[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE, UM, TO ORDER AT 12:06 PM AUGUST 13TH.UM, THE, THE, THE MEMBERS THAT ARE ONLINE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE JUST WANT TO TASK FORCE, WANT TO REMIND THEM TO SEND IN YOUR CONFLICT FORMS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
EM, TO EMILY, I PRESUME YOU PROBABLY HAVE AN EMAIL FROM EMILY SOMEWHERE ASKING YOU FOR THOSE.
AND I'M SURE ALL THE MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE SIGNED IN AT THE, THE, UH, FRONT DESK.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THERE ANY PUBLIC, UM, COMMUNICATION, ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS US? YES, WE DO HAVE AWESOME FOLKS SIGNED UP.SO I THINK, UM, FIRST WE HAVE, UM, MS. SUSAN HOOVER, AND WE HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU COULD JOIN US RIGHT HERE AT ONE OF THE MICS ON.
AND YOU'LL NEED TO PRESS THE BUTTON.
YEAH, YOU JUST NEED TO PRESS THE BUTTON ONCE AND IT TURNS ON.
YOU MIGHT WANNA PULL IT, MAYBE PULL IT DOWN.
JUST IT'S, IT'S, UH, THERE'S SOME AMPLIFICATION IN THE ROOM, BUT IT REALLY HELPS THE FOLKS ONLINE.
I AM A LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL AND LICENSED IRRIGATOR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AN OWNER OF CIRCLE C LANDSCAPE IN AUSTIN.
AND, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION TO THIS FAR REACHING TASK FORCE.
UM, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT A RECENT ADDITION TO, UH, THE PLAN, WHICH I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT, ABOUT THREE DAYS AGO.
AND IT'S THE PROVISION THAT, UH, DRIP IRRIGATION WOULD BE REGULATED THE SAME AS ABOVE GROUND IRRIGATION.
AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, UM, TO TAKE A VERY CRITICAL LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE AFTER 2011, MANY PROFESSIONALS AND IRRIGATORS IN THE COMMUNITY WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION, AND WE WERE REALLY DIRECTED TO EXPLORE USING DRIP IRRIGATION, PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST TOOL YOU HAVE IN YOUR TOOLKIT OTHER THAN GRAY WATER.
UM, AND THE REASON IS, IS THE DRIP IRRIGATION SITS ON THE GROUND, IT'S RIGHT AT THE ROOTS OF THE PLANT.
ALL THE ABOVE GROUND IRRIGATION IS GOING LIKE THIS, AND IT'S EVAPORATING, SPRAYING OFF WITH THE WIND, ET CETERA.
UM, AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THE NECESSARY WATER RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE ABOVE GROUND IRRIGATION TO ONCE A WEEK, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO SUSTAIN VEGETATION IN A HEALTHY WAY.
AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WATER WASTE INCORPORATED WITH ABOVE GROUND IRRIGATION.
SO AT CIRCLE C, WHERE WE HAVE VERY EXTENSIVE COMMONS AREAS THAT ARE UNDER A LICENSING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, THREE TO 400 ACRES, A LOT OF IT IS IRRIGATED.
WE ADOPTED A LONG-TERM PLAN, UM, TO CONVERT EVERYTHING TO DRIP IRRIGATION UNDER TURF IN THE BEDS.
WE MADE THE DEVELOPERS PUT IN DRIP IRRIGATION AFTER MANY PROTESTS FROM THEM.
AND THE DEVELOPERS ALSO INSTALLED DRIP IRRIGATION IN MANY OF THE NEWER HOMES.
UM, OUR RESULTS ON ALL THAT IS WE HAVE AT LEAST A 50% DECREASE IN OUR WATER USE.
UM, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY AS TO WHEN YOU CAN RUN THE DRIP IRRIGATION BECAUSE IT'S LAYING DOWN VERY, VERY PRECISE AND SMALL AMOUNTS OF WATER.
WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE A ROTOR, YOU KNOW, IT'LL FLIP ON, GO LIKE THIS COVER SAY 400 SQUARE FEET, IT 14 GALLONS A MINUTE, 500 GALLONS AN HOUR.
IF DRIP IRRIGATION IS RIGHT ALONG THE ROOTS OF THE PLANT, IT IS COMING OUT AT 0.45 GALLONS PER MINUTE, OR 27 GALLONS PER HOUR.
SO YOU HAVE TO, IT ALLOWS PROFESSIONALS TO CALCULATE EXACTLY HOW MUCH WATER YOU NEED FOR YOUR PLANT AND TARGET IT DIRECTLY.
BUT OBVIOUSLY ON THE PROPERTY THAT WE DEAL WITH, WHICH IS VERY LARGE AND PROBABLY NOT STANDARD, AND NOT LIKE YOUR STANDARD RESIDENTIAL, UM, I CAN'T WATER 45 HOURS IN ONE DAY FOR WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THE ENTIRE THING.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE, BECAUSE THERE'S NO EVAPORATION, UM, AND THERE'S NO WIND FACTORS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND IT'S UNDERGROUND, THE HOURS THAT IT RUNS DURING THE DAY ARE PRETTY IRE
[00:05:01]
IRRELEVANT.ALTHOUGH MOST LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS WILL, WILL WATER OVERNIGHT OR IN THE EARLY MORNING JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF THE PLANTS.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE OVERALL IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT IT'S CRITICAL FOR THE FUTURE TO PRESERVE THE TREE CANOPY IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THE COMMITMENT THAT AUSTIN HAS HAD TO TREES AND GREEN SPACE IN ITS WHOLE HISTORY.
I JUST WANNA BE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING.
YOU'RE SAYING WHEN, BECAUSE YOU STARTED OUT, YOU SAID, UM, THAT SURFACE IRRIGATION, DRIP IRRIGATION WILL BE REGULATED THE SAME AS DRIP IRRIGATION.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IN THE NEW, IN THE PROPOSED WATER CONSERVATION PLAN OR DROUGHT CONSERVATION PLAN, THERE'S SOME PHASE AT WHICH WATERING WOULD BE THE SAME.
DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE IT IS? KEVIN CAN TELL YOU THIS, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH KEVIN ON THIS.
IT'S A PROPOSED REVISION FOR THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
BECAUSE THE DROUGHT PLAN REALLY CONTAINS ALL THE REGULATORY ASPECTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY.
'CAUSE THAT CAUGHT MY EAR AT OUR LAST MEETING TOO, AND I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WOULD I REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SEND AN EMAIL WITH, IN PARTICULAR THE STATISTIC YOU GAVE ABOUT WATER USE FOR, YOU KNOW, SPRAY OR SURFACE OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.
UM, VERSUS THE DRIP, IT WAS LIKE 50% AND THIS MANY GALLONS PER MINUTE.
'CAUSE I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT AND I DIDN'T WRITE IT DOWN.
I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND AN OUTLET FOR MY COMPUTER.
UM, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL TO US.
'CAUSE I, I THINK THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WITHOUT LIKE, THE ACTUAL INFORMATION.
WELL, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND NEXT WE HAVE CURTIS SMITH.
AND, UM, I WILL KIND OF BE STICKING MY HAND UP WITH AT ONE MINUTE, JUST TO GIVE YOU A ONE MINUTE WARNING.
HOW MUCH TIME DO THEY HAVE? JUST REMIND ME.
I'M A DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT AND I'M ALSO THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE TEXAS NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION, ALSO KNOWN AS TNLA.
UM, HAVING PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE WATER TASK FORCE AND SECURING A STABLE FUTURE WATER SUPPLY FOR AUSTIN.
UM, THE GROUP I WORK FOR, TNLA REPRESENTS OVER 1300 COMPANIES STATEWIDE, SPANNING THE ENTIRE GREEN INDUSTRY FROM PLANT NURSERIES AND GARDEN CENTERS TO PLANT WHOLESALERS AND LARGE LANDSCAPING FIRMS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
UM, OUR INDUSTRY IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE THROUGH DIVERSE WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND IS DEDICATED TO REDUCING WATER USAGE.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS A NEW PROVISION IN THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT PROPOSES LIMITING DRIP IRRIGATION TO ONCE A WEEK.
