ACWANews
ACWA’s Member Newsletter • www.acwa.com
Hearings Look at Priorities for Proposition 1
Spending priorities for Proposition 1 and an array of issues related to state and local funding for water programs were the focus of informational hearings Feb. 10 and Feb. 12 at the state Capitol.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell joins Gov. Jerry Brown to discuss drought conditions and detail millions in targeted drought-relief funding for California and other Western states during a press conference Feb. 6. Jewell called California “ground zero” for the drought.
Reservoirs Get Boost From Rainfall, But Sierra Snowpack Remains Dismal Northern California welcomed a brief taste of wet weather in early February but the Sierra Nevada snowpack remains dismally low as the drought rolls into a fourth year amid record-warm temperatures. Though a pair of storms soaked some coastal areas and provided a boost in storage for several key reservoirs, nearly every reservoir remains at or near half-capacity and well below historical averages for mid-February. Exchequer Reservoir on the Merced River is at just 8% of capacity, while Pine Flat Reservoir on the Kings River is at 15% of capacity. The snowpack — which already was at near-record low levels before a heat wave brought temperatures above 60 degrees to the Tahoe Basin in mid-February —
had declined to just 22% of normal for the date on Feb. 17. According to the Department of Water Resources, the meager snowpack means reservoir storage will likely remain inadequate to meet requested deliveries from State Water Project (SWP) contractors. DWR advised SWP customers in January to expect just 15% of requested supplies in 2015, or about 600,000 acre-feet of the 4 million acre-feet of water requested. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was expected to announce initial Central Valley Project allocations on Feb. 20.
Temporary Urgency Change Petition Submitted Also in January, DWR and the Bureau Water Continued on page 8
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February 20, 2015
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DOI Secretary Jewell, Gov. Brown Address Fourth Year of Drought
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Californians Achieve Strong Water Conservation Gains in December
California officials who oversee the state’s water and environmental resources said they are gearing up to disburse the $7.545 billion in water bond funds approved by voters in 2014 and aim to use the funds to build an integrated, resilient statewide water system. Administration officials appearing before the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee hearing on Feb. 10 provided an overview of the process and goals of disbursing Proposition 1 monies. They pointed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s California Water Action Plan as the framework for prioritizing and disbursing funds. State leaders also stressed that the process for disbursement of the funds will be a transparent, public process. Natural Resources Secretary John Laird said several public meetings will be held to take public input before finalizing the regulations for disbursement of the funds, Prop 1 Continued on page 7
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Proposition 1: Draft Guidelines, Spending Schedule Released February 20, 2015 • 1
ACWA News is a publication of the Association of California Water Agencies Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, CA. POSTMASTER: send address changes and subscription requests to ACWA News, 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3514 Phone: 916.441.4545 Website: acwa.com Executive Director Timothy Quinn Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs and Operations Jennifer Persike Director of Communications Lisa Lien-Mager Communications Specialist Pamela Martineau Communications Specialist Emily Allshouse Graphic Designer Katherine Causland Outreach and Social Media Specialist Marie Meade Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved. Call ACWA for Permission to Reprint.
President’s Column • John Coleman
Drought, Water Issues in Focus as ACWA Delegation Travels to DC Despite the deceptively promising rains of December and early February, signs of a potential fourth year of drought are looming larger with each passing day without any snow or rain. Continued drought will be even more daunting this year as our storage reserves drop to severely low levels.
ment, Colorado River issues, water recycling and desalination, the water-energy nexus and financing water infrastructure.
As we continue to experience unseasonably warm temperatures with no immediate storm relief in sight, the East Coast is suffering from severe, relentless storm patterns. We will likely get a taste of our climate extremes when the ACWA member delegation travels to Washington, D.C. next week.
The DC Conference provides a unique opportunity for ACWA members to hear from key members of our congressional delegation as well as the Obama Administration. It is also a great opportunity to educate policy makers on California water issues and the tremendous array of programs and projects local water agencies are pursuing to provide reliable water supplies for the cities, farms and businesses they serve, as well as economic and environmental impacts seen during a prolonged drought.
California’s drought will be among the topics on the agenda as we converge on the nation’s capital for the annual DC Conference Feb. 24-25. No doubt there will be strong interest in how local water agencies are responding to the drought and how our federal partners can play a productive role during what may become a very difficult year. Other key topics will include the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waters of the U.S.” proposal, budgets for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers, headwaters manage-
ACWA and its members are on the front lines of advancing comprehensive water solutions. Ongoing dialog and collaboration with federal agencies and policy makers can help us address today’s challenges and arrive at solutions that transcend the current drought and better prepare us for the future. I look forward to the discussion.
USPS 334030
Submit Nominations Now for Water Leader Award Questions on Classifieds? ACWA public agency members may post job descriptions, RFPs, items for sale and other miscellaneous classified ads in ACWA News and/or online at acwa.com. More information is at acwa.com or contact Director of Communications Lisa Lien-Mager at lisalm@ acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
Connect with us online: facebook.com/acwawater twitter.com/acwawater
California has its share of water leaders, and it’s time to recognize one this spring with ACWA’s Excellence in Water Leadership Award. If you know someone who has made a remarkable and lasting contribution to California water, please take a moment to nominate that person for the 2015 Excellence in Water Leadership Award. Nominations are due March 2. Sponsored by Black and Veatch, ACWA’s Excellence in Water Leadership Award – Building a World of Difference® recognizes individuals who
have made a visible contribution to the enhancement, protection or development of water resources in California. The recipient has the honor of presenting a $5,000 charitable donation to a nonprofit organization that works toward the enhancement and / or protection of California’s water resources. This year’s recipient will be recognized at the 2015 ACWA Spring Conference & Exhibition May 5-8. Nomination forms are available at www. acwa.com.
DOI Secretary Jewell, Gov. Brown Address Fourth Year of Drought U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell joined Gov. Jerry Brown in a Capitol press conference Feb. 6 where both leaders highlighted the heavy toll a fourth year of drought in California would have on both the state and nation. Jewell announced financial support for the state’s drought efforts, while Brown stressed the importance of continued water conservation and drought planning. Specifically, Jewell announced $50 million in federal grants for drought relief in western states, with $19.9 million of those funds expected to be targeted for the Central Valley Project. “California is ground zero for drought. There is no state that is worse off,” said Jewell during the conference. Brown highlighted the seriousness of the drought, but noted that conditions were not yet to the point where he would consider additional mandatory water use restrictions or water
$2.38 million for the Friant-Kern Canal Reverse Flow Pumping Project; $3.65 million for Water and Power Operations; $1 million to continue the Battle Creek habitat conservation work; $1.5 million to support the Livingston Stone Hatchery; and $6 million for refuges, including acquisition, conveyance and diversification of water supplies.
rationing. Brown said his top priorities regarding water were: implementing Proposition 1, supporting sustainable groundwater management and “getting a handle” on California’s water use by saving more water and making the state’s water more efficient. Brown also spoke of the importance of drought planning. Additionally, Brown expressed appreciation for the forthcoming federal drought funds.
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$9 million for WaterSMART and Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program grants.
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$5 million for drought response and comprehensive drought plans.
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$8.6 million for the Lower Colorado River Basin Drought Response Action Plan.
“Every $50 million helps,” he said of the federal grants. According to a DOI press release, the $50 million for Western Drought Response was made available through the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015. Funding includes: •
$19.9 million for California’s Central Valley Project. This includes: $5.37 million for Delta needs;
resource DOI press release: www.doi.gov/ news/pressreleases/secretary-jewellannounces-50-million-for-westerndrought-response.cfm
Dry Conditions, Storage Projects Examined at Food and Ag Board Federal, state and local water managers discussed potential drought actions and at a Feb. 3 meeting of the California Board of Food and Agriculture. Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Murillo, and Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham reported on lessons learned in 2014 and possible drought actions for their respective agencies. Bonham said his department will continue to work on pumping issues, restoring habitats, increasing fish numbers with special attention on salmon, and monitoring real-time data in the Delta. He cautioned the public against engaging in a debate that pits people against the environment and instead called for a renewed focus on sharing resources.
Janelle Beland, of the Natural Resources Agency, reported that the Brown Administration will continue to focus on drought relief and conservation efforts through the Save Our Water program in 2015. The agency also will provide tools and technical support related to the sustainable groundwater legislation, advancing funding under Proposition 1 and various restoration efforts. California Water Commissioner David Orth reported on the commission’s regulatory process for determining parameters for allocating water storage funding under Chapter 8 of Proposition 1. Orth stressed the importance of developing a clear definition of “public benefits” associated with storage projects, and encouraged any agency that plans to seek funding to be actively engaged in the regulatory process and help the commission identify eligibility criteria.
The commission plans to complete and send its regulations to the Office of Administrative Law by fall 2015 to give OAL enough time to approve regulations and make funding available by December 2016.
General managers from the Friant Water Authority, Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority, Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District and Semitropic Water Storage District discuss potential water storage projects that may help improve the state’s water system during a Feb. 3 State Board of Food and Agriculture meeting.
