Attachment_A_-_2018_Sustainable_Water_Master_Plan_Update.pdf

SUSTAINABLE WATER MASTER PLAN

UPDATE

DECEMBER 2018

City of Santa Monica

City of Santa Monica | SUSTAINABLE WATER MASTER PLAN UPDATE

Introduction ES-1

Introduction The City of Santa Monica (City) has historically served residential and business customers by implementing bold efforts to secure community resiliency and self-sufficiency.

Traditionally, the City’s water portfolio has been a combination of local groundwater and imported Northern California (State Water Project) and Colorado River water purchased from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). In recent years, the

City also has implemented an innovative water conservation program to stretch local supplies and reduce the use of imported water.

Given the growing statewide challenges associated with maintaining a safe and reliable water supply, the City Council in 2011 directed staff to develop a water self-sufficiency plan with the goal of meeting 100 percent of Santa Monica’s water demand using local water sources. Since that time, several actions have occurred: the City stepped up its aggressive conservation plan in 2015 in response to statewide drought conditions, the State of

California adopted stringent new drinking water regulations relating to groundwater contamination in December 2017, and staff prepared and the Council adopted a

Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP) in November 2018.

The primary objective of this SWMP Update is to bridge the gap between the August 2018

SWMP (prepared by a consultant, Black & Veatch) and subsequent feasibility analysis conducted by staff to issue the final SMWP recommendations to Council in November 2018.

The subsequent feasibility analysis conducted by Water Resources Division staff refined

Chapter 5 – Future Water Supply Options of the August 2018 SWMP prepared by Black &

Veatch in order to update recommended projects to achieve water self-sufficiency.

Therefore, the recommended pathway to achieve water self-sufficiency, as presented in the

November 2018 Staff Report, and summarized in this report supersedes the recommendations of the August 2018 SWMP. In November 2018, Water Resources staff presented Council with an Updated SWMP, which outlines measures to achieve Water Self-

Sufficiency by 2023. This SWMP Update highlights the updated SWMP (November 2018) that refined the pathway to achieve water self-sufficiency by 2023, references the previous

SWMP efforts, and provides links to the reports and investigations discussed herein.

BENEFITS TO SELF SUFFICIENCY

Becoming water self-sufficient offers the City three major benefits:

1. Long- term cost protection for water ratepayers.

2. A diverse, sustainable, and drought-resilient local water supply.

3. A reduced water supply energy footprint.

Water self- sufficiency equates to approximately 99 percent locally-sourced water. One percent of the City’s water supply will still be purchased from MWD to maintain the imported water connections for emergency purposes.

Background ES-2

Background The City is a recognized leader in California for its progressive environmental and water conservation policies. The City implements an aggressive water conservation program and operates a water system comprised of groundwater basins, treatment facilities, and imported water connections. In January 2011, City Council directed staff to develop a water self-sufficiency plan with the goal of meeting all of the City’s water demand using local water sources by 2020. In October 2014, Council adopted the SWMP, which outlines a comprehensive plan to achieve water self-sufficiency. The SWMP is an innovative plan with a combination of water demand reduction strategies and increased development of local water supplies. Water reduction is achieved through implementation of various water conservation and efficiency programs designed to permanently reduce residential and commercial water use. Development of new sustainable local water supplies comes from

(i) alternative water sources such as captured rainwater and municipal wastewater for non-potable uses, (ii) increased efficiency of the City’s water treatment systems, and (iii) additional pumping from existing wells and new wells in the local groundwater basin.

Between 2014 and 2018, several elements of the SWMP moved forward, including completion of a preliminary Sustainable Yield Analysis (SYA) of the Santa Monica

Groundwater Basin and finalization of plans for the Sustainable Water Infrastructure

Project (SWIP) to recharge local groundwater supplies with purified water. Staff initiated a comprehensive update of the SWMP in 2017 to incorporate new information regarding local groundwater resources, new regulatory requirements, and new water conservation programs and alternate water supply opportunities.

Table 1 presents a summary of the City’s water supply portfolio and recommended actions necessary to attain water self-sufficiency. The first column of the table lists the percentage of the City’s demand met by each source received in 2017. In addition to the facilities described in the table, a substantial portion of the City’s water demand is met through water conservation, which accounted for approximately 18 percent of the City’s water supply portfolio in 2017.

Background ES-3

Table 1. Overview of City of Santa Monica’s Water Supply Portfolio

SYSTEM/

PERCENTAGE FACILITIES

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

REQUIREMENTS

Local Groundwater Basins

52 percent

Charnock, Arcadia, and Olympic Sub-basins

Major sources of local groundwater with nine active wells and a tenth well undergoing permitting. The local groundwater treatment facilities currently consists of:

• Charnock Treatment Unit - Provides biological granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment for contaminated wells, followed by additional treatment at Arcadia.

• Arcadia Water Treatment Plant (WTP) - Provides reverse osmosis (RO) treatment to soften the City’s groundwater supply.

