SR-502-006 (2)
EPWM:CP:BJ:f/EPWM/ADMIN/Staffrpt/07-22-03/MWD55334StaffReport.doc
Council Meeting: July 22, 2003 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Contract With The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California For
The Residential Water Conservation Program
Introduction
This report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate
and execute a contract with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
(MWD) for the City?s Residential Water Conservation Rebate Program. The term of the
contract is from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2006.
Background
Since 1989, the City?s Bay Saver Program has provided financial incentives to
residents to install ultra low-flow (ULF) water efficiency devices, including toilets,
aerators, showerheads, and clothes washers. Throughout the program, MWD has
provided financial credits to the City when residential water customers install these
devices.
In 2002, the Environmental Programs Division (EPD) began developing and
implementing new Water Conservation Programs, with MWD incentives, as a result of
the ?2002 Water Efficiency Strategic Plan (Plan).? To date, the Plan notes that over
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46,000 ultra-low flow toilets (ULFTs) have been installed in residential and commercial
properties through the City?s Bay Saver Program (a 96% saturation rate of ULFTs in
residential properties). These toilets have saved the City over 7.1 billon gallons or
22,000 AF of water. The recently adopted Sustainable City Plan calls for a 20%
reduction in water consumption by year 2010, which is a savings of 2.6 million gallons
per day.
Due to saturation in the residential sector, the City?s water conservation strategy
eliminates the broader program of residential toilet rebates and free toilet giveaways.
However, low-income residents that meet the Water Utility?s assistance program
requirements are still eligible.
In 2002, the City began rebating $100 per high-efficiency clothes washer (HECW).
These washers save approximately 25 gallons of water per day. Additionally, the Plan
also calls for residential landscape related programs, such as weather-based irrigation
controller rebates. MWD has additional incentive programs available to the City, each
of which formerly required a separate contract. MWD has now consolidated these
programs into one broad contract.
Discussion
The new MWD contract ensures that an incentive program supporting the on-going
installation of water-saving devices will be available to Santa Monica residents and
businesses, including rebates on ULFTs, dual-flush toilets, toilet flappers,
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showerheads, faucet aerators, water audits for single-family homes, weather-based
landscape irrigation controllers, and HECW?s. By offering incentives for these types of
devices, staff projects water savings of approximately 9.2 million gallons over the next 3
years. In addition to water savings through efficient product installations, leaks may be
detected and repaired during home interior/exterior water audits. With the installation
of weather-based irrigation controllers, urban runoff can be reduced by approximately
40%.
Budget/Financial Impact
There are no significant budget or financial impacts. The City will receive one-time
credits per audit and device on its MWD water bills for each home audit and qualified
water-saving device installed. The credits per audit and device range from $1 to $110.
For example, the one-time credit for an ULF toilet is $60. These credits show up on the
City?s water bill from MWD, reducing City payments to MWD, and offset the City?s
Water Conservation Program cost, which is administered by Kema-Xenergy and comes
from Environmental Programs Division?s operating expense account 31662.544390.
Recommendations
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a contract with Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for the Water
Conservation Program from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2006.
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director, Environmental and Public Works Management
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Brian Johnson, Manager, Environmental Programs Division
Neal Shapiro, Senior Administrative Analyst -Water Resources
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