Nov 13, 2024 Water and Wastewater Commission

THE MINUTES, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU SHOULD, UH, HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.

MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

IS THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

COMMISSIONER PENN MOTIONS.

I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.

COMMISSIONER REYES SECONDS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND ALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT ARE IN FAVOR.

THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS, UH, I AM GOING TO PULL ITEMS 15, 16, 17, AND 18.

UH, MOVING

[DISCUSSION AND ACTION]

UM, ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17, WE'RE GONNA HAVE PRESENTATIONS ON.

SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BEST THAT WE, UM, MOVE THOSE TO AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS.

AND ITEM 18, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON.

SO, MOVING DOWN, UM, THE, UH, UH, THE ROSTER HERE.

COMMISSIONER MARLO, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECUSALS OR QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE ITEMS? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

COMMISSIONER REYES, I HAVE A QUESTION ON NUMBER ITEM NUMBER 10, AND NO RECUSALS COMMISSIONER ION NO QUESTIONS? NO RECUSALS COMMISSIONER NAVARRO? NO QUESTIONS.

NO.

RECUSALS COMMISSIONER PENN, I'VE GOT RECUSALS ON ITEMS 11 AND 13.

MY COMPANY IS A SUB-CONSULTANT TO THE PRIME ON THOSE PROJECTS.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS FOR CONSENT.

WE HAVE ITEMS 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, AND 14.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

COMMISSIONER PENN, SECOND.

COMMISSIONER MARZULLO.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE.

UH, BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND ALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT HAVE VOTED TO APPROVE.

THE FIRST ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 10, RECOMMENDATION.

MOVING TO

[10. Recommend approval to authorize negotiation and execution of a contract for large-diameter water main leak detection and assessment services with Pure Technologies Us Inc. d/b/a Wachs Water Services, for an initial term of two years with three one-year extension options, for a total contract amount not to exceed $5,000,000. Funding in the amount of $1,000,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget of Austin Water. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.]

OPERATING BUDGET OF AUSTIN.

WATER FUNDING FOR THE REMAINING CONTRACT SUM IS CONTINGENT UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING IN FUTURE BUDGETS.

COMMISSIONER REYES, YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS? HOPEFULLY IT'S VERY QUICK.

YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

I JUST WANTED TO, TO CONFIRM THE PURCHASING LANGUAGE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, IF THAT'S CORRECT.

'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE THE FUNDING AMOUNT IS IN LINE WITH THE CONTRACT AUTHORIZATIONS, EXTENSIONS.

I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THE PURCHASING LANGUAGE IS, IS CORRECT FOR THAT ITEM.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION WE HAVE THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THAT.

[00:05:16]

HELLO? UH, MY NAME IS, UH, JONATHAN DASHEL, DAWSON WATER PURCHASING OFFICE.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR QUESTION? JUST CONFIRMING THE PURCHASING LANGUAGE THAT'S ON HERE THAT SAYS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, TYPICALLY WHEN THERE'S CERTAIN AMOUNTS ABOVE CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNTS, IF IT'S A CERTAIN TYPE OF PER PER PURSING LANGUAGE, MAYBE OPEN UP TO BID OR SUBJECT TO BID.

I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT THIS IS IN FACT THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LANGUAGE THAT'S REQUIRED, UH, FOR THIS ITEM.

GOOD POINT.

SO THIS, THIS WAS A SOLE SOURCE, UM, FOR A COMMODITY SERVICE.

SO, WHICH, DO YOU KNOW WHICH LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT? JUST SO I CAN HONE IN ON IT? YEAH, JUST TYPICALLY, I KNOW SOME OF THEM, THEM ARE GOODS AND SERVICES FOR OTHER PURCHASING LANGUAGES, AND THAT OPENS UP TO BIDS FOR OTHERS.

AND I AND I, IT APPEARS THAT THIS, UH, PROVIDER IS THE CURRENT CONTRACTOR OF THIS, OF THE SERVICE.

SO ON, TYPICALLY ON THE OTHER ITEMS, IT'S, IT'S GOODS AND SERVICES, AND IT'S OPEN 'EM TO BID ABOVE A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT.

I KNOW IT'S FOR THIS SPECIFIC ITEM, IT'S PURCHASE, UH, THE PURCHASE LANGUAGE SAYS PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.

SO THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUBJECT TO DOLLAR AMOUNT REQUIREMENTS FOR OPENING UP THE BID.

SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THAT WAS THE CORRECT LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS CORRECT FOR THIS SPECIFIC ITEM.

IT, IT IS A CORRECT LANGUAGE.

UM, THE, THE REASON WHY IT WASN'T OPENED UP FOR BID, BECAUSE THIS, THIS CURRENT VENDOR IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN ACTUALLY, UH, UH, PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT, THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.

SO THEREFORE, IT FELL, FELL UNDER THE SO SOLE, SOLE, UH, EXEMPTIONS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? IT'S ITEM 10.

SECOND, SECOND COMMISSIONER MARULA SECONDS.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER REYES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF ALL COMMISSIONER PRESENT.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO STATE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER PEN HAS JOINED US.

TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER 11, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR THE OLD INFIELD WATER AND WASTEWATER PIPELINE RENEWAL PROJECT WITH FACILITIES REHAB INC.

MOVING ON

[11. Recommend approval to authorize execution of a contract for construction services for the Old Enfield Water & Wastewater Pipeline Renewal project, with Facilities Rehabilitation, Inc. in the amount of $6,157,650 plus a $615,765 contingency for a total contract amount not to exceed $6,773,415. Funding is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Water. (District 10)]

IN THE AMOUNT OF 6 MILLION $157,650, PLUS A 615,765 CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,773,415.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE AUSTIN WATER BUDGET OF AUSTIN WATER.

THIS IS IN DISTRICT 10 COMMISSIONERS.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

COMMISSIONER MARLO, DO I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.

SECOND.

COMMISSIONER PEN DURGE BEAT YOU.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND ALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT, UH, APPROVE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER PENN, WHO HAS RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THIS ITEM.

THAT WAS 11, RIGHT? YES, WE ALREADY DID 12.

SO MOVING TO ITEM 13,

[13. Recommend approval to authorize negotiation and execution of an amendment to the contract for engineering services for the Design of Redbud Trail Bridge over Lady Bird Lake project with URS Corporation, in the amount of $4,492,670 for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $15,787,775. Funding in the amount of $3,692,670 is available in the Capital Budget of the Transportation and Public Works Department. Funding in the amount of $800,000 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Water.]

RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE DESIGN OF RED BUD TRAIL BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE PROJECT WITH URS CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,492,670 FOR REVISED TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $15,000,787 $787,775.

FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,692,670 IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 800,000 IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF AUSTIN WATER COMMISSIONERS.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? AND DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER REYE'S MOTIONS.

SECOND COMMISSIONER MARLO SECONDS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

[00:10:01]

AND AGAIN, IT'S, UH, ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE VOTING TO APPROVE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER PENN, WHO IS RECUSING HIMSELF FROM THE ITEM.

STAFF BRIEFING BRIEFINGS.

ITEM NUMBER 14.

NO, WE ALREADY APPROVED THAT IN CONSENT.

YES.

UM, SO I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO NOW IS MOVE TO STAFF BRIEFINGS BEFORE WE LOOK AT ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17.

UM, SO LET'S MOVE TO

[19. Staff briefing on Water Forward 2024 (Austin’s Integrated Water Resource Plan) and updates to Austin’s Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans]

ITEM 19, UM, ON WATER FORWARD 2024.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

WHILE, UM, VICTOR IS PULLING UP THE SLIDES, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO COME JOIN ME AT THE BIG TABLE.

NICE TRY, .

GOOD EVENING.

UM, UH, WE ARE VERY PLEASED TONIGHT TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU ON WATER FORWARD THE 2024 UPDATE TO OUR 100 YEAR INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES PLAN.

SO, UH, WE ARE GOING TO COVER UPDATES TO THE WATER FORWARD PLAN, AS WELL AS UPDATES TO THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.

IS THAT MY FIRST SLIDE? YES.

I GOT IT NOW.

SO, UH, WATER FORWARD, AS I MENTIONED, IS OUR 100 YEAR INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLAN.

IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER OF 2018, AND IT IDENTIFIES A DIVERSE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND IMPORTANTLY IS ADAPTABLE TO GROWTH, DROUGHT, AND CLIMATE CHANGE TO ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT, EQUITABLE AND AFFORDABLE WATER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, SINCE, UH, THAT PLAN WAS ADOPTED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE UPDATE, UM, CLICK SOONER, .

SO, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING ADOPTABLE, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY.

SO WE KNOW THAT THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN IS GROWING, UM, AND WE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE AND WHEN THAT GROWTH WILL HAPPEN.