UH, THIS PROPOSAL IS CONCERNING BECAUSE IT DISINCENTIVIZES DRIP IRRIGATION, WHICH IS A MORE WATER EFFICIENT METHOD COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL SPRINKLERS.
DRIP SYSTEMS MINIMIZE EVAPORATION AND DELIVER WATER DIRECTLY TO PLANT ROOTS.
OUR MEMBERS INCLUDE HORTICULTURISTS AND ARBORISTS WHO PRIORITIZE PLANTS AND TREE HEALTH.
THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THIS CHANGE COULD HARM TREES AND PLANTS IMPACTING THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE CITY.
IT'S CRUCIAL TO BALANCE OUR WATER NEEDS WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR PLANTS AND TREES.
EVEN NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE SPECIES OFTEN REQUIRE MORE FREQUENT WATERING DURING THEIR ESTABLISHMENT PERIOD.
IT SEEMS THIS PROPOSED LIMIT ON DRIP IRRIGATION WAS SUGGESTED WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH OUR CITY'S PLANT EXPERTS WHO WORK TO MAINTAIN OUR CITY'S GREENERY.
IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, WE COULD SEE INCREASED HIGH HEAT ISLAND EFFECTS LEADING TO MORE PLANT DAMAGE AND HIGHER CITY TEMPERATURES.
THE ARBORIST I HAVE SOUGHT FEEDBACK FROM ARE WARNING ME THAT THIS NEW PROPOSED DRIP IRRIGATION COULD SIGNIFICANTLY, THIS NEW DRIP LIMIT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT OUR CITY'S TREE CANOPY.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED DRIP IRRIGATION LIMIT AND HOW, AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH OUR CITY'S URBAN FOREST PLAN AND OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WHICH AIMED FOR A 50% CANOPY COVER BY 2050, SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS.
AND THAT MEANS ESTABLISHING NEW TREES.
IN CLOSING, I WANNA REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED DRIP IRRIGATION LIMIT ON OUR CITY'S GRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
OUR INDUSTRY IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THIS TASK FORCE TO, TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE OUR UNIQUE LANDSCAPE IN OUR CITY WHILE MANAGING OUR WATER RESOURCES WISELY.
WE URGE YOU THIS TASK FORCE TO REVISIT THIS PROPOSAL, UM, WITH INPUT FROM EXPERTS IN THE HORTICULTURE AND ABO CULTURE, UH, INDUSTRY, TO FIND A BALANCED APPROACH THAT SUPPORTS BOTH WATER CONSERVATION GOALS AND THE HEALTH OF OUR PLANT LIFE IN OUR CITY.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO UPHOLD OUR URBAN FOREST PLAN AND CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN WHILE ENSURING THAT OUR GREEN SPACES REMAIN VIBRANT AND RESILIENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED DIALOGUE
[00:10:01]
AND WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU TO ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE AND THRIVING AUSTIN.THANK, THANK YOU CURTIS FOR, FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.
AND FOR, FOR THE COMMENTERS, JUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE, ON THE AGENDA WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE DROUGHT MANAGE OR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER ITEM TALKING ABOUT OUR, OUR PROPOSED WATER PLAN.
WAS THERE, WAS THERE A THIRD? WAS THAT IT? WE DO HAVE ONE MORE.
UH, TANIA KAREEM IS, UM, HAS SIGNED UP AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR REASSURING THAT YOU'RE SAYING IT CORRECTLY.
DO I HAVE TO PRESS A BUTTON OR IT'S ON? NOPE, IT'S ON.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING SOS ALLIANCE.
AS MENTIONED IN THE LAST MEETING, I'M THE NEW SCIENCE DIRECTOR, UM, AND STILL GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THIS VERY THOROUGH PLAN.
UM, BOBBY, OUR ATTORNEY COULDN'T ATTEND TODAY, UM, BUT HE'S BEEN VERY, UM, DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE PRELIMINARY PHASES LAST MEETING, BOTH BILL AND I EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE TO PRIORITIZE DEMAND STRATEGIES VERSUS FOCUSING MORE ON COST, UH, COSTLY WATER SUPPLY STRATEGIES.
UM, AND I PLAN TO REACH OUT TO THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS ABOUT THIS, UM, MATTER IN THE COMING WEEK.
BUT TODAY I WANT TO EXPRESS SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE COLORADO RIVER LAND ACQUISITION ANALYSIS.
THE PRIORITIZATION APPEARS TO BE SHIFTING AWAY FROM THE BARTON SPRING ZONE AND TOWARDS THE PERALES WATERSHED, THOUGH BARTON SPRING ZONE FACES IMMINENT DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES WHERE THERE ARE ONGOING PROPOSALS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AND EFFORTS TO EXTEND UTILITIES.
RECENT FLOW ANALYSIS CONDUCTED BY THE MEADOW CENTER ON THE, UH, PERINA AND BARTON AND ONION CREEKS CLEARLY INDICATES THAT LAND CONSERVATION IN THE BARTON AND ONION CREEK WATERSHEDS IS MORE EFFECTIVE, IS MORE EFFECTIVE FOR WATER YIELD TO THE COLORADO RIVER.
THE DATA IN THIS ANALYSIS UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS WHERE THEY WILL HAVE THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR WATER SUPPLY.
THE ANALYSIS, UM, THE LAND ACQUISITION ANALYSIS LACKS TRANSPARENCY AND HOW IT ESTABLISHES THE RATINGS THAT PRIORITIZE LAND FOR CONSERVATION.
FOR INSTANCE, SOME OF THE LAND DEEMED HIGH PRIORITY FOR CONSERVATION IS ALREADY DEVELOPED, INCLUDING AREAS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
THIS DISCREPANCY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ASSUMPTIONS AND EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR WATER TASK FORCE WATER FOR TASK FORCE TO PROVIDE A FORMAL OPPORTUNITY FOR STAKEHOLDERS AND CONSERVATION GROUPS TO WEIGH IN ON THIS LAND ACQUISITION ANALYSIS, WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR CONSERVATION PRIORITIES ARE GROUNDED IN THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND REFLECT THE UNIQUE HYDROLOGICAL REALITIES OF OUR REGION.
AND ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE, I'M, I'M PROBABLY AT THREE MINUTES.
I DO WANT TO ALSO NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH SOS DOES HAVE DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT THIS WATER FORWARD UPDATE, IT IS OUR ORGANIZATION.
IT IS NOT OUR ORGANIZATION'S INTENT TO DISCREDIT OR MINIMIZE THE WORK OF MARISA AND THERESA'S TEAM.
UM, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT Y'ALL HAVE PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS PLAN.
HOWEVER, IT IS MY JOB TO ENSURE THAT THESE WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENTS THAT'LL BE SET FORTH FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR CITY.
AND I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT AUSTIN WATER HAS FALLEN SHORT ON PREPARING A ROBUST AND EFFECTIVE PLAN THAT PRIORITIZES OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR WATER QUALITY.
DO YOU MIND HITTING THAT BUTTON THERE? THAT, THERE WE GO.
UM, THAT'S IT THEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
[2. Discussion of Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan – Water Forward Revisions (Part 1 of 2)]
SO TASK FORCE MEMBERS, WE, WE HAVE, UH, TWO ITEMS, UM, ON OUR BUSINESS AGENDA.UM, THEY'RE BOTH DISCUSSION ITEMS. UH, FIRST ONE IS, AGAIN, RELATED TO THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
AND THEN THE, THE, UH, SECOND ITEM UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS IS A DISCUSSION OF THE WATER FORWARD 2024 PRELIMINARY PORT PORTFOLIO EVALUATION RESULTS.
THERE ARE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NOT A FORMAL PRESENTATION.
THIS IS A TIME FOR US, UM, TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HAVE, HAVE A DISCUSSION, UM, ON THESE ITEMS. UM, WE PRO WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT 2:00 PM IS THAT CORRECT? WE DO.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
BEFORE WE LAUNCH INTO BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS, I THINK WE DO NEED TO, UH, REVIEW AND APPROVE THE MINUTES.UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I CAN MOVE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
UM, ANYBODY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT.
