SR-6-H (67)
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EP'f./"M : EPD: SM Santa Monlca, Callfornla
CounCll Meetlng: October 25, 1994
OCT 2 5 ..
TO: Mayor and Clty Councll
FROM: Clty Staff
SUBJECT. Recommendatlon to Authorlze the Clty Manager to
Negotiate and Execute an Agreement to Partlc~pate In an
Irrlgatlon Efflclency partnershlP Program with the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamatlon and the Metropolltan Water
Dlstrlct of Southern Callfornla
INTRODUCTION
ThlS report recommends that the Clty CouDcll authorlze the Clty
Manager to negotlate and execute an agreement to partlclpate In an
lrrigatlon efflclency partnershlp program almed at reduclng
exterlor water use and improvlng irrlgatlon management by the
Clty, Santa Monlca/Ma1lbu Unifled School Distrlct, and Santa
Monica College. Fundlng for the proJect will be provided by the
U.S. Bureau of ReclaITatlon (Bureau) , the Metropolltan Water
Dlstrlct of Southern Ca1lfornla (MWD) , and the Clty of Santa
Monica. The total proJect cost wl11 be $497,196 WhlCh wlll be
borne 40 percent by the Bureau ($198, 900), 50 percent by WND
($248,580) , and 10 percent by the Clty'S Water Fund ($49,716).
The Clty'S share of the fundlng would be used to establlsh a
shared savlngs loan fund dedlcated solely to upgradlng the
lrrlgatlon systems at those sltes to be lncluded on the
centrallzed system.
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OCT 2 5 ~
BACKGROUND
In order to support local water conservatlon proJects In Southern
Callfornla and to expedlte lmplementatlon of the best management
practlces contained In the Memorandum of Understandlng on Urban
Water Conservation In Callfornla, the Unlted States Bureau of
Reclamatlon allocated $2.5 mllllon In federal flscal year 1994-95
to the Metropolltan Water Dlstrlct of Southern Callfornla (MWTI)
for dlsbursement to member agenCles. The City subm~tted a
proposal for an lnnovatlve landscape partnershlp proJect whlch
would llnk large turf (grass) sltes In Santa Monlca Vla a
centrallzed and cornputerlzed lrrlgatlon controller. The ln~tlal
partners would be Santa Monlca/Mallbu Unlfled School Dlstrict,
Santa Monlca College, the Clty of Santa Monlca's Parks Dlvlslon,
and the Clty'S Woodlawn Cemetery. The central controller would be
scheduled to lrrlgate turf sltes with maxlmum water efflclency
whlle malntalnlng landscape quallty. The key goal lS to lmprove
water management efflclency. The Clty was lnformed In September
that lts proposal had been approved for JOlnt fundlng.
DISCUSSION
The proJect wlll be lmplemented in four phases as described below:
Phase 1 of the proposed program wlll focus on deflnlng the
organlzatlonal responslbllltles of the partners and preClse
quantlflcatlon of the potential water savlngs and costs. One of
the challenges of the proJect wlll be to coordlnate the varlOUS
partners over the three-year proJect term. The proposed use of a
slngle central lrrlgatlon controller requlres a hlgh level of
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lntegratlon among the partners. A formal Memorandum of
Understanding wlll be prepared for the partners' slgnature whlch
outllnes program obJectlves and each partners' responslbllltles
related to the program. A partnershlP Worklng Group composed of
one representatlve from each partlclpating agency wlll meet
regularly to reVlew and resolve problems whlch arlse as the
proJect progresses.
Phase 2 of the proJect concentrates on lnspectlon and testlng of
eXlstlng lrrlgatlon equlpment to allow calculatlon of accurate
lrrlgatlon schedules. The partlclpatlng agencles have many sltes
wlth older, lnefflcient lrrlgatlon systems. The slte-by-slte
analysls WhlCh wlll precede purchase and lnstallatlon of a central
controller wlll asslst the partners In ldentlfYlng sltes most In
need of lmprovement. The shared savlngs loan wlll provide
flnanclng for speclflc retroflt and repalr tasks deslgned to
restore reasonable lrrlgatlon efflciency at the slte. Paybacks,
whlch wlll be collected through the regular water blll, wlll occur
over a two to three year perlod after lnstallatlon of the central
controller.
Phase 3 of the proJect concerns the selectlon, lnstallatlon, and
lnltlal operatlon of the central lrrlgatlon controller.
Partnershlp Worklng Group members and others wlll partlclpate In
an evaluatlon and selectlon process of blds from numerous
manufacturers of centrallzed and computerlzed lrrlgatlon systems.
The centrallzed lrrlgatlon control system wlll be llnked to the
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computerlzed weather statlon In Santa Monlca (CIMIS) to provlde
tlmely weather data to the computer for calculatlon of irrigatlon
schedules. Central controllers requlre tralned operators. A..
effectlve tralnlng program of partnershlP Worklng Group members
wlll therefore be implemented covering all aspects of effectlve
exterlor water management.
Phase 4 of the project wlll monltor water consumptlon through
weekly meter readlngs to allow tracklng of the proJect progress
and verlflcatlon of savlngs. A professlonal lrrlgatlon management
consultant wlll asslst Clty staff In all phases of lmplementatlon
and ongolng management of thls proJect. The flnal task of the
proJect wlll be to evaluate proJect success and ldentify promlslng
dlrectlons for potentlal future programs to further reduce
exterlor water use.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT
The total proJect cost wlll be $497,196. Thls cost wlll be 40
percent flnanced by the Bureau ($198,900); 50 percent by ~WD
($248,5801, and 10 percent by the Clty of Santa Monica Water Fund
($49,716) . The funds from the Bureau and WND wlll be dlsbursed to
the Clty'S Water Fund once the agreement lS f~nallzed by all
partles. _~y purchases or contracts resultlng from the program
wlll be processed In accordance wlth the Clty'S purchaslng
regulatlons. It lS therefore recommended that Clty Councll
approve new revenue account number 25-500-671-00000-0330-10000 In
the Water Fund In the amount of $447,480. It lS further
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recommended that C1ty Councll approprlate $497,196 to CIP account
number 25-760-662-20095-8900-99795. The CIP account wlll lnclude
the Clty'S share of total proJect costs ($49,716) .
RECOMMENDATIONS
It 18 recommended that Clty CounCll authorlze the Clty Manager to
negotlate and execute an agreement to partlclpate In an Irrlgatlon
Efflclency partnershlP Program an approve the necessary budget
adjustments described In thls report.
Prepared by: Cralg Perklns, Env1ronmental and PubIle Works
Management Dlrector
Susan Munves, Conservatlon Coordinator
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