FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 21, 2022
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
Prepared by: Director of Utilities
SUBJECT: ENACTING STAGE 2 OF THE CITY'S
WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council adopt a Resolution enacting Stage 2 of the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
BACKGROUND:
In 2014, the State Water Resources Control Board ("Water Board") enacted drought emergency water conservation regulations in response to statewide drought conditions.
In response, on November 14, 2014, the Santa Maria City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2014-07 amending Municipal Code Section 8-10.33 to add specific water waste prohibitions and adopted Resolution No. 2014-131 to enact Stage 1 of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan. After revised emergency regulations were adopted by the Water Board on May 5, 2015 to achieve additional reductions in statewide water usage, on May 19, 2015, the City Council adopted Resolution 2015-46 to further amend Stage 1 in compliance with the revised emergency regulations.
Stage 1 of the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan (revision June 2021) consists of the following water conservation measures:
• Increased public awareness, public media campaigns and water conservation education.
• Water shall be used for beneficial purposes only; all unnecessary and waste useful of water are prohibited.
• Water shall not be applied 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. Care shall be taken not to water past the point of saturation.
• Free -flowing hoses for all uses shall be prohibited. Customers shall use automatic shutoff devices on any hose or filling apparatus in use. • All pools, spas, and ornamental fountains/ponds shall be equipped with a recirculation pump and shall be constructed to be leakproof. • Washing streets, parking lots, driveways, or sidewalks, except as necessary for health, aesthetic, or sanitary purposes, is prohibited. • Application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks is prohibited. • Tiered pricing of water use.
• No outdoor irrigation between the hours of 12:00 pm.and 4:00 pm. • New irrigated landscaped areas shall include efficient irrigation systems (e.g., drip irrigation, timed sprinklers, rain sensors, low -flow spray heads, etc.). • Motor vehicles or equipment shall be washed only with buckets or hoses with automatic shutoff nozzles.
• Users of construction meters and fire hydrant meters will be monitored for efficient water use.
Due to extended statewide drought conditions, these conservation measures have remained in place. With the increased severity of the drought, the Water Board has required urban water suppliers take additional action to preserve critical water supplies and mitigate the effects of drought to ensure the protection of health, safety, and the environment.
On March 28, 2022, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-7-22 and directed the Water Board to consider adopting an emergency regulation for urban water conservation ("Regulation") requiring urban water suppliers to implement the demand reduction actions identified in their Water Shortage Contingency Plans for a Stage 2 Water Shortage.
On May 24, 2022, the Water Board adopted the Regulation, a complete copy of which is attached as "Attachment A." The Regulation is expected to take effect on or around June 10, 2022, depending on the Office of Administrative Law process. It will remain in effect for one year from the effective date, unless the Water Board acts to end, modify, or readopt it.
DISCUSSION:
The Regulation requires urban water suppliers to implement their Water Shortage Contingency Plans for a Stage 2 Water Shortage, bans certain types of irrigation, and the submission of annual reports.
Specifically, the City must implement all demand reduction actions included in the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan for a Stage 2 Water Shortage. Stage 2 is considered a moderate water shortage and involves adopting and enforcing water use restrictions to meet a conservation target of 20 percent. In addition to the restrictions required in Stage 1 shown above, Stage 2 adds the following requirements:
• Increased enforcement of water waste rules through additional monitoring and water patrols.
• Require customer leaks be fixed within 48 hours.
A complete copy of the City's Water Shortage Contingency Plan is attached as "Attachment B."
The Regulation also bans irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties with potable water, with an exception for watering that is necessary to maintain viability of trees. Non-functional turf is considered any grass that is ornamental 2 and not used for recreational purposes; therefore, the ban would not apply to school fields, sports fields, and active portions of parks. The Regulation would impact all other commercial, institutional, or industrial properties that have non-functional turf.
Finally, the City was required to submit a preliminary annual water supply and demand assessment to the Department of Water Resources ("DWR") by June 1, 2022, and then submit a final draft of the annual water supply and demand assessment to the DWR by July 1, 2022.
Fiscal Considerations
Implementation of Stage 2 will likely result in decreased water sale revenues and increased outreach and communication costs.
Alternatives
The City Council can elect not to implement Stage 2; however, urban water suppliers that do not take mandatory action could be subject to cease -and -desist orders for violating the Regulation, triggering civil liabilities and fines.
Impact to the Community
The banning of irrigation for non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties with potable water may result in the turf turning brown or dying at those properties. Staff has developed outreach materials to notify these properties, as well as commercial landscapers of the Regulation and the prohibition on irrigation of non- functional turf.
The City's goal continues to be compliance through education, rather than to levy fines (up to $500/day for violators of the non-functional turf ban) or pursue enforcement options.
Therefore, the City's initial effort will be to educate the community about the Stage 2 condition and irrigation prohibitions.
Furthermore, when observing a violation, the City will first attempt to educate the responsible party and encourage conservation. If necessary, the City retains the ability to pursue enforcement options against violators under Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 8-10.33. Water Waste: Outdoor Water Use Restrictions. Such enforcement would be coordinated through the City Attorney's Office, Code Enforcement Division.
Those observing water waste can report it by emailing waterhotline().cityofsantamaria.org or by calling the Water Conservation Hotline at (805) 925-0951 ext. 2802.
Impact to the City
The City, as an institutional account holder, will be subject to the ban on irrigation of non- functional turf. This may result in turf at certain City -maintained locations turning brown or dying. Recreation and Parks Department staff is evaluating what portions of the City's landscaping would be considered "non-functional turf" and will cease irrigation of those portions in conformance with the Regulation.
3 Recreation and Parks Department staff is also evaluating options for replacing the non- functional turf with drought -tolerant landscaping which will meet the Regulations and reduce water demand. One location identified is the non-functional turf around City Hall.
Irrigation of the non-functional turf in this location has already been halted.
MICHELLE RUIZ
Management Analyst
nz
SHAD S. SPRINGER, P.E., MPA
Director of Utilities
Attachments "A": State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 2022-0018 "B": City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan 4 STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-0018
TO ADOPT AN EMERGENCY REGULATION
TO REDUCE WATER DEMAND AND IMPROVE WATER CONSERVATION
WHEREAS:
1. On April 21, May 10, July 8, and October 19, 2021, Governor Newsom issued proclamations that a state of emergency exists statewide due to severe drought conditions and directed state agencies to take immediate action to preserve critical water supplies and mitigate the effects of drought and ensure the protection of health, safety, and the environment.
