[00:00:05]
OH, I WAS, I WAS HITTING THE WRONG BUTTON.
[CALL TO ORDER]
IT'S 6 29.UM, WE ARE GOING TO CONVENE THE WATER AND WASTEWATER, UM, COMMISSION MEETING.
UH, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC, UH, COMMENTS? ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.UH, APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 19TH MEETING.
HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? ANY EDITS, ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, CAN I GET A, A MOTION? A MOTION TO ACCEPT A MINUTES? I SECOND.
SO A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MUS GROVE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND, AND IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH THE GROUP, SO IT PASSES.
[DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEMS TWO THROUGH 10.AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON 11 OR 12 WHEN I GO THROUGH THE GROUP? UM, SO, UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START TO WRITE 'EM, ME HERE.
UM, COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECUSALS OR QUESTIONS ON ANY ITEMS? NO QUESTIONS.
RECUSALS UH, COMMISSIONER MATI? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER NAVO? NO QUESTIONS.
UM, COMMISSIONER AN GORI? NO QUESTIONS.
OTHER FEEDBACK? AND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL, GRANT GAINES, NO QUESTIONS.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, THESE ITEMS ARE FOR CONSENT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SORRY, COMMISSIONER, COULD YOU JUST RESTATE THE ITEM NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE VOTING? ALL CONSENT, JUST OKAY.
WELL, ITEMS TWO THROUGH 12, UM, ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW, RAISE YOUR HAND,
THE WHOLE GROUP HAS, HAS APPROVED IT.
WE NEEDED A MOTION AND SECOND OH, FOR THAT CONSENT VOTE.
THIRD COME FROM THE CONSENTED ITEMS THAT ITEMS ON CONSENT.
SO, MU GROVE ITEMS TWO THROUGH 12.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND THAT.
AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GORI.
DO I HAVE TO DO NOW AND THEN EVERYBODY GOTTA RAISE YOUR HAND AGAIN,
[13. Discussion of meeting schedule for the Budget Committee of the Water and Wastewater Commission]
UM, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 13, UM, BUDGET COMMITTEE.UH, WE NEED TO CONFIRM WHO IS, UM, GOING TO BE ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE DATES FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I HAVE, UH, HAD INTEREST FROM COMMISSIONER AN GORI COMMISSIONER, MUSGROVE AND COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME? OKAY, WE CAN HAVE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE.
UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND SERVE SINCE THAT'S ONLY THREE.
UM, AND THIS IS A NON-VOTING ITEM, RIGHT? NO, IT'S A VOTING ITEM.
UH, WELL, I'LL TAKE THAT UP ON ITEM 13.
UH, THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS WE HAVE, UM, TENTATIVE DATES SCHEDULED FOR MAY 11TH, JUNE, I MEAN, MAY 22ND, JUNE 14TH, AND JUNE 26TH.
I DON'T THINK WE'LL NEED ALL THREE MEETINGS TO REVIEW THE BUDGET.
UM, BUT IF YOU COULD LOOK AT YOUR AVAILABILITY, IF WE NEED TO ADJUST THEM, WE CAN TRY.
BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THOSE MEETINGS.
THE MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED FROM THREE TO FIVE ON THOSE DATES.
[00:05:02]
AND JUNE 26TH.[15. Election for officer positions for the Budget Committee of the Water and Wastewater Commission]
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO ITEM 15, ELECTION FOR OFFICER POSITIONS FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION.AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE MYSELF, UH, AND COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES, AND COMMISSIONER AND GORY.
UM, UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE TO APPROVE THOSE MEMBERS FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE? I GOT A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AGAIN.
[14. Election for Vice-Chair for the Water and Wastewater Commission]
MOVING TO ITEM 14, ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION.UM, AS YOU KNOW, I WAS APPOINTED CHAIR, UH, LAST MEETING, UH, AND WE NEED A VICE CHAIR TO SERVE ALONGSIDE ME.
UM, DO I HAVE ANY MOTIONS I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE? THIS IS COMMISSIONER MOY YARDI.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE JUDY MUSGROVE WITH THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR OF THE WATER WASTEWATER COMMISSION.
SO WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR JUDY MURO.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, A MOTION A SECOND ON THAT, OR? SURE.
SO WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER, AN GORI, UM, SHOW OF SIGNED TO VOTE FOR JUDY MUKW FOR VICE CHAIR.
[16. Discussion of filling vacancy for Joint Sustainability Committee]
TO ITEM 16.UM, DISCUSSION OF FILLING VACANCY FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
UH, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETS, UM, THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:00 PM UH, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANYBODY, UM, STEP UP, UH, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO FILL THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UH, IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A SMALL COMMISSION AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT IF THERE IS ANYBODY INTERESTED, THAT WOULD BE OUTSTANDING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO OPEN THAT FOR DISCUSSION TO SEE IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
IS IT COMMITTEE OR COMMISSION? COMMITTEE? I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, I I'M INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE.
WELL, UM, WE CERTAINLY CAN APPOINT YOU IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
DO I NEED TO MOTION TO NOMINATE MYSELF OR
I MOVED TO, UM, NOMINATE SAM ANN GORI FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY.
SAM, UH,
AND, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT A MOTION.
AM I ALLOWED TO DO THAT OR DO I YES.
UH, SHOW ROUND OF HANDS FOR VOTING.
OKAY, WE'RE MOVING ALONG, UM, REPORTS BY COMMISSIONER SUBCOMMITTEES.
[17. Update from the Austin Integrated Water Task Force – Commissioner William Moriarty]
ITEM NUMBER 17, UPDATE FROM THE AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER TASK FORCE.COMMISSIONER, MA, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FOR US TODAY? I DO.
UH, I WOULD REPORT THAT THE AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING, UH, TASK FORCE MET YESTERDAY.
AND, UM, OUR, UH, LEAD STAFF PERSON, MARISSA FLORES GONZALEZ, AND OTHER PEOPLE FROM AUSTIN WATER LED US THROUGH A SERIES OF ITEMS, UM, ONE OF WHICH I THINK WE'RE GONNA COVER LATER IN OUR MEETING, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS.
AND IF YOU'VE DRIVEN OUT WEST TOWN AND LOOK AT THE LAKE LEVELS, THEY'RE KIND OF GOING DOWN.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS COVER.
