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Home My WebLink About0389.092• - .; ~. . , . . ", ~ -.. " . .. ,"",' September 3, 1992 THE HONORABLE CIT¥ COUNCIL Palo Alto. Ci'llifornia .1991/92 •• ter_Mana.gement Plan Up44te ~aport iA Briaf This informgtior.al report updates Council on Palo Alta's overall 1991-92 .ater use status and drought program management. No Council action is required. CITY OF 'PAW ALTO WAl"..ER <X'lNSu)[PTION Palo Alto water customers have draJ!latically curtailed their ..-ater usage since adoption of the 1991-1992 Drought Management Plan on July 1, 1991. As of the end of the June 1992 billing period, Palo Alto's consumption was 12 percent below allocation and 35 percent below 1981 usage. The end of the 1991-92 Drought Management Plan was marked bjo' JUn€: 19, 1992, .. hich corresponds w-ith the end of San Francisco Water Depa::-tmentrs billing yeara The beginning of the 1992-93 Drought Management Plan ~as on July ~, 1992, and the initial months' usage is also indicated below. Attachment A shows a comparison of the 1987 base year to the 1991-92 allocation and 1591-92 consumption, in addition to showing 1990-91 usage. ....... ..... ... ArnuI ""'-l!!!£. -.ItIIocalicu (a::r!~ ~~ 199Q..-l~"Jl My ~l J~lle ::!o 5.:5\l,~ .(,"1<3.'''1 l~nc 19 5,'i'90,Z]7 '9Z·cn ..... ..... """ An ... .Th!<.. --~00qL~~ !1!!:<~ 11.L'y JlJIle 2!) July :?O 6Q6,"14.8 W2.4<,1 August July 21 Ac, " (.44,6iC) .~85,r)oc· .1 ccf -One Hundred CUbic Feet CMR:)89,92 Pft'CeIlC G.er-(+i .,.. UDder (-) """'"' ioo ·n-S'~ ~o.u(.f) or UIIdc::r{.) AIloca1ioa ~ 74S Gallons Alxwuw..tioI! Jlagti9' fS!) l33.9_~"/ 1 unit - • As of Au~~st 3, 1992, informati=n from Palo Alto's ~~ter s~pplier, the SFWD, shews their reservoir system level to be 41 percent of normal. However, it was determined that rationing will be continued at 25 percent for FY 1992-93. Water Util~ty Impacts. The Water Fund sales revenue forecast for the FY91-92 adopted budget was $12.2. million. This amount was based on sales of 5.4 million cef , which was the Palo Alto all(~ation derived by the SFWD (28 percent conservation be 1 0 ... ' 19'37 ccnsurr.ption). As rn~ntion€d earlier, the actual consumption level for the City during FY91-92 was approxi mately 35 percent below 1987 usage or 4.6 ~illion cef. This lower sales vol~e translated to sales revenue of approximately $10.3 million. During the fiscal year, water sales and revenue were monitored or. a monthly hasis. To mitigate the adverse impacts of a revenue shortfall due to higher than anticipated conservation levelS, steps ~ere taken to re~uce or defer expenditures in the cperating and capital programs. The financial results tor the Water ~nd during F¥91-92 are presently being determined by auditors. However, it can be noted that sales for the months of ~ay and June of 1992 were above projections, which should guarantee that the Water Fund will not end the fiscal year in a deficit. DROUGHl' PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION The drought rate schedule implementation continues to run smoothly. Since the drought rates went into ~ffect or. July I, 1991, 285 exemption applications have been submitt6d. The following summary indicates the numbers of exemptions granted (categorized by reason; and the number of applications dEmied during z,'Y 1951-92. Family of six or more Medical needs Baseline Consumption Allowance adjustment warranted PerII:ission to exceed maxir.lUr.:l cap Other/Decision pending Request denied APPLICATIONS TO'TAL: 10) 21 79 9 o ---) 215 Since the new rates went into effect on July 1, 1992~ 17 exemption applications have beer. SUbmitted. The following su~~ary ihdicates tha numbers of exemptions granted (categorized by reason) and the number of applications denied during FY 1S92-93. CMR:389:92 Family of six or more Medical needs Easeline Consumption Allowance adjustment warranted permission to exceed maximum cap 5 1 9 o ·,-',-> - Other/Decision pending Request denied APPL1CA'lrONS TOTAL: 1 ----Q.--- 16 customers who exceed the maximum caps on ~onthly usage continu~ to qet varning notices on their utilities bill~ rf the maximum is exceeded more tr~an once, a direct mail warning notice is sent (asslll'!'