Nov 12, 2024 Austin Water Oversight Committee

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:03]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

ARE WE READY TO ROLL? GREAT.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.

I'M LESLIE POOLE, THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND WE ARE MEETING HERE AT CITY HALL ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024 AT ONE 30.

CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

AND ON THE DAAS WITH ME ARE MY VICE CHAIR RYAN ALTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

UH, THE MAYOR IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE AND HE IS OUT OF TOWN TODAY AND UNABLE TO ATTEND.

[Public Communication: General]

ADRIAN GUTIERREZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM AND WE'LL, WE'VE GOT THREE MINUTES FOR YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

HELLO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

I'LL BE SHORT.

I'M REALLY HERE TO ADDRESS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I BROUGHT FORTH TO THE, UH, COUNCIL, THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE A FEW MEETINGS AGO, PROBABLY LAST YEAR.

AND IT REALLY IS ABOUT HOW, UH, THE AUSTIN WATER, UH, TREATS, UH, COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS IN REGARDS TO BILL MITIGATION AND REPAIRS VERSUS, UH, RESIDENTIAL.

UH, WE HAD AN INCIDENT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AT OUR PROPERTY, UH, IN DISTRICT THREE, UH, THAT HAD A, A MAJOR LOSS OF WATER AND STUFF.

WE GOT IT REPAIRED RIGHT AWAY.

I'VE HAD, UH, VARIOUS, UH, INROADS INTO COUNCIL MEMBER MEETINGS, INCLUDING AIDS, UM, AND PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF THROUGH INVESTIGATIONS AND WHATNOT.

THEY'VE RECOMMENDED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT WE TALKED TO THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE AND REGARDS TO THAT ISSUE.

AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT, UH, ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AGAIN AND, AND CONSIDER, UH, HOW WE TREAT, UH, COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS VERSUS RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE BILL MITIGATION AND STUFF.

WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION TO THAT.

SO THAT REALLY IS WHY I'M HERE, JUST TO ONCE AGAIN, BRING THIS TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.

AND I'VE BEEN MAKING EFFORTS TO GET IN WITH THE VARIOUS AIDES AND STUFF AND STILL WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, BUT HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. GUTIERREZ.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE.

OUR

[1. Approve the minutes of the May 9, 2024, regular meeting of the Austin Water Oversight Committee.]

AND I'VE GOT A MOTION FROM VICE CHAIR ALTER AND A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS AND ANY OBJECTIONS TO APPROVING THESE? UM, AND SO THESE MINUTES ARE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

[2. Approve the 2025 Austin Water Oversight Committee meeting dates]

LET ME READ THESE INTO THE RECORD AND THEN STAFF, IF YOU COULD CORRECT ANY OF THE DATES THAT I'VE GOT HERE IN CASE I DON'T HAVE THEM, RIGHT OR IN CASE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME LAST MINUTE UPDATES.

THE PROPOSED START TIME FOR ALL MEETINGS OF THE WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025 IS 1:30 PM ALL TUESDAYS.

AND THE DATES, UH, ESSENTIALLY ARE EVERY OTHER MONTH STARTING IN FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 18, APRIL 15, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD DATE.

JUNE 10, IT'S NOT MY BIRTHDAY.

JUNE 10, AUGUST 19, OCTOBER 14, AND DECEMBER TWO.

SO, UM, ANY CHANGES FROM THE DIOCESE? ALL RIGHT.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? COUNCIL MEMBER ALISON ALTER MAKES THE MOTION AND VICE CHAIR RYAN ALTER SECONDS THERE BEING NO AMENDMENTS OR ADJUSTMENTS OR OBJECTIONS TO THIS ITEM.

THESE SIX STATES FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR CALENDAR 2025 ARE ADOPTED.

THANK YOU ALL.

NUMBER

[3. Discussion and possible action on recommendations to Council regarding adoption of Water Forward 2024 (Austin’s Integrated Water Resource Plan) and updates to Austin’s Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans.]

AND DIRECTOR ROLSON, ARE YOU AT THE PODIUM FOR THIS AND YOUR TEAM? THANK YOU.

I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD SOME GOOD, GOOD RESPONSES, UH, WHEN YOU TOOK THIS UPDATE TO THE REQUISITE COMMISSIONS WE DID.

SO WE HAVE, UM, PRESENTED THESE PLANS TO THE WATER FORWARD TASK FORCE WHO WORKED WITH US, UM, OVER THE LAST, UH, COUPLE OF YEARS TO UPDATE THESE PLANS.

UM, AND THEY, UH, VOTED TO RECOMMEND THESE PLANS FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL.

WE WILL TAKE THEM TO, UM, WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION

[00:05:01]

SO WE HAVE A FEW UPDATED SLIDES FOR YOU.

I KNOW WE GAVE A, UM, A BRIEFING TO THE FULL COUNSEL AND, UM, YOU ALL HAD ASKED US A FEW QUESTIONS, AND SO WE HAVE SOME SLIDES THAT GENERALLY HIT THE HIGH POINTS OF THESE PLANS.

AND THEN, UM, WOULD YOU GRAB ME THAT CLIP PLEASE? AND THEN, UM, POINT OUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PAST PLANS AND THE THESE PROPOSED PLANS AND ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAD AT WORK SESSION.

SO, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND FOR THOSE, UH, WHO MAY BE WATCHING AND FOLLOWING ALONG, WATER FORWARD IS OUR, UH, THE CITY'S 100 YEAR INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLAN.

AND OF COURSE, THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS SLIDE IS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ADAPTABLE TO CHANGING CONDITIONS, GROWTH, DROUGHT, AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND WHAT WE REALLY MEAN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADAPTABILITY IS PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY, AND THAT'S UNCERTAINTY IN WHEN AND HOW OUR CITY WILL GROW, WHAT LEVEL OF SEVERITY, CLIMATE CHANGE WE MAY BE FACING, AND THEN THE LENGTH AND SEVERITY OF DROUGHTS.

UM, AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DROUGHTS, UH, WE CAN LOOK AT THE COMBINED STORAGE OF LAKES, BUCHANAN AND TRAVIS SINCE THOSE, THE DAMS THAT FORMED THOSE LAKES ON THE TEXAS, COLORADO RIVER WERE BUILT BACK IN THE FORTIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE DROUGHT OF THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES, WHICH WAS OUR PREVIOUS DROUGHT OF RECORD THAT WE PLANNED AGAINST.

UH, AND THEN A NICE LONG PERIOD OF SEASONAL, UH, LAKES FALLING AND FILLING OVER THE COURSE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, A YEAR OR SO.

AND THEN A REALLY LONG AND DEEP DROUGHT FROM 2008 TO 2016, WHICH IS WHAT PROMPTED US TO PUT TOGETHER THE WATER FORWARD PLAN, WHICH, UH, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED, UH, UNANIMOUSLY IN 2018.

SO THIS IS OUR, UH, FIVE YEAR UPDATE TO THAT PLAN, AND WE HAVE REALLY LEANED INTO THE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PART OF THIS PLAN.

UH, THIS PLAN IS FOUNDED FIRST AND FOREMOST ON WATER CONSERVATION REUSE OF OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TAKE WATER OUTTA THE COLORADO RIVER.

WE TREAT IT, WE DELIVER IT TO OUR CUSTOMERS, WE COLLECT IT FROM THEM, WE TREAT IT AGAIN, AND WE PUT IT BACK IN THE RIVER.

AND THEN A PORTION OF THAT WATER GETS, UH, PUT INTO OUR CENTRALIZED RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM TO USE FOR NON-DRINKING WATER USES, UM, BY OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT WATER SUPPLY STRATEGY FOR US.

AND THEN, UH, SINCE WE ARE DEPENDENT ON THE TEXAS COLORADO RIVER FOR OUR FULL SUPPLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES TO STRETCH THOSE SUPPLIES AS WELL AS DEVELOP NEW SUPPLIES.

AND THEN WITHIN THE TEXAS, COLORADO RIVER BASIN, UM, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY, UM, COMMUNITY THAT DEPENDS ON THAT RIVER.

AND SO OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY AND OTHER, UM, MUNICIPAL AND OTHER USES IN THE BASIN ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO, UH, WE DESCRIBED THIS IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AT THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE PUT TOGETHER, UM, 2 MILLION , UH, UH, ANALYSES, UH, WHERE WE CHECKED DIFFERENT, UM, LEVELS OF PORTFOLIOS AGAINST DIFFERENT POSSIBLE FUTURE SCENARIOS.

AND, UH, WE CAME UP WITH, UH, 10 PORTFOLIOS THAT ARE SHOWN IN THE PINK DOTS HERE THAT ESSENTIALLY ARE FOR ANY, UM, GIVEN PERFORMANCE, UM, HAVE THE LEAST COST.

AND SO WE COMPARE THOSE PORTFOLIOS TO ONE ANOTHER.

AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT IS ALL OF THESE PORTFOLIOS USE THE FULL SUITE OF CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES.

AND THEN WE LAYER ON, UM, UH, A VARIABLE, UM, SUPPLY SOURCES NEW SUPPLY AND, AND STRETCHING OUR EXISTING SUPPLY SOURCES.

SO THE RECOMMENDED PORTFOLIO IS, UH, PORTFOLIO SIX, AGAIN ON THE LEFT, THE FULL SUITE OF, UM, CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES.

UH, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK IN ANOTHER PRESENTATION TODAY ABOUT WATER LOSS CONTROL.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FUTURE SUPPLY, UM, COORDINATING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS ON WATER USE MANAGEMENT, UM, AND OUR UPDATE TO OUR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, SHIFTING INTO NATIVE AND EFFICIENT LANDSCAPES.

AND OF COURSE, THE, UM, ONSITE WATER REUSE AND CENTRALIZED RECLAIMED SYSTEM UNDER SUPPLIES, STRETCHING OUR EXISTING COLORADO RIVER SUPPLIES.

WE HAVE AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY WHERE WE TAKE WATER, TREATED WATER OUT OF OUR SYSTEM AND STORED UNDERGROUND FOR USE LATER.

UM, WE HAVE, UH, INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE, WHICH IS TAKING TREATED WASTEWATER, TREATING IT EVEN FURTHER, PUTTING IT INTO LADY BIRD LAKE, AND THEN TAKING IT OUT, UH,

[00:10:01]

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, NEW OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR THAT WOULD USE LAKE WALTER LONG, UM, AT DECKER DAM, UH, TO MOVE WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER INTO THAT RESERVOIR AND THEN TREAT IT AND PUT IT INTO OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FROM THERE.

UM, THOSE STRATEGIES ARE ALL RELIANT ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

AND THEN FOR NEW WATER SUPPLY STRATEGIES COMING INTO THE PLAN NOW, WE HAVE BRACKISH GR, UH, GROUNDWATER DESALINATION.

SO THAT'S TAKING NATURALLY SALTY WATER, DESALINATING IT, AND THEN, UH, DELIVERING IT INTO OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CHANGES BETWEEN 20, THE 2018 PLAN AND THE 2024 PLAN, WE DID A LOT OF WORK AROUND UPDATED CLIMATE AND HYDROLOGY, UM, TO REALLY HELP US BRACKET POSSIBLE FUTURES THAT WE NEED TO PLAN FOR.

UM, AND WE LEANED IN ON PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY AND THIS 100 YEAR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PATHWAYS.

SO THE OLD WAY OF PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WAS TO IDENTIFY THE MOST PROBABLE FUTURE AND THEN PLAN FOR THAT.

UH, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO HERE IS IDENTIFY THE, THE RANGE, UH, BRACKET, IF YOU WILL, THE POSSIBLE FUTURES.

AND THEN IM BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT WORK FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF POSSIBLE FUTURES.

UM, AND THEN EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE'RE UPDATING THAT ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ON TRACK AND WE, UM, ADJUST OUR STRATEGIES AS NEEDED.

UM, WE UPDATED OUR EQUITY AND AFFORDABILITY ROADMAP BECAUSE, UH, THE, THESE, THIS PLAN WILL REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT FROM OUR CUSTOMERS.

UH, AND SO WE WANT TO KEEP, UH, EQUITY AND AFFORDABILITY TOP OF MIND AS WE DEVELOP THESE STRATEGIES.

MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLAN FOR A FUTURE THAT IS FAIR AND AFFORDABLE TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS.

UM, WE CONDUCTED, UH, BEGAN TO CONDUCT THE COLORADO RIVER LAND ANALYSIS.

SO THIS IS THE IDEA.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE BEING WHERE WE ARE ON THE TEXAS, COLORADO RIVER, IS THAT THE, UM, OUR WATER SOURCE UPSTREAM IS VERY WELL PROTECTED BY DECADES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, INCLUDING THE HIGHLAND LAKES DISCHARGE BAN, WHICH PREVENTS THE DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS INTO, UM, INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES.

AND AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN EXTEND THAT INTO THE FUTURE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT AREAS OF OUR WATER SUPPLY BASIN CAN WE PROTECT BY EXTENDING THE LAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES WE ALREADY USE FOR THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS AND THE BALCON CANYON LANDS PRESERVE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR WATER QUALITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR EXPANDED WATER CONSERVATION AND WATER LOSS CONTROL.

SO WE HAVE, UM, INTEGRATED, WE HAVE WOVEN INTO THE WATER FORWARD PLAN, ALL OF OUR WATER CONSERVATION AND WATER LOSS CONTROL STRATEGIES, UM, THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE TODAY.

AND THEN I MENTIONED THE, THE OFF CHANNEL STORAGE PROJECT ON LAKE WALTER E. LONG.

SO THAT, UH, ESSENTIALLY COVERS THE UPDATE TO THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.

UM, BACK IN MAY, UH, WE BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL UPDATED WATER CONSERVATION AND DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANS.

THESE PLANS ARE REQUIRED FOR WATER UTILITIES IN TEXAS TO BE UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THOSE PLANS WERE DUE IN MAY, AND COUNCIL APPROVED THEM, UH, WITH THE DIRECTION TO CONTINUE TO UPDATE THEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UPDATES TO THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.

AND SO, UH, THAT IS WHAT WE DID.

AS A REMINDER, THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN IS A PLAN FOR ALL, UH, THE WAY WE USE WATER ALL YEAR ROUND.

AND THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN IS, UH, FOCUSES ON WAYS WE CAN REDUCE OUR WATER USE DURING DROUGHT.

SO SOME CHANGES IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN BETWEEN 2019 AND 2024, UM, WE UPDATED AND, UH, EXPANDED OUR METRICS FOR ALL OUR CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.

UH, WE UPDATED OUR WATER USE GOALS BASED ON A BOTTOM UP ESTIMATE OF POTENTIAL SAVINGS.

SO WE, WE STARTED WITH WHAT, BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO ACHIEVE THROUGH WATER CONSERVATION? AND THEN, AND THEN WE SET OUR WATER USE GOALS, UM, BASED ON THE, OUR, UH, OUR REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE WITH THESE STRATEGIES, THE NEW STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.

AND THEN, UH, IT'S KNOWING THAT WE WILL ASSIGN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO STRETCH THOSE GOALS.

UM, SO THE GOALS THAT

[00:15:01]

UH, SO SOME OF THE NEW ACTIVITIES ARE THE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION, UM, ADDITIONAL CONSERVATION INCENTIVES FOR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT WATER LOSS ALREADY COMPLETING THE MY A TX WATER, THAT'S OUR SMART METER ROLLOUT.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS FROM THE MY A TX WATER PROGRAM, UH, IN EMPOWERING OUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR WATER USE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, PUBLIC OUTREACH AND MARKETING CONTINUES TO BE A FOCUS FOR US.

SO SINCE MAY WE'VE MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE PLAN, INCLUDING, UM, ADDING RESTRICTIONS TO DRIP IRRIGATION.

SO DRIP WAS PREVIOUSLY UNRESTRICTED, AND NOW IT WILL BE, UH, TWO DAYS PER WEEK FOR DRIP IRRIGATION.

SIMILAR TO HOSE END SPRAY IRRIGATION IS ONE DAY A WEEK.

WE INCORPORATED THE EXPECTED SAVINGS FROM THE GO PURPLE PROGRAM, WHICH COUNCIL APPROVED IN MARCH AND WENT INTO EFFECT IN APRIL.

UM, WE INCORPORATED THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR WATER LOSS THAT CAME OUT OF THE EXTERNAL REVIEW THAT WAS COMPLETED OVER THE SUMMER.

UM, AND WE'VE, UH, INTEGRATED THESE FUTURE ACTIVITIES WITH WATER FORWARD, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.

SO WATER FORWARD HAS YIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH WATER CONSERVATION THAT COME DIRECTLY OUT OF THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.

UM, AND THEN I WOULD REALLY, UM, DRAW YOUR ATTENTION OF THE QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL REPORTING.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THIS YEAR ABOUT, UM, WHERE WE ARE IN WATER CONSERVATION AND IN OUR WATER USE.

AND RATHER THAN TALKING ABOUT THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS, WHEN WE BRING YOU AN UPDATED PLAN, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT EVERY QUARTER AND EVERY YEAR SO THAT, UM, WE BRING OUR COMMUNITY ALONG WITH US AND UNDERSTANDING HOW WE'RE DOING AND MEETING THESE GOALS .

SO, UM, IN THE 2019 PLAN, WE WERE AT A BASELINE OF 126 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY.

SO THAT'S TAKING THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE PRODUCE DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF HUMANS THAT WE SERVE.

UM, AND THAT GETS US TO 126 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY.

WE SET A FIVE YEAR GOAL AT THAT TIME OF GETTING DOWN TO 119 GALLONS PER PERSON, PER DAY.

HOWEVER, OUR, UM, AS WE DISCUSSED IN WORK SESSION A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, OUR BASELINE STAYED ABOUT THE SAME OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND SO THIS WAS REALLY A YEAR OF UNDERSTANDING THE REASONS BEHIND THAT OF, UM, AS I SAID, A BOTTOMS UP APPROACH TO DEVELOPING OUR STRATEGIES AND UNDERSTANDING, UH, WHAT OUR GOALS COULD BE.

AND SO WE RECOMMENDED A GOAL IN MAY OF 120, A FIVE YEAR GOAL OF 123 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY.

AND BASED ON THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SINCE MAY, WE NOW RECOMMEND A STRETCH GOAL OF 121 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY AS OUR FIVE YEAR GOAL, AND THEN 114 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY IN 2034.

SHAY, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU TO KIND OF HONE IN ON THOSE NUMBERS.

IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR GOALS ARE THESE GOALS WHERE THE CITY SAYS THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE, AND IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, THEN THERE'S SOME KIND OF ACTION THAT WE WILL TAKE IN ORDER TO MAKE YOU GET THERE.

OR IS THIS REALLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTARILY LIMITING ITS USE OF WATER? SO THAT AS THAT IS HOW WE GET TO THESE GOALS, LIKE THE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS WITH THE CITY AND AUSTIN WATER, OR IS IT RESTING WITH, UH, THE USERS? THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT THAT WHERE WE, THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE USE AS A COMMUNITY IS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF OUR USERS.

IT'S IN THE HANDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT OUR OPPORTUNITY IS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH PROGRAMS, INCENTIVES THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE AND ACTIONABLE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, AND THEN OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, BASED ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, THEN HELP US ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

SO WE, WE HAVE THE MOST ROBUST WATER CONSERVATION PLAN THAT WE'VE EVER HAD, AND WE'RE GONNA DO ALL OF THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE IN THAT PLAN.

UH, AND THEN, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THESE STRATEGIES, OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE USING THESE STRATEGIES, THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S A STRETCH, BUT WHEN WE ADD THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE PLANNED TO ADD, WE BELIEVE, UM, THAT 121

[00:20:01]

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT A THING THAT WE JUST TAKE AUSTIN WATER STAFF AND GO OUT AND DO THE WORK AND ACHIEVE THE GOAL.

IT REALLY REQUIRES COMMUNITY BUY-IN.

OKAY.

SO WE COULD ESSENTIALLY PUT THAT GOAL AT ANY NUMBER ALMOST, I WOULD GUESS, AND WE WOULD STILL BE PRESENTED WITH THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS HOW DO WE EDUCATE AND SOCIALIZE THE CONCERNS AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN EVERY DAY WHEN THEY TURN ON THE FAUCET AT THEIR HOME OR AT THEIR OFFICE, OR IN A HOTEL ROOM THAT, OR IN A RESTAURANT THAT THEY ARE KEEPING TOP OF MIND, THE PRECIOUS NATURE AND THE LIMITED NATURE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THANKS.

SO MOVING ON TO THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN CHANGES THAT WE MADE BETWEEN 2016.

UH, SO WHEN IN, UM, CORRECT ME KEVIN, BUT IN 2019, WE, UH, WE JUST REISSUED OUR 2016 PLAN, CORRECT? YEAH.

AND SO, UM, WHEN, UH, LCRA MOVED THERE, STAGE ONE TRIGGER TO 1.1, WE MAINTAINED OUR TRIGGER AT 1.4 MILLION ACRE FEET.

UM, AND THAT 2 MILLION ACRE FEET, YOU MAY REMEMBER, IS FULL LAKE LEVEL.

SO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE ARE, UH, WE ARE A, A VERY LARGE USER IN THE RIVER BASIN, WE WANT TO SET THAT, UM, THAT TRIGGERED EARLIER SO THAT WE HAVE TIME TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR WATER USE.

UM, AND THEN STAGE TWO IS 900,000 ACRE FEET OF STORAGE.

LCRA ADDED AN INFLOW TRIGGER.

SO THEY WILL LOOK AT INFLOWS TWICE A YEAR, AND DEPENDING ON CONDITIONS THEY WILL GO INTO, THEY MAY GO INTO STAGE TWO EARLIER THAN 900,000 ACRE FEET.

AND SO WE SET OUR TRIGGER TO MATCH THEIRS.

UH, AND THEN IN STAGE THREE, WE ADDED, UM, WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO HOW WE HANDLE ATHLETIC FIELDS.

UH, SO IT'S AN EXEMPTION RATHER THAN A VARIANCE, WHICH I THINK JUST MEANS THEY HAVE TO COME TALK TO US ABOUT IT.

UM, AND THEN, UM, WE, UH, WE GO INTO A NO WARNING FOR WATERING VIOLATIONS, BUT WE'RE GONNA DISMISS THAT PENALTY IF THEY'LL COMPLETE AN ONLINE IRRIGATION CONSERVATION COURSE.

'CAUSE THE GOAL IS EDUCATION.

UM, AND THEN IN STAGE FOUR, UH, LCRA HAS REQUIRED, UH, NO IRRIGATION OF NON-FUNCTIONAL TURF, NON-FUNCTIONAL MEANS ALL THE TURF GRASS THAT ISN'T BEING USED FOR SPORTS FIELDS AND, AND GOLF COURSES AND OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY INTERESTS.

AND THEN A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON PERMITS FOR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND SINGLE FAMILY POOL PERMITS.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A, A NUMBER OF DISCRETIONARY MEASURES TO SAVE WATER THROUGHOUT ALL THE STAGES, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES.

UH, WE HAVE A DROUGHT SURCHARGE IN OUR RATES WHEN WE GET TO STAGES THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE.

UM, SHAY YES, REAL QUICK ON THAT ITEM, ON THE STAGE THREE, I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE, UM, STAFF COULD CONSIDER SOME ADDITIONAL LEVEL THAT WOULD INCLUDE SOME KIND OF A, A PENALTY SHOULD THE EDUCATION EFFORTS FAIL.

SO LIKE WHAT'S BEYOND STAGE THREE? WE, I GET THE IDEA ABOUT THE INCENTIVES AND THE EDUCATION, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME INSTANCES WHERE THAT HASN'T WORKED.

THERE, THERE DEFINITELY ARE EVEN IN, WE'RE IN STAGE TWO NOW, AND THERE DEFINITELY ARE, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE RELATIVELY IMMUNE TO THE, UM, OUR ENCOURAGEMENT.

UM, AND SO WE DO HAVE AN ESCALATORY PROCESS FOR PENALTIES IN PLACE NOW, SAFE TO SAY.

OKAY.

IT IS.

ALRIGHT, THANKS.

SO SINCE MAY, WE'VE ADDED, UM, THE DRIP IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS TO OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, UM, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY FOR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.

UM, AND THEN WE'VE, UH, WE'VE ADJUSTED OUR, UM, UH, TWO DAYS PER WEEK, ONE DAY PER WEEK IN THE VARIOUS STAGES AS THE, AS DROUGHTS PROGRESS.

UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE RESTRICTIONS WITH LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION STAKEHOLDERS TO, AND WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THOSE, UH, EXPERTS.

