Water Shortage Contingency
Plan
City of Riverside Public Utilities Department
May 2026
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Riverside Public Utilities
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION FOR WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN ....................................................... 1 1 Water Supply Reliability Analysis ................................................................................................. 2 2 Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Procedures ............................................ 3
2.1 Decision-Making Process .................................................................................................. 4
2.2 Data and Methodologies .................................................................................................... 4 Evaluation Criteria: .............................................................................................................. 4 Water Supply ........................................................................................................................ 4 Current Year Unconstrained Customer Demand ................................................................. 4 Current Year Available Supply.............................................................................................. 4 Infrastructure Considerations .............................................................................................. 5 Other Factors ....................................................................................................................... 5 3 Six Standard Water Shortage Levels ............................................................................................ 5
3.1 Wholesale Shortage Levels ............................................................................................... 6
3.2 Retail Shortage Levels ........................................................................................................ 6 4 Shortage Response Actions .............................................................................................................. 9
4.1 Supply Augmentation ......................................................................................................... 9
4.2 Demand Reduction ............................................................................................................ 11
4.3 Operational Changes ......................................................................................................... 15
4.4 Additional Mandatory Restrictions ............................................................................ 15
4.5 Emergency Response Plan ............................................................................................. 15
4.6 Seismic Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan ....................................................... 17
4.7 Shortage Response Action Effectiveness .................................................................. 18 5 Communication Protocols .............................................................................................................. 18 6 Compliance and Enforcement ....................................................................................................... 20
6.1 Appeals and Exemption Process .................................................................................. 20 7 Legal Authorities ................................................................................................................................ 20
7.1 Legal Authorities ................................................................................................................ 21
7.2 Declaration of Water Shortage ..................................................................................... 21
7.3 Proclamation of Local Emergency ............................................................................... 21 8 Financial Consequences of a Water Shortage Contingency Plan .................................... 22
8.1 Financial Impacts and Mitigation Action .................................................................. 22 9 Monitoring and Reporting .............................................................................................................. 24 10 WSCP Refinement Procedures ...................................................................................................... 24 11 Special Water Feature Distinction .............................................................................................. 25 12 Plan Adoption, Submittal, and Availability .............................................................................. 25
Appendix A - Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 14.22
Appendix B – Resolution of Adoption for WSCP
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
1 Introduction for Water Shortage Contingency Plan
This document represents the Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) adopted by the City of Riverside Public Utilities Department (RPU). The document follows the structure recommended in guidance documents prepared by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The numbering of Sections 1 through 12 corresponds with the numbered sections in the UWMP Guidebook.
RPU's past 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) included a Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) and three supporting appendices:
• RPU Water Rule #9 (Shortage of Water Supply and Interruption of Delivery, also known as the Water Shortage Ordinance)
• RPU Water Rule #15 (Water Waste)
• A draft Water Conservation Ordinance that expanded on the Water Shortage Ordinance and was recommended for approval by the City’s Board of Public Utilities after the preparation of the 2010 UWMP. The Water Conservation Ordinance amended the Riverside Munic ipal Code (RMC) Title 14 and included a detailed description of unreasonable uses of water, RPU's Water Conservation Program, responses to water shortage emergencies, and enforcement and severability.
In July of 2014, the City Council adopted revisions to the City’s Water Conservation Ordinance, as set forth in RMC Chapter 14.22, and adopted a resolution implementing Stages 1 and 2 of the City’s Water Conservation Ordinance. The City’s revisions to Chap ter 14.22 changed Stage 2 restrictions from voluntary to mandatory. The City also limited non- agricultural landscape watering to four days in Stage 2 and reduced non-agricultural landscape watering to three days in Stage 3.
In June of 2015, the City Council adopted additional changes to the Water Conservation Ordinance. The changes included additional restrictions on irrigation water use and an updated enforcement policy. The City also adopted a resolution implementing Stages 1, 2, and 3 of the Water Conservation Ordinance.
In 2018, new legislation expanded the required elements of a WSCP.
In June 2021, the WSCP and the City’s water conservation ordinance were adopted.
In June 2022, RPU and WMWD sent out a memorandum outlining their drought response to Governor Newsom, who signed Executive Order N-7-22 directing the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to adopt an emergency drought requirement and implement Level 2 (10% to 20% reduction) demand reduction actions.
In March 2023, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-5-23, which reduced emergency drought requirements outlined in Executive Order N -7-22. This included the end of the voluntary 15% water conservation target and the removal of the requirement for local water agencies to implement Level 2 of their drought contingency plans. Although these emergency drought requirements were reduced, RPU continues to encourage its customers to conserve water usage.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
2 This plan addresses actions that RPU would take as a wholesale supplier and as a retail supplier.
The WSCP is a separate document from the UWMP. RPU will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this WSCP and will revise the plan as needed in accordance with applicable statutory requirements and governing agency procedures. 1 Water Supply Reliability Analysis
§ 10632(a)(1) The analysis of water supply reliability conducted pursuant to Section 10635.
§ 10632.5(a) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 10632, beginning January 1, 2020, the plan shall include a seismic risk assessment and mitigation plan to assess the vulnerability of each of the various facilities of the water system and mitigate those vulnerabilities.
This section summarizes the supply reliability analysis presented in the UWMP and highlights key issues that could create a shortage condition.
RPU’s supplies generally have a high degree of reliability. RPU’s primary source of supply is local groundwater. RPU has fixed extraction rights under the Western -San Bernardino Judgment, based upon a five -year rolling average. RPU generally under -produces relative to its fixed rights. Should a drought increase demand, RPU has the capacity and rights to increase pumping to maximize its fixed extraction rights in that drought year. RPU is able to meet current demands with local groundwater production. As an additional backup supply source, RPU has access to imported water through Western Municipal Water District (WMWD). RPU is also able to receive water through an interconnection with Norco during an emergency. • Chapter 7 of RPU’s UWMP presents a supply reliability analysis for a five -year dry period. This analysis shows that RPU could continue to meet demands without the use of imported water. Although that analysis demonstrates that RPU’s urban water supply is reliable, there are potential issues that could create a shortage condition.