[2. Discussion of Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan – Water Forward Revisions (Part 2 of 2)]
UH, ARE THE MEMBERS OKAY WITH ME? KINDA LIKE DIVIDING THE TIME IN HALF BETWEEN THESE TWO TOPICS? UM, WE'VE GOT AN HOUR 40.DO YOU WANT ME TO WATCH? NO, WE DID NOT INCLUDE THE COLORADO RIVER
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LAND ANALYSIS ON THIS AGENDA JUST BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR TASK FORCE MEMBER QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION FOR TODAY ON THE TWO PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED ITEMS, FUTURE TASK, WILL THE FUTURE TASK FORCE MEETINGS KIND OF GO OVER THE WATER CONSERVATION AND DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN UPDATE ANYMORE? IS THIS ONE THE, THE REALLY BIG FOCUS ON IT? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS A LOT GOING FORWARD, AND I WANNA SEE IF IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THIS TODAY OR, YES.SO THE FEW, THE, UH, FOR THE SEPTEMBER 10TH TASK FORCE MEETING, WE ARE PLANNING TO INCLUDE ITEMS TO PRESENT AND DISCUSS THE REVISED WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, AND THEN AN ITEM TO, UH, PRESENT AND DISCUSS THE DRAFT WATER 4 24 PLAN.
AND, UH, THOSE PLANS, THOSE THREE PLANS WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE TASK FORCE ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER 10TH MEETING.
SO THAT WOULD BE NEXT TUESDAY ON SEPTEMBER 3RD.
WELL, WE'LL SEE, I GUESS SEE HOW THE DISCUSSION GOES.
I THINK THEY'RE BOTH, UM, BOTH, YEAH, BOTH IMPORTANT.
I, I, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HELD ME DOWN, TICKLED ME, I'D, I'D SAY THE SECOND ITEM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE FIRST.
UM, SINCE THAT IS A, A BIG REASON WHY WE'RE HERE.
BUT WE'LL JUST SEE HOW THE, SEE HOW THE DISCUSSION GOES.
UM, THE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL GOT, UM, THESE GIANT PACKETS FROM PREVIOUS, UM, DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN US AND PRESENTATIONS.
UM, THESE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE AS BACKUP MATERIAL FOR THE, FOR THE MEETING.
UM, SO, UM, SO REALLY IT'S KIND OF THE FLOOR IS FOR THE MEMBERS TO, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL FOCUS ON THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
FIRST, I JUST HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION.
IS IT JENNIFER, BILL AND PAUL ARE THE MEMBERS ONLINE? CORRECT.
WHICH IS A, WHICH IS A QUORUM.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE JENNIFER HAS HER HAND UP.
AND I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO ACT AS THE CHAIR SINCE I'M HERE IN THE FLESH.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I AM TAKING COMMAND
I AM NOT, I'M A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER TODAY AND I, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T WANNA SHOW UP THERE AND GETTING ANYONE SICK.
UM, SO I'M, I'M LOOKING THROUGH MY PACKETS HERE AND TRYING TO REMIND MYSELF WHAT EXACTLY IT IS.
UH, THE CHANGE WITH DRIP IRRIGATION.
WE HAVE THE DCP THAT'S OUT THAT DOES NOT RESTRICT DRIP IRRIGATION, BUT MY RECOLLECTION IS, IS WE'RE PLANNING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THAT AND THE ONE THAT WE BRING FORWARD, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THERE'LL BE A CHANGE IN THE DIRECT CONTINGENCY PLAN, BUT IT IS, IS, UH, AS PROPOSED WILL, UH, RESTRICT DRIP THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT STAGES AS IT IS NOW AS CONSERVATION STAGE TO STAGE FOUR.
UM, AND THAT WILL RESTRICT DRIP.
CURRENTLY DRIP IS NOT SUBJECT TO OUR WATERING SCHEDULE.
SO IT, WHENEVER YOU WANT TO USE IT, UM, FOR HOWEVER LONG YOU WANT.
UM, AND THE PROPOSAL WAS TO INCLUDE IT INTO THE DRUG CONTINGENCY PLAN, SIMILAR TO AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION.
THAT WAS THE INITIAL PROPOSAL.
UM, BUT AS YOU, UM, HEARD FROM THE SP SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE HERE, CURTIS AND SUSAN, UH, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THEM TO TWEAK THE DETAILS FOR SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
UM, SO WHEN WE DO COME BACK BY SEPTEMBER 10TH, UM, WE WILL HAVE, UM, IT MAY BE A SLIGHTLY TWEAKED PROPOSAL AFTER WE TALK TO THEM.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR KIND OF GROUNDING ME IN IN THAT.
UM, AND ALSO
UM, SO WHILE I'M LARGER THAN LIFE IN THE ROOM, YOU ARE
UM, I AM LOOK OUT ROBERT, I'M RIGHT OVER YOUR SHOULDER.
UM, THE, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS, THIS IS GOING BACK IN THE WAY, WAY BACK MACHINE, BUT IT WAS A STRATEGY THAT AUSTIN WATER WAS TALKING ABOUT YEARS AGO.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT EVER HAPPENED.
I REMEMBER I WAS PART OF SOME MEETINGS ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS LOOKING AT LARGE FACILITIES OR YOU KNOW, BIG
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CAMPUSES THAT HAD WATER THAT WATERED, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF OUTDOOR AREA.AND THEY WERE LIKE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US WITH OUR AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS TO JUST DO TWO DAYS A WEEK 'CAUSE WE WATER IN ZONES AND IT'S A PROBLEM.
SO CAN WE HAVE A SPECIAL PASS, UM, TO WATER, UM, WHEN WE NEED TO IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR LANDSCAPES AS LONG AS WE STAY UNDER AN ESTABLISHED EFFICIENT WATER BUDGET.
IS THAT PROGRAM ACTUALLY DID THAT EVER MAKE OR IS IT STILL IN PLACE? YES, WE DO HAVE VARIANCE, LARGE COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPES EVEN, EVEN NOW FOR THEIR SPRAY IRRIGATION.
UM, IF THEY CAN'T MEET THE NEEDS UNDER THEIR CURRENT DAY AND TIME, UH, WE DO ISSUE A VARIANCE TO WORK WITH THEM TO ALLOW THEM TO WATER THEIR OKAY.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT MIGHT BE AN ELEGANT SOLUTION FOR LIKE A CIRCLE C OR SOMEBODY THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, I I, THE SPEAKER DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO TALK AND, AND INDICATED I BELIEVE, UM, THAT IT WAS HARD TO WATER.
I BELIEVE IT, SHE SAID 400 ACRES WITH DRIP JUST ON ONE DAY PER WEEK.
AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOME OF THESE OTHER KINDS OF SOLUTIONS VERSUS, UM, UM, SCRAPPING THE ORDINANCE, WHICH I'M NOT SAYING THAT SHE WAS ASKING FOR WHATSOEVER, BUT, UM, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE AN IN-BETWEEN THERE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, IS JUST, UM, I SUPPORT, UM, PUTTING SOME, SOME GUARDRAILS AROUND DRIP IRRIGATION.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINKINGS WHEN AROUND THAT WAS IT'S MORE EFFICIENT, CLEARLY.
UM, BUT, BUT, UM, THAT IT WAS HARD TO REGULATE, LIKE HOW WE REGULATE IT.
IT'S UNDERGROUND, BUT WE NOW HAVE TOOLS WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MI AND OTHER TOOLS THERE AND, AND, UM, AND WE NEED TO BE EFFICIENT ACROSS THE BOARD WITH OUR WATER USE.
SO I THINK, I MEAN, I I TOTALLY SUPPORT FINDING WAYS FORWARD, UM, WITH EFFICIENCY BEING LIKE THE KIND OF DRIVING FORCE BEHIND IT.
UM, AND THEN KEEPING OUR TREE CANOPY ALIVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, UH, BUT, UH, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE KIND OF ONE KIND OF WATER USE THAT GETS, UM, THAT GETS A PASS TO NOT FOLLOW THE WATERING RESTRICTIONS.
