HomeMy WebLinkAboutPH 4 WTR CONSERV 04-01-91ATE: MARCH 25, 1991 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER PUBLIC HEARING N0. 4 4-1-91 Inter - Com FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING DIVISION SUBJECT: ORDINANCE NO. 1063 - ESTABLISHING A MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION AND RATIONING PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION: That the Tustin City Council conduct a public hearing for the consideration of Ordinance No. 1063 to establish a mandatory water conservation and- rationing program, and if they find it appropriate, adopt said ordinance as an urgency measure. BACKGROUND: As a result of California's five consecutive years of drought conditions, the City Council on March 18, 1991 passed and adopted Ordinance No. 1060 which adopted a Water Management Program for the City of Tustin. In addition to this ordinance, staff was directed to return to City Council with another ordinance establishing a mandatory water conservation and rationing program which required a fifteen percent (15%) consumer reduction of water usage. A resident requested information on'the City's past/current efforts regarding infrastructure improvements that relate to the City's groundwater basin production and the use of reclaimed water within the Tustin Ranch Area. This information is provided in the attached Exhibit A. DISCUSSION: Ordinance No. 1063 contains the following general components: 1. A mandatory conservation rate of fifteen percent (15%) for all residential, commercial and industrial water users. 2. A tiered rate structure that provides for a penalty amount to be imposed on all water consumption in excess of the allowable water usage. A typical example of this rate structure is outlined on Exhibit B. 3. Section 1(I) provides a procedure for relief from compliance. The appeals form for this procedure is delineated on Exhibit C. 4. Section 1(F) provides for a termination procedure of the Water Rationing Program as the conditions warrant. The delineation and breakdown of the specialized classifications for.the calculation of average use are shown on Exhibit D. Attached as Exhibit E is a copy of a Press Release dated April 10, 1991 which will be distributed to the appropriate parties if the City Council determines that it will adopt Ordinance No. 1063 on April 1, 1991. Also attached is a chart delineating the breakdown of water uses for the average Orange County residential water use (Exhibit F) and a water source projection for the City for 1991 (Exhibit G) . A public hearing has been duly noticed for April 1, 1991 at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers, 300 Centennial Way, Tustin, California for the Tustin City Council to consider Ordinance No. 1063 establishing a mandatory Water Conservation and Rationing Program. After the City Council conducts the public hearing and if the Council determines it appropriate, staff recommends the Ordinance No. 1063 be adopted as an urgency measure. Bob Ledendecker Director of Public Works/ City Engineer BL:lmh:ordil063 i Gary ee Water Services Manager ORDINANCE NO. 1063 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTINr CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING A MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION AND RATIONING PROGRAM The City Council of the City of Tustin does hereby ordain as follows; - -SECTION 1. 'Nater Consuznpti on_ Reductlon. A. Findings. The City Council finds the State of California is entering the fifth year of an unprecedented drought. Water levels at many reservoirs are at an all time low. Deliveries of water to the Southern California region from the State Water Project, Colorado River, Owens Valley and Mono County have declined due to the lack of rainfall and litigation regarding entitlement. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) is the supplier of thirty percent (30%) of the water supplied to the Tustin Water Service and MWD has reduced the City's allocation of water by thirty percent (30%) as of March 1, 1991 and advised that it will charge the City a premium of at least Three Hundred Ninety - Four Dollars ($394) per acre foot for delivery of water in excess of new allocation levels. The Mandatory Conservation Rate on the effective date of this ordinance is a collective fifteen percent (1.5%) . This Conservation Rate corresponds with the recent decision of MWD to allocate only seventy percent (70%) of the water used by JGR: j1ib:R4:3-2$�91(ecc1063.jtb) 4 ordinance No. 1.0 Page 2 - the City during comparable periods in the past. The failure of Tustin Water Service consumers to collectively reduce water. consumption may lead. to even more drastic cutbacks in allocations, deliveries, and costs. The failure to reduce water consumption and a continuation of the drought may, in the long term, result in the inability of the City to supply water at or above minimum levels required for health and sanitation. This ordinance will promote reductions in water consumption and permit recovery of additional costs incurred with the purchase of water and the administration of water conservation measures. B. Definitions. 