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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.14.2017 WB Minutes Regular MtgB A K E R S F I E L D MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE WATER BOARD - CITY OF BAKERSFIELD Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 2:00 p.m. Water Resources Building Conference Room 1000 Buena Vista Road, Bakersfield, CA 93311 1, CALL TO ORDER Chairman Smith called the meeting to order at 2:03 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Chairman Smith and Member Weir Absent: Member Sullivan 3. MINUTES A. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 5, 2017 for approval Motion by Member Weir to approve the Minutes of the Regular Water Board Meeting of April 5, 2017. APPROVED with Member Sullivan absent 4. PUBLIC STATEMENTS Dennis Fox spoke briefly regarding water flow locally and requested to submit a letter subject titled: Cultural impacts to Water Transfers, for Board review at their leisure. Letter was copied and distributed to Board Members. No action taken. 5. REPORTS A. Kern River & Isabella Reservoir Operations Report Heather Williams, Hydrographic Supervisor, reviewed the first graph which showed the trends for the Kern River Natural Flow, Regulated Flow and Isabella Reservoir Storage, Ms. Williams stated since the last meeting there has been no significant storm activity to report. As of midnight last night the current storage at Lake Isabella is 354,017 acre feet, the regulated outflow is 5,419 cubic feet per second, and inflow into the lake is 4,391 cubic feet per second. Compared to the previous day Lake Isabella storage has decreased by 2,189 acre feet and inflow into the lake has also decreased by 784 cubic feet per second. As of this time, it looks like Lake Isabella storage will remain below the 361,200 acre feet limit for the remainder of the runoff season. Outflow will stay at 5,400 cubic per second. Ms. Williams reviewed the Kern River Basin Snowpack Bakersfield, California, June 14, 2017 - Page 2 5. REPORTS continued A. Accumulation chart, Ms. Williams stated the snow pack peak reached an approximate 44 inches of snow water content in March, This equates to approximately 12 foot of snow depth, B. Update on Water Usage in the City's Domestic Water Service Area from June 2016 through May 2017 Jason Meadors, Water Resources Director, stated back in June 2016 the State regulations allowed water purveyors to self- certify their water conservation targets based on their water supplies. The City and Cal Water both adopted a 91/o conservation standard target. April 7, 2017, the Governor ended the Drought State of Emergency for California's water purveyors, This action did away with the 9% water conservation target for the City and Cal Water, Even though there is no longer a conservation target for the City's Domestic Water Service Area, the City is still recommending that conservation efforts continue due to historically low groundwater levels and uncertainty of water supplies since 80% of our water supply comes from groundwater. From June 2016 through May 2017 the City's Domestic Water Service Area saved 7,575 acre feet compared to 2013 quantities which equates to the water usage by 12,000 residential customers for one year. Mr. Meadors reviewed graphs regarding Domestic Water Use Comparison and Metered Percent Reduction. The graphs show the water usage for the City's Domestic Water Service Area from June 2016 through May 2017 and the monthly percentage reduction for the service area for the same period compared to 2013, In May 2017 we conserved 23% from 2013 levels with an average of 17% for the period June 2016 through May 2017. Our residents have done a good job at conserving water and continually seem to do so even though the Governor lifted the drought. Chairman Smith verified the water usage was total usage and did not account for growth. Mr. Meadors confirmed Chairman Smith's statement as correct and further stated the City's Domestic Water Service Area has averaged 1000 more connections per year in system growth, 6. HEARINGS A. Hearing to consider adoption of the City's 2015 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) Art Chianello, Water Resources Manager, explained the background of the 2015 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). The UWMP is a domestic water planning document, Presented today is the 2015 update. The last UWMP update was the 2010 Urban Water Management Plan prepared April 2014. Some of the planning efforts that go into this document are to look at supplies, demands, population growth, and actual usage from 2015. This information is then used to make projections for supply and demand within the domestic service area up to the year 2040. In addition to supply and demand planning, there is also planning for single and multiple drought years with appropriate conservation action items depending on the severity of the drought. on 7. 8. 9. 10 Bakersfield, California, June 14, 2017 - Page 3 HEARINGS continued A. The Urban Water Management Plan is a document required by the State in accordance with the Urban Water Management Planning Act which was established in 1983. It is required that the UWMP be current in order for the City to be eligible for any State water grants. Every Urban Water Purveyor who uses more than 3,000 acre feet of water annually or has more than 3,000 connections is required to develop an Urban Water Management Plan, Chairman Smith opened the public hearing and asked if any one present was opposed to the plan proposed by staff. Hearing no comment, Chairman Smith asked if any one present would like to speak in favor of the plan. Hearing no comment, Chairman Smith closed the public hearing. Motion was made by Chairman Smith to recommend approval and forward to full council. Motion was approved with Member Sullivan absent. DEFERRED BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS KERN RIVER LEVEE DISTRICT MISCELLANEOUS A. Discussion Regarding City Water Conservation Ordinance City Manager Mr. Tandy started by pointing out City water usage was on the decline for many years prior to the drought on a per capita basis. We know the water usage decline as a result of the inflows at the Wastewater Treatment Facilities either due to new technology, low flow toilets, or improved conservation habits. Mr. Tandy stated we should be able to easily achieve our 9% conservation target long term. The drought helped more people to be conscious of conservation needs. Our rebates, conservation kits, and regulations to prevent water waste such as not watering the pavement should continue but Mr. Tandy suggested there is no scientific evidence watering only 3 days a week is a conservation effort, Mr. Tandy recommended dropping the 3 days a week, even /odd and no watering on Monday. Mr. Tandy stated Cal Water has already dropped theirs, which Mike Mares, Cal Water District Manager Bakersfield confirmed to be true. Cal Water is going to honor City Ordinance having their customers in the City of Bakersfield to follow the same. Kevin McCusker, Cal Water Government Relations Associate, stated based on a UCLA Study watering days as currently set up are not an effective water savings. Mr, Chianello added we want to continue the public awareness of water conservation in Bakersfield. The long term vision and goal would be to make water conservation a way of life. On April 7, 2017 almost simultaneous to the Governor liffing the drought the State came out with a document Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life. Bakersfield, California, June 14, 2017 - Page 4 10, MISCELLANEOUS continued A. Mr. Chianello said there are recommendations in the document we should follow, Continued and additional public outreach and awareness campaigns are the key to long -term conservation. Chairman Smith asked with regards to the 3 day a week watering if any tickets were issued, Mr. Chianello responded that during the peak we had some months with 300 calls. Not very many monetary tickets were issued. During the peak we did go out 5 days a week to the resident's doors putting door hangers letting residents know of the regulations, notified them of broken sprinklers, water wasting on the cement, and watering on the wrong day. Mr. Meadors confirmed for Chairman Smith the complaints were a mix of leaks and wrong days. Member Weir made the motion to move with staff's recommendation to amend the ordinance. Ms. Virginia Gennaro, City Attorney, asked for clarification if Staff is recommending amending the entire ordinance. Staff confirmed the re- word of Bakersfield Municipal Code Chapter 14.02.010 A, with subsections B., C., and D. staying the same. Ms. Gennaro advised she will reword A. and bring to City Council as an Amended Ordinance. Motion was approved with Member Sullivan absent. B. Update on the TCP Mitigation Project Jason Meadors, Water Resources Director, stated during the Water Resources Department's budget presentation on June 5, 2017, Council was shown a few slides and given a brief update on the TCP Mitigation Project. Staff would like to give the Water Board a more detailed project status update regarding upcoming expenses and agreements we are proposing to bring to Council in the upcoming months, TCP is a contaminate found in ground water in California and in Bakersfield area detected in our wells, City of Bakersfield have 64 wells on our system and 41 have detections of TCP above the proposed maximum contaminate level (MCL), MCL is the level the State is proposing to cap the TCP concentration so if we are above the set level and are delivering that to our system we are in violation. The MCL is to be finalized by the State any day now. Once the regulation is adopted by the State, the City will need to start sampling the domestic water system in January 2018 and if quarterly averages are above the TCP MCL the City could be in violation of not attaining the MCL. Mr. Meadors explained what this means for the City of Bakersfield is that many of the City's wells would need to be equipped with TCP treatment at the wellhead, which is going to be very expensive. New water wells may need to be drilled and our operation and maintenance costs are going to go up after we equip the TCP wells with wellhead treatment. At the May 10, 2017 meeting City Council passed an emergency resolution to initiate the TCP Mitigation Project to allow staff to move forward with contracts and agreements in a timely fashion to meet all state requirements. Water Resources Department fund balance is being used to pay for initial design, procurement and construction costs. The contract approved last council meeting with Evoqua for approximately 9 million dollars. Provost and Pritchard is the design engineer for this project with design drawings to 30% for all the Bakersfield, California, June 14, 2017 - Page 5 10. MISCELLANEOUS continued B. wells completed to date. Scheduled for the July 28, 2017 City Council meeting staff plans on bringing forth a contract with W.M. Lyles to begin the design /build phase of the project. This contract will include scope of work for 70% of design and will be for approximately 2 million dollars, Upon completion of the 70% design, staff will have a better estimate of the cost of the project. City staff is currently working on plans to develop additional funding to complete the project, As discussed at the Department Budget presentation to City Council, a rate increase is necessary in the near future. The State is adopting this MCL and leaving us a very short window to procure everything, get a contract, and equip all our well sites. We are in a difficult position but we are doing our best to meet the deadlines the State has given us. Mr. Tandy added the State was originally to decide January 2017 with an implementation a year later. As of June 2017 the State still has not decided and the implementation date is still set for January 2018. A multi- million dollar project with a six month window is a tremendous burden on the Water Resources Department. It is extremely difficult to deal with the financing because there is going to be a bond issue eventually. Normally when you go to a bond issue you have absolute final costs, absolute final total scope of work but in this case it is still evolving and a short time frame to make it evolve. We are trying through legal efforts to recover some of these costs through litigation but there is a question to when that will occur verses when we have to bond. The City of Bakersfield likes more prudent, long term financial planning. The State has, from what everyone is saying is the inevitable, with adoption of this regulation coupled with no extension of the time limit has caused us to work in an unreasonably compressed time frame. Chairman Smith asked how are we going to meet 5 -6 month deadline, seems no way to meet, Mr. Tandy stated the consultant has worked out a theoretical plan under which doing certain wells coupled with usage lower in the winter and usage ramping up in the spring /summer will allow the best path to meet this deadline. Ms, Gennaro clarified in January 2018 if the MCL goes into effect we need to start testing wells. It is an annual average so that is why the consultant is going to triage the wells, testing is quarterly so there is a little wiggle room. Not all of the wells need to be treated with the vessels by January 2018. Mr. Tandy and Ms, Gennaro agreed the State is not allowing us adequate time. Between the City of Bakersfield and Cal Water there are 150 wells, by far the largest in the State. Mr. Mares from Cal Water stated we are in this together. Member Weir asked about the time frame going forward. Mr. Meadors stated our consultant Provost and Pritchard has a schedule whereby we need to equip 10 wells by April 2018 and then 17 wells by June 2018. Late July 2017 to early August 2017 we would be at 70% design that would allow the contractor to give us a locked in price as far as what the construction would cost, It would then be another month or so to be a 100% design. Contractors at 70% design would be able to start ordering materials and equipment so when 100% is complete construction can begin and get the wells online by April 2018. Vessels are being ordered now due to a long lead -time. Member Weir asked with the 70% design, can we do an RFQ and go out to bid. Bakersfield, California, June 14, 2017 - Page 6 10. MISCELLANEOUS continued B. Mr. Tandy reminded the Emergency Resolution Council passed allows for the waiver of normal bid requirements. There will be a negotiated maximum price guarantee contract. Mr. Chianello added the project delivery method is a design /build, The contractor with the consulting design engineer as a project manager work as a team to meet the aggressive deadlines in a timely, efficient fashion. Mr. Tandy discussed public sector, revenue bond financing and explained a Rate Covenant. Due to the State's regulation the City Council may have to increase rates at a level they may not comfortable with. 11. WATER BOARD STATEMENTS Member Weir stated no comment. Chairman Smith told Mr. Chianello to keep up the good work, Mr. Chianello stated he has good staff. 12, CLOSED SESSION - None 13. CLOSED SESSION ACTION - None 14. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Smith adjourned the m6eting at 2:44 p.m. ee Bob Smith, Chairman,' City of Bakersfield Water Board bbie Zarag za, CIVIC, Secretary City of Bak rsfield Water Board