MUCH LIKE I DON'T THINK OUTDOOR IRRIGATION WITH, UH, WITH REUSE WATER SHOULD BE FREE PASS, LIKE WITH OUR CENTRALIZED REUSE SYSTEM.
BUT JUST A FEW THOUGHTS AROUND THAT.
UH, JENNIFER AND THE SPEAKER WERE TALKING ABOUT LARGE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ON LARGE PROPERTIES AS PROPOSED.
WOULD THE CHANGE ALSO APPLY TO RESIDENTIAL AND HOW DOES IT, WHAT'S THE CURRENT RULES AND WHAT WOULD THE CHANGE BE AS PROPOSED? IT WOULD APPLY TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL IN TERMS OF PUTTING WATER IN DRIP IRRIGATION UNDER WATER AND RESTRICTION OTHER UNDER A WATER SCHEDULE.
SO CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE I WOULD FIND THE BASIS FOR THE CHANGE? LIKE THE EXPLANATION, THE WATER SAVINGS PROJECTED, WHERE DO WE HAVE THAT? SO WHY WE WANT TO, THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY NO, I'M SORRY.
I'M ASKING, IS THERE SOMEWHERE IN THE MATERIALS WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED THAT EXPLAINS THE CHANGES THAT ARE PROPOSED NOT IN THE SLIDES THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN ANY OF THE MATERIALS WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED? NO.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE GONNA EXPLAIN IT TO US.
UM, SO A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY WE PROPOSED THE DRIP IRRIGATION.
WELL, ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IS THAT WE ARE ASKED FIND MORE SAVINGS.
AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR RESPONSES TO IT, UM, FOR OUTDOOR IRRIGATION.
BEYOND THAT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY WE'RE PROPOSING IT.
FIRST OF ALL, LCRA HAS CONTACTED US AND, AND LET US KNOW THAT IN THAT STAGE FOUR OF OUR DCP, UH, IN WHICH THERE'S FUNCTIONAL AND NON-FUNCTIONAL TURF, YOU MAY REMEMBER.
AND UNDER STAGE FOUR YOU CANNOT WATER NON-FUNCTIONAL TURF, UM, UH, WHICH IS MOSTLY YARDS.
UM, NOT COMMON AREAS, BUT YARDS.
UH, WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN OUR DCP TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THEIRS.
WE NEED TO INCLUDE DRIP IN STAGE FOUR, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY STAGE FOUR AND THEY'RE RECOMMENDING IT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR STAGES, FIRST OF ALL.
SECOND ONE IS REALLY TO, IN A SENSE, CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE.
NOT EVERYONE MAY USE THAT WORD, BUT, YOU KNOW, GO FROM AN UNREGULATED WATER USE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF REGULATION, SOME TYPE OF SCHEDULE FOR, UM, FOR DRIP IRRIGATION.
ONE THAT'S TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE REALLY POORLY DESIGNED SYSTEMS, POORLY
[00:25:01]
OPERATED SYSTEMS. AND I THINK ANYONE WHO WORKS IN THE DRIP IRRIGATION AREA WOULD ADMIT THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE OUT THERE.UM, AND CURRENTLY THEY CAN RUN WHENEVER, HOWEVER MUCH THEY WANT.
UM, BUT SECONDLY, TO START TO HEAD OFF THE IDEA THAT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN GET AWAY FROM IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS BY SIMPLY PUTTING IN DRIP, UM, YOU KNOW, AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS COME IN, IF THEY HAVE THE BUDGET, THEY MAY MAKE THAT CHOICE THAT THEY CAN WATER WHENEVER THEY WANT AND HAVE AS GREEN LANDSCAPE AS THEY WANT BY HAVING, SIMPLY HAVING DRIP.
AND THIS IS A SIGNAL THAT, UH, WE ARE GONNA START TREATING DRIP, UH, SIMILAR TO, UH, SPRAY IRRIGATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THE PRIMARY REASONS.
SO IS THERE ANY, UM, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN DRIP IRRIGATION USED FOR TURF GRASS VERSUS BEDS? SO I'M THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT MAYBE INVESTED IN A WATERWISE LANDSCAPE.
AND I WE'RE JUST GONNA SAY, SORRY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, MORE NUANCED.
WELL, CURRENTLY IT'S, UM, IT'LL BE ONE DAY A WEEK AND THIS IS HOW IT'S PROPOSED.
THIS IS NOT HOW IT'S GONNA NECESSARILY END UP, BUT AS IT'S PROPOSED, IT'S ONE DAY A WEEK, JUST LIKE YOUR AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEM.
SO AT HOME YOU MAY HAVE A, A SYSTEM THAT'S MIXED BOTH SPRAY AND DRIP, AND YOU MAY RUN IT ONCE A DAY OR ONCE A WEEK RATHER.
UM, WE DON'T DISTINGUISH BEDS AND TURF IN WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE.
I THINK WHAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS IF WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF LIKE, BECAUSE TO SAY IT'S A LOOPHOLE AND WE'RE CLOSING, IT DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION OF LIKE, WHY WAS THE LOOPHOLE CREATED? LIKE THERE HAD TO HAVE BEEN A REASON IT WAS.
AND SO ALSO JUST WHAT DO YOU EXPECT LIKE ACTUAL WATER SAVINGS TO BE FROM THIS? AND I THINK IT WAS ORIGINALLY NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT WAS SEEN EARLY ON 10 YEARS AGO, 15 YEARS AGO, UM, AS A EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE AND WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
BUT AS TIMES GOES ON, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT IF WE'RE GONNA BE, HAVE A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE, ALL OF US NEED TO SAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WATER NEXT YEAR THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.
AND EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD, OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WILL HAVE TO SAVE MORE WATER.
UM, SO IT CAN'T JUST BE A STATUS QUO IS APPROVED 10 YEARS AGO AND WE'RE NEVER GONNA CHANGE IT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT INCLUDING DRIP TO SOME DEGREE INTO THE WATERING SCHEDULE.
UM, I THINK THAT IT WAS ALSO SEEN AS AN INCENTIVE TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO INSTALL DRIP RATHER THAN SPRAY IRRIGATION.
THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT MORE FREELY AND NOT BE SUBJECTED TO THAT.
BUT I TOTALLY AGREE ON THE, YOU KNOW, TIMES HAVE CHANGED AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT PRACTICES AND WAYS WE DO THINGS.
SO THERE IS KIND OF THAT STRUGGLE BETWEEN 'EM AND, AND IT IS ANYWAY.
WELL, AS JENNIFER, AS YOU POINTED OUT EARLIER TOO, UM, IT'S MUCH HARDER TO SEE WATER WASTE FROM DRIP IRRIGATION.
UM, BUT WITH OUR IMPROVED METERING, THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO, TO SEE IT BETTER NOW, I GUESS IT SEEMS LIKE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE PENALIZING FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THINGS EFFICIENTLY, UM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, ENGINEER A SYSTEM WHERE IT DOES DEAL WITH FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW AREN'T YEAH.
AND THAT IS, I MEAN, JUST GENERALLY ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH OUR, WITH OUR RESTRICTIONS IN EACH STAGE IS THAT THEY, THEY CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
AND SO TRYING TO BOTH HAVE A NUANCED APPROACH TO HOW WE TREAT DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT KINDS OF DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS, BUT MAKE IT SIMPLE ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT STAGE WE'RE IN AND WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT STAGE.
AND THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFICULT BALANCE TO STRIKE.
I THINK PAUL MIGHT HAVE HAD HIS HAND.
UM, YEAH, I ACTUALLY TOOK IT DOWN BECAUSE I FIGURED WE PROBABLY SHOULD MOVE ON FROM THIS PARTICULAR CONVERSATION GIVEN THE TIME THAT WE ARE AIMING TO FINISH THIS MEETING IN.
BUT JUST QUICKLY ON THIS TOPIC, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, I'M WITH JENNIFER.
[00:30:01]
ON DRIP IRRIGATION SO FAR AS THEY'RE REASONABLE.I'M, NOBODY'S OUT HERE TRYING TO LIKE, KILL ALL THE TREES IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND I TRUST THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE THEIR HOMEWORK ON WHAT IS A PROPER RESTRICTION ON DRIP IRRIGATION.