Other Sub-basins

The Coastal sub-basin will be maintained as a water supply reliability reserve. Initial exploration and investigation efforts to quantify water quality and yield for the Coastal sub-basin is being conducted.

Issues

From 1997 – 2010, the City’s largest groundwater wellfield, Charnock wellfield, was shut down due to third party contamination. An agreement with the responsible parties provided settlement funds, which to date have funded an upgrade to the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and new treatment facility at Charnock.

Production from the Olympic Sub-basin is currently limited due to contamination by a third party. The Olympic Wellfield will be restored with a new treatment facility as proposed in the SWMP.

To achieve water self-sufficiency, the City will be looking to: 1) restore the Olympic sub-basin with a new advanced water treatment facility to meet the new regulatory requirements and maximize groundwater production, 2) produce more water from the existing WTP, and 3) reduce the amount of RO brine concentrate currently discharged to the sanitary sewer through production efficiency upgrades at the Arcadia WTP.

Imported Water

29 percent

MWD Connections

The City receives imported water at two connections with MWD, turnouts capable of delivering up to 100 percent of the local water needs.

Issues

The cost of imported water is predicted to increase at a rate of four to seven percent every year.

Once water self-sufficiency is achieved, the City will maintain these imported water connections, for water security, in case of a natural disaster or other emergency.

Conservation

18 percent

Local Conservation Efforts

In response to state wide drought conditions in 2015, the City implemented various water conservation measures that resulted in a permanent water demand reduction of approximately 18 percent or approximately 2,500 acre-feet per year (AFY). The average annual water consumption was reduced from 140 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) to 110 gpcd.

Issues

A diversified, drought resilient water supply portfolio is necessary for the City to achieve water self-sufficiency as conservation alone will not be sufficient.

Existing conservation efforts will be enhanced through the Optimal Conservation Plan to reduce water demand by an additional 600 AFY of water demand reduction by 2023 and 1,000 AFY by 2030.

Background ES-4

SYSTEM/

PERCENTAGE FACILITIES

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

REQUIREMENTS

Recycled Water

1 percent

Recycled Water (Alternative Water supply)

The City currently captures and treats dry weather urban runoff at the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF) to produce recycled water that is used for irrigation and toilet flushing to offset potable water demand.

Upgrade and expand alternative water supplies to increase recycled water use and recharge local groundwater aquifers to offset imported water purchase.

In January 2018, staff reported to Council that further analysis was needed to assess whether the City could meet its water self-sufficiency goal by 2020. A Draft SWMP was prepared for the City by Black & Veatch Corporation and issued in August 2018 (See

Attachment A). Key report findings from the August 2018 SWMP are described in Table 2.

Subsequent to completion of the August 2018 SWMP, Water Resources Division staff incorporated additional information (treatment feasibility study findings for the Olympic

Wellfield and production efficiency enhancements for the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant) to refine the pathway to achieve water self-sufficiency and final recommendations were released through a staff report to the Council in November 2018 (See Attachment B).

Table 2. Key Findings of August 2018 Sustainable Water Master Plan Update (Attachment A)

TOPIC DESCRIPTION

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

IMPLICATIONS

Historical and Current Water Use

Chapter 2 of August 2018 SWMP

Review of Historic Water Use and Water Demand

Analysis of historic water use (monthly water production and billing records for 2012-2017).

Review of Historic and Current Water Demand by Customer Type

Assessment of residential, commercial/institutional, landscape/ irrigation, recycled water, and fire service usage.

Review of Factors Affecting Water Use

Analysis of population, economic activity, weather and climate change, climate change vulnerability, saltwater intrusion/water quality, and flooding/storm surges.

Review of Impact of Historical Water Conservation

Analysis of drought and policy mandates, creation of Water Conservation Unit (CSU), and 2014-2017 water conservation programs and policies.

Identified trends and captured changes in water use and customers within the City and assessed measures to support self-sufficiency such as new enhancements to existing programs and ordinances for new development and water waste.

Background ES-5

TOPIC DESCRIPTION

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

IMPLICATIONS

Current Water Sources and Supplies

Chapter 3 of August 2018 SWMP

Hydraulic Analysis of System

Review of City’s hydraulic model for the water distribution system capacity.

Review of Imported Water Characteristics and Challenges

Review of imported water deliveries from MWD including water connections (turnouts) and assessment of Tier 1 rate allocations and drought impacts.

Review of Santa Monica Groundwater Basin

Analysis of current sub-basin activities, groundwater production (1988 – 2017), characteristics, and challenges including contamination and treatment.

Review of Non-Potable Water and Historical SMURRF Production

Review of SMURRF operations, recycled water operations, and impact of conservation efforts on dry weather runoff.

Determined improvements needed to wells, treatment facilities, and distribution pipelines to meet future supply and water use requirements.

Future Water Use

Chapter 4 of August 2018 SWMP

Potable Water Use Analysis

Review of water use trends, including conservation and comparison of future water demand based on water conservation program projections.

Population Growth Projections

Projection of 2030 population projection reflecting information from the City’s Plan and Downtown Community Plan.

