Water Supply Update
September 20, 2022
By: Benjamin A. Fine, P.E. –Director of Public Works/City Engineer Item 12.A
Background
•November 16, 2021
•Update on water supply and committed to return to Council at the second meeting every other month.
2 Past Council Action
•June 1, 2021 –Moderately Restricted Water Supply
•January 18, 2022 –Severely Restricted Water Supply
•May 17, 2022 –Critical Water Supply
3 Drought
4 Rainfall –as of September 19, 2022 8:00 am
Month Average
Rainfall (in)
2020
Rainfall (in)
Delta
(in)
2021
Rainfall (in)
Delta
(in)
2022
Rainfall (in)
Delta
(in)
Jan 3.59 0.61 -2.98 6.46 2.87 0.05 -3.54
Feb 3.87 0 -3.87 0.03 -3.84 0.10 -3.77
Mar 3.46 8.02 4.56 2.53 -0.93 1.08 -2.98
April 1.13 1.72 0.59 0 -1.13 0.49 -0.64
May 0.41 0 -0.41 0.1 -0.31 0 -0.41
June 0.07 0 -0.07 0 -0.07 0 -0.07
July 0.03 0 -0.03 0.03 0.03 0 -0.03
Aug 0.02 0 -0.02 0 -0.02 0 -0.02
Sep 0.32 0 -0.32 0 -0.32 2.03 1.71*
Oct 0.62 0.04 -0.58 1.95 1.33
Nov 1.7 .049 -1.21 0.46 -1.24
Dec 2.57 1.21 -1.32 7.69 5.12
Total 17.79 12.09 -5.7 19.25 1.46 -9.755
Santa Maria Groundwater Basin
•Adjudication = 700 AF
•Deep Well Index Threshold = 7.5 feet
•April 2021 DWIL = 9.06 feet (1.56 above TH)
•July 2021 DWIL = 6.53 feet (0.97 below TH)
•April 2022 DWIL = 7.98 feet (0.48 above TH)
•1.08 feet lower than April 2021
•July 2022 SWIL = 5.34 (2.16 below TH)
•2.64 feet lower than April 2022
•1.91 feet lower than July 2021
6 Lopez Lake
•Low Reservoir Response Plan (LRRP)
•January 12, 2022 –14,942.8 AF
•March 9, 2022 –14,508.7 AF
•April 8, 2022 –14,148.1 AF
•May 3, 2022 –14,051.2 AF
•Dec. 2022 < 10,000 AF 7
Lopez Lake Projections
•Assuming average rain
•Storage will drop to 10,000 AF –December 2022
•Storage will drop to 8,000 AF –March/April of 2023
8 Impact From Recent Rain
9 11,819 AF
11,866.8 AF
47.8 AF
State Water
•December 1, 2021 DWR Bulletin 21-07
•Set initial 2022 supplies “Health and Safety Demand” 55 gpcd •January 20, 2022 –15%
•March 18, 2022 –5%
•County Storage = 12,000 AF
•Total Table A allocations = 4,830 AF
•2.5 years of water (including 2022)
•Snowpack lowest level in 7 years
10 State Water
11 Agency Table A (AF)DB (AF)Total (AF)
SLO County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 25,000 Shandon 100 0 100
Morro Bay 1,313 2,290 3,603
CMC 400 400 800
County Ops Center 425 425 850
Cuesta College 200 200 400
Pismo Beach 1,240 1,240 2,480
Oceano CSD 750 750 1,500
San Miguelito MWC 275 275 550
Avila Beach CSD 100 100 200
Avila Valley MWC 20 20 40
San Luis Coastal USD 7 7 14
Subcontractor Total 4,830 5,707 10,537
SLOCFCWCD Unallocated Table A 14,463
State Water
12 Current Pismo Beach Supplies
13 Source Full Allocation
(AF)
Percent of
Allocation
Allocation (AF)
SMGWB*700 30%210
State Water*1,140 5%57
Drought Buffer 1,240 5%62
Stored State
Water
Lopez Water 892 80%713.6
Lopez Surplus 300.8
Total 2,692 1,343.4
2021 Production 1,770.9
Deficit (427.5)
Current Pismo Beach Supplies
14 Source Full Allocation
(AF)
Percent of
Allocation
Allocation (AF)
SMGWB*700 30%210
State Water*1,140 5%57
Drought Buffer 1,240 5%62
County State
Water 1,121
Lopez Water 892 80%713.6
Lopez Surplus 300.8
Total 2,692 2,464.4
2021 Production 1,770.9
Surplus 693.5
Water Conservation Rebates 3/16/21
15 #Water Saved Cost $/AF
36 6.37 AFY $15,289.75 $2,400.27
•Aug 16 –Council directed staff to bring back options for increasing rebates
•Cash4Grass = $0.50/sqft
•Other Programs $1.00 -$3.00
•AG and Grover = $1.00
•Metropolitan Water District = $3.00
•Prices for artificial turf $14 -$25/sqft
•In very few cases has the program been an incentive
•Most applicants found out from contractor
Water Rebate Program
•Remaining budget $14,503.50
•21 Cash4Grass Rebates average $656.65 and save 0.22 AF 16 Hotel Conservation
•Low-flow toilets
•Low-flow aerators (muni code 15.50.050)
•Drought-tolerant landscaping
•Removal of hot tubs
•Hot water recirculation systems
•Instant hot water heaters
•Glassware in rooms biodegradable cups
•Removal of natural turf lawns
•Signage to encourage water conservation
•Offering fresh towels on request only
•One hotel abandoned its swimming pool 17
Hotel Conservation –Other Steps/Results
•Removal of additional natural turf lawns
•20 top water users (hotels)
•Reduced water use on average by 12% (7/1/21 –6/30/22)
•All hotels
•Reduced their average consumption by 11% (7/1/21 –6/60/22) 18 Building Restrictions
•Current trigger –May 1 st of each year
•Water Supply < 15% of previous year’s production
19 Tree WellsConclusion and Recommendations
Staff Recommendations
•Council to discuss water use restrictions and rebates and provide staff with direction on how to proceed
21 Tree Wells Fiscal Impacts
Staff Recommendations
•An increase to the water conservation rebates will
exhaust the current budget at a faster rate
•Reduction in water use will result in less revenue to the Water Enterprise Fund
23 Questions?