2. These proclamations urge Californians to reduce their water use.
3. On March 28, 2022, Governor Newsom signed an Executive Order directing the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) to consider adopting emergency regulations to increase water conservation. The Executive Order includes a request that the Board require urban water suppliers to implement Level 2 of their water shortage contingency plans, establish water shortage response actions for urban water suppliers that have not submitted water shortage contingency plans, taking into consideration model actions that the Department of Water Resources, and establish a ban on the irrigation of non- functional turf by entities in the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors.
4. Many Californians and urban water suppliers have taken bold steps over the years to reduce water use; nevertheless, the severity of the current drought requires additional conservation actions from urban water suppliers, residents, and the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors.
5. Water conservation is the easiest, most efficient, and most cost-effective way to quickly reduce water demand and extend limited water supplies through this summer and into the next year, providing flexibility for all California communities.
Water saved is water available next year, giving water suppliers added flexibility to manage their systems effectively over time. The more water that is conserved now, the less likely it is that a community will experience dire shortages that may require water rationing or other emergency actions.
6. Most Californians use more water outdoors than indoors. In many areas, 50 percent or more of daily water use is for irrigation of lawns and outdoor landscaping irrigation. Outdoor water use is generally discretionary, and many irrigated landscapes would not suffer greatly from receiving a decreased amount of water.
ATTACHMENT "A"
7. The use of potable water to irrigate turf on commercial, industrial, or institutional properties that is not regularly used for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events can be reduced in commercial, industrial, and institutional areas to protect local water resources and enhance water resiliency.
8. Public information and awareness are critical to achieving conservation goals, and the Save Our Water campaign (SaveOurWater.com), run jointly by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Association of California Water Agencies, is an excellent resource for conservation information and messaging that is integral to effective drought response.
9. SaveWater.CA.Gov is an online tool designed to help save water in communities.
This website lets anyone easily report water waste from their phone, tablet, or computer by simply selecting the type of water waste they see, typing in the address where the waste is occurring, and clicking send. These reports are filed directly with the State Water Board and relevant local water supplier.
10. Enforcement against water waste is a key tool in conservation programs. When conservation becomes a social norm in a community, the need for enforcement is reduced or eliminated.
11.On March 28, 2022, the Governor suspended the environmental review required by the California Environmental Quality Act to allow State Water Board -adopted drought conservation emergency regulations and other actions to take place quickly to respond to emergency conditions.
12. Water Code section 1058.5 grants the State Water Board the authority to adopt emergency regulations in certain drought years in order to: "prevent the waste, unreasonable use, unreasonable method of use, or unreasonable method of diversion, of water, to promote water recycling or water conservation, to require curtailment of diversions when water is not available under the diverter's priority of right, or in furtherance of any of the foregoing, to require reporting of diversion or use or the preparation of monitoring reports."
13.On May 13, 2022, the State Water Board issued public notice that it will consider the adoption of the regulation at the Board's regularly scheduled May 24, 2022 public meeting, in accordance with applicable State laws and regulations. The State Water Board also distributed for public review and comment a Finding of Emergency that complies with State laws and regulations.
14.The emergency regulation exempts suppliers from enforcing connection moratoria, if their Level 2 demand management actions call for them, because new residential connections are critical to addressing the state's housing supply shortage. However, the Board recognizes connections for other projects may not be appropriate given the shortage conditions and urges water suppliers to carefully evaluate new development projects for their water use impacts. 2 15. Disadvantaged communities may require assistance responding to Level 2 conservation requirements, including irrigation restrictions, temporary changes to rate structures, and prohibited water uses. State shortage contingency plans aimed at increasing water conservation, and state and local agencies should look for opportunities to provide assistance in promoting water conservation. This assistance should include but not be limited to translation of regulation text and dissemination of water conservation announcements into languages spoken by at least 10 percent of the people who reside in a water supplier's service area, such as in newspaper advertisements, bill inserts, website homepage, social media, and notices in public libraries.
16.The Board directs staff to consider the following in pursuing any enforcement of section 996, subdivision (e): before imposing monetary penalties, staff shall provide one or more warnings; monetary penalties must be based on an ability to pay determination, consider allowing a payment plan of at least 12 months, and shall not result in a tax lien; and Board enforcement shall not result in shutoff.
17. The Board encourages entities other than Board staff that consider any enforcement of this regulation to apply these same factors identified in resolved paragraph 16. Nothing in the regulation or in the enforcement provisions of the regulation precludes a local agency from exercising its authority to adopt more stringent conservation measures. Moreover, the Water Code does not impose a mandatory penalty for violations of the regulation adopted by this resolution, and local agencies retain their enforcement discretion in enforcing the regulation, to the extent authorized, and may develop their own progressive enforcement practices to encourage conservation.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. The State Water Board adopts California Code of Regulations, title 23, section 996, as appended to this resolution as an emergency regulation that applies to urban water suppliers, as defined by Water Code section 10617.
2. State Water Board staff shall submit the regulation to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) for final approval.
3. If, during the approval process, State Water Board staff, the State Water Board, or OAL determines that minor corrections to the language of the regulation or supporting documentation are needed for clarity or consistency, the State Water Board Executive Director or designee may make such changes. 3 4. This regulation shall remain in effect for one year after filing with the Secretary of State unless the State Water Board determines that it is no longer necessary due to changed conditions or unless the State Water Board renews the regulation due to continued drought conditions, as described in Water Code section 1058.5.
5. The State Water Board directs State Water Board staff to work with the Department of Water Resources and the Save Our Water campaign to disseminate information regarding the emergency regulation.
6. The State Water Board directs staff to, by January 1, 2023, survey urban water suppliers on their experience protecting trees and tree cover during drought, with attention to disadvantaged communities. The survey shall inquire about challenges encountered, strategies used, costs, and successes in protecting trees.
7. Nothing in the regulation or in the enforcement provisions of the regulation precludes a local agency from exercising its authority to adopt more stringent conservation measures. Local agencies are encouraged to develop their own progressive enforcement practices to promote conservation.
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned Clerk to the Board does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on May 24, 2022.
AYE: Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel
Vice Chair Dorene D'Adamo
Board Member Sean Maguire
Board Member Laurel Firestone
NAY: None
ABSENT: Board Member Nichole Morgan
ABSTAIN: None
Jean& Townsend
Clerk to the Board
4 ADOPTED EMERGENCY REGULATION TEXT
Version: May 24, 2022
Title 23. Waters
Division 3. State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards
Chapter 3.5. Urban Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Article 2. Prevention of Drought Wasteful Water Uses
§ 996. Urban Drought Response Actions
u As used in this section:
(1) "Commercial, industrial and institutional" refers to commercial water users, industrial water users, and institutional water users as respectively defined in Water Code, section 10608.12, subdivisions (e), (1), and (j), and includes homeowners' associations, common interest developments, community service organizations, and other similar entities but does not include the residences of these entities' members or separate interests.
