrences. Total
unauthorized consumption is
approximated from this limited data.
conditions between
2 and 4
Procedures exist to document some
unauthorized consumption such as
observed unauthorized fire hydrant
openings. Use formulae to quantify
this consumption (time running
multiplied typical flowrate, multiplied
by number of events).

Default value of

0.25% of volume of
water supplied is
employed
Coherent policies exist for some forms
of unauthorized consumption (more
than simply fire hydrant misuse) but
others await closer evaluation.

Reasonable surveillance and
recordkeeping exist for occurrences
that fall under the policy. Volumes
quantified by inference from these
records.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Clear policies and good auditable
recordkeeping exist for certain events
(ex: tampering with water meters,
illegal bypasses of customer meters);
but other occurrences have limited
oversight. Total consumption is a
combination of volumes from
formulae (time x typical flow) and
subjective estimates of unconfirmed
consumption.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Clear policies exist to identify all known
unauthorized uses of water. Staff and
procedures exist to provide
enforcement of policies and detect
violations. Each occurrence is
recorded and quantified via formulae
(estimated time running multiplied by
typical flow) or similar methods. All
records and calculations should exist in
a form that can be audited by a third
party.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Unauthorized
Consumption" component:
to qualify for 5:

Use accepted default of 0.25% of
volume of water supplied.
to qualify for 2:

Review utility policy regarding what
water uses are considered
unauthorized, and consider
tracking a small sample of one such
occurrence (ex: unauthorized fire
hydrant openings)
to qualify for 5:

Utilize accepted default value of

0.25% of volume of water supplied
as an expedient means to gain a
reasonable quantification of all such
use. This is particularly appropriate
for water utilities who are in the early
stages of the water auditing process.
to qualify for 6 or
greater:

Finalize policy
updates to clearly
identify the types of
water consumption
that are authorized
from those usages
that fall outside of this
policy and are,
therefore,
unauthorized. Begin
to conduct regular
field checks.

Proceed if the top-
down audit already
exists and/or a great
volume of such use is
suspected.
to maintain 10:

Continue to refine policy and
procedures to eliminate any loopholes
that allow or tacitly encourage
unauthorized consumption. Continue
to be vigilant in detection,
documentation and enforcement
efforts.

Customer metering
inaccuracies:
select n/a only if the entire
customer population is
unmetered. In such a
case the volume entered
must be zero.

Customer meters exist, but with
unorganized paper records on
meters; no meter accuracy testing
or meter replacement program for
any size of retail meter. Metering
workflow is driven chaotically with
no proactive management. Loss
volume due to aggregate meter
inaccuracy is guesstimated.

Poor recordkeeping and meter
oversight is recognized by water
utility management who has allotted
staff and funding resources to
organize improved recordkeeping
and start meter accuracy testing.

Existing paper records gathered and
organized to provide cursory
disposition of meter population.

Customer meters are tested for
accuracy only upon customer
request.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Reliable recordkeeping exists; meter
information is improving as meters
are replaced. Meter accuracy
testing is conducted annually for a
small number of meters (more than
just customer requests, but less
than 1% of inventory). A limited
number of the oldest meters are
replaced each year. Inaccuracy
volume is largely an estimate, but
refined based upon limited testing
data.

Conditions between
4 and 6
A reliable electronic recordkeeping
system for meters exists. The meter
population includes a mix of new high
performing meters and dated meters
with suspect accuracy. Routine, but
limited, meter accuracy testing and
meter replacement occur. Inaccuracy
volume is quantified using a mix of
reliable and less certain data.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Ongoing meter replacement and
accuracy testing result in highly
accurate customer meter population.

Testing is conducted on samples of
meters of varying age and
accumulated volume of throughput to
determine optimum replacement time
for various types of meters.

Ongoing meter
replacement and
accuracy testing result
in highly accurate
customer meter
population.

Statistically significant
number of meters are
tested in audit year.

This testing is
conducted on
samples of meters of
varying age and
accumulated volume
of throughput to
determine optimum
replacement time for
these meters.

Good records of all active customer
meters exist and include as a minimum:
meter number, account
number/location, type, size and
manufacturer. Ongoing meter
replacement occurs according to a
targeted and justified basis. Regular
meter accuracy testing gives a reliable
measure of composite inaccuracy
volume for the customer meter
population. New metering technology
is embraced to keep overall accuracy
improving. Procedures are reviewed by
a third party knowledgeable in the M36
methodology.
to qualify for 5:

Utilize accepted default value of 1.25% of the volume of water supplied as an expedient means to gain a
reasonable quantification of this use.
to qualify for 4:

Evaluate the documentation of events that have been
observed. Meet with user groups (ex: for fire hydrants - fire departments, contractors to ascertain their need
and/or volume requirements for water from fire hydrants). to qualify for 8:

Assess water utility policy and procedures for various
unmetered usages. For example, ensure that a policy
exists and permits are issued for use of fire hydrants by persons outside of the utility. Create written procedures for use and documentation of fire hydrants by water utility personnel. Use same approach for other types of unbilled, unmetered water usage.
to qualify for 10:

Refine written procedures to ensure that all uses of unbilled, unmetered water are overseen by a structured permitting process managed by water utility personnel. Reassess policy to determine if some of these uses have value in being
converted to billed and/or metered status.
to quality for 8:

Assess water utility policies to ensure that all known
occurrences of unauthorized consumption are outlawed,
and that appropriate penalties are prescribed. Create
written procedures for detection and documentation of
various occurrences of unauthorized consumption as they are uncovered.
to qualify for 10:

Refine written procedures and assign staff to seek out likely occurrences of unauthorized consumption. Explore new
locking devices, monitors and other technologies designed to detect and thwart unauthorized consumption.

APPARENT LOSSES
to qualify for 5:

Use accepted default of 0.25% of system input volume
to qualify for 4:

Review utility policy regarding what water uses are
considered unauthorized, and consider tracking a small
sample of one such occurrence (ex: unauthorized fire
hydrant openings)
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 12 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Customer
meter inaccuracy volume"
component:

Gather available meter purchase
records. Conduct testing on a
small number of meters believed to
be the most inaccurate. Review
staffing needs of the metering
group and budget for necessary
resources to better organize meter
management.
to qualify for 9:

Continue efforts to manage meter
population with reliable
recordkeeping. Test a statistically
significant number of meters each
year and analyze test results in an
ongoing manner to serve as a basis
for a target meter replacement
strategy based upon accumulated
volume throughput.
to qualify for 10:

Continue efforts to
manage meter
population with reliable
recordkeeping, meter
testing and
replacement.

Evaluate new meter
types and install one
or more types in 5-10
customer accounts
each year in order to
pilot improving
metering technology.
to maintain 10:

Increase the number of meters tested
and replaced as justified by meter
accuracy test data. Continually monitor
development of new metering
technology and Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (AMI) to grasp
opportunities for greater accuracy in
metering of water flow and
management of customer consumption
data.

Systematic Data Handling
Errors:

Note: all water utilities
incur some amount of this
error. Even in water
utilities with unmetered
customer populations and
fixed rate billing, errors
occur in annual billing
tabulations. Enter a
positive value for the
volume and select a
grading.

Policies and procedures for
activation of new customer water
billing accounts are vague and lack
accountability. Billing data is
maintained on paper records which
are not well organized. No auditing
is conducted to confirm billing data
handling efficiency. An unknown
number of customers escape
routine billing due to lack of billing
process oversight.

Policy and procedures for activation
of new customer accounts and
oversight of billing records exist but
need refinement. Billing data is
maintained on paper records or
insufficiently capable electronic
database. Only periodic
unstructured auditing work is
conducted to confirm billing data
handling efficiency. The volume of
unbilled water due to billing lapses is
a guess.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Policy and procedures for new
account activation and oversight of
billing operations exist but needs
refinement. Computerized billing
system exists, but is dated or lacks
needed functionality. Periodic,
limited internal audits conducted and
confirm with approximate accuracy
the consumption volumes lost to
billing lapses.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Policy and procedures for new
account activation and oversight of
billing operations is adequate and
reviewed periodically. Computerized
billing system is in use with basic
reporting available. Any effect of
billing adjustments on measured
consumption volumes is well
understood. Internal checks of billing
data error conducted annually.

Reasonably accurate quantification of
consumption volume lost to billing
lapses is obtained.

Conditions between
6 and 8
New account activation and billing
operations policy and procedures are
reviewed at least biannually.

Computerized billing system includes
an array of reports to confirm billing
data and system functionality.

Checks are conducted routinely to
flag and explain zero consumption
accounts. Annual internal checks
conducted with third party audit
conducted at least once every five
years. Accountability checks flag
billing lapses. Consumption lost to
billing lapses is well quantified and
reducing year-by-year.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Sound written policy and procedures
exist for new account activation and
oversight of customer billing
operations. Robust computerized
billing system gives high functionality
and reporting capabilities which are
utilized, analyzed and the results
reported each billing cycle.

Assessment of policy and data
handling errors are conducted
internally and audited by third party at
least once every three years, ensuring
consumption lost to billing lapses is
minimized and detected as it occurs.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Systematic
Data Handling Error volume"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Draft written policy and procedures
for activating new water billing
accounts and oversight of billing
operations. Investigate and budget
for computerized customer billing
system. Conduct initial audit of
billing records by flow-charting the
basic business processes of the
customer account/billing function.
to maintain 10:

Stay abreast of customer information
management developments and
innovations. Monitor developments of
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
and integrate technology to ensure that
customer endpoint information is well-
monitored and errors/lapses are at an
economic minimum.