I SEE THAT IN OUR, AT LEAST OUR SLIDES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL OUTDOOR WATER SAVINGS TO BE HAD BY 2040.
THAT'S SLIDE 20 IF EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE THEIR PACKET FROM LAST TIME.
AND I ASSUME THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE RESTRICTIONS ON DRIP.
AND ANYWAY, I WOULD, I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF TWEAKS COME OUT OF YOUR MEETINGS, UH, WITH SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT SPOKE EARLIER.
DON'T BACK DOWN IF YOU THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THAT ONE.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME DRIP IRRIGATIONS BEING MORE EFFICIENT AND SOME BEING LESS.
AND IS IT LIKE SPECIFIC TYPES AND DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE INSTALLING THOSE THINGS THEY CAN EASILY ACCESS THAT INFO AND INSTALL THE MORE EFFICIENT ONES? AND IS THERE ANY KIND OF INCENTIVES FOR THEM TO INSTALL THAT? LIKE IF THEY ARE USING A MORE EFFICIENT TYPE, COULD THEY HAVE MORE DAYS FOR WATERING? YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM KIND OF A, A TRADE OFF FOR THAT? WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC TYPES OR MANUFACTURERS OR METHODS OF INSTALLING, UM, BUT WE HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE IN, IN DOING OUR IRRIGATION AUDITS GOING OUT THERE AND YOU SEE REALLY UNFORTUNATE SYSTEMS WHERE THEY HAVE A MIX OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINED, THEY HAVE LEAKS UNDERNEATH WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEY'RE BEING RUN ON MULTIPLE TIMES OF A WEEK.
YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CIRCLE C, RIGHT? I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT CIRCLE C.
UM, BUT, BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR SOME OF THESE THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT THE DRIP SYSTEMS WILL USE ALMOST AS MUCH AS THE SPRAY SECTIONS IN THEIR SYSTEMS. AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU RUN YOUR SPRAY SYSTEM FOR 15 MINUTES OR YOUR, UM, DRIP, UH, SECTION, YOU KNOW, FOR AN HOUR EVERY SINGLE DAY, THOSE THINGS STILL ADD UP.
DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IRRIGATION INSPECTIONS? CONSTRUCTIONS? SO WE DO HAVE IRRIGATION IN INSPECTIONS GOING FORWARD.
AS, AS SHEA NOTED, THOSE SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE ROLLING THOSE OUT IN THE NEXT, UH, MONTH.
AND THAT'S PART OF THAT LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THOSE WILL BE INSPECTING NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. UM, AND THEY WILL BE IN GROUND.
UM, SO THEY'RE NOT THE PERFECT, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTE, UH, PERFECT INSPECTION.
WE DO WHAT WE CAN WITH IT IN GROUND AS PART OF THE BUILDING PROCESS, BUT AT LEAST IT WILL GIVE THE HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, THE PLANS AND THE SETTINGS AND THE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR SYSTEMS. DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF, UM, SECTION IN THE, THE LANDSCAPING UPDATE FOR AREAS OF LIKE WATER LOSS, KIND OF DISCUSSING THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN ON THE GROUND? SO JUST, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO'S WANTING TO DO NATIVE LANDSCAPE, BUT THEY DON'T COME FROM THAT BACKGROUND OR ANYTHING THEY CAN SEE AND THEY'D BE LIKE, OH, IF I DO DRIP IRRIGATION THAT WAY IT ACTUALLY ISN'T EVEN EFFICIENT.
INSTEAD OF JUST TRYING TO MACGYVER THEIR WAY THROUGH IT BECAUSE IT COSTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
HAVING THAT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD FOR THEIR OWN INSTALLATIONS AS, AS A DO IT YOURSELF PROJECT OR, OR JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVING, LIKE WHEN YOU GUYS HAVE DONE INSPECTIONS, THESE ARE THE COMMON PITFALLS THAT MAKE IT NOT WATER EFFICIENT.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO BETTER AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MORE EFFICIENT THAN TRADITIONAL TYPES AND JUST HAVING THAT COMPARISON SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY CAN EASILY ACCESS IT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE CHOOSING DRIP AND THEN ENDING UP USING THE SAME AS THE SPRAY.
BECAUSE IF THEY'RE CHOOSING DRIP, THEY'RE PROBABLY TRYING TO GET THAT WATER, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION AND THEY HAVE THAT GOAL IN MIND.
THEY MIGHT JUST NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO GET THERE.
SO HAVING THAT AVAILABLE TO THEM COULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR MAKING IT ACTUALLY MORE, UH, EFFICIENT AND INCENTIVIZED.
I GUESS WE DON'T, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.
AND WE'RE ALL, WE ALSO WORK WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS PROFESSIONAL IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION AND HAVE, UH, A COMMON EVENT COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
UM, AND THAT'D BE A GOOD TOPIC TO TALK TO THE ACTUAL IRRIGATORS ABOUT, 'CAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GONNA BE PUTTING IN THOSE SYSTEMS AND SETTING THE SCHEDULE INITIALLY.
REMIND ME AGAIN, WHAT, WHEN, WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT SET STAGE FOUR, 600,000 ACRE FEET OF STORAGE LEFT AND THEN, AND SO LCRA HAS, UM, ADDED
[00:35:01]
A PROVISION OR SOMETHING THAT SAYS NO OUTDOOR WATERING ONCE STAGE FOUR HITS.UM, DOES THAT ALSO IMPACT PEOPLE USING ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIES LIKE TREATED WASTEWATER? UM, OR, OR CAN PEOPLE USE ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIES? I BELIEVE THAT WOULD NOT BE COVERED IN, WELL IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED IN OUR, UM, WATERING SCHEDULE, THE, THOSE RAW OR GROUNDWATER OR SURFACE WATER OR RECLAIMED WATER.
SO THAT, SO THAT, THAT MIGHT BE AN INCENTIVE FOR FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT INTO.
UM, IT'S NOT A GOOD SITUATION FOR TREE CANOPY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THINGS GET CUT OFF.
ALTHOUGH AT THE SAME TIME, I RECOGNIZE WHEN THINGS GET DIRE, WE PROBABLY DO NEED TO CUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, DISCRETIONARY, DISCRETIONARY WATER USES OFF.
I'M NOT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT LEVEL TO DO IT OR NOT, BUT, UM, BUT IT MIGHT BE AN INCENTIVE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOLKS TO PURSUE TREATED WASTEWATER, UM, OR ALTERNATIVE SLIDE, UM, ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF WATER.
PROBABLY BE HARD FOR CIRCLE C TO CAPTURE ENOUGH RAINWATER TO MEET, MEET, MEET THEIR DRIP NEEDS.
BUT, UH, BUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FOR SMALLER HOMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT OR AT A SINGLE FAMILY BASIS, MAYBE THAT'S, UM, AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO, TO GET THAT.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE DRAW? HERE WE GO.
UM, I'M JUST SATISFIED WITH THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
I HAVE BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING.
UH, AND IF IT DOESN'T CHANGE A LOT, I'M VOTING AGAINST IT.
UH, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND IN THE PREVIOUS VERSIONS IS ALL THE STRATEGIES ARE VAGUE.
THERE'S NO SCHEDULE, THERE'S NO GALLONAGE IS EVERYTHING'S KIND OF FUZZY.
UH, THE CITY ASKED US FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC STRATEGIES AND WHAT I WANNA SEE IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE WATER FORWARD BIG PLAN, THE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WITH GAGES SAVED AND SCHEDULES TO GET 'EM DONE.
AND IF THAT'S NOT IN THERE, I'M OUT.
SO TO THE EXTENT, UM, NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
I WOULD JUST SAY I AGREE THAT IT'S, THERE'S JUST, IT'S VERY VAGUE.
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH SAVINGS ARE COMING FROM DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND LIKE WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, OBJECTIVE BASIS IS.