These include: An extended drought more severe than historic events, possibly impacted by climate change
• An extended and widespread power outage caused by a natural disaster or malicious acts
• A regional emergency such as a hazardous chemical spill or a terrorist attack • Regulatory mandates to reduce water use
Water shortage contingency planning provides a way to plan for these risks and anticipate actions that should be implemented to manage the impacts. This plan describes how RPU intends to respond to such shortage events.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
3 2 Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Procedures § 1 0632(a)(3) Every urban water supplier shall prepare and adopt a water shortage contingency plan as part of its urban water management plan that consists of the following elements, including those outlined in § 10632(a)(3)(A). § 10632(a)(3)(A) The procedures used in conducting an annual water supply and demand assessment that include, at a minimum both of the following:
A written decision-making process that an urban water supplier will use each year to determine its water supply reliability.
The key data inputs and assessment methodology used to evaluate the urban water supplier’s water supply reliability for the current year and one dry year, including all of the following:
(i) Current year unconstrained demand, considering weather, growth, and other influencing factors, such as policies to manage current supplies to meet demand objectives in future years, as applicable.
(ii) Current year available supply, considering hydrological and regulatory conditions in the current year and one dry year. The annual supply and demand assessment may consider more than one dry year solely at the discretion of the urban water supplier.
(iii) Existing infrastructure capabilities and plausible constraints. (iv) A defined set of locally applicable evaluation criteria that are consistently relied upon for each annual water supply and demand assessment. (v) A description and quantification of each source of water supply. § 10632.1 An urban water supplier shall conduct an annual water supply and demand assessment pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10632 and, on or before July 1 of each year, submit an annual water shortage assessment report to the department with information for anticipated shortage, triggered shortage response actions, compliance and enforcement actions, and communication actions consistent with the supplier’s water shortage contingency plan. An urban water supplier that relies on imported water from the State Water Project or the Bureau of Reclamation shall submit its annual water supply and demand assessment within 14 days of receiving its final allocations, or by July 1 of each year, whichever is later.
As of July 1, 2022, each supplier, including RPU, shall prepare its annual water supply and demand assessment and submit an Annual Water Shortage Assessment Report to DWR. The Annual Water Shortage Assessment Report will be due by July 1 of every year, as required by Water Code Section 10632.1. The Annual Assessment and a ssociated reporting are to be conducted based on the supplier’s procedures detailed in the WSCP.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
4 2.1 Decision-Making Process
RPU will use the following procedures in preparing the Annual Assessment.
1. In January and February of each year, RPU staff will review available data related to anticipated supplies and demands. RPU staff will coordinate with WMWD and the City of Norco on the regional outlook for water supply reliability.
2. In April of each year, RPU staff will present a recommendation to the RPU Board for approval. The Board will approve the determination of supply reliability and will take actions to implement shortage response actions, if needed. The Board will provide public notice of a hearing to consider changes in the implementation of shortage response actions.
3. In May of each year, RPU will prepare the Annual Assessment with required information and submit it to DWR.
The timeline may be modified to reflect updated information available from surrounding agencies. For example, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) prepares its own Annual Assessment each year. The draft WSCP published by MWD describes a process for preparing the Annual Assessment for approval by the MWD Board of Directors in June of each year. This information may help inform the Annual Assessment prepared by WMWD, and RPU may wish to coordinate its analysis with that of WMWD. RPU staff will seek to make RPU’s Annual Assessment reflective of the most current information available from its supply partners.
2.2 Data and Methodologies
A description of key data inputs and Annual Assessment methodologies used to evaluate water service reliability for the current year and one dry year. The characteristics of a dry year are at the discretion of the Supplier, but such characteristics should be adequately defined and ideally aligned with one of the WSCP water shortage levels.
Evaluation Criteria:
RPU will rely on locally applicable criteria for each Annual Assessment. These criteria will include the Annual Report of the Western- San Bernardino Watermaster, which describes groundwater conditions in the San Bernardino Basin Area, the Riverside Basin, and the Colton Basin.
Water Supply
RPU’s anticipated supplies will be quantified for the near -term, and descriptive text will be used to note any anticipated reductions in supply.
Current Year Unconstrained Customer Demand
RPU will prepare an estimate of unconstrained demand (as the term is used in Water Code Section § 10632(a)(3)(A)(i). The estimated demand will be calculated using the demand projection approach described in the UWMP, in combination with updated data for connections, climate, changes in land use, and recent water usage history.
Current Year Available Supply
RPU will describe the anticipated use of water supplies for the coming year, with the anticipation that the following year will be dry. The supplies will be characterized in a manner Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
5 consistent with the UWMP, in combination with updated data for climate and recent observations.
Infrastructure Considerations
RPU will describe any potential infrastructure constraints on the ability to deliver adequate supplies to meet expected customer demands in the coming year. RPU will show that its system of wells, pipelines, pump stations, and storage tanks has adequate capacity to deliver the anticipated demands. RPU will describe any anticipated capital projects that are intended to address constraints in production, treatment, or distribution.
Other Factors
RPU will describe any specific locally applicable factors that could influence or disrupt supplies. RPU will also describe unique local considerations included as part of the annual assessment.
3 Six Standard Water Shortage Levels
§ 10632(a)(1)(A)-(B)
(A) Six standard water shortage levels corresponding to shortages of up to 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 percent shortages and greater than 50 percent. Urban water suppliers shall define these shortage levels based on the suppliers’ water supply conditions, including percentage reductions in water supply, changes in groundwater levels, changes in surface elevation or level of subsidence, or other changes in hydrological or other local conditions indicative of the water supply available for use. Shortage levels shall also apply to catastrophic interruption of water supplies, incl uding, but not limited to, a regional power outage, an earthquake, and other potential emergency events.
(B) An urban water supplier with an existing water shortage contingency plan that uses different water shortage levels may comply with the requirement in subparagraph (A) by developing and including a cross -reference that maps its existing categories to the six standard water shortage levels.
Suppliers must include the six standard water shortage levels that represent shortages from normal supply reliability conditions. The shortage levels have been standardized to provide a consistent regional and statewide approach to conveying the relative severity of water supply shortage conditions.
The six standard water shortage levels correspond to progressively increasing estimated shortage conditions and align with the response actions that the supplier would implement in response to the severity of the impending shortages.
RPU’s agreements with its wholesale customers (WMWD and Norco) call for deliveries to be suspended during periods when surplus water is not available. RPU’s plan addresses the stages and actions it will take as a retail supplier.