Length of mains:

Poorly assembled and maintained
paper as-built records of existing
water main installations makes
accurate determination of system
pipe length impossible. Length of
mains is guesstimated.

Paper records in poor or uncertain
condition (no annual tracking of
installations & abandonments).

Poor procedures to ensure that new
water mains installed by developers
are accurately documented.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Sound written policy and procedures
exist for documenting new water
main installations, but gaps in
management result in a uncertain
degree of error in tabulation of mains
length.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Sound written policy and procedures
exist for permitting and commissioning
new water mains. Highly accurate
paper records with regular field
validation; or electronic records and
asset management system in good
condition. Includes system backup.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Sound written policy and procedures
exist for permitting and
commissioning new water mains.

Electronic recordkeeping such as a
Geographical Information System
(GIS) and asset management system
are used to store and manage data.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Sound written policy exists for
managing water mains extensions and
replacements. Geographic Information
System (GIS) data and asset
management database agree and
random field validation proves truth of
databases. Records of annual field
validation should be available for
review.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Length of
Water Mains" component:
to qualify for 2:

Assign personnel to inventory
current as-built records and
compare with customer billing
system records and highway plans
in order to verify poorly documented
pipelines. Assemble policy
documents regarding permitting
and documentation of water main
installations by the utility and
building developers; identify gaps in
procedures that result in poor
documentation of new water main
installations.
to maintain 10:

Continue with standardization and
random field validation to improve the
completeness and accuracy of the
system.
to qualify for 4:

Implement a reliable record keeping system for customer meter histories, preferably using electronic methods
typically linked to, or part of, the Customer Billing System or Customer Information System. Expand meter
accuracy testing to a larger group of meters.
to qualify for 4:

Finalize written policy and procedures for activation of new billing accounts and overall billing operations
management. Implement a computerized customer billing
system. Conduct initial audit of billing records as part of this process.
to qualify for 6:

Refine new account activation and billing operations
procedures and ensure consistency with the utility policy regarding billing, and minimize opportunity for missed
billings. Upgrade or replace customer billing system for needed functionality - ensure that billing adjustments don't corrupt the value of consumption volumes. Procedurize
internal annual audit process.
to qualify for 8:

Formalize regular review of new account activation process and general billing practices. Enhance reporting capability of computerized billing system. Formalize regular auditing process to reveal scope of data handling error. Plan for periodic third party audit to occur at least once every five years.

SYSTEM DATA
to qualify for 6:

Standardize the procedures for meter recordkeeping within an electronic information system. Accelerate meter
accuracy testing and meter replacements guided by testing results.
to qualify for 8:

Expand annual meter accuracy testing to evaluate a
statistically significant number of meter makes/models.

Expand meter replacement program to replace statistically significant number of poor performing meters each year. to qualify for 10:

Close policy/procedure loopholes that allow some customer accounts to go unbilled, or data handling errors to exist.

Ensure that billing system reports are utilized, analyzed and reported every billing cycle. Ensure that internal and third party audits are conducted at least once every three years. to qualify for 4:

Complete inventory of paper records of water main
installations for several years prior to audit year. Review policy and procedures for commissioning and
documenting new water main installation.
to qualify for 8:

Launch random field checks of limited number of locations.

Convert to electronic database such as a Geographic
Information System (GIS) with backup as justified. Develop written policy and procedures.
to qualify for 10:

Link Geographic Information System (GIS) and asset
management databases, conduct field verification of data.

Record field verification information at least annually. to qualify for 6:

Finalize updates/improvements to written policy and
procedures for permitting/commissioning new main
installations. Confirm inventory of records for five years prior to audit year; correct any errors or omissions.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 13 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Number of active AND inactive
service connections:

Vague permitting (of new service
connections) policy and poor paper
recordkeeping of customer
connections/billings result in
suspect determination of the
number of service connections,
which may be 10-15% in error from
actual count.

General permitting policy exists but
paper records, procedural gaps, and
weak oversight result in
questionable total for number of
connections, which may vary 5-10%
of actual count.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Written account activation policy and
procedures exist, but with some
gaps in performance and oversight.

Computerized information
management system is being
brought online to replace dated
paper recordkeeping system.

Reasonably accurate tracking of
service connection installations &
abandonments; but count can be up
to 5% in error from actual total.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Written new account activation and
overall billing policies and procedures
are adequate and reviewed
periodically. Computerized
information management system is in
use with annual installations &
abandonments totaled. Very limited
field verifications and audits. Error in
count of number of service
connections is believed to be no more
than 3%.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Policies and procedures for new
account activation and overall billing
operations are written, well-structured
and reviewed at least biannually. Well-
managed computerized information
management system exists and
routine, periodic field checks and
internal system audits are conducted.

Counts of connections are no more
than 2% in error.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Sound written policy and well managed
and audited procedures ensure reliable
management of service connection
population. Computerized information
management system, Customer Billing
System, and Geographic Information
System (GIS) information agree; field
validation proves truth of databases.

Count of connections recorded as
being in error is less than 1% of the
entire population.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Number of
Active and Inactive Service
Connections" component:

Note: The number of
Service Connections
does not include fire
hydrant leads/lines
connecting the hydrant
to the water main
to qualify for 2:

Draft new policy and procedures for
new account activation and overall
billing operations. Research and
collect paper records of installations
& abandonments for several years
prior to audit year.
to maintain 10:

Continue with standardization and
random field validation to improve
knowledge of system.

Vague policy exists to define the
delineation of water utility ownership
and customer ownership of the
service connection piping. Curb
stops are perceived as the
breakpoint but these have not been
well-maintained or documented.

Most are buried or obscured. Their
location varies widely from site-to-
site, and estimating this distance is
arbitrary due to the unknown
location of many curb stops.

Policy requires that the curb stop
serves as the delineation point
between water utility ownership and
customer ownership of the service
connection piping. The piping from
the water main to the curb stop is
the property of the water utility; and
the piping from the curb stop to the
customer building is owned by the
customer. Curb stop locations are
not well documented and the
average distance is based upon a
limited number of locations
measured in the field.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Good policy requires that the curb
stop serves as the delineation point
between water utility ownership and
customer ownership of the service
connection piping. Curb stops are
generally installed as needed and
are reasonably documented. Their
location varies widely from site-to-
site, and an estimate of this distance
is hindered by the availability of
paper records of limited accuracy.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Clear written policy exists to define
utility/customer responsibility for
service connection piping. Accurate,
well-maintained paper or basic
electronic recordkeeping system
exists. Periodic field checks confirm
piping lengths for a sample of
customer properties.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Clearly worded policy standardizes
the location of curb stops and meters,
which are inspected upon installation.

Accurate and well maintained
electronic records exist with periodic
field checks to confirm locations of
service lines, curb stops and
customer meter pits. An accurate
number of customer properties from
the customer billing system allows for
reliable averaging of this length.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Average
Length of Customer Service
Line" component:
to qualify for 2:

Research and collect paper records
of service line installations. Inspect
several sites in the field using pipe
locators to locate curb stops.

Obtain the length of this small
sample of connections in this
manner.
to maintain 10:

Continue with standardization and
random field validation to improve
knowledge of service connection
configurations and customer meter
locations.

Average operating pressure:

Available records are poorly
assembled and maintained paper
records of supply pump
characteristics and water
distribution system operating
conditions. Average pressure is
guesstimated based upon this
information and ground elevations
from crude topographical maps.

Widely varying distribution system
pressures due to undulating terrain,
high system head loss and
weak/erratic pressure controls
further compromise the validity of
the average pressure calculation.

Limited telemetry monitoring of
scattered pumping station and water
storage tank sites provides some
static pressure data, which is
recorded in handwritten logbooks.

Pressure data is gathered at
individual sites only when low
pressure complaints arise. Average
pressure is determined by averaging
relatively crude data, and is affected
by significant variation in ground
elevations, system head loss and
gaps in pressure controls in the
distribution system.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Effective pressure controls separate
different pressure zones; moderate
pressure variation across the
system, occasional open boundary
valves are discovered that breech
pressure zones. Basic telemetry
monitoring of the distribution system
logs pressure data electronically.

Pressure data gathered by gauges
or dataloggers at fire hydrants or
buildings when low pressure
complaints arise, and during fire flow
tests and system flushing. Reliable
topographical data exists. Average
pressure is calculated using this mix
of data.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Reliable pressure controls separate
distinct pressure zones; only very
occasional open boundary valves are
encountered that breech pressure
zones. Well-covered telemetry
monitoring of the distribution system
(not just pumping at source treatment
plants or wells) logs extensive
pressure data electronically. Pressure
gathered by gauges/dataloggers at
fire hydrants and buildings when low
pressure complaints arise, and during
fire flow tests and system flushing.

Average pressure is determined by
using this mix of reliable data.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Well-managed, discrete pressure
zones exist with generally predictable
pressure fluctuations. A current full-
scale SCADA System or similar
realtime monitoring system exists to
monitor the water distribution system
and collect data, including real time
pressure readings at representative
sites across the system. The average
system pressure is determined from
reliable monitoring system data.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Well-managed pressure districts/zones,
SCADA System and hydraulic model
exist to give very precise pressure data
across the water distribution system.

Average system pressure is reliably
calculated from extensive, reliable, and
cross-checked data. Calculations are
reported on an annual basis as a
minimum.

