Agenda - City of Santa Monica

Option 2 could reach the 123 GPCD goal but at a high cost to residents, businesses,
and the City to pay for the required retrofits and increased staffing to enforce the
requirements.
Option 3
To implement Option 3, “Long Range Regional Recycled Water,” the City would develop
additional recycled water through regional inter-agency partnerships as a m eans of
reducing potable water use. This option should be considered a long range program
and should not be relied upon to meet an adopted per capita water use requirement. As
discussed earlier, it is unlikely that these partnerships could be established and the
infrastructure completed by 2020.
Recommendations
Option 1 is the portfolio recommended by staff. In light of this additional analysis, staff
also recommends that the City change its water use reduction target when it adopts an
update to its UWMP in 2015. Specifically, in its 2010 UMWP, in accordance with SBX7-
7 the California Department of Water Resources’ Methodologies for Calculating
Baseline and Compliance Urban Per Capita Water Use, the City calculated several
water use targets in accordance with the SBX7-7 requirements. At the June 28, 2013
Council meeting, staff recommended Method 3 with a target of 141 GPCD, because it is
achievable based on the existing budget and staffing limitations for implementing
conservation programs and p olicies, water saving products available in the market,
willingness of customers to voluntarily conserve water by participating in numerous
conservation programs, and would not open the City up to possible litigation for failing to
meet the target by 2020. However, Council chose to formally adopt the stricter 20
percent reduction of 123 GPCD.
Since the formal adoption of the 123 GPCD target puts the City at potential risk for
litigation for waste and unreasonable use of water resources in 2021 and it does not
appear to be achievable, it is recommended that the 141 GPCD target be adopted in the
City's 2015 U WMP. This change is allowable under SBX7-7 and reduces the City’s
20