RPU’s plan has five shortage stages. The Water Conservation Stage shall be set by City Council action. All normal water efficiency programs and water conservation regulations shall remain in force during any stage, unless the City Council directs otherwise.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
6 3.1 Wholesale Shortage Levels
RPU’s wholesale customers receive only surplus water by agreement. Therefore, wholesale deliveries will cease if RPU lacks surplus water and enters a water shortage.
3.2 Retail Shortage Levels
RPU’s WSCP includes five stages. Stage One represents normal conditions. Stage One conservation measures are voluntary, and will be encouraged and promoted through public outreach, education, and awareness efforts by the City.
Stages Two, Three, Four, and Five represent potential and actual shortages. These stages may be triggered by a local or regional water supply shortage; production, treatment, transmission, or delivery infrastructure problems; limited or unavailable alternative water supplies; or other circumstances.
Stages Two, Three, Four, and Five conservation measures are mandatory, and violations may be subject to criminal, civil, and/or administrative action. Stage One conservation measures become mandatory when any of Stages Two through Five are declared.
Stage Five Water Shortage Emergency may be triggered by an immediate emergency, a threatened future water shortage, or both.
Upon declaration of a Water Shortage Emergency:
1. No new construction meters will be issued.
2. No construction water may be used for earthwork such as road construction purposes, dust control, compaction, or trench jetting.
3. No new building permits shall be issued, except:
a. Projects found by the City Council to be necessary for public health and safety. b. Projects using recycled water for construction.
c. Projects which will not result in a net increase in non-recycled water use. d. Projects with adequate Conservation Offsets, if available. The City, in its sole discretion, may choose to make Conservation Offsets available. Conservation Offset costs shall be based on the cost of conserving the water elsewhere to provide the water needed for a project, the cost of providing an alternative water supply deemed acceptable by the City, or other measures identified in the City’s Water Use Efficiency Master Plan. Conservation Offset fees will be set forth in the Water Rules and Rate Schedules.
During a mandated reduction, RPU will intensify its water conservation programs, especially public education. RPU promotes efficient water use , including non- potable uses such as landscaping and irrigation (Chapter 19.67 of the Riverside Municipal Code).
RPU has elected to use these five stages and provide a crosswalk to relate its stages to the six standard stages. This crosswalk is shown in Table 1. RPU’s retail shortage levels are identified in Table 2.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
7 Table 1 – Crosswalk from RPU’s 5 Shortage Levels to Six Standard Water Shortage Levels (DWR Table 8-1)
Cross-reference for Standard vs Supplier Shortage Levels RPU
Shortage
Level
Supply Condition RPU Percent
Shortage Range
State Standard
Water Shortage
Level
State Standard
Shortage Range
1 Normal Water
Supply 0 % 1 <=10 %
2 Minimum Water
Shortage < 15 %
2 10 – 20 %
3 Moderate Water
Shortage 15 – 20 %
4 Severe Water
Shortage 20 – 50 %
3 20 – 30 %
4 30 – 40 %
5 40 – 50 %
5 Water Shortage
Emergency >50 % 6 >50 %
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
8 Table 2 - Retail Water Shortage Contingency Plan Levels Water Shortage Contingency Plan Levels
Shortage Level Percent Shortage
Range Water Shortage Condition
1 0%
Stage One (Normal Water Supply) applies when the City can meet all of its water demands, but declares, by resolution, that it has determined that certain conservation methods are warranted to preserve existing water supplies in the event the City will be unable to meet future water demands with its local water supplies. Any other normal water efficiency programs and water conservation regulations remain in force during Stage One.
2 <15%
Stage Two (Minimum Water Shortage) applies when the City Council declares, by resolution, a reasonable probability exists that the City will not be able to meet all of its water demands with its local water supplies, other regional or statewide conditions warrant implementation; or RPU faces an actual supply shortage of up to 15%, corresponding to CA Water Code section 10632 shortage levels 1 and 2.
3 15-20%
Stage Three (Moderate Water Shortage) applies when the City Council declares, by resolution, a reasonable probability exists that the City will not be able to meet all of its water demands with its local water supplies, other regional or statewide conditions warrant implementation; or RPU faces an actual supply shortage of 15-20%, corresponding to CA Water Code section 10632 shortage levels 2 and 3.
4 20-50%
Stage Four (Severe Water Shortage) applies when the City Council declares, by resolution, that the City's ability to meet its water demands with its local water supplies is seriously impaired; or RPU faces an actual supply shortage of 20-50%, corresponding to CA Water Code section 10632 shortage levels 3, 4, and 5.
5 >50%
Stage Five Water Shortage Emergency applies when the City Council declares, by resolution, that the City’s ability to meet its water demands with its local water supplies is so seriously impaired that RPU faces an actual supply shortage of over 50%, corresponding to CA Water Code section 10632 shortage level 6.
The WSCP limits water demand during times of shortage in five stages. These stages can be triggered when there is water deficiency caused by limitations on supply or by limitations on RPU’s delivery system. The plan shall be implemented in case of a long or short -term water deficiency, or in case of an emergency water shortage.
Higher stages will be implemented as shortages continue and/or if customer response does not bring about adequate desired water savings to address the shortage.
Each level represents an anticipated reduction in the supplies that would normally be available to the agency. These supply reductions could be the result of a variety of potential causes including natural forces, system component failure or interruption, regulatory actions, contamination, or any combination thereof.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
9 The stages involve voluntary and mandatory conservation measures and restrictions, depending on the causes, severity, and anticipated duration of the water supply shortage.
The locally appropriate shortage response actions that would be taken at each leve l to address the resulting gap between supplies and demands are described in the following section.
4 Shortage Response Actions
§ 10632(a)(2)
Shortage response actions corresponding to each defined shortage levels shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:
(A) Locally appropriate supply augmentation actions.
(B) Locally appropriate demand reduction actions sufficient to respond to shortages.
(C) Locally appropriate operational changes.
(D) Additional, mandatory prohibitions against specific water use practices that are in addition to state -mandated prohibitions and appropriate to the local conditions.
(E) For each action, an estimate of the extent to which the gap between supplies and demand will be reduced by implementation of the action.
The Shortage Response Actions are organized into RPU’s five shortage stages, which are cross-referenced to the six standard water shortage levels required by Water Code Section 10632.