February 20, 2015 • 3
Californians Record Strong Water Conservation Gains in December Californians cut back on water use by 22% in December as compared with the same period last year, clocking the largest water conservation gains since state officials began tracking the data last summer, according to data released Feb. 3 by the State Water Resources Control Board. The sharp climb in water conservation marks the first time the state has attained Gov. Jerry Brown’s goal of a 20% reduction in water use. Brown called on Californians to cut water use last January when he declared a drought state of emergency. While the strong conservation data was welcome news, state officials cautioned that some of the reduction in water use may be the result of rain storms in December, which likely reduced the need for outdoor water use. Officials added that January was one of the driest months on record in California and residents should still limit outdoor watering as the state grapples with
exceptionally dry conditions. “Today’s announcement is welcome news that demonstrates the importance of outdoor water savings,” State Board Chair Felicia Marcus said in a written statement. “We have just gone through the driest January on record and it appears we are entering a fourth year of drought, which is awful to contemplate but we must. Conservation is still the smartest and most cost-effective way to deal with this difficult drought.” The 22% water savings is the largest savings achieved since the state began tracking water production data seven months ago. In month-over-month savings, Californians as a whole saved 9.9% in November, 6.9% in October, 10.2% in September and 11.5% in August. The average gallons per capita per day used statewide was 67 in December, dropping from 88 in November, 109 in October, 124 in September and 131 in August. Some 78 water suppliers reported GPCDs less than 55 gallons in
December. That figure represents some 9.5 million residents in California. Water savings varied throughout the state’s regions. The South Coast area was called out for its particularly strong conservation efforts. It attained a 23% reduction in water use over last year’s numbers. Previous reports logged it achieving water savings of 3% to 7%. The South Coast region attained a GPCD of 66 in December. Dave Bolland, ACWA special projects manager, said ACWA is working with state leaders in analyzing water use data and trends from the production data that the state required be collected monthly starting last summer under its emergency drought regulations. Those regulations expire in April and ACWA also is working with state officials to provide input on the ways in which they may be refined if they are extended. A meeting on extending the emergency regulations is scheduled for March.
Save Our Water Briefs State Board, Prepares for Fourth Dry Year As California faces a fourth year of serious drought, Save Our Water updated the State Water Resources Control Board and the Governor’s Drought Task Force on its plans to help Californians make lasting and permanent reductions in the amount of water they use every day. Jennifer Persike, ACWA deputy executive director for external affairs and operations, and Nancy Vogel, director of public affairs for the Department of Water Resources, delivered the updates to the State Board and the Governor’s Drought Task Force. The updates came as the State Board released a report on urban water use showing Californians saved 29.9 billion gallons of water in December 2014, representing a 22.2% reduction in water use from December 2013. This is the first time the state has met the 20% 4 • ACWANEWS
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water-reduction target called for by Gov. Jerry Brown. Building on the program’s successes in 2014, Save Our Water is expanding its message of conservation with a focus on changing long-term water-use behavior. The program aims to give Californians the tools and information they need to permanently reduce water use, regardless of whether the state is in a drought. Conservation — the wise, sparing use of water — remains California’s most reliable drought management tool. Each individual act of conservation — such as letting lawns go brown or replacing a washer in a faucet to stop a leak — makes a difference. In spring, Save Our Water will feature a statewide marketing campaign and an enhanced website that will serve as a modern conservation hub. In addition to creating new tips, tools and
infographics, the site will feature an innovative new water calculator designed to allow users to create personalized water savings reports complete with equivalencies to connect the data better to every day Californians. Coinciding with the website launch, Save Our Water will kickoff a statewide marketing campaign to reach millions of Californians through radio, print, outdoor, digital and social media. The campaign also will include opportunities to feature local partners and water agencies. A webinar is set for March 5 at 11a.m. Please mark your calendar. Invitations will be sent. Be sure to connect with Save Our Water on social media. You can find Save Our Water on Facebook at www. facebook.com/SaveOurWaterCA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ saveourwater.
SGMA Implementation Moving Ahead on Several Fronts in 2015 With the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 now on the books, implementation is a key priority for ACWA and its member agencies in 2015. ACWA and its members are engaging on several fronts to share information and resources and advocate for reasonable and effective implementation of the act. The SGMA, now known in shorthand as “Sigma,” is a three-bill package enacted in September 2014 that lays out a process and a timeline for local authorities to achieve sustainable management of groundwater basins over a 20-year implementation schedule. The package provides tools, authorities and deadlines for local agencies to take the necessary steps to achieve the sustainability goal. Here is a look at SGMA implementation activities in early 2015:
Implementation Policy Group ACWA President John Coleman appointed an Implementation Policy Group in fall 2014 to help coordinate and provide policy direction on SGMA implementation efforts. The group, which includes groundwater managers and policy leaders representing basins throughout the state that are subject to SGMA, has been meeting regularly and has included the participation of implementation partners such the Department of Water Resources, California Environmental Protection Agency, the California Water Foundation, the California Farm Bureau Federation, the California State Association of Counties, and the Rural County Representatives of California. Initial Basin Prioritization DWR’s first SGMA regulatory deadline was to designate basins as high, medium, or very low priority by Jan. 31, 2015. The department met that dead-
line by adopting the basin prioritizations from a June 2014 list developed under the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) program. That action confirms that the initial focus for SGMA compliance will be the 127 basins already classified as highand medium-priority. These basins, which account for about 96% of the state’s annual groundwater pumping and use, are subject to SGMA’s requirements to form groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) and prepare groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs). ACWA had advocated for that outcome. The remaining 388 basins classified as low- and very-low-priority are encouraged and authorized by SGMA to develop GSPs, but are not legally required to do so.
Basin Boundary Adjustments / GSA Coordination Regulations Another key SGMA deadline for DWR is to adopt regulations by Jan. 1, 2016, specifying the information required from local agencies to request adjustments to groundwater basin or subbasin boundaries. In addition, DWR must adopt regulations by June 1, 2016, specifying requirements for coordination agreements among agencies within a basin to support groundwater planning and management. A subcommittee of ACWA’s Groundwater Committee is assisting the policy group in developing information ACWA will use in its advocacy efforts on these regulatory processes. In addition, ACWA will provide input on another DWR SGMA deliverable: regulations for evaluating the adequacy of GSPs adopted by local GSAs. Those regulations also are due by June 1, 2016.
Regional Workshops on Governance Considerations ACWA partnered with the California Water Foundation, the California
Farm Bureau Federation, and the Rural County Representatives of California to sponsor three regional workshops on GSA formation considerations. The workshops (Jan. 26 in Willows, Feb. 4 in Tulare and Feb. 5 in Modesto) were targeted to key decision makers and staff from high- and medium-priority basins that are likely to be involved in groundwater management. Materials from the workshops, including case studies of various types of local governance approaches, are available at www.acwa.com/sgma-workshoppresentations.
Follow-up Legislation One bill related to SGMA has been introduced so far in the 2015-’16 legislative session. SB 13 by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) is intended to be a technical “clean-up” bill. At least one other clean-up bill is expected to emerge. ACWA is not sponsoring any clean-up legislation on SGMA, but a work group of water agency attorneys has been working on a set of clean-up items that may be incorporated into legislation. Potential legislation addressing expedited adjudications of groundwater basins also may be introduced. The legislation is expected to focus on improving the efficiency of the adjudication process and is not expected to serve as a way to circumvent the GSP process. Watch for ongoing updates in ACWA News and on ACWA’s website.
February 20, 2015 • 5
Proposition 1: Draft Guidelines, Spending Schedule Released The $7.545 billion water bond approved overwhelmingly by California voters last November is expected to provide a significant infusion of funding for water projects and programs at a pivotal time in California water. But before bond dollars from Proposition 1 can be disbursed for actual projects, each state agency tasked with administering a competitive grant or loan process must develop and finalize guidelines for soliciting and evaluating project proposals.
Guidelines Key to Process The guidelines spell out the total amount of funding available for various programs and the criteria agencies will apply to evaluate and rank projects for funding. Under Proposition 1, agencies are required to hold at least three public meetings and solicit public input prior to finalizing their guidelines. In addition, draft solicitation and evaluation guidelines must be posted on the website of the issuing state agency for at least 30 days before the public meetings. Once the guidelines are finalized, the agencies use them to evaluate project proposals. Agencies then make initial funding awards to various projects. Once projects demonstrate they are either satisfactorily underway or completed (depending on the financing
agreement), the state liquidates bonds and reimburses the project proponent. State agencies that have been allocated funds through Proposition 1 are coordinating with the Department of Finance through the normal state budget process to make dollars available for their grant and loan programs. The Brown Administration’s California Water Action Plan is being used as a long-term guide for expenditure priorities. The exact amount of Proposition 1 dollars available for a funding category in a fiscal year will be decided in the state budget process.