(2) "Common interest development" has the same meaning as in section 4100 of the Civil Code.
13) "Community service organization or similar entity" has the same meaning as in section 4110 of the Civil Code.
(4) "Homeowners' association" means an "association" as defined in section 4080 of the Civil Code.
(5) "Non-functional turf' means turf that is solely ornamental and not regularly used for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events. Non- functional turf does not include sports fields and turf that is regularly used for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events. (6) "Plant factor" has the same meaning as in section 491. (7) "Separate interest" has the same meaning as in section 4185 of the Civil Code.
(8) "Turf' has the same meaning as in section 491.
(9) "Urban water supplier" has the same meaning as Water Code section 10617. (10) "Water shortage contingency plan" means the plan required by Water Code section 10632.
Qj Each urban water supplier shall submit to the Department of Water Resources a preliminary annual water supply and demand assessment consistent with section 5 Ll
10632.1 of the Water Code no later than June 1, 2022, and submit a final annual water supply and demand assessment to the Department of Water Resources no later than the deadline set by section 10632.1 of the Water Code.
Each urban water supplier that has submitted a water shortage contingency plan to the Department of Water Resources shall implement by June 10, 2022, at a minimum, all demand reduction actions identified in the supplier's water shortage contingency plan adopted under Water Code 10632 for a shortage level of ten (10) to twenty (20) percent (Level 2).
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(1), urban water suppliers shall not be required to implement new residential connection moratoria pursuant to this section. (3J Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(1), an urban water supplier may implement the actions identified in subdivision (d) in lieu of implementing the demand reduction actions identified in the supplier's water shortage contingency plan adopted under Water Code section 10632 for a shortage level of ten (10) to twenty (20) percent (Level 2), provided the supplier meets all of the following:
(i) The supplier's annual water supply and demand assessment submitted to the Department of Water Resources demonstrates an ability to maintain reliable supply until September 30, 2023.
(ii) The supplier does not rely on, for any part of its supply, the Colorado River, State Water Project, or Central Valley Project, and no more than ten (10) percent of its supply comes from critically overdrafted groundwater basins as designated by the Department of Water Resources.
(iii) The supplier's average number of gallons of water used per person per day by residential customers for the year _2020 is below 55 gallons, as reported to the Board in the Electronic Annual Report.
Each urban water supplier that has not submitted a water shortage contingency plan to the Department of Water Resources shall, by June 10, 2022, and continuing until the supplier has implemented all demand reduction actions identified in the supplier's water shortage contingency plan adopted under Water Code 10632 for a shortage level of ten (10) to twenty (20) percent (Level 2), implement at a minimum the following actions:
(1) Initiate a public information and outreach campaign for water conservation and promptly and effectively reach the supplier's customers, using efforts such as email, paper mail, bill inserts, customer app notifications, news articles, websites, community events, radio and television, billboards, and social media. (2) Implement and enforce a rule or ordinance limiting landscape irrigation with potable water to no more than two (2) days per week and prohibiting landscape irrigation with potable water between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (3) Implement and enforce a rule or ordinance banning, at a minimum, the water uses prohibited by section 995. Adoption of a rule or ordinance is not required if the supplier has authority to enforce, as infractions, the prohibitions in section 995 and takes enforcement against violations.
6 Lei
(1) To prevent the unreasonable use of water and to promote water conservation, the use of potable water is prohibited for the irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional sites.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (e)(1), the use of water is not prohibited by this section to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial non -turf plantings or to the extent necessary to address an immediate health and safety need.
(3) Notwithstanding subdivision (e)(1), an urban water supplier may approve a request for continued irrigation of non-functional turf where the user certifies that the turf is a low water use plant with a plant factor of 0.3 or less, and demonstrates the actual use is less than 40% of reference evapotranspiration. f(� The taking of any action prohibited in subdivision (e) is an infraction punishable by a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500) for each day in which the violation occurs. The fine for the infraction is in addition to, and does not supersede or limit, any other remedies, civil or criminal.
A decision or order issued under this section by the Board, or an officer or employee of the Board, is subject to reconsideration under article 2 (commencing with section 1122) of chapter 4 of part 1 of division 2 of the Water Code.
Authority: Section 1058.5, Water Code.
References: Article X, Section 2, California Constitution; Sections 4080, 4100, 4110, and 4185, Civil Code; Section 8627.7, Government Code; Sections 102, 104, 105, 275, 350, 377, 491, 1122, 10608.12, 10617, 10632, and 10632.1, Water Code; Light v. State Water Resources Control Board (2014) 226 Cal.App.4th 1463; Stanford Vina Ranch Irrigation Co. v. State of Califomia (2020) 50 Cal.App.5th 976. 7 WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
FOR
THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA
BD ma
M)
June 2021
Prepared By:
Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group
EST. 1666
PROVOST&
PRITCHARD
CONSULTING GROUP
ATTACHMENT "B"
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Table of Contents
1 -PURPOSE OF PLAN 2
2 -WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY ANALYSIS 3
2.1 Background 3
2.2 Sources of Supply 3
2.3 Supply Availability 4
2.4 Recent Improvements in Supply and Reliability 5
3 -ANNUAL WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES 6
3.1 Decision Making Process 6
3.2 Data Inputs and Assessment Methodology 7
3.3 Infrastructure Capabilities and Constraints 8
4 -WATER SHORTAGE STAGES 9
5 -SHORTAGE RESPONSE ACTIONS 10
5.1 Response Actions by Water Shortage Stage 10
5.2 Catastrophic Supply Interruption 12
5.3 Seismic Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan 12
5.4 Locally Appropriate Supply Augmentation Actions 13
5.5 Locally Appropriate Operational Changes 13
5.6 Gap Between Supply and Demand 13
6 -COMMUNITY OUTREACH 15
7 -CUSTOMER COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT 16
8 -LEGAL AUTHORITY OF THE PLAN 17
8.1 Declaring a Water Shortage Emergency 17
8.2 Coordination with other Cities and Counties 17
9 -REVENUE REDUCTIONS AND EXPENSE INCREASES 18
9.1 Potential Revenue Reductions and Expense Increases 18
9.2 Mitigation Actions 18
9.3 Cost Compliance 18
10 - MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 19
11 - MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE PLAN 20
12 - REFERENCES 21
i1 Page
List of Tables
Table 1: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Requirements 2 Table 2: Planned Water Supplies for the City of Santa Maria 4 Table 3: City of Santa Maria Water Supply Portfolio 4
Table 4: City of Santa Maria Projected Population and Water Demand 7 Table 5: Total City of Santa Maria Water Demand 7
Table 6: Water Shortage Stages 9
List of Attachments
1 — Water Use Restrictions by Water Shortage Stage
1 Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Definitions
The following words and phrases whenever used in the Water Shortage Contingency Plan will have the meaning defined in this Section:
"Customer" means any person, business, corporation, public or private entity, public or private association, public or private agency, government agency or institution, school district, college, or any other user of water provided by the City of Santa Maria. "Days" are defined as calendar days, unless otherwise indicated. "City" means the City of Santa Maria.
