HomeMy WebLinkAbout0111.091',-"
January 17! l~91
TIlE HONORABLE CITY COONCIL
Palo Alto, California
lI_n of the council:
Thi. inrormational report updates Council on Palo Alto's water
u.e status and drought program management. No council action is
required.
eta or OM ALTO BTl. CONSQXPTIOlf
The winter months are provin9 to be a difficult period ~or
custoaers trying to achieve the needed water use reductions. The
pr~le. 1a pri~arl1y attributable to two factors:
(1) OCtober and NOVember of 1987 had 26 percent ~-normal
precipitation~ which reduced vater consumption {mainly
outside irriqation). It is from this unusually low vater
use level that we mast now cut back 27 percent~
(2) unseasonable warm and dry weather since mid-October of 1990
has extended the outside irrigation season.
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The bank of almost 69,000 units of water was used to offset the
amount we were over allocation in NovEl:iDber, thus mlnimizinc; the
financial penalty fro. SFWO. However, in December, there was no
-banked water-; therefore, Palo Alto felt the full brunt cf
p9nalties when its use exceeded allocation by 23 percent.
palo Alto was not unique in exceeding allotments in November and
December. Almost all water agencies in the Bay Area faced the
saae phenomenon.
The C""",rrent billinq month of January has also included an unusual
weather event that has made it difficult to conserve water. The
~c.nt record-breaking cold temperatures have caused countless
household and business water pipes to freeze and break, drivinq
up consumption. Also customers kept their faucets running day
and night to help prevent freezinq. During this cold period~
daily consu.ption rose dramatically to a level that is comparable
to typical raIl usage. Despite the cold l staff also encountered
residences that still were runninq their sprinklers at night~
spreadinq freezing water over sidewalks and streets, which
created a safety ha~ard in addition to the water waste.
rn the last week or two~ consumption has dropped back down
dramatically; however I customers are only mating a -real-
8-to-10 percent reduction after taking into account current
versus 1987 veather patterr~. Most Palo Altans, there~ore,
aust .ake further indoor reductions as well as stop most outdoor
watering, it the SFWD reduction target is to be achieved.
In reqard to paying penalties to SFWD, the water rate now in
effect should be adequate to cover the wholesale tines incurred.
However, the call for conservation viII continue IOUQ and-clear
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• ince the shortage of vater 1s the !55ue, not aimply whether the
City can afford the fines.
1M ryxcr.oo OUl! PIPU.nwrr (ann)) Nfl) POLlIna nnB
AGIle!" liTIS ual ITATUS
At~acbDent A sho~. the total SFWD sy&tem suburban use (30
agenci •• ), as compared to both 198' usage and the 1990 allocation
throuqh December 15, 1990. The line deline.ted by the cross (+)
.~s that for the first time since June the suburban group
.xc.e~ed it. allocation in late OCtober. The 1987 consumpt!cn
(the D line) drops oft dramatically in october and November,
reflecting that much less water was used during this abnormally
vet weather period.
D\!OOGI\'1' PR9(JRAX IIN!J.GIHD!%
prougbt Bata Ich.4ul. Iwpl .. eptatiop
As further evidence that most of the needed adjustments have been
.ada, only 12 applications for exemption were received in the
last six weeks. Total applications made thus far is 252, with
approximately tvo-thirds h4vinq been granted. See AttaChment B
for full breakdown cf application types.
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The Gush Busters continue their patrols seven days a week. They
are focusing extra attention on the 50-~alled -green islands· o~
the City, i.e., areas where most of the homes show siqns of
continued heavy vaterinq. While lawn waterinq is not currently
an ordinance violation, over.atered lawns typically involve
flooding and so watchinq these are~s more carefully 1s important.
Through the end of 19~O, a total of 430 Yarning notices have been
issued. The public continues to respond by making needed
corrections when sent these notices and therefore stricter
enforceaent action has not yet been required.
evIN_R 0QTuACI MP ASSISTANCJ
The focus of recent outreach advertisln9 has been on motivating
residents and businesses to vastly reduce or eliminate outdoor
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vatering 4uring the winter. Thi. level of reduction i. essential
if palo Alto 1. to even come cloae to .eeting winter allocations.
since .arly November the city it.elf has .topped all outdoor
lrr1qation except at Greer Park and the 80vllng Green. (However,
very ahort (2-4 minutes] cycles must be run occasionally On all
sprinkler systems for maintenance purposes only]. Tennis courts
an4 playgrounds are washed down only with th~ minimum frequency
that safety requirements ~eman~. Th& city is installing the
computer hardware and software to constitute the -brains· of a
centrelized irrigation control .ystem. Initially to be cor~ectQd
to the expanded Greer Park, these controls will eventually be
booked up to tbe otber City parks.
The list below summarizes onqoing con5ervation activities and
assistance provided by staff since the last council update in
November (CMR,574,O).
Perrormed 21 on-site vater audits; provide~ 325 telephone
consultationsJ bandIed over 50 requests fer conservation
information and water kits, including distribution ot 200
table cards to local hotels.
• Placed ten ads in the Palo Alto Weekly &s part ot ongoinq
drouqht awareness campaign.
• Set up a systea of utilities bill .essaqes that notify
customers how they are doing relative to their tarqets.
These messaqes thank those who are meetinq targets and ask
for qreater cooperation from hiqher users.