4.1 Supply Augmentation
RPU continues to evaluate opportunities for transfers, exchanges, and the purchase of imported water to increase supply reliability. These programs are described in the supply sections of the UWMP. RPU has agreements in place to access imported water if needed, and RPU has an emergency interconnection with Norco that can provide water supply in case of an emergency. RPU i s also able to receive 25 cubic feet per second through a connection to the Western Municipal Water District.
RPU has a number of interties that can be used to provide additional supply during an emergency. Some of these interties are currently configured to deliver water from RPU to another water system; however, during an emergency, they could be used as part of a regional water distribution strategy. The interties are shown in Table 3.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
10 Table 3 – Emergency Interties
Water
Agencies Connection Location Capacity Emergency/
Imported Direction
RPU
Pressur
e Zone
City of
Colton
Colton
Intertie
Behind Walmart
Warehouse in
Colton
Emergency To RPU Raw
City of
Corona
Distribution
System Sampson Avenue 1,500 Emergency From RPU 925 Zone City of San
Bernardino
Distribution
System
North of Sixth
Street 2,000 Emergency To/ From
RPU Raw
East Valley
Water
District
Distribution Sixth Street near
Pedley 4,000 Emergency From RPU Raw
Norco Norco
Intertie
Arlington
Avenue 800 Emergency
Wholesale From RPU 1100
Zone
Western
Municipal
Water
District
Green
Orchard
Near Whitegate
No.2 Reservoir 1,100 Emergency To RPU Raw
Western
Municipal
Water
District
Fair Isle (Box
Springs)
Sycamore
Canyon
Boulevard/
Lochmoor Drive
1,500 Emergency To RPU 1750
Zone
Western
Municipal
Water
District
Mills
Connection
Alessandro
Boulevard/Cann
on Road
13,400 Imported To RPU 1600
Zone
Western
Municipal
Water
District
Praed/Lake
Hills
Lake Knoll
Parkway/La
Sierra Avenue
1,500 Emergency To RPU 1400
Zone
Western
Municipal
Water
District
Van Buren
Highline
Mockingbird
Canyon Road 13,400 Imported/
Wholesale
To/ From
RPU
1200
Zone
RPU has not identified specific supply augmentation actions that would be implemented to address a short -term water shortage, beyond its long -range planning and future supply projects described in the UWMP. The standard categories of supply augmentation actions are shown in Table 4 below.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
11 Table 4 – Supply Augmentation Actions (DWR Table 8-2R) Supply Augmentation and Other Actions
Shortage
Level
Supply Augmentation
Methods and Other Actions
by Water Supplier
How much is this
going to reduce the
shortage gap?
Additional Explanation
or Reference
All Exchanges Medium Agreement with Norco
All Stored emergency supply Medium ERP in place since
September 2020
All Other actions Medium Enhanced recharge
4.2 Demand Reduction
There are a number of demand reduction measures RPU implements as response actions to address shortage levels. Some of these include public education and outreach campaigns, watering, and other outdoor use restrictions. RPU also offers rebate programs to encourage water use efficiency. These demand reduction actions are shown below in Table 5.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
12 Table 5 – Demand Reduction Actions (DWR Table 8-3R)
Demand Reduction Actions
Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
How much is this
going to reduce
the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or Reference Penalty, Charge, or Other Enforcement?
All Expand Public
Information Campaign N/A
All
Provide Rebates on
Plumbing Fixtures and
Devices
N/A
All
Provide Rebates for
Landscape Irrigation
Efficiency
N/A
All Other N/A Water Efficiency Pricing
1 Other N/A Voluntary Conservation
2,3,4 Other Medium Mandatory Conservation
All Prohibited water waste N/A The application of potable water to outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A The use of a hose that dispenses potable water to wash a motor vehicle, except where the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A The application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A The use of potable water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A The application of potable water to outdoor landscapes during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A The serving of drinking water other than upon request in eating or drinking establishments, including but not limited to restaurants, hotels, cafes, cafeterias, bars, or other public places where food or drink are served or purchased. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A The irrigation with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians. Yes All Prohibited water waste N/A
The irrigation with potable water of landscapes outside of newly constructed homes and buildings in a manner inconsistent with regulations or other requirements established by the California Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Yes
All Prohibited water waste N/A
To promote water conservation, operators of hotels and motels shall provide guests with the option of choosing not to have towels and linens laundered daily. The hotel or motel shall prominently display notice of this option in each guestroom using clear and easily understood language.
Yes
All Prohibited water waste Low The use of potable water to irrigate non-functional turf on applicable properties is prohibited.* *Indicates provisions associated with a forthcoming ordinance update not adopted as part of this action. Yes 1 Landscape – Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific times
Medium Non-agricultural irrigation should be done from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. No 1 Other Medium Use of graywater, as that term is defined in the California Health and Safety Code, and recycled water for irrigation is permitted on any day and at any time, subject only to any permits issued by the City. No 2 Other Medium Except as otherwise provided in this Section, all Stage One measures remain in effect. Yes 2 Other Medium Customers will be asked to reduce their monthly water consumption up to 15 percent. Yes 2 Landscape – Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific days
Medium
Non-agricultural irrigation is limited as follows:
a. Properties may be irrigated only between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. Irrigation of landscaping is prohibited on any day of the week from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
b. Properties may not be irrigated more than three (3) times per week. c. All automatic irrigation timers shall be adjusted according to irrigation time restrictions and changing weather patterns, and shall completely eliminate runoff.
Yes
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
13 Demand Reduction Actions
Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
How much is this
going to reduce
the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or Reference Penalty, Charge, or Other Enforcement?
d. Use of graywater, as that term is defined in the California Health and Safety Code, and recycled water for irrigation is permitted on any day and at any time, subject only to any permits issued by the City. 2 Other – Customers
must repair leaks,
breaks, and
malfunctions in a
timely manner
Medium
All plumbing leaks, improperly adjusted sprinklers, or water appurtenances requiring repair or adjustment shall be corrected to the satisfaction of the City within 72 hours of notification by the City. The City will attempt to contact customers by phone, mail, email, text, or printed “door-hanger” notice. All customers shall ensure that the City has current telephone contact information.
Yes
2 Other Medium
Construction operations receiving water from a construction meter or water truck shall not use water unnecessarily for any purpose, other than those required by regulatory agencies. Construction projects requiring water for new landscaping materials shall adhere to the designated non-agricultural irrigation requirements set forth above.