"Water Conservation" means the efficient management of water resources for beneficial uses, preventing waste, or accomplishing additional benefits with the same amount of water. "Water" will refer to potable water, unless otherwise specified. "WSCP" refers to the City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan in existence on the effective date of this ordinance and as readopted or amended from time to time. 11 Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
1- PURPOSE OF PLAN
Water shortage contingency planning is a strategic planning process to prepare for and respond to water shortages. Good planning and preparation help the City of Santa Maria (City) maintain reliable supplies and reduces the impacts of supply interruptions.
The City first adopted its 2005 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) in 2007 and updated that plan over time to reflect new requirements and water supply conditions. This update to the WSCP was prepared in conjunction with the City's 2020 Urban Water Management Plan.
The purpose of the City's WSCP is to provide a methodology for analyzing water supply reliability, to establish water shortage levels, identify appropriate response actions, and document protocols for enforcing the WSCP. The City's policy is to maximize use of all its water resources, each to its best application, to maintain water supply under varying levels of availability, with a focus on ensuring public health and safety.
This WSCP was prepared according to requirements in Sections 10632 & 10635 of the California Water Code. Error! Reference source not found. below shows the required components of a WSCP, t he relevant water code section, and where they are found in this document.
Table 1: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Requirements
6 iv
Water Supply
Reliability Analysis
WC 10632 (a.1)
Section 2
Annual Assessment
Procedures
WC 10632 (a.2)
Section 2
Water
Shortage Levels
WC 10632 (a.3)
Section 3
Shortage Response Actions
WC 10632 (a.4)
Section 4
Communication Protocols
WC 10632 (a.5)
Section 5
Compliance and Enforcement
WC 10632 (a.6)
Section 6
Legal Authority
WC 10632 (a.7)
Section 7
Financial Consequences
of WSCP
WC 10632 (a.8)
Section 8
Monitoring and Reporting
WC 10632 (a.9)
Section 9
WSCP Refinement
Procedures
WC 10632 (a.10)
Section 10
2I P1
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
2 - WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY ANALYSIS
2.1 Background
The City of Santa Maria is located in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County, about 180 miles north of Los Angeles. The City has cool winters and mild summers with an average annual rainfall of about 13 inches. The rainy season is from November to March and low humidity occurs from the months of May to October. The moderately hot and dry weather during the summer months typically results in moderately high-water demand during this time.
The City provides water distribution services to the City and nearby areas outside the city limits. The City's population that is served within the boundaries is estimated at 107,353 in 2020 and is expected to reach 135,410 by 2040. The service area boundary includes developed and undeveloped land to the west, south, and east of the City's center. A portion of the City's service area lies outside the city limits, within unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County. The service area is primarily characterized by residential and commercial land use.
2.2 Sources of Supply
Historically, the City has pumped water from the Santa Maria Valley Groundwater Basin (Basin), DWR Basin No. 3-12, as its primary water supply. The City began receiving State Water Project (SWP) water from the Central Coast Water Authority (CCWA) in 1997. The SWP water augments local groundwater supplies and is generally higher quality water.
The City's rights to rely on Basin water resources (for pumping and recharge) are governed by a judgement and settlement agreement (Stipulation) finalized before the Santa Clara County Superior Court (Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District vs. City of Santa Maria, et al., Case no. 770214).
Groundwater supply information is based on this case (commonly known as the "Santa Maria Groundwater Adjudication").
Under the Santa Maria Groundwater Adjudication, the City derives its water supply from (1) imported water from the State Water Project (SWP) and the associated return flows that may be recaptured from the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin, (2) assigned rights to groundwater from the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin, and (3) a share of the firm yield of Twitchell Reservoir operations. The imported water supply is obtained from the SWP through a contract with CCWA. Groundwater is currently pumped from a total of six active groundwater wells in the Basin. The City's usable wells have a total normal year active capacity of about 20,000 acre-feet per year (ac-ft/yr). The average production between 2015 and 2020 was 3,600 ac-ft/yr.
Water supply availability has not in the past nor is expected in the future to be affected by season of the year. For instance, there is no evidence of decreased well field production in the summer months.
For State Water, allocation is based on the calendar year. Early predictions of the final allocation are released before the start of the calendar year but tend to be conservative estimates. The final allocation may not be issued until May. However, careful balancing of water resources, groundwater, carryover water, and State Water allow for the water use to be spread throughout the year.
Table 2 shows the planned water supplies for the City of Santa Maria. 3IPage
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Table 2: Planned Water Supplies for the City of Santa Maria Source
Purchased Water from SWP1
Groundwater'
Twitchell Yield/Commingled
Groundwater'
Return Flows from SWP water'
Recycled Water
Total
.
2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
10,399 10,305 10,212 10,118 10,025
5,100 5,100 5,100 5,100 5,100
14,300 14,300 14,300 14,300 14,300
6,759 6,698 6,638 6,577 6,516
0 0 0 0 0
36,558 36,403 36,250 36,095 35,941
SWP volumes shown are based on the long -tens reliability documented in The State Water Project Final Delivery Capability 2019 Report (California Department of Water Resources, 2020)
2. Groundwater supplies are based on prescriptive rights in Santa Maria Groundwater Basin as defined in the Judgement.
Pursuant to the Courts Phase 5 Statement of Decision, the City has been assigned 5,100 AFrYR of prescriptive right.