1. "Billing Period" means the time interval between two consecutive water meter readings taken for billing purposes and will average sixty (60) days. 2. "Billing Unit" means one hundred (100) cubic feet of water (748 gallons). 3. "MWD" shall mean The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. 4. "Allowable Water Usage" means the amount of water delivered to a customer's premises which does not exceed the - maximum amount established pursuant to this ordinance and by Ordinance No. 106 nage 3 resolutions of the City Council made from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this ordinance. 5. 11Customer" means each person or entity who has contracted for water service from the City of Tustin. 6. "Penalty Amount" shall mean the additional charge, expressed in terms of cost per Billing Unit, imposed on water consumption in excess of the Allowable Water Usage. 7. "Water" means potable water and does not include reclaimed water. C. Customer Responsibility.. Each customer of the Tustin Water Service shall be responsible for the use and misuse of all water pipes and facilities connected to the meter or meters which measure the amount of water for which the customer is obligated to pay the City of Tustin. D. Water Usage Limitation. All customers make all reasonable efforts to not receive, use, consume or permit to be delivered to the premises for_ which the customer contracted with the City for service, water in an amount in excess of the Allowable Water Usage. For purposes of this Subsection, measurements of water consumption falling between full Billing Units shall be - rounded up to the next full Billing Unit. The Allowable Water Ordinance No. lot Page 4 Usage shall be as set forth below, effective at 12:01 a.m. on April 22, 199.: Water User Residential Multi -Family Commercial Industrial Non -Profit (i.e., church) Public (TUSD, City, Caltrans) Landscape (comm greens) Summer Winter Allotment Gallons Allotment Gallons May - Oct Per Day Nov. - April Per__ 48 units * 598 30 units 374 18 units 224 16 units 200 138 units 1720 105 units 1309 278 units 3466 138 units 1720 186 units 2319 109 units 1359 675 units 8415 235 units 2930 161 units 2007 98 units 1221 * 1 unit equal 100 cubic feet and equals 748 gallons E. Additional Charges—and- Penalties. In the event. a customer fails to comply with prescribed water usage limitations, an additional charge of ninety Gents ($0.90) shall be imposed on each Billing Unit received over and above the Allowable Water Usage. If two consecutive billing periods show water usage exceeding the Allowable Water Usage, an additional surcharge of twenty --five percent (25%) of the total amount of the bill (including the additional charges prescribed above) will be imposed. After. the third consecutive billing period where water usage exceeds the Allowable Water Usage a surcharge of fifty percent (505) of the total bill, will be imposed. For consecutive billing periods, four or more of which exceed the Allowable Water Usage, the City may install a flow restricting device to reduce the Ordinance No. 106 Page 5 amount of water supplied to the customer and a surcharge of seventy-five percent (75%) of the total charge shall be imposed will be added to the total bill for all periods exceeding the allowable usage. The device shall not be removed until such time as the customer has provided proof satisfactory to the City that the customer will not exceed the Allowable Water Usage. A fee of Fifty Dollars ($50) shall be charged for installing the flow restricting device. Penalties shall appear on the first billing statement for that account immediately after the Billing Period in which the excess water usage occurred. The penalty shall be paid at the same time as the payment for normal water service. Failure to pay the entire amount due shall incur the same penalties as those imposed for failure to pay for normal water service. Any and all additional charges, purchases and penalties, if any, in excess of the additional charges, surcharges and penalties paid to the MWD, shall be used solely for capital costs of water facilities. F. Chancres in Allowable Water Usage, Charges, Penalties,. etc. The City Council may by resolution adopted from time to time set, revise, increase or decrease the Allowable Water Usage and the charges, surcharges and penalties as deemed necessary to • accommodate water allocations, charges and penalties imposed by 1414D and other factors affecting the supply and cost of water to the City of Tustin. Such resolutions shall become effective as specified in such resolutions and shall within ten (10) days of ordinance No. 10( Page 6 their adoption, be published in a newspaper of general circulation, printed, published and circulated in the City of Tustin. G. New Customer_. The water billing section shall notify new customers of their Allowable Water Usage rate, charges, penalties, etc., at the time application is made for new water service. H. Adiustments. The City Manager or designee upon application by a customer for relief, shall have the authority to modify the billing to a customer if the City Manager or designee determines that strict application of the provisions of this ordinance would create undue hardship to, or result in inequitable treatment of, the customer. I. Relief from Compliance. 