Water Commission on Point for Storage Funds Water storage funding is the exception to the budget and appropriation process. The funding under Chapter 8 of Proposition 1 is “continuously appropriated,” meaning the Legislature cannot oversee it or condition it in the budget process. Instead, Chapter 8 funding will go directly to the California Water Commission (CWC). The CWC is developing a competitive process to allocate $2.7 billion in funding for the public benefits of water storage projects. The CWC is inviting public participation as it develops regulations to define methods for the quantification and management of
public benefits of water storage projects and funding program guidelines that will define and guide the process. ACWA is providing input to that process based on the work of the Water Storage Policy Task Force established by the ACWA Board late last year.
Bond Accountability Website In recent years, the state has used its Bond Accountability Website to provide information on how bond funds are spent and details about funded projects. Proposition 1 information is being added to the website, and draft guidelines for grant processes will be available soon. In addition, the Natural Resources Agency has released a draft schedule outlining key benchmarks for the first year of Proposition 1’s expenditure period. The draft schedule is available on the Bond Accountability Website.
Watch for Updates on ACWA’s Website ACWA will continue to post updates on Proposition 1 implementation, guidelines and schedules on its website at www.acwa.com. resource bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov
Water Commission Looks at Prop. 1 Water Storage Funding Allocation ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn outlined the objectives of ACWA’s Water Storage Task Force to members of the California Water Commission during a late January meeting where commissioners outlined the process for determining parameters for allocating water storage funding under Chapter 8 of Proposition 1. ACWA’s Water Storage Task Force was established to articulate a vision for how storage can contribute to the coequal goals of water supply reliability and eco6 • ACWANEWS
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system health. Quinn provided several informal suggestions for commissioners to consider. Those suggestions included creating a comprehensive storage plan, encouraging integrated storage projects that improve the operation of California’s water system, leveraging the highest investment of non-state dollars possible, considering all types and sizes of projects, and maintaining an open, transparent process. ACWA’s Water Storage Task Force is expected to make formal
recommendations for the ACWA Board to consider in the next few months. The commission has outlined its expected work plan, which includes a robust stakeholder process and sending draft regulations to the Office of Administrative Law for approval by fall 2015. More information on the Water Commission’s process is available on its public benefits page at cwc.ca.gov/ Pages/PublicBenefits1.aspx.
At a Glance: Timing for Proposition 1 Funding Guidelines Category
Agency
Guideline Process Guideline Process Expected Completion Expected Start
Small community wastewater treatment
State Water Resources Control Board
March 2015
June 2015
Safe and affordable drinking water
State Water Resources Control Board
May 2015
July-Aug. 2015
Multibenefit watershed projects
State Conservancies (various)
Jan.-Feb. 2015
Various dates
Enhanced stream flows
Wildlife Conservation Board
Feb. 2015
May 2015
Urban creek restoration
State Conservancies (various)
In process
TBD
State obligations in water-related settlements
Natural Resources Agency
In process
TDB
Statewide Watershed and Urban River Enhancements
Natural Resources Agency
In process
TBD
Delta water quality and ecosystem restoration
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Jan. 2015
May 2015
Integrated regional water management
Department of Water Resources
March 2015
2016 (Final Round of Prop 84 in progress and to be awarded by Aug. 2015)
Water Use Efficiency Grants, Round 1 – Urban and Agricultural
Department of Water Resources
July 2015
Dec. 2015
Stormwater management
State Water Resources Control Board
In process
TBD
Water Storage Investment Program
California Water Commission
Jan. 2015
Submission of draft regulations to Office of Administrative Law by Oct. 2015 (OAL process may take up to 12 months).
Water recycling
State Water Resources Control Board
April 2015
June 2015
Groundwater Plans and Project Grant Program – Phase 1
Department of Water Resources
March 2015
TBD
Groundwater Sustainability (cleanup)
State Water Resources Control Board
In process
TBD
Multibenefit projects to achieve public safety and enhance fish/ wildlife, including Delta levee maintenance and improvements
DWR/Central Valley Flood Protection Board
In process
TBD
Prop 1 Continued from page 1
while Mark Cowin, director of the Department of Water Resources, stressed that DWR will attempt to accelerate disbursement, but will not do so at the expense of accountability. Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, said the bond funds offer an opportunity to do “transformative work for a lot of people,” and said the State Board is looking for input from stakeholders on stormwater and groundwater cleanup in particular. ACWA Deputy Executive Director for Government Affairs Cindy Tuck said during a stakeholder panel that efficiency and accountability need to be addressed throughout the disbursement process. It is important that the process be transparent and that the public have input, Tuck said, but “we do think it is important that these funds get out the door.” Before agency heads spoke, Anton
Favorini-Csorba of the Legislative Analyst’s Office detailed principles the LAO believes should be adhered to as the funds are disbursed. Goals should include prioritizing projects that leverage other funds and employing new technology. Projects also should provide incentives for water agencies to collaborate on regional water management, he said. The Feb. 12 oversight hearing before the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee featured some of the same Administration officials and also touched on Proposition 1 funding priorities. Public Policy Institute of California Senior Fellow Ellen Hanak gave background information on water project funding mechanisms and challenges to local funding, policy areas with critical funding gaps and suggestions for longterm solutions. She mentioned the idea of a statewide water user fee, collected by the state and charged on a volumet-
ric or per-connection basis according to meter size. Sonoma County Water Agency General Manager Grant Davis asked the committee to include local water agencies in future discussions on the allocation of Proposition 1 funds and implementation of the California Water Action Plan, especially when the discussions relate to innovation at the local level, conservation and efficiency and the Integrated Regional Water Management Program. Vicki Sacksteder with San Juan Water District and ACWA’s Wendy Ridderbusch also provided testimony focused on the need for efficiency, accountability, and integrated solutions for future water system investments. resource LAO Report: www.lao.ca.gov/Publications/ Detail/3170
February 20, 2015 • 7
Water Continued from page 1
The State Board did not approve a portion of the petition that requested higher exports with a lower level of outflows than what was allowed last year, but was set to discuss the issue and take public comment at a Feb. 18 workshop as ACWA News went to print.
amount of water that might need to be released from upstream and protect water supplies for Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara county residents, Delta residents and the 25 million Californians who rely on the Delta-based federal and state water projects.
The order, which took effect immediately, allows the Delta Cross Channel gates to be opened as needed over the next two months to reduce saltwater intrusion in the Delta. It also allows some modifications in Delta outflows and San Joaquin River flows so that more water can be kept in storage for use later in the year, as well as further modifications to export requirements that allow for minimal water supplies while protecting fish and wildlife uses.
Curtailments Called Likely The State Board advised water rights holders in late January that water diversions may be curtailed in critically dry watersheds again this year if conditions do not improve over the coming months. The notice warned that even senior riparian and pre-1914 water rights holders could receive curtailment notices if the natural flow of water is not sufficient even after more junior water rights holders’ rights have been curtailed.
Conservation Critical DWR Director Mark Cowin said although allocations have been increased, the current divergence from average conditions due to the drought makes water conservation as important as ever. “We cannot stress enough that water conservation will be critical in stretching our supplies to the maximum extent possible throughout the coming year.”
State Board Executive Director Tom Howard said in a statement that more requests for action are expected in the coming weeks and months. “I expect some tough decisions may have to be made about water use in 2015,” he said.
Salinity Barriers Possible DWR is seeking a permit to install temporary emergency rock barriers in three Delta channels if needed to limit salinity intrusion and minimize the
submitted a temporary urgency change petition to the State Water Resources Control Board requesting modifications to the management of the SWP and the Central Valley Project this year due to drought conditions. The State Board issued an order approving elements of the petition on Feb. 3.
Save Our Water, the state’s official public education program on conservation, is mobilized for further activity in 2015. Save Our Water is a partnership between ACWA and DWR. See story on page 4 for more details.
“We cannot stress enough that water conservation will be critical in stretching our supplies to the maximum extent possible throughout the coming year.” — Mark Cowin, DWR director
Call for Entries
CLAIR . Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence
Entries are now being accepted for ACWA’s 2015 Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for excellence. The award recognizes exemplary programs developed by ACWA member agencies in water resource management. An official entry form and further details about the award, eligibility and selection process are available at www.acwa.com/ content/clair-hill-water-agency-award-excellence-0. Deadline March 2, 2015
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(Left) The ACWA Board of Directors meets Jan. 30 for the first meeting of the year and receives updates on the continued drought and other issues. (Top and bottom right) Board members participate in break-out sessions Jan. 29 during a workshop to discuss potential revisions and priority actions for ACWA’s 2014-’15 Strategic and Business Plan.
ACWA Board Begins 2015 with Strategic Plan Workshop, Meeting The ACWA Board of Directors held its first meetings of the New Year on Jan. 29-30, starting with a day-long workshop Thursday to conduct a mid-term review of the association’s 2014-’15 Strategic and Business Plan, followed by a regular meeting of the Board held on Friday.