Yes
3 Other Medium Except as otherwise provided in this Section, all Stage One and Stage Two measures remain in effect. Yes 3 Other High Water customers will be asked to reduce their monthly water consumption by 15 to 20 percent for the duration of Stage Three. Yes 3 Landscape – Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific days
Medium
Non-agricultural irrigation is limited as follows:
a. Properties may be irrigated only between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. b. Properties may not be irrigated more than three (3) times per week during the months of April through October and no more than two (2) times per week during the months of November through March. c. All automatic irrigation timers shall be adjusted according to changing weather patterns and to completely eliminate runoff. d. Use of graywater, as that term is defined in the California Health and Safety Code, or recycled water for irrigation is permitted on any day and at any time, subject only to any permits issued by the City.
Yes
4 Other Medium Except as otherwise provided in this Section, all Stage One, Two and Three conservation measures shall be in full force and remain in effect during Stage Four. Yes
4 Other High Water customers will reduce their monthly water consumption by 20 to 50 percent for the duration of Water Conservation Stage Four. Yes
4 Landscape – Limit
landscape irrigation to
specific days
Medium
Non-agricultural irrigation shall be limited to supporting minimal** survival of trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs may be irrigated, only during the following designated hours and days:
a. Properties with odd number street addresses, parks, and public rights-of-way may irrigate only on Saturdays between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
b. Properties with even number street addresses may irrigate only on Sundays between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. c. Irrigation is prohibited on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and on any day of the week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
d. Use of graywater, as that term is defined in the California Health and Safety Code, or recycled water for irrigation is permitted on any day and at any time, subject only to any permits issued by the City. **RMC section 14.22.060 – Stage Four – Severe water shortage currently provides that “Non-agricultural irrigation shall be limited to supporting minimal survival of trees and shrubs. The City’s Board of Public Utilities has requested that the City remove the word “minimal” when the ordinance is updated. It will be included in the forthcoming ordinance.
Yes
4 Other Medium
All outdoor watering and irrigation of lawns and similar ground covers is prohibited with the exception of plant materials determined by the General Manager to be rare, exceptionally valuable, or essential to the well-being of the public or threatened or endangered animals.
Yes
4 Other – Prohibit vehicle
washing except at
facilities using recycled
or recirculating water
Medium
Washing of automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes, and other types of mobile equipment is prohibited except at a commercial car wash. Commercial car washes shall only use wholly- or partially-recycled water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes and other types of mobile equipment. Washing necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the public, such as garbage trucks or vehicles used for food and perishables, are exempt from this section.
Yes
4 Other water feature or
swimming pool
restriction
Low Filling, refilling, or replenishing swimming pools, spas, ponds, streams, and artificial lakes is prohibited. Yes Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
14 Demand Reduction Actions
Shortage
Level
Demand Reduction
Actions
How much is this
going to reduce
the shortage gap?
Additional Explanation or Reference Penalty, Charge, or Other Enforcement?
4 Water Features –
Restrict water use for
decorative water
features, such as
fountains
Low Operation of any ornamental fountain, pond, or similar structure is prohibited. Yes 4 CII – Other CII
restriction or
prohibition
Medium Water used for commercial, manufacturing, or processing purposes shall be reduced as determined by the City Council. Yes 5 Other High Water customers will reduce their monthly consumption by more than 50 percent for the duration of Water Conservation Stage Five. Yes 5 Other Medium No new construction meters will be issued. Yes 5 Other Medium No construction water may be used for earthwork such as road construction purposes, dust control, compaction, or trench jetting. Yes 5 Other Medium
No new building permit(s) shall be issued, except:
a. Projects found by the City Council to be necessary for public health and safety. b. Projects using recycled water for construction.
c. Projects which will not result in a net increase in non-recycled water use. d. Projects with adequate conservation offsets, if available. The City, in its sole discretion, may choose to make conservation offsets available. Conservation offset costs shall be based on the cost of conserving the water elsewhere to provide the water needed for a project, the cost of providing an alternative water supply deemed acceptable by the City, or other measures identified in the City’s water use efficiency master plan. Conservation offset fees will be set forth in the Water Rules and Rate Schedules.
Yes
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
15 4.3 Operational Changes
Under water shortage conditions, RPU will implement monitoring and tracking of water usage rates for customers. The following aligns with the water shortage condition stages:
• Increased monitoring and analysis of customer water usage • Reductions in flushing of hydrants and dead-end lines • Expediting planned system improvement projects that include reduction in water loss (water main pipelines that have experienced leaks and/or breaks) • Activate conservation protocols
• Stopping or minimizing watering of medians and park areas with potable water • Stopping production of whole sale water for Norco and Western Municipal Water District
4.4 Additional Mandatory Restrictions
RPU has identified a series of restrictions that will be implemented at different shortage levels, in addition to permanent, state -mandated water use prohibitions. These prohibitions are identified in RMC Code Chapter 14.22 and are included in the demand reduction actions in Chapter 9 of the 2025 UWMP.
4.5 Emergency Response Plan
RPU has an emergency response plan (ERP) that details the responses to various emergency situations caused by human or natural disasters that could potentially impact service area facilities and customers. RPU’s ERP can contain sensitive information related to potential vulnerabilities or impacts of natural disasters or malicious acts. Therefore, these documents are not typically made publicly available.
Major hazards that can degrade the quality and/or impact the quantity of water available to the RPU water system include: regional power outages, earthquakes, liquefaction (i.e. high groundwater levels), floods, chemical spills, groundwater contamination, and terrorist acts. Some of these hazards could also adversely impact the distribution systems, such as the major transmission mains or reservoirs.
Interruptions to water supplies from any of the above -mentioned hazards may be limited to days or even months, except for groundwater contamination, which could last several years.
RPU has implemented several measures to improve the reliability of its water system.
Actions taken to prepare for a catastrophe include:
• Establishing criteria for a proclamation of water shortage • Developing alternate sources of water supplies
• Establishing contacts and mutual aid agreement with other agencies • Establishing an Emergency Response Team/Coordinator
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
16 • Preparing an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) (updated and certified to EPA on September 4, 2025)
• Conducting mock exercises and drills to evaluate and improve response procedures • Developing public awareness programs
RPU’s ERP may be activated whenever any of the following conditions exist:
• Natural disasters such as earthquake, flood, etc.