1. A customer may file an application for relief from the water usage reduction requirements of this ordinance. The application shall be on a form provided by the City and shall specify the basis for the request for relief. The application shall be filed with the City Manager or designee. An application seeking relief relative to a previously billed amount shall be filed within fifteen (15) days after the date on which the water bill was mailed to the customer. In determining whether to grant relief and the nature of -any relief, the City Manager or his/her designee may consider the following: (a) Whether mandated reduction in water usage will result in unemployment; Ordinance No. 106, Page 7 (b) Whether a large number of persons reside on the premises; (c) Whether there has been any increase. in the number of employees or tenants in any commercial, industrial or office building; (d) Whether a commercial or industrial user has previously undertaken extensive water conservation activiti.ee and an additional reduction in allowable water usage would be a hardship; (e) Whether specific health or safety considerations are present that require the use of water in excess of the Allowable Water Usage. 2. No relief shall be granted to any customer in the absence of a showing that the customer has achieved the maximum practical reduction in water consumption aside from those factors which warrant an adjustment. No relief shall be granted to any customer who fails to provide the City Manager or -designee with requested information relevant to a determination of the adequacy of the grounds of relief or a finding that maximum practical reduction and consumption has been achieved. 3. The decision of the City Manager or designee shall be made after all material has been reviewed. - 4. The City Manager or designee will make a determination no later than fourteen (14) days after the appeal is ordinance No. 10E page 8 - received. If an appeal is decided in full or partial favor of the customer, an immediate adjustment will be made to the customerfs account. If the appeal is rejected, customer must pay the bill in full within five (5) business days to avoid service interruption. Provided, however, if the customer files an appeal with the Water Appeals Board, to be appointed by the City Council, payment need not be made until five (5) business days following decision of the Board. Appeals of decisions of the Water Appeals Board may be made to the City Council, provided, however, the customer must first make a deposit with the City of seventy-five percent (75%) of the disputed bill to avoid service interruption. J. Confirmation. A customer shall have the right to request confirmation of the amount of water used during a Billing Period for which the customer has been billed. K. —rUsatfan. where an improperly maintained irrigation system results in a waste of water, e.g., causes excessive runoff, the City Manager or his/her designee shall have the authority to discontinue water service. Notice of the termination of service shall be given by posting notice of the decision on the meter which measures water flowing through the system and by mailing written notice of the decision to the customer within twenty-four (24) hours after service was terminated. The customer shall have the right to appeal the decision to terminate service by filing a written request for hearing with the City Manager or his/her Ordinance No. 10'k Page 9 designee within fifteen (15) days after the date on which notice was mailed. SECTION 2. The City Council finds and declares that adoption of this ordinance as an emergency measure is necessary to preserve the public peace, health, and safety in that: A. California is currently experiencing a drought of unprecedented magnitude with current water reserves throughout the state far below normal. B. The City has initiated a voluntary water conservation program, but the program has not achieved the desired results. C. Metropolitan water District, the supplier of imported water to the City of Tustin, has announced its intention to reduce the amount of water delivered to the City and to impose a surcharge on all water sold to the City in excess of new allocation levels. The surcharge and reduced allocation levels were effective on February 1, 1991 and compliance with MWD directives cannot be achieved other than through the adoption of an emergency ordinance. D. The imposition of penalties on excess consumption of water will reduce water usage and allow the City to recoup the additional costs it incurs relative to the purchase of water from MWD. Any additional monies collected in excessive use penalties Ordinance No. 10( Page 10 - will be used to fund water