Strategic Plan Workshop During the Board workshop, ACWA’s Executive Team — Executive Director Timothy Quinn, Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs and Operations Jennifer Persike and Deputy Executive Director for Government Relations Cindy Tuck — briefly reviewed key accomplishments in 2014 and presented several new suggested 2015 priority actions for the Board’s discussion. Board members broke into four work groups organized by topic to examine priority issues in depth before
reconvening in the afternoon to report on small group discussions.
managers David Breninger and Roger Cockrell.
The work group discussions yielded additional refinements in the areas of advancing the association, evaluating member dues and non-member revenue opportunities, and policy objectives related to water storage, groundwater, headwaters, and Delta issues. Staff will make revisions to the 2014-’15 Strategic and Business Plan and the Board will consider its approval at its next meeting in March.
With the Board’s actions, ACWA Business Development Committee’s vice chair is now Sandra Olson with Walnut Valley Water District and its Federal Affairs Committee vice chair is David Eggerton with Calaveras County Water District. ACWA’s NWRA appointees for the 2015-’16 term are Rick Gilmore, Byron-Bethany Irrigation District; Jerry Gladbach, Castaic Lake Water Agency; and Ron Sullivan, Eastern Municipal Water District.
Board Meeting During the Jan. 30 meeting, the Board took a number of actions: approving membership for the City of Newport Beach, ratifying ACWA committee appointments and appointments to the National Water Resources Association Board of Directors, and approving resolutions to honor retiring water
The Board also discussed possible federal drought legislation, ACWAsponsored legislation on chromium-6 MCL compliance, and expectations for the continued drought. The next ACWA Board meeting will be held on Friday, March 27.
February 20, 2015 • 9
Spotlight
Reliant on Groundwater, Soquel Creek Embraces Innovation to Preserve and Stretch Resource District
facts Location Soquel
Number of Customers Served Over 38,000 through approximately 14,400 service connections. That includes 22 parks, 18 schools and 18,000 jobs. Established 1961 Water Source 100% groundwater, which is in a state of overdraft Notable Projects • Chromium-6 treatment plan • Water demand offset program • Groundwater stakeholder meetings Website soquelcreekwater.org
Soquel Creek Water District’s western boundary is the seemingly limitless expanse of the waters of the Pacific Ocean. But that large body of visible water belies the fact that the district relies solely on water below ground, with no potable surface water within its boundaries or imported from beyond. The reliance on groundwater has pushed officials to dig deep to find unique solutions to varied challenges. The extended drought, new drinking water standards for chromium-6 and the growing threat of seawater intrusion have heightened the urgency for Soquel Creek to plumb its reservoir of innovation. By most anyone’s standards, the district has embraced the moment. Kim Adamson, general manager of Soquel Creek, says the unique combination of leadership and community support allows the district to accomplish so much.
To treat groundwater with chromium-6 above the new limit, the district developed a demonstration facility in a partnership with a Britishbased company that employs an ion exchange process that generates less waste than conventional ion exchange programs. The district is running the plant on a two-year agreement and is working to bring online a larger, permanent facility in late 2016 or early 2017.
“I like to think of Soquel Creek Water District as ‘the little district that could.’ Our story really shows how much can be accomplished by a small, innovative agency with good leadership and management,” says Adamson. “The trust and support we have built with our customers, community and agency partners allows us to accomplish much more than you would expect from an agency our size.”
Bruce Daniels, president of the district’s board of directors, is particularly proud of the chromium-6 project.
Featured in national trade magazines for its innovative chromium-6 treatment demonstration facility, Soquel Creek is raising the bar on forward-thinking solutions. The district has had a groundwater management plan since 1996 – long before the state’s passage last year of landmark legislation requiring similar plans. It also maintains a multi-tiered Community Water Plan that lays out a diverse set of programs that seek to establish new water sources, explore groundwater recharge projects and grapple with other critical issues.
Managing Groundwater: Planning for Sustainability of the Resource In many ways, California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act — adopted in 2014 — is an extension of the work Soquel Creek has been doing for years. Long-term management of groundwater is especially critical to Soquel Creek because the district’s water comes from two overdrafted groundwater aquifers. Protecting those aquifers from seawater intrusion is crucial.
Oh, and then there’s the drought and water rationing. Plate full yet Soquel Creek? Here’s a look at some of the projects and programs Soquel Creek has launched. 10 • ACWANEWS
Treating Groundwater: Chromium-6 Demonstration Project to Become Permanent California’s new drinking water standard for chromium-6 of 10ppb poses a particular challenge to Soquel Creek due to its sole reliance on groundwater. Of its 16 wells, six have been found to contain chromium-6 and of those six, three will require treatment to ensure compliance with the new standard.
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“A most promising program for the district is to incorporate our first-in-the-state chromium-6 treatment unit into just a standard, permanent part of our normal water system,” explains Daniels.
“While it seems that the Sustainable Groundwater Act is the most pressing issue for 2015, it is really just a continuation of the kind of groundwater management coalitionbuilding the district has been doing...,”
explains Adamson. “We are well ahead of the curve on this issue because we saw that if our wells are threatened by seawater intrusion, our neighbors’ wells are also. We’re all in this together. The GSA just provides some new tools for us to use as we work to solve our shared problems.”
servation as one of its most effective resource management tools. The district declared Stage 3 and groundwater emergencies in 2014, which are still in effect. As part of those declarations, the district adopted water rationing, charging customers more for water after reaching their allotted limit.
The district operates 16 wells that extract approximately 4,200 acre-feet of water annually. Since 1981, the district has maintained an extensive monitoring and management program that uses about 80 monitoring wells to gauge groundwater levels and water quality.
The district also maintains a unique program called the Water Demand Offset Program that requires developers to offset 1.6 times the amount of water their project is projected to use. The program has evolved over the years, but now it requires developers to pay a $55,000 per acre-foot fee for the cost of achieving water savings for existing customers through retrofits of inefficient fixtures. The water offset program is just one tool in the district’s toolbox of embracing water conservation. The programs have paid off — deficit pumping of its aquifers has been reversed and water usage is significantly down.
Soquel Creek first adopted a groundwater management plan in 1996 after extensive stakeholder input, then updated it in 2007. In 2012, the district adopted an Integrated Resources Plan that provides a roadmap for maintaining a reliable water supply through 2030 through conservation, groundwater management and diversifying its water portfolio. The district also developed a Well Master Plan, which seeks to develop new wells farther from the ocean to avoid seawater intrusion.
Conserving the Water Beneath the Surface Like other water districts throughout the state, Soquel Creek has embraced water con-
“I am most proud that the customers, district, and current board have reversed the deficit pumping of two previous decades and now brought annual water use down into safe territory,” says Daniels. It’s no wonder Adamson calls Soquel “the little district that could.” .
“A most promising program for the district is to incorporate our first-in-the-state chromium-6 treatment unit into just a standard, permanent part of our normal water system.” — President Bruce Daniels, Soquel Creek Board of Directors
(Page 10) Soquel Creek Water District works hard to engage its community in water conservation and water planning. This “thank you” banner illustrates the district’s ongoing public dialog with its customers. (Top Left) Soquel Creek staff members who were instrumental in the development of the chromium-6 demonstration project stand in front of the facility. They are: (l-r) Doug Martin, inspector; Taj Dufour, engineering manager; Christine Mead, operations and maintenance manager; Brice Dahlmeier, assistant engineer; Mike Wilson, associate engineer; and John Henderson, operations supervisor. (Top Right) Soquel Creek staff don raindrop gear to promote water conservation at the Santa Cruz County Fair last summer. They are: (l-r) Leigh Ann Gessner, Vaidehi Campbell, and Melanie Mow Schumacher.
February 20, 2015 • 11
Case Study
An Underground Recycled Water Reservoir Helps Reduce Reliance on Imported Water
Problem How can a water district shore up its water supply reliability and reduce its dependence on imported water, especially when it lacks adequate local groundwater? That is the conundrum faced by the Walnut Valley Water District and other water districts in California that rely solely on imported water. For Walnut Valley, one of the answers to that challenge arrived in the form of an innovative recycled water project that’s both practical and pleasing to the eye. Approach Since its incorporation as a California water district in 1952, the Walnut Valley Water District has relied solely on imported water to meet the water supply demands of the customers it serves, which now total more than 100,000. To help diversify its water supply the district launched a variety of recycled water projects in 1986, expanding them and upgrading them over the years. “For thirty years, our district has been a leader and innovator in utilizing recycled water supplies within our service area,” explains Walnut Valley Water District General Manager Michael Holmes. In 2011, Walnut Valley raised the bar on its innovation and began construction of a unique project — the Parker Canyon Recycled Water Reservoir, an underground reservoir that provides both aesthetic and practical uses. And in many ways, the innovation was born out of thrift. To save money on property costs, Walnut Valley decided to build the 1.2 million
gallon two-celled concrete Parker Canyon Recycled Water Reservoir on a property it already owned. The property already housed a potable drinking water reservoir, so the availability of usable land on the site was a challenge. But the district’s engineers and consultants took the challenge in stride and developed a clever solution. Instead of building the reservoir at street-level, they designed the new reservoir within the slope of the property and tucked it underground. During construction, the district faced logistical challenges, including maneuvering the heavy machinery required to dig into the side of the property’s hill in order to build the hidden reservoir. Throughout the process the district worked hard to minimize the project’s impact on local residents and communicated with customers every step of the way. To ensure that its project would be both environmentally friendly and provide a com-
A beautiful Californiafriendly demonstration garden sits atop Walnut Valley WD’s Parker Canyon Recycled Water Reservoir, creating a unique neighborhood park.