EACH TIME WE HAVE A MEETING, WE'VE THEN HAD A VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION ON THE DISAGGREGATED DEMAND MODEL, WHICH, UH, PART OF THE, THE WORK OF THIS GROUP WAS TO PRODUCE THE ORIGINAL WATER FORWARD PLAN.
AND EVERY FIVE YEARS THAT PLAN WILL GET UPDATED WHILE THEY'RE WORKING ON THE UPDATE AND THEY'RE
[00:10:01]
APPLYING SOME NEW, UH, SCIENCE TO THE DISAGGREGATED DEMAND MODEL.AND, UH, THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US, UH, YESTERDAY'S MEETING.
AND THEN ANOTHER MATTER WAS DISCUSSED.
THE WATER UTILITY IS UNDERTAKING A OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL SOURCE WATER PROTECTION LAND PURCHASES, AND A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN WATER STAFF PRESENTED, UM, THAT WORK AND SHOWED SOME PRELIMINARY RESULTS.
AND AGAIN, THE TYPE OF THING THAT WE'D LOOK OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
PLUS THE WATER MANAGES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES CURRENTLY.
UH, AND, UH, THEY MAY LOOK TO ADD TO THAT PORTFOLIO UNDER THE, UM, THINKING THAT THAT WOULD PROTECT OUR WATER SUPPLY.
UH, ONE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD, WE HAD AN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE MEETING EARLIER.
UM, AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, THE MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OF THE WATER FORWARD PLAN WOULD BE THE AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY FACILITY.
AND THE AUSTIN WATER HAS HIRED A VERY GOOD GROUP OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR, UH, SEVERAL YEARS NOW TO EVALUATE THE BEST GEOLOGICAL LOCATION FOR THE ASR FACILITY.
AND THEY HAVE KIND OF NARROWED IT DOWN TO BASTROP AND LEE COUNTY AND MAYBE SOME OTHER AREAS NORTH, NORTH OF THAT.
SO, UH, THAT WORK IS GOING ON, AND I BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE, UM, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO, UH, KIND OF FOCUS IN ON AN AREA AND ACTUALLY DO PILOT TESTING AND SEE EXACTLY HOW THE, UH, THE AQUIFER, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS THE CREO WILCOX WOULD, WOULD OPERATE.
SO I KNOW, UH, SOME MONTHS AGO, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WAS KIND OF INTERESTED, UM, IN HEARING A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ASR PROJECT, AND MAYBE I COULD JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT WE NOT MAKE A BRAND NEW PRESENTATION ABOUT IT, BUT MERELY TAKE ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT THAT HAS ALREADY PREPARED FOR THE, UH, WATER FORWARD GROUP AND MAYBE CONSIDERED DOING IT FOR THE WATER WASTEWATER COMMISSION BECAUSE IT IS A LARGE JOB.
AND, UM, SO THAT, UH, JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND JUST TO ADD, WHILE I'M TALKING, UH, I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM, FROM THE WATER DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT AUSTIN WATER.
AND I KNOW IN THE PAST, FEATHER USED TO DO THOSE PRESENTATIONS AND, UH, AGAIN, TIME PERMITTING, RESOURCE PERMITTING.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY DISCUSSION ON THE UPDATE FOR FROM COMMISSIONER MA QUIET GROUP TODAY? NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING ACTUALLY.
[18. Staff briefing on water supply update and drought conditions]
ON TO ITEM 18, STAFF BRIEFINGS ON WATER SUPPLY UPDATE AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS.ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING CHAIR, TTA AND COMMISSION MEMBER, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I'M KEVIN CRITTENTON AUSTIN WATER.
UM, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WATER SUPPLY AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, UH, WE MADE A SIMILAR PRESENTATION LAST JULY.
UM, I THINK, THINK OVERALL, UH, YOU'LL FIND THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE IN A, UH, DROUGHT CONDITION.
WE'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT FORTUNATE RECENTLY, UH, AT LEAST LOCALLY, TO HAVE SOME RAINFALL.
[00:15:01]
ON THE TOP OF FOLKS' MINDS OR NOT, UM, THE REGION IS STILL IN A, IN A DROUGHT CONDITION.UM, WE CONTINUE OVER THE LAST YEAR TO BE MONITORING OUR WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS, CONTINUING TO WORK WITH L C R A AND OUR, OUR PARTNERSHIP WATER SUPPLY PARTNERSHIP, UM, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER TOPICS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AS WELL POSITIONED AS WE CAN DURING THE STROUT CONDITIONS.
SO, UH, THIS EVENING, EVENING, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON KIND OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN KIND OF GIVE YOU A, A HEADS UP FOR SOME, UM, VERY NEAR TERM ACTIONS THAT'LL BE KIND OF COMING, UH, YOUR WAY.
SO WITH THAT, UH, THERESA LUTZ IS WITH US, UH, KEVIN KLUGE, WHO'S OUR DIVISION MANAGER OVER WATER CONSERVATIONAL SORT OF TAG TEAM.
I'M, UH, TERESA LUTZ, AUSTIN WATER CHAIR AND, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WANNA GET STARTED? UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WITH, UH, AN OVERVIEW MAP THAT SHOWS AUSTIN'S, UH, WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND THE BASINS, UH, WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS, WHICH ARE LAKES, TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE MAP PLEASE? ONE OH, THERE.
UH, THIS SHOWS THE LAKES TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN, WHICH ARE OUR REGIONS, UM, WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS THAT ARE, UH, MANAGED AND OPERATED BY THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY.
AUSTIN HAS ACCESS TO WATER SUPPLIES OF UP TO 325,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER PER YEAR.
THIS SUPPLY COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF AUSTIN'S SENIOR RUN OF RIVER RIGHTS AND ALSO WATER SUPPLY CONTRACTS WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY FOR FIRM WATER.
UH, TO BACK UP THOSE SENIOR WATER RIGHTS AND ADD TO AUSTIN'S WATER SUPPLY RUN OF RIVER RIGHTS ARE GRANTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IS, UH, WATER AVAILABLE IN THE RIVER BASED ON A FIRST IN TIME, FIRST INRIGHT, UH, WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.
AND THEN L C R A FIRMS UP WATER FOR, UH, FIRM WATER CUSTOMERS USING THEIR WATER RIGHTS AND THE HIGHLAND LAKES, UH, STORED WATER IN LAKES, TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE THAT WATER, UH, TO PROVIDE WATER TO CON FIRM WATER CONTRACTS WHEN, UH, THE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH, UM, WATER FLOWING IN THE, IN THE RIVER.