Potable Water Demand Projection

Calculated future potable water demands from the potable water use analysis and population projections.

Develop a clear understanding of the City’s future water needs to eliminate reliance on imported water.

Other work completed in parallel with the August 2018 Update included analysis to validate preliminary SYA estimates of the local groundwater basin, drilling of exploratory water wells in the Coastal sub-basin to evaluate potential new local water production, completion of technical studies to evaluate the cost and viability of increasing the production efficiency of the Arcadia WTP, evaluation of the impact of new State drinking water regulations (e.g., maximum contaminant level [MCL] for 1,2,3 trichloropropane

[TCP]) on groundwater extraction from the Olympic Sub-basin or Wellfield, and evaluation of the cost and viability of additional water conservation programs as requested by the

Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment.

Based on all of this information, a revised water self-sufficiency achievement goal of 2023 was established (See Figure 1).

Background ES-6

Figure 1. Self-Sufficiency Timeline

With imported water purchase costs from MWD expected to increase annually from 3 to 7 percent over the next ten years, the primary focus of the updated SWMP is to develop water self-sufficiency scenarios that are both sustainable and economical compared to the continued purchase of imported water from MWD.

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-7

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency The City’s water supply portfolio has progressively transformed since 2011, with the community making significant strides toward water self-sufficiency and reduced reliance on the purchase of imported water to supplement local water resources. After completion of the Charnock Wellfield Restoration Project in 2010, the City was able to meet approximately 51 percent (~6,700 acre-feet per year [AFY]) of its water supply demand through local groundwater resources and reduce the purchase of water from MWD to approximately 48 percent (~6,400 AFY).

To achieve water self-sufficiency by 2023, the SWMP proposes replacing imported water purchases through three components:

� Component 1 - Increasing water conservation efforts to permanently reduce water demand.

� Component 2 - Developing sustainable and drought resilient alternative water supplies.

� Component 3 - Expanding local groundwater production within sustainable yield limits.

As shown in Figure 2, these three components, when combined with current water conservation efforts and use of local groundwater supplies, will eliminate the City’s reliance on imported water purchases from MWD and provide the City with a diversified, drought resilient water supply portfolio that offers greater cost control over water rates.

Figure 2. Sustainable Water Portfolio

Figure 3 illustrates how the three components of the SWMP would work together to provide local Water Self-Sufficiency by 2023.

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency

Figure 3. Synergy to Provide Water Self Sufficiency

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-9

COMPONENT 1 – INCREASING WATER CONSERVATION (38 PERCENT REDUCTION

IN IMPORTED WATER PURCHASES)

The City initiated its Water Efficiency Strategic Plan in 2002 and in 2004 began implementing various conservation programs including No Water Waste and Green

Building Ordinances. Continuation of existing, and implementation of proposed, conservation measures are essential for the City to eliminate reliance on imported water.

Conservation will play a critical role in the City’s march toward water self-sufficiency by continuing to reduce overall use even in the face of demand from new housing and from the commercial and institutional sectors of the local economy.

In 2014, Council authorized the significant expansion of staffing and funding to augment the City’s water conservation efforts to address the state-wide drought and help the

City meet its self-sufficiency goal. This contributed to a water demand reduction of approximately 20 percent from 2015 – 2017, which equates to savings of approximately

2,500 AFY. Implementation of the existing conservation programs with the addition of supplemental conservation efforts is expected to continue this trend of water demand reduction through 2040.

In developing the water conservation plan to reach and maintain water self-sufficiency, the

City evaluated the potential for further water efficiency and conservation in all customer sectors. This included an assessment of the current level of water fixtures, as well as identifying where the greatest opportunities for reducing water consumption existed.

Based on this analysis, a program plan was developed to reach the City’s long-term objectives via existing and new conservation programs. City staff modeled three conservation plans: Optimal, Enhanced, and 90 gpcd. Staff met with industry experts to review and receive input on the modeling effort and the proposed conservation programs.

A panel of outside experts supported both the Optimal and Enhanced conservation plans and the proposed programs that comprise them.

Based on the modeling, the City selected the Optimal conservation plan, which continues the successful ongoing programs and increases water conservation in untapped areas such as funding of retrofits in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District facilities and landscapes, commercial sector fixture retrofits and enhanced rebates, coin-operated

2015– 2017 CONSERVATION EFFORTS

• Water Use Allowances

• Water Use Allowance Exceedance Citations

• Water School

• Water Use Consultations

• Enhanced Landscape Rebate Program

• Landscape Consultations

• Sustainable Landscape Trainings

• Enhanced Water Waste Patrols

• Enhanced MWD Water Conservation Rebate Incentive Program

• Free Water Saving Items

• Marketing and Outreach

• Customer Support

Water Efficient Landscape and Irrigation Standards (updated Green Building Ordinance)

Water Neutrality Ordinance

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-10 laundry machine retrofits, increase in Water Neutrality offsets and direct installation of water efficient fixtures, rebates for new technologies, enhanced water conservation education and enforcement, additional sustainable landscape conversions, additional outreach to assist customers, new marketing and outreach programs, and incorporating limited-term employees as part of the water conservation team. Projected water savings from the new conservation programs are shown below in Table 3.

Table 3. Summary of Optimal Conservation Programs and Projected Water Savings for 2018 – 2023

CUSTOMER

CLASS CONSERVATION MEASURES

TOTAL

ACTIVITIES

2018 – 2023

PROJECTED

SAVINGS

(AF)

2018 - 2023

Single Family Rebates, water use consultations, graywater system incentive, direct installs.

5,440 345

Multi-Family Direct installs, rebates, water use consultations 5,975 308

Institutional School Education Program, direct installs, weather-based irrigation controller incentive, landscape initiative

2,658 52

Commercial and Institutional

Rebates, direct installs, water use consultations, performance pays

5,376 831

Various Soil moisture sensor rebates for multi-family, commercial, and institutional customers

75 7

All Water-saving faucet aerators, water-saving showerheads, communication and outreach, pilot projects

13,458 491

TOTAL Average Water Savings (Acre-Feet/Year): 610

Cost of Savings per Unit Volume ($/Acre-Foot):

$708

32,982 2,034

The Optimal Conservation Plan is expected to reduce the City’s total water demand by approximately 20 percent even after factoring in demand increases associated with expected population growth through 2025. The recommended Optimal conservation plan will contribute approximately 3,100 AFY to the City’s water supply portfolio in

2023 and reduce imported water purchases by roughly 38 percent. Water conservation or water demand reductions are estimated based on current conservation savings of 2,500

AFY plus projected increase in water demand savings by an additional 600 AFY by 2023, total of approximately 3,100 AFY in water demand reduction by 2023. Water demand reduction from the Optimal Conservation Plan will continue to increase until the various conservation measures mature in 2040.

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-11

COMPONENT 2 – MAXIMIZING ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES (35 PERCENT

REDUCTION IN IMPORTED WATER PURCHASES)

To further diversify the City’s water supply portfolio and increase overall resilience, three alternative water supply projects are proposed that will collectively offset imported water purchases from MWD by 35 percent (approximately 2,900 AFY). These projects include:

� Increase Recycled Water Production. Upgrade the existing Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF) as part of the SWIP project to increase recycled water production for non-potable uses in the City and offset imported water purchases from MWD. Approximately 560 AFY of recycled water will be produced to offset potable water demand or imported water purchase from MWD.

� Recharge Local Groundwater Aquifers. Increase recycled water production through the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP). The SWIP project will provide a sustainable and drought resilient water supply by providing purified water (approximately 1,100 AFY) through a new Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF) to recharge local groundwater aquifers. In return, the aquifer recharge that will be provided by the SWIP will allow the City to maximize groundwater pumping, within sustainable yield limits, from the Olympic Sub-basin.

� Production Efficiency Enhancement at Arcadia WTP. Increase overall treated water production through implementation of new treatment technology to increase treatment efficiency to greater than 90 percent, adding an additional 1,200 AFY of treated water. This will also result in a reduction of RO concentrate discharge to the sewer system. The Arcadia WTP is currently capable of treating up to approximately 11,300 AFY or 10 million gallons per day (mgd) and produce 9,900 AFY (8.9 mgd) of treated water (approximately 82 percent recovery or efficiency). The proposed expansion and addition of new technologies to increase production efficiency at the Arcadia WTP will increase its treatment capacity to approximately 14,700 AFY (13 mgd) and production to 13,400 AFY (12 mgd) of treated water (>90 percent recovery or efficiency).

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-12

SWIP will upgrade the existing SMURRF and construct a new AWPF to produce purified water that will be used to offset imported water purchase and recharge local groundwater aquifers. The upgraded

SMURRF will treat stormwater, brackish groundwater, and dry weather urban runoff to increase in recycled water production and offset imported water purchased from MWD by approximately

560 AFY.

Aquifer Recharge will occur through the addition of purified water from the new

AWPF constructed as part of SWIP. The new AWPF with a proposed treatment train consisting of membrane bioreactor (MBR), reverse osmosis (RO), and advanced oxidation with ultraviolet (UV) disinfection and peroxide will provide purified water that meets or exceed drinking water quality requirements. The purified water will be used to recharge groundwater aquifers in the Olympic Sub-basin and offset imported water purchases by approximately 1,100

AFY.

Production Efficiency Upgrade and

Expansion of the Arcadia WTP through the addition of Closed Circuit Reverse

Osmosis (CCRO) to treat the RO concentrate stream, which is currently discharged to the sewer system. This will increase the overall treatment efficiency of the plant from the current 82 percent to 90 percent or greater. The addition of the

CCRO would offset imported water by approximately 1,200 AFY.

Existing SMURRF that will be Upgraded as Part of SWIP to Increase Recycled Water Production

Recharge Local Groundwater Aquifers with

Purified Water Will Maintain Sustainable Yield

Incorporating the Latest Treatment Technologies

Will Increase Production Efficiency to Greater than 90 Percent at the Arcadia WTP

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-13

COMPONENT 3 – EXPANDING LOCAL GROUNDWATER PRODUCTION (25

PERCENT REDUCTION IN IMPORTED WATER PURCHASES)

To offset the remaining imported water, local groundwater production would need to be increased and resiliency measures would need to be implemented to maintain reliable production year round. This would reduce imported water purchases from MWD by approximately 25 percent (approximately 2,100 AFY).

Staff developed and analyzed several scenarios to expand the City’s groundwater production and carefully vetted each scenario internally and with outside industry experts.

The recommended scenario was Expansion of Arcadia WTP with CCRO combined with a

Separate Olympic Wellfield Pipeline and a new advanced water treatment facility for the

Olympic Wellfield to be collocated at the Arcadia WTP site. This scenario was determined to be the most cost-effective solution to achieve self-sufficiency and maximize local water resources by restoring the Olympic Wellfield. The recommended scenario includes the following elements:

� Expansion of the Arcadia WTP to increase treatment capacity and accommodate future 2040 water demands. Plant capacity would be expanded through upgraded pumps, blowers, cartridge filters, etc. to accommodate increased groundwater production and new technologies, such as the CCRO described in Component 2.

� Additional groundwater well(s) to enhance resiliency. Measures would include increasing groundwater pumping from existing wells, completing the equipping and permitting of one recently installed well, and constructing a replacement well to increase local production from the Olympic Wellfield, within sustainable yield levels.

An additional well in the Charnock Sub-basin would also enhance resiliency and maintain production during routine maintenance or unforeseen downtimes of groundwater wells, while aggressively pumping within the sustainable yield.

� Restoration of the Olympic Wellfield through (1) a new pipeline separating Olympic Wellfield water and conveying it independently to the Arcadia WTP and (2) a separate contamination treatment facility at the Arcadia WTP for the Olympic Wellfield. This approach results in a smaller treatment facility to remove contaminants from the Olympic Wellfield and reduce overall treatment cost.

The Olympic Wellfield plays a key role in achieving the City’s water self-sufficiency goal as it could provide up to 3,200 AFY of groundwater and is also the location where purified water from the SWIP will be recharged to sustain this pumping rate. However, the Olympic

Wellfield contains several contaminants that would require additional treatment to meet drinking water standards.

Adopted Pathway to Self-Sufficiency ES-14

Figure 4. Olympic Wellfield – Well Locations

Further analysis of treatment options for the Olympic Wellfield was required due to a newly established drinking water regulation in December 2017 that established a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for 1,2,3 TCP at 5 parts per trillion (ppt) and monitoring detecting 1,4 Dioxane levels above California Notification Level requirements.

An analysis performed by an outside consultant developed recommendations for improvements to maximize groundwater production and comply with the new regulations on the key contaminants of concern. The consultant’s report recommended construction of a new contamination treatment facility for only the Olympic Wellfield flows with a proposed treatment train consisting of advanced oxidation with UV and peroxide plus granular activated carbon. The new treatment facility will provide high-quality drinking water that meets current and future regulatory standards.

Investing in Water Self-Sufficiency ES-15

Investing in Water Self-Sufficiency The proposed SWMP components represent a considerable investment towards the City’s future resiliency and achieving water self-sufficiency by 2023. In consideration of the capital investment and impacts to water rates, staff evaluated potential alternatives to reduce capital expenditures to potentially provide relief to potential water rate increases.

Staff also considered delaying the self-sufficiency goal to beyond 2023 and differing capital expenditures to ease rate increases over the next five years. However, postponing implementation may result in increasing overall project cost, due to inflation, and negate any potential up front capital savings.

A cost summary for the proposed SWMP components to achieve self-sufficiency by 2023 is presented in Table 4. Staff also will aggressively pursue funding programs to help offset the capital expenditures. Outside funding opportunities include: MWD’s Local Water

Resources Program, California Department of Water Resources Water Quality, Supply, and

Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1) Grants, United States Bureau of

Reclamation programs, and County of Los Angeles Measure W funding.

Table 4. Projected Investment Costs to Achieve Water Self-Sufficiency

PROJECTS

ESTIMATED

CAPITAL COST

Arcadia WTP: Expand Capacity and Production Efficiency $30 Million

Additional Well and Improvements: Increase Resiliency and Groundwater Production

$8 Million

Olympic Wellfield Restoration: New Advanced Water Treatment Facility and Pipeline1

$20.5 Million

1Funding for the Olympic Wellfield Restoration is from settlement funds received from the responsible party for the contamination. The settlement funds will also be used for annual operation/treatment costs, but is not included in this table.

Development of cost-effective local, sustainable, and drought-resilient water supplies will provide Santa Monica water ratepayers with cost benefits over the long term and give the

City greater cost certainty on water rates compared to the continued purchase of imported water. A comparison of the annual average water production cost once water self-sufficiency is achieved versus imported water costs is provided in Table 5. As tabulated in

Table 5, the City and its ratepayers will begin to see a return on its investment to achieve water self-sufficiency in just three years after 2023 when the average local water production cost is estimated to be lower than imported water cost. This analysis assumes imported water cost from MWD will increase at an annual rate of 5 percent.