SO ANY MORE SPECIFICITY THAT COULD BE PROVIDED WOULD MAKE IT VERY HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A GROUP, BUT THERE WAS THIS DOCUMENT LAST TIME WHERE THEY KIND OF WENT THROUGH THE STRATEGIES THAT WE SUGGESTED, WHICH, AND SORT OF SAID, GAVE THIS EXPLANATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE GONNA BE INCORPORATED.
AND AGAIN, LIKE I DIDN'T SEE ANY ESTIMATED WATER SAVINGS.
IT WAS JUST KIND OF, UM, VAGUE EXPLANATIONS OF WHY ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE NOT ACCEPTED, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE FINE.
IT'S JUST LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME, SOME ANALYSIS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE SPECIFICS BEFORE WE'RE EXPECTED TO VOTE ON THIS.
UM, THERE WAS A LIST THAT WAS INCLUDED AND SO WE HAD KIND OF GONE THROUGH THE STRATEGIES THAT WERE SUGGESTED BY THE TASK FORCE.
WE HAD KIND OF CONSOLIDATED LIKE STRATEGIES AND THEN OUR CONSULTANT HAD GONE THROUGH THOSE STRATEGIES, UM, AND IDENTIFIED WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS REALLY FEASIBLE TO IDENTIFY SAVINGS FROM THOSE.
AND FOR THOSE THAT WHERE IT WAS MORE FEASIBLE TO IDENTIFY SAVINGS, THEY CALCULATED ESTIMATES OF SAVINGS.
UM, THAT'S THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
I THINK IT'S UPLOADED ON THE, LET'S SEE, FOR YEAH, THE JULY, I'M LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.
STRATEGIES WITH COST AND YIELD ESTIMATES.
IS THAT THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? ABOUT YES, I THINK SO.
SO IT DOES HAVE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
'CAUSE IT DOES HAVE SOME VOLUMES, BUT I GUESS I STILL DON'T SEE HOW, WHAT BILL'S SAYING, LIKE HOW THIS IS, I BELIEVE THE STRATEGIES, WELL, SINCE I CAN'T TELL THAT KIND OF TELLS YOU A LOT RIGHT.
ABOUT GETTING THE INFORMATION.
BUT LIKE ALL THE STRATEGIES IN THE, THAT ARE IN THE PLAN CURRENTLY THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING MM-HMM.
[00:40:01]
LIKE HOW DOES IT ADD UP? THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN OR FOR THE WATER.FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
I THINK, WELL, I'LL LET KEVIN MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT IN TERMS OF, I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S POTENTIAL SAVINGS ESTIMATES FROM PLAN.
WE CAN KEEP THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN JUST POINTING OUT THAT IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT ADDS UP.
SO WITHIN THE, UH, ESTIMATES FOR THE, LET'S SEE IN THE WATER FORWARD 24 PLAN AND THE PORTFOLIO SIX STRATEGIES IN THE BACKUP FROM LAST TIME, AND I'M SORRY, IT SHOULD HAVE A BETTER WAY TO SEE THIS, UM, THERE ARE THESE SLIDES THAT LIST OUT KIND OF AS YIELD TARGET FOR EACH OF THE, UM, STRATEGIES FROM UTILITY SIDE, WATER LOSS CONTROL, CUSTOMER SIDE, WATER USE MANAGEMENT, AND NATIVE AND EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING.
AND THOSE 2030 ESTIMATES AND, UM, 2040 ESTIMATES WERE TRY, WE TRIED TO ALIGN THOSE SAVINGS ESTIMATES WITH, UM, THE SAVINGS IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
SO THERE'S THIS ONE FOR CONSERVATION STRATEGIES, ARE YOU ABLE TO SAY LIKE OF THE POSTED BACKUP, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE TITLE OF IT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL? SURE.
JUST AS IT'S LISTED IN THE POSTED BACKUP.
YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO BE PATIENT WITH ME WHILE I NAVIGATE TO IT.
SO UNDERNEATH THE AUGUST, UNDERSTAND ALSO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, UNDERNEATH THE AUGUST 13TH MEETING MATERIALS, THERE IS A BACKUP FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE, IT'S PRESENTATION OF WATER FORWARD 2024 PRELIMINARY PORTFOLIO EVALUATION RESULTS.
AND IF YOU OPEN UP THAT PDF AND I AM NAVIGATING TO THE CORRECT PAGE NUMBER AND IT IS TAKING A MOMENT TO LOAD.
SO PAGE 23, WITHIN THAT PDF, THERE'S A SLIDE THAT SAYS PORTFOLIO SIX CONSERVATION STRATEGIES.
AND THE YIELD VOLUMES WITHIN, UH, THOSE PORTFOLIOS FOR 2030 AND 2040 WERE DEVELOPED IN ALIGNMENT WITH EXPECTED SAVINGS FROM CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES INCLUDED IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.
SO IN TERMS OF EVALUATING THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TERMS THIS, UH, PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION OF 2024
I DON'T THINK THAT SARAH HAS HER MIC ON.
OH, I THINK YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR MIC ON.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I WAS FOLLOWING ALONG.
THAT IN ORDER TO GET THE VOLUMES FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, WE GO TO THIS I WATER FORWARD 24 PORTFOLIO EVALUATION RESULTS.
GOT I I'M FOLLOWING THAT'S GOOD.
IN THE PORTFOLIO, ALL OF THE PORTFOLIOS THAT WERE EVALUATED AND THE WATER FORWARD PLAN HAD THIS SET OF CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES.
WE WANTED TO INCLUDE KIND OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE YIELDS FROM THE NUMBER OF GROUPINGS OF, UH, CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES.
WE EVALUATED SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
AND SARAH, UM, AS MARISA MENTIONED BEFORE, UH, THE TASK FORCE WILL BE GETTING THE NEW PLANS, THE DRAFT PLANS OUT ON, UH, NEXT TUESDAY.
UM, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
IT, IT DOES INCLUDE MORE INFORMATION THAN THE LAST PLAN.
UM, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, ADDRESS SOME OF, UH, YOUR CONCERNS AND BILL'S CONCERNS.
AND I THINK PAUL HAS HIS HAND UP AS WELL.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA TRY TO, MAYBE I UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENT FROM SARAH AND BILL AND I WAS MAYBE JUST GONNA TRY TO GIVE A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
[00:45:01]
OF WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SPOKE ABOUT A WHILE AGO IN OUR INITIAL CRITICISM OF THE PLAN, SOME OF THE IDEAS WE HAD, ONE OF THEM THAT WAS, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT I DEFINITELY SUPPORTED AND I THINK OTHERS SUPPORTED, WAS THIS IDEA OF MANDATORY WATER BUDGETING.
AND, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR, IN THE SLIDES FROM AUGUST 13TH, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS SORT OF CONSIDERED BUT NOT ACCEPTED.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA DO ENGAGEMENT, IT LOOKS LIKE IS THE WORD THAT WE'VE CHOSEN, WHICH IS, I ADMITTEDLY A VAGUE WORD.
WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT IT MEANS NECESSARILY AND WHAT WILL THE SAVINGS FROM THAT ENGAGEMENT BE.
WHEREAS I THINK WHAT WE MAY HAVE HOPED FOR IS IF WE POSE AN IDEA LIKE MANDATORY WATER BUTING, THAT Y'ALL COULD HAVE, UM, ESTIMATED THE WATER SAVINGS FROM THAT.
AND WE COULD HAVE SEEN THAT, THAT, AND EVEN IF WE DON'T EVER ADOPT THAT, BUT LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS IT RELATES TO THE STATUS QUO AND AS IT RELATES TO THE IDEA OF JUST ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, WITH COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONSUMERS.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS BE IN A WORLD WHERE WE HAD MANDATORY BUDGETING VERSUS JUST VOLUNTARY ENGAGEMENT? SO THAT IF I'M, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD, I THOUGHT MAYBE WAS GONNA HAPPEN AND, AND DIDN'T.
AND SO NOW WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LIKE, OH, SORT OF VAGUE AND DIDN'T REALLY GET TO SEE THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS THAT, UH, FROM THE PROPOSALS THAT WE BROUGHT UP BEFORE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE UPDATED PLAN IS A A LITTLE BIT OF TALK AROUND AROUND THAT.
UM, THE, ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, UM, THOSE NEW DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, WATER USE FORECAST, UM, WITH OUR, WITH OUR TEAM, UH, AS THEY GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
AND THAT IS GIVING US BASELINE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATE WATER BUDGET FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S SOME EXPLANATION OF WHERE WE ARE ON THAT, UM, THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE.
AND THEN ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WE DO HAVE, UH, DATA THAT'S GENERATED BY OUR A MI PLATFORM WHERE WHEN, WHEN A RESIDENTIAL, UH, WHEN SOMEONE'S WATER USE EXCEEDS WHAT THE SYSTEM THINKS IS NORMAL, IT WILL GENERATE A, UH, AN ALERT TO THEM AND THE SYSTEM GENERATES HOW MUCH WATER IT THINKS WE'VE SAVED BY THOSE FOLKS FIXING LEAKS WHEN THEY GET THAT ALERT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO IN BEFORE A MI, THEY WOULD'VE GOTTEN THEIR WATER BILL TWO WEEKS AFTER THE END OF THEIR BILLING CYCLE AND THEY WOULD SEE HIGH WATER USE AND GO HUNT IT DOWN AND FIX IT.
NOW THEY SEE HIGH WATER USE THE NEXT DAY AND CAN FIX IT.
AND THERE'S SOME SAVINGS THERE THAT THE SYSTEM HAS AN ALGORITHM TO CALCULATE.
SO THERE'S A DISCUSSION OF THAT.
UH, IT'S NOT WATER BUDGETING, BUT IT IS LIKE, UH, IT'S DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY, BUT AS MUCH AS WE'RE ABLE TO QUANTIFY IT, WE ARE DOING THAT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT PEOPLE DO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR WHEN THEY GET THESE ALERTS.
THE OTHER THING THAT IT, THE SYSTEM WILL ALERT PEOPLE IS IF THEY ARE GOING TO GET INTO THE NEXT TIER OF BILLING.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET THAT ALERT, THEY ALSO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR AND STAY WITHIN, UH, AND REDUCE THEIR WATER USE THROUGH THE REST OF THE BILLING CYCLE, UH, TO STAY IN THE LOWER TIER.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE GOT, WE'RE WE'RE BEGINNING TO AMASS THE KIND OF DATA NEEDED TO, UM, TO, TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH WATER BUDGETING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE COMMENT, AND THAT IS QUICKLY ON THE A MI, I MEAN, KIND OF ONE OF THE NARRATIVES OF THIS WHOLE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN PROCESS IS THAT SOMETHING ABOUT THE GOALS THAT WERE SET IN 2019 DIDN'T ADD UP TO WHERE WE WANTED TO BE.
AND IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE UTILITY SIDE WATER LOSS.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, I THINK THERE WAS LIKE TWO THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T, THERE WAS TWO BIG THINGS, U UTILITY SIDE WATER LOSS, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT ADDED UP WERE LIKE OVER 50% OF WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING TO ACHIEVE WATER SAVINGS ON.
I HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF CONCERN THAT WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF STOCK AND, UM, ESTIMATING A LOT OF SAVINGS FROM THE AUTOMATIC METERS AND BEHAVIOR THAT CUSTOMERS WILL UNDERTAKE BASED ON THE HAVING THIS INFORMATION.
[00:50:02]
UM, AND SO I JUST, IT'S NOTHING CONCRETE I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY SEEING A RESPONSE FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD AUTOMATIC METERS INSTALLED THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THEIR WATER USE AND ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO THOSE RESULTS.BUT SIMILAR TO LIKE OUR WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS 10 YEARS AGO WHERE THE WATER UTILITY WAS LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT WE'RE GONNA GRAB AND THEN IT'S GONNA GET HARDER.
I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW WITH A MI AND OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THERE'S A LOT OF LOW HANGING PEOPLE, BUT YOU'RE, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA, HONESTLY, WITHOUT A LOT OF EDUCATION AND LIKE REALLY TARGETED OUTREACH TO PEOPLE.
I MEAN, THE WAY YOU JUST SAID IT, THEY GET A LEAK ALERT AND THEN THEY GET A LEAK FIXED AND OUR SYSTEM AND THEY GET THAT LEAK FIXED AND OUR SYSTEM AS AN EQUATION TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH WATER WE SAVED.
BUT LIKE THE PART ABOUT THEM GETTING THE LEAK FIXED AND KNOWING AND CARING IS A WHOLE OTHER SET OF BEHAVIORS.
AND JUST ANECDOTALLY OF, I MEAN, I I, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE AUTOMATIC METER INSTALLED AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA, THEY DON'T HAVE THE APP, THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT TUNED IN.
SO JUST, THAT'S JUST A CAUTION, LIKE IN TERMS OF IT'S BRAND NEW AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I HEAR SO MUCH IS GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE OF IT AND I KNOW THAT IT'S NATIONWIDE IT, AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A TON OF DATA TO WORK WITH, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE'RE EX OUR EXPECTATIONS WILL NOT BE MET WITHOUT SOME REAL GROUNDWORK OUTREACH, COMMUNICATION ON THE FOLLOW UP BEHAVIORS.
AND LIKE, JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, LIKE SAMSUNG DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE A MI IN THE SAME WAY THAT LIKE YOUR NORMAL CONSUMER WOULD, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE TOO, THE IDEA OF THE INCREASED PRICE BRACKETING AS AN INCENTIVE AND WHETHER OR NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER SUPER WEALTHY OR BIG COMPANIES OR RESPONSIVE TO THAT, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T STUDIED AND IT'S SUPER INTERESTING TO LOOK AT, BUT IN THE INTERIM WE'RE JUST KIND OF LIKE, EH, I MEAN SAMSUNG, IT'S IT, THEY'RE JUST GONNA KEEP USING MORE AND MORE WATER.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO LIKE, LITTLE NOTIFICATION THAT THEY WOULD GET THAT SAYS, OH, YOU'RE USING MORE THAN NORMAL THIS MONTH.
AND THEY SAY, YEAH, 'CAUSE WE'RE MAKING A TON OF MONEY
SO I JUST WORRY ABOUT, YEAH, THAT CLASS OF CONSUMER, WHICH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THE INDUSTRIAL SIDE, I DON'T KNOW, THE ENGAGEMENT IS ENOUGH.
THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE THE REAL HARD LIMITS WOULD'VE TO BE IN PLACE AND THEY'D HAVE TO BE REASONABLE.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S A HOBBY HORSE.
NOT ENOUGH TIME TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT IT TODAY, BUT JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
YEAH, I'M NOT AN APOLOGIST FOR SAMSUNG, BUT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO TOUR THEIR FACILITIES LAST WEEK.
AND, UM, THEY, THEY ARE DOING A NUMBER OF, OF AMAZING THINGS ON THE WATER CONSERVATION SIDE.
SO THEY DO CONDENSATE HARVESTING, UH, THEY DO RAINWATER HARVESTING NOT TO A TANK, TO AN ONSITE POND.
AND THEN FROM THAT POND THEY DO, UM, IRRIGATION.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE PRETTY IR EFFICIENT WITH THEIR IRRIGATION.
'CAUSE I COULDN'T TELL THAT THEIR LANDSCAPE WAS IRRIGATED
UM, AND UH, AND THEY'RE ALSO KIND OF PURSUING, UM, NET ZERO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SAMSUNG AS A WORLDWIDE COMPANY IS REQUIRING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF ITS FACTORIES TO GO NET ZERO ON POWER WASTE AND, AND WATER.
SO, UM, SO THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, ALSO I THINK CHIP MANUFACTURING IS PROBABLY A PRETTY CONSISTENT FLOW OF WATER.
UM, NOT TO SAY THEY DON'T HAVE A LEAK.
I'M NOT SURE YOU COULD SEE A LEAK IF THEY HAD A LEAK
BUT, UM, BUT THERE I WAS, I WAS IMPRESSED.
WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, TESLA, TESLA, TESLA'S, TESLA'S COLLECTING RAINWATER,
WELL, AND I THINK YOUR, YOUR PO TO YOUR POINT PAUL, WE HAVE LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS THAT ARE, ARE IN THEIR OWN CLASS QUITE LITERALLY.
UM, AND AS PART OF OUR RECENT COST OF SERVICE STUDY, UH, ALL OF THOSE LARGE VOLUME CUSTOMERS WERE ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, AND ALL OF THEIR RATES WENT UP, UM, BY MORE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE'S RATES, FRANKLY.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THOSE FOLKS ARE DIALED INTO WHAT THEIR WATER USE IS BY AND LARGE.
AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
UM, AND THERE IS AN INTEREST, UH, ON THE PART OF OUR LARGEST, UH, INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL CLIENTS IN, UH, IN WATER STRATEGIES, UH, RECLAIMED ONSITE WATER REUSE.
UM, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IT'LL BE AN INTERESTING TIME IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AS WE, UM, AS, AS WE GET, AS THEY BE, SOME OF THOSE IDEAS BEGIN TO, UH, TAKE SHAPE, RIGHT.
MEMBERS, ANYTHING ELSE ON THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN OR THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN? I HAVE
[00:55:01]
ONE LAST COMMENT.UM, GOING BACK TO THE, THE DRIP IRRIGATION AND, YOU KNOW, TREE COVER AND EVERYTHING.
I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER WHAT ROLE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION PLAYS IN LOCAL RAINFALL.
AND SO LIKE FOR ACTUAL DROUGHT RESILIENCY, NOT PROTECTING OUR BIG OAKS THAT WILL RELEASE 40,000 GALLONS OF WATER IN AN ANNUAL YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE LOSING MORE LOCAL RAINFALL.
WE'RE GONNA FIND OURSELVES IN A, A FEEDBACK LOOP OF MORE DROUGHTS AND EVERYTHING.
AND SO HAVING EXCEPTIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, BIG HERITAGE OAKS AND CERTAIN TREES, AND EVEN ESTABLISHING TREES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY CUT DOWN A BUNCH AND HAD TO REPLANT.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART EVEN ON STAGE FOUR CONTINGENCY OF THE DROUGHT RESILIENCY PLAN, BECAUSE THAT IS JUST GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO MORE AND MORE DROUGHT AND LESS AND LESS RAINFALL IN THE DESERTIFICATION OF THE AREA.
[3. Discussion of Water Forward 2024 Preliminary Portfolio Evaluation Results]
RIGHT.WE'RE OFF TO AGENDA ITEM THREE.
UM, DISCUSSION OF THE WATER FORWARD 2024, UH, PRELIMINARY PORTFOLIO EVALUATION RESULTS.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR US AS A BODY TO ASK, ASK QUESTIONS OR STAFF OR DISCUSS THINGS, UH, BETWEEN OURSELVES.
SOMEWHERE IN HERE THERE MUST BE THE, IS IT ROBERT? BILL HAS A QUESTION.
UM, FROM THE LAST VERSION OF WATER FORWARD TO THIS VERSION, DID SOMEONE AT THE WATER DEPARTMENT TELL ME HOW SIGNIFICANT ARE THE CHANGES FROM THE WF 18 TO WF 24? I'M NOT ASKING FOR SUPER SPECIFIC DETAILS, BUT GENERALLY DOES, DOES THE PLAN CHANGE THAT MUCH IN YOUR OPINION? THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN WATER 4 24 ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WATER FOUR 18.
THE ONE CHANGE IN TERMS OF STRATEGY PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION IS THAT INSTEAD OF INCLUDING A NEW OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, WE HAVE INCLUDED USING DECKER LAKE AS AN OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR WITHIN A LIMITED OPERATING RANGE WHERE THE LAKE LEVEL WOULD FLUCTUATE UP TO, UM, A MAX OF FIVE FEET.
THAT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGIES WITHIN THE PORTFOLIOS.
I'LL SAY THAT ON THE, IN THE RECOMMENDED PORTFOLIO, NUMBER SIX, SOME OF THE, UH, ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE WATER USE MANAGEMENT, UH, STRATEGY, THE FOCUS THERE HAS SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT IN THE WATER 40 18 PLAN.
WE WERE JUST EMBARKING ON A MI IMPLEMENTATION AND NOW WE'VE, UH, WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING REPLACED ALL OF THE METERS WITHIN THE CITY.
AND SO WE'RE FOCUSING MORE ON HOW DO WE USE THE DATA FROM THAT METERING TO BE ABLE TO TARGET DIFFERENT CUSTOMER SECTORS WITH TAILORED, UH, EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT OF, OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS USING THAT DATA TO ASSIST WITH, UM, UTILITY SIDE WATER LOSS CONTROL ACTIVITIES.
AND THEN ALSO USING THAT DATA TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER BUDGETS.
THE BENCHMARKING APPLICATIONS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING WILL ALSO HELP TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER BUDGETS.
THAT, AND THOSE WATER BUDGETS WOULD ULTIMATELY BE AS ENVISIONED RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE PLAN WOULD BE PUT IN PLACE ACROSS CUSTOMER SECTORS, WOULD REQUIRE, UH, CUSTOMERS TO USE WATER WITHIN, UM, KIND OF A, A BENCHMARKED AMOUNT.
AND, UH, THEN COULD APPLY A SURCHARGE TO WATER USE ABOVE THAT AMOUNT, UH, TO DISINCENTIVIZE CUSTOMERS WHO USE MORE THAN THAT AMOUNT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
AND, UH, THAT WAS KIND OF MY FEELING THAT THINGS DIDN'T CHANGE TOO MUCH.
AND I WAS WONDERING AT SOME, UH, AT SOME POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPORT, WOULD IT BE A GOOD IDEA TO DO A SIDE BY SIDE ON THE WF 18 AND THE WF 24
[01:00:02]
SO THAT WE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO OBVIOUSLY AREN'T SPENDING, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU ARE, YOU'RE DOWN THERE ALL DAY, KNOW ALL THIS STUFF.AND I, I THINK AS A CONTINUING THING, AS THIS PLAN EVOLVES IN, IN, IN COMING YEARS, WHAT'S CHANGED FROM THE LAST ONE? WHAT GOT DROPPED OUT? IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE VERY MUCH, BUT, UH, UH, IF, IF THAT COULD BE INSERTED IN THE BOOK SOMEWHERE, THAT WOULD HELP ME OUT.
YEAH, THAT'S A, A GREAT SUGGESTION AND SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WORK ON.
I MAY HAVE MISSED THE HYDROLOGIC ANALYSIS 'CAUSE I DON'T RECALL SEEING THE, THE NUMBER OR HAVING THE DISCUSSION, BUT, BUT DID THE, WAS THERE A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CURRENT PLAN AND THE PLAN TO BE ON, UM, EXPECTED WATER SUPPLIES FROM HIGHLAND LAKES DUE DUE TO A WARMING CLIMATE? OOH.
UM, ON THE OVERALL AVAILABILITY OF OUR SUPPLIES, WE DO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, SUPPLIES DECREASE, BUT BETWEEN LIKE LAST ANALYSIS AND THIS ANALYSIS, YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
DO YOU WANNA COME UP? BUT WE HAVE DR. RICHARD HOF POWER, OUR EARN HYDRAULIC, HE EARN HIS MONEY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
HE RUN, HE RUNS THE WHAM THE WATER AVAILABILITY.
IT WASN'T THE PLAN TO HAVE YOU COME UP, BUT, BUT FORGOT YOU WERE THERE.
UH, RICHARD HOF POWER, UH, SO IN THE WATER FORWARD 18, UH, IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WE ONLY LOOKED AT THE HOTTEST GCM RESULTS.
THE, THEY WERE CALLED RCP 8.5.
AND SO THIS GO AROUND, UM, WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS, RATHER THAN LOOKING AT JUST ONLY THE HOTTEST WE LOOKED AT, WE KEPT THAT THE HOTTEST, BUT THEN WE LOOKED AT TWO OTHER LEVELS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO KIND OF A, THE NEXT LEVEL DOWN ARE, UM, A 4.5 LEVEL AND THEN A 2.6.
SO WE HAVE A, A WIDER RANGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS THAT ARE BEING