UH, THE FIRM WATER IS WHAT'S EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE THROUGH A REPEAT OF THE DROUGHT OF RECORD, WHICH IS NOW IN THIS RECENT, IN THIS RIVER BASIN IN THE RECENT DROUGHT FROM 2008 TO 2015.
THIS IS A GRAPH OF WATER, UH, SHOWS WATER FLOWING INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES.
IT'S A KEY GRAPH AND KEY KIND OF METRIC THAT WE TRACK, UH, AND WATCH REPRESENTING, UM, HOW MUCH WATER IS FLOWING INTO THE LAKES.
IT'S ALSO REFERRED TO AS INFLOWS.
THE BARS SHOW HOW LOW THE INFLOWS HAVE BEEN IN 2022.
AND THEN, UM, THE BARS THAT ARE IN PURPLE ARE THE BARS FOR 2023 THUS FAR.
THEN FLOWS INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES ARE AT HISTORIC LOWS, UH, WITH THIS JANUARY TO APRIL TOTAL, UH, THIS IS LOWER THAN ANY OTHER JANUARY TO APRIL TOTAL IN THE HISTORY OF THE LAKES, SINCE THEY WERE COMPLETED IN THE LATE 19 OR IN THE EARLY 1940S.
ALSO SHOWN OUR, UM, THE YEARS OF THE AVERAGE FROM THE 2008 TO 2015 DROUGHT ARE DROUGHT OF RECORD.
THOSE ARE SHOWN IN THE, UM, THE OKAY, DARK BLUE BARS THERE.
AND THEN IN THE LIGHTER BLUE BARS THAT SHOWS AN AVERAGE FROM 1942 TO PRESENT.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW, UH, LOW THE END FLOWS HAVE BEEN.
UM, THAT'S WATER COMING INTO, INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THESE INFLOWS, UM, AS THE DROUGHT CONTINUES.
AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL START SEEING SOME ADDITIONAL FLOWS COMING IN, UH, UNDERWATER CONDITIONS IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS A GRAPH OF THE COMBINED STORAGE OF LAKES, TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN.
THOSE TWO WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS COMBINED, THEY HOLD ABOUT 2 MILLION ACRE FEET OF WATER WHEN THEY'RE FULL.
UH, SO TODAY'S STORAGE IS AT ABOUT HALF THAT.
IT'S AT 1.01 MILLION ACRE FEET.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE GRAPH THERE, UM, THE, THE DARK LINE IS THE,
[00:20:01]
UM, PLOT OF THE COMBINED STORAGE LEVELS SINCE 2005.SO, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE LEVEL IS JUST A LITTLE ABOVE 1 MILLION ACRE FEET, WHICH IS ABOUT HALF FULL.
THE DROUGHT, UH, CONTINGENCY PLAN, UH, STAGE LEVELS ARE SHOWN THERE WITH THE GREEN AND THE RED LINES THEY'RE OUTLINED.
UH, THERE WE'RE, UM, IN STAGE ONE RIGHT NOW, THAT COMBINED STORAGE TRIGGER IS AT 1.4 MILLION ACRE FEET.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY ABOVE THE 900,000 ACRE FOOT TRIGGER FOR STAGE TWO.
AND WE'LL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, HERE IN THIS PRESENTATION.
WANTED TO POINT OUT, CAN YOU GO BACK PLEASE? SORRY,
WANTED TO POINT OUT AT THE BOTTOM THERE, UM, IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME CONTEXT OF THE, THE, THE STORED WATER AND THE USES OF THE WATER.
UH, THERE ON THE, THE GRAPH IT SHOWS AT THE BOTTOM, THERE'S SOME BLUE BARS THAT, UH, SHOW WHEN, UH, AGRICULTURAL RELEASES FOR DOWNSTREAM, UM, AGRICULTURAL CUSTOMERS OF L C R A ARE CUT OFF THERE.
THERE'S A WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT L C R A OPERATES UNDER.
UH, THEY WERE OPERATING UNDER A ANOTHER PLAN BACK IN THE PERIOD OF TIME FROM 2012 TO 2016, THE AGRICULTURAL CUSTOMERS DOWNSTREAM WERE CUT OFF, UH, USING A SERIES OF EMERGENCY ORDERS, UH, TO ALLOW L C R A TO OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WAS IN PLACE AT THE TIME WHEN THAT DROUGHT OCCURRED.
UH, SO YOU CAN SEE THERE WERE BIG DROPS IN THE COMBINED STORAGE WHEN RELEASES WERE HAPPENING PRIOR TO THAT CUTOFF.
BUT THEN WITH WHEN THE CUTOFF OCCURRED, UH, THOSE RELEASE, THOSE LARGE SCALE RELEASES, UH, WORK ARE TAILED OR CUT OFF.
AND, UM, AND SO THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN PRESERVATION OF STORAGE UNDER DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
THE SAME THING HAS NOW, UM, HAPPENED WITH LATE IN THE YEAR LAST YEAR IN THE, IN THE LATTER PART OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR.
SO 22 SECOND CROP WAS CUT OFF FOR THE DOWNSTREAM, UH, INTERRUPTABLE CUSTOMERS.
AND, AND THIS YEAR, BOTH SECOND AND, UH, FIRST CROP, FIRST AND SECOND CROPS ARE CUT OFF.
SO AGRICULTURAL RELEASES FOR THE DOWNSTREAM, UH, NON GARWOOD IRRIGATION DIVISIONS ARE NOT HAPPENING.
AND THEY, UM, THEY, UM, SINCE THE LATTER PART OF LAST YEAR, SO THAT'S HELPED TO, UM, CURTAIL OR, OR TO CURB THE, UH, THOSE LARGER SCALE DROPS IN THE COMBINED STORAGE THAT YOU SEE LEADING UP TO THAT.
SO, AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO TRACK THIS.
WE, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, MONITOR THE COMBINED STORAGE LEVEL ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE HAD, WE HAVE A, HAD A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS THAT HAS, UM, SLIGHTLY INCREASED THE, THE STORAGE AMOUNT, BUT, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT SOME OF THE PREDICTED RAIN OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, WE WILL, WE'LL ADD SOME ADDITIONAL STORAGE TO THE THE RESERVOIRS.
THIS IS THE WEEKLY, UH, UH, DROUGHT MONITOR FOR TEXAS.
IT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT INTENSITY LEVELS OF THE, THE DROUGHT, UH, GOING ON IN THE, ACROSS THE STATE.
