HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/2/2014 - STAFF REPORTS - 5.C. A`M$.*
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,IF St CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
DATE: July 2, 2014
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION OF WATER CONSERVATION GOALS and FIVE NEXT
STEPS TOWARD MAKING PALM SPRINGS A MODEL WATER
EFFICIENT CITY
FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager
SUMMARY
In 2009, the City of Palm Springs set an ambitious goal to reduce overall water use by
20% by 2015 as part of its "Palm Springs Path to a Sustainable Community" plan.
Progress has been made in recent years, particularly with the implementation of the City
energy and water efficiency contract through the Chevron project which is estimated to
deliver an estimated 25% water use savings for municipal uses which will help the City
meet its five year target for water conservation. However, with water supplies declining
and continuing drought conditions, we can and must do more to ensure an adequate
water supply for future generations.
In response to the Governor's declaration of a statewide drought emergency earlier this
year, Mayor Pougnet set an aggressive preliminary reduction target equal to 50 percent
of City government water use and asked local citizens and businesses to reduce water
use 30 percent by 2020. Additionally, he's calling upon water suppliers and consumers
to commit to taking immediate water conservation actions.
A City Council Sub-Committee of Mayor Pougnet and Councilmember Lewin has met
with a committee of the Desert Water Agency to begin discussing and considering ways
the City and agency could work together to reduce water use. The Sub-Committee also
tasked staff to take immediate steps to reduce City water use.
On May 7th, the City Council reviewed a summary of existing City water conservation
efforts and several "best practices" from other cities. They directed staff to review the
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City Council Staff Report
July 2, 2014-- Page 2
Water Conservation
City's water efficient landscape ordinance and make recommendations for increasing
the levels of conservation.
A special joint meeting of the Planning Commission, Architectural Advisory Committee
and Sustainability Commission was convened in mid-June to consider water use and
conservation best practices. From that meeting, a "water task force" comprised of two
members from each of those bodies, and the Parks and Recreation Commission was
initiated to assist staff in formulating and reviewing plans to achieve the City's water use
reduction targets. Additionally, we will request two members of the Palm Springs
Neighborhood Involvement Committee to join this working task force.
With the Council Sub-Committee and Commission/Neighborhood Task Force now fully
engaged, staff is seeking action to formally adopt water conservation goals and approve
a set of five next steps toward making Palm Springs a model water efficient City.
Specifically, while staff has already begun work on several of these areas, the step
calling for revisions to policies, codes and ordinances requires focused time, resources
and stakeholder input and review. Moreover, specialized technical knowledge and
expertise may be sought out as we develop policy proposals.
Outlined below is a draft set of"five next steps" toward greater water conservation. At
the City Council, staff will present a work plan including specific tasks, estimated
timelines and deliverables to focus efforts in the near term.
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Direct staff as appropriate
BACKGROUND
The State of California began 2014 in the midst of what is being called the "worst
drought in modern history". Due to continued dry local weather conditions, water supply
reservoir levels across the state remain very low. Furthermore, the lack of rain has
resulted in less water naturally replenishing the groundwater basins throughout the
state. Moreover, depending on water from elsewhere to sustain us is expensive,
unpredictable and unreliable.
Palm Springs and the surrounding watershed rely on artificial recharge from the
Colorado River to maintain groundwater levels, either directly from the river or through
trading State Water Project entitlements to obtain water from the river. However, even
though the Desert Water Agency (DWA) and Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD)
are legally entitled to the Colorado River through 2035, there is not likely to be enough
water in the Colorado River to meet all of its entitlements. In addition, deliveries of
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City Council Staff Report
July 2, 2014-- Page 3
Water Conservation
State Water Project water are not guaranteed. While 100% of the water requested in
2006 was eventually delivered, deliveries for every year since have been significantly
reduced. For the first time in its 54-year history, the State Water Project will provide no
water to urban residents or farmers this year.