Have an idea for a case study? We’d love to hear it. Please email your suggestion to acwanews@acwa.com, and put case study in the subject line.
“For thirty years, our district has been a leader and innovator in utilizing recycled water supplies within our service area.” — Michael Holmes, Walnut Valley Water District general manager 12 • ACWANEWS
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munity benefit, the district decided to build a garden landscaped with drought-friendly plants on the reservoir’s roof. The result is a virtually invisible underground facility that provides a beautiful and water-smart neighborhood park for community residents. When the project was complete, neighboring residents were invited to an official ribbon cutting and thanked for their patience with tours of the conservation garden.
Results The Parker Canyon project was completed in May 2012. According to Holmes, the project has helped the district supply water to its customers and the response to the project has been very positive. “The residents, local city officials, and our board of directors were very pleased with the result of the reservoir in providing greater water supply reliability as well as the beauty of the conservation landscaping and its benefit to the local community,” says Holmes.
Overall, the project boosted the district’s total recycled water capacity to 5.2 million gallons and has increased the cost effectiveness and efficiency of the district’s entire recycled water system. In total, Walnut Valley WD’s recycled water system delivers 537 million gallons of water annually for irrigation of large landscaped areas like schools and parks and meets nearly 10% of the district’s water needs. “We will continue to develop recycled water facilities such as the Parker Canyon Reservoir to reduce our reliance and dependence on imported water supplies,” adds Holmes. For every gallon of recycled water the district has been able to use for outdoor irrigation, it has equally reduced its reliance on imported water to serve the district’s potable water needs. That has saved the district both water and money – a savings that has been passed on to local cities, school districts, and other public entities and private companies.
“The residents, local city officials, and our board of directors were very pleased with the result of the reservoir in providing greater water supply reliability as well as the beauty of the conservation landscaping and its benefit to the local community.” — Michael Holmes, Walnut Valley Water District general manager
Walnut Valley WD’s Parker Canyon Recycled Water Reservoir project site is adjacent to a potable water reservoir (right). The district keeps the systems separate by marking its recycled water system with purple pipes and paint.
Deadlines Near for ACWA Region Board Vacancies ACWA Region’s 1, 5, 6, and 7 have calls open for candidates to fill vacancies on their boards for the remainder of the 2014-’15 term. The leadership of ACWA’s 10 geographical regions is integral to the leadership of the association as a whole. Region Board members determine the direction and focus of region issues and activities. If you or someone within your agency is interested in serving in a leadership role with ACWA by becoming a board member in Region 1, 5, 6, or 7 please return the candidate nomination form by the deadline. The deadline for Regions 2, 3, 8, and 10 closed Feb. 12. The remaining deadlines to apply are as follows: Feb. 28 – Regions 1, 5, and 7 March 23 – Region 6 More information and candidate nomination forms are available on ACWA’s website. For questions about ACWA’s Region Board vacancies, please contact ACWA’s Regional Affairs Representatives Katie Dahl at katied@acwa.com or Brandon Ida at brandoni@ acwa.com.
State Board Changes Process for Drinking Water Funds; Applications Accepted Year-Round The State Water Resources Control Board has streamlined access to its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund in an attempt to make it easier for water systems to apply for project funds, officials with the State Board’s Division of Financial Assistance announced Feb. 6. Improvements to the DWSRF application process include the acceptance of online applications and expanded project eligibility. The DWSRF program, which was transferred to the State Board from the Department of Public Health in July, offers below-market-rate loans to water providers to upgrade their drinking water systems to meet state and federal safe drinking water standards. In January of this year, the State Board’s Division of Financial Assistance began accepting DWSRF applications online year round, making it easier for water suppliers to begin developing critical public health upgrades to drinking water systems. Additionally, the State Board’s DWSRF Policy Handbook makes more projects eligible for DWSRF funding. Newly expanded project types include defective water meter replacement, treatment to address secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) exceedance, and water infrastructure replacement or update, including transmission or distribution lines, groundwater wells, and other infrastructure. Water providers interested in DWSRF funds also can now apply at any time as there is no pre-application or invitation process. The State Board funds DWSRF projects on a ready-to-proceed basis and will put projects that address critical public health issues in the highest priority, including imminent water supply outages and nitrate MCL violations. The DWSRF is open to community and nonprofit non-community water systems, large and small, public agencies or private entities. Funds can be awarded
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for the planning and design phase; for just the construction portion; or both. The funding is provided in the form of 20-year loans, with extended term 30year financing for some disadvantaged communities. The types of projects eligible for DWSRF funding include: construction of new water sources, distribution pipelines, and treatment facilities; construction of infrastructure that is needed to consolidate or intertie water systems; replacement of aged drinking water infrastructure, such as wells, pipelines, tanks, and treatment systems; installation or replacement of water supply meters; construction of facilities needed to create a community water system, or extend service from an existing public water system to serve residents currently on individual wells or surface water sources and planning/ design funds needed to cover the costs of activities necessary to construct a project, including preliminary engineering, pilotscale treatment studies, design and other planning activities. Visit the DWSRF webpage for more information, or call (916) 327-9978, or email DrinkingWaterSRF@waterboards. ca.gov.
DWR Announces $150 Million for Central Valley Flood Projects Sacramento and San Joaquin valley agencies seeking to reduce flood risk in local cities and suburbs may be eligible for a portion of $150 million in state funds for flood management efforts, the Department of Water Resources announced Jan. 26. The funding is intended to help local Central Valley agencies pay for repairing and improving levees, weirs and bypasses, and also improve or add new infrastructure that would provide a higher level of flood protection for development behind federal and state levees. Local agencies in the Central Valley with the authority to implement flood projects are eligible for the state funding. DWR seeks to invest in projects that provide multiple benefits — such as improving public safety and expanding wildlife habitat — and also improve a region’s ability to cope with the larger storms and flood flows expected due to climate change. DWR’s urban flood risk reduction
grants align with Gov. Jerry Brown’s strategy of prioritizing flood protection funding and supporting multi-benefit water projects as described in his California Water Action Plan. An estimated $50 billion is needed to reduce flood risk statewide. The administration will focus on highest-risk areas and develop proposals to fund projects through a combination of financing options. The current funding for levee improvements comes from the legislative appropriation of the 2006 Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act (Proposition 1E). The funds will be distributed through a competitive proposal process managed by DWR’s Urban Flood Risk Reduction Program. Conceptual proposals are due March 9, 2015. DWR expects to announce initial commitments of grant funds in May 2015. Those agencies whose projects are selected will be asked to submit a full project application, due later in 2015.
The current solicitation of proposals is for projects beginning in fiscal year 2014-’15 funding cycle. Additional funding may become available in future years should the Legislature approve additional appropriations from Proposition 1E. For more information on the UFRR program as well as a downloadable Proposal Solicitation Package with program and cost share guidelines, visit DWR’s website. resource CA Water Action Plan: esources.ca.gov/docs/ california_water_action_plan/Final_California_ Water_Action_Plan.pdf Proposal Solicitation Package: www.water. ca.gov/floodmgmt/fpo/guidelines/
State Board Releases Report on Improving Water Rights Oversight The State Water Resources Control Board on Jan. 30 released a report outlining ways to improve the enforcement of the state’s water rights system, addressing issues ranging from improving the accuracy and timeliness of supply and demand data to increasing public outreach. The recommendations for improvement are based on a review of the State Board’s implementation of the water rights system during 2014. The report is viewed as a way to improve the water rights enforcement process as California faces the likelihood of a fourth consecutive dry year. The report found that the infrequency of diversion reporting, quality of data and lack of updated analytical tools to make determinations were significant problems in 2014. A poor general pub-
lic understanding of the curtailment process, exacerbated by the relative infrequency of curtailments, also was identified as a problem. In 2014, the State Board curtailed rights for 5,063 water right holders throughout California. In January of this year, the State Board warned that if conditions do not significantly improve in the coming months, it will again begin notifying water right holders in critically dry watersheds of the requirement to limit or stop diversions under their water right, based on their priority. The report reviews actions taken during 2014 as well as those taken during and after the drought of 1976-’77. While many improvements have occurred, the report states, there are still significant impediments to timely, efficient and effective implementation of the water
rights curtailment and enforcement actions. The report recommends that the State Board work to: • Improve the accuracy and timeliness of demand and supply data for assessment and implementation of the water rights system; • Increase early and frequent coordination, outreach and communication to ensure all parties understand, and have access to, supply forecasts and expected dates of curtailment; and • Develop additional tools for analysis and enforcement of the water rights system. resource www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/ water_issues/programs/drought/ dryyear_report/docs/2015dypr.pdf
February 20, 2015 • 15
Local Water Agencies on the Front Lines of Drought Response As a fourth year of drought unfolds, water agencies around the state are on the front lines with conservation messaging and an array of programs and activities to reduce water, stretch existing supplies and protect remaining water reserves. Mandatory conservation measures remain in place in urban areas, and water conservation outreach and enforcement will continue apace in 2015. Water-wise house calls, mobile apps and hotlines for reporting water waste and incentive programs such as turf replacement are among the efforts underway in early 2015. Long-term actions such as budget-based water rates and innovations such as free recycled water filling stations also are in place. ACWA is updating the drought portal on its website to provide a wealth of examples of how local water agencies are responding to drought, both in terms of the emergency conservation regulations adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board in 2014 and longer-term actions to reduce water use on a permanent, ongoing basis. A snapshot with examples around the state is available at www.acwa.com/ content/drought. Check back often for updates. In the meantime, here is a high-level look at front-line response efforts.