UH, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL, UM, NEED TO BE READY FOR THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT WE DON'T YET KNOW WHAT THE SEVERITY OF THAT CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE.

AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN A DROUGHT PRONE REGION, UM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN AND HOW LONG THE NEXT DROUGHT WILL BE.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DROUGHT, WE ARE SPECIFICALLY IN THE TEXAS, COLORADO RIVER BASIN, TALKING ABOUT THE COMBINED STORAGE OF LAKES, BUCHANAN AND TRAVIS.

UH, AND THIS IS A GRAPH SHOWING THAT COMBINED STORAGE ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN THE DAM DAMS WERE BUILT, FORMING THE HIGHLAND LAKES, UH, BACK IN THE FORTIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WERE DROUGHTS IN THE FIFTIES AND 60 SIXTIES THAT WERE OUR DROUGHT OF RECORD UP UNTIL THE DROUGHT FROM 2008 TO 2016, WHICH WAS DEEPER AND LONGER THAN ANYTHING WE HAD EXPERIENCED BEFORE.

AND IS OUR NEW DROUGHT OF RECORD.

UH, AND YOU CAN SEE ALSO TODAY THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE IN A SIGNIFICANT DROUGHT RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN NO LONGER REALLY LOOK BACK AT THE PAST.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE THIS ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN, UM, BECOMES SO IMPORTANT TO US.

WE NEED TO HAVE CHECKPOINTS ALONG THE WAY WHERE WE ARE CHECKING OUR COURSE AND ADAPTING, UH, AS WE GO.

SO THIS ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN RESTS ON, UH, FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES OF STRATEGIES.

SO CONSERVATION IS, UH, JUST FUNDAMENTALLY, UM, A CORNERSTONE OF THIS PLAN BECAUSE THE, AND REUSE REUSE OF OUR TREATED, UH, EFFLUENT, BECAUSE ANY DROP OF WATER THAT WE DON'T USE OR THAT WE REUSE IS A DROP OF WATER WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OUT OF THE TEXAS, COLORADO RIVER.

UH, AND THEN WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE, UH, CURRENTLY OUR ENTIRE SUPPLY OF WATER COMES FROM THE COLORADO RIVER.

AND SO WE NEED TO STRETCH THOSE SUPPLIES AS WELL AS EXPAND INTO NEW SUPPLIES FOR THE FUTURE.

AND THEN WE ARE NOT THE ONLY COMMUNITY THAT GETS ITS WATER FROM THE COLORADO RIVER.

AND SO OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WITH THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS THE OTHER, UH, COMMUNITIES IN THIS RIVER BASIN ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS SLIDE, AND WE'VE PRESENTED ON SOME OF THIS WORK IN THE PAST TO THE COMMISSION.

UM, BUT WE DEVELOPED, UM, WE, WE DEVELOPED OUR, UH, A RANGE OF POSSIBLE FUTURES

[00:15:01]

WHEN WE LOOKED AT BOTH OUR WATER NEEDS AND OUR WATER SUPPLIES.

AND WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES FOR HOW WE COULD FILL THE GAPS OF THE FUTURE.

AND THEN WE MODELED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THOSE, OF ALL, OF THOSE COMBINATIONS OF, UM, OF STRATEGIES AND NEEDS.

AND WHAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IS A CHART THAT SHOWS THE PERFORMANCE OF, UM, COMPARATIVELY COMPARED TO EACH OTHER, UH, THE PERFORMANCE SCORE, AND THEN THE SCALED COST ON THE Y AXIS, WHICH IS, AGAIN, COMPARATIVE.

YOU KNOW, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PROJECT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT, AND THEN, OR THE MOST EXPENSIVE PORTFOLIO.

AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS, IS A, IS A PERCENTAGE OF THAT.

AND, UM, THOSE BLUE DOTS ON THE LEADING EDGE REPRESENT THE PORTFOLIOS THAT PERFORM THE BEST FOR A GIVEN COST, OR COST THE LEAST FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE FOR THE SAME PERFORMANCE.

UH, AND SO WE IDENTIFIED 10 PORTFOLIOS ALONG THE LEADING EDGE, UM, AND, UH, AND WE COMPARED THOSE, UM, IN MORE DETAIL TO ONE ANOTHER.

SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT IS THOSE 10 PORTFOLIOS.

AND YOU SEE, UH, ALL THOSE XS ACROSS THOSE YELLOW AND PURPLE LINES DEMONSTRATE THAT EVERY PORTFOLIO THAT WE EVALUATED HAS THE FULL SUITE OF CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES.

WE ARE, WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA DO ALL THE REUSE AND CONSERVATION STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED.

AND THEN FOR THE SUPPLY STRAT SIDE, WE HAVE, UM, WE, THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY GOT INTO THE COMPARISON OF, OF THE PORTFOLIOS.

AND ON THE BASIS OF THAT, WE HAD A MULTI CRITERIA DECISION MODEL THAT WE USED TO COMPARE THESE TO ONE ANOTHER TOOK INTO EFFECT INTO ACCOUNT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.

AND PORTFOLIO SIX IS THE ONE THAT ROSE TO THE TOP, UH, AS OUR RECOMMENDED PORTFOLIO.

SO ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN, THE FULL SUITE OF CONSERVATION AND REUSE STRATEGIES, UM, BEGINNING RIGHT UP FRONT WITH, UM, UTILITY SIDE WATER LOSS CONTROL.

WE'VE PRESENTED TO THIS COMMISSION VERY RECENTLY ABOUT COMPLETING OUR WATER LOSS EXTERNAL REVIEW.

AND, AND SO WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, OBVIOUSLY, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN TONIGHT AS WELL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER SIDE, WATER USE MANAGEMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PLAN.

UM, AND THAT, UH, LEANS INTO, YOU KNOW, HOW WE DO OUTDOOR WATER USE, SO NATIVE AND EFFICIENT LANDSCAPES.

AND THEN WHAT NEEDS, WHAT NON-DRINKING WATER NEEDS CAN WE SERVE WITH NON-POTABLE REUSE? UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE GO PURPLE PROGRAM THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR.

AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR THAT AND FOR ADDITIONAL NON-POTABLE REUSE STRATEGIES ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, UH, WE'RE THE, THOSE TOP, UM, THREE ARE STRATEGIES THAT ARE STILL RELY ON OUR COLORADO RIVER AND LCRA SUPPLIES.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STRETCHING THE SUPPLIES.

WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, STORING WATER IN TIMES OF PLENTY UNDERGROUND IN AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY.

UH, IMPLEMENT IT USING THE EXISTING LAKE WALTER LONG, UH, AS AN OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR WHERE WE WOULD THEN TREAT THE WATER RIGHT THERE AND PUT IT INTO OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE, WHICH IS A STRATEGY WHERE WE TAKE TREAT, WILL TAKE TREATED EFFLUENT FROM THE SOUTH AUSTIN REGIONAL, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, TREAT IT TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD, PUT IT INTO LADY BIRD LAKE, AND THEN CONSTRUCT AN INTAKE DOWNSTREAM OF TOM MILLER DAM TO TAKE WATER FROM LADY BIRD LAKE AND DELIVER IT TO THE ULRICH WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

UM, UH, AS OUR INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE STRATEGY.

AND THEN NEW WATER SUPPLIES COMING INTO THE PLAN NOW, UH, INCLUDE BRACKISH GROUNDWATER DESALINATION.

SO THAT'S TAKING, UH, GROUNDWATER THAT IS, UM, THAT IS TOO SALTY TO DRINK, UH, TREATING IT TO DRINKING WATER STANDARDS AND THEN REUSING IT.

I'M NOT REUSING IT, SORRY.

AND THEN INTEGRATING IT INTO OUR, UH, INTO OUR DRINKING WATER SYSTEM.

SO WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT WHAT'S CHANGED BETWEEN THE WATER FORWARD 2018 PLAN, AND THIS CURRENT, UH, PLAN IS, UH, WE DID A LOT OF WORK AROUND UPDATED CLIMATE AND HYDROLOGY.

UM, AND, UH, WE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION IN THE PAST ON, ON THAT WORK.

IT'S VERY, UH, COMPLEX.

WE HAD A NUMBER OF, OF CONSULTING PARTNERS HELPING US WITH THAT TO GIVE A REALLY THOUGHTFUL LOOK TO THE KINDS OF CONDITIONS WE MAY FACE IN THE FUTURE.

UH, WE INCORPORATED OUR PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY, WHICH GIVES US A HUNDRED YEAR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PATHWAY.

SO THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS 50 YEAR PORTFOLIO AND THEN, BUT CHECK OURSELVES EVERY FIVE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO UPDATE