YOU CAN SEE TO THE KIND OF THE SOUTH AND WEST OF AUSTIN AND THE LOWER COLORADO BASIN, THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF MORE INTENSE EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT, SO NEARBY.
UM, BUT MOST OF THE UPSTREAM, UH, COUNTIES IN THE LOWER COLORADO BASIN, YOU CAN SEE THERE THE, THE BLUE STAR THAT REPRESENTS AUSTIN.
THERE IN, UH, THE TRAVIS COUNTY AREA, UH, ARE A LITTLE BIT LESS, BUT STILL UP TO EXTREME, UH, DROUGHT AND THEN FURTHER OUT TO THE WEST.
UM, IT EASES TO A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE MODERATE, UH, IN TO SEVERE CONDITIONS.
SO HOPEFULLY, AGAIN, WITH, UM, THE RAIN THAT'S, UH, HAPPENING, WE'LL SEE IMPROVEMENT IN THE, THE DROUGHT MONITOR CONDITIONS, UM, IN THE, IN THE UPPER BASIN.
CAUSE THAT, THAT'S A KEY TO, UH, HELPING, UH, WATER GET INTO THE, INTO THE, UH, RESERVOIRS TO, UH, STORE THAT WATER.
THIS IS THE THREE MONTH OUTLOOK FOR, UH, NOAA FOR TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION.
[00:25:01]
UM, THE, UH, CONDITIONS FOR PROJECTED, UH, TEMPERATURE, IT'S, UM, PROJECTED TO BE ABOVE NORMAL, UH, IN THE, UH, FOR TEMPERATURE AND ABOUT EQUAL CHANCES OF TYPICAL, UH, PRECIPITATION FOR, UM, ON THE PRECIPITATION SIDE.WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT, UM, WE ARE IN A NEUTRAL CONDITION NOW.
WE HAD BEEN IN LA NINA CONDITIONS AND WE ARE, UH, CURRENTLY IN, IN NEUTRAL CONDITIONS AND THERE IS A, AN 80% CHANCE OF EL HITTING EL NINO CONDITIONS BY THE FALL.
SO THEY, UH, NOAH HAS PUT ON AN EL NINO WATCH, WHICH CAN LEAD TO, UM, WETTER CONDITIONS.
AND SO WE'LL HOPE THAT THIS FALL WILL BE ABLE TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL WETTER CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A KEY GRAPH THAT WE TRACK AS WELL.
UH, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY PREPARES THIS GRAPH ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
THIS IS THE MAY 1ST UPDATE, AND IT SHOWS THEIR SIX MONTH OUTLOOK FOR, UM, COMBINED STORAGE IN LAKES, TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN, SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AHEAD AND SEE, UH, WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE WITH THE COMBINED STORAGE, DEPENDING ON WHAT, UM, THE HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS ARE.
WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING THOSE TWO LOWER LINES, UM, REALLY MORE I THINK THE ORANGE LINE, WHICH IS THE DRY CONDITIONS LINE.
UH, BUT SOMETIMES I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY TRACKED MORE CLOSELY TO THE, THE RED LINE.
UM, AND BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 1ST, IT'S ABOUT THIS, THEY'RE ABOUT TRACK ABOUT THE SAME.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE BASED ON L C R A'S PROJECTIONS THAT WE MAY CROSS THE 900,000 ACRE FOOT, UH, STAGE TWO DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN TRIGGER BY ABOUT THE LATTER PART OF JUNE OR EARLY PART OF JULY IF WE CONTINUE TO STAY IN DRY CONDITIONS.
SO WE'LL BE CLOSELY TRACKING THAT AND KNOW THAT THAT'S ON OUR HORIZON, UH, THAT WE MAY TRIGGER INTO, UH, DROUGHT STAGE TWO SOON.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR HER.
UH, WE WE'RE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING OUR WATER FORWARD PLAN, UH, AUSTIN'S INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLAN, WHICH HAS STRATEGIES, UH, THAT, UH, ARE HELPFUL IN OUR WATER RESOURCE, UH, SITUATION.
AND OUR, UM, IN OUR KEY IN IMPLEMENTING OUR PLAN.
UM, WE ALSO ARE PROMOTING WATER CONSERVATION AND ADHERE ADHERENCE TO OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN STAGES.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE KEY THINGS WE'RE FOCUSING ON, UM, FOR IN THE, UH, IN RESPONSE TO THE DROUGHT.
SO NOW I'LL HAND IT OFF TO KEVIN.
AS TERESA MENTIONED, WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN STAGE ONE, BUT INTRODUCE YOURSELF, I'M SORRY.
OH, ON SECOND, KEVIN KLUGE, AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION MANAGER.
SO, UH, WE ARE IN OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, STAGE ONE.
UH, BUT I WANT TO NOTE THAT AUSTIN REALLY HAS A FRONT LOADED DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN IN TERMS OF CONSERVATION SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YEAR IN, YEAR OUT.
ALL, ALL AROUND THE YEAR, WE HAVE ONE DAY A WEEK WATERING ALSO.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF SAVINGS BUILT INTO OUR CONSERVATION STAGE, OUR BASE STAGE.
AND YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE THERE SOME OF THE PRIMARY RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN STAGE ONE.
LANDSCAPE WATERING IS A BIG ONE FOR AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, ONE DAY A WEEK FOR HOSE IRRIGATION, TWO DAY A WEEK, TWO DAYS A WEEK.
UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION STAGE AND THAT STAGE ONE WAS PRIMARILY THE CHANGE IN TIME, HOW LATE YOU CAN WATER YOUR AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEM.
IN ADDITION TO THE LANDSCAPE WATERING RESTRICTIONS, WE HAVE OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF BUSINESSES AND, AND WATER USE FOR RESIDENCES.
IF WE DO GO INTO STAGE TWO DROUGHT, AS THERESA MENTIONED, WELL PERHAPS IN EARLY JULY WHEN WE HIT 900,000 ACRE FEET OF STORAGE, THESE ARE THE PRIMARY DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS.
IF YOU THINK THEY LOOK A LOT LIKE STAGE ONE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
HOWEVER, THOUGH, IN TERMS OF AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION, IT GOES FROM BEING ABLE TO WATER TILL EIGHT IN THE MORNING, TILL FIVE IN THE MORNING
[00:30:01]
TO REDUCE EVAPORATION AND HOSE IRRIGATION CUTS BACK TO ONE DAY A WEEK.ON THE WEEKENDS, ORNAMENTAL FOUNTAINS ARE PROHIBITED.