Drought Emergency Response Mandatory Conservation / Water Use Restrictions Local water agencies continue to enforce mandatory conservation and outdoor water use restrictions as required by urban water conservation regulations adopted by the State Board in July 2014. These restrictions remain in place, and local agencies report a variety of enforcement activities ranging from warnings for first-time violations to excess use charges to fines 16 • ACWANEWS
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and even installation of flow restrictors if warranted. Education and Outreach Water suppliers invested millions of dollars in water conservation education and outreach in 2014, and that investment continues in 2015. Using tools and resources from the Save Our Water program, water agencies are communicating directly with their customers through social media, paid advertising, direct mail pieces and community events. Many agencies report that education and outreach efforts have contributed to double-digit reductions in water use. Though outreach efforts were beefed up throughout the state in response to drought, many local agencies have ongoing programs designed to encourage permanent water-saving actions as a way of life. Turf Rebates and Other Incentives Water agencies report surging interest in turf replacement and conservation rebate programs. Turf rebates are offered by at least 27 water agencies around the state, and generate real water savings not only during drought, but on an ongoing basis. In Southern California, residential customers have requested rebates to replace about 31 million square feet of turf, while commercial customers have requested rebates to replace more than 45 million square feet.
Long-Term Actions Rate Structures as a Conservation Mechanism Many agencies are using their water rate structures as a mechanism to reduce water use. Water budget-based tiered rate structures reward customers who
use water efficiently and discourage water waste. Customers exceeding their water budgets are charged at higher rate for the water used in excess of the budget. New Tools for Customers Many agencies have rolled out new and creative ways for their customers to report water waste. Mobile apps allowing customers to submit photos of water waste, hotlines and website portals allowing customers to compare their monthly water usage with past years and with that of similar homes proved effective in 2014 and can be expected to continue in 2015. Free recycled water filling stations also have emerged as a popular and effective way to reduce use of potable water.
Member News
Water agencies statewide reported unprecedented interest in turf rebates in 2014. Rebates and discount programs are expected to continue as the drought extends into 2015 and an increasing number of residents realize that alternatives to traditional turf lawns such as the one pictured here can be beautiful and water efficient.
San Diego Area Pilot Program Offers Discounts on Artificial Turf To help its customers manage a fourth consecutive year of drought, the San Diego County Water Authority has launched a new pilot program offering 10% discounts on artificial turf materials and installation from participating retailers. The program is open to residential, commercial and public sector property owners and can be combined with Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s turf removal rebate. “Conditions for 2015 aren’t looking
great, and it’s critical that each home, business and public agency find additional ways to conserve, whether it’s a simple step such as taking a shorter shower or a bigger commitment such as replacing water-intensive lawns,” said SDCWA Board Chair Mark Weston. There is no application for the pilot program; customers simply call any of the program’s participating vendors and mention the program to receive the discount. Participating companies currently include Turf Evolutions, Easy-
Turf, Hellas, Athletic Turf Solutions and Players Turf USA. The district offers a number of other conservation programs including free landscape classes, rebates for purchasing high-efficiency fixtures, appliances, and rain barrels, and plant fairs that offer discounts on drought-friendly plants. For more information on this pilot program or the district’s other programs, please visit www.WaterSmartSD.org.
MWD Outlines Scenarios that Could Trigger Allocations in 2015 In preparation for a fourth year of drought, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on Feb. 9 outlined scenarios for its board that may require the district to make wholesale cutbacks by July 1. MWD’s Board of Directors will consider its options in April, but if a supply allocation is adopted, MWD says it could result in water rationing throughout Southern California this summer. The last time MWD allocated water supplies was in 2009-’11. In December, MWD revised its allocation plan which equally
distributes water supply reductions among member agencies during shortages. The range of potential cuts outlined Feb. 9 are based primarily on estimated State Water Project deliveries, but Colorado River deliveries and local supplies have been considered. The scenarios outlined consider a range of allocation actions – from zero supply restrictions to possible cutbacks of 5-10% or more. DWR’s current SWP allocation sits at 15% for 2015. For MWD that translates to about 280,000 acrefeet. MWD’s current reserves stand
at about 1.2 million acre-feet and represents about half of what it was at the end of 2012. “We’re certainly hopeful the storms that swept through Northern California this weekend will help make a dent in the drought. But should state project supplies not improve substantially, it won’t be a matter of if, but how much mandatory water cutbacks will be necessary to meet demands and maintain reasonable reserves,” said MWD General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger.
February 20, 2015 • 17
People News Randy Record Selected Eastern Municipal Water District Board Chair Former ACWA President Randy Record was selected in January as the new president of the Eastern Municipal Water District Board of Directors. Record’s two-year appointment as board president is his second since he began representing the San Jacinto Valley on EMWD’s board in 2001. He previously served as president in 2005-’06. Record also is the chairman of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors, a position to which he was unanimously selected in May 2014 and will hold until January 2017.
Record, a third-generation San Jacinto Valley farmer, also is an immediate past president of ACWA and is highly respected for his work in advancing recycled water, groundwater and water use efficiency issues throughout the state. Record takes over for Philip Paule, who represents the Winchester and French Valley areas and has served as board president for the past two years.
PCWA’s Director of Strategic Affairs Selected as New General Manager The Placer County Water Agency on Feb. 9 announced the selection of its Director of Strategic Affairs Einar Maisch as the agency’s new general manager. Maisch will replace retiring general manager David Breninger on March 6.
During his tenure with PCWA, Maisch has represented the agency in legislative matters at the state and national levels. He also has been involved in several significant water projects for the district including the American River Pump Station and a federal relicensing project for the district’s Middle Fork American River Project.
Maisch has worked for PCWA since 1985 and alongside Breninger as the director of strategic affairs since 2000. After consideration of several candidates, PCWA’s board unanimously selected Maisch as the best-qualified candidate to serve as the agency’s new general manager.
He has received several awards including the 2013 Regional Water Authority Water Statesperson of the Year, 2009 American Society of Civil Engineers Project of the Year in California Award for the American River Pump Station, and ACWA’s 2000 Clair A. Hill Award for participation in the Water Forum.
Roseville Appoints New Environmental Utilities Director Roseville City Manager Ray Kerridge on Jan. 26 announced the appointment of Richard Plecker as the new director of the city’s Environmental Utilities Department. The department operates Roseville’s municipally owned water, wastewater, recycled water and solid waste utility services.
Public Works director, and Auburn city engineer. Kerridge said he believes Plecker will be an asset to the city because he is a “strategic thinker known for his friendly, team-oriented personality.”
Plecker’s previous experience includes service as vice president of MWH Americas Inc., Fair Oaks Water District general manager, Auburn
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“I am honored to be selected to this position by my peers,” Record said. “As our region continues to face many unprecedented water supply challenges, I believe that the leadership of our entire board of directors is vital to ensuring sustainability and reliability for the communities we serve.”
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“With immediate challenges like managing the drought, to longer term challenges like increasing regulatory requirements and ever increasing costs, Rich brings the ability to strategically guide the organization through these challenges and continually improve utility services that the City of Roseville provides,” said Kerridge.
Water Education Foundation Welcome Four New Board Members The Water Education Foundation Board of Directors welcomed four new board members this year including Cannon Michael, Kim Delfino, Jennifer Persike, and Christopher Park. The new members were elected to the board in December and will join the full board during its next meeting in March. Michael is a sixth generation farmer and president of Bowles Farming Company in Los Banos. Michael serves as a director San Luis Canal Company, and as president of the San Luis Resource Conservation District. In addition, he is a director for the California Tomato Research Institute and the chairman of the California Cotton Growers Association.
