HomeMy WebLinkAbout0443.091Octobc~ 10, 1991
THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
Palo Alto, California
1"1 yat.r x,p'g .. ept PlAD Opdat.
H~e~s of the council:
Report il! Brief
--.~---""""" .
This informational report updatea council on Palo Alto's water
use status and drought program management. No Council action is
required ..
el" 01 PALO "'.'1'0 Dna CON8ID1PTlOIf
Palo Alto water customers have dramatically curtailed their water
usage since adoption of the lS91-1992 Drought Management Plan.
As of the end ot the September billing period, Palo Alto's
consumption was 18' belo~ allocation anQ 40\ below 1987 usage.
This saved water accumulates as a IIbanklll to use for" the months
ahead when consumption may increase.
In addition, the 1990-1991 billing year (June 1990 through May
1991) was completed under that year's annual allocation,
resulting in a positive bank which we carried forward into the
1991-1992 year. All fines levied in the winter months, when city
consumption exceeded allocations (November 1990 through February
1991), were returned to the City via a credit on the July 1991
bill tro. San Francisco Water District.
Attachment A shows the consumption this yaar compared to the 1987
base year and the 1991-1992 allocation.
CMR:443:11
! -
i , , -
k
I
f
[
-.
" \
~
. .
.i1..;(.:RL
M!:t~.l 1111.~ CSlnsUDl.R1i9..G.
I"1IrcWTt Otfocf" 1+)
III L I,. .. ~t (nd ",=t ... 1 fN' I.nIer C·} Ac.o.a.ot.t ion
..lOlL b!L Wt ~LtotatiGf'l tedl-_.!sill! AI tOC!fian ~~:dJ
,990· 1991 J-..ty 21 J"" '" 5. r56,4U '.7';3,!91 -I. 02i 412,595
·V\·'92 Perurlt Owew-(.)
Ii II i.-.;l ...... "'" Actoal or l.rdeJ-(.) ~1.tiQ'l --bY_ em Allocation feet.}'''' U:wps; 'src n '" 1Ut9Cltim I<ru!! lfri,itJ!! (cd)
JuLy JIIW 21 Julr li! ... ,2S6 5106,OU ·~.671 rl.2,2.1,J 554,&Ja
'-' July Z3 Aug. 21 644,67'() 52:7,61'<0 -11!.152; '~6.9C'~ 611.!}4
CU;[&:ID~ li):I,ing Kontb
'91·'9'2 ~t~C·)
IIIH,.. stlM"t End Est I_ted or \hier C·) E.t. Ataa.llition
-"""'"-!!!L t!!:~ !.lleeetf~" "'m (esfl· Al!OC:lti«1 ....... ~
Se9tllb!or q. '" ... <. '" 601,O?1) 496,"4[) ·11.]~1 104,2Bll 778."4
'"1 c:c-t . lll .. n:ired t:ohic: Feeot .. 74S c.eltQ!V" 1 Ullt.
The sizable bank built up should be enough to carry us through
the coming winter months, during which time the allocation will
decline. Therefore, staff does not expect fines to be incurred
for over-consumption this year. HO~'ever, this is based on
continued vigilance in our conservation effort.
DROUGHT PROGP-AM IMPL~ME.NTATION
Tha new drought rate schedules have been in effect since July 1.
and the enforcement of them has gone smoothly. A total of 123
new applications for exemption have been received since July 1,
1991, with over half being requests b~sed on large family size,
whiCh is one of the new exemption cateqories. The following list
breaks down the total applications received since July 1990 by
ehe type of exemption granted:
CXll:.fi.fi3:'1
Family of sil< or :more
Medical reasons
BCA adjustment needed
Permission to exceed
maximum cap
other/pending
Request denied
TOTAL
2
Since
7/1/91
59
2
••
8
123
Since
7/1/90
66
21
2
47
l16
.67
•
It
')
Starting with July bills, notices appeared on the utilities bills
for those cllstomers whose use e.,.::ceeded the maximum monthly cap
for their account type. A customer who exceeds the cap t~ice,
and who has not received an exemption, is being sent a direct
mail second warning notice. After a third month of Violation, a
notice ot intent to install a flow restrictcr will be issued~ At
this point, no flow restrictors have had to be installed.
Water Use Qrdinances
The modifiecJ water use ordinances also ""er.t into effect July 1.
and are continuing to :be enforced on both ... eeltaays and weekends
by the City's t'Wo Gush Busters. 'rhere has been an increase in
flooding citations, since the modified flooding restriction now
covers any flooding regardless of source.
Since the Gush Buster program began, approxi~ately 750 first
warninq and 80 second warning notices have been issued. The vast
majority of viol~tion situations are resolved by the customers
after a first warning notice. In the fe~ cases where a third
of tense is observed, staff has found that direct telephone
contact resolves the situation and therefore, as yet, only one
flow restrictor has had to be installed.
CUSTOKER OUTREACH ASSISTANCE
The major focus of recent outreach has been on larger users to
help them firld effective 'Ways to reduce. An increased number of
water audits have been performed, many in conjunction vith the
drought rate exemption p~ocess. Mass mailings to all custo~ers
went out in July to fully describe the new drought rates, water
use restrictions, and measures for reducing use effectively~
Following this mailing, a letter ",'as sent cilrect1y t'J large
rasidential users. (Large commercial users have always been
contacted on an individual basis.)
In addition to the mailings described above, ongoing conservation
activities and assistance provided by staff since July 1, 1991
are summarized below!
CXR:"l:91
Performed 91 on-site 'Water ,a,udi ts; provided 615
telephone consultations; handled 605 requests Lor
conservation information and ~ater kits.
!l
.'
Place~ 8 ads in the Palo Alto Weekly and 2 ~tilities
bill inserts to mainta~n ongoing drought a.aren~ss.
Reviewed 5 ne~ landsc~pe plans for cQnformance with
City Landscape Guidelines.
Sponsored a 5pecialized ~ater conservation workshop for
region,'ll hospitals~ that brought local and state water
and health officials together with ~ospital
administrators, to identify practical actions hospitals
can take.
Staff has also been ...... erking on developing pilot com;;ervation
incentive proqrams for implementation this fall~ These programs
are discussed in a $epar~te report (CMR:442:91).
Respectfully submitted,
1/([ Q,{; .. , .... """ C' r
, ) hra Katz '-~
Manager, Energy Services
Chair, city Water
Management Committee
~ I -/' .. )
, <-o",,-/,,; /L-iA/~ 0<: . .s.~/;...<'<''''.-.. -;:r.
-'1' . :/ u ~oh rd L. Younq~
Oi or of U~i 1.ti~(eS
~'~: U Fleming"-
A, sistant City Marlage
/
Attachment A: Palo Alto Consumption Chart
CKR:H3"1 4
. ".:-.
C:-IT'( OF'-PALO ,6,LTO Vv',..'lTE,R CONSU~.1PTIOI'~
1987 .]l1d 1991 ','5=. ALLOGATICi'~
1 ,--------------
~ "f r O.B I-z
0
~
" "-0.7
0
o~
~" n6 L.U~ 0.6
:;;~
::>::;
"'~ z I 0 0.5 <>
'" w
'< 0.4 ~
0.3 -
0.2 1--L--"'-_....L ___ .1 __ ' ____ L_.--L-_ L_ .. L
JAq rEB MAR .APR MA,' ,}l .. 'N L"..IL AUG SEF> OCT NOV ore
o 1987 7 ,AL LOCATION
/
-'