Loading...
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).