Average length of customer
service line:

Note: if customer water
meters are located
outside of the customer
building next to the curb
stop or boundary
separating utility/customer
responsibility, then the
auditor should answer
"Yes" to the question on
the Reporting Worksheet
asking about this. If the
answer is Yes, the
grading description listed
under the Grading of
10(a) will be followed,
with a value of zero
automatically entered at a
Grading of 10. See the
Service Connection
Diagram worksheet for a
visual presentation of this
distance.

Gradings 1-9 apply if customer properties are unmetered, if customer meters exist and are located inside the customer building premises, or if the water utility owns and is responsible for the entire service connection piping from the water main to the customer building. In any of these cases the average distance between the curb stop or boundary separating utility/customer responsibility for service connection piping, and the typical first point of use (ex: faucet) or the customer meter must be quantified. Gradings of 1-9 are used to grade the validity of the means to quantify this value. (See the "Service Connection Diagram" worksheet) to qualify for 8:

Formalize regular review of new account activation and
overall billing operations policies and procedures. Launch random field checks of limited number of locations.

Develop reports and auditing mechanisms for
computerized information management system.

Either of two conditions can be met for
a grading of 10:
a) Customer water meters exist outside
of customer buildings next to the curb
stop or boundary separating
utility/customer responsibility for service
connection piping. If so, answer "Yes"
to the question on the Reporting
Working asking about this condition. A
value of zero and a Grading of 10 are
automatically entered in the Reporting
Worksheet .
b). Meters exist inside customer
buildings, or properties are unmetered.

In either case, answer "No" to the
Reporting Worksheet question on
meter location, and enter a distance
determined by the auditor. For a
Grading of 10 this value must be a very
reliable number from a Geographic
Information System (GIS) and
confirmed by a statistically valid number
of field checks.
to qualify for 6:

Establish coherent procedures to ensure that policy for curb stop, meter installation and documentation is followed.

Gain consensus within the water utility for the establishment of a computerized information management system.
to qualify for 10:

Close any procedural loopholes that allow installations to go undocumented. Link computerized information management system with Geographic Information System (GIS) and
formalize field inspection and information system auditing processes. Documentation of new or decommissioned
service connections encounters several levels of checks and balances.
to qualify for 4:

Refine policy and procedures for new account activation and overall billing operations. Research computerized
recordkeeping system (Customer Information System or
Customer Billing System) to improve documentation
format for service connections.
to qualify for 6:

Refine procedures to ensure consistency with new account activation and overall billing policy to establish new service connections or decommission existing connections.

Improve process to include all totals for at least five years prior to audit year.
to qualify for 4:

Formalize and communicate policy delineating
utility/customer responsibilities for service connection piping. Assess accuracy of paper records by field
inspection of a small sample of service connections using pipe locators as needed. Research the potential
migration to a computerized information management
system to store service connection data.
to qualify for 10:

Link customer information management system and
Geographic Information System (GIS), standardize process for field verification of data.
to qualify for 8:

Implement an electronic means of recordkeeping, typically via a customer information system, customer billing system, or Geographic Information System (GIS). Standardize the process to conduct field checks of a limited number of
locations.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 14 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Average
Operating Pressure"
component:
to qualify for 2:

Employ pressure gauging and/or
datalogging equipment to obtain
pressure measurements from fire
hydrants. Locate accurate
topographical maps of service area
in order to confirm ground
elevations. Research pump data
sheets to find pump pressure/flow
characteristics
to maintain 10:

Continue to refine the hydraulic model
of the distribution system and consider
linking it with SCADA System for real-
time pressure data calibration, and
averaging.
to qualify for 4:

Formalize a procedure to use pressure
gauging/datalogging equipment to gather pressure data
during various system events such as low pressure
complaints, or operational testing. Gather pump pressure and flow data at different flow regimes. Identify faulty pressure controls (pressure reducing valves, altitude
valves, partially open boundary valves) and plan to
properly configure pressure zones. Make all pressure
data from these efforts available to generate system-wide average pressure.
to qualify for 6:

Expand the use of pressure gauging/datalogging
equipment to gather scattered pressure data at a
representative set of sites, based upon pressure zones or areas. Utilize pump pressure and flow data to determine supply head entering each pressure zone or district.

Correct any faulty pressure controls (pressure reducing valves, altitude valves, partially open boundary valves) to ensure properly configured pressure zones. Use expanded pressure dataset from these activities to generate system- wide average pressure.
to qualify for 8:

Install a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System, or similar realtime monitoring system, to monitor system parameters and control operations. Set regular
calibration schedule for instrumentation to insure data accuracy. Obtain accurate topographical data and utilize pressure data gathered from field surveys to provide
extensive, reliable data for pressure averaging.
to qualify for 10:

Annually, obtain a system-wide average pressure value from the hydraulic model of the distribution system that has been calibrated via field measurements in the water distribution system and confirmed in comparisons with SCADA System
data.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 15 Grading >>> n/a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WATER SUPPLIED
Total annual cost of operating
water system:

Incomplete paper records and lack
of financial accounting
documentation on many operating
functions makes calculation of
water system operating costs a
pure guesstimate
Reasonably maintained, but
incomplete, paper or electronic
accounting provides data to
estimate the major portion of water
system operating costs.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Electronic, industry-standard cost
accounting system in place.

However, gaps in data are known to
exist, periodic internal reviews are
conducted but not a structured
financial audit.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Reliable electronic, industry-standard
cost accounting system in place, with
all pertinent water system operating
costs tracked. Data audited
periodically by utility personnel, but not
a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Conditions between
6 and 8
Reliable electronic, industry-standard
cost accounting system in place, with
all pertinent water system operating
costs tracked. Data audited at least
annually by utility personnel, and at
least once every three years by third-
party CPA.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Reliable electronic, industry-standard
cost accounting system in place, with
all pertinent water system operating
costs tracked. Data audited annually
by utility personnel and annually also by
third-party CPA.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Total Annual
Cost of Operating the Water
System" component:
to qualify for 2:

Gather available records, institute
new financial accounting
procedures to regularly collect and
audit basic cost data of most
important operations functions.
to maintain 10:

Maintain program, stay abreast of
expenses subject to erratic cost
changes and long-term cost trend, and
budget/track costs proactively
Customer retail unit cost
(applied to Apparent Losses):

Customer population
unmetered, and/or only a
fixed fee is charged for
consumption.

Antiquated, cumbersome water rate
structure is used, with periodic
historic amendments that were
poorly documented and
implemented; resulting in classes of
customers being billed inconsistent
charges. The actual composite
billing rate likely differs significantly
from the published water rate
structure, but a lack of auditing
leaves the degree of error
indeterminate.

Dated, cumbersome water rate
structure, not always employed
consistently in actual billing
operations. The actual composite
billing rate is known to differ from the
published water rate structure, and a
reasonably accurate estimate of the
degree of error is determined,
allowing a composite billing rate to
be quantified.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Straight-forward water rate structure
in use, but not updated in several
years. Billing operations reliably
employ the rate structure. The
composite billing rate is derived from
a single customer class such as
residential customer accounts,
neglecting the effect of different
rates from varying customer classes.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Clearly written, up-to-date water rate
structure is in force and is applied
reliably in billing operations.

Composite customer rate is
determined using a weighted average
residential rate using volumes of water
in each rate block.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Effective water rate structure is in
force and is applied reliably in billing
operations. Composite customer rate
is determined using a weighted
average composite consumption rate,
which includes residential,
commercial, industrial, institutional
(CII), and any other distinct customer
classes within the water rate
structure.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Current, effective water rate structure is
in force and applied reliably in billing
operations. The rate structure and
calculations of composite rate - which
includes residential, commercial,
industrial, institutional (CII), and other
distinct customer classes - are
reviewed by a third party
knowledgeable in the M36
methodology at least once every five
years.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Customer
Retail Unit Cost" component:
to qualify for 2:

Formalize the process to implement
water rates, including a secure
documentation procedure. Create
a current, formal water rate
document and gain approval from
all stakeholders.
to qualify for 6:

Evaluate volume of water used in
each usage block by residential
users. Multiply volumes by full rate
structure.

Launch effort to fully
meter the customer
population and
charge rates based
upon water volumes
to maintain 10:

Keep water rate structure current in
addressing the water utility's revenue
needs. Update the calculation of the
customer unit rate as new rate
components, customer classes, or
other components are modified.

Variable production cost
(applied to Real Losses):

Note: if the water utility
purchases/imports its
entire water supply, then
enter the unit purchase
cost of the bulk water
supply in the Reporting
Worksheet with a grading
of 10
Incomplete paper records and lack
of documentation on primary
operating functions (electric power
and treatment costs most
importantly) makes calculation of
variable production costs a pure
guesstimate
Reasonably maintained, but
incomplete, paper or electronic
accounting provides data to roughly
estimate the basic operations costs
(pumping power costs and
treatment costs) and calculate a unit
variable production cost.

Conditions between
2 and 4
Electronic, industry-standard cost
accounting system in place. Electric
power and treatment costs are
reliably tracked and allow accurate
weighted calculation of unit variable
production costs based on these
two inputs and water imported
purchase costs (if applicable). All
costs are audited internally on a
periodic basis.

Conditions between
4 and 6
Reliable electronic, industry-standard
cost accounting system in place, with
all pertinent water system operating
costs tracked. Pertinent additional
costs beyond power, treatment and
water imported purchase costs (if
applicable) such as liability, residuals
management, wear and tear on
equipment, impending expansion of
supply, are included in the unit
variable production cost, as
applicable. The data is audited at
least annually by utility personnel.