Earlier this month, a U.S. Geological Survey report determined that as groundwater
pumping has led to declines in the Coachella Valley's aquifer, the surface of the ground
sank by between nine inches and 2 feet from 1995 to 2010 in parts of Indian Wells, La
Quinta and Palm Desert.
The USGS study showed while the local water agency's efforts "are working to stabilize
the land surface in that area continued monitoring is needed because pumping from
wells is still leading to declines in groundwater levels elsewhere." The USGS report
noted that groundwater levels continued to decline to record-low levels in some areas of
the valley, and therefore, the magnitudes and rates of land subsidence documented by
this study could be expected to continue.
An earlier 2013 Desert Sun analysis of records for water wells across the Coachella
Valley found that water levels fell from an average of 104 feet below ground in 1970 to
159 feet below ground in 2013, an average decline of 55 feet. It noted that while
groundwater recharge ponds have helped, water levels have continued to decline in
some areas, most sharply in the middle of the valley where there are many grassy
subdivisions and golf courses. Locally, the consequences of groundwater pumping and
declines in the aquifer continue to raise concerns.
The Coachella Valley and Palm Springs water supply is vulnerable as long as it
depends on replenishment from outside sources. Water conservation and reuse
strategies ultimately reduce impacts on the entire system to achieve the most use from
the least amount of water with the least impact.
In the Coachella Valley, as much as 80% of groundwater is used to irrigate landscaped
areas. Appropriately, attention in recent years has focused on measures designed to
improve efficiency in these irrigated landscapes.
The Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (AB 1881 , Laird) required adoption
of a Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance for improving the efficiency of water use in
new and existing urban irrigated landscapes in California by January 1 , 2010. While
Palm Springs elected in 2010 to adopt the state's Model Ordinance by statute, the City
Council has requested staff - working with the appropriate Commissions and
stakeholders to further reduce water waste, increase water conversation measures and
reuse, examine best practices and assertively revise the current ordinance to exceed
state and other local agency requirements achieving a higher water conservation goal
for Palm Springs.
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Water Conservation
ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Palm Springs has already taken a leadership position toward water conservation and
reuse, including the following:
• $1 million for water-saving projects in City facilities through a new performance
contract with Chevron that reduces water use by up to 28 percent. Installation of
new irrigation controls systems at most City properties connected to a wireless
central computer allows for accuracy of data collection.
• Added two central irrigation monitoring stations that measure soil conditions
including moisture, temperature, wind, evaporation and weather installed at
Demuth and Victoria park in order to automatically align watering with weather
conditions.
• New irrigation control valves installed through Chevron project sense and monitor
water pressure and automatically shut off when there are pressure irregularities
indicating vandalism, a break, a turnoff or a leak. The system will send an alarm
to notify staff wirelessly of the exact location within seconds.
• Airport landscape plan will convert 50% of total turf to desert and native
landscaping.
• $150,000 in cash incentives for turf removal for fiscal years 2012- 2014 includes
$500 for single family and $2500 other properties.
• Installation of new irrigation infrastructure to separate planting zones at major
City buildings to ensure efficient watering.
• High efficiency dual flush and low flow toilet rebate and replacement program.
• Free Shower Timers and low flow faucet aerators provided for commercial and
residential.
• Water efficiency projects covered in the City of Palm Springs PACE program.
• City joined the nationally recognized 'Tap It" program to encourage businesses
to provide tap water and to promote tapped water use.
• City webpage dedicated to providing water conservation tips, education and
support materials for commercial and residential entities (including a 20 gallon
challenge outreach program) at www.yoursustainab]eCity.com.
• The City joined the EPA Water Pledge program as a local government partner in
2009 and continues to seek federal resources to help reduce water use.
However, additional and more aggressive water saving City projects could include the
removal of turf and conversion to water efficient landscaping for all City facilities,
medians and parkways, reducing water use significantly while demonstrating leading
water efficient landscape practices. To the extent feasible, conversion of City parkland
to desert landscape starting with buffers adjacent to sidewalks and streets will further
reduce water waste and increase efficiency.