Investing in Water Self-Sufficiency ES-16

Table 5. Comparison of Average City Water Production Cost Versus Imported Water Cost Once Water

Self-Sufficiency is achieved in 2023

YEAR

AVERAGE CITY

WATER

PRODUCTION

COST (($/AF)

IMPORTED

WATER COST

($/AF) DIFFERENCE

2023 $1,336 $1,248 $88

2024 $1,357 $1,310 $47

2025 $1,378 $1,376 $2

2026 $1,400 $1,445 ($45)

Schedule to Achieve Self-Sufficiency by 2023 ES-17

Schedule to Achieve Self-Sufficiency by 2023 Implementing the SWMP and reaching water self-sufficiency by 2023 entails numerous interrelated capital projects, as shown in Figure 5. Several well projects have already been approved and are on track to be completed by 2021. A portion of the projects are in the

City of Los Angeles and require installation of new pipelines. The design, construction, and permitting of improvements at the Arcadia WTP, including efficiency upgrades, are expected to be completed in 2023. The schedule includes a contingency of approximately six months to account for unforeseen conditions or new regulations.

Figure 5. Proposed Implementation Schedule to Achieve Self-Sufficiency by 2023

ATTACHMENT A ES-18

ATTACHMENT A

Draft Sustainable Water Master Plan

(Black & Veatch, August 2018)

SUSTAINABLE WATER MASTER PLAN

UPDATE

B&V PROJECT NO. 196444

PREPARED FOR

City of Santa Monica

21 AUGUST 2018

B la ck

V e a tc h

H o ld in g C o m p a n y

A ll ri g h ts r e se rv e d pir78178 Image

BLACK & VEATCH | Table of Contents

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1-1

2.0 Historical and Current Water Use ................................................................................................. 2-1

2.1 Historical Water Use ........................................................................................................................... 2-1

2.2 Historical and Current Water Demand by Customer Type ................................................. 2-2

2.3 Factors Affecting Water Use ............................................................................................................ 2-4

2.3.1 Population ............................................................................................................................ 2-4

2.3.2 Economic Activity ............................................................................................................. 2-5

2.3.3 Weather and Climate Change ....................................................................................... 2-6

2.3.4 Climate Change Vulnerability ...................................................................................... 2-7

2.4 Impact of Historical Water Conservation .................................................................................. 2-8

2.4.1 The Drought and Policy Mandates ............................................................................. 2-9

2.4.2 City Water Conservation Unit .................................................................................... 2-10

2.4.3 Water Conservation Programs/Policies (2014-2017) .................................... 2-10

2.4.4 Water Conservation Results (2014-2017) ........................................................... 2-14

3.0 Current Water Sources and Supplies ........................................................................................... 3-1

3.1 System Hydraulic Analysis ............................................................................................................... 3-1

3.2 Imported Water .................................................................................................................................... 3-1

3.2.1 Characteristics and Challenges .................................................................................... 3-2

3.2.2 Reliability ............................................................................................................................. 3-2

3.3 Local Groundwater .............................................................................................................................. 3-3

3.3.1 Characteristics and Challenges .................................................................................... 3-7

3.3.2 Reliability ............................................................................................................................. 3-8

3.3.3 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 ....................................... 3-10

3.4 Non-Potable Water ............................................................................................................................ 3-10

4.0 Future Water Use ................................................................................................................................ 4-1

4.1 Potable Water Use Analysis ............................................................................................................. 4-1

4.2 Population Growth Projections ...................................................................................................... 4-1

4.3 Potable Water Demand Projection ............................................................................................... 4-1

4.4 Water Conservation Analysis And Effect On Future Demands ......................................... 4-2

5.0 Future Water Supply Options ......................................................................................................... 5-1

5.1 Water Self-Sufficiency Supply Requirements ........................................................................... 5-1

5.2 Additional Local Groundwater Opportunities ......................................................................... 5-2

5.2.1 Charnock Subbasin (Charnock Wellfield) ............................................................... 5-2

5.2.2 Olympic Subbasin (Olympic Wellfield) .................................................................... 5-3

5.2.3 Arcadia Subbasin (Arcadia Wellfield) ...................................................................... 5-3

5.2.4 Coastal Subbasin ................................................................................................................ 5-3

5.2.5 Crestal Subbasin ................................................................................................................ 5-3

5.2.6 Arcadia Treatment Facility ........................................................................................... 5-3

5.3 Non-Potable Reuse opportunities ................................................................................................. 5-4

5.3.1 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) ............................................... 5-5

5.3.2 Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI) Project ...................................................................... 5-6

5.3.3 Future Groundwater Recharge Opportunities ...................................................... 5-7

5.4 Future Demand Reduction Through Conservation Opportunities .................................. 5-7

5.4.1 Market Saturation Assessment.................................................................................... 5-7

