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Home My WebLink AboutConsent Calendar #7 5-18-87TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WXLLIAH HUSTON, CITY HANAGER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING DIVISION SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY RECOMMENDATION: For the City Council meeting of May 18, 1987. Pass and adopt resolution supporting Southern California Water Policy. BACKGROUND: The Southern California Water Committee of which the City is a member has been actively working on the development of a water policy for California. The committee is now undertaking a special education program that will include media relations and publicity materials explaining key water issues outlined in the policy. A copy of the Southern California Water Policy is attached for i nfomati on. DISCUSSION: The attached resolution supports this policy and provides the vehicle for the City of Tustin to participate in an active role with the committee in promoting a reliable water supply, the preservation of quality, and a commitment to conservation and affordability for the people of California. Bob Ledendecker Director of Public Works/City Engineer BL:jm Attachment RESOLUTION NO. 87-55 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY WHEREAS, Southern California is'a major center of business, commerce 5 and agriculture, and home to more than half of the Golden State's people, and WHEREAS, Southern California is a semi-arid desert dependent on water supplies imported from distant sources to meet all or part of its needs, and WHEREAS, Southern Californians concerned about maintaining adequate water supplies have built extensive aqueduct systems to deliver these imported water supplies, and 9 WHEREAS, an educated public must continue to make important decisions 10 in the future about maintaining adequate supplies of high-quality water, and 11 12 13 14 WHEREAS, the Southern California IJater Committee has been formed to educate the public about important water issues, and WHEREAS, the Southern California Water Committee has adopted a water icy that sets a framework for making important decisions about water supplies, and WHEREAS, this policy includes reliability of supply, preservation of 15 quality, commitment to conservation and affordability 10 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Tustin does hereby support the water policy as the benchmark against which 17 future water decisions should be measured. 18 19 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Tustin, held on the 18th day of Mai/ , 1987. 20 21 RICHARD B. EDGAR 22 Mayor 23 ATTEST: 24 25 Mary E. Wynn 26 City Clerk 27 28 SO .UTHE~ CALIFORNIA WATER POLICY PIg~RESS THROUGH UNITY 'NTRODUC'FION Southern California faces significant challenges in the coming years in order 1/ir thc region to continue to be a major economically viable urban area. One of thc most important challenges is Io pro- vide an adequate amount of good quality ~,atcr, on a reliable basis, and at a reasonable cost. According !o various estimates, the population in Southern California will incrcasc by about 20 percent over thc ncxt 15 years. Whether or not estimates arc precise, every indication is that population growth will occur. Meeting current and future water needs is essen- tial to maintaining the public health and economic vitality of the region. Water agencies and interests in Califor- nia should work to increase communica- tion and intcragency cooperation. The current primary objective of increased communication should be to find areas of statewidc consensus on water supply, conservation and resource protection issues. Water policy in Southern California must be based on the following goals' RELIABILITY OF SUPPLY PRESERVATION OF QUALITY COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION AFFORDABILITY I LIABILITY OF SUPPLY ~nc quantities of imported and natu- rally occurring water in the South- land vary from year to year because of weather variations which cause wet and dry cycles of one or more years. Such supplies need to be made more dependable. Supplies can be made more reliable through implementation of the fol- lowing policies: · Establish contingency plans to meet water emergencies on a short-term basis. · Continue to maximize the use of existing local water sources, including efficient groundwater management programs and local storage, extraction and distribution facilities. · Develop incentives for increasing water storage in groundwater basins for use during drought. · Continue the usc of Colorado River watcr where available. · Provide cost-effectivc surface and groundwatcr storage as needed, north and south of the Delta. · Continue to encourage voluntary water, transfers and exchanges throughout California, under terms consistent with the needs of the water purveyors and the require- merits of applicable state and fed- eral law. · Interconnect local distribution sys- tems with regional systems to allow maximum use of local ground and surface waters during emergencies. · Complete additional units of the State Water Project and improve- mcnts in the Delta as necessary to 'provide a more dependable water supply, conserve water supply, improve quality and protect fish, wildlife and the economic viability of thc State of California. · Support current best usc of wild and scenic rivcrs, as sccnic and recreational, whilc rccognizing futurc generations may recvaluatc these concepts. PRF~ERVATION OF QUALITY Protection of the quality and integrity of surface and groundwater resources is fundamental to thc health and welfare of California and ali its citizens. · Support adequate water quality standards throughout California and adequate wastewater discharge requirements for surface water and groundwater which will safeguard public health. · Provide for safe management of hazardous materials to avoid pollu- tion of both surface water and groundwater. , Dcvclop groundwatcr quality managcmcnt plans with cmphasis on protection of thc quality of groundwater from pollution. · Encourage thc mitigation of Delta and San Francisco Bay water qual- ity probicms whiic providing future water supplies for all thc Statc, with costs and rcsponsibili- tics fairly allotted among thc bcncficiarics. · Support protcction and main- tcnancc o1' good quality water throughout California. COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION Thc proper and cost-effective con- scrvation of our water resources is csscntial lo providing adequate water supply to ali areas of the state. Con- scrvation should be an csscntial part of all watcr supply programs, but cannot entirely substitute for water supply development, as water demands cannol be sufficiently reduced by con~rvation on a long- term basis. · Strengthen water conservation and management programs to rei:lucc water consumption and prevent loss or wastc of this valuable resource. · Continue with strong conservation education programs for all water users. · Encourage drought-tolerant or drought-resistant landscaping. · Support local govcrnmcnt ordinances that provide for low- water-use devices. · Improve distribution systems to' maximize efficient water use. · Mctcr water scrviccs, whcre beneficial, to cncouragc watcr con- scrvation and incrcasc public awareness of water usc. · Support wastcwatcr reclamation and reuse, and brackish water dcsalting programs, where cost-cffcctivc. ·Providc economic incentive pro- grams to encourage efficient u~ of watcr. AFFORDABILITY Affordability must be an important criterion in any rcliability or quality- related decision-making. Water sup- ply and quality improvcmcnts must be accomplished in a cost-effective manner. Southern ¢olifemio tll~ Cemmitte'e. inc. 17752 Skypark Qrde · Suite 120 Irvine, California 92714