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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNB 3 VOL WTR CONSERV 05-21-90I+ j DATE: TO: FROM: MAY 14, 1990 WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER RONALD A. NAULT, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE NEW BUSINESS N0. 3 5/21/90 Inter - Com SUBJECT: RESOLUTION 90-53 VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution 90-53 adopting a Voluntary Water Conservation Program reducing water consumption by ten (10) percent and authorize staff to release the attached Press Release. DISCUSSION: California is entering the fourth consecutive year of drought. This condition, combined with other adverse events for water supply in Southern California, has reduced the potential water supply for Orange County in 1990 and may impact future years. To respond to the current water shortage and the potential for serious shortages in later years, the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), has asked municipalities to seek a ten (10) percent reduction in water use. Historically, the City of Tustin has utilized its own wells to extract fifty eight ( 58 ) percent of its water, and has relied on imported water for approximately forty two (42) percent of its water. The City of Tustin purchases its imported water from the East Orange County. Water District (EOCWD), who then receives water from MWDOC. MWDOC purchases water from the Metropolitan Water District (MUD) and other sources. MWDOC provides imported water for about two thirds of the County. The City of Tustin's wells and reservoirs are replenished by the lower Santa Ana Ground Water Basin which is managed by the Orange County Water District. The City of Tustin has a water treatment demonstration project, in conjunction with Orange County Water District to collect data previously unavailable on the feasibility of Ion exchange for nitrate removal and reverse osmosis. If this project proves feasible and effective, the City of Tustin would be able to extract approximately seventy (70) percent of its water from the ground water basin. Because of planning and foresight by many of the cities in Orange County, our water supply remains stable and reliable as opposed to many areas throughout the state. Many of the newly constructed areas in the county and in Tustin have been built with low flow conservation devices. While Tustin is better prepared for the effects of the drought than other areas, it is essential that we encourage water conservation. The City of Tustin's water awareness/conservation plan of action would include: I. Public Awareness of Conservation Efforts. A. Obtain/distribute publications from MWDOC. B. Supply water conservation kits for residents. C. Water bill messages. D. Press release. (Attachment I) E. Notify restaurants (Attachment II) F. Encourage landscapers and nurseries to promote water savings irrigation. G. Community Service representative to promote conservation at local meetings. II. City Awareness of Conservation. A. Resolution "Voluntary Water Conservation". (Attachment III) B. Contact Public Works - conservation. 1. Shorter watering -time - parks and medians. 2. Check City Hall and public facilities for possible conservation areas. C. Water Conservation displays at City Hall and Water billing counter. May is "Water Awareness Month". D. Prioritize water capital project that would conserve: 1. Leaking mains 2. Reservoir repair E. Regulate City Contracts where landscaping is involved to require drought resistant plants. F. Propose funding for additional wells. If the drought continues, the City would then need to implement mandatory conservation measures and ordinances. Water conservation ordinances normally include three phases: Phase One usually calls for no hosing of driveways or other hard surfaces, car -washing only from buckets or hoses with a shut-off valve, restrictions on non -circulating fountains, serving water in restaurants by request only, and restricting residential and governmental irrigation to every other day at non -peak hours. 2 Phase two includes all of Phase One, plus: Water allotments are set based on a percentage of use during the previous year (or a similar method) , with pricing structures modified to encourage compliance; residential and governmental exterior irrigation is further curtailed; and irrigation for water -dependent industries (nurseries, golf courses, etc.) is cut back to every other day. Phase three is implemented only in an extreme emergency and includes all of Phases One and Two, plus: Water allotments are further reduced; residential outdoor irrigation is prohibited except by bucket and irrigation by water -dependent industries is placed on an every -third -day basis, similar to Phase two residential restrictions; and, there should be no use of water from fire hydrants, except for health and safety reasons, and municipal water service (street cleaning, etc.) would be severely restricted. At this time staff recommends that only a Voluntary Water Conservation Resolution be adopted. L _-'L t Ronald A. Naul Director of Finance RAN: IH: ls a:wahreso.wtr 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 RESOLUTION 90-53 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN ADOPTING A VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM REDUCING WATER CONSUMPTION BY TEN (10) PERCENT WHEREAS, periodic droughts are a historic fact in the State lof California; and WHEREAS, California is entering a fourth consecutive year of below normal precipitation; and WHEREAS, because precipitation for the current water year has been substantially below normal particularly in the water sheds of the imported water supplies serving Southern California, the California Department of Water Resources has declared 1990 to be a critically dry year, and many communities in the State will suffer water shortages; and WHEREAS, a drought management program is essential to reduce ,the severity of water shortages; and WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of California has asked all Californians to conserve water on a voluntary basis; and WHEREAS, the Municipal Water District of Orange County's (MWDOC) fundamental responsibilities are to obtain water from Metropolitan and other sources, to distribute adequate supplies of high quality imported water to the public at the lowest feasible cost, and to conserve such supplies in times of shortages; and WHEREAS, in recognition of the critical water conditions xisting in California, the MWDOC Board of Directors approved esolution No. 1406 on the California Drought on March 21, 1990; nd WHEREAS, The Resolution requests every water supplier within WDOC's service area to alert its customers to the necessity and eans of saving water and to carefully monitor water uses to revent waste and request every water supplier with MWDOC's service rea to develop and implement specific water conservation measures ith a goal of reducing water by ten (10) percent; and WHEREAS, the City of Tustin is a water supplier within MWDOC' s service area and has the power and authority to adopt water --onservation measures as appropriate within its boundaries. 