3. Further details can be found in Exhibit "F" of the Stipulation. Yield is from groundwater recharge to the basin.
4. Pursuant to the Stipulation, the City is entitled to recapture 65 percent of its SWP use in the Basin.
2.3 Supply Availability
The City's water supply portfolio under various scenarios is presented in Table 3. This table shows maximum water rights, and the impacts of the long-term expected yield, a multi -year drought, and a worst case single -year drought.
Table 3: City of Santa Maria Water Supply Portfolio
Description
Water Rights/Contracts
Long -Term Yield
Multi -Year Drought
(avg over 5 years)
Worst Case Drought 1,960 5,516
7% 65%
State Water Project Groundwater
CCWA Return Prescriptive Twitchell Total
17,820 11,583 5,100 14,300 48,803
100% 65% 100% 100% 100%
10,118 6,577 5,100 14,300 36,095
57% 65% 100% 100%
4,086 5,379 5,100 14,300
23% 65% 100%
100%
74%
28,865
59%
5,100 14,300 26,876
100% 100% 55%
Notes:
1. Granted under the Stipulation; subject to adjustments that could be ordered by the Court.
2. Return flows are based on five-year rolling average of imported water. Single -dry year impacts will not affect availability of return flows for previous five-year average.
3. Multiple -dry year reliability of return flows considers the previous five-year rolling average of SWP imports.
These projections assume five years of normal water years before the beginning of the multiple -dry year period.
4. Groundwater supplies are based on prescriptive rights in Santa Maria Groundwater Basin as defined in the Judgement. Pursuant to the Court's Phase 5 Statement of Decision, the City has been assigned 5,100 AF/YR of prescriptive right.
The Stipulation requires that the Management Area Engineer prepare an annual report that summarizes the results of the Monitoring Program, changes in groundwater supplies, and any threats to groundwater supplies. The report indicates whether there is a shortage of groundwater in the Santa Maria Valley Management Area.
41 Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
2.4 Recent Improvements in Supply and Reliability
The City has installed a fixed base meter reading system. This meter reading system reduces water demand by identifying customer side leaks.
The City continues to work with the community to encourage water conservation on a voluntary basis.
Water conservation activities include bus ads, water conservation kits, soil moisture meters, shower timers, toilet tank banks, and other promotional items.
These projects and programs improve water management, reduce demands, and assist the City in meeting municipal water needs in acute or chronic water shortage conditions. 5I Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
3 - ANNUAL WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND ASSESSMENT
PROCEDURES
3.1 Decision Making Process
Chronic Water Shortages
Chronic shortages can be determined by calculating the difference between anticipated demand and available supply. Groundwater rights and Twitchell yield are considered to be 100 percent available in years when the annual report of hydrogeologic conditions indicates that there is no water shortage in the Santa Maria Valley Management Area. In years when the annual report indicates a shortage, a percentage available will be determined based on the report findings. Anticipated demand will be determined, to demonstrate the necessary level of reduction to ensure sufficient supply for the demand. If the total demand is less than the available supply, then no chronic shortage exists, and no demand reduction is necessary. Otherwise, the City Council will announce a chronic water shortage and implementation of this Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
Short-term Water Shortages
Short-term shortages occur when the water supplies cannot be delivered to meet demand, either because of electrical or mechanical failures of production or delivery equipment, excess demand such as fire flows, or because of water quality issues. These can be caused by equipment failure, or as a result of a catastrophic event, such as an earthquake, windstorm, rainstorm, fire, terrorist activity, or water quality issues. To determine if a short-term shortage exists, calculate the difference between the capacity of the available production facilities and the latest water demand figures available. Taking into consideration the blended water nitrate concentration, available reservoir storage, and the anticipated equipment outage, determine if the water demand can be met.
Chronic Water Shortages are declared by the City Council. Short-term Water Shortages can be declared by the City Manager if time is of the essence and City Council approval is not possible.
Severe Groundwater Shortages
The Stipulation includes provisions to avoid Severe Groundwater Shortages and a procedure to deal with such conditions. Given the historic reliability of Basin supplies, a Severe Groundwater Shortage shall be found to exist only when the Management Area Engineer, based on ongoing monitoring, finds the following:
1. Groundwater levels in the Management Area are in a condition of chronic decline over a period greater than five years;
2. The groundwater decline has not been caused by drought;
3. There has been material increase in groundwater use during the five-year period; and
4. Monitoring wells indicate that groundwater levels in the Santa Maria Valley Management Area are below the lowest recorded levels.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
The procedure for addressing Severe Groundwater Shortages is described in the Stipulation, which may include limitations on groundwater use.
3.2 Data Inputs and Assessment Methodology
Water Demands
Water demands can be estimated as the average of the three last years of unconstrained demand, or in other words, the last three years of demands with no major water use restrictions. If more detailed information is available, then the current year demands can be calculated differently.
The Governor's 20 by 2020 initiative includes a per capita water use target for 2020 of 118 gallons per capita per day. In 2020, actual use was about 11,990 AF for a population of 107,353. This ratio is used to estimate future demands. Table 4 shows the anticipated potable water demand through 2045.
This value includes retail demands and does not include water Santa Maria delivers to Nipomo Community Services District or Golden State Water Company.
Table 4: City of Santa Maria Projected Population and Water Demand Year 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
Population 107,353 116,907 122,402 127,910 133,410 135,411 Potable Demand, AF 11,990 13,057 13,670 14,285 14,900 15,123 Other impacts to the City's water portfolio include water rights leases for use in the Orcutt area, interagency potable water exchanges with Golden State Water Company, and water sales to the Nipomo Community Services District (NCSD). Orcutt water rights leases do not impact the City's water supply infrastructure. Except for the first 20 AF per year, Golden State's potable water exchanges involve an exchange of Golden State's State Water Project allocation for the City's potable water supply. NCSD water sales, however, involve potable water delivery and utilize the City's water supply infrastructure. The agreement between NCSD and the City requires that the City deliver 1,000 AF per year with an increase to 2,500 AF per year until 2085. Using these numbers, Table 5 shows the water demand taking into account all of the obligations of the City for potable water supply.
Table 5: Total City of Santa Maria Water Demand
2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
City of Santa Maria Demand 11,990 13,057 13,670 14,285 14,900 15,123 NCSD Demand 1,025 1,000 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500
Golden State Demand 20 20 20 20 20 20
Orcutt Water Leases 600 800 900 900 900 900
Total 13,635 14,877 17,090 17,705 18,320 18,543
Supply and Demand Assessment
The City's water supply portfolio is sufficient to meet projected demands through 2045, although restrictions may be needed in the case of a severe drought or catastrophic emergency. However, the City's use of groundwater for domestic supply may be impacted by the presence of nitrates. In the event that drinking water standards cannot be met with groundwater, the City may need to take action to reduce water demand, to assure a safe drinking water supply until groundwater treatment can be implemented.
