COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Shad S. Springer, Director of Utilities
DATE: October 6, 2026
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Urban Water Management Plan 2025 Update, Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2026 Update, and Rescinding the City’s Stage 2 Water Shortage Condition and Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Section 8-10.33 of the Santa Description:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution approving the Urban Water Management Plan 2025 Update, Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2026 Update, and Rescinding the City’s Stage 2 Water Shortage Condition and Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Section 8-10.33 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code.
Environmental Notice: The Project qualifies for an Exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (common sense exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Conduct a Public Hearing for the Urban Water Management Plan 2025 Update and Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2026 Update; and
2. Adopt a Resolution adopting the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan Update and Amended Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2026 Update and Rescind the City’s Stage 2 Water Shortage Condition; and
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to submit and file the 2025 Update to the Urban Water Management Plan with the California Department of Water Resources, in accordance with Assembly Bill 797; and
4. Waive first reading and introduce an Ordinance amending Section 8-10.33, Water Waste: Outdoor Water Use Restrictions of Title 8 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code; and
5. Set said Ordinance for adoption at the next regular City Council Meeting.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The State of California (State) requires the City of Santa Maria (City) to update its Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) every five years. In addition, through various Executive 2 Orders and legislation, the State mandates the City adopt certain water conservation requirements.
To address these items, the Utilities Department is recommending coordinated amendments to the City's water conservation regulations and water-resource planning documents. Specifically, the City Council is being asked to: (1) amend the Santa Maria Municipal Code (SMMC) to establish permanent State-mandated water conservation requirements; (2) amend the Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) to focus on temporary measures for actual water shortages; (3) rescind the existing Stage 2 Water Shortage Condition; and (4) adopt the most recent UWMP. The first action is implemented through the Ordinance (Attachment A) and the remaining actions are implemented through the Resolution (Attachment B).
BACKGROUND:
The City must file its UWMP (Attachment C) in response to the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act). The Act, which became part of the California Water Code, requires every urban water supplier providing water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually to prepare and adopt an UWMP and update the plan every five years.
State law also requires an urban water supplier's UWMP to include a WSCP. The WSCP establishes the City's framework for responding to water supply shortages, including shortage levels and corresponding response actions (Attachment D).
Over the years, the State has required the City to enact various conservation measures.
These were Executive Orders issued in response to drought, in addition to legislation such as Assembly Bill 1572, which prohibits the use of potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf. To comply with what were temporary measures, the City included these items in its WSCP and adopted the corresponding Stage of Water Shortage Condition.
On November 18, 2014, the City adopted Stage 1 of the WSCP to comply with certain State-mandated water restrictions. On May 19, 2015, the City amended Stage 1 to include additional restrictions. On June 21, 2022, in compliance with the State Water Board's emergency regulations for urban water conservation, the City Council enacted Stage 2 of the WSCP.
The Stage 2 water use restrictions remain in effect today. However, this did not accurately reflect the City’s available water supply. They were enacted, in part, to implement State water conservation requirements that were temporary at the time. Since that time, the State has made many of those requirements permanent, in addition to establishing other mandatory requirements.
3 DISCUSSION:
Amendments to Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 8-10.33 The proposed Ordinance amends the SMMC to incorporate permanent water restrictions required by the State. These requirements are mandatory regardless of available water supply. As such, it is appropriate to move them from the WSCP to the SMMC. This will clarify permanent restrictions in the SMMC, as well as clearly identify additional conservation measures the City would take in the case of an actual water shortage. This will also allow the City to rescind Water Shortage Condition Stage 2 to accurately reflect the City’s available water supply.
The proposed amendments incorporate current, permanent State requirements, and clarify existing provisions. The proposed amendments will:
Incorporate many of the existing Stage 1 water shortage restrictions into the SMMC as a permanent requirement;
Add a prohibition on applying potable water to outdoor landscapes during or within 48 hours of measurable rainfall;
Add a prohibition on the irrigation of non-functional turf with potable water, consistent with California Water Code Section 10608.14; Retain and clarify the existing prohibition on free-flowing water hoses and filling apparatuses, while specifying the use of automatic shut-off devices; and Retain the existing prohibitions on applying potable water to driveways and sidewalks and using potable water in non-recirculating decorative water features.