1 2 3 4 5 SII 10 11 12I 13' 14 15 16 17 18 19 26 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Manager is authorized to implement a voluntary drought management program, with a goal of reducing water use by ten (10) percent, to reduce the risk and severity of water shortages should the drought continue in 1990; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Tustin urges all consumers to: Adjust sprinklers and irrigation systems to avoid over -spray, run- off and waste; Avoid watering in the hot part of the day and during morning and evening peak hours (6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m.) and avoid watering on windy days; Install low -watering landscaping and energy efficient irrigation systems where appropriate; Shut off decorative fountains unless a water recycling system is used; _ Do not hose down driveways, sidewalks and other paved surfaces, except for health or sanitary reasons; Install pool and spa covers to minimize water loss due to evaporation; Do not waste water while washing cars, or other vehicles and use a bucket or a hose with an automatic cutoff valve; Retrofit indoor plumbing fixtures with low -flow devices; Check faucets, toilets, and pipes (both indoor and outdoor) for leaks and repair immediately; Reduce other interior or exterior used of water to eliminate excessive waste. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Tustin will encourage restaurants within its jurisdictions not to serve drinking water Ito any customer except upon request and to notify customers through appropriate written notification in all serving areas; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Tustin finds that a phased program beginning with voluntary measures to reduce consumption will best achieve the goal of conserving the water supply without causing unnecessary adverse economic consequences; and 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if voluntary measures do not achieve the goal of a ten (10) percent reduction in water use, the City of Tustin may consider the adoption of a mandatory water conservation program. PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of 1990. ATTEST: Mary Wynn City Clerk City of Tustin a:resolutn.wtr 3 Richard B. Edgar Mayor Cit of Tustin AT. ANT I Department of Finance May 22, 1990 PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: CITY OF TUSTIN WATER BILLING 544-8890 CITY COUNCIL URGES CUTBACK IN WATER CONSUMPTION Since rainfall for the past four consecutive years has been substantially below normal, particularly in the water shed areas serving Southern California, the California Department of Water Resources has declared 1990 to be a critically dry year. The Municipal Water District of Orange County has requested every water supplier within its service area to alert its customers to the necessity and means of saving water. Complying with this request, the Tustin City Council ha's adopted a voluntary water conservation program, with a goal of reducing water consumption by 10 percent, in order to reduce the risk and severity of water shortages should the drought continue. The City is suggesting all consumers follow these water use guidelines: * Adjust sprinklers and irrigation systems to avoid over -spray, run-off and waste; * Avoid watering in the hot part of the day and during morning and evening peak hours ( 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m.) and avoid watering on windy days; 300 Centennial Way 9 Tustin, California 92680 9 (714) 544-8890 Page 2 * Install low -watering landscaping and energy efficient irrigation systems where appropriate; * Shut off decorative fountains unless a water recycling system is used; * Do not hose down driveways, sidewalks and other paved surfaces, except for health or sanitary reasons; * Install pool and spa covers to minimize water loss due to evaporation; * Do not waste water while washing cars, or other vehicles and use a bucket or a hose with an automatic cutoff valve; * Retrofit indoor plumbing fixtures with low -flow devices; * Check faucets, toilets, and pipes (both indoor and outdoor) for leaks and repair immediately; * Reduce other interior or exterior used of water to eliminate excessive waste. In addition, the City is encouraging restaurants in Tustin not to serve drinking water to any customer except upon request and to make customers aware of this through written notification (available through the City) in all serving areas. Additional information is available by contacting the City of Tustin Water Service Billing Department at (714) 544-8890. a:release.wtr ichment II S� City of Tustin Department of Finance Dear Restaurant Owner; The State of California's drought situation has been in the news a lot lately, and there has been conflicting statements about its effect on Orange County. The truth is that historically, the City of Tustin has utilized its own wells to extract fifty eight (58) percent of our water, and has relied on imported water for approximately forty-two (42) percent of our water. Because to some extent we do rely on imported water from many sources, it is important that we also do our part to conserve water. The City of Tustin is encouraging restaurants in Tustin not to serve drinking water to any customer except upon request. Enclosed please find table tents for your tables to explain this situation. We would appreciate any assistance you may give us in our conservation efforts. If you have any questions or if you would like further information, please contact Irma Hernandez at 544=8890, extension 262. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Sincerely, Ronald A. Nault Director of Finance RAN: IH: ls "EVERY DROP OF WATER WE WASTE IS A DROP WE WILL NEVER TASTE" a:conserve.ltr 300 Centennial Way • Tustin, California 92680 • (714) 544-8890