Beyond Supply and Demand: Water Use Efficiency and Sustainable Resources

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Beyond Supply and Demand Water Use Efficiency
and Sustainable Resources

• Dave Todd
• California Department
• of Water Resources
• Office of Water Use Efficiency
• and Transfers

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• The Department of Water Resources Office of Water
  Use Efficiency (OWUE) provides support for the
  stewardship of California's water resources and
  energy efficient use of water.

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CA Water Demand(developed water)
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Californias Future Population
M
34.7 Million (RAND Est.)
45.5 Million (RAND Est.)
54.8 Million (State Demographer Est.)
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600,000 people and over 200,000 homes per year
Impacts housing, education, transportation,
energy, environment, water
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California Water Supply

• Californias supply of water from the Colorado
  River will be reduced over the next 10 years to
  its legal allotment of 4.4 million acre-feet per
  year.
• The USGS Reports the Current (7 year Colorado
  River) drought may be Comparable to or More
  Severe than the largest know drought in 500
  Years
• An undetermined amount of the states surface and
  ground water supply will not be available due to
  contaminants.
• Groundwater in the state, with the exception of a
  few adjudicated basins, is unregulated and
  several basins are overdrafted.
• 2017

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California Water Supply

• Six years in the past 1,000 have been
  reconstructed as drier than the single lowest
  annual flow of the gauged record (1977).
• The reconstruction for A. D. 1580 is only 1/3 of
  the 1977 flow.
• It is notable that the researchers categorize
  short droughts as 1-6 years in length.
• Based on the available evidence, researchers
  hypothesized century long droughts that affected
  the Sierra Nevada ending in the years 1112 and
  1350.

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California Water Supply

• Global warming is also bringing new uncertainty
  about the reliability and timing of the
  precipitation and run-off that the state receives
• Global climate change affect on precipitation
  patterns amounts sea level/coastal communities
• From 2035 to 2064, Sierra snow pack is expected
  to decrease 12 to 47 percent from historic
  levels. By the end of the century, annual snow
  pack could decline by 90 percent. Source
  California Climate Action Team reports

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Greenland September 27, 2006
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Other impacts on statewide water supply outlook

• Statewide, the loss could amount to 3 million to
  4 million acre-feet per year within 50 years.
• That is more water than is delivered each year by
  the California Aqueduct, the 444-mile canal that
  supplies Southern California with Delta water
  from Byron.
• By comparison, the state's share of the Colorado
  River is 4.4 million acre-feet.

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Other impacts on statewide water supply outlook

• Enforcement of salt levels in Sacramento/San
  Joaquin Delta
• Energy costs, availability
• These facts mean that water suppliers must have a
  plan for serving water to their customers
  throughout such extended droughts.

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Water/Energy Connection

• Californias water systems are energy-intensive
• 7-8 energy use for large water systems
• If consumer end use is included
• 19 of electric energy load in California
• 30 of natural gas energy load in California

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Water/Energy Connection

• The State Water Project largest single user of
  energy in the state
• Water conservation lowers energy use and energy
  bills, and is the least energy intensive source
  of potential supply, along with water recycling

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Water/Energy Connection, cont.

• The State Water Project is the largest single
  user of energy in the state
• Water conservation lowers energy use and energy
  bills and along with water recycling, is the
  least energy intensive source of potential supply

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Water/Energy Connection, cont.

• This energy consumption results in approximately
  44 million tons of CO2 emissions each year (equal
  to approximately 9 of total state emissions in
  2002), primarily from (1) fossil fuel-based
  electricity generation and (2) natural gas
  combustion.
• If California were to reduce urban water use by
  2.1 million acre feet, it could result in a
  savings of approximately 6,500 GWh of
  electricity,

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• 1980 California Agriculture Produced 1.5 tons
  of crops per acre-foot of water applied
• 2000 Growers Produced 2.3 tons of crops per
  acre-foot of water applied a 50 increase
• 2003 SDCWA Reports Consumption Up Less Than 1
  Since 1990 With a 16 Population Increase
• Bay Area Water Agencies Coalition Reports
  Residential Consumption Increased by 3 With a
  17 Population Increase (Total Use Decreased 1)