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City Council Staff Report
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Water Conservation
City water use in 2013 totaled 1.1 billion gallons of water, with approximately 59 percent
of that total being 'reclaimed wastewater" which flowed from the sewage treatment plant
to Demuth Park, the City-owned Tahquitz Creek Golf Course and other grassy areas.
The City contracts with Veolia Water North America to operate the City-owned, 10.9
million gallon per day (mgd) wastewater treatment plant, five pump stations and sewer
collection pipelines. While many public facilities and the majority of the golf courses are
connected to recycled water system, the current capacity and existing "purple pipe"
infrastructure is not able to serve 100% of the recycled water needed to eliminate the
use of groundwater for golf courses and public landscape irrigation in Palm Springs.
As recycling wastewater is an important water conservation strategy for Palm Springs
(which significantly reduces the amount of potable water used for irrigation) a review of
the potential for re-use of water from swimming pool drainage into the waste water
system may also be a worthy strategy to increase the amount of recycled water.
At the same time, it is important to expand public education efforts to promote water
conservation, raise awareness about sustainable supply and incentivize conservation
behavior. Expanding water efficiency rebate programs and targeting rebates to work
with the largest water users will help maximize return on investment.
Five Next Steps to Help Make Palm Springs a Model Water Efficient City
1. Re-Set Water Conservation Goal to Reduce City water use by 50% and reduce
water use City-wide by 30% by 2020.
2. Implement model legislative/administrative water efficiency practices
a. Review and revise City policies, codes, ordinances and programs to allow
for and incentivize best practices and innovation in water conservation.
b. Eliminate water waste at City owned facilities and model best practices by
developing and implementing specific management plans to conserve
water and increase usage efficiency in all City facilities and operations.
c. Prioritize implementation of projects and practices that improve water use
efficiency for the City's largest consumptive uses — parks, golf courses and
wastewater treatment.
d. Eliminate turf at City Hall by 2015.
e. Replace 100% of non-essential turf at City owned facilities, medians and
parkways with desert efficient landscape.
f. Reduce turf in City owned parks.
g. Revise the water efficient landscape ordinance to prevent water runoff,
reduce water use by at least 30%, incorporate a water efficient plant
palette, increase re-use of existing water supply and incorporate a
definition for water waste.
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City Council Staff Report
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Water Conservation
3. Maximize incentives and promote wise water use and conservation via public
information and education.
a. Create a branded, centralized resource for one-stop access to water
efficiency guidelines, water conservation news and information,
regulations, rebates an discounts, water efficient plant list(s) and water
conservation tips.
4. Engage large water users in long-range water resource planning and
conservation.
b. Convene large water users, vendors and suppliers to commit to water
efficiency goals and identify steps to reduce water use and increase re-
use.
c. Allocate $250,000 for water rebates and discounts focused on the
reduction of water use among the largest water users to maximize ROL
5. Reduce water waste, increase re-use and expand supply of recycled water
a. Strengthen water waste requirements and enforcement.
b. Examine opportunities and feasibility for water re-use including potential
for requiring swimming pool drainage water to drain into waste collection
system
c. Work with DWA to develop a pathway for connection of 100 percent of all
golf courses and public facilities in Palm Springs to recycled water.
Staff will be providing a "work plan" which outlines these five next steps and requests
City Council support and direction to continue working with the City Council Sub-
Committee, and the Commission/Stakeholder Task Force to make final
recommendations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
As recommendations are brought forward for City Council consideration, a cost analysis
will accompany each suggested policy or program from both a City and individual
resident perspective. Immediately, there may be an expenditure of under $25,000 for
expertise and technical services associated with the proposed work plan. Any such
expenditures will be reviewed with the City Council Sub-Committee.
ichele ician David H. Ready
Manager of Sustainability City Manager
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