Final Report, 2010 Urban Water Management Plan - Culver City

Chapter 8: Water Shortage Contingency PlanSection 10632 of the Act details the requirements of the water-shortage contingency analysis.The Act states the following:Section 10632. The plan shall provide an urban water-shortage contingency analysis that includes each of thefollowing elements that are within the authority of the urban water supplier:(a) Stages of action to be undertaken by the urban water supplier in response to water supply shortages,including up to a 50 percent reduction in water supply, and an outline of specific water supply conditions,which are applicable to each stage.(b) An estimate of the minimum water supply available during each of the next three water years based onthe driest three-year historic sequence for the agency’s water supply.(c) Actions to be undertaken by the urban water supplier to prepare for, and implement during, a catastrophicinterruption of water supplies including, but not limited to, a regional power outage, an earthquake, orother disaster.(d) Additional, mandatory prohibitions against specific water-use practices during water shortages, including,but not limited to, prohibiting the use of potable water for street cleaning.(e) Consumption reduction methods in the most restrictive stages. Each urban water supplier may use anytype of consumption reduction methods in its water shortage contingency analysis that would reducewater use, are appropriate for its area, and have the ability to achieve a water-use reduction consistentwith up to a 50 percent reduction in water supply.(f) Penalties or charges for excessive use, where applicable.(g) An analysis of the impacts of each of the actions and conditions described in subdivisions (a) to (f),inclusive, on the revenues and expenditures of the urban water supplier, and proposed measures toovercome those impacts, such as the development of reserves and rate adjustments.(h) A draft water shortage contingency resolution or ordinance.(i) A mechanism for determining actual reductions in water use pursuant to the urban water shortagecontingency analysis.This chapter documents GSWC’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan for the Culver City Systemper requirements of Section 10632 of the Act. The Water Shortage Contingency Plan is basedon Rule No. 14.1 Mandatory Water Conservation, Restrictions and Ratings Program adopted byGSWC and on file with CPUC. Appendix D contains the full text of the rule.The purpose of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan is to provide a plan of action to befollowed during the various stages of a water shortage. The plan includes the followingelements: action stages, estimate of minimum supply available, actions to be implementedduring a catastrophic interruption of water supplies, prohibitions, penalties and consumptionreduction methods, revenue impacts of reduced sales, and water use monitoring procedures.8.1 Action StagesThe Act requires documentation of actions to be undertaken during a water shortage. GSWChas developed actions to be undertaken in response to water supply shortages, including up toa 50 percent reduction in water supply. Implementation of the actions is dependent uponapproval of the CPUC, especially for implementing mandatory water use restriction. CPUC hasjurisdiction over GSWC because GSWC is an investor-owned water utility. Section 357 of theCalifornia Water Code requires that suppliers subject to regulation by the CPUC secure itsFinal Report, 2010 Urban Water Management Plan – Culver City Page 8-1Golden State Water Companyg:\adminasst\jobs\2010\1070001.00_gswc-uwmp\09-reports\9.09-reports\2011-08\grp3\gswc_culvercity_2010_uwmp-final.doc