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• The California Water Plan Update 2005 estimates
  that there is additional annual water demand
  reduction of up to 800,000 acre feet from
  Agricultural Water Use Efficiency (Net) and 3.1
  million acre feet from Urban Water Use Efficiency
  (Applied).
• The estimated cost for Ag Water Use Efficiency
  ranges from 300 - 4.0 billion.
• The estimated cost for Urban Water Use Efficiency
  ranges from 2.5 - 6.0 billion.

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• Kern County Water Agency reported an 8 percent
  improvement in irrigation efficiency from 1976 to
  1986.
• Total applied water use in the San Joaquin Valley
  portion of Kern County was reduced by about
  250,000 acre-feet enough water to irrigate
  about 70,000 acre feet.

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• Since 1986 Kern County has added 61,000 acres of
  trees and vines. Nearly all of this new crop
  area has low volume drip irrigation systems
  installed.
• KCWA estimates the overall on-farm water use
  efficiency is about 78 (the remaining 22
  constitutes leaching requirement, irrigation
  system distribution non-uniformity, and
  recoverable and/or irrecoverable flows.

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• Financial Assistance
• 12 million in 2001
• 10 million in 2002
• 18 million in 2003
• 28 million in 2005
• 750,000 acre feet - anticipated savings for 92
  local projects
• Prop 50 35 million this year for Water Use
  Efficiency (Ag urban) and 30 million in the
  next funding round
• Prop 50 50 million each year for Desalination
  over the next 2 years

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• The California Water Plan Update (Bulletin160-05)
  estimates water use efficiency can reduce urban
  water use by 1.1 to 2.3 MAF per year and
  agricultural water by 0.5 to 2.0 MAF per year by
  2030.
• Accelerating the investment to attain that water
  use savings by 2015 would result in an estimated
  additional GHG reduction of approximately 30
  million tons by 2030.

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Water Use Efficiency Works

• The California Bay-Delta Authoritys larger
  estimated potential for 3.0 MAF per year urban
  water use reduction requires a greater rate of
  local and state/federal investment in
  conservation. Incentive driven advances in
  water-saving technology over the next 25 years
  potentially could further push savings beyond the
  levels indicated.

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Urban Water Management Plans As a Foundation
for SB 610 Assessments and SB 221 Verifications
What you always wanted to know but were afraid
to ask about documenting water supply reliability
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DWR Published Guidebook for Implementation of
Senate Bill 610 and Senate Bill 221 of 2001

• The SB 610/SB 221 Guidebook and Frequently Asked
  Questions are available on the Office of Water
  Use Efficiency Transfers web site at
  www.owue.water.ca.gov

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SB 610

• Improve the link between information on water
  supply availability and certain land use
  decisions made by cities counties
• Promote more collaborative planning between local
  water suppliers and cities counties

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SB 610

• Requires detailed information regarding water
  availability be provided to city or county
  decision-makers prior to approval of specified
  large development projects
• Recognize local control and decision making
  regarding the availability of water for projects
  and the approval of projects

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SB 221

• Subdivision Map Act now requires local
  governments to impose on all tentative
  subdivision maps subject to SB 221 the condition
  that there be sufficient water for the project
  along with existing and planned uses.
• This condition is met by a verification.

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SB 221

• The verification must in any event be supported
  by substantial evidence.
• A final map may not be filed if the condition has
  not been met.

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Why was SB 901 replaced by SB 610 and SB 221?

• Real Water Supplies Needed to Serve New
  Development Were Not Identified

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SB 901 Integration of Water Supply Assessment
into the Land Use Planning Process

• SB 901 was landmark legislation to link land use
  and water supply planning processes to ensure
  that land use and water supply agencies would
  communicate early in the planning process
• Ensured that cities and counties retain authority
  over land use decisions.
• Established a full disclosure process regarding
  water supply availability.
• Required water utilities to calculate multiple
  dry-year water supplies and provide this
  information at the general or specific plan
  stage.
• Required water utilities and land use agencies to
  consider impacts upon existing users during
  multiple dry water years.