Conditions between
6 and 8
Reliable electronic, industry-standard
cost accounting system in place, with
all pertinent primary and secondary
variable production and water
imported purchase (if applicable)
costs tracked. The data is audited at
least annually by utility personnel, and
at least once every three years by a
third-party knowledgeable in the M36
methodology.

Conditions between
8 and 10
Either of two conditions can be met to
obtain a grading of 10:
1) Third party CPA audit of all pertinent
primary and secondary variable
production and water imported
purchase (if applicable) costs on an
annual basis.
or:
2) Water supply is entirely purchased
as bulk imported water, and unit
purchase cost serves as the variable
production cost.

Improvements to attain higher
data grading for "Variable
Production Cost" component:
to qualify for 2:

Gather available records, institute
new procedures to regularly collect
and audit basic cost data and most
important operations functions.
to maintain 10:

Maintain program, stay abreast of
expenses subject to erratic cost
changes and budget/track costs
proactively
to qualify for 6:

Formalize process for regular internal audits of production costs. Assess whether additional costs (liability, residuals management, equipment wear, impending infrastructure
expansion) should be included to calculate a more
representative variable production cost.
to qualify for 8:

Formalize the accounting process to include direct cost components (power, treatment) as well as indirect cost
components (liability, residuals management, etc.) Arrange to conduct audits by a knowledgeable third-party at least once every three years.
to qualify for 10:

Standardize the process to conduct a third-party financial audit by a CPA on an annual basis.
to qualify for 4:

Implement an electronic cost accounting system,
structured according to accounting standards for water
utilities
to qualify for 4:

Review the water rate structure and update/formalize as needed. Assess billing operations to ensure that actual billing operations incorporate the established water rate structure.
to qualify for 8:

Evaluate volume of water used in each usage block by all classifications of users. Multiply volumes by full rate structure.
to qualify for 10:

Conduct a periodic third-party audit of water used in each usage block by all classifications of users. Multiply volumes by full rate structure.
to qualify for 4:

Implement an electronic cost accounting system,
structured according to accounting standards for water
utilities
to qualify for 10:

Standardize the process to conduct a third-party financial audit by a CPA on an annual basis.

COST DATA
to qualify for 6:

Establish process for periodic internal audit of water system operating costs; identify cost data gaps and institute
procedures for tracking these outstanding costs.
to qualify for 8:

Standardize the process to conduct routine financial audit on an annual basis. Arrange for CPA audit of financial records at least once every three years.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Grading Matrix 16 AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Customer Service Line Diagrams
Average Length of Customer
Service Line
The three figures shown on this
worksheet display the
assignment of the Average
Length of Customer Service
Line, Lp, for the three most
common piping configurations.

Figure 1 shows the
configuration of the water meter
outside of the customer building
next to the curb stop valve. In
this configuration Lp = 0 since
the distance between the curb
stop and the customer metering
point is essentially zero.

Figure 2 shows the
configuration of the customer
water meter located inside the
customer building, where Lp is
the distance from the curb stop
to the water meter.

Figure 3 shows the
configuration of an unmetered
customer building , where Lp is
the distance from the curb stop
to the first point of customer
water consumption, or, more
simply, the building line.

In any water system the Lp will
vary notably in a community of
different structures, therefore
the average Lp value is used
and this should be
approximated or calculated if a
sample of service line
measurements has been
gathered.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
Click for more
information
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Service Connection Diagram 17 Item Name
Apparent
Losses

AUTHORIZED

CONSUMPTION
Average length of
customer service
line
Average
operating
pressure
Billed Authorized
Consumption
Billed metered
consumption
Billed unmetered
consumption
AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Definitions
Description
= billed water exported + billed metered + billed unmetered + unbilled metered + unbilled unmetered consumption The volume of metered and/or unmetered water taken by registered customers, the water utility's own uses, and uses of others who are implicitly or explicitly authorized to do so by the water utility; for residential, commercial, industrial and public-minded purposes.

Typical retail customers' consumption is tabulated usually from established customer accounts as billed metered consumption, or - for unmetered customers - billed unmetered consumption. These types of consumption, along with billed water exported, provide revenue potential for the water utility. Be certain to tabulate the water exported volume as a separate component and do not "double-count" it by including in the billed metered consumption component as well as the water exported component.

Unbilled authorized consumption occurs typically in non-account uses, including water for fire fighting and training, flushing of water mains and sewers, street cleaning, watering of municipal gardens, public fountains, or similar public-minded uses. Occasionally these uses may be metered and billed (or charged a flat fee), but usually they are unmetered and unbilled. In the latter case, the water auditor may use a default value to estimate this quantity, or implement procedures for the reliable quantification of these uses. This starts with documenting usage events as they occur and estimating the amount of water used in each event. (See Unbilled unmetered consumption)
This is the average length of customer service line, Lp, that is owned and maintained by the customer; from the point of ownership transfer to the customer water meter, or building line (if unmetered). The quantity is one of the data inputs for the calculation of Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL), which serves as the denominator of the performance indicator: Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI). The value of Lp is multiplied by the number of customer service connections to obtain a total length of customer owned piping in the system. The purpose of this parameter is to account for the unmetered service line infrastructure that is the responsibility of the customer for arranging repairs of leaks that occur on their lines. In many cases leak repairs arranged by customers take longer to be executed than leak repairs arranged by the water utility on utility-maintained piping. Leaks run longer - and lose more water - on customer- owned service piping, than utility owned piping.

If the customer water meter exists near the ownership transfer point (usually the curb stop located between the water main and the customer premises) this distance is zero because the meter and transfer point are the same. This is the often encountered configuration of customer water meters located in an underground meter box or "pit" outside of the customer's building. The Free Water Audit Software asks a "Yes/No" question about the meter at this location. If the auditor selects "Yes" then this distance is set to zero and the data grading score for this component is set to 10.

If water meters are typically located inside the customer premise/building, or properties are unmetered, it is up to the water auditor to estimate a system-wide average Lp length based upon the various customer land parcel sizes and building locations in the service area. Lp will be a shorter length in areas of high density housing, and a longer length in areas of low density housing and varied commercial and industrial buildings. General parcel demographics should be employed to obtain a composite average Lp length for the entire system.

Refer to the "Service Connection Diagram" worksheet for a depiction of the service line/metering configurations that typically exist in water utilities. This worksheet gives guidance on the determination of the Average Length, Lp, for each configuration.

This is the average pressure in the distribution system that is the subject of the water audit. Many water utilities have a calibrated hydraulic model of their water distribution system. For these utilities, the hydraulic model can be utilized to obtain a very accurate quantity of average pressure. In the absence of a hydraulic model, the average pressure may be approximated by obtaining readings of static water pressure from a representative sample of fire hydrants or other system access points evenly located across the system. A weighted average of the pressure can be assembled; but be sure to take into account the elevation of the fire hydrants, which typically exist several feet higher than the level of buried water pipelines. If the water utility is compiling the water audit for the first time, the average pressure can be approximated, but with a low data grading. In subsequent years of auditing, effort should be made to improve the accuracy of the average pressure quantity. This will then qualify the value for a higher data grading.

All consumption that is billed and authorized by the utility. This may include both metered and unmetered consumption. See "Authorized Consumption" for more information.
= unauthorized consumption + customer metering inaccuracies + systematic data handling errors Apparent Losses include all types of inaccuracies associated with customer metering (worn meters as well as improperly sized meters or wrong type of meter for the water usage profile) as well as systematic data handling errors (meter reading, billing, archiving and reporting), plus unauthorized consumption (theft or illegal use).

NOTE: Over-estimation of Apparent Losses results in under-estimation of Real Losses. Under-estimation of Apparent Losses results in over-estimation of Real Losses.

All metered consumption which is billed to retail customers, including all groups of customers such as domestic, commercial, industrial or institutional. It does NOT include water supplied to neighboring utilities (water exported) which is metered and billed. Be sure to subtract any consumption for exported water sales that may be included in these billing roles. Water supplied as exports to neighboring water utilities should be included only in the Water Exported component. The metered consumption data can be taken directly from billing records for the water audit period. The accuracy of yearly metered consumption data can be refined by including an adjustment to account for customer meter reading lag time since not all customer meters are read on the same day of the meter reading period. However additional analysis is necessary to determine the lag time adjustment value, which may or may not be significant.

All billed consumption which is calculated based on estimates or norms from water usage sites that have been determined by utility policy to be left unmetered.

This is typically a very small component in systems that maintain a policy to meter their customer population. However, this quantity can be the key consumption component in utilities that have not adopted a universal metering policy. This component should NOT include any water that is supplied to neighboring utilities (water exported) which is unmetered but billed. Water supplied as exports to neighboring water utilities should be included only in the Water Exported component.

A
WAS v5.0
American Water Works Association.

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AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Definitions 18
Item Name Description
Customer
metering
inaccuracies
Customer retail
unit cost
Infrastructure
Leakage Index
(ILI)
Length of mains

NON-REVENUE
WATER
Number of active
AND inactive
service
connections
Real Losses
Revenue Water
Service
Connection
Density
= Apparent Losses + Real Losses + Unbilled Metered Consumption + Unbilled Unmetered Consumption. This is water which does not provide revenue potential to the utility.

Number of customer service connections, extending from the water main to supply water to a customer. Please note that this includes the actual number of distinct piping connections, including fire connections, whether active or inactive. This may differ substantially from the number of customers (or number of accounts). Note: this number does not include the pipeline leads to fire hydrants - the total length of piping supplying fire hydrants should be included in the "Length of mains" parameter.

Apparent water losses caused by the collective under-registration of customer water meters. Many customer water meters gradually wear as large cumulative volumes of water are passed through them over time. This causes the meters to under-register the flow of water. This occurrence is common with smaller residential meters of sizes 5/8-inch and 3/4 inch after they have registered very large cumulative volumes of water, which generally occurs only after periods of years. For meters sized 1-inch and larger - typical of multi-unit residential, commercial and industrial accounts - meter under-registration can occur from wear or from the improper application of the meter; i.e. installing the wrong type of meter or the wrong size of meter, for the flow pattern (profile) of the consumer.

For instance, many larger meters have reduced accuracy at low flows. If an oversized meter is installed, most of the time the routine flow will occur in the low flow range of the meter, and a significant portion of it may not be registered. It is important to properly select and install all meters, but particularly large customer meters, size 1-inch and larger.

The auditor has two options for entering data for this component of the audit. The auditor can enter a percentage under-registration (typically an estimated value), this will apply the selected percentage to the two categories of metered consumption to determine the volume of water not recorded due to customer meter inaccuracy. Note that this percentage is a composite average inaccuracy for all customer meters in the entire meter population. The percentage will be multiplied by the sum of the volumes in the Billed Metered and Unbilled Metered components. Alternatively, if the auditor has substantial data from meter testing activities, he or she can calculate their own loss volumes, and this volume may be entered directly.

Note that a value of zero will be accepted but an alert will appear asking if the customer population is unmetered. Since all metered systems have some degree of inaccuracy, a positive value should be entered. A value of zero in this component is valid only if the water utility does not meter its customer population.

The Customer Retail Unit Cost represents the charge that customers pay for water service. This unit cost is applied routinely to the components of Apparent Loss, since these losses represent water reaching customers but not (fully) paid for. Since most water utilities have a rate structure that includes a variety of different costs based upon class of customer, a weighted average of individual costs and number of customer accounts in each class can be calculated to determine a single composite cost that should be entered into this cell. Finally, the weighted average cost should also include additional charges for sewer, storm water or biosolids processing, but only if these charges are based upon the volume of potable water consumed.

For water utilities in regions with limited water resources and a questionable ability to meet the drinking water demands in the future, the Customer Retail Unit Cost might also be applied to value the Real Losses; instead of applying the Variable Production Cost to Real Losses. In this way, it is assumed that every unit volume of leakage reduced by leakage management activities will be sold to a customer.

Note: the Free Water Audit Software allows the user to select the units that are charged to customers (either $/1,000 gallons, $/hundred cubic feet, or $/1,000 litres) and automatically converts these units to the units that appear in the "WATER SUPPLIED" box. The monetary units are United States dollars, $.

The ratio of the Current Annual Real Losses (Real Losses) to the Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL). The ILI is a highly effective performance indicator for comparing (benchmarking) the performance of utilities in operational management of real losses.

Physical water losses from the pressurized system (water mains and customer service connections) and the utility’s storage tanks, up to the point of customer consumption. In metered systems this is the customer meter, in unmetered situations this is the first point of consumption (stop tap/tap) within the property.

The annual volume lost through all types of leaks, breaks and overflows depends on frequencies, flow rates, and average duration of individual leaks, breaks and overflows.
=number of customer service connections / length of mains Length of all pipelines (except service connections) in the system starting from the point of system input metering (for example at the outlet of the treatment plant). It is also recommended to include in this measure the total length of fire hydrant lead pipe. Hydrant lead pipe is the pipe branching from the water main to the fire hydrant. Fire hydrant leads are typically of a sufficiently large size that is more representative of a pipeline than a service connection. The average length of hydrant leads across the entire system can be assumed if not known, and multiplied by the number of fire hydrants in the system, which can also be assumed if not known. This value can then be added to the total pipeline length. Total length of mains can therefore be calculated as:

Length of Mains, miles = (total pipeline length, miles) + [ {(average fire hydrant lead length, ft) x (number of fire hydrants)} / 5,280 ft/mile ] or
Length of Mains, kilometres = (total pipeline length, kilometres) + [ {(average fire hydrant lead length, metres) x (number of fire hydrants)} / 1,000 metres/kilometre ]
Those components of System Input Volume that are billed and have the potential to produce revenue.

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AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Definitions 19
Item Name Description
Systematic data
handling errors
Total annual cost
of operating the
water system
Unauthorized
consumption
Includes water illegally withdrawn from fire hydrants, illegal connections, bypasses to customer consumption meters, or tampering with metering or meter reading equipment; as well as any other ways to receive water while thwarting the water utility's ability to collect revenue for the water. Unauthorized consumption results in uncaptured revenue and creates an error that understates customer consumption. In most water utilities this volume is low and, if the water auditor has not yet gathered detailed data for these loss occurrences, it is recommended that the auditor apply a default value of 0.25% of the volume of water supplied. However, if the auditor has investigated unauthorized occurrences, and has well validated data that indicates the volume from unauthorized consumption is substantially higher or lower than that generated by the default value, then the auditor should enter a quantity that was derived from the utility investigations. Note that a value of zero will not be accepted since all water utilities have some volume of unauthorized consumption occurring in their system.

Note: if the auditor selects the default value for unauthorized consumption, a data grading of 5 is automatically assigned, but not displayed on the Reporting Worksheet.

These costs include those for operations, maintenance and any annually incurred costs for long-term upkeep of the drinking water supply and distribution system. It should include the costs of day-to-day upkeep and long-term financing such as repayment of capital bonds for infrastructure expansion or improvement. Typical costs include employee salaries and benefits, materials, equipment, insurance, fees, administrative costs and all other costs that exist to sustain the drinking water supply. Depending upon water utility accounting procedures or regulatory agency requirements, it may be appropriate to include depreciation in the total of this cost. This cost should not include any costs to operate wastewater, biosolids or other systems outside of drinking water.

Apparent losses caused by accounting omissions, errant computer programming, gaps in policy, procedure, and permitting/activation of new accounts; and any type of data lapse that results in under-stated customer water consumption in summary billing reports.

Systematic Data Handling Errors result in a direct loss of revenue potential. Water utilities can find "lost" revenue by keying on this component.

Utilities typically measure water consumption registered by water meters at customer premises. The meter should be read routinely (ex: monthly) and the data transferred to the Customer Billing System, which generates and sends a bill to the customer. Data Transfer Errors result in the consumption value being less than the actual consumption, creating an apparent loss. Such error might occur from illegible and mis-recorded hand-written readings compiled by meter readers, inputting an incorrect meter register unit conversion factor in the automatic meter reading equipment, or a variety of similar errors.

Apparent losses also occur from Data Analysis Errors in the archival and data reporting processes of the Customer Billing System. Inaccurate estimates used for accounts that fail to produce a meter reading are a common source of error. Billing adjustments may award customers a rightful monetary credit, but do so by creating a negative value of consumption, thus under-stating the actual consumption. Account activation lapses may allow new buildings to use water for months without meter readings and billing. Poor permitting and construction inspection practices can result in a new building lacking a billing account, a water meter and meter reading; i.e., the customer is unknown to the utility's billing system.

Close auditing of the permitting, metering, meter reading, billing and reporting processes of the water consumption data trail can uncover data management gaps that create volumes of systematic data handling error. Utilities should routinely analyze customer billing records to detect data anomalies and quantify these losses. For example, a billing account that registers zero consumption for two or more billing cycles should be checked to explain why usage has seemingly halted. Given the revenue loss impacts of these losses, water utilities are well-justified in providing continuous oversight and timely correction of data transfer errors & data handling errors.

If the water auditor has not yet gathered detailed data or assessment of systematic data handling error, it is recommended that the auditor apply the default value of 0.25% of the Billed Authorized Consumption volume. However, if the auditor has investigated the billing system and its controls, and has well validated data that indicates the volume from systematic data handling error is substantially higher or lower than that generated by the default value, then the auditor should enter a quantity that was derived from the utility investigations and select an appropriate grading. Note: negative values are not allowed for this audit component. If the auditor enters zero for this component then a grading of 1 will be automatically assigned.

Unavoidable
Annual Real
Losses (UARL)
UARL (gallons/day)=(5.41Lm + 0.15Nc + 7.5Lc) xP,
or
UARL (litres/day)=(18.0Lm + 0.8Nc + 25.0Lc) xP
where:

Lm = length of mains (miles or kilometres)
Nc = number of customer service connections
Lp = the average distance of customer service connection piping (feet or metres) (see the Worksheet "Service Connection Diagram" for guidance on deterring the value of Lp) Lc = total length of customer service connection piping (miles or km) Lc = Nc X Lp (miles or kilometres)
P = Pressure (psi or metres)
The UARL is a theoretical reference value representing the technical low limit of leakage that could be achieved if all of today's best technology could be successfully applied. It is a key variable in the calculation of the Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI). Striving to reduce system leakage to a level close to the UARL is usually not needed unless the water supply is unusually expensive, scarce or both.

NOTE: The UARL calculation has not yet been proven as fully valid for very small, or low pressure water distribution systems. If, in gallons per day:
(Lm x 32) + Nc < 3000 or
P <35psi
in litres per day:
(Lm x 20) + Nc < 3000 or
P < 25m
then the calculated UARL value may not be valid. The software does not display a value of UARL or ILI if either of these conditions is true.