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A review of water use by customer class shows a consistent seasonal demand by industrial customers, a slight increase in summer months by multi -family customers, and a large seasonal difference between summer and winter months for both commercial and single-family customers. As expected, meters dedicated to landscape irrigation also show higher water demand during warmer months. Landscape irrigation would be considered less critical than other water uses, including public health and safety, basic sanitation, and domestic supply, and would be a target for water conservation programs.
Quantification of Water Supply
Surface Water. State Water Supplies are provided by the Central Coast Water Authority and are generally limited to SWP allocations. However, opportunities for additional SWP purchases are available.
SWP Return Flows. The City has a right to Return Flows from SWP water, which are equal to 65% of the previous five-year rolling average of SWP imports.
Twitchell Reservoir. The City has a reliable yield of 14,300 AF/year yield from recharge that occurs from Twitchell Reservoir granted under the Stipulation.
Groundwater. As a part of the Stipulation, the City, along with Golden State Water Company and City of Guadalupe, has preferential appropriative rights to surplus native groundwater. Therefore, these parties may pump groundwater without limitation unless a Severe Water Shortage Condition exists, as discussed above. In the event of a Severe Water Shortage, the Court may order Golden State Water Company, along with Santa Maria and the City of Guadalupe, to limit their pumping to their respective shares of groundwater derived from the Twitchell Yield, return flows, and any assigned rights. The Court granted the City 5,100 AF/YR of prescriptive rights in the Basin.
3.3 Infrastructure Capabilities and Constraints
Plausible constraints include operational problems or damage to wells, pipelines, or State Water Project facilities. With the delivery of SWP water, the City has excess well capacity. If the State Water Project is not operational then the City can typically meet its demands with groundwater supplies, at least in the short term.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
4 - WATER SHORTAGE STAGES
As outlined in the new Water Code requirements (10632 a & b.), Water Shortage Contingency Plans must include or be adapted to the six standard water shortage levels, which correspond to the progressive ranges of 50%. These six levels are
described in Table 6. The various Response Actions that correspond with these levels are addressed in Section 5 of this plan.
Table 6: Water Shortage Stages
RESP®'�
� ' r ,.,.,•, '
Level 1
Water Shortage
Less than 10%
l.evel2
Moderate Water
Shortage
10% - 20%
Level 3
Severe Water
Shortage
20% - 30%
Level 4
Critical Water
Shortage
30% - 40%
Level 5
Extreme Water
Shortage
40% - 50%
Level 6
Emergency Water
Shortage
Greater than 50%
These water shortage stages each indude specific water use restrictions that will be adopted and enforced. Detailed descriptions of each water shortage stage and their associated water use restrictions are provided in the following section.
This policy establishes water management requirements necessary to conserve water, enable effective water supply planning, assure reasonable and beneficial use of water, prevent waste of water, and prevent unreasonable use of water within the City. It establishes six levels of response actions to be implemented in times of shortage with increasing restrictions on water use in response to worsening drought conditions and decreasing available supplies.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
5 - SHORTAGE RESPONSE ACTIONS
5.1 Response Actions by Water Shortage Stage
The following response actions were developed in accordance with Water Code 10632 a.4 and may be implemented by the City Council as deemed necessary to address water shortages. In addition, the various stages and response actions outlined in this plan can also be found in matrix form as Attachment 1. If the State mandates other response actions during a drought, they will be added to the list below. The City Council has the flexibility to modify response actions for each stage during a water shortage, but the list below includes recommended guidelines for each stage. Each stage can be used during a long-term water shortage (drought) or during a short-term catastrophic interruption of water supply.
Stage 1— Water Shortage (Reduce Water Use by 10%.)
This stage represents a minor water shortage and will be handled with the following response actions:
• Increased public awareness, public media campaigns and water conservation education. • Water shall be used for beneficial purposes only; all unnecessary and waste useful of water are prohibited.
• Water shall not be applied 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. Care shall be taken not to water past the point of saturation.
• Free -flowing hoses for all uses shall be prohibited. Customers shall use automatic shutoff devices on any hose or filling apparatus in use.
• All pools, spas, and ornamental fountains/ponds shall be equipped with a recirculation pump and shall be constructed to be leakproof.
• Washing streets, parking lots, driveways, or sidewalks, except as necessary for health, aesthetic or sanitary purposes, is prohibited.
• Application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks is prohibited. • Tiered pricing of water use
• No outdoor irrigation between the hours of 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. • New irrigated landscaped areas shall include efficient irrigation systems (e.g., drip irrigation, timed sprinklers, rain sensors, low -flow spray heads, etc.). • Motor vehicles or equipment shall be washed only with buckets or hoses with automatic shutoff nozzles.
• Users of construction meters and fire hydrant meters will be monitored for efficient water use.
Stage 2 —Moderate Water shortage (Reduce Water Use by 20%) This stage represents a moderate water shortage and will include all of the response actions in previous stages plus the following:
• Increased enforcement of water waste rules through additional monitoring and water patrols. • Require customer leaks be fixed within 48 hours.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Stage 3 — Severe Water Shortage (Reduce Water Use by 30%) This stage represents a severe water shortage and will include all of the response actions in previous stages plus the following:
• Reduce landscape water use by 25%.
• Application of potable water to outdoor landscapes during or within 48 hours after measurable rainfall is prohibited.
Stage 4 — Critical Water Shortage (Reduce Water Use by 40%) This stage represents a critical water shortage and will include all of the response actions in previous stages plus the following:
• Reduce landscape water use by 40%.
Stage 5 — Extreme Water Shortage (Reduce Water Use by 50%) This stage represents an extreme water shortage and will include all the response actions in previous stages plus the following:
• Reduce landscape water use by 55%.
Stage 6 — Emergency Water Shortage (Reduce Water Use by Over 50%) This stage represents an emergency water shortage and will include all the response actions in previous stages plus the following:
• Suspend water main flushing, unless required for water quality. • Prohibit use of potable water for street sweeping.
Landscape Water Use Reductions and Water Shortage Allotments A significant amount of the City's water demand is associated with landscape irrigation. Water use during the winter months is indicative of essential water use, such as for bathing, cooking, and sanitary purposes, whereas the water use in summer in excess of the essential water use is indicative of landscape watering. An allotment can be calculated based on the average water use for the winter months. The most restrictive allotment would be calculated from January through March, when little landscape irrigation is observed. Using census data for occupancy, a per capita allotment can be established for variance purposes. The allotments would be calculated and tracked to verify residents are meeting the landscape water reduction goals at each stage.