Delfino is the director of Defenders of Wildlife and a gubernatorial-appointment member of the California Water Commission. She serves on various coalitions including the California Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment, Salton Sea Coalition, the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition and the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Stakeholder Committee. Persike serves as ACWA’s deputy director of external affairs and operations, directing strategic planning and communication, overseeing outreach for external efforts, coalitions involving members and key stakeholders and association operations. During her 26-year tenure
at ACWA, she has held the positions of director of strategic coordination and public affairs, director of communications and outreach, director of communications and human resources, and manager of public affairs. Park is a Water Resource Planner with CDM Smith in Sacramento. He has nine years of experience focusing on environmental impact assessment and permitting for both local and statewide water planning projects for clients that include the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Cambria Community Services District.
Padre Dam MWD Appoints 2015 Officers, Committee Members The Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board of Directors has appointed its 2015 board officers and Doug Wilson committee members. Doug Wilson will serve as president, Augie Caires as vice president and Bill Pommering as treasurer. The Augie Caires five-member board also includes Augie Scalzitti and James Peasley.
Bill Pommering
Wilson serves on the district’s Security Committee, as the district’s representative on the San Diego County Water Authority, and as SDCWA’s representative on the Colorado River Board.
Caires serves on the district’s Security Augie Scalzitti and its Finance and Administrative Services committees. Pommering serves on the district’s
James Peasley
Customer Appeals, Park, and Finance and Administrative Services committees. He also is the district’s liaison to tribal governments.
Scalzitti serves on the district’s Customer Appeals and Park committees. He also serves as the district’s representative on the San Diego Area Wastewater Management District. Peasley serves as the district’s representative on the Metro Wastewater Commission.
Vásquez Returns to MWD’s Board as Central Basin Representative Former Lynwood Mayor Leticia Vásquez earlier this month was sworn into the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors.
Gate, Florence-Graham, Willowbrook, Compton and Carson. Her previous experience includes serving on the Lynwood City Council and in 2005 as the city’s first Latina mayor.
Vásquez represents the cities and communities of Lynwood, South
Vásquez previously served on MWD’s board from February 2013 to July
2014. She now joins Robert Apodaca in representing the Central Basin Municipal Water District on MWD’s board and will staff the Organization, Personnel and Technology Committee and the Communication and Legislation Committee.
February 20, 2015 • 19
Dublin San Ramon Approves Annual $1000 Donation to ACWA Scholarship Fund in Memory of Past Director James B. Kohnen In February, Dublin San Ramon Services District committed to contributing $1,000 annually to ACWA’s Scholarship Fund in memory of James B. Kohnen, who served on the district’s board of directors for eight years, from 1992 to 2000. The new annual donation bolsters ACWA’s two existing $3,000 scholarships, to $3,500 each. Kohnen played an integral part in creating the modern district that now serves Dublin San Ramon. He played a key role in developing Dougherty Valley, bringing recycled water to the Tri-Valley, and expanding the district’s Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Kohnen also contributed to the
expansion of water, wastewater, and recycled water services to east Dublin and was instrumental in the expansion of the Livermore Amador Valley Water Management Agency. ACWA has established a page on its website that will feature similar donations if other member agencies make a gift in honor or memory of a colleague or other who was instrumental in the enhancement, protection or development of water resources in California. All donations go to ACWA’s Scholarship Fund, which assists undergraduate students majoring in engineering, irrigation technology, environmental
sciences, public administration and other water resources-related fields. These $3,500 scholarships are awarded to California residents attending a four-year, publicly funded college or university in California full-time as a junior or senior during the year the scholarship is awarded. When making a donation, donors may submit a brief tribute statement and photograph to be published on the scholarship web page. For more information, visit ACWA’s website, or call Marie Meade ACWA Outreach and Social Media Specialist at (916) 441-4545.
Newhall County WD Receives Budget Presentation Award For the seventh consecutive year, Newhall County Water District has been recognized for its budget by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. NCWD received the 2014 Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, as well as the Special Performance Measures Recognition award. The awards honor local governments that produce exceptional budget documents that are easy-to-understand, readily accessible and fiscally sound.
The awards are regarded as the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. “Newhall County Water District is serious about transparency, fiscal responsibility and customer service,” said NCWD General Manager Steve Cole. “This award recognizes that our budget — our most important policy document — reflects this commitment and we’re proud with this seventh consecutive honor.”
SDCWA Begins Key Testing Phase for Carlsbad Desalination Project; Video Shows Progress In early February, the Carlsbad Desalination Plant began pulling seawater into the pretreatment system for wet testing, which will continue over the next few months. The desalination plant, set to come online this fall, will be “the most advanced of any in the Western Hemisphere,” says Dana Friehauf, water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority, “and produce enough water to make the county ‘drought proof.’” A video on the progress of the project is available on Facebook www.facebook.com/CarlsbadDesal.
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GFOA also has granted a certificate of recognition to the district’s accounting manager Rochelle Patterson for being primarily responsible for the district’s achievement. “We’re proud of Rochelle and all staff members involved in this budget,” added Cole. “Their work is a reflection of the district’s mission to be exceptional stewards of the public’s resources.” .
Central Basin Installs More than 9,000 High-Efficiency Toilets The high-efficiency toilets installed by the district use only 1.6 gallons of water per flush, while the ultra-highefficiency toilets save even more water, using only 0.8 gallons. Conventional toilets typically use 3.5 gallons per flush. CBMWD estimates that the installations will result in conservation of 7,700 acre-feet of water and more than 240,000 kilowatts of energy per year.
The Central Basin Municipal Water District announced on Feb. 9 that it had completed installation of more than 9,000 high- and ultra-highefficiency toilets made possible by a $1 million grant from the Department of Water Resources as part of the HighEfficiency Living Program (HELP). According to the district, the project will improve the region’s stability by helping to conserve at least 2.5 billion gallons over the next 25 years.
The grant benefited multi-family units in nearly all of the district’s service areas including the cities or Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Huntington Park, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Lynwood, Maywood, Montebello, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South Gate and Whittier as well as unincorporated areas of Los Angeles.
San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency Elects New Board Officers The San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency Board of Director elected its board officers for new two-year terms at its Jan. 5 meeting and swore in several new members. John Jeter, Blair Ball, and Raymond Morris were sworn in following their November elections, and Lenny Stephenson was sworn in after his December appointment to fill the District 5 vacancy due to Ted Haring’s death. The
John Jeter
Blair Ball
seven-member board also includes Ron Duncan, who represents Division 1.
Beaumont. Morris will serve as an atlarge representative.
The board officers are: Jeter, president; Bill Dickson, vice president; and MaryAnn Melleby treasurer.
Stephenson recently retired from a 30year career in the construction industry as a safety professional. Dickson is a retired Navy Corpsman and a local agent for Direct Loan America. Melleby is retired from the Monte Vista Water District in Montclair and is a trustee of the University of La Verne.
Jeter has served as president of the board since 2004. He represents the district’s Division 3. Ball represents Division 4, which includes most of Cherry Valley and parts of the City of
Raymond Morris
Lenny Stephenson
Ron Duncan
Bill Dickson
MaryAnn Melleby
EBMUD Counsel Jylana Collins Retires; Craig Spencer Steps Up East Bay Municipal Utility District General Counsel Jylana Collins retired early this year after nearly 30 years of public service. Collins led a wide range of multi-year legal negotiations that positioned EBMUD to modernize aging infrastructure, face future water rights challenges and adapt to climate change, according to a press release from the district. The EBMUD board has appointed Assistant General Counsel Craig Spencer to replace Collins as General Counsel for the district. Spencer has been with
EBMUD since 1995. Collins was appointed as EBMUD’s general counsel in 2006 after serving as the district’s assistant general counsel for a year and as a staff attorney for a decade. In her various roles, Collins led multiple legal efforts, including: negotiating a landmark consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency that will improve the ability of regional wastewater systems to handle high flows in wet weather; certifying a long-term water supply management program that is the cornerstone of the
East Bay’s future water reliability; and achieving key milestones in extending EBMUD’s water rights permits on the Mokelumne River. “Jylana has managed EBMUD’s legal affairs through an era in which the water and wastewater regulatory environment has grown increasingly complex. In addition to being a thoughtful and strategic legal leader, she also helped fashion a world-class legal team for EBMUD,” said EBMUD Board President Frank Mellon. February 20, 2015 • 21
“With another year of drought expected, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District plans to reintroduce its “Save Water-Go Blue” campaign in the spring with additional events and opportunities to learn about ways the Monterey Peninsula can achieve even greater water savings.” “If mandatory reductions materialize, Valley Center Municipal Water District’s growers will likely respond as they have in the past by reducing plantings, re-cropping, ‘stumping’ trees, or in some cases, out-andout abandoning portions of their agricultural operations. Through two prior drought responses... the District has seen its agricultural acreage drop from 24,000 to less than 10,000, and its related water demand decline from near 40,000 AF to just under 20,000 AF.” “At the district level, Western Canal Water District is implementing real-time data acquisition software to track water use more efficiently. We are also holding grower meetings to stress importance of conservation while increasing communication through direct email communication and more broadly through Twitter posts.” “Eastern Municipal Water District is exploring the likelihood of moving into Stage 3b of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which would reduce the Tier 3 allocation in our Allocation Based Tiered Rate System. This reduction would send a clear pricing signal to customers that increased conservation measures are needed because of extraordinary water supply limitations … We are aggressively promoting our turf removal and other water conservation programs to help promote long-term water reductions on commercial and residential properties.”
