MEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL $ FROM: TERESA MCCLISH~ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE DRAFT INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND DRAFT REGIONAL RECYCLED WATER STUDY DATE: JULY 8, 2014 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council receive the update on the draft Integrated Regional Water Resources Managem_ent Plan (IRWMP) and draft Regional Recycled Water Study (RRWS). FINANCIAL IMPACT: No Fiscal impact. BACKGROUND: Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) The IRWM Plan presents a comprehensive water resources management approach to managing the region's water resources focused on strategies to better the sustainability of the current and future· needs of San Luis Obispo County. This plan was written to meet the latest IRWM requirements while balancing the needs of the participating agencies with the State's need to have a full, well though-out plan to base implementation of future water resources projects/programs. The County of San Luis Obispo (County) is the lead agency in the development of the updated IRWMP for the Region. The City is a signatory to the San Luis Obispo County Region Memorandum of Understanding for the IRWMP program. Water Systems Consulting, the consultant for the Northern Cities Management Area (NCMA) prepared the attached technical memorandum to provide a brief introduction of the Public Draft SLO County IRWMP and provide prioritized sections, as attachments, of the IRWMP (Attachment 1). The NCMA is comprised of the Oceana Community Services District and the cities of Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach and Pismo Beach. The NCMA Technical Group prepared comments for the July 7, 2014 deadline comment deadline (not available at time of agenda preparation). The deadline for submitting the IRWMP to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is July 21, 2014. The Regional Water Management Group (RWMG) and The Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) will vote to adopt the document at the August 6, 2014 meetings. Item 8.m. - Page 1 CITY COUNCIL JULY 8, 2014 DRAFT INTEGRATED. REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND DRAFT RECYCLED WATER STUDIES PAGE2 The IRWMP is scheduled on the County Board of Supervisor's agenda on August 12, 2014. Individual agencies will be asked to adopt the IRWMP in September. The link to the IRWMP document is: http://www.slocountywater.org/site/Frequent%20Downloads/lntegrated%20Regional%2 0Water%20Management%20Plan/IRWM%20Plan%20Update%202014/ Regional Recycled Water Strategic Plan (RRWSP) The 2007 SLO IRWMP (County, 2007) identified recycled water as one of the key strategies from providing long-term water supply reliability for the region in addition to diversifying water supply portfolios, reducing reliance on surface water imports, eliminating the discharge of treated wastewater to the ocean, and reducing conflicts associated with limited regional water sources. The Regional Recycled Water Strategic Plan (RRWSP) is one component of an update to the SLO IRWMP and is funded by a Round 2 IRWM Regional Planning Grant from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The RRWSP covers region wide recycled water opportunities and has focused evaluations within four study areas: 1. Morro Bay 2. Nipomo (Nipomo Community Services District (CSD)) 3. Northern Cities (Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, Oceano CSD, and South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District (SSLOCSD)) 4. Templeton {Templeton CSD) The study identifies opportunities and constraints and recommends next steps for each of the study areas. The Executive Summary is attached and the co-mplete report can be accessed at: http://www.slocountywater.org/site/Frequent%20Downloads/lntegrated%20Regional%2 0Water%20Management%20Plan/Recycled%20Water/. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) The objective of the 2014 IRWM Plan Update is directed at building upon the changes that have occurred since 2007, summarized as follows: • Build on the successful collaboration and planning presented in the 2007 IRWM Plan • Incorporate and consider the four Proposition 50 planning studies • Address the enhanced IRWM planning standards Item 8.m. - Page 2 CITY COUNCIL JULY 8, 2014 DRAFT INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND DRAFT RECYCLED WATER STUDIES PAGE3 • Consider changed regional conditions (i.e., groundwater/surface water availability • and increased agricultural and urban water demands) and enhanced planning approaches, including a revised governance approach • Address the highest priority data gaps and planning needs as determined through a public solicitation and review process Resolution of conflicts is identified as a 9ritical task in the implementation of the IRWM Plan. The plan identifies that