The fixed base meter program enables the City to monitor water use. Accounts that exceed allotments can be flagged, enabling the City to identify the accounts and work with customers to understand increased demand and whether a variance would apply.
Demand Management Measures
The City also implements numerous Demand Management Measures that are described in the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. These include programs such as distribution system leak detection, customer water audits, low flow device give-aways, etc. These programs are implemented year-round but could be expanded during a water shortage to help further reduce water use. 11 1 Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
5.2 Catastrophic Supply Interruption
A catastrophic supply interruption would occur when the City loses one or both of its main water supplies. The likelihood of experiencing a loss of both supplies simultaneously is low. For instance, local power outages may limit use of groundwater, but will not affect imported water delivery.
If supply is insufficient to meet demand and water quality requirements, an emergency notification will be sent to all water customers, using the City's Everbridge phone system. The message will include the expected duration and restrictions until the issue is resolved. For instance, a public safety power shutoff that disrupts power for two days may include a request to forego landscape irrigation until power is restored.
The City can supply State Water to its distribution system in the event of a local power outage. If State Water is not available, the City has sufficient generator power to operate three water wells and plans to soon have generators for the other three remaining active water wells. Three wells would be sufficient to meet essential water demands. The City will evaluate the amount of storage available, the production with available supplies, and the projected demand to determine whether the existing demands can be met while the outage persists. The City can contact the largest water users, including the City's Recreation and Parks Department, to request they reduce water use during the outage. The City can also call all water users within the City using its Everbridge phone system to request all non- essential water use be curtailed. The City can also procure additional generators for additional water production wells through mutual aid or commercial vendors.
5.3 Seismic Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan
Seismic risk and mitigation for Santa Maria is discussed in Santa Maria Hazard Mitigation Plan (Santa Maria, 2017), which is an Annex to the Santa Barbara Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The City is located in Seismic Zone 4, which is the highest zone rating for earthquakes in California.
Earthquakes have a high probability of occurring in the area with high potential for damage.
Damage to water infrastructure, such as pipes and wells, is possible from earthquakes. The Twitchell Dam has only a remote likelihood of catastrophic failure due to earthquake and it is used as a flood control and recharge tool rather than as a reservoir for water supply to the City.
An earthquake can cause structural or mechanical failure, or chemical release at a treatment facility due to containment failure or a rupture of a pipeline. This can lead to a subsequent drop in system pressure, and the potential for severe localized flooding or contamination. The City has some seismic shut-off valves to help isolate problem areas during an earthquake. However, while isolating severed pipelines minimizes the flooding risk, water supply is a critical element of earthquake response, both for maintaining positive pressure to control contamination, and for fire control.
Distribution system integrity will be checked, starting with the largest transmission lines. Water main breaks will be isolated to the smallest area as soon as possible. Breaks on lines that feed larger areas will be prioritized. Isolations will be mapped, along with known fires, to track how to best maintain operation.
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To the greatest extent possible, water supply will be provided to customers in affected regions. Water can be pumped from one location and delivered to central areas for distribution by container if the distribution system has failed or is contaminated. Regular communication with the community on the status of its water supply will be necessary to ensure that essential water needs are met.
5.4 Locally Appropriate Supply Augmentation Actions
Surface Water
Several mechanisms exist for augmenting the State Water supply, including dry year water purchases from local purveyors in the Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo area or from other State Water Contractors, and groundwater banking programs operated by CCWA project participants. The City maintains a dry -year water reserve fund of $200,000 per year for State Water purchases to be used when the State Water allocation is low.
Groundwater
The City relies on groundwater for a portion of its water supply. Should groundwater quality decline in a particular well, the City will rehabilitate the well to reduce the contaminant, blend the contaminants with other water supplies to meet standards, or develop groundwater treatment facilities to continue to provide water from the well.
The local groundwater basin is adjudicated, and therefore, already managed. The City's rights to rely on Basin water resources for both pumping and storage are governed by a judgement and settlement agreement ("Stipulation") signed by a majority of the parties (Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District vs. City of Santa Maria, et al., Case No. 770214, commonly known as the "Santa Maria Groundwater Adjudication."
The Santa Maria Groundwater Adjudication provides the City with quantifiable and certain water rights. The Stipulation also establishes a framework for both permanent and temporary transfers of water rights within the Basin. Because the City has obtained quantifiable water rights, the City has greater flexibility in facilitating transfers and exchanges. The Stipulation allows permanent or temporary transfer of the developed groundwater yield associated with the operation of the Twitchell Project. The Stipulation also allows temporary transfers of agricultural pumping rights (fallowing programs) during Severe Water Shortage Conditions.
5.5 Locally Appropriate Operational Changes
In times of significant water shortage, operational changes may be implemented to adapt the City's system to account for added stress or to decrease overall demand.
The City has an interconnection with Golden State Water Company, which serves the Orcutt community to the south of the City. In emergencies, the City can request water from Golden State Water Company to address a short-term water shortage or water quality issue.
5.6 Gap Between Supply and Demand
Each Water Shortage Stage has been established to directly reflect conceivable gaps between supply and demand during moderate, severe, and emergency drought conditions and supply shortages. If 13 1 Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
one stage is not successful in achieving water use reduction, then the next stage will be enacted. The City also maintains the flexibility and authority to adjust these Stages and Response Actions if deemed necessary.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
6 - COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The City plans to utilize the following media outlets and platforms for general public outreach and education and will also use these outlets to communicate current or predicted shortages:
• The City's website ( www.cityofsantamaria.org)
▪ Newspaper articles
• Customer mailers
• Social media
• Press releases
• Direct customer contact
The City Council may choose to enhance or adapt these communication methods during a drought or shortage event if deemed necessary.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
7 - CUSTOMER COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
The City can set water use violation fines, charges for removal of flow restrictors, as well as establishing mandatory conservation and rationing measures. The penalties consist of a written warning and a surcharge for the violation. A flow-restrictor or possible shutoff may be imposed after three violations. Refer to the City website for more details on fines and penalties since they may change over time.
Section 8-1.07 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code provides that any user or consumer aggrieved may appeal to the City Council as provided for in Section 8-12.1406. 16 I Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
8 - LEGAL AUTHORITY OF THE PLAN
Water use prohibitions and enforcement mechanisms must be approved by City Council resolution.
