Agenda - City of Santa Monica

Advisory Committee
A volunteer advisory committee was formed near the inception of the project comprising
of individuals interested in assisting the City pursue its goal of water self-sufficiency.
Advisory committee members include Mark Gold, Chair of the City’s Environmental
Task Force, Associate Director UCLA Institute of the Environment and S ustainability;
Andy Lipkis, Tree People Founder and P resident; Conner Everts, Southern California
Watershed Alliance Executive Director; Ed Osann, Natural Resources Defense Council
Senior Policy Analyst, Water Program; Judy Abdo, Santa Monica representative on the
MWD Board of Directors, former Santa Monica Mayor and C ouncilmember; Caryn
Mandelbaum, Environment Now Freshwater Program Director, Staff Attorney; Tracy
Quinn, Natural Resources Defense Council Policy Analyst, Water Program; Deborah
Weinstein, Tree People Director of Policy. Meetings with available members of the
committee have occurred January 10, February 28, March 11, and April 10 to discuss
approaches and strategies to be included in the SWMP. It is anticipated the advisory
committee will continue to be c onvened throughout the duration of the project. The
City’s Task Force on the Environment was presented an update of the project at its April
15, 2013 meeting.
Water Demand Analysis
To achieve water self-sufficiency by the year 2020, the City must have a c lear
understanding of its future water needs, or demands. The total amount of local water
supplies needed to meet the City’s sustainability goal includes water supplied to
customers as well as an allowance for system water loss, and water lost through the
treatment process referred to as brine or production loss.
The City’s initial estimate of the volume of water needed to meet the sustainability goal
was approximately 3,700 acre-feet (AF); however, that estimate was based on the
assumption that water demand would not increase in the future beyond current levels
and did not consider the effects that economic activity and weather may have on future
water demands. While the extent of these effects may vary based on local conditions,
there is a general increase in demands with increased economic activity and hot ter,
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