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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10g - Purchase of Imported Replacement Water from Main San Gabriel Basin WatermasterPurchase Water from the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster November 5, 2019 Page 1 of 3 DATE: November 5, 2019 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Tom Tait, Public Works Services Director By: John Corona, Utilities Superintendent SUBJECT: PURCHASE OF 5,000 ACRE-FEET OF IMPORTED REPLACEMENT WATER FROM THE MAIN SAN GABRIEL BASIN WATERMASTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,170,000 Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY The City of Arcadia gets a major portion of its drinking water supply from the Main San Gabriel Groundwater Basin (“Main Basin”). The remaining demand is met from City wells that pump a fixed amount of groundwater from the Raymond Basin. The City of Arcadia has a Cyclic Storage account with the Main Basin that can be used to store supplemental Replacement Water in the Main Basin for later use. The City has the opportunity to pre- purchase imported water that has been made available through Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (“Upper District”) for $834 an acre-foot. This rate is $124 per acre-foot less than the price of Replacement Water. Some or all of this water will be used to satisfy demand during Fiscal Year 2019-20, with any remaining water to be placed in the City’s Cyclic Storage Account to be used at a later date. By pre-purchasing at a lower rate, the City and its customers will save at least $620,000. It is recommended that City Council approve the purchase of 5,000 acre-feet of Imported Replacement Water from the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster in the amount of $4,170,000. BACKGROUND In 1973, as a result of overproduction of water from the Main Basin, a stipulated judgment was entered into that created the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster. The Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster is a nine-person board appointed by the Los Angeles County Superior Court that administers and enforces the provisions of the Main San Gabriel Basin Judgment, which established water rights and responsibility for efficient management of the quantity and quality of water in the Main Basin. Purchase Water from the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster November 5, 2019 Page 2 of 3 This is accomplished in part by the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster determining the total amount of water that can be pumped from the Main Basin each year, free from a Replacement Water assessment, which is referred to as the Operating Safe Yield. The Operating Safe Yield for Fiscal Year 2019-20 was set at 150,000 acre-feet. The City of Arcadia’s annual share of the Operating Safe Yield is 4.23%, or 6,345 acre-feet. Pumping more water than the amount established for a given year is allowed; however, production in excess of the City’s annual share requires purchase of Replacement Water to recharge the groundwater basin. Although Governor Brown declared the drought over through Executive Order B-40-17 on April 7, 2017, Southern California groundwater basins continue to recover from the multi-year drought. Consequently, pumping rights in the Raymond Basin remain at reduced levels. This has put a greater demand on water pumped from the Main Basin. DISCUSSION Under current conditions, it is anticipated that the City will need to pump approximately 12,500 acre-feet of water from the Main Basin to meet projected water demands this year. Arcadia currently has 722.75 acre-feet of replacement water in its Cyclic Storage Account, leaving a net demand of 5,432.25 acre-feet. Therefore, the City will likely need to purchase at least 5,000 acre-feet of replacement water this year to satisfy projected demand. The Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster has set the cost for replacement water at $958 an acre-foot for Fiscal Year 2019-20. However, in an effort to encourage water agencies to purchase available water from the State Water Project, they are offering a reduced rate of $834 per acre-foot if purchased before January 1, 2020. Pre-purchasing 5,000 acre- feet of imported supplemental water will save the City approximately $620,000. The advantages of pre-purchasing imported supplemental water and storing it in the City’s Cyclic Storage Account are two-fold. First, it ensures that “wet” water is delivered to the Main Basin this year, which helps maintain higher groundwater levels than if the water was purchased as Replacement Water. Second, the water is purchased at a lower rate and can be stored in the City’s Cyclic Storage Account for up to five years. With Replacement Water costs increasing annually, the savings will grow over time if any of the water is unused. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The purchase of Imported Replacement Water from the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster is not considered a project as defined by California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Section 15378. Purchase Water from the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster November 5, 2019 Page 3 of 3 FISCAL IMPACT Sufficient funds have been budgeted in Fiscal Year 2019-20 Water Operations Budget for the purchase of supplemental Replacement Water. Pre-purchasing imported Replacement Water at the reduced rate will save the City approximately $620,000. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve the purchase of 5,000 acre-feet of Imported Replacement Water from the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster in the amount of $4,170,000.