conflicts and issues within the SLO Region have historical, geographic, technical, and institutional components, and center around three main areas: 1) groundwater management; 2) environmental stewardship while fostering planned urban growth; and 3) needs within low income and disadvantaged communities. Groundwater and its sustainability amongst a multitude of active groundwater basins is noted as the center of much conflict resulting in various forms of groundwater management and governance bodies. The intent stated in the plan is to continue to address conflict and foster local control of groundwater where resolution policies and programs are based on the use of high quality data for groundwater elevations, quality and sustainability. Conflicts involving fisheries and habitat are also addressed through programs that involve education and coordinated implementation for both uses throughout the SLO Region. Finally, the cost of water and decreased availability is addressed with respect to disadvantaged communities. The plan includes measures and criteria to address these issues iri project selection. According to the plan, a list of specific implementable projects and programs was selected through a series of Sub-Region workshops, electronic notifications, and Regional Water Management Group meetings. Each project and program was prioritized within the context of this IRWM Plan, with the intent that all projects meet the Goals and Objectives described fully in Section E- IRWM Goals and Objectives. All eligible projects and programs are incorporated in the IRWM Plan (see Section G - Project Solicitation, Selection and Prioritization) and described briefly in Table G-1. Projects specific to the NCMA area that were identified in the Long Form (initial list) include: • Oceana Drainage Improvement Project - Hwy 1 & 13th Street - South County Flood Management $1 M-$5M • Lopez Water Treatment Plant Membrane Rack Addition - South County Water Management $500K-$1 M • Lopez Lake Spillway Raise Project - South County Water Supply >$5M • NCMA_NMMA Salt and Nutrient Management Plan (SNMP) - South County Water Supply $250K-$500K • Pismo Beach Recycled Water Project - South County Water Management >$5M Item 8.m. - Page 3 CITY COUNCIL JULYS, 2014 DRAFT INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND DRAFT RECYCLED WATER STUDIES PAGE4 To reduce the list and ensure the highest priority projects, the Long Form projects were filtered by criteria including readiness-to-proceed, level of satisfying IRWM Goals and Objectives, gauged level of meeting State RMS based on applicable Objectives, and a rough equivalence of Sub-Region representation. The Lopez Spillway and the NCMA Salt and Nutrient Management Plan were excluded from the Final IRWM Project Short List due to a low readiness to proceed ranking, but are still included in the full project list and included in the IRWMP. The Oceano Drainage Improvement, Lopez Water Treatment Plant Membrane Rack Addition and Pismo Beach Recycled Water Projects were selected as the highest priority projects for inclusion in the updated IRWM Plan and likely future IRWM Grant applications. Regional Recycled Water Strategic Plan (RRWSP) The South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District (SSLOCSD) Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) currently discharges approximately 2.6 mgd of disinfected secondary effluent through a jointly owned ocean outfall (shared with Pismo Beach). Approximately 1.1 mgd of disinfected secondary effluent from Pismo Beach WWTP is discharged through the same ocean outfall. SSLOCSD has the largest volume of effluent considered in the RRWSP and one of the largest opportunities for large-scale reuse; however, landscape irrigation projects are expensive ($3,000+/af) and the more cost effective reuse opportunities - agricultural irrigation, industrial reuse, groundwater recharge, seawater intrusion barrier, and surface water augmentation - will require institutional, legal, outreach, and financial planning to be feasible. Next steps recommended include: • Complete planned treatment plant improvements and re-evaluate facilities needed to implement tertiary treatment upgrade. • Track regulatory drivers and their impacts on reuse opportunities from SSLOCSD WWTP. • Address institutional issues and potential funding mechanisms for regional projects. • Incorporate salt and nutrient management planning into water, wastewater, and recycled water planning. ALTERNATIVES: The following alternatives are provided for the Council's consideration: 1. Receive and file the update on the IRWMP and provide comments for staff to forward to San Luis Obispo County on the RRWSP; 2. Receive and file both the IRWMP and the RRWSP; 3. Provide direction to staff. Item 8.m. - Page 4 CITY COUNCIL JULY 8, 2014 DRAFT INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER