SR-07-22-2014-3DCity Council Meeting: July 22, 2014
Agenda Item: 3 -D
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dean Kubani, Manager, Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Subject: Approve the 2013 Updated (Approved February 2014) Greater Los
Angeles County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution to approve the 2013 Updated (Approved February
2014) Greater Los Angeles County Integrated Regional Water Management
Plan; and
2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to vote as a member of the Regional
Water Management Group for the Greater Los Angeles County Integrated
Regional Water Management Program to adopt this Plan in accordance with
Sections 10530 to 10546 of the California Water Code.
Executive Summary
The State of California Department of Water Resources created the Integrated Regional
Water Management (IRWM) Program to encourage local governments to collaborate on
strategies for managing water resources and to provide funding for both planning and
implementing projects. Santa Monica is a member of one of three Regional Water
Management Groups in the Greater Los Angeles County Region. Each group develops
and administers an IRWM Plan, which emphasizes the importance of integration and
cost - sharing to meet the region's future water resource management challenges.
The Plan advances the City's efforts to improve water management and attain water
self- sufficiency by 2020 through regional strategies and making needed funding
available. The Regional Water Management Group requires the governing bodies of
each member agency to adopt the updated IRWM Plan to qualify for funding for local
projects. Therefore, staff recommends Council adopt a resolution approving the 2013
Updated Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, which would ensure access to
future grant funds for regional projects, and authorize the City Manager or his designee
to vote as a member of the Regional Water Management Group for the Greater Los
Angeles County Integrated Regional Water Management Program to adopt this Plan in
accordance with Sections 10530 to 10546 of the California Water Code.
Background
The State of California Department of Water Resources created the Integrated Regional
Water Management (IRWM) Program to encourage integrated regional strategies for
managing water resources and to provide funding for both planning and implementing
projects. The local governments located in the Greater Los Angeles County Region,
including Santa Monica, formed three Regional Water Management Groups. Since
2006, these groups have supported the development and implementation of projects
that reduce the Region's reliance on imported water, provide improved water quality and
protect natural resources. To comply with state requirements, each of the three groups
developed and implemented IRWM programs and plans to comply with state
requirements. Through the IRWM Plan, member agencies acknowledge that integration
and cost - sharing are key to meeting the region's future water resource management
challenges.
The City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems ( NPDES) permit also
encourages the City to adopt a regional approach water management. The NPDES
permit controls discharges of non - stormwater and stormwater within Los Angeles
County into Santa Monica. The 2012 NDPES permit was rewritten to focus water
pollution solutions on onsite retention, low impact development and green infrastructure
solutions, such as infiltration pits, rain harvesting for direct use, and green streets,
instead of treat and release into the ocean. The permit also requires the cities of Los
Angeles County to coordinate and participate in regional solutions.
The IRWM Plan and the funding made available through its adoption align with Santa
Monica's goal of water self- sufficiency by 2020, which Council approved on March 8,
2011. 40 regional projects received $74 million of IRWM implementation grant funding.
Santa Monica received $1 million of those monies to fund the Marine Park runoff
improvement project, in which treated urban runoff from the cities of Los Angeles and
Santa Monica will be used for irrigation.
2
Discussion
The City is in the final stage of completing the Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP)
to achieve water self- sufficiency by 2020, which includes regional projects to harvest
local water for beneficial uses but requires additional funding to complete. Santa
Monica's Sustainable Water Master Plan includes a portfolio of water supply
augmentation strategies. One group of strategies is increasing rain harvesting for
onsite uses, such as irrigation and indoor flushing. Another strategy is the construction
of new water augmentation projects as well as operation and maintenance of existing
and new stormwater pollution control projects. These construction and annual
maintenance activities are needed for the City to comply with state water pollution
regulations.
These efforts are supported largely through the Clean Beaches and Ocean Fund, which
provides annual monies for the City's water management initiatives. The fund is not
large enough to complete all necessary projects of water supply augmentation and
water pollution compliance in a timely fashion; additional funding is needed. Taking
advantage of state funds available for these projects would help the region and the City
comply with the NDPES requirements. Adopting the IRWM Plan is important because it
demonstrates Santa Monica's commitment to regional water management efforts and
enables the City to apply for future funding under various grant programs.
As a member agency of its Group, Santa Monica's City Council is required to approve a
resolution to adopt the 2013 Update to the IRWM Plan. By adopting the 2013 Update
IRWM Plan, the City would have access to future funds for regional projects to increase
the City's local water supply, helping it meet its 2020 self- sufficiency goal of the SWMP
and addressing water quality requirements of the 2012 NDPES Permit. Staff
recommends that Council adopt this resolution and authorize the City Manager to vote
as a member of the Regional Water Management Group to adopt the 2013 Updated
IRWM Plan.
9
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the
recommended action.
Prepared by: Neal Shapiro, Senior Sustainability Analyst
Approved:
( $/
l / can Kubani, Manager
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachments:
Attachment A: Resolution Approving the Adoption of the 2013 (Approved
February 2014) Updated Greater Los Angeles County Integrated Regional Water
Management Plan
Reference:
Resolution No. 10824
(CCS)