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SB 610

• SB 610 Was Designed to Improve Performance By
• Closing the loopholes that permitted many
  large-scale projects to avoid the SB 901 water
  supply assessment
• Requiring more detailed information be included
  in local water supply assessments
• Expanding the informational requirements for
  projects proposing to use groundwater

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SB 610

• SB 610 requires land use agencies to include
  substantive information about water supply for
  large projects to be included in their CEQA
  document
• SB 610 requires the water supplier to prepare
  Water Supply Assessments that include information
  on long term demand supply

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SB 221 (Kuehl)

• Subdivision Map Act now requires local
  governments to impose on all tentative
  subdivision maps subject to SB 221 the condition
  that there be sufficient water for the project
  along with existing and planned future uses.
• This condition is met by a verification.
• The verification must be supported by substantial
  evidence.
• A final map may not be filed if the condition has
  not been met.

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The 2005 Urban Water Management Plan - Background

• 17 Amendments
• Required by California Water Code 10610 -10657
• Due in years ending in 0 and 5
• Applies to urban water suppliers serving more
  than 3,000 customers or more than 3,000 acre feet
  of water per year

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The 2005 Urban Water Management Plan -
Background

• DWR has no regulatory, permitting or enforcement
  authority provides technical assistance
• DWR reviews UWMP topics for completeness
• Published 2005 UWMP Guidebook
• Guidebook content is what is in the law (2030
  projection for SB 610/SB 221 optional)
• DWR UWMP Review Sheets available to suppliers to
  assist in Plan preparation

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Urban Water Management Plans Legislation
2000-Present

• Act Established AB 797 Klehs, 1983
• Changes in the UWMP Act Since 2000
• SB 610, Costa, 2001 Land water use planning,
  groundwater information, reliability,
  sustainability, UWMP as foundational document for
  Water Supply Assessment

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Urban Water Management Plans Legislation
2000-Present

• AB 901, Daucher, 2001 Water Quality Info
• SB 672, Machado, 2001 Minimize Need to Import
  Water
• SB 1348 Brulte, 2002 Consider DMM
  Implementation When Evaluating Eligibility

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Urban Water Management Plans Legislation
2000-Present

• SB 1384 Costa, 2002 - Wholesale agency water
  supply information
• SB 1518 Torlakson, 2002 - Recycled Water
• AB 105 Wiggins, 2004 - Deposit UWMPs in State
  library
• SB 318, Alpert, 2004 - Desalination

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Urban Water Management Plans and the Courts -
Risks

• UWMPs are subject to legal challenge
• Inadequate planning Increased risk exposure
• Negative court decisions cost the agency,
  developers, and the community time, trust and
  money

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Urban Water Management Plans the Courts -
Community Involvement

• Community involvement
• Can discuss issues and work to resolve problems
• Putting everything on the table at the start can
  help forestall unnecessary conflicts
• Its still possible that public interest groups,
  agencies, or other participants will be disagree

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Urban Water Management Plans the Courts -
Community Involvement

• Community involvement
• Reasonable people may still have disagreements,
  but if your plan is challenged in court, you know
  the issues, bring a history of working for
  resolution, and are better prepared

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Urban Water Management Plans the Courts -
Community Involvement

• Community involvement
• Inclusive process
• Hard to get participation some public interest
  groups have no paid staff
• No response to an ad in the paper is not a
  defense in court

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Urban Water Management Plans Compliance 2000
UWMP Cycle
413 Urban water suppliers required to file 2000 UWMPs
16 (64) Not submitted
38 (155) Not complete
47 (194) complete
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• Summary of Best Management Practices - 1996 UWMP
  Report to the Legislature
• BMP Best Management Practices Implementing Not
  Implementing Total
• 1 Interior and Exterior Water Audits for Single
  Family and Multi-Family Customers 165 150
  315
• 2 New and Retrofit Plumbing 238 77
  315
• 3 Distribution System Water Audits, Leak
  Detection and Repair
• 211 104 315
• 4 Metering with Commodity Rates 265 50
  315
• 5 Large Landscapes and Water Audits and
  Incentives 144 171 315
• 6 Landscape Water Conservation 200 115
  315
• 7 Public Information 295 20 315
• 8 School Education 260 55 315

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BMP Best Management Practices Implementing Not
Imp.

• Commercial and Industrial Water Conservation
• 140 175 315
• New Commercial, Industrial and Institutional
  Water Use Review 147 168 315
• Conservation Pricing
• 205 110 315
• Landscape Water Conservation for New and Existing
  Single Family Homes 193 122 315
• Water Waste Prohibition
• 229 86 315
• Water Conservation Coordinator
• 224 91 315
• Financial Incentives
• 120 195 315
• Ultra-Low Flush Toilet Replacement
• 179 136 315
• Implementation - Reported can be any level of
  implementation, or another agency is implementing
  this BMP. Implementation - Not Reported could
  mean that there is an exemption, the BMP is not
  applicable, or the agency is not implementing the
  BMP.

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Urban Water Management Plans Compliance 2005
UWMP Cycle
460 Urban water suppliers required to file 2005 UWMPs
34 (116) Not submitted
31 (141) Reviewed
12 (40) Complete
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Urban Water Management Plans - Consequences of
Not Doing a Plan

• DWR is prevented from providing funding
• Insufficient dry year emergency planning
• Documentation is still needed anyway for SB
  610/SB 221 Assessments/Verifications if area
  plans approval of large scale developments (water
  use equivalent to over 500 dwelling units)

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Urban Water Management Plans - Litigation
Exposure

• UWMP Litigation can be based on
• Failure to adopt a plan - WC 10650(a)
• Failure of the UWMP, or action taken pursuant to
  the Plan, to comply with requirements of the law
  WC 10650(b)
• Abuse of discretion - established if the supplier
  has not proceeded as required by law, or if the
  action is not supported by substantial evidence
  WC 10651

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Urban Water Management Plans - New Requirements

• Reliability Information
• Must be provided for each water source
• 20 year supply/demand projection required
• 25 year projection optional recommended for SB
  610/SB 221 water supply assessment/verification

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Urban Water Management Plans - The Bottom Line

• Serve as a foundational document for an
  Integrated Regional Water Management Plan
• Serve as a foundational document for SB 610/SB
  221 Assessment/Verification
• Position the community to get State funding as it
  becomes available

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Urban Water Management Plan -Invalidated

• FRIENDS OF THE SANTA CLARA RIVER et al.,
• Plaintiffs and Appellants,
• v.
• CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY et al.,
• Defendants and Respondents.

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Water Supply Assessment - Not Adequate

• CALIFORNIA OAK FOUNDATION, et al.,
• Plaintiffs and Appellants,
• v.
• CITY OF SANTA CLARITA,
• Defendant and Respondent,
• and
• GATE KING PROPERTIES.

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Governors Office of Planning Research - State
Clearinghouse

• Survey of All CEQA Documents for Residential
  Developments Filed for State Agency Distribution
• 26 CEQA Documents Received That Require SB 610
  Assessments
• 14 CEQA Documents Received (54) That Include SB
  610 Assessments

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Land Use, Landscape Components

• Water features 4 million in 1998, 16 million
  more installed by 2003, 2 billion annual US
  sales
• CA average gpcd in 2000 232, up 20 from 185 in
  1960 (rising income, high demand appliances,
  larger lot sizes, population growth in hotter
  inland areas (355 gpcd compared to 195 coastal)

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Water Dedicated to Landscapes