Importantly, the proposed amendments update the City's existing water-waste regulations to comply with State requirements and clarify which water-use restrictions apply on a permanent basis.
Amendments to Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) & Stage 2 Rescission The amended WSCP is significantly simplified by moving permanent water conservation requirements to the SMMC. The WSCP will instead focus on temporary conservation and operational measures that may be implemented in response to an actual water supply shortage.
Measures retained in the WSCP include increased monitoring and enforcement, limitations on outdoor irrigation, potential drought surcharges, suspension of water system flushing, restrictions on new construction meters and water connections, and, at the most severe stage, prohibition of potable water for street sweeping. The revised framework provides a graduated response to increasing water supply shortages and allows the City Council to implement measures appropriate to the severity and circumstances of a particular shortage.
In conjunction with adoption of the amended WSCP and permanent water conservation requirements in the SMMC, the proposed Resolution will rescind the City's current Stage 2 Water Shortage Condition. As a result, the City will no longer be under a designated 4 water shortage stage. Restrictions that are permanent State requirements will remain in effect through Section 8-10.33 of the SMMC, while restrictions that apply only because of the Stage 2 designation will no longer be in effect.
If future water supply conditions warrant, the Utilities Department would bring an item to the City Council for consideration of a Water Shortage Condition and implementation of appropriate response measures under the amended WSCP.
Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) 2025 Update
The UWMP is an important long-range planning document required every five years. It provides the City, its customers, and other agencies with a comprehensive assessment of the City's water resources and anticipated needs and establishes the foundation for continued water-supply planning and water conservation.
The document updates the City's long-term water supply and demand planning information and evaluates the reliability of available water supplies over the required planning horizon. It addresses current and projected water demands, water supply sources and reliability, water conservation and efficiency, recycled water, water loss, and the City's ability to respond to drought and other water supply conditions.
The UWMP analysis indicates that the City's projected water supplies are sufficient to meet projected demands through 2050 under normal-year, single-dry-year, and multipledry-year conditions, based on the supply and demand assumptions identified in the UWMP. Supplies from the State Water Project and local groundwater basin are projected to provide adequate supply to meet projected demands throughout the planning horizon.
Regulatory Requirements & Public Hearing
California Water Code Section 10642 requires the City to make the UWMP and WSCP available for public inspection and to hold a public hearing before adoption. The statute also requires notice of the hearing and notice to applicable cities and counties. These requirements were met for this update and no comments were received prior to the Public Hearing.
Alternatives
The City Council may:
1. Direct Staff to modify the Ordinance, amended WSCP, or updated UWMP based on information presented at the Public Hearing or during Council discussion. Any modifications would be incorporated into the respective documents, as appropriate.
2. Decline to adopt the recommended actions. This alternative would prevent the City from completing the required 2025 UWMP update and would leave the existing WSCP and Municipal Code provisions in place. The City would remain subject to applicable State requirements that are not reflected in the existing documents, 5 potentially affecting regulatory compliance and eligibility for certain grants and funding opportunities.
Fiscal Considerations
Adoption of the proposed Ordinance and Resolution will not result in a material fiscal impact to the General Fund. Preparation and periodic updating of the UWMP and WSCP are required water-resource planning activities. Costs associated with preparation, review, public notice, adoption, and regulatory submittal are funded through the Water Enterprise Fund.
Impact on the Community
The Stage 2 Water Shortage Condition will no longer apply; however, water-use restrictions that are permanent State requirements, as incorporated into Section 8-10.33, will remain in effect.
Additionally, the amended WSCP establishes a more graduated framework for responding to future water shortages, allowing the City Council to implement additional measures as water supply conditions warrant.
The proposed changes also clarify which water-use restrictions apply on a permanent basis and which additional measures may be implemented during an actual water shortage, simplifying public understanding of the City's water-use requirements.
Other Agency Review
Following adoption of the UWMP and WSCP, the Utilities Department will submit the 2025 UWMP and 2026 WSCP to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) through the WUE data Portal and complete all other required regulatory filings.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Ordinance
B. Resolution
C. Urban Water Management Plan 2025 Update
D. Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2026 Update