• Major loss of power
• Loss of water transmission lines, main breaks, or other major facilities • Water quality issues involving a "boil water" order or other major public relations/communication issues
• Emergency curtailment
• Disturbance affecting nearby utilities
• Hazardous spills
• Terrorist activities
The ERP will guide damage assessment, record keeping, prioritization of repairs, and coordination with other City Departments. The goal is returning to normal operations as soon as practicable.
The ERP describes the process for restoration of various incidents pertaining to potential water shortage conditions. Additionally, details of response efforts and recovery are also written within the ERP. Specific to water, the ERP describes how to obtain emergency and backup water sources (through WARN Statewide Mutual Aid) such that RPU will have uninterruptible water sources. RPU also participates in Emergency Response Network of the Inland Empire (ERNIE), which is a water/wastewater mutual aid network within Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Typically, RPU's actions during voluntary rationing include a public information campaign and media outreach to encourage conservation. Typical emergency response actions to the above-listed possible catastrophes may include the following:
• Assemble crisis management teams at pre -designated locations and Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
• Assess and document damaged facilities and repair or reactivate as appropriate • Assess for signs of contamination (i.e., increase the frequency of monitoring) • Deactivate contaminated sources
• Install additional treatment facilities
• Community outreach e.g., public education, media outreach, boil water advisories • Coordination with other City Departments and other government agencies • Seek mutual aid assistance
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
17 • Isolate and/or drain contaminated reservoirs as quickly as possible Interties between water systems can be used to deliver water from other water retailers to assist RPU during short -term emergencies. RPU is also a member of the Water Agency Response Network (WARN). RPU also participates in the Emergency Response Network of the Inland Empire (ERNIE), a water/wastewater mutual aid network within San Bernardino and Riverside counties. ERNIE meets monthly and provides regular training for utilities in emergency response and long-term emergency planning.
An assessment of each listed catastrophe and summarized description of previous responses and/or actions undertaken to prepare for such catastrophic events is described below.
4.6 Seismic Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan
§ 10632.5(a) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 10632, beginning January 1, 2020, the plan shall include a seismic risk assessment and mitigation plan to assess the vulnerability of each of the various facilities of a water system and mitigate those vulnerabilities.
(b) An urban water supplier shall update the seismic risk assessment and mitigation plan when updating its urban water management plan as required by Section 10621.
(c) An urban water supplier may comply with this section by submitting, pursuant to Section 10644, a copy of the most recent adopted local hazard mitigation plan or multi -hazard mitigation plan under the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390) if the local hazard mitigation plan or multi-hazard mitigation plan addresses seismic risk.
In lieu of conducting their own seismic risk assessment, suppliers can comply with the Water Code requirement by submitting the relevant local hazard mitigation plan or multi -hazard mitigation plan.
RPU has a recently approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which may be submitted in lieu of the Seismic Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan. RPU ’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (Updated 2025) is available on the Riverside County website at https://rivcoready.org/about-emd/plans/local-hazard-mitigation-plan .
RPU continues to include seismic risk assessment in its planning process for system improvements. Some elements of RPU’s approach to mitigation of seismic risk are:
• Several of RPU’s reservoirs are outfitted with seismically actuated valves. • RPU restrains the joints of its distribution pipelines and utilizes welded steel pipes for its transmission mains.
• RPU performed condition assessments and evaluated several of its reservoirs for seismic vulnerability.
• RPU uses flexible seismic joints on its pipelines where they transition from underground into highway bridge structures.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
18 • RPU replaced Evans Reservoir to meet current seismic codes. • RPU replaced the roof on Linden Reservoir to meet current seismic codes. • RPU to perform a study to identify best alternative methods to mitigate a possible severe seismic event between its two major water supply lines that transport water from the Bunker Hill Basin in San Bernardino to the City of Riverside. • RPU to continue with its Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) to provide a secondary method of interconnection to the state electrical grid.
4.7 Shortage Response Action Effectiveness
RPU has estimated the effectiveness of shortage response actions in terms of reducing the gap between expected supplies and demands. These estimates were developed using industry resources and observations from recent operating history at the agency. The se estimates have been included in Table 5.
5 Communication Protocols
§ 10632(a)(5) Communication protocols and procedures to inform customers, the public, interested parties, and local, regional, and state governments, regarding at a minimum, all of the following:
A. Any current or predicted shortages as determined by the annual water supply and demand assessment described pursuant to Section 10632.1.
B. Any shortage response actions triggered or anticipated to be triggered by the annual water supply and demand assessment described pursuant to Section 10632.1.
C. Any other relevant communications.
Timely and effective communication is a key element of WSCP implementation. RPU will need to inform customers, the general public, and other government entities of WSCP actions taken during a water shortage (either one derived from the Annual Assessment, o r an emergency or catastrophic event).
The communication protocols to be used by RPU at each shortage level are summarized in Table 6.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
19 Table 6 – Shortage Reduction Level to Notifications
Stage 1
Normal Water Supply
Stage 2
Minimum Water Shortage
Stage 3
Moderate Water Shortage
Stage 4
Severe Water Shortage
Stage 5
Catastrophic Water Shortage
0% Demand Reduction <15% Demand Reduction 15-20% Demand Reduction 20-50% Demand Reduction >50% Demand Reduction Standard outreach efforts in effect
Update outreach to reflect conditions
and Water Conservation Ordinance
Stage 2 actions
Update outreach to generate immediate
reductions in water demand and
implementation of Water Conservation
Ordinance Stage 3 actions
Update campaign and messages to raise
awareness for more severe water-saving
actions and implementation of Water
Conservation Ordinance Stage 4 actions
Update campaign and messages to reflect
extreme or emergency condition and
implementation of Water Conservation
Ordinance Stage 5 actions
Social media presence, updated
website, etc.
Announce status change through social
media, news release, and other
standard communication outlets to
stakeholders and general public
Announce status change through social
media, news release, and other standard
communication outlets to stakeholders
and general public
Announce status change through social
media, news release, and other
communication outlets to stakeholders
and general public
Announce status change through social media,
news release, and other communication
outlets to stakeholders and general public
Promote Water Use Efficiency
(WUE) programs to achieve long-
term water management goals
Increase WUE and conservation
messaging
Supplement Stage 2 activities with
additional outreach (mass media ads,
partnerships, etc.)
Supplement Stage 3 outreach with
additional outreach as needed
(supplemental ads, etc.)
