DATE: March 9, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: 2021-2022 Annual Water Conservation Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Sitting as the Fresno County Board of Supervisors:
1. Conduct a public hearing on the Annual Water Conservation Report; and
2. Adopt Resolution declaring Water Conservation Stage Two from May 1, 2021 through November 30, 2021 and Stage Three from April 1, 2021 through April 30, 2021 and December 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022 and impose the corresponding regulations within County Service Area No. 39 Zones A & B under Fresno County Ordinance, Chapter 14.01.
Sitting as the Board of Directors of Waterworks District Nos. 37, 38, 40, 41, and 42:
3. Conduct a public hearing on the Annual Water Conservation Report; and
4. Adopt Resolution declaring Water Conservation Stage Four from April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022 and impose the corresponding regulations within Waterworks District No. 40 under Fresno County Ordinance Code, Chapter 14.01.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will implement a water conservation stage for the identified County Service Areas (CSAs) and Waterworks Districts (WWD) to be implemented independently. All other water districts not specifically identified will be placed under the Normal Water Conservation regulations in Fresno County Ordinance Code, Chapter 14.01. Record owners of properties within the districts that make up the 2021-22 Annual Water Conservation Report (Report) were notified of this public hearing per section 14.01.040 of the Ordinance. This item pertains to residents in Districts 1, 4, and 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board can choose to impose a different water conservation stage than those recommended by staff in the Report. For CSA 39AB, choosing to impose a different water conservation stage could mean a violation of the regulations placed on the County as a customer of the City of Fresno (City), their potable water provider. For WWD 40, choosing to impose a different water conservation stage could result in less than sufficient water, which would have adverse effects on human consumption, sanitation, and fire protection.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. All associated costs are funded by the 21 districts covered in the Report. The recommended water conservation stages would be funded by the district where the enforcement occurs.
DISCUSSION:
County Ordinance Code, Chapter 14.01, provides water conservation rules for all county service areas, county service area zones, and county waterworks districts whose governing board is your Board, where the County serves water for human consumption (Districts). In accordance with Ordinance Code section 14.01.040(A), in March of each year, for each of the Districts, the Director shall present to the Board an annual water conservation report.
On January 4, 2021, in accordance with Ordinance Code section 14.01.040(B), Department staff sent a draft of the Report to all Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) members of the 21 Districts and requested that comments, questions, and concerns regarding the draft Report be sent to staff by January 24, 2020. Department staff also informed the CAC members that any comments received would be included with the presentation of the Report to your Board.
In accordance with Ordinance Code section 14.01.050(B), staff mailed notices of this public meeting on February 5, 2021, via United States Postal Service first-class mail to all record property owners within the Districts in the Report as shown on the last equalization assessment roll. In accordance with Ordinance Code section 14.01.050 (A), staff published the required notice in the Fresno Bee on March 2, 2021.
In the Report, staff recommends the implementation of a water conservation stage for two Districts in the 2021-22 water year (April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022), based on relevant information regarding their specific water supply and demand during the past few years. The Districts for which staff recommends a water conservation stage are CSA 39AB and WWD 40. Staff recommends Normal Water Conservation regulations for all other Districts.
Through an agreement, CSA 39AB purchases treated water from the City and as a customer the CSA is expected to comply with the current water regulations enforced by the City. The City’s water regulations, outlined in Appendix B of the Report, most closely align with “Water Conservation Stage Two” under Ordinance Code section 14.01.090 (Stage Two) from May 1 through November 30 and with “Water Conservation Stage Three” under Ordinance Code section 14.01.100 (Stage Three) from December 1 through April 30. Therefore, Department staff recommends Stage Two from May 1, 2021, through November 30, 2021, and Stage Three from April 1, 2021, through April 30, 2021, and from December 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022, for CSA 39AB.
Department staff projects that the WWD 40 wells may not be able to sustain sufficient water capacity for human consumption, sanitation, and fire protection for some periods in the 2021-22 water year if conservation does not continue. Therefore, staff recommends that WWD 40 set at “Water Conservation Stage Four” under Ordinance Code section 14.01.110 for the 2021-22 water year.
If your Board adopts the recommended resolutions declaring water conservation stages for CSA 39AB and WWD 40, those water conservation rules will go into effect in those Districts on April 1, 2021.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #16, March 10, 2020
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - 2021-2022 Annual Water Conservation Report
On file with Clerk - Resolution (Org 9212)
On file with Clerk - Resolution (Org 9360)
CAO ANALYST:
Samantha Buck