• Approx. ¼ of non-ag water use across US is for
  home and business lawn and garden irrigation (not
  including 21,000 golf courses or water pumped
  from private wells)
• Even many water-rich states are over-pumping
  groundwater draining local rivers to irrigate
  landscapes
• one-third of all CA urban water (residential,
  commercial, industrial and institutional) is
  dedicated to landscape irrigation
• one-half of the States residential water is
  applied to landscapes

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Landscape maintenance nightmares
Dead heads
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AB 2717

• Became law September, 2004
• California Urban Water Conservation Council
  formed Landscape Task Force to review landscape
  water issues, make recommendations for
  improvements
• Representatives from water suppliers, landscape
  building industries, cities counties,
  environmental groups, and state federal
  agencies

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Legislative Scope of Task Force

• Model Ordinance revisions
• Labeling requirements performance standards for
  equipment
• Water budgets for irrigated landscaped areas
• Standards, training certification for landscape
  personnel
• Incentives disincentives

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AB 1881

• Summary of Requirements

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Requirements

• Include provisions for appropriate use and
  groupings of plants adapted to a particular site
• Shall not prohibit any plant species
• Include a water budget for maximum water applied
• Promote benefits of consistent local ordinances
  in neighboring areas

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Requirements

• Encourage the capture of storm water
• Include provisions for use of automatic
  irrigation systems and scheduling based on
  climate conditions
• Include references to irrigation equipment
  standards
• Include provisions for onsite soil assessment and
  management for healthy plant growth

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Requirements

• Promote water recycling
• Educate water users on water use efficiency
• Address regional differences
• Exempt landscape that is part of historical site
• Encourage economic incentives for efficient use
  of water

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Requirements

• Include provisions for maintenance practices that
  fosters water conservation
• Include provisions to minimize irrigation
  overspray and runoff

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Deliverables

• DWR submit a report to the legislature on the
  status of the existing MO and its recommendation
  for water budget component of the UMO
• DWR Update the Model Ordinance by January 1, 2009
• DWR Distribute UMO by January 31, 2009
• Local agency adopt a model ordinance or DWRs UMO
  by January 1, 2010
• Local agency notify DWR if it is subject to UMO
  or provide a copy of its MO by January 31, 2010
• DWR submit a report to legislature by January 31,
  2011 on the status of adopted ordinances by local
  agencies

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Steps Issues

• Begin a study on ET Adjustment Factor, Spring
  2007
• Ask cities and counties to report on the status
  of 1990 Model Ordinance, July 2007
• Gather information for drafting the provisions of
  the Updated Model Ordinance, July 2007
• Report to the Legislature
• Issue Rule Making Calendar
• Funding appropriation, 2007-08
• Rule making, 2008
• Water Commission approval of regulation

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AB 371 (Goldberg)

• The Water Recycling Act of 2006

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AB 371 (Cont.)

• Objective Increase the availability and use of
  recycled water. Help the sate meet its goal of
  recycling one million acre-feet of water per year
  by 2030.

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AB 371 (Cont.)

• Calls on various state departments to take
  appropriate steps to implement the
  recommendations from the 2003 Recycle Water Task
  Force 222.owue.water.ca.gov/recycle/docs/TaskForc
  eReport.htm.

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AB 371 (Cont.)

• Requires the Department of General Services and
  Department of Transportation to install piping
  appropriate for recycled water use in any of
  their landscape irrigation projects if notified
  by a recycled water producer that water will be
  provided for these projects.

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AB 371 (Cont.)

• Requires the Department of Water Resources to
  adopt and submit to the Building Standards
  Commission a state version of Appendix J of the
  Uniform Plumbing Code to ensure proper design
  standards to safely plumb buildings for both
  potable and recycled waters.

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AB 371 (Cont.)

• DWR will implement AB 371 depending on
  availability of funds. DWR will make earnest
  efforts to involve various stakeholders to
  provide them with an opportunity to help
  implement the relevant portions of the act.

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Contact Information

• Dave Todd
• Office of Water Use Efficiency Transfers
• California Department of Water Resources
• [phone]
• dtodd_at_water.ca.gov

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Checking the Snowpack