sr-042611-3mCity Council Meeting: April 26, 2011
Agenda Item: J
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dean Kubani, Director, Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Subject: Resolution Authorizing the City to Apply for and Accept a Grant from the
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, WaterSMART
System-0ptimization Review.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in the
amount of $300,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation's
WaterSMART Optimization Review (SOR) Grant program for developing a water self-
reliant master plan:
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply for and
accept the grant, if awarded; and
3. If awarded the grant, authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts
and Budget Actions section of this report.
Executive Summary
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation administers the
WaterSMART Program to provide Federal leadership and assistance on the efficient
use of water. One million dollars is available annually on a competitive basis to water
providers to promote improvements in water use and to work toward sustainable water
practices. The City Council has begun a process to make Santa Monica water self-
sufficient by 2020 by directing staff to prepare a Sustainable Water Master Plan, which
strives to eliminate the City's need for imported water from the Metropolitan Water
District. Staff intends to apply for- $300,000 in grant funding to partially fund the
development of the Sus#ainable Water Master Plan.
Background
On September 20. 2010, the Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment
unanimously adopted the following motion regarding water self-sufficiency:
"The Task Force on the Environment recommends that City Council direct staff to
develop a plan to reach a 100% sustainable water supply (100% water self-sufficiency
from local sources) by 2020. This plan should include 1) a safe yield analysis of all City
owned ground water resources, including Charnock, Olympic and Arcadia basins, 2) an
analysis of the impact of enhanced ground water augmentation through storm water
infiltration on the transport of contaminates, and 3) a thorough economic analysis of the
costs, benefits and potential savings that could be achieved by reaching this sustainable
goal. "
On January 25, 2011, Council directed staff to develop a water self-sufficiency plan and
to prepare a study session on the topic.
On March 8, 2011, staff presented a study session on achieving water self-sufficiency.
Council requested that staff produce a sustainable water master plan by spring 2012 to
achieve water self-sufficiency by 2020.
Discussion
The U.S. Department of the Interior's WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's
Resources for Tomorrow) Program establishes a framework to provide Federal
leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water, integrating water and energy
policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources. Through this program,
the Department is working to achieve a sustainable water strategy to meet the Nation's
water needs. With WaterSMART System Optimization Review Grants, the Department
provides cost-sharing funding on a competitive basis for projects that focus on
improving. water and energy efficiency throughout a water system.
Staff recommends that Council approve the submission of a grant application to
WaterSMART, to support the hiring of a consultant to develop a sustainable water
master plan to achieve self-sufficiency by 2020. The plan will focus on water system
optimization to maximize local supplies and minimize imported supplies (supply-side
management) and reduce demand to the maximum extent possible (demand-side
management) to achieve 100% water sufficiency and end the City's dependence upon
imported water.
The present estimated cost to develop the sustainable water master plan is $600,000.
The grant requires a 50% match based upon the entire project cost. The City is
requesting a $300,000 grant.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The total grant requested is $300,000. The grant, if approved, requires a 50% local
match, which can be met through previously appropriated funds in the account
P250829.589000 Water Master Plan:
Prepared By: Neal Shapiro, Senior Administrative Analyst
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
> ~~ ~"'~
Dean Kubani
Director, Office of Sustainability and the
Environment
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachment 1: Resolution
Reference Resolution No.
10573 (CCS).