conservation related activities and/or to fund future water capital improvements. E. Failure to achieve a fifteen percent (15%) reduction in water consumption will reduce available water supplies, lead to further ?4WD mandated reductions, and require imposition of more stringent restrictions on water use in the future. In the long term, the, failure to conserve water combined with continued drought could lead to the inability of the City to provide water in amounts necessary for health and sanitation. SECTION 3. Effective Date and Publication. This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its adoption by a majority of the members of the City Council pursuant to Water Code Section 375. The City Clerk is hereby directed to cause this ordinance to be published pursuant to Government Code Section 6061 within ten (10) days of its adoption in a newspaper of general circulation, printed, published and circulated in the City of Tustin. SECZXW 4. Severability. The City Council of the City of Tustin hereby declares that should any section, paragraph, sentence or word of this ordinance be declared, for any reason, to be invalid, it is the intent of the Council that it would have passed all other portions of this ordinance independent of the portion declared invalid. Ordinance No. 10 Page 11 SECTXQN 5. Savings Clause. Neither the adoption of this ordinance nor the repeal of any other ordinance of the City shall, in any manner, affect the prosecution for violations of ordinances committed prior to the effective date of the adoption or repeal, nor be construed as a waiver of any of the penalty or penal provisions applicable to such violation. The provisions of this ordinance, to the extent they are substantially the same as ordinances previously adopted by the City and relating to the same subject matter, shall be construed as restatements and continuations, and not as new enactments. PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Tustin at a regular meeting held on the day of , 1991. RICHARD B. EDGAR, Mayor MARY E. WYNN, City Cleric R-1�—� 1 THU � G6 F2 Gl.aRKESWGaI7RUFF P' 1 3 Ordinance No. 1063, page 12 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS CITY OF TUSTIN } COUNTY OF ORANGE CERTIFICATION FOR ORDINANCE NO. 1063 MARY E. WYNN, City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin, California, does hereby certify that the whale number of the members of the City Council is five; that the above and foregoing ordinance was duly and regularly read and introduced at a meeting of the City Council held on the day of 1991, and was given its second reading and duly passed and adopted at a meeting of the City Council held on the day of 1991, by the following role call vole: COUNCILMEMBER AYES: COUNCILMEMBER NOES: COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAINED: COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT: MARY E. WYNN, City Clerk EXHIBIT A -- SUMMARY OF WATER SERVICE INFRA -STRUCTURE PROJECTS RELATED TO GROUNDWATER BASIN PRODUCTION AND RECLAIMED WATER USE IN TUSTIN RANCH AREA The Tustin Water Works prior to November, 1980 and the City of Tustin Water Services after November, 1980 have pursued an active program to provide groundwater production to its customers. This program provides for a 70% groundwater basin production and a 30% purchased amount from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) to satisfy the customer needs. The groundwater production is attained from the following active facilities: Name Columbus -Tustin Walnut Well Beneta St. Well Water Plant Well Panky Well Yorba St. Well Water Plant Well Livingston Well Tustin Well Date -Drilled/ Rehabilitated Well 1986 1930/Early 1980's 1976 #3 1972 1963 1962 #2 1962 1954 1952 Cost $440,000 50,000 (est.) Unknown It n Four additional well sites are currently non -operational due to high levels of nitrates and/or total dissolved solids. Two of these wells may be activated within the next few years subject to joint effort between the Orange County Water District (OCWD) and the City on proposed desalter facility at the Seventeenth Street well site. Future well site projects that are planned for the system are recapped below: 1. Vandenberg Well is planned for 1990-91 at an estimated cost of $500,000 plus right-of-way costs. 2. Santa Clara Well location on a public park site and requires environmental clearance prior to proceeding with final design. 