AND WE'VE MADE SOME EXEMPTIONS FOR TREES AND GARDENS.

WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE CERTAINLY WANNA PROTECT OUR TREE CANOPY EVEN IN DROUGHT.

UM, AND SO WE, WE ARE SENSITIVE TO THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.

AS

[00:25:01]

AND WE'LL BE TAKING THESE TO COUNSEL NEXT THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S IT.

GREAT.

LET'S SEE WHAT QUESTIONS WE HAVE ON THE DI COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

UM, LOOKING AT SLIDE SIX, THE PORTFOLIO EVALUATIONS, I WAS CURIOUS, AND THIS IS NOT A QUESTION YOU NEED TO ANSWER NOW, BASICALLY I, I HAVE SOME DATA QUESTIONS.

I'M HOPING Y'ALL CAN SEND US THE INFORMATION AHEAD OF THE MEETING ON THE 21ST, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SCALED COST AND THE PERFORMANCE SCORE, I WAS HOPING TO GET SOME NUMERICAL, NOT JUST PERCENTAGES, RIGHT? SO LIKE, IF WE'RE TALKING THE DIFFERENCE OF LET'S SAY BETWEEN PORTFOLIO SIX AND PORTFOLIO EIGHT, LOOKS LIKE THAT'S LIKE AN 88% PERFORMANCE SCORE VERSUS A 92% PERFORMANCE SCORE.

WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN IN TERMS OF WATER SAVINGS? SAME WITH THE, THE SCALED COST.

LIKE WHAT, WHAT SCALE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF COST? UM, SO IF YOU COULD JUST HELP BREAK DOWN FOR US KIND OF HERE'S HOW MUCH WATER SAVINGS AT WHAT COST ON A NUMERICAL ELEMENT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

YEAH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT INFORMATION.

SO FOR EACH OF THOSE MAGENTA DOTS THAT ARE ON THE SLIDE, WE DID A FURTHER EVALUATION, SO BEYOND THIS INITIAL ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY THE, UM, OVERALL UNIT COST FOR THE, UH, PORTFOLIO STRATEGIES AND, UM, ALSO THE ULTIMATE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY SCORE, WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE PORTFOLIO'S WATER SUPPLY, RELIABILITY, RESILIENCY, AND, AND VULNERABILITY TO DIFFERENT DROUGHT AND CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIOS.

SO WE HAVE SOME, OH, LOOK AT THAT.

UM, WE HAVE ON THE BACK FOR THIS PRESENTATION ON SLIDE 36.

SLIDE 36, AND WE CAN, THIS IS JUST, THIS WILL JUST SHOW HOW THE SCORES, UM, STACKED UP IN, IN KIND OF A VISUAL WAY.

BUT WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE THE RAW SCORES THAT MAKE UP THESE, UM, TOTAL SCORES FOR EACH OF THE 10 PORTFOLIOS.

AND THOSE RAW SCORES PROVIDE THE ABSOLUTE VALUE FOR UNIT COSTS AND THEN THE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY, UH, COMPONENT.

PERFECT.

MM-HMM, .

UM, AND THEN, UH, ONE OF THE STRATEGIES SEEMS TO BE THE, THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THE DECKER OFF LAKE CHANNEL VERSUS THE, THE NEW OFF CHANNEL.

UM, WHICH I ASSUME BASICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LADY BIRD LAKE VERSUS DECKER IN TERMS OF WHERE THAT OFF CHANNEL WOULD BE.

SO IN, IN WATER FOUR 18, THERE WAS A NEW OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR THAT WAS INCLUDED, AND THAT WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR SEPARATE FROM THE EXISTING LAKES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN OWNS OR OPERATES.

SO THAT, THAT WAS INCLUDED AS A 2070 STRATEGY QUITE FAR OUT INTO THE FUTURE.

RATHER THAN INCLUDING THAT WITHIN THE WATER 4 24 UPDATE, WE HAVE, UH, ADJUSTED OUR APPROACH TO MAKE USE OF LAKE WALTER ELONG AS AN OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR THAT WOULD TAKE WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER, UM, AND OUR EXISTING WATER RIGHTS WHEN THAT WATER IS AVAILABLE.

AND THEN STORE THAT, UH, WE WOULD BE OPERATING THAT LAKE WITHIN A LIMITED OPERATING RANGE ABOUT FIVE FEET DURING DROUGHT CONDITIONS, SEEKING TO MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

VERY INTERESTING.

UM, SEPARATELY, THE, THE LAST ITEM THERE, THE CONVENTIONAL GROUNDWATER, WOULD THAT JUST BE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS WITH LCRA TO PURCHASE MORE WATER? THERE'S ANOTHER LINE ITEM IN HERE THAT'S A NEW COLORADO RIVER SUPPLY.

IT'S ABOUT, OH YEAH, THERE, IT'S, UH, UH, TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY DOWN THAT LIST.

THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY FOR WATER.

THE BOTTOM ITEM CONVENTIONAL GROUNDWATER WOULD BE, AND IT'S NOT INCLUDED WITHIN OUR WATER 4 24 RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THAT WAS EVALUATED AS, UM, THE USE OF NATIVE GROUNDWATER, EXTRACTION OF NATIVE GROUNDWATER FROM A WELL FIELD SOMEWHERE, UM, WHERE THAT GROUNDWATER WOULD BE AVAILABLE, AND THEN TREATING THAT FOR USE OF PORTABLE DRINKING WATER.

AND DO WE HAVE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR STORAGE, WHAT, WHAT DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF, UM, I ASSUME

[00:30:01]

WE DON'T HAVE THE AQUIFER STORAGE COMPONENT YET, SO WHAT IS OUR, EITHER BY VOLUME OR, OR I HAVE NO CONCEPT OF OUR CURRENT STORAGE.

SURE.

CAPACITY.

SO WE CURRENTLY, UM, DO NOT HAVE ANY STORAGE RESERVOIRS OR SURFACE WATER RESERVOIRS THAT, UM, WE AS A UTILITY ARE, UM, UH, OWN AND OPERATE BEYOND THE USE OF, UM, LADY BIRD LAKE AND OPERATIONS OF LADY BIRD LAKE TO POTENTIALLY AUGMENT IN THE FUTURE WATER SUPPLIES.