This WSCP was adopted jointly with the 2020 UWMP. Water code requirements for public noticing and holding a public hearing were followed. Refer to the City's 2020 U\X/MP for more details on the adoption process.
8.1 Declaring a Water Shortage Emergency
The City will follow the protocols outlined in this Plan should it become necessary to declare a water shortage emergency. The process will follow the pertinent sections of the California Water Code and be noticed for a public hearing, which will be initiated by the City Manager and Council. The City Council will typically declare a Water Emergency based on recommendations from staff. A short- term Water Emergency can be declared by the City Manager if time is of the essence and City Council approval is not possible.
8.2 Coordination with other Cities and Counties
The City is required to coordinate and inform an appropriate wholesale supplier of projected water use in accordance with the Water Code. The City receives surface water from Central Coast Water Authority and will communicate with them on any water use restrictions or changes in water demand.
The City also provides water supplies to Nipomo Community Services District and Golden State Water Company, and will keep them informed of any water shortages, water emergencies or changes in water supplies.
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City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
9 - REVENUE REDUCTIONS AND EXPENSE INCREASES
9.1 Potential Revenue Reductions and Expense Increases
Revenue reduction due to reduced water usage will cut into reserves during a water shortage and will be reflected in future rate setting discussions in order to re-establish acceptable fund reserve levels.
The City's current rate structure anticipates future use based on continued conservation with consistent per capita water use. In addition, the Water Resources fund anticipates funding dry year water purchases in the amount of $200,000 per year. In this way, the purchase of additional dry year water supplies is included in current rates.
Since additional water supplies are either purchased or pumped and require only disinfection or fluoridation, there are little additional operations and maintenance costs to augment water supplies.
9.2 Mitigation Actions
The City's rate structure includes a fixed component regardless of water use. This allows for steadier revenue during times of increased conservation. In addition, minimum fund reserves are maintained to address short-term operational needs in times of reduced revenue.
9.3 Cost Compliance
The City has its standard policies that address penalties for wasteful use or overuse of water during a Shortage Stage (See Section 6). Declaring a water shortage and enforcing response actions can be performed by existing staff with no significant increases in cost. 18 1 Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
10 -MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The City maintains compliance with State reporting requirements, including the use of meters. Fixed base meter reading facilitates monitoring water use. Hourly meter readings for each account are stored in a database. Reports can be produced and reviewed to observe trends and identify potential water waste. Electronic notification of accounts using the City's Everbridge phone system allows for a cost effective and labor efficient mechanism for informing the customer regarding water use. 19 I Page
City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan
11 -MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE PLAN
This WSCP is an update to a previous WSCP prepared by the City. This update satisfies new State requirements for WSCPs and reflects the refinements and improvements deemed necessary to adequately address the City's needs. The WSCP will be re-evaluated at least every five years and at the end of each major drought period to assess its performance. If deemed necessary, it will be modified and improved based on lessons learned. The Plan may also be updated in the middle of a drought year if needed.
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12 -REFERENCES
City of Santa Maria Municipal Code.
Luhdorff and Scalmanini Consulting Engineers. April 2009. 2008 Annual Report of Hydrogeologic Conditions, Water Requirements, Supplies, and Disposition, Santa Maria Valley Management Area. April 2009 Santa Clara County Superior Court. Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District vs. City of Santa Maria, et al., Case no. 770214. Commonly known as the "Santa Maria Groundwater Adjudication." State of California Department of Water Resources. March 2021. Urban Water Management Plan Guidebook 2020.
State of California Department of Water Resources. August 2020. The Final State Water Project Delivery Capability Report 2019.
State of California Department of Water Resources. February 2010. 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan State of California Department of Water Resources Office of Water Use Efficiency and Transfers. 2008. Urban Drought Guidebook, 2008 Updated Edition.
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ATTACHMENT 1
City of Santa Maria - Water
Use Restrictions by Water Shortage
Stage
Stage 1
Water Supply Reduction % 50%
Increased public education and awareness
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Water shall be used for beneficial purposes only
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Irrigation runoff and over -watering prohibited
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Automatic shut of devices required on hoses
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Pools and artificial water features shall have recirculation pumps and be leakproof
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Washing hard surfaces prohibited except as needed for
health, aesthetic and sanitary purposes
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Washing driveways and sidewalks with potable water
prohibited
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Tiered water use pricing
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No outdoor irrigation between 12:00 am and 4:00 pm
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New irrigated areas shall include efficient irrigation systems •
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Vehicles and equipment shall be washed only with buckets or hoses with automatic shutoff valves
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Fire hydrant use for construction water will be monitored for efficient water use
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Irrigation prohibited within 48 hours of measurable rainfall •
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Increased enforcement of water waste restrictions
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Require Leaks be fixed within 48 hours
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Landscape irrigation reductions
25%
40%
55%
55%
Suspension of water main flushing unless required for
water quality
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Use of potable water for street sweeping prohibited
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Note: At any time the City Council may choose to increase fines and patrolling efforts and/or outreach and education to promote water savings, based on the current implemented Stage. Additionally, all regulations associated with a State Drought Emergency Declaration may become mandatory at any given Stage.
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA, ENACTING STAGE 2 OF THE CITY°6
WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
WHEREAS, in 2014, the Santa Maria City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2014- 07 amending Municipal Code Section 8-10.33 to add specific water waste prohibitions and adopted Resolution No. 2014-131 to enact Stage 1 of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan which required implementation of specific water conservation measures; and
WHEREAS, due to ongoing drought conditions since 2014, these conservation measures have remained in place; and
WHEREAS, with the increased severity of the drought, the State Water Resources Control Board ("Water Board") requires that urban water suppliers take further action to preserve critical water supplies and mitigate the effects of drought to ensure the protection of health, safety, and the environment; and
WHEREAS, on May 24, 2022, the Water Board adopted an emergency regulation for urban water conservation requiring urban water suppliers to implement the demand reduction actions identified in their Water Shortage Contingency Plans for a Stage 2 Water Shortage; and
WHEREAS, the City must implement Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which includes all water conservation measures required in a Stage 1 Water Shortage, and adds additional conservation measures and reporting requirements.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
1. Stage 2 of the City of Santa Maria Water Shortage Contingency Plan, incorporated by reference, is hereby enacted and shall remain in place until such time as rescinded or amended by the City Council; and
2. The Chief Deputy City Clerk is hereby authorized to make minor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Santa Maria held on this 21st day of June 2022.
Mayor
ATTEST:
Chief Deputy City Clerk
APPROVED ORM: