June 9, 2026
Agenda Item No. 21
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Mark Vukojevic, Utilities Director - 949-644-3011, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Steffen Catron, Water Utilities Manager - 949-644-3011, [email protected] TITLE:
Resolution No. 2026-42: Adoption of the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Resolution No. 2026-43: Adoption of the 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan ABSTRACT:
State law requires all water supplies to prepare an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) every five years for long-term water supply planning. In conjunction with this requirement, the City of Newport Beach (City) must also update its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which outlines specific responses to potential water shortages. On May 12, 2026, the City Council received the draft reports, provided notice to the public and set the date for a public hearing for this date. Staff recommends the City Council conduct a public hearing, consider any comments, and approve the City’s 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Conduct a public hearing;
b) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; c) Adopt Resolution 2026-42, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Adopting the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan; d) Adopt Resolution 2026-43, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Newport Beach, California, Adopting a Water Shortage Contingency Plan; and e) Direct staff to fulfill the notification requirements set forth by the Water Code after the Urban Water Management Plan is adopted.
DISCUSSION:
As a domestic water supplier of its size, the City is required to prepare, adopt and file an UWMP with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) every five years. The last plan was prepared and presented in June 2021. The purpose of the UWMP is to document and publicly communicate the City’s long-term roadmap for water reliability. Key plan objectives include evaluating supply and demand over a 20-year horizon, enhancing drought and water conservation, emergency preparedness, and documenting a robust drought response plan.
The DWR reviews the submitted plans to ensure compliance with requirements identified in the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Division 6 Part 2. 6 of the Water Code § 10610 - 10656). The 2025 UWMP is required to be updated and submitted to the DWR by July 1, 2026.
The Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is the City’s operational manual for preparing for and responding to water shortages. The plan ensures a predictable and transparent process for the public during water supply interruptions. The WSCP is required to be completed simultaneously with the UWMP to comply with California Water Code Section 10632 and is nearly identical to the plan prepared in 2021. The WSCP is aligned with the Newport Beach Municipal Code Chapter 14.16 (Water Conservation and Supply Regulations). To satisfy State requirements without amending the existing Municipal Code, the City submitted a “crosswalk” demonstrating the alignment between the WSCP and the current Water Conservation and Supply Regulations.
Through a regional partnership led by the Municipal Water District of Orange County, the City joined 33 other local agencies in contracting with Carollo Engineers to prepare its 2025 UWMP. This collaborative approach reduced costs by sharing regional data and streamlining reporting requirements. While part of a joint effort, the City's final UWMP is uniquely tailored to its needs and meets all California Water Code standards.
The City’s water supply reliability is exceptionally strong, both today and for the future. The City’s resilience is rooted in its primary source: the Orange County groundwater basin. Managed by the Orange County Water District, a global leader in water recycling and groundwater management, this partnership ensures a stable foundation. With the City’s investment in additional local groundwater wells, the City is moving toward a state of water abundance, significantly reducing its reliance on costly and volatile imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River.
The 2025 UWMP and WSCP are attached to this report and have been available for review since May 12, 2026, on the City’s website, alongside previous iterations. To ensure broad public awareness beyond standard noticing procedures, two notices were published on May 16and May 23 in the Daily Pilot. Staff is requesting that the City Council formally receive both plans, conduct the public hearing, consider final input, and adopt the plans.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The adopted budget includes sufficient funding for the cost to prepare the UWMP. It was expensed to the 701 Water Enterprise Fund professional services account 7019052-811008. Implementation is carried out and funded through the Water Fund’s operational and capital improvement accounts.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Also, notice of this hearing was published in the Daily Pilot on May 16 and May 23, at least 14 days before the scheduled meeting, consistent with the provisions of the State Water Code.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – 2025 Final Draft Urban Water Management Plan Attachment B – 2025 Final Draft Water Shortage Contingency Plan Attachment C – Resolution No. 2026 – 42
Attachment D – Resolution No. 2026 – 43
Resolution No. 2026-42: Adoption of the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Resolution No. 2026-43: Adoption of the 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan June 9, 2026
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