AND THAT'LL REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE WATER FROM LADY BIRD LAKE AND MOVE THAT TO A WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

RIGHT NOW OUR WATER SUPPLIES ARE MADE UP OF, UM, STATE GRANTED WATER RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE TO WATER THAT RUNS THROUGH THE COLORADO RIVER AS WELL AS A CONTRACT FOR STORED WATER WITHIN LAKES, TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN.

WE HAVE THAT CONTRACT WITH LCRA.

SO RIGHT NOW THE, THE BACKUP TO OUR WATER RIGHTS IS THAT CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH LCRA AND THE STORED WATER IN THE HIGHLAND LAKES.

GOT IT.

OKAY.

UH, JUST A COUPLE OTHERS HERE ON, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE WATER CONSERVATION GOALS SIMILAR TO BEFORE, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD PUT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS INTO CONTEXT.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE FROM A 123 TO 121 FOR OUR 2029 GOAL.

IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THAT, A 119 GOAL THAT WE HAD FROM 2024, IF Y'ALL COULD JUST PROVIDE, LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MORE WATER WE WOULD BE SAVING? YOU KNOW, IF WE ACHIEVED THAT, HOW MUCH FROM A VOLUMETRIC STANDPOINT WOULD WE BE SAVING? UM, SYSTEMATIC, UH, I, KEVIN KLUGE WATER CONSERVATION MANAGER, UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.

WE CAN SEND YOU THE NUMBER IN TERMS OF GALLONS, WHAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE, UM, IF WE WENT FROM 1 21 TO ONE 19? UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT WE CONSIDER WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE GOALS AND WE CONSIDER CHANGING THEM.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE CONSIDERED WHAT WE DIDN'T MAKE LAST TIME, AND THERE IS A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY WE DIDN'T MAKE THE GOALS FROM LAST TIME THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN SETTING THESE GOALS FORWARD.

UM, A COUPLE OTHER POINTS IS, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE NO LONGER INDEPENDENT.

UM, THEY'RE NOT JUST IN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AS A GOAL.

UM, AS, AS, UH, DIRECTOR ROLSON, AND I THINK MARISA MENTIONED, THESE ARE NOW INTEGRATED INTO THE WATER FOR TASK FORCE.

SO THOSE VOLUMETRIC NUMBERS FOR 1 1 21 IN FIVE YEARS, WERE PUT INTO THE WATER FORD MODEL AND THAT DETERMINES HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA SAVE GOING OUT INTO THE FUTURE AND WHEN WE NEED TO START BRINGING ON THOSE ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES.

SO THEY ARE NOT, UM, THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NO LONGER AN INDEPENDENT NUMBER.

IT'S, IT'S ROLLED INTO OUR, OUR LARGER PLANNING.

UM, AND THEN ALSO AS SHAY MENTIONED, THESE ARE CONSIDERED STRETCH GOALS AND WE WANT TO STRETCH, WE WANT TO TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE WANT 'CAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THESE ARE CRITICAL EFFORTS.

UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE COGNIZANT THAT IN ANY TIME WE HAVE ANY CRITICAL PLANNING, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, BRIDGES, TREATMENT PLANS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WE DON'T WANNA STRETCH OUR GOALS TOO FAR.

UM, WE'RE TAKING THESE VERY SERIOUSLY AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SET AT A LEVEL A, A GOAL THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN MATCH.

SURE.

AND I, AND I GET THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK ALWAYS WHEN WE'RE SETTING GOALS, RIGHT, WE DO WANT TO PUSH, WE ALSO, THERE IS A BALANCE OF IF, IF YOU HAVE A, A VERY AGGRESSIVE GOAL, RIGHT? THAT MIGHT PUT THINGS ON THE MENU THAT WEREN'T ON THE MENU BEFORE.

UH, I JUST GOT BACK FROM SAN ANTONIO LAST WEEKEND, A FRIEND OF MINE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, NOW WITH THEIR METERS, WHEN SOMEONE'S WATERING THEIR LAWN ON NOT THE RIGHT DAY, THAT METER TELLS THE WATER UTILITY AND THEY'RE OUT THERE EITHER GIVING YOU A FINE OR UM, TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION.

RIGHT? AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T DO FROM A METER PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? WE HAVE OTHER ENFORCEMENT, BUT I THINK WHEN WE START DECIDING HOW HARD WE WANT TO PUSH IT, JUST, YOU KNOW, TO THE MAYOR PRO TEMPS POINT ABOUT THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

YOU, WE CAN SAY WHATEVER WE WANT ALL DAY LONG, BUT UNTIL HUMANS CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR, AND I HARKEN BACK TO WHEN I WAS AT UT, UM, ANYBODY FAMILIAR WITH PARKING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES KNOW THEY ARE UNDEFEATED, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU PARK IN A SPOT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO PARK, THEY'RE GONNA CATCH YOU, THEY'RE GONNA FIND YOU.

AND, AND THAT'S JUST PART OF IT.

AND SO THAT CHANGES WHERE YOU PARK ON CAMPUS.

AND

[00:35:01]

AND SO, UM, THAT'S JUST THE BALANCE I'M TRYING TO, TO MAKE IN TERMS OF HOW HARD WE WANNA PUSH, HOW AGGRESSIVE DO WE WANT TO BE PUBLICLY, UH, IN TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO DO WHAT WE ALL WANT AND NEED THEM TO DO.

AND THAT KIND OF BRINGS ME TO THE, WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, LARGER DOCUMENT, WHEN WE GET TO THE CUSTOMER PROGRAMS AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE UTILIZATION AND WHERE WE'RE HAVING SUCCESS AND WHERE WE'RE MAYBE NOT HAVING SOME SUCCESS.

UM, THIS IS A BROADER CONVERSATION THAN TODAY, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THESE PROGRAMS AND REALLY IN SOME INSTANCES DECIDE IF THE JUICE IS WORTH THE SQUEEZE.

YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU HAVE STAFF ADMINISTERING SOME OF, ADMINISTERING SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, A HANDFUL OF PARTICIPANTS IN A YEAR.

IS THAT WORTH IT? SHOULD WE DEPLOY THAT, THOSE STAFF TO DO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING MORE, MORE SUCCESSFUL? SHOULD WE RETHINK THESE PROGRAMS? UM, YOU KNOW, I I I LOVE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING NEW THINGS AND, AND PUSHING TO SEE WHERE WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO DO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE.

BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE WORTH CONTINUING OR, OR MAYBE EXPLORING NEW OPTIONS.

SO, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL THEN HELP US POTENTIALLY GET TO SOME OF THESE GOALS OR, OR EVEN EXCEEDING THEM.

I'LL JUST ADD ONE POINT THAT, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE MY TAKES WATER SYSTEM IS BEING FULLY DEPLOYED THIS YEAR AND WE REALLY SEE IT AS MAYBE NOT GOING TOO FAR, ALMOST A PARADIGM SHIFT IN TERMS OF POSSIBILITY.

AND WE'VE INCORPORATED THAT INTO THIS NEW PLAN, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ENGAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, BOTH FOR NEW INCENTIVES AND HOW THEY MAY SAVE WATER AND REDUCE LEAKS BY SIGNING UP FOR ALERTS, BUT ALSO ENGAGING CUSTOMERS REGARDING THE IRRIGATION AND IRRIGATING OFF SCHEDULE.

AND JUST AS EQUALLY, I THINK THERE'S GREAT POTENTIAL IN TERMS OF ENGAGING WITH THE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS USING THE MY TX WATER.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

WE'RE HOPING TO GATHER THE DATA AND THE PROCESSES AND EVEN LOOK INTO THE TOPICS OF WATER BUDGETING, UM, AND BENCHMARKING.

MM-HMM, AFTER WE, AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF GATHERING THIS INFORMATION AND THIS EXPERIENCE.

SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON THERE.

WELL, THANK YOU YOUR HONOR.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, DID YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? I DID.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, CONGRATULATIONS FOR GETTING TO THIS POINT.

UM, AND THROUGH THE COMMISSIONS, UM, I'M HOPING THE OTHER UTILITY CAN CAN MANAGE THE SAME, THE SAME FEE, UM, FOR OUR OTHER PLAN.

UM, SO YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT WATER FORWARD AS A, AS A PLAN IS THE ADAPTIVE ASPECTS OF IT.

UM, AND I THINK IN, IN WHAT YOU PRESENTED TODAY AND WHAT IS IN THE PLAN, UM, THIS TIME AROUND, I HAVE A CLEARER SENSE OF WHAT'S ON THE FIVE YEAR HORIZON THAN I DO ON THE LONGER HORIZON.

UM, I THINK WHEN WE DID THE FIRST ITERATION, WE HAD A LOT, LOT MORE CHARTS OF LIKE, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING SORT OF WHEN, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, AND, AND THERE'S A BALANCE, BUT I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT, UM, THAT HAD TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC TIMETABLES 'CAUSE THEY INVOLVED THE DEVELOPMENT.

UM, IS THERE A ANALOG IN THIS FOR THAT LONGER TIME HORIZON? OR IS IT, 'CAUSE IT JUST SEEMS, BUT SO MUCH OF IT IS THE FIVE YEAR PIECE OF IT IS, ARE WE JUST IN A DIFFERENT PLACE NOW 'CAUSE WE'VE DONE IT FOR FIVE YEARS, OR, OR, OR, OR HOW DO I UNDERSTAND THAT SWITCH? SO LAST TIME AROUND, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE 20 YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WE HAD DEVELOPED.

I THINK IT, WITHIN THIS UPDATE TO THE PLAN, WE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE NEAR TERM, UH, COURSE CORRECTIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THE SUCCESS OR THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND POLICIES AND OUR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS, WHICH IS WHY WE FOCUSED MORE ON THE FIVE YEAR AND THE, UM, MORE REAL TIME TRACKING AND REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, SO THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE, YOU KNOW, THE LONGER TERM GOALS.

I THINK WE'RE ALSO FIVE YEARS DOWN THE LINE AND MANY OF THE PROJECTS AND STRATEGIES WITHIN THE WATER FORWARD PLAN ARE JUST NOW CLOSER

[00:40:01]

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, THE FUTURE, WELL WE HAVE FUTURE PHASES POTENTIALLY OF THE ONSITE REUSE, UM, STRATEGIES, FOR EXAMPLE.

THOSE ARE KIND OF NOW BAKED IN TO SOME OF OUR STRATEGIES AND OUR JUST KIND OF EXPECTATIONS WHERE PREVIOUSLY THE 20 YEAR SCHEDULE HAD US LOOKING, UH, FURTHER OUT AT USE OF THINGS LIKE WATER BUDGETING OR EXPANSION OF OUR ONSITE REUSE REQUIREMENTS.

NOW TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS, WE'VE REALLY JUST BAKED IN SOME OF THOSE MORE EXPANSIVE KIND OF VISIONS OF THE STRATEGIES INTO THE BASELINE OF WHAT WE WOULD WANT THOSE STRATEGIES TO.

UM, I THINK THAT OUR FIVE YEAR UPDATES, WE'LL JUST KEEP, UH, SETTING THOSE FIVE-YEAR MILESTONES AND, AND REALLY BREAKING UP THIS HUGE PLAN INTO VERY ACTIONABLE GOALS THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE AND MAKE STEADY PROGRESS TOWARDS GETTING IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE STRATEGIES TO WHERE WE NEED THEM TO BE TO ACHIEVE THESE YIELDS.

AS YOU MENTIONED, LIKE THESE ARE VERY, UM, BIG GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MEET.

EVEN WITH THE, THE YIELDS, THE GOALS THAT WE'VE SET WITHIN THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ALL OF THE SAVINGS IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE WATER FORWARD PLAN TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE.

SO IT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE KEEPING UP WITH THESE FIVE YEAR UPDATES AND THEN COURSE CORRECTING AS WE NEED TO, BECAUSE IF WE ARE NOT MAKING THOSE, WE HAVE TO MAKE UP THE WATER SOMEHOW.

WE'RE GONNA NEED IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

WE'RE GONNA NEED THIS CONSERVATION REUSE AND SUPPLIES SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

UM, SO PART OF THE REASON I WAS THANK YOU.

UM, PART OF THE REASON I WAS ASKING IS, UM, UM, I THINK THIS IS PART OF WHERE, WHERE COUNCILMAN ORION OFFICERS FIRST QUESTION CAME FROM WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE SCALE FOR THE COSTS MM-HMM.

, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE HOW MUCH DOES PLAN THREE OR PORTFOLIO OF SIX, I GUESS IS THE ONE WE LANDED ON, HOW MUCH DOES THAT COST AND WHAT IS THE TIME HORIZON FOR THAT? SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE DETAILS OF HOW MUCH THE OVERALL PORTFOLIO COSTS WERE.

I THINK THAT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST BECAUSE THE, UH, THE, WHILE THE CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES ARE KIND OF OUR MOST, UH, SOMETIMES OUR MOST AFFORDABLE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE AMOUNT OF YIELD THAT YOU GET, THOSE ARE INCLUDED WITHIN ALL OF THE PORTFOLIOS.

SO THEY'RE NOT A BIG DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN PORTFOLIOS.

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENTIATOR IS THE SUPPLY STRATEGIES AND WE'VE TRIED TO BALANCE, FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN RELIABILITY OF SUPPLIES WITH THE ULTIMATE COST OF THE SUPPLIES.

UM, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT THE OVERALL TOTAL COST IS, BUT YOU KNOW, OVER THE FULL, LET'S SAY OVER A 50 YEAR PLANNING HORIZON, THE FIRST 50 YEARS IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS.

OKAY.

SO, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

I'M JUST LIKE, I DON'T, LIKE I HAVE NUMBERS HERE, WHICH I APPRECIATE FOR THE COST MM-HMM.

BUT YOU KNOW, IF I, IF I GO TO THE ONES THAT ARE NOT THE FUTURE SUPPLY, UM, LEMME JUST PICK ONE.

DECENTRALIZED RECLAIM IS A CAPITAL COST OF 138 MILLION WITH LAND IS 215.

LIKE ARE WE TALKING THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THE FIVE YEARS OR IS THAT OVER? OH, I SEE TIME.

LIKE, LIKE MM-HMM.

, IF WE AGREE TO THIS AND WE SAY WE LIKE THESE STRATEGIES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO AND WE'RE ALLOWING YOU TO PLAN FOR THE REST, HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING OVER THE FIVE YEARS? WE CAN DEFINITELY, AND DO WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT IN ANY SENSE OF WHAT, UM, THIS MEANS FOR RATE PAYERS AND OBVIOUSLY NOT HAVING THE WATERS WORSE, BUT MM-HMM.

IT, IT JUST WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE COSTS.

YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW UP ON WHAT THE COSTS LOOK LIKE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE UM, YEARS, AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH SOME INFORMATION ON HOW THAT'S INCORPORATED INTO OUR, UM, BUDGET.

THANKS.

BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA PROVE A PLAN AND BE LIKE, OH, WE CAN'T FUND IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING SIDE OF IT.

YEAH.

AND, AND I'LL SAY TOO THAT, UM, AS MARISA MENTIONED, THE UM, UH, A LOT OF THESE STRATEGIES ARE ONES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON, AND SO THEY, THE COST FOR THOSE ARE BUILT INTO OUR CIP NOW.

OKAY.

SO WHEN WE LOOK FOR AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE AN ONGOING PROJECT.

IT IS BUDGETED, IT IS INCLUDED IN OUR CIP THAT COUNCIL APPROVED, UM, THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST.

AND SO WE'RE CONTINUALLY PROGRAMMING THESE COSTS, UM, INTO OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.

[00:45:02]

SO THEN IF, IF YOU CAN, ALONG WITH WHAT YOU THINK IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE COSTS, IF YOU CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ALREADY CAPTURED IN OUR PLANS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE FIGURING OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, PERSPECTIVE.

UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE, SO FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION LAND, UM, IT BASICALLY ENDS WITH LIKE BUY THESE LANDS, WHICH I TOTALLY AGREE WITH AND WERE OUT OF MONEY OTHER THAN THE, UM, FUNDING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN ALTER SECURED, BUT LIKE, WHAT DO WE ESTIMATE IT WOULD COST, LIKE IF WE WERE TO, TO PURCHASE THE LAND THAT WE NEED FOR THE CONSERVATION, THE COLORADO RIVER LAND ANALYSIS? YEAH.

DO WE HAVE A COST ESTIMATE FOR THAT, SHERRY? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

SO WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF DEVELOPING THE ANALYSIS FOR WHAT PROPERTIES WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL TO CONSERVE, AND THEN THAT WOULD FEED INTO THE, UM, THE, THE BUDGETING FOR THAT LAND ACQUISITION.

AND, AND I, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, LAND CONSERVATION, UH, WORK ALREADY UNDERWAY WITH THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS AND THE BALCONES CANYON LAND PRESERVE.

AND THIS WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT WORK.

SO THERE'S NO, UM, WE ABSOLUTELY INTEND TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE ALL OF THESE THINGS.

SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BOND AND THE CLIMATE PORTION OF THE BOND THAT'S COMING FORWARD.

UM, AND THAT AS YOU DEVELOP THAT, YOU ALSO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THE FOOD PLAN BECAUSE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO THE REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU'RE CONSERVING THESE LANDS.

UM, AND WE CAN ACCOMPLISH MULTIPLE THINGS AND YOU MAY HAVE VEHICLES THAT ALLOW US TO PURCHASE IT, BUT, BUT THEY MAY NOT.

UM, AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE A, A, A USEFUL DIRECTION.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO ASK IS ABOUT THE, UM, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A NEW ENVIRONMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, AND WE HAVE A CONTINUING ONE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

UM, BUT WITH RESPECT TO WATER, MY SENSE IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STEPS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WE HAVE THE LOWER COST LOANS, UM, THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE THAT WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE FOR THE ENERGY PIECES.

UM, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A WATER, UM, WORKING GROUP, UM, DURING THE OFF SESSION.

SO ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA? WE'RE GONNA BE ADOPTING THAT SOON NEXT WEEK.

SO WE'VE WORKED WITH THE IGRO, UM, ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEMS THAT AFFECT WATER.

THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST AT THE STATE CAPITAL AROUND, UM, WATER SUPPLY PLANNING AND THE UPCOMING, UM, LEGISLATURE.

UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TWICE IN SEPTEMBER TO, UM, TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY TO HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON RECLAIMED WATER AND ONSITE WATER REUSE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SENATE BILL 1289, WHICH I CAN, UM, GET INTO IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

BUT, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY AROUND, UM, PRIVATE SIDE RECLAIMED USE IN OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THAT.