Supplement Stage 4 outreach with additional
outreach as needed (hotline, reverse 911, etc.)
Encourage WUE and water
conservation best practices
Increase promotion of ongoing WUE
programs and resources
Continue promotion of ongoing WUE
programs and resources
Conduct targeted outreach to reduce
outdoor water use
Provide tools and resources to address
imminent needs
Coordinate with regional water
agencies
Provide briefings to elected officials and
other key leaders
Continue promotion of ongoing WUE
programs and resources and provide
specialized outreach to impacted
industries
Continue enhanced coordination with regional
agencies as needed
Initiate regular Board reports on water
use data and outreach efforts
Enhance and increase coordination with
regional agencies as needed
Continue enhanced coordination with
regional agencies as needed
Coordinate with emergency response services
with daily advisories or alerts as needed
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
20 6 Compliance and Enforcement
§ 1 0632(a)(6) For an urban retail water supplier, customer compliance, enforcement, appeal, and exemption procedures for triggered shortage response actions as determined pursuant to Section 10632.2.
The Water Conservation Ordinance states that any violation shall be subject to enforcement by issuance of an administrative citation pursuant to Chapter 1.17 of the Riverside Municipal Code. Prior to issuance of an administrative citation, the City shall g ive one courtesy notice requesting voluntary correction of the violation. The City Manager, or his or her designee, may enter into a written agreement with a customer to resolve any violation provided that such agreement is consistent with the purpose and intent of the Water Conservation Ordinance.
RPU has mechanisms in place for monitoring compliance with actual mandated reductions.
Water sales to customers are metered and billed monthly. RPU implements a meter maintenance program to ensure accuracy. Collected revenues from water sales are incorporated into the monthly financial reports produced by the RPU Finance Section. RPU’s billing system can be used to provide customers with reports of their water usage for current year and previous ye ars. The billing software can also be used to evaluate compl iance with mandated reductions.
RPU has the capability to determine reductions in water production. RPU maintains a comprehensive Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to monitor and control the water distribution system. All production wells are metered and monitored. The SCADA system is capable of recording potable water production and water levels within potable water reservoirs. Water levels of selected wells are regularly monitored and charted.
Flow meters installed at pump stations and booster stations can be read automatically through the SCADA system to determine usage.
Water Rule No. 15 includes penalties for excessive water usage. According to Water Rule No. 15,
"Whenever it appears to the Director that water delivered by the Water Utility is being used in violation of the terms of this Rule, he [/she] shall give written notice to the person so wasting water of his [/her] intention, after a reasonable time to be therein stated, to shut-off the water supply to the Person's Premises".
6.1 Appeals and Exemption Process
The City has processes in place for appeals and exemptions from penalties for violations.
These are identified in the RMC, Chapter 1.17.
7 Legal Authorities
§ 10632(a)(7)(A)-(C)
(A) A description of the legal authorities that empower the urban water supplier to implement and enforce its shortage response actions specified in paragraph Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
21 (4) that m ay include, but are not limited to, statutory authorities, ordinances, resolutions, and contract provisions.
(B) A statement that an urban water supplier shall declare a water shortage emergency in accordance with Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 350) of Division 1. [see below]
(C) A statement that an urban water supplier shall coordinate with any city or county within which it provides water supply services for the possible proclamation of a local emergency, as defined in Section 8558 of the Government Code.
Water Code Section Division 1, Section 350
Declaration of water shortage emergency condition. The governing body of a distributor of a public water supply, whether publicly or privately owned and including a mutual water company, shall declare a water shortage emergency condition to prevail within the area served by such distributor whenever it finds and determines that the ordinary demands and requirements of water consumers cannot be satisfied without depleting the water supply of the distributor to the extent that there would be insufficient wate r for human consumption, sanitation, and fire protection.
7.1 Legal Authorities
This section describes the legal authorities that the agency relies upon to implement the shortage response actions and the associated enforcement actions.
The current version of the Water Conservation Ordinance, which is Chapter 14.22 of the RMC, is attached to this document.
7.2 Declaration of Water Shortage
In accordance with Water Code Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 350) of Division 1 general provisions regarding water shortage emergencies, RPU shall declare a water shortage emergency in the event of a catastrophic interruption in supply.
7.3 Proclamation of Local Emergency
RPU shall coordinate with any City or County within which it provides water supply services for the possible proclamation of a local emergency under California Government Code, California Emergency Services Act (Article 2, Section 8558) , including a list of and contacts for all cities or counties for which the Supplier provides service in the WSCP, along with developed coordination protocols, to facilitate compliance with this section of the Water Code in the event of a local emergency as defined in subpart (c) of Government Code Section 8558.
The Cities and Counties in the RPU’s service area are shown in Table 7.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
22 Table 7 – City and County Coordination on Proclamation of Emergencies City or County Contact
Riverside County County Emergency Management Department City of Riverside Office of Emergency Management/City Manager City of Norco City Manager/Public Works Director
Western Municipal Water District Deputy Director of Water Resources
8 Financial Consequences of a Water Shortage Contingency Plan § 10632 (a)(8) A description of the financial consequences of, and responses for, drought conditions, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) A description of potential revenue reductions and expense increases associated with activated shortage response actions described in paragraph (4). (B) A description of mitigation actions needed to address revenue reductions and expense increases associated with activated shortage response actions described in paragraph (4).
(C) A description of the cost of compliance with Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 365) of Division 1.
8.1 Financial Impacts and Mitigation Action
This section describes the anticipated financial consequences to RPU of implementing the WSCP. The description includes potential reductions in revenue due to lower water sales and increased expenses associated with implementing the shortage response actions.
Potential financial impacts could include:
• Reduced revenue from reduced water use
• Increased staff costs for tracking, reporting, patrolling, and enforcing restrictions • Economic impacts associated with water-dependent businesses Potential mitigation measures may include:
• Triggering of drought rate structures or surcharges
• Using financial reserves
• Reducing operation and maintenance expenses
• Deferring capital improvement projects
• Reducing future projected operation and maintenance expenses • Increasing fixed readiness-to-serve charge
• Increasing commodity charge and water adjustment rates to cover revenue shortfalls
• Other financial management mechanisms
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
23 RPU is fortunate as a water provider in California in that it owns, operates and maintains its own water supply and is not typically dependent on imported water from outside sources.
RPU has responded to past droughts by continuing to offer a wide variety of water use efficiency and conservation programs for its customers in an effort to conserve its water resources.