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AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Definitions 20
Item Name Description
Unbilled
Authorized
Consumption
Unbilled metered
consumption
Unbilled
unmetered
consumption
Convert From…
Million Gallons (US) = 3.06888329 Acre-feet
Use of Option
Buttons
Variable
production cost
(applied to Real
Losses)
Volume from own
sources
Any kind of Authorized Consumption which is neither billed or metered. This component typically includes water used in activities such as fire fighting, flushing of water mains and sewers, street cleaning, fire flow tests conducted by the water utility, etc. In most water utilities it is a small component which is very often substantially overestimated. It does NOT include water supplied to neighboring utilities (water exported) which is unmetered and unbilled – an unlikely case. This component has many sub-components of water use which are often tedious to identify and quantify. Because of this, and the fact that it is usually a small portion of the water supplied, it is recommended that the auditor apply the default value, which is 1.25% of the Water Supplied volume. Select the default percentage to enter this value.

If the water utility has carefully audited the unbilled, unmetered activities occurring in the system, and has well validated data that gives a value substantially higher or lower than the default volume, then the auditor should enter their own volume. However the default approach is recommended for most water utilities.

Note that a value of zero is not permitted, since all water utilities have some volume of water in this component occurring in their system.

The user may develop an audit based on one of three unit selections:
1) Million Gallons (US)
2) Megalitres (Thousand Cubic Metres)
3) Acre-feet
Once this selection has been made in the instructions sheet, all calculations are made on the basis of the chosen units. Should the user wish to make additional conversions, a unit converter is provided below (use drop down menus to select units from the yellow unit boxes):

Enter Units:

Units and
Conversions
All consumption that is unbilled, but still authorized by the utility. This includes Unbilled Metered Consumption + Unbilled Unmetered Consumption. See "Authorized Consumption" for more information. For Unbilled Unmetered Consumption, the Free Water Audit Software provides the auditor the option to select a default value if they have not audited unmetered activities in detail. The default calculates a volume that is 1.25% of the Water Supplied volume. If the auditor has carefully audited the various unbilled, unmetered, authorized uses of water, and has established reliable estimates of this collective volume, then he or she may enter the volume directly for this component, and not use the default value. (conversion factor = 3.06888328973723)
Metered consumption which is authorized by the water utility, but, for any reason, is deemed by utility policy to be unbilled. This might for example include metered water consumed by the utility itself in treatment or distribution operations, or metered water provided to civic institutions free of charge. It does not include water supplied to neighboring utilities (water exported) which may be metered but not billed.

Converts to…..
1 The cost to produce and supply the next unit of water (e.g., $/million gallons). This cost is determined by calculating the summed unit costs for ground and surface water treatment and all power used for pumping from the source to the customer. It may also include other miscellaneous unit costs that apply to the production of drinking water. It should also include the unit cost of bulk water purchased as an import if applicable.

It is common to apply this unit cost to the volume of Real Losses. However, if water resources are strained and the ability to meet future drinking water demands is in question, then the water auditor can be justified in applying the Customer Retail Rate to the Real Loss volume, rather than applying the Variable Production Cost.

The Free Water Audit Software applies the Variable Production costs to Real Losses by default. However, the auditor has the option on the Reporting Worksheet to select the Customer Retail Cost as the basis for the Real Loss cost evaluation if the auditor determines that this is warranted.

The volume of water withdrawn (abstracted) from water resources (rivers, lakes, streams, wells, etc) controlled by the water utility, and then treated for potable water distribution. Most water audits are compiled for utility retail water distribution systems, so this volume should reflect the amount of treated drinking water that entered the distribution system. Often the volume of water measured at the effluent of the treatment works is slightly less than the volume measured at the raw water source, since some of the water is used in the treatment process. Thus, it is useful if flows are metered at the effluent of the treatment works. If metering exists only at the raw water source, an adjustment for water used in the treatment process should be included to account for water consumed in treatment operations such as filter backwashing, basin flushing and cleaning, etc. If the audit is conducted for a wholesale water agency that sells untreated water, then this quantity reflects the measure of the raw water, typically metered at the source.

To use the default percent value choose this button To enter a value choose this button and enter the value in the cell to the right NOTE: For Unbilled Unmetered Consumption, Unauthorized Consumption and Systematic Data Handling Errors, a recommended default value can be applied by selecting the Percent option. The default values are based on fixed percentages of Water Supplied or Billed Aut horized Consumption and are recommended for use in this audit unless the auditor has well validated data for their system. Default values are shown by purple cells, as If a default value is selected, the user does not need to grade the item; a grading value of 5 is automatically applied (howe ver, this grade will not be Find
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AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Definitions 21
Item Name Description
Volume from own
sources: Master
meter and supply
error adjustment
Water exported
Water exported:

Master meter and
supply error
adjustment
Water imported
Water imported:

Master meter and
supply error
adjustment

WATER LOSSES
= apparent losses + real losses
Water Losses are the difference between Water Supplied and Authorized Consumption. Water losses can be considered as a total volume for the whole system, or for partial systems such as transmission systems, pressure zones or district metered areas (DMA); if one of these configurations are the basis of the water audit.

An estimate or measure of the volume in which the Water Imported volume is incorrect. This adjustment is a weighted average that represents the collective error for all of the metered and archived imported flow for all days of the audit year. Meter error can occur in different ways. A meter may be inaccurate by under-registering flow (did not capture all the flow), or by over-registering flow (overstated the actual flow). Error in the metered, archived data can also occur due to data gaps caused by temporary outages of the meter or related instrumentation. All water utilities encounter some level of meter inaccuracy, particularly if meters are aged and infrequently tested. Occasional errors also occur in the archived metered data. Thus, a value of zero should not be entered. Enter a negative percentage or value for metered data under-registration; or, enter a positive percentage or value for metered data over-registration. If regular meter accuracy testing is conducted on the meter(s) - which is usually conducted by the water utility selling the water - then the results of this testing can be used to help quantify the meter error adjustment.

An estimate or measure of the volume in which the Water Exported volume is incorrect. This adjustment is a weighted average that represents the collective error for all of the metered and archived exported flow for all days of the audit year. Meter error can occur in different ways. A meter may be inaccurate by under-registering flow (did not capture all the flow), or by over-registering flow (overstated the actual flow). Error in the metered, archived data can also occur due to data gaps caused by temporary outages of the meter or related instrumentation. All water utilities encounter some degree of error in their metered data, particularly if meters are aged and infrequently tested. Occasional errors also occur in the archived data. Thus, a value of zero should not be entered. Enter a negative percentage or value for metered data under-registration; or enter a positive percentage or value for metered data over-registration. If regular meter accuracy testing is conducted on the meter(s) - which is usually conducted by the water utility selling the water - then the results of this testing can be used to help quantify the meter error adjustment. Corrections to data gaps or other errors found in the archived data should also be included as a portion of this meter error adjustment.

The Water Imported volume is the bulk water purchased to become part of the Water Supplied volume. Typically this is water purchased from a neighboring water utility or regional water authority, and is metered at the custody transfer point of interconnection between the two water utilities. Usually the meter(s) are owned by the water supplier selling the water to the utility conducting the water audit. The water supplier selling the bulk water usually charges the receiving utility based upon a wholesale water rate.

An estimate or measure of the degree of inaccuracy that exists in the master (production) meters measuring the annual Volume from own Sources, and any error in the data trail that exists to collect, store and report the summary production data. This adjustment is a weighted average number that represents the collective error for all master meters for all days of the audit year and any errors identified in the data trail. Meter error can occur in different ways. A meter or meters may be inaccurate by under-registering flow (did not capture all the flow), or by over-registering flow (overstated the actual flow). Data error can occur due to data gaps caused by temporary outages of the meter or related instrumentation. All water utilities encounter some degree of inaccuracy in master meters and data errors in archival systems are common; thus a value of zero should not be entered. Enter a negative percentage or value for metered data under-registration; or, enter a positive percentage or value for metered data over-registration.

The Water Exported volume is the bulk water conveyed and sold by the water utility to neighboring water systems that exists outside of their service area.

Typically this water is metered at the custody transfer point of interconnection between the two water utilities. Usually the meter(s) are owned by the water utility that is selling the water: i.e. the exporter. If the water utility who is compiling the annual water audit sells bulk water in this manner, they are an exporter of water.

Note: The Water Exported volume is sold to wholesale customers who are typically charged a wholesale rate that is different than retail rates charged to the retail customers existing within the service area. Many state regulatory agencies require that the Water Exported volume be reported to them as a quantity separate and distinct from the retail customer billed consumption. For these reasons - and others - the Water Exported volume is always quantified separately from Billed Authorized Consumption in the standard water audit. Be certain not to "double-count" this quantity by including it in both the Water Exported box and the Billed Metered Consumption box of the water audit Reporting Worksheet. This volume should be included only in the Water Exported box.

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AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Definitions 22
Water Audit Report for:

Reporting Year: 2020
Data Validity Score: 60
Functional Focus
Area
Audit Data Collection
Short-term loss control
Long-term loss control
Target-setting
Benchmarking
City of Huntington Beach (CA3010053)
1/2020 - 12/2020
Water Loss Control Planning Guide
Establish/revise policies and
procedures for data collection
Refine data collection practices
and establish as routine business
process
Annual water audit is a reliable
gauge of year-to-year water
efficiency standing
Level III (51-70) Level IV (71-90)
Water Audit Data Validity Level / Score
Level I (0-25)
Evaluate and refine loss control
goals on a yearly basis
Begin to assess long-term needs
requiring large expenditure:
customer meter replacement,
water main replacement program,
new customer billing system or
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)
system.

Begin to assemble economic
business case for long-term
needs based upon improved data
becoming available through the
water audit process.