LARGE FOUNTAINS THAT YOU SEE AND GOLF COURSE FAIRWAYS CAN ONLY BE IRRIGATED ONE DAY A WEEK.
UH, CHARITY CAR WASHES, WHICH HAVE TO BE AT, UH, VEHICLE WASH STATIONS CURRENTLY ARE NOT ALLOWED.
THAT FINAL BULLET THERE INVOLVES LANDSCAPE ESTABLISHMENT FOR NEW HOMES OR NEW HOMES AND OR NEW LANDSCAPES AND EXISTING HOMES.
UM, IN PREVIOUS STAGES, CONSERVATION STAGE AND STAGE ONE LANDSCAPE ESTABLISHMENT WAS EXEMPTED FROM THE WATERING SCHEDULE, SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ONE DAY A WEEK WATERING.
UM, BUT IN STAGE TWO, THAT EXEMPTION GOES AWAY.
UM, SO THEY LANDSCAPE ESTABLISHMENT HAS TO ADHERE TO THE WATERING SCHEDULE.
NEXT SLIDE, AND NEXT STEPS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AS WE GO INTO THE SUMMER, WE REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO ALL OF THEM THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE CAN'T HAVE ENOUGH RESTRICTIONS TO MAKE IT ALL WORK, TO SAVE ENOUGH WATER.
WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND, UH, ASK THEM TO CUT BACK ON THE WATER, PARTICULARLY LANDSCAPE WATER.
AS WE GO INTO THE SUMMER, A GREAT TOOL THAT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE AVAILABLE TO OUR CUSTOMERS IS THE MYAT X WATER SYSTEM AND THE PORTAL IN WHICH CUSTOMERS RECEIVE THE SMART METERS AND ARE ABLE TO GO ONTO THE PORTER PORTAL AND TO SEE EXACTLY HOW MUCH THEY'RE USING.
SO GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA ASK CUSTOMERS TO TAKE STEPS WITH ALL OF US TO HELP SAVE MORE WATER.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND I DID NOT REALIZE WE WERE IN THIS POSITION RIGHT NOW.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PROACTIVE.
[19. Staff briefing on meeting future water demands]
UNDER STAFF GREETINGS BRIEFINGS IS ITEM NUMBER 19, UH, STAFF BRIEFING ON MEETING FUTURE WATER DEMANDS.ALL RIGHT, WELL THAT'S COMING UP.
KEVIN CRITTENTON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AUSTIN WATER.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AUSTIN'S A POPULAR PLACE TO, UH, LIVE AND WORK.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S BEEN, UH, THAT WAY FOR SOME TIME.
UM, AS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTINUE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, UM, BOTH BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND AS PEOPLE COME IN, THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE PLACES TO WORK AND, YOU KNOW, AS MORE, UM, PLACES TO WORK MOVE IN THAT BRINGS MORE PEOPLE.
UM, OUR ROLE AS A UTILITY PROVIDER IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS WATER SUPPLY AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO AS PART OF OUR WATER FORWARD, UM, PROCESS, OF COURSE WE'RE MAKING VERY LONG RANGE PREDICTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT WATER SUPPLY LOOKS LIKE AND KIND OF HOW THAT'S DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE VARIOUS, UM, SECTORS AND SUB-SECTORS.
SO THIS EVENING WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A FLAVOR ON HOW THAT'S DEVELOPED AND KIND OF HOW THOSE DIFFERENT SUB-SECTORS AND SECTOR WATER NEEDS WILL BE MET.
UH, WITH ME IS, UH, MARISA FLORES GONZALEZ.
SHE IS THIS, UH, SUPERVISOR OVER OUR WATER RESOURCES PLANNING GROUP, AND SHE'LL LEAD US TO THE PRESENTATION.
UM, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS EVENING.
LIKE KEVIN SAID, MY NAME IS MARISA FLORES GONZALEZ, UH, WITH WATER RESOURCES TEAM.
SO MY TEAM WORKS WITH AUSTIN WATER STAFF, UH, ENDING COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER TO DEVELOP, UM, FIRST SPATIALLY DISAGGREGATED 100 YEAR PROJECTIONS OF POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT.
WE THEN, UH, TRANSLATE THOSE, UM, POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS INTO 100 YEAR DEMAND PROJECTIONS, UH, THAT ARE DISAGGREGATED SPATIALLY AS WELL AS BISECTOR SUB-SECTOR AND END USE.
UH, THESE PROJECTIONS ARE INCLUDED IN MANY UTILITY PLANNING EFFORTS, INCLUDING WATERFORD, THE CITY'S 100 YEAR INTEGRATED
[00:35:01]
WATER RESOURCE PLAN.AND THEY HELP US TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECTOR SPECIFIC CONSERVATION, REUSE, AND SUPPLY STRATEGIES THAT HELP US TO REDUCE PORTABLE WATER DEMANDS AS WELL AS IDENTIFY POTENTIAL FUTURE WATER SUPPLY NEEDS.
I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF HOW WE PROJECT GROWTH.
UH, WE FIRST START BY LOOKING AT HISTORIC TRENDS.
THIS INCLUDES USING DECATUR CENSUS DATA TO ANALYZE POPULATION GROWTH OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS AND 20 YEARS, AND TO DEVELOP BASELINE ESTIMATES OF POPULATION.
UH, OUR CURRENT BASELINE YEAR IS 2020.
IT'S THE FIRST YEAR THAT YOU SEE IN THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN.
WE'VE ALSO USED INFORMATION SOURCES SUCH AS ESRI'S BUSINESS ANALYSTS TO DEVELOP BASELINE ESTIMATES OF CURRENT, UH, EMPLOYMENT, UM, AND THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE GROWN BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, AS WELL AS TRENDS IN SECTOR SPECIFIC GROWTH.
FROM HERE, WORKING IN COLLABORATION, AGAIN WITH THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER, WE DEVELOP 100 YEAR PROJECTIONS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE WITHIN OUR STUDY AREA.
UM, AN AREA THAT ROUGHLY RELATES TO OUR IMPACT FEE BOUNDARY.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT IN SOME OF THE SHADED PURPLE AREAS AGAIN ON THE SCREEN.