In addition, RPU has increased its drought messaging to its customers, increased community educational awareness and leveraged funding from MWD to provide incentives for water conservation programs such as turf removal.
RPU’s long-range water supply planning includes significant contributions of both conservation and recycled water. The behavioral changes instituted through conservation and water use efficiency should have some permanent impact. Changes in landscape patterns and uses wil l have permanent and ongoing impacts to water use. Continuing conservation measures could negatively impact RPU’s revenues and will be addressed as needed during analysis of cost of service.
RPU's typical water rate includes the following components: a fixed monthly charge, a prorated commodity charge based on consumption with increasing marginal rates and adjustments for seasonality, an energy factor adjustment, a surcharge for customers not within city limits, and a Water Conservation and Reclamation surcharge. Revenue from fees such as fixed monthly charges, development -related fees, and the backflow protection program will not be impacted by reduction in water usage due to droughts.
RPU has many options to cushion reduction in revenues due to reduced demand by its retail customers. RPU maintains reserves that can offset minor revenue impacts. In addition to these liquid assets, RPU has an additional 12 to 18 months of operating revenu e in the form of non- liquid assets such as land and buildings. Other potential measures that RPU can implement to mitigate some revenue impacts due to shortages include adjusting the water rates, using water that has been stored in reservoirs, and refinanc ing existing bonds or issuing new bonds.
RPU seeks to maintain flexibility to adjust expenditures during drought conditions as well.
Some expense categories such as purchased energy, treatment costs, and operations and maintenance will be reduced as revenue from water sales decrease. Reduced grou ndwater production will also lead to reduced energy costs. RPU can reduce or avoid some water treatment costs by choosing to operate wells that require the least amount of treatment. RPU can also pump the most efficient wells to further reduce energy costs . RPU can investigate additional energy savings from switching to cheaper rate schedules based on time of use by taking advantage of distribution system reservoir storage. Lastly, RPU can delay capital expenditures.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
24 9 Monitoring and Reporting
§ 1 0632(a)(9) For an urban retail water supplier, 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.
RPU has the capability to determine reductions in water production and consumption. RPU maintains a comprehensive SCADA system for the water distribution system. All production wells are metered and monitored. The SCADA system is capable of recording potable water production and water levels within potable water reservoirs. Water levels of selected wells are regularly monitored and c harted. Flow meters installed at pump stations and booster stations can be read automatically through the SCADA system to dete rmine usage. RPU can also use billing data to monitor changes in consumption.
RPU will gather data on key water use metrics and use the data to evaluate the effectiveness of response actions in achieving their intended water use reduction purposes. RPU will also gather data on customer compliance to evaluate the effectiveness of enforcement actions.
RPU will monitor water use by customers using its billing systems and operational control systems to monitor production and consumption. RPU measures and determines the actual water savings made by implementing each stage of the WSCP by relying on water meters that record the production and consumption of water. Each level of the WSCP has an associated target reduction for metered water use.
10 WSCP Refinement Procedures
§ 10632(a)(10) Reevaluation and improvement procedures for systematically monitoring and evaluating the functionality of the water shortage contingency plan in order to ensure shortage risk tolerance is adequate and appropriate water shortage mitigation strategies are implemented as needed.
The WSCP is best prepared and implemented as an adaptive management plan. RPU plans to use the results of the monitoring and reporting program to improve their WSCP, including the Shortage Response Actions. To ensure that the Shortage Response Actions are up to date and effective, RPU will tailor its changes by looking into what was previously effective and ineffective through the results.
RPU will consider the addition of new shortage response actions or changes to the levels when shortage response actions are implemented. Suggestions for refinements will be collected from agency staff, customers, industry experts, and the general public. RPU will work with wholesale customers to share data and suggestions for refinement to identify opportunities to increase the effectiveness of the WSCP while maintaining alignment with other agencies in the region when possible.
RPU will review the WSCP’s description of procedures for the Annual Assessment each year while preparing the Annual Assessment and adjust as needed.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
25 11 Special Water Feature Distinction
§ 1 0632(b) For purposes of developing the water shortage contingency plan pursuant to subdivision (a), an urban water supplier shall analyze and define water features that are artificially supplied with water, including ponds, lakes, waterfalls, and fountains, separately from swimming pools and spas, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 115921 of the Health and Safety Code.
RPU has distinguished swimming pools and spas as recreational water features, while non - pool and non-spa water features are considered decorative water features. This distinction is used in the shortage response actions because decorative water features have the potential to use recycled water, while pools and spas (recreational water features) must use pota ble water for health and safety considerations.
RMC Chapter 14.22.010(D) notes that a splash pad shall be defined as a recreational feature and includes any pavement or sidewalk area that is part of the splash pad. Operation of a splash pad is not prohibited by this ordinance as an unreasonable use of water. 12 Plan Adoption, Submittal, and Availability
§ 10632(c) The urban water supplier shall make available the water shortage contingency plan prepared pursuant to this article to its customers and any city or county within which it provides water supplies no later than 30 days after adoption of the water shortage contingency plan.
RPU will make the Water Shortage Contingency Plan available to all its customers and cities within the City no later than 30 days after adoption.
The WSCP w as made available for public review during May of 2026 . A public hearing was held on June 8, 2026 to allow public input on the draft WSCP.
The RPU board of directors adopted the WSCP at a meeting on June 8 , 2026, and the City Council adopted it on June 23, 2026. The resolution of adoption is included as an attachment.
This WSCP was submitted to DWR through the WUEData portal before the deadline of July 1, 2026.
This WSCP will be available to the public on the agency’s website . Notice will be provided to cities and counties in the service area that the WSCP is available on the agency’s website.
If RPU identifies the need to amend this WSCP, it will follow the same procedures for notification to cities, counties and the public as used for the UWMP and for initial adoption of the WSCP. The draft amended WSCP will be made available for public review , and the agency’s governing board will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the draft amended WSCP. Once RPU’s governing board adopts the amended WSCP, the amended plan will be submitted to DWR and the California State Library, and it will be made available to the public and the cities and counties in the service area through placement on the agency’s website.
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Appendix A – Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 14.22
(Adopted by the City Council on TBD)
Appendices
Riverside Public Utilities
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Appendix B – Resolution of Adoption for WSCP
(Adopted by the City Council on June 23, 2026)