• IS5uea two utilities bill flyers, one with a status update
on the water situation, the other calling for a halt to lawn
watering and pointing out other ways people need to reauce
this winter.
• In addition to sending a regular ne~61etter to major account
customers, mailed a e-pecial flyer on the urgency of the
cur~ent situation and the need to 5top lawn vaterlnq.
• Held a school poster contest and classrooa conservation
presentation at Addison El .. entary School.
• Held a noon-time Water Awareness Fair 111/29/90) that
included City staff's -rain dance,· as well as booths with
water supply status information and ~emonstrations of bOth
indoor and outdoor conservation techniques. In attendance
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were about 75 schoolchildren, 35 members of the qeneral
public, and 11 radio, televi.lon, newspaper representatives.
The aedie cove rag_ algniflcantly rai.ed the outreach impact
of. this event.
• Reviewed six landscape plans for conformanca with city
Landscape Gui~elines.
• continued conservation videos on cable channel~ maintained
display in City Hallr contributed article for Cityscape
newsletter ..
TU UP' SD'
A more aggressive program is underway targetinq customers yhose
use seems unreasonably high. Mailinqs will be sent to
(1) residents using more than 20 ccf per month: (2) residents
over 50 ccf per month; (3) businesses usinq more than twice their
baseline consumption allowance (seA): and (4) buslness~s u~in9
mora than five tiEes their BCA. The strong message to these
higher users will be that they are keeping Palo Alto from meeting
it. allocatIons. Yn certain cases, the higher use may be
understandable, e.g., if it is a family of ten or a business
whose oriqinal BCA was incorrectly Bet. But. tor ItOst ot these
custo.er8, the high use is evidence that they are not doing their
fair abare.
rf this additional outreach does not result in improving palo
Alta's ability to zeet its winter allocatlons l staff may propose
a variety of me&suras l includinq stricter limita on water use or
taking action such as installing flow restrictors at customer
sites where water use continues to be significantly above target
levels.
In prepari"9 for the 1991 dry season (May and beyond) SFWO bas
described three possible seer-arios, namely, (l) lifting all
restrictions, (2) ~ontinuing the currant 25\ reduction plan or,
(3) increasing to a 35\ or 9reater reduction plan. Contingency
plans are beinq developed. for the second. and third scenarios. A
steeper rate schedule, per capita allocation plans, and water
conservation projects are examples of the many options being
evaluated. Staff will return to council with specific proposals
later in the spring. At that time, the impact of winter
precipit.tion (or lack thereof) on tbe drougbt situation vill be
evident.
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There vill &oon be a forum for Council and the public to consider
.hort-and lonq-term water conservation optlona. statf will be
pr •• enting an updated Orban ~at.r Hanagement Plan (UWKP) for
council review and com:aent early in February. Thi. Plan 1_
legally required to be fileeS with the stat,. Department of Water
R •• ources. It contains .taft's recommendations for demand-and
8upply-llieSe 5trateiies atarting in 1991 and continuing over the
next five years. A major policy decision will need ~o be made
about whether to have the vatar utility invest In significant
conservation projects. Issue. to address include rate impacts,
Palo Alto's rateB in relationship to 8urroundin~ cities, and the
effect of permanent reductions on our water contract with SFWD.
The UWMP recommendations range from extended use of reclaimed
water to providing incentives tor installing vater saving
devices. Some of the Plan's recommended programs will be brought
to COuncil during the aid-cycle budget process. However, COUncil
may wish to accelerate the implementation o~ some programs to
achieve the water savings sooner.
~pecttu11Y 8ub
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tted.,
OEBRA KATZ
Manaqer~ Energy S~rvices
ChairJ Water Manaqement Committee
,
/..d.......(~.*'
~CHARO L. yOtm~ T. ,ector, O~il s
F:" .
-FLEl!IN
#stant city Ma r
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BI-WEEKLY REPORT ON SUBURBAN WATER USE
""nu<I'Y 1. 1990 Ihru D" .. mb", IS. 1990
200
204()
220
200
180 .
100
0 104() <:>
::! 120
6 100 '" on
::> 80
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fit' ... &> ....
0(
~ 04()
20
0-
-20
J<ln I reb I Mo, I AI" I Mcly I Jun I Jul I Au'll I Sop I Oel 1-10. Dec
-04()
-00
-80 ,...--....,.-..,..-,---,--·~I~T----I-r·· -1"-
MONYlI
o 1987 .,. ".1.)(.. Tl)rJAT( o ALLOCATION .,.
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IMP'lrl ¥UXHI9lI Af'LlCATIplI' OVIB'!l.I!
(~r • .re peroeat of total ~pplteatlcn. proc ••• e4, 250)
ApplielSlop pt.eriptioo
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46\ .ingle-family
19\ .ulti-faaily •
24' commercial
n industr 1al
H public
place.s
~lieapt Qa. 'i,tory
• 48' below 1981 levels 29' did not have 1987 consumption
for comparison
R.qu •• ~ ' •• 'gp (Percent of total applications received: 252)
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Baseline OOnauaption Allowance needs to be
recalculated due to vacancy or unusual billinq
in winter months used
Large household Dr property
Increas. in size of household since 1987
Kedical need
Economic hardship under drought rates
Miscellaneous other reasons
• JH denied
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