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Here are excerpts from replies sent to acwanews@acwa.com.
erence ® Diff of
ACWA Excellence in Water Leadership Award ACWA
Call forExcellence erence ® Diff of
in Water Nominations Leadership ding a Wo Buil rld
January Feedback
What are you doing to prepare for a dry 2015?
Award Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 ACWA Excellence in Water Leadership Award – Building a World of Difference®. The award recognizes people (individuals or groups) who have made a remarkable and visible contribution to the enhancement, protection or development of water resources in California. For more information go to www.acwa.com/content/ acwa-excellence-leadershipaward.
Deadline March 2, 2015 Sponsored by Black & Veatch Corporation
Prime Downtown Location Send us your feedback!
What is your agency’s top priority in applying for Prop. 1 funding? Email your answer to acwanews@acwa.com by March 11, 2015. Please put in subject line “Feedback Feb. 2015.”
Suite available in Sacramento, one block from the State Capital (910 K St.). • Suite 350 – 1,850 sq. ft. • Move-in ready office space • Immediate access to I-5 and I-80 • Walking distance to Westfield Downtown Shopping Center, restaurants, and hotels • Centrally located in the heart of the Sacramento Central Business District For more information, contact Mark Tabak: 916.288.4818 or mark.tabak@ cushwake.com
22 • ACWANEWS
Vol. 43 No. 2
Office for Lease
Employment Assistant General Manager, Finance Zone 7 Water Agency Zone 7 Water Agency is located in the Tri-Valley region of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. It provides water on a wholesale basis to the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of San Ramon, and flood-protection services to all of eastern Alameda County. Zone 7 employs approximately 116 full-time employees and has an operating budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year of $94 million. The Agency’s administrative offices are located in Livermore, CA, the easternmost city of Alameda County, which is bordered by Contra Costa County to the north and San Joaquin County to the east. Livermore, California’s oldest wine region, is known for the science and technology of its national laboratories, a historic downtown area and the surrounding farm lands and ranches that mirror the Valley’s western heritage. This is an exciting career opportunity serving as a key executive team member of a progressive organization. The Assistant General Manager of Finance reports to the General Manager and directs all Zone 7’s financial affairs including the planning, organizing, direction and coordination of Zone 7’s business services (financial, accounting, budgeting purchasing, investment and information technology). May be assigned to act as General Manager, and to perform related duties as required. Candidates must possess: the equivalent of five years full‐time, increasingly responsible experience in a public water agency or closely related organization, of which at least five years were in a supervisory capacity, which included professional and/or management‐level oversight of financial management, accounting, and/ or administrative professional staff; and a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, accounting or a related field; and a valid California Motor Vehicle driver’s license. A Master’s degree in public or business administration or CPA is highly desirable. Annual salary range is $170,851 to $207,667 with an excellent management benefits cafeteria plan package. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please complete an application
and supplemental questionnaire online at www.acgov.org/hr. The final deadline is March 10, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. PST. A detailed brochure is available at www.zone7water. com/working-here.
This position requires substantial, progressively responsible experience which demonstrates leadership, cohesive team oriented management skills, and accountability.
Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Education, Training, and Experience: A degree or college level courses providing training in drinking water treatment or drinking water distribution offered by an accredited academic institution is highly desirable. Any combination of experience and/or training that could likely provide the required knowledge and ability to perform the job duties (e.g., 10 years of increasingly responsible experience in a California water district, with at least 4 years in a supervisory position). Must possess a valid high school diploma or equivalent, a Class C California driver’s license and at least a D-3 Distribution License.
Director of Water Resources and Operations Joshua Tree
$92,300 - $125,000 Annually Plus Benefits Package* Joshua Tree offers an iconic rural lifestyle rich in culture, nature and diversity. Situated as the gateway to the Joshua Tree National Park which welcomes 1.6 million national and international visitors annually, it serves as a central hub to nearby destinations such as the Pacific Coast, San Bernardino Mountain ski resorts, Colorado River, BLM off-roading events, Palm Springs golf resorts, and easy drives to Las Vegas, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and San Diego. The community of Joshua Tree, in itself, is home to only 9,000 residents, but boasts its own County Government Center, Community College, Hospital, Cultural Center with a Theater and Philharmonic, World Music Festivals, premier visual art galleries, photogenic sunsets, four seasons, starry night skies, world class rock climbing, wide open vistas, fresh air, nearby shopping, low cost housing and a slower pace to daily life. Our dynamic, community owned district is seeking a highly motivated, innovative leader to direct and coordinate Production and Distribution activities, oversee contracted Waste Water Treatment Plant Management, develop Aquifer Recharge Operations and our Capital Improvement program. While managing, supervising and coordinating ten department employees, the ideal candidate will work closely with the CFO to coordinate administrative activities, including Customer Service, fiscal planning, and grant applications. The Director of Water Resources and Operations will also coordinate departmental planning with the Development Services Coordinator/GIS Specialist, and serve as the District’s Chief System Operator.
Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of the pertinent laws, codes and safety rules and practices covering water systems; ability to function effectively as a supervisor; ability to establish and maintain cooperative and cohesive working relationships with personnel, management team, contractors and consultants; competent oral and written communicator. The District initiated a recharge program in October, 2014 and will complete a Capital Improvement Plan in June 2015. We also face the challenge of complying with the 2014 Hexavalent Chromium regulations. If you believe you are motivated and thrive on challenges, we want to hear from you. * Travel relocation funds negotiable. TO APPLY by the April 3rd, 4:30 PM deadline: Visit our website at www.jbwd.org/about-us/ employment-opportunities for a complete job description, application and additional submission information. EOE.
Questions on Classifieds? ACWA public agency members may post job descriptions, RFPs, items for sale and other miscellaneous classified ads in ACWA News and/or online at acwa.com. More information is at acwa.com or contact Director of Communications Lisa LienMager at lisalm@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
February 20, 2015 • 23
Most Clicked Here are some of January’s mostclicked stories on ACWA’s website, www.acwa.com. Be sure to subscribe to ACWA’s eNews to get the latest news in your email box each week. See www.acwa.com/newsletters/ ACWA-eNews for more.
Periodicals Postage Paid Sacramento, CA
Association of California Water Agencies 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3577
Time Valued Material
Water Bond Funds Will Target Statewide, Integrated System, Lawmakers Told — 02/10/2015 MWD Outlines Drought Scenarios that Could Result in Mandatory Rationing This Summer — 02/09/2015
Upcoming Events Visit acwa.com for complete listing
State Board Streamlines Process to Apply for Drinking Water Funds — 02/06/2015 $50 million in Drought Relief for Western States Detailed During Drought Response Press Conference — 02/06/2015
Twitter Chatter Recently Trending on Twitter
Wholly H2O @WhollyH2o • Feb. 10 | No Sierra #snowpack, Up your water savings now! #localizewater #cadrought #saveourwater Jerry Brown @JerryBrownGov • Feb. 3 | CA is doing its part to #SaveOurWater, but the drought is far from over. Careful stewardship & conservation must be our way of life. ACWA @ACWAWater • Feb. 3 “Conservation is a permanent lifestyle change” — ACWA’s Jennifer Persike to State Water Board today. CAdrought @CAdrought • Jan. 27 | As January fades, records for #driest month are set to fall in #NorthernCalifornia ACWA @ACWAWater • Jan. 26 | State Board: Water diversions may be curtailed if conditions don’t improve.
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February 2015 25 – 26
ACWA’s 2015 DC Conference will be held at the Liaison Hotel in Washington, D.C. Online registration deadline is Feb. 6. For more information and registration, visit www.acwa.com/events/ dc-conference or contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
March 2015 4
ACWA’s 2015 Legislative Symposium will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center in Sacramento. For more information contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
11 – 13
The Water Education Foundation is hosting a lower Colorado River tour. This follows the course of the lower Colorado River through Nevada, Arizona and California, and includes a private tour of Hoover Dam. To register or for more information, visit www.watereducation. org/tour/lower-colorado-river-tour-2015.
22 – 23
ACWA Region 5 is co-hosting a program with Santa Clara Valley Water District that will highlight Silicon Valley’s local water managements and investments to ensure a sustainable water supply. Online registration deadline is March 18. To register and for more information go to www. acwa.com/events/acwa-region-5-spring-event.
May 2015 5 – 8
ACWA’s 2015 Spring Conference & Exhibition will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center and surrounding hotels in Sacramento. For more information contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
ACWA DC2015
Annual Washington D.C. Conference
February 25–26
The Liaison Capitol Hill