.ing the custorue~ has not applied for and received an exemption). If excessive usage still continues, a ~arning notice of intent to install a flow restriction is issued. Warning notices also include otfers of conservation assistance l and roost customers who receive them request this help to resolve their excess use problem. To date, no !low restrictors have had to be installed, and less than a dozen customers are curre~tly scheduled to b~ sent flow restrictor notices. Water Use Ordinance~ Since July 1991, 246 first warning and 33 second ~arning notices have been issued, but in no case has installation of a flow restrictor been re~~ired. Th~ vast maj~rity of citations continue to be for irrigation flooding, with ~atering at the ~ronq time and hosing down pavement the next most frequent violations. City and Public Facilities Most park and city facility irriqation had been turned off during the vinter, but reduced wateri~g schedules were again instituted in spring 1992. All irrigation is being kept to a 30 percent or gr-eater reduction level. The project to install reClaimed ~ater lines to serve the Gol f Course and Municipal Services Center is underway and expected to be completed by late 1992 or early 199). Greer Park vas designed to be watered \rw"i th a mix of reclaime::i 'Water and has successfully handled it. Utilities staff cont.inues to ~crk ccoperative,ly with the Palo Alto Unified scho~l District, providing ongoing water ruanagement assistance and any needed billing problem resolution. For the most part, the drought rate schedules has proven to be applicahle and effective for the schools Which, like a~y other commercial account~, applied in 1990 for adjustments to their BCAs (Baseline Consumption Allowance). Those were granted in most cases. A review is currently being undertaken to again reevaluate School District consumption patte!ns and vater needs, with a focus on assuring that playing fields are saf~. In gen~ral, ho~ever, the schools a~e doing a good job of conser~ing. =:389:92 - The high level of cooperation £rom Palo Alto residents and businesses has m~ant that less "drought reminder" advertising was needt;.d during the SH-92 year. Ongoing conservation activities and assistance provided ~y staff for the year are su~~arized t "lo~: Performed 221 on-site ~ater audits~ provided 1108 telephone consultations~ handled 115 requests for conservation literature and home water kits. Issued update ne~sletters to all small and large commercial customers; produced 8 utilities flyers and 4 newspaper ads promoting conser'olation awareness. sent targeted mailings offering specific assistance services~ to residential and commercial customers with higher water use offering specific assistance services. Reviewed 41 commercial landscape plans for conformance vith city Landscape guidelines. {These guidelines have been modified and will oe presented for Council review and adoption as a permanent ordinance in toe near future.} Continued inVolvement with other local and ~egional agencies to coordinate outre.ach efforts (e.g. santa Clara Valley Water District, Say Area Water Users Association); cont ... nued active participation on State Department of Water Resources conservation Advisory Committee. Decreased ~Gushbuster" activities. For the FY 1992-9), the cooperation from Palo Alto residents and businesses seems to be con~inuing and has again mean~ that less "drought reminder" advertising has been needed. Ongoing conservation activities and assistance provided by staff for the year are summarized belo~: Performed 19 on-site ~ater audits; provided 40 telephone t;:onsult.ations; r.l.andled 6 requests for conservation literature and home water kits. Produced one utilities flyer. Reviewed 9 commercial landscape plans for conformance with city Landscape guidelines. continued invol\reDle-nt with other local and regional agencies to coordinate out~each efforts (e.g. Santa Cla~a Valley water Distri~t, Bay Area Water Users Association); contin~ed active participation on State Department of Water Resources conservation Advisory Committee. CHR:389:92 ,:-,.' . .. --.~ --"...--....... ----.---------" -... ~ .. ,-,- water consery~jXogram§ In Octo~r 1991, a report to Council described new pilot incentive programs being launched to encourage long-term indoor co~servativn iaprove~ents (CMR~442;91). A complete report which includes the total number at customers served,. projects installed and lor.'ater units saved, as vell as lessons learned frou implementinq the pilot proqrams i is provided in this Council packet. ~Res~,ect~~lly~~~;~ed;: ( tidA (./, Lffij)( 1 , NDA CLERKSDN ~- Actinq Hanaqer l Resource Conservation Acting Chair~ City Wat-er Management committee /,~....../.~.~ RICHARD L. youNG t/ Director of Utilities Assistant city Manager Attachment A: Palo Alto Consumption chart Cl!R,389'92 ./ " W !f! C I~ 0 U (J~ -" 0.9 ~ 0.8 ~. I 01 r 0.6 I ().~> ~. I : 0.4 ~ CITY oj PALO ALTO HiSTORIC WATER CONSUMPTION --~--l.l.--~_E\ 0_-":0 7 \ \\ / , r -::::. +--~< / / / ". ~--l (/ "-.""~\,, /'1/ // ~\" 'H---{~~ / / '-, A. ~::::~~:-~----":-:< . ,/ / '&---~~Cc~ ___ ~< ___ j "' I _ ~ __ ' ___ I . I . --l.-~-I I May ------------.-M(n- I --------r--.-, r Jon .' Apr ---'<-I I Nov, ceb 0;' '-.. , I ';"P Dec JI,JI Oct Aug Jun fJ 19R7 + 90",01 ,,) 91~92 1'1 Allocction __ ~"t'J?,~",'ViJ':~ » ~ n 'li m z ..; ". J ; , I . I 'I' -',' '-\ ' "',C ,-, I '0, 'il'