Conduct detailed planning,
budgeting and launch of
comprehensive improvements for
metering, billing or infrastructure
management
Continue incremental
improvements in short-term and
long-term loss control
interventions
Establish long-term apparent and
real loss reduction goals (+10
year horizon)
Establish mid-range (5 year
horizon) apparent and real loss
reduction goals
Research information on leak
detection programs. Begin
flowcharting analysis of customer
billing system
Level II (26-50) Level V (91-100)
Analyze business process for
customer metering and billing
functions and water supply
operations. Identify data gaps.

Stay abreast of improvements in
metering, meter reading, billing,
leakage management and
infrastructure rehabilitation
Conduct loss assessment
investigations on a sample
portion of the system: customer
meter testing, leak survey,
unauthorized consumption, etc.

Establish ongoing mechanisms
for customer meter accuracy
testing, active leakage control
and infrastructure monitoring
Refine, enhance or expand
ongoing programs based upon
economic justification
Launch auditing and loss control
team; address production
metering deficiencies
Preliminary Comparisons - can
begin to rely upon the
Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI)
for performance comparisons for
real losses (see below table)
Performance Benchmarking - ILI
is meaningful in comparing real
loss standing
Identify Best Practices/ Best in
class - the ILI is very reliable as a
real loss performance indicator
for best in class service
AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Determining Water Loss Standing
For validity scores of 50 or below, the shaded blocks should not be focus areas until better data validity is achieved.

American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Loss Control Planning 23 Target ILI Range
1 1.0 - 3.0
2 >3.0 -5.0
3 >5.0 - 8.0
Greater than 8.0
4 Less than 1.0
Operating with system leakage above this level
would require expansion of existing infrastructure
and/or additional water resources to meet the
demand.

General Guidelines for Setting a Target ILI
(without doing a full economic analysis of leakage control options) Water resources are believed to be sufficient to
meet long-term needs, but demand management
interventions (leakage management, water
conservation) are included in the long-term
planning.Water resources are plentiful, reliable, and easily extracted.

Although operational and financial considerations may allow a long-term ILI greater than 8.0, such a level of leakage is not an effective utilization of water as a resource. Setting a target level greater than 8.0 - other than as an incremental goal to a smaller long-term target - is discouraged.

If the calculated Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) value for your system is 1.0 or less, two possibilities exist. a) you are maintaining your leakage at low levels in a class with the top worldwide performers in leakage control. b) A portion of your data may be flawed, causing your losses to be greatly understated. This is likely if you calculate a low ILI value but do not employ extensive leakage control practices in your operations. In such cases it is beneficial to validate the data by performing field measurements to confirm the accuracy of production and customer meters, or to identify any other potential sources of error in the data.

Water resources can be developed or purchased
at reasonable expense; periodic water rate
increases can be feasibly imposed and are
tolerated by the customer population.

Cost to purchase or obtain/treat water is low, as
are rates charged to customers.

Existing water supply infrastructure capability is
sufficient to meet long-term demand as long as
reasonable leakage management controls are in
place.

Superior reliability, capacity and integrity of the
water supply infrastructure make it relatively
immune to supply shortages.

Financial Considerations
Once data have been entered into the Reporting Worksheet, the performance indicators are automatically calculated. How does a water utility operator know how well his or her system is performing? The AWWA Water Loss Control Committee provided the following table to assist water utilities is gauging an approximate Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) that is appropriate for their water system and local conditions. The lower the amount of leakage and real losses that exist in the system, then the lower the ILI value will be.

Note: this table offers an approximate guideline for leakage reduction target-setting. The best means of setting such targets include performing an economic assessment of various loss control methods. However, this table is useful if such an assessment is not possible.

Water resources are costly to develop or
purchase; ability to increase revenues via water
rates is greatly limited because of regulation or low
ratepayer affordability.

Water Resources Considerations
Available resources are greatly limited and are
very difficult and/or environmentally unsound to
develop.

Operational Considerations
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Loss Control Planning 24 AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Examples of Completed and Validated Audits
Water Audit Report for:

Reporting Year:

All volumes to be entered as: MILLION GALLONS (US) PER YEAR Master Meter Error Adjustments
WATER SUPPLIED Pcnt: Value:

Volume from own sources: 7 7,352.880 MG/Yr 3 MG/Yr
Water imported: n/a 0.000 MG/Yr MG/Yr
Water exported: n/a 0.000 MG/Yr MG/Yr
Enter negative % or value for under-registration
WATER SUPPLIED: 7,067.430 MG/Yr Enter positive % or value for over-registration .

AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION
Billed metered: 8 4,782.250 MG/Yr
Billed unmetered: n/a 0.000 MG/Yr
Unbilled metered: 7 27.757 MG/Yr Pcnt: Value:

Unbilled unmetered: 8 157.790 MG/Yr 1.25% MG/Yr24061
AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION: 4,967.797 MG/Yr
WATER LOSSES (Water Supplied - Authorized Consumption) 2,099.633 MG/Yr Apparent Losses Pcnt: Value:

Unauthorized consumption: 5 17.669 MG/Yr 0.25% MG/Yr
Customer metering inaccuracies: 7 111.220 MG/Yr 2.26% MG/Yr Systematic data handling errors: 5 11.956 MG/Yr 0.25% MG/Yr Apparent Losses: 140.844 MG/Yr
Real Losses (Current Annual Real Losses or CARL)
Real Losses = Water Losses - Apparent Losses: 1,958.789 MG/Yr WATER LOSSES: 2,099.633 MG/Yr

NON-REVENUE WATER
NON-REVENUE WATER: 2,285.180 MG/Yr
= Water Losses + Unbilled Metered + Unbilled Unmetered

SYSTEM DATA
Length of mains: 4 1,236.5 miles
Number of active AND inactive service connections: 7 55,256 Service connection density: 45 conn./mile main
Yes
Average length of customer service line: 10 ft
Average operating pressure: 4 145.3 psi

COST DATA
Total annual cost of operating water system: 10 $33,630,676 $/Year Customer retail unit cost (applied to Apparent Losses): 10 $3.22 Variable production cost (applied to Real Losses): 6 $335.94 $/Million gallons WATER AUDIT DATA VALIDITY SCORE:

PRIORITY AREAS FOR ATTENTION:
1: Volume from own sources
2: Variable production cost (applied to Real Losses)
3: Unauthorized consumption
Average length of customer service line has been set to zero and a data grading score of 10 has been applied Are customer meters typically located at the curbstop or property line? AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Reporting Worksheet
Unbilled Unmetered volume entered is greater than the recommended default value 2013 7/2012 - 6/2013
City of Asheville (01-11-010)
157.790
*** YOUR SCORE IS: 72 out of 100 ***
A weighted scale for the components of consumption and water loss is included in the calculation of the Water Audit Data Validity Score 285.450
Default option selected for Systematic data handling errors - a grading of 5 is applied but not displayed Based on the information provided, audit accuracy can be improved by addressing the following components:
$/100 cubic feet (ccf)
<----------- Enter grading in column 'E' and 'J' ----------> Default option selected for unauthorized consumption - a grading of 5 is applied but not displayed

6.252
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Please enter data in the white cells below. Where available, metered values should be used; if metered values are unavailable please estimate a value. Indicate your confidence in the accuracy of the input data by grading each component (n/a or 1-10) using the drop-down list to the left of the input cell. Hover the mouse over the cell to obtain a description of the grades ?
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(length of service line, beyond the property
boundary, that is the responsibility of the utility)
Use buttons to select
percentage of water
supplied
OR
value
?Click here:
for help using option
buttons below
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+ Click to add a comment
WAS v5.0
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American Water Works Association.

Copyright © 2014, All Rights Reserved.
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Use Customer Retail Unit Cost to value real losses
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To select the correct data grading for each input, determine the highest grade where the utility meets or exceeds all criteria for that grade and all grades below it.

American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
Example Audit 1a:

Example 1a: Million Gallons:

Example 1b: Million Gallons:

Performance Indicators
Example 2a: Megalitres:

Reporting Worksheet
Example 2b: Megalitres:

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Example Audits 25 Water Audit Report for: City of Asheville (01-11-010)
Reporting Year:

System Attributes:

Apparent Losses: 140.844 MG/Yr
+ Real Losses: 1,958.789 MG/Yr = Water Losses: 2,099.633 MG/Yr Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL): 794.34 MG/Yr
Annual cost of Apparent Losses: $606,265
Annual cost of Real Losses: $658,036 Valued at Variable Production Cost Performance Indicators:

Non-revenue water as percent by volume of Water Supplied: 32.3% Non-revenue water as percent by cost of operating system: 3.9% Real Losses valued at Variable Production Cost Apparent Losses per service connection per day: 6.98 gallons/connection/day Real Losses per service connection per day: 97.12 gallons/connection/day Real Losses per length of main per day*: N/A
Real Losses per service connection per day per psi pressure: 0.67 gallons/connection/day/psi From Above, Real Losses = Current Annual Real Losses (CARL): 1,958.79 million gallons/year

2.47 * This performance indicator applies for systems with a low service connection density of less than 32 service connections/mile of pipeline Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) [CARL/UARL]:
2013 7/2012 - 6/2013
Return to Reporting Worksheet to change this assumpiton AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

System Attributes and Performance Indicators
*** YOUR WATER AUDIT DATA VALIDITY SCORE IS: 72 out of 100 *** ?
?
American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
Financial:

Operational Efficiency:

Example Audit 1b:

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Example Audits 26 Water Audit Report for:

Reporting Year:

All volumes to be entered as: MEGALITRES (THOUSAND CUBIC METRES) PER YEAR Master Meter Error Adjustments
WATER SUPPLIED Pcnt: Value:

Volume from own sources: 7 174,324.000 ML/Yr 7 1.00% ML/Yr Water imported: n/a 0.000 ML/Yr 5 ML/Yr
Water exported: 7 8,190.131 ML/Yr 7 1.00% ML/Yr
Enter negative % or value for under-registration
WATER SUPPLIED: 164,488.979 ML/Yr Enter positive % or value for over-registration .

AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION
Billed metered: 6 125,111.268 ML/Yr
Billed unmetered: 8 3,503.386 ML/Yr
Unbilled metered: 7 166.157 ML/Yr Pcnt: Value:

Unbilled unmetered: 6 1,444.000 ML/Yr 1.25% ML/Yr24061
AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTION: 130,224.811 ML/Yr
WATER LOSSES (Water Supplied - Authorized Consumption) 34,264.168 ML/Yr Apparent Losses Pcnt: Value:

Unauthorized consumption: 10 411.222 ML/Yr 0.25% ML/Yr
Customer metering inaccuracies: 6 1,265.429 ML/Yr 1.00% ML/Yr Systematic data handling errors: 5 312.778 ML/Yr 0.25% ML/Yr Apparent Losses: 1,989.429 ML/Yr
Real Losses (Current Annual Real Losses or CARL)
Real Losses = Water Losses - Apparent Losses: 32,274.739 ML/Yr WATER LOSSES: 34,264.168 ML/Yr

NON-REVENUE WATER
NON-REVENUE WATER: 35,874.325 ML/Yr
= Water Losses + Unbilled Metered + Unbilled Unmetered

SYSTEM DATA
Length of mains: 8 4,945.0 kilometers
Number of active AND inactive service connections: 8 312,075 Service connection density: 63 conn./km main
No
Average length of customer service line: 8 12.0 metres
Average operating pressure: 8 50.8 metres (head)

COST DATA
Total annual cost of operating water system: 9 $169,973,759 $/Year Customer retail unit cost (applied to Apparent Losses): 9 $2.35 Variable production cost (applied to Real Losses): 9 $73.54 $/Megalitre WATER AUDIT DATA VALIDITY SCORE:

PRIORITY AREAS FOR ATTENTION:
1: Volume from own sources
2: Billed metered
3: Customer metering inaccuracies
Are customer meters typically located at the curbstop or property line? AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Reporting Worksheet
1,444.000
2013 1/2013 - 12/2013
The City of Calgary
*** YOUR SCORE IS: 72 out of 100 ***
A weighted scale for the components of consumption and water loss is included in the calculation of the Water Audit Data Validity Score 164.300

3.000
Default option selected for Systematic data handling errors - a grading of 5 is applied but not displayed Based on the information provided, audit accuracy can be improved by addressing the following components:
$/1000 litres
100.000
<----------- Enter grading in column 'E' and 'J' ----------> Default option selected for unauthorized consumption - a grading of 5 is applied but not displayed

32.920
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?
?
? Click to access definition
?
?
?
?
?
?
Please enter data in the white cells below. Where available, metered values should be used; if metered values are unavailable please estimate a value. Indicate your confidence in the accuracy of the input data by grading each component (n/a or 1-10) using the drop-down list to the left of the input cell. Hover the mouse over the cell to obtain a description of the grades ?
?
?
?
?
?
(length of service line, beyond the property
boundary, that is the responsibility of the utility)
Use buttons to select
percentage of water
supplied
OR
value
?Click here:
for help using option
buttons below
?
?
?
?
+
+ Click to add a comment
WAS v5.0
+
+
+
+
+
+
American Water Works Association.

Copyright © 2014, All Rights Reserved.
?
?
?
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
?
To select the correct data grading for each input, determine the highest grade where the utility meets or exceeds all criteria for that grade and all grades below it.

Use Customer Retail Unit Cost to value real losses
Example Audit 2a:

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Example Audits 27 Water Audit Report for: The City of Calgary
Reporting Year:

System Attributes:

Apparent Losses: 1,989.429 ML/Yr
+ Real Losses: 32,274.739 ML/Yr = Water Losses: 34,264.168 ML/Yr Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL): 8,015.57 ML/Yr
Annual cost of Apparent Losses: $4,675,159
Annual cost of Real Losses: $75,845,637 Valued at Customer Retail Unit Cost Performance Indicators:

Non-revenue water as percent by volume of Water Supplied: 21.8% Non-revenue water as percent by cost of operating system: 49.6% Real Losses valued at Customer Retail Unit Cost Apparent Losses per service connection per day: 17.47 litres/connection/day Real Losses per service connection per day: 283.34 litres/connection/day Real Losses per length of main per day*: N/A
Real Losses per service connection per day per meter (head) pressure: 5.58 litres/connection/day/m From Above, Real Losses = Current Annual Real Losses (CARL): 32,274.74 ML/year

4.03 * This performance indicator applies for systems with a low service connection density of less than 20 service connections/kilometre of pipeline Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) [CARL/UARL]:
2013 1/2013 - 12/2013
Return to Reporting Worksheet to change this assumpiton AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

System Attributes and Performance Indicators
*** YOUR WATER AUDIT DATA VALIDITY SCORE IS: 72 out of 100 *** ?
?
American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
Financial:

Operational Efficiency:

Example Audit 2b:

AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Example Audits 28 DEVELOPED BY: Andrew Chastain-Howley, PG*, MCSM. Black & Veatch Will J. Jernigan, P.E. Cavanaugh & Associates, P.A.

George Kunkel, P.E. Philadelphia Water Department
Alain Lalonde, P.Eng. Master Meter Canada Inc.

Ralph Y. McCord, P.E. Louisville Water Company
David A. Sayers Delaware River Basin Commission
Brian M. Skeens, P.E. CH2M HILL
Reinhard Sturm Water Systems Optimization, Inc.

John H. Van Arsdel M.E. Simpson Company, Inc.

REFERENCES: - Alegre, H., Hirner, W., Baptista, J. and Parena, R. Performance Indicators for Water Supply Services. IWA Publishing ‘Manual of Best Practice’ Series, 2000. ISBN 1 900222 272
- Kunkel, G. et al, 2003. Water Loss Control Committee Report: Applying Worldwide Best Management Practices in Water Loss Control. Journal AWWA, 95:8:65
- AWWA Water Audits and Loss Control Programs, M36 Publication, 3 rd Edition, 2009 - Service Connection Diagrams courtesy of Ronnie McKenzie, WRP Pty Ltd.

AWWA Water Audit Software Version 5.0 Developed by the Water Loss Control Committee of the American Water Works Association August, 2014
This software is intended to serve as a basic tool to compile a preliminary, or “top-down”, water audit. It is recommended that users also refer to the current edition of the AWWA M36 Publication, Water Audits and Loss Control Programs, for detailed guidance on compiling a comprehensive, or “bottom-up”, water audit using the same water audit methodology.

AWWA Free Water Audit Software:

Acknowledgements
American Water Works Association.

WAS v5.0
www.awwa.org
AWWA Free Water Audit Software v5.0 Acknowledgements 29 VERSION HISTORY:

Version: Release
Date:

Number of
Worksheets:
v1 2005/
2006 5
v2 2006 5
v3 2007 7
v4 - v4.2 2010 10
v5 2014 12
In v5, changes were made to the way Water Supplied information is entered into software, with each major component having a corresponding Master Meter Error Adjustment entry (and data grading requirement). This required changes to the data validity score calculation; v5 of the software uses a weighting system that is, in part, proportional to the volume of input components. The Grading Matrix was updated to reflect the new audit inputs and also to include clarifications and additions to the scale descriptions.

The appearance of the software was updated in v5 to make the software more user-friendly and several new features were added to provide more feedback to the user. Notably, a dashboard tab has been added to provide more visual feedback on the water audit results and associated costs of Non-Revenue Water. A comments sheet was added to allow the user to track notes, comments and to cite sources used.

Key Features and Developments
The AWWA Water Audit Software was piloted in 2005 (v1.0 beta). The early versions (1.x) of the software restricted data entry to units of Million Gallons per year. For each entry into the audit, users identified whether the input was measured or estimated.

The most significant enhancement in v2 of the software was to allow the user to choose the volumetric units to be used in the audit, Million Gallons or Thousand Cubic Metres (megalitres) per year. Two financial performance indicators were added to provide feedback to the user on the cost of Real and Apparent losses.

In v3, the option to report volumetric units in acre-feet was added. Another new feature in v3 was the inclusion of default values for two water audit components (unbilled unmetered and unauthorized consumption). v3 also included two examples of completed audits in units of million gallons and Megalitres. Several checks were added into v3 to provide instant feedback to the user on common data entry problems, in order to help the user complete an accurate water audit. v4 (and versions 4.x) of the software included a new approach to data grading. The simple "estimated" or "measured" approach was replaced with a more granular scale (typically 1-10) that reflected descriptions of utility practices and served to describe the confidence and accuracy of the input data. Each input value had a corresponding scale fully described in the Grading Matrix tab.

The Grading Matrix also showed the actions required to move to a higher grading score. Grading descriptions were available on the Reporting Worksheet via a pop-up box next to each water audit input. A water audit data validity score is generated (max = 100) and priority areas for attention (to improve audit accuracy) are identified, once a user completes the requied data grading. A service connection diagram was also added to help users understand the impact of customer service line configurations on water losses and how this information should be entered into the water audit software. An acknoweldgements section was also added.

City Council/Public Financing AuthorityMay 5, 2026

City Council/Public Financing Authority
May 5, 2026