UM, WE, UH, THEN, UH, BREAK THESE PROJECTIONS DOWN INTO SMALL GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF CENSUS TRACKS, UH, BY LOOKING AT THOSE HISTORIC TRENDS AND THE INTENSITY OF DEVELOPMENT INTEREST BASED ON ANALYSIS OF THINGS LIKE SERVICE EXTENSION REQUESTS, AS WELL AS SITE PLANS AND SUBDIVISION PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, SUBMITTED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
OUR ALLOCATIONS OF PEOPLE AND EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO INFORMED BY THE GROWTH CONCEPT MAP FROM THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AS WELL AS FUTURE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM ALIGNMENTS, WORKING WITH A TEAM OF AUSTIN WATER STAFF.
WE KIND OF GO AREA BY AREA TO EVALUATE KIND OF HOW REASONABLE OUR GROWTH RATES ARE ACROSS THE CITY AND, UH, FUTURE DENSITIES OF PEOPLE AND EMPLOYEES PER ACRE.
UH, FOR KEY PLANNING TIME STEPS THAT ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE SLIDE 20 20, 20 40, 20 80, AND 2120, THIS PROGRESSION OF MAPS IS SHOWING A COMBINED POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT DENSITY.
SO WE JUST ADD UP THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON EMPLOYEES EXPECTED WITHIN EACH OF OUR PLANNING POLYGONS.
UH, DIVIDE THAT BY THE NUMBER, UH, AMOUNT OF DEVELOPABLE ACREAGE WITHIN THAT PLANNING POLYGON.
AND THAT COMES UP WITH, UH, A DENSITY.
THE HIGHER DENSITY AREAS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAPS ARE SHOWN IN THE TONES OF, UH, YELLOW AND ORANGE WITH LOWER DENSITIES, UH, IN PURPLE.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT SHIFTS SHIFTS AND CHANGES FROM 2020 TO 2120 WITH MORE DENSE AREAS, UM, IN 2020, MOSTLY LOCATED DOWNTOWN AND IN CENTRAL AUSTIN BETWEEN I 35 AND MOPAC KIND OF NORTH SOUTH.
AND THAT'S SPREADING TO FURTHER OUT AREAS IN 20 40, 20 80, AND ULTIMATELY 2020.
SO THOSE POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS ARE A KEY INPUT INTO AUSTIN WATER'S DISAGGREGATED DEMAND MODEL.
UM, OUR POPULATION IS TRANSLATED INTO PROJECTIONS OF SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY UNITS.
EMPLOYEES REMAIN THE DEMOGRAPHIC UNIT OF OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL PROJECTIONS.
AND NOW YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THESE PROJECTIONS ARE ALIGNED WITH DIFFERENT CUSTOMER WATER SECTORS.
POPULATION FEEDS INTO RETAIL, A SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND EMPLOYEES FEED INTO THE COMMERCIAL AND CITY OF AUSTIN SECTORS.
THE WHOLESALE SECTOR INCORPORATES INPUTS FROM BOTH OVERALL POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS.
UH, WE USE OUR ESRI BUSINESS ANALYST DATA AND OTHER DATA TO ALIGN OUR EMPLOYMENT ESTIMATES WITH THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN EACH COMMERCIAL SUB-SECTOR SUCH AS OFFICES, RESTAURANTS, INDUSTRIAL, LARGE VOLUME, AND UNIVERSITIES.
THOSE, UH, DIFFERENT BOXES THAT ARE SHOWN IN SHADES OF GRAY ON THE SLIDE, UH, AND NEXT WATER USE FACTORS ARE DEVELOPED FROM HISTORIC BILLING DATA FOR BOTH THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WATER DEMAND COMPONENTS FOR EACH SUB-SECTOR.
THESE FACTORS ARE MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF PROJECTED RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND EMPLOYEES PER SUB-SECTOR TO DEVELOP SUB-SECTOR LEVEL WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS AND TO GET TO AN EVEN FINER LEVEL OF DISAGGREGATION ALL THE WAY AT THE END OF THE SCREEN.
SUB-SECTOR SPECIFIC END USE FACTORS ARE APPLIED TO THE INDOOR WATER USE COMPONENT.
SO THIS PROVIDES US WITH ESTIMATES OF WATER USE FOR THINGS LIKE SHOWERS AND BATHS, FAUCETS AND BASINS LEAKS ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE AND TOILETS AND LAUNDRY.
[00:40:03]
UH, SO THESE END USE PROJECTIONS ARE A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FUTURE PROJECTIONS.ON THE SCREEN IS A SNAPSHOT OF AVERAGE WATER DEMAND FROM THE 2018 WATER FORWARD PLAN.
THIS IS SHOWING AN AVERAGE FROM ABOUT 2010 TO 2013.
UH, THE PIE CHART SHOWS THE RELATIVE BREAKDOWN OF WATER USE AT THE SECTOR, SUB-SECTOR AND END USE LEVEL.
SHADES OF BLUE ARE FOR SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WATER USE.
SHADES OF RED ARE FOR MULTI-FAMILY, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WATER USE.
AND THE SHADES OF GRAY SHOW THE DIFFERENT, UH, COMMERCIAL SUB-SECTORS INDOOR WATER USE FOR EACH OF THOSE SUB-SECTORS, AS WELL AS A KINDA A BLACK PORTION THAT YOU SEE THAT THAT OUTDOOR COMPONENT IS FOR ALL COMMERCIAL SUB-SECTORS PUT TOGETHER.
THE SHADES OF GREEN ARE FOR OUR DIFFERENT LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS.
ABOUT, UH, IF YOU ADD UP THE LITTLE SLICES, 8.2% OF OUR OVERALL BASELINE WATER DEMAND IN 2018 WAS ATTRIBUTED TO LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS, 22% TO THE REST OF OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL SECTOR.
HAVING END USE PROJECTIONS FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS HELPS US TO BASELINE OUR USAGE AND TO IDENTIFY SUB-SECTOR AND END USE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO REDUCE WATER DEMAND VIA CONSERVATION OR R REUSE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AUSTIN HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN REDUCING OUR OUTDOOR WATER USE, UM, AND WATER FOUR TO 18 IDENTIFIED THE POTENTIAL TO FURTHER REDUCE OUTDOOR WATER, UM, USE VIA NEW LANDSCAPE ORDINANCES THAT OUR CONSERVATION DIVISION IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE, UH, WATER LOSS ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE, UH, TO LEAKS BY IMPLEMENTING AMI.
SO THE RESULTS OF THE DISAGGREGATED DEMAND MODEL INCLUDE AGGREGATED WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS, AND THOSE FROM WATER FORWARD 2018 ARE SUMMARIZED HERE.
UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE BASELINE PROJECTIONS.