5.4.2 Continuing Programs....................................................................................................... 5-9

5.4.3 New Programs .................................................................................................................. 5-11

5.4.4 Summary............................................................................................................................. 5-15

5.5 Pathway to Water Supply Self-Sufficiency............................................................................... 5-15

5.5.1 Projected Water Supply Needs .................................................................................. 5-15

5.5.2 Summary and Recommendations ............................................................................ 5-16

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2-1 Historical and Current Annual Water Consumption ............................................................. 2-3

Table 2-2 Water Conservation Objectives and Outcomes 2015-2017 ............................................. 2-11

Table 2-3 Water Conservation Results from 2014-2017 ....................................................................... 2-14

Table 2-4 Policy-Level Water Reduction Targets...................................................................................... 2-15

Table 2-5 New and Enhanced Water Conservation Programs ............................................................ 2-15

Table 3-1 Santa Monica’s MWD Connection Capacities ............................................................................ 3-2

Table 3-2 Active Groundwater Well Capacities ........................................................................................... 3-5

Table 3-3 Groundwater Production Totals (1988-2017) ........................................................................ 3-6

Table 3-4 Estimated Sustainable Yield for the SMGB ................................................................................ 3-8

Table 3-5 Historical SMURRF Production .................................................................................................... 3-11

Table 4-1 Potable Water Projections Based on Residential Population ............................................ 4-1

Table 5-1 Comparison of Projected Demand and Local Supplies ......................................................... 5-2

Table 5-2 Saturation of 1.6 gpf Toilets in the Customer Sectors .......................................................... 5-8

Table 5-3 Projected Activity for Ongoing Water Conservation Programs ...................................... 5-10

Table 5-4 Incentives and Programs ................................................................................................................ 5-11

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2-1 Annual Potable Water Supply ......................................................................................................... 2-1

Figure 2-2 2017 Service Connections by Customer Type.......................................................................... 2-2

Figure 2-3 2007-2017 Historical Water Demand ......................................................................................... 2-3

Figure 2-4 Historical Per Capita Water Use ..................................................................................................... 2-4

Figure 2-5 Historical Population and Water Demand ................................................................................. 2-5

Figure 2-6 Monthly Unemployment Rates and Water Demand .............................................................. 2-5

Figure 2-7 Monthly Weather and Water Demand ........................................................................................ 2-6

Figure 2-8 Water Conservation Programs/Policies ................................................................................... 2-16

Figure 3-1 Historical Imported Water Supplies ............................................................................................ 3-2

Figure 3-2 Santa Monica Groundwater Basin and Subbasins .................................................................. 3-4

Figure 3-3 Historical Santa Monica Groundwater Production ................................................................ 3-7

Figure 4-1 Potable Water Demand Projections ............................................................................................. 4-2

Figure 5-1 SWIP Locations ..................................................................................................................................... 5-5

Figure 5-2 SWIP Elements ...................................................................................................................................... 5-6

Figure 5-3 Clean Beaches Initiative .................................................................................................................... 5-7

Figure 5-4 Future Water Supply Options ....................................................................................................... 5-16

BLACK & VEATCH | Acronyms and Abbreviations AA-1

Acronyms and Abbreviations

AF acre-feet AFY acre feet per year AWTP advanced water treatment plant BMP best management practice CBI Clean Beaches Initiative City City of Santa Monica CoSMoS Coastal Storm Modeling System DCP Downtown Community Plan EWMP Enhanced Watershed Management Plan GAC granular activated carbon gpcd gallons per day per capita gpm gallon per minute gpf gallon per flush ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transpiration Efficiency Act MGD million gallons per day MG million gallons LUCE Land Use and Circulation Element MOU Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Urban Water Conservation in

California MSL mean sea level MTBE methyl tertiary butyl ether MWD Metropolitan Water District NCEI National Centers for Environmental Information NRC National Resource Council OSE Office of Sustainability and the Environment SBx7-7 California State Legislature 2009 Water Conservation Act SCADA Supervisory Command and Data Acquisition SCAG Southern California Association of Governments SF square-feet Slade Richard Slade & Associates SM 1 Santa Monica 1 (well) SMGB Santa Monica Groundwater Basin SMURRF Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility SWIP Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project SWMP Sustainable Water Master Plan SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board TINS Triangular Irregular Network System UWMP Urban Water Management Plans USGS United States Geological Survey VFD variable frequency drive VOC volatile organic compound WUA Water Use Allowance WCU Water Conservation Unit WSRP Water Shortage Response Plan

BLACK & VEATCH | Introduction 1-1

1.0 Introduction

The City of Santa Monica (City) is a recognized leader in California for its environmental and water conservation policies. The City has been actively implementing water efficiency programs since

1988 and is one of the original signatories to the State’s Memorandum of Understanding Regarding

Urban Water Conservation in California (MOU), adopted in 1991 and amended in 2008. In 2014, the

City adopted a Sustainable Water Master Plan (SWMP) with the goal of achieving water supply self-sufficiency in 2020 by eliminating reliance on imported water from the Metropolitan Water District

(MWD). Since the adoption of the SWMP, the City has been actively implementing new water supply and conservation programs and policies. Due to strong community cooperation in response to drought-related State and City-mandated conservation policies and participation in conservation programs, the City has achieved a 12.5% reduction in potable water demand from 13,036 acre-feet per year (AFY) in 2014 to 11,498 AFY in 2017 while the population has remained relatively unchanged. The reduction of water use and a renewed reliance on local groundwater supply has allowed the City to lower its use of imported water from 49% in 2012 to an average of 25-30%.

