City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 14, 2022
Agenda Item: 7.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources Subject: Introduction and Adoption of Emergency Ordinance to Amend SMMC
7.16.020 Water Conservation Requirements
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Introduction and adoption of the attached emergency ordinance amending SMMC 7.16.020 on Water Conservation Requirements; and,
2. Obtain the City Council’s concurrence to implement Phase 2 Outdoor Water Restriction and limit outdoor watering to two (2) days per week.
Summary
Climate change impacts have resulted in California experiencing higher average temperatures, heat waves, more frequent devastating wildfires, and prolonged and historic droughts that have impacted the security of water supplies at the state, regional, and local levels. On-going drought conditions across the State of California have driven the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) to issue an order at the end of April 2022 to reduce outdoor watering in State Water Project dependent areas to one day per week as outdoor watering accounts for nearly 70 percent of the water use in Southern California. While Santa Monica is not in the State Water Project dependent service area of the MWD and, therefore, not impacted by the order, the need for greater flexibility to conserve water and preserve our water supply long-term is clear. An emergency ordinance to amend Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) Section
7.16.020 – Water Conservation Requirements is needed to immediately provide flexibility in adjusting water conservation requirements for the upcoming summer months to maintain a reliable and sustainable water supply for the community and to 2 of 4
align water conservation efforts with the region or state, as necessary. Staff is recommending implementing Phase 2 Outdoor Water Restrictions and limiting outdoor watering to two (2) days per week to align with neighboring water agencies’ conservation efforts.
Discussion
Water conservation and water use efficiency is a key component in the City’s 2018 Sustainable Water Master Plan Update to reduce the City’s reliance on imported water supplies and to provide a sustainable, drought resilient local water supply. With worsening and persistent drought conditions impacting the security of both local and State-wide water supplies, having the flexibility to adjust outdoor watering restrictions to align with regional or statewide goals is necessary to maintain critical supplies for health and safety purposes (e.g., human consumption). The City is in compliance with the Governor’s Executive Order requiring all urban water suppliers to declare Stage 2 Water Shortage conditions and implement water conservation efforts as outlined in each urban water supplier’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan. The City has remained in a Stage 2 Water Shortage since the last drought and maintained a 20% water demand reduction from the 2013 baseline. The City’s Stage 2 Water Shortage response includes rebates to increase water use efficiency (e.g., landscape rebates and turf replacement), providing free low flow shower heads and fixtures, public outreach messages to conserve water, implement water use allowances for each customer as indicated on their utility bill, and restrict/prohibit water waste such as runoff from landscape irrigation.
Staff is proposing the emergency ordinance to amend SMMC 7.16.020 (a) Landscape (1) Watering Hours:
1. Add language to provide the City with flexibility to implement more stringent watering hours, as approved by the City Manager or designee, to align with regional or state-wide water use restrictions. The proposed addition to outdoor watering restrictions include:
a. Phase 1 – Outdoor watering limited to 3 days per week b. Phase 2 – Outdoor watering limited to 2 days per week 3 of 4
c. Phase 3 – Outdoor watering limited to 1 day per week d. Phase 4 – No outdoor watering allowed
2. Update water hours to prohibit outdoor watering between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from the current time period of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
3. Details on permitted outdoor watering duration on designated watering days.
Please refer to Attachment C for redline version of SMMC 7.16.020.
The proposed outdoor watering restrictions would reduce the City’s total water demand between 5 and 13 percent or roughly 300 to 750 acre-feet of water over a 6 month period depending on the phase implemented.
Public Outreach
Staff began public outreach efforts on water use efficiency and water conservation to the public via social media, mailers, newsletters, and other publications in April and will increase outreach efforts this summer. The City’s water conservation unit continues to provide free water use efficiency consultations to our customers. Public outreach efforts specific to the proposed outdoor watering restrictions, when implemented, will include social media, publication in local newspapers, mailers, bill notifications, and staff attendance at neighborhood associations to explain the conservation measures.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
1/27/2015
(Attachment A)
Adoption of an Ordinance modifying SMMC 7.16 to enhance water conservation regulations
11/27/2018
(Attachment B)
Sustainable Water Master Plan Update and Pathway to
Water Self-Sufficiency
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The proposed outdoor water restrictions, when implemented to reduce water demand, would have a net negative impact of 3 to 8 percent reduction on the Water and Wastewater Enterprise fund’s revenues. The projected shortfall of roughly $500,000 to 4 of 4
$1.4 million over a 6-month period, depending on the outdoor watering phase implemented, would be offset by reducing operating costs (e.g., delayed maintenance of assets), capital project expenditures, and/or using the water enterprise fund’s rate stability reserve. There is no immediate budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. If water restrictions impact water revenues beyond what can be offset by the above measures, staff will return to City Council with potential options to ensure the stability of the City’s water and wastewater utility services.
Prepared By: Thomas Poon, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Adoption of Ordinance for SMMC 7.16 to enhance water conservation regulations (Web Link)
B. 2018 Sustainable Water Master Plan Update (Web Link) C. SMMC 7.16.020_Water Conservation Regulations_Ordinance_First Reading D. Written Comments