THEY DO NOT INCLUDE THE EXPECTED REDUCTIONS FROM IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER FORWARD 2018 STRATEGIES.
THOSE REDUCTIONS FROM CONSERVATION AND REUSE ARE LAYERED ON IN SUBSEQUENT STEPS OF THE PROCESS.
UH, THE BASELINE PROJECTIONS, HOWEVER, ARE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIVE SHARE OF DEMANDS AMONG SECTORS.
UH, IN 2040 FOR EXAMPLE, WE PROJECTED ABOUT 35 MILLION GALLONS, BILLION, EXCUSE ME, GALLONS FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SECTORS COMBINED AND ABOUT 13 BILLION GALLONS FOR THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.
I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THESE DEMAND PROJECTIONS FOR OUR WATER 4 20 24 PLAN, AND WE ANTICIPATE HAVING THOSE DEMAND PROJECTIONS COMPLETED IN ABOUT A MONTH.
SO THESE AGAIN ARE WATER 4 20 18 BASELINE WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS, BUT JUST DRILLING INTO THE COMMERCIAL SUB-SECTORS.
THE GREEN BAND ON THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAPH SHOWS COMBINED OUTDOOR CONSUMPTION FROM ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL SUB-SECTORS.
AND THE OTHER BANDS SHOW INDOOR DEMANDS, UH, FROM ALL OF THE REST OF THE, UM, COMMERCIAL SUB-SECTORS.
AGAIN, THESE PROJECTIONS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF OUR DETAILED WORK LOOKING AT CENSUS TRACK LEVEL HISTORIC GROWTH AND WATER USE PATTERNS, AS WELL AS FUTURE EXPECTATIONS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND BEYOND OUR OWN MUNICIPAL PLANNING.
TAKING THIS DETAILED APPROACH ALSO INFORMS THE PROJECTED DEMANDS THAT WE AS A CITY INCLUDE IN THE REGIONAL WATER PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S OVERSEEN BY THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD OR T W D B.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, WE REQUESTED A REVISION TO THE MANUFACTURING DEMANDS PROJECTED FOR TRAVIS COUNTY TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL EXPECTED GROWTH OF EXISTING LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL FEATURE LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS.
AND THAT REQUESTED REVISION WAS FOR AN INCREASE TO ACHIEVE A TOTAL OF SEVEN, UH, ABOUT 8 BILLION GALLONS IN 2040 AND 10 BILLION GALLONS IN 2070.
THOSE ARE ANNUAL, UM, VOLUMES.
UH, THESE PROJECTIONS ARE CLOSER IN ALIGNMENT TO THE WATER FORWARD 2018 PROJECTIONS.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, OUR ESTIMATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BECAUSE WE ARE UPDATING OUR DEMAND PROJECTIONS, UM, HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH.
SO THEN COMING BACK TO MUNICIPAL WATER PLANNING, OUR DETAILED PROJECTIONS ARE ALSO USED TO ADVANCE THE FIT FOR PURPOSE APPROACH THAT WAS A CORE VALUE OF THE WATER 4 20 18 PLAN.
FIT FOR PURPOSE JUST MEANS WORKING TO MEET NON-POTABLE WATER DEMANDS, LIKE TOILET AND URINAL FLUSHING OR OUTDOOR WATER USE WITH NON-POTABLE WATER SOURCES LIKE ONSITE WATER REUSE, UM, BRAIN WATER OR BLACKWATER REUSE, OR WITH CONNECTION TO OUR CENTRALIZED RECLAIM SYSTEM.
UH, THE CHART ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE SHOWS IN GRAY THE PORTION OF, UH, NON-POTABLE DEMAND BEING MET BY PORTABLE SUPPLY.
AND IN PURPLE THE PORTION OF NON-POTABLE DEMAND BEING MET BY NON-POTABLE SUPPLY.
[00:45:01]
FROM 2020 TO 2115, YOU SEE THAT THE GRAY PORTION STARTS TO SHRINK AND THE PURPLE PORTION STARTS TO GROW AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR REUSE STRATEGIES AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MATCHING THE RIGHT WATER QUALITY WITH THE RIGHT END USE.UM, BEYOND THIS, WE ALSO LOOK MORE HOLISTICALLY AT OUR OVERALL SUPPLY PORTFOLIO TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL POTABLE WATER SUPPLIES, UH, TO MEET POTENTIAL, UH, GAPS AS WE IDENTIFY IN OUR COLORADO RIVER BASIN WATER SUPPLY MODELING.
SO, A KEY OUTCOME OF ALL OF THIS PLANNING IS IMPLEMENTATION OF KEY STRATEGIES, UH, TO MEET FUTURE DEMANDS.
SO THE STRATEGIES IN BOLD ON THIS SLIDE HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, UH, IMPLEMENTED OR ENHANCED VIA NEW REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD BY AUSTIN WATER AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, SUBMITTING A SITE PLAN MUST NOW ALMO ALSO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT A WATER BENCHMARKING CALCULATOR THAT GENERATES AN ESTIMATE OF THE DEVELOPMENT'S EXPECTED WATER USE, INCLUDING INDOOR AND OUTDOOR WATER USE ESTIMATES.
UH, LARGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITH A GROSS FLOOR AREA GREATER THAN 250,000 SQUARE FEET MUST ALSO MEET WITH AUSTIN WATER STAFF, UM, IN PERSON TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES TO UTILIZE ON THE SITE.
UM, UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, EXTENDED OUR CENTRALIZED RECLAIM WATER SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.
UH, SO NOW LARGE DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN 500 FEET OF OUR RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM MUST CONNECT TO THAT SYSTEM AND USE THAT, UH, RECLAIMED FOR SIGNIFICANT INDOORS WELL AS OUTDOOR USES, NON-POTABLE USES.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, STARTING IN DECEMBER, 2023, UH, LARGE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT, UH, ONSITE REUSE, UM, SUCH AS RAINWATER HARVESTING OR GRAYWATER HARVESTING.
AND SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT BY OUR ONSITE WATER REUSE GROUP.
SO AS WE IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEIR PERFORMANCE AND TO SEE HOW THEY'RE MEETING DESIRED GOALS.
OUR VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF PLANNING, STRATEGY, IMPLEMENTATION, AND MONITORING TO, UH, LEADS US TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PLANS AND PLANNING PROCESSES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, FOR WATER 4 20 24, THE UPDATED 100 YEAR DEMAND FORECAST WILL INCORPORATE MORE RECENT DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH TRENDS AND UPDATED CUSTOMER WATER USE BILLING DATA.