This update to the Sustainable Water Master Plan details progress made over the past four years and provides a pathway to water self-sufficiency by 2023 through examination of four key strategies:

• Evaluation and incorporation of key water supply and demand factors, including an update to the Santa Monica Groundwater Basin sustainable yield (e.g. how much groundwater can be pumped on a sustainable basis); further studies and modeling efforts to understand local groundwater aquifer recharge; and future water use projections including anticipated population growth, development, climate change and other factors;

• Potable water demand reduction through enhanced conservation programs and policies;

• Expansion of alternative sources of supply via infrastructure upgrades including reuse of treated stormwater, brackish groundwater and municipal wastewater; and

• Increasing potable supplies by improving the efficiency and capacity of the City’s water treatment facilities; and improving existing or constructing new water supply wells.

Sections 2 through 5 of the 2017 SWMP Technical Memorandum have been updated in order to expand on the City’s adaptive management strategy for local groundwater. The next update to the

SWMP is planned for 2020.

BLACK & VEATCH | Historical and Current Water Use 2-1

2.0 Historical and Current Water Use

Evaluation of historical water records provides an understanding of water trends and customer behavior. In this update, years 2012 to 2017 were evaluated to daylight recent water trends and capture changes in water use and customer behavior within the City.

2.1 HISTORICAL WATER USE

To understand the City’s recent water trends, monthly water production and billing records for the years 2012 to 2017 were analyzed. The total volume of potable water supply delivered to its treatment system is taken from the City’s monthly potable water production records. The total potable water supply is a combination of treated local groundwater, imported water from MWD, and stored water. As a result of additional local groundwater pumping and State and City drought-related conservation mandates reducing water demand, the City, under normal operating conditions, has realized a steady decrease in imported water since 2012 as shown in Figure 2-1, except for 2017, when a production well was shut down for repairs, requiring approximately 650 acre-feet in additional imports.

Figure 2-1 Annual Potable Water Supply

Billing records reflect billed water consumption and is generally referred to as the “water demand.”

Water loss is typical in all water distribution systems due to small leaks, firefighting activities, and system testing and maintenance activities. This water loss is termed as “non-revenue water”. The

City has actively implemented water efficiency programs for 30 years. The City’s past water conservation efforts discussed in this report include a combination of innovative policy, incentive programs, community outreach and education, and regulatory enforcement programs. In addition, the City responded to the declaration of a drought state of emergency in 2014 by conserving over

2,000 AFY in 2015 and 2016.

13,308

14,050 13,986

11,835 11,467 11,498

49% 42% 37% 28% 25% 36%

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

V o lu m e

A F

Local Potable Water Supply Imported Water (MWD) % Imported Water (MWD)

BLACK & VEATCH | Historical and Current Water Use 2-2

2.2 HISTORICAL AND CURRENT WATER DEMAND BY CUSTOMER TYPE

The City provides water to approximately 18,000 metered service connections. The mix of connections by meter type is shown in Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2 2017 Service Connections by Customer Type

In Table 2-1, the annual average for water demands from billing records are summarized by customer connection type for years 2012 to 2017. Water consumption by customer type is approximately:

• 65.8% Residential

• 29.1% Commercial/Institutional

• 3.7% Landscape/Irrigation

• 0.8% Recycled Water

• 0.06% Fire Service

Single Family Residential, 41.7%

Multi-Family Residential, 35.3%

Commercial/Institutional, 13.1%

Landscape/Irrigation, 3.4%

Fire Service, 6.4% Recycled Water, 0.2%

Single Family Residential Multi-Family Residential

Commercial/Institutional Landscape/Irrigation

Fire Service Recycled Water

BLACK & VEATCH | Historical and Current Water Use 2-3

Table 2-1 Historical and Current Annual Water Consumption

CUSTOMER TYPE 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Single Family Residential 3,116 3,141 3,216 2,546 2,656 2,642

Multi-Family Residential 5,525 5,539 5,445 4,972 4,971 4,990

Commercial/Institutional 3,595 3,780 3,784 3,413 3,388 3,428

Landscape/Irrigation 494 553 590 416 448 433

Recycled Water 93 96 134 81 89 98

Fire Service 28 3 2 2 4 5

Total Potable + Recycled (AF) 12,851 13,112 13,170 11,431 11,557 11,596

Total Potable (AF) 12,758 13,015 13,036…