3. Three additional -Caltrans surplus parcels have been identified as potential well sites: a. West side of Pasadena Avenue southerly of First Street. b. Easterly side of Tustin Village Way northerly of McFadden Avenue. C. Westerly side of Newport Avenue southerly of El Camino Real. These locations could be utilized as future sites to replace some of the aging facilites that will eventually be retired from service. In late 1990, a joint effort between OCWD and the City resulted in the completion of the Demonstration Treatment plant which removes nitrates from groundwater from two wells at the City's Main Street Plant. The plant consists of two processes, reverse osmosis (RO) and ion - exchange (IX) which treats water from Well #3 and blends it with water from well #2 to provide a product that meets the standards as set forth by the State Department of Health Services. The cost of this Nitrate removal plant which has been constructed by OCWD is $1,200,000, and by previous agreement if the plant proves to be an economical and feasible operation, the City will reimburse OCWD in the amount of $1,200,000 over a five year period. The Tustin Ranch development which is bounded by the Santa Ana Freeway on the south, Jamboree Road on the east,.. the northerly City limits and the City -County. boundary on the west is supplied with both domestic and reclaimed water by the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD). This reclaimed water system provides irrigation water to all the greenbelt areas inclusive of: 1. Median island landscaping 2. Street parkway landscaping 3. Parks 4. Future school sites 5. Slope landscaping 6. Private development greenbelt areas This reclaimed water is provided by a separate distribution system and is totally independent of the domestic water system. of EC c 0- < Q v I O z .E co CD rn 1` .co I w Iz H U cn H Q !Y W co W 0 .J O tY n. Q U X W OI W 0 Q U) Z) tr W I— Q Q W z W W D Q ~ �— U vJ W F-- J f - Q cl: U � Q. W i rz cr U I - z O 2 OD H 0 � a O M z M r r W O J O a"' Q Q D W Cl) m M F" ccQX W coorVi0�a c c Q Q J H Z O 1 aD H OD CQ Z �a v Z M r r W 0 M co (t} J O O r Cl) Q Z W M J O to L (r Q X Z W coIT0_ja T- 1� v- Q Q c c U U M r M I� O O L To 4-+ cz i rig u rE u O = IT C 1 O Ln O 14*1 M r T -- (D m rn rn Q 2 _0.1 O O co 0 M O N Cl) r Oo cD CV T- IT CD N N O N O N O O ui r to r m to r M r r N N N N N N h ►- c'M ri 00 QO M M co CD co cz cz N co c U) — c O � M N _ N r • •-• co •_� c3 C C C c D D D :307 0 0 o o N U7 LO O O . �cn., r r C C � O O O LO T 0) z 0 J co v f\ J D a 0 z Q LL U w W LL U co U O 0 CO J Q a w Z D Z J _J m r X21 CO 3: X W CITY OF TUSTIN WATER SERVICE REQUEST FOR VARIANCE OF ALLOWABLE WATER USAGE In regards to: Ordinance 1063 - Establishing Conservation Program a Mandatory Water and Rationing An application seeking relief shall be filed within fifteen (15) days after the date on which the water bill was mailed to the customer. 1. Complete the request application a. complete the required service information b. indicate reason for requesting variance C. sign certification 2. No relief shall be granted to any customer in the absence of a showing that the customer has achieved the maximum reduction in water consumption. 3. The decision of the City Manager or his/her designee be made after all material have been reviewed and the decision shall be final. 4. The City Manager or his/her designee will make a determination no later than fourteen (14) days after the appeal is received. Service will not be interrupted until a decision is reached. a. if appeal is upheld an immediate adjustment will be made b. if appeal is rejected the bill must be paid within five days to avoid service interruption. 5. A customer who pursues the bill beyond this process shall deposit seventy five(75) percent of the disputed bill to avoid service interruption. Any questions regarding variances should be directed to Water, Customer Service at (714) 544-8890. EXHIBIT C Y OF TUSTIN WATER SERVICE REQUEST FOR VARIANCE OF ALLOWABLE WATER USAGE NAME SERVICE ADDRESS AMOUNT OF REQUESTED INCREASE ACCT# DATE Billing Units I am appealing my allowable water usage for the following reasons: Reduction in water usage will result in unemployment Additional members that have been added to the household Health and safety considerations Increase in number of employees or tenants in a commercial or office building 1 am a commercial/industrial user and have previously undertaken extensive water conservation activities. An additional reduction in my allowable water usage would create a hardship. Please explain fully and provide any documentation or evidence you feel is pertinent to this request. Attach additional page if necessary. I completed this form and do certify that the information contained herein, including attachments, is complete and accurate. I agree to inform the Water Service within 10 days of any change in the circumstances which may result in a variance for this account/property. I understand that if this information is found to be erroneous all water used at this account may be billed at the highest use rate. I further understand that all variances that may be granted are subject to change based on future, more stringent water conservation requirements. Signature Request Approved Denied Signature Date Amount of increase Billing Units w U w ) cc w F- a z F- D F - LL 0 w 0 a CO D cc wwL I— a w J C13 a 0 J J a 0 C13 C13 aU E 0 C13 C) N M N C� C) N T T T N T- � N ti qt CO qt O T Ch N co N :3 :3 :3 =3 :3 C O CD O CV) O C7 CQ M T T T T N O: � N ti qt CO qt O T Ch N co N c 0 co n cr CU C cz aD Q� w U L U 0 0 T as cr d) C n Im Z X w =3 =3 co co Co U) •— ao 0o C) l� oo N cD N T (D T C N as C co 0 E •� U c Cl) Eo V a 0 a LCL i E 0 U cd O o- 