WE'RE ALSO USING A SCENARIO PLANNING APPROACH AND INCLUDING MULTIPLE SCENARIOS OF PLAUSIBLE FUTURE WATER DEMANDS TO BETTER ACKNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS ADDRESS THE UNCERTAINTY THAT'S INHERENT IN POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT, AS WELL AS WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON BROADER FACTORS LIKE ECONOMICS, MIGRATION PATTERNS, WEATHER AND CLIMATE.
AND WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLANS WITH KEY DECISION POINTS TO HELP GUIDE OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES AND RESPONSE TO CHANGING CONDITIONS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ALONG WITH THE OTHER AUSTIN WATER STAFF THAT ARE PRESENT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT MEETING WITH CUSTOMER, FUTURE CUSTOMERS AND TALKING TO THEM IN PERSON ABOUT REUSE AND THAT TYPE OF THING, WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS, LARGE USERS? WOULD THEY HAVE TO MEET WITH YOU TOO, OR IS THERE NO REQUIREMENT FOR THAT? OR HOW DO YOU DO THAT? SO SPECIFICALLY RIGHT NOW, THE WATER BALANCE EXERCISE THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IS REALLY LIMITED TO CUSTOMERS, DIRECT CUSTOMERS OF THE UTILITY.
SO IT DOESN'T INCLUDE OUR WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS.
SO AT THIS POINT, UM, OUR WHOLESALE CUSTOMER GROUP IS, UH, RELATIVELY SMALL AND RELATIVELY FIXED.
UM, SO, AND THOSE ARE ALL EXECUTED THROUGH CONTRACT, SO WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF KIND OF WHAT THEIR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
SO COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES, MARISSA, THANK YOU.
UM, HOW DOES, LIKE THE THOUGHT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS, UH, FACTOR INTO THESE PROJECTIONS? YOU KNOW, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, WATER USE SYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY LIKE I KNOW OF LIKE GRAYWATER SYSTEMS, RIGHT? THEY'RE IN THE INFANCY IN TERMS OF THEIR TECHNOLOGICAL, UM, CAPABILITIES.
[00:50:01]
AND SO DOES THAT FACTOR INTO THESE PROJECTIONS OF HOW NEW WATER USE, YOU KNOW, COMPONENTS, FAUCETS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, DOES THAT FACTOR IN? YEAH, AND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.SO ONE WAY IS BY INCLU IN OUR DEMAND PROJECTIONS, WE ALSO LAYER ON PASSIVE CONSERVATION.
AND PASSIVE CONSERVATION WE DEFINE AS, UM, UH, THINGS LIKE BEHAVIORAL CHANGES IN, UM, WATER USE, AS WELL AS THOSE TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN IN FIXTURE EFFICIENCY.
SO OVER TIME WE'LL TEND TO SEE A REDUCTION IN WATER USE AS FIXTURES BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND AS PEOPLE MAYBE CHANGE THEIR, THEIR BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS.
THAT'S INCLUDED IN OUR OVERALL PROJECTIONS.
UM, UH, UH, KIND OF UNDERNEATH THE ACTIVE CONSERVATION FROM US IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES, UH, WHETHER IT BE A LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE OR ONSITE REUSE REQUIREMENTS, UM, AS WE HAVE, UH, KIND OF INCLUDED A GREATER FOCUS, UH, ON ONSITE REUSE WITHIN THE WATER FOUR 18 PLAN.
WE'VE WORKED A LOT ON, UM, DIALING IN OUR SATURATION RATES OR OUR UPTAKE OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES LIKE THROUGH RAINWATER HARVESTING, GRAYWATER HARVESTING, UM, OR OTHER KIND OF LIKE LOW HANGING FRUIT ONSITE STRATEGIES.
I THINK WE TEND TO, UM, UH, IMAGINE THAT THOSE STRATEGIES OVER TIME, AS THOSE, UH, TECHNOLOGIES IMPROVE, THAT THEY WILL HAVE A GREATER UPTAKE RATE, THE BARRIER TO ENTRY WILL BE LOWER AND MORE FOLKS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE.
AND SINCE THAT'S PART OF, UH, ONE OF OUR ACTIVE STRATEGIES, WE JUST INCLUDE THAT IN THE SATURATION RATE, UH, UM, FOR THOSE ACTIVE STRATEGIES.
AND THEN THAT SHOWS UP IN THE YIELD THAT WE ESTIMATE FOR, UH, THOSE STRATEGIES.
ANY COMMISSIONERS? DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
THAT WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, DISCUSSION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. COMMISSIONER, MAYOR ALREADY BROUGHT UP THE A SR PROJECT UPDATE, IF YOU WILL.DO YOU WANNA ADD ANY MORE DESCRIPTIONS TO THAT COMMISSIONER? UH, I THINK THE, THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS A LITTLE PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT ALREADY THAT I THINK WOULD BE INFORMATIVE.
AND I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST WE GET AN UPDATE ON LEGISLATION NEXT MONTH BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WILL END AT THE END OF, UH, ON MAY 29TH.
SO WE HAVE THOSE TWO ITEMS, COMMISSIONERS.
IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS OR ADDRESS AT THE NEXT COMMISSIONER'S MEETING? HEARING NONE, UM, MO JUST MOVE FORWARD TO SOME HOUSEKEEPING.
IT, UH, ITEMS OUR, UM, NEXT MEETING DOES NOT FALL ON THE TYPICAL SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
OUR MEETING MEETING FOR JUNE WILL BE A LITTLE EARLIER.
IT'LL BE THE FIRST WEDNESDAY ON JUNE 7TH.
UM, I AM HOPING WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE COMMISSIONERS SO IT'S NOT SO CRITICAL THAT EVERYBODY IS HERE.
UM, I JUST WANNA RESONATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYBODY BEING HERE.
UH, AND, AND, UH, UH, SO THAT WE COULD CONDUCT THIS MEETING TODAY.
UM, ALSO, JULY IS THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
IT'S JULY 19TH, SO JUNE 7TH IS THE FIRST WEDNESDAY, JULY 19TH IS THE THIRD WEDNESDAY.
AND THE REMAINING MEETINGS, UH, TO, ARE FALLING ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DECEMBER.
UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THE SCHEDULE TO ANYBODY IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT.
UH, ANY OTHER ITEMS BEFORE WE CLOSE? ADJOURN.
WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 7 23.