0 z a U cCa c 0 co n cr CU C cz aD Q� w U L U 0 0 T as cr d) C n Im Z X w PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE April 10, 1991 CONTACT: CITY OF TUSTIN WATER -CUSTOMER SERVICE 544-8890 CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION AND RATIONING PLAN The State of California is in its fifth consecutive year of below average rainfall which has resulted in serious drought conditions. Historically, the City of Tustin has been able to extract 65 percent of its needed water from our ground water wells, while purchasing the remaining 35 percent from Metroplotian Water District (MWD). On March 1, 1991 MWD notified the City that our purchased water allotment would be reduced by 30 percent and further reductions could occur as the drought continues. The City now faces penalties of 161 percent in addition to the regular cost of water for purchases exceeding our current allocation. These conditions have prompted the City to implement a 15 percent mandatory rationing program which replaces the voluntary conservation program. The mandatory rationing ordinance implements a new "tiered" rate structure. This structure has been developed as a way to encourage and ensure on-going water conservation. The rate structure will allow our customers to use the average amount of water consumed without paying any additional cost. The City has established a seasonal "allowable water usage" based on an analysis of water consumption for each classification. Those customers who choose to exceed the "allowable water usage" will be penalized. Water usage is billed by units, the first 6 units are billed at a .33 cent rate and any addition units are billed at .71 cents. A new tier has now been added for any usage above the "allowable water usage" and will be billed at a rate of $1.61 (71. plus .90 penalty). A surcharge has also been implemented for exceeding the "allowable water usage" for consecutive periods. "ALLOWABLE WATER USAGE"* BY CLASSIFICATION EXHIBIT E MAY -OCT GALLONS NOV-APRIL GALLONS RESIDENTIAL 48 UNITS 35,904 30 UNITS 22,440 MULTI -FAMILY 18 UNITS 130,464 16 UNITS 11,968 COMMERCIAL 138 UNITS 103,224 105 UNITS 78,540 INDUSTRIAL 278 UNITS 207,944 138 UNITS 103,224 NON-PROFIT 186 UNITS 139,128 109 UNITS 811,532 LANDSCAPE(green) 161 UNITS 120,428 98 UNITS 73,304 EXHIBIT E * the "allowable water usage" units are based on a bimonthly bill and the rate for any water used over the allotment will be $1.61 per unit. Any water usage after April 22, 1991 will be calculated using the new rates and the water bills mailed after June 21 will include the "allowable water usage" and penalties. The City reminds water users that over 50% of the typical water use is attributed to outside use and by examining your outdoor use, a customer should have little problem in meeting the required 15 percent reduction. If after examining your water usage you feel that this rate structure will be a severe hardship an appeal process has been established. If you have further questions or would like water conservation tips, please call customer services at (714) 544-8890. The City of Tustin Water Service asks for your cooperation to help through this water shortage. R 2% ......................... .......... .......................... .... .......................... - .......................... ............... .............. ......... ....... . ................ EXHIBIT F Outdoor ® Bath Toilet I® G I0 Laundry ❑ Kitchen Cooking ......................... .......... .......................... .... .......................... - .......................... ............... .............. ......... ....... . ................ EXHIBIT F 0. XX# • a i JE: MARCH 29, 1991 Inter - Com TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT: WATER RATIONING ORDINANCE Attached are a staff report and proposed ordinance establishing a mandatory water rationing program. The ordinance is in response to policies established by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and Governor Wilson's request that all public agencies enact rationing programs. As pointed out in previous staff reports, MWD (which supplies thirty percent (30%) of the City's water) has enacted a rationing program. Failure to comply would result in significant financial penalties. The proposed rationing ordinance requiring a fifteen percent (15%) reduction in water consumption is based upon current MWD standards. With the Larch rains, questions are now being raised about whether rationing is ;till required. At this point, every indication is that the need for rationing continues. However, the amount of rationing could be subject to revisions. Staff is checking with MWD to ascertain whether the fifteen percent (15%) conservation rate is still required or can be reduced. A verbal update will be provided at the April 1, 1991 City Council meeting. Section F of the ordinance provides that the City Council can revise the allowable water usage amounts by resolution. This provides the flexibility to revise the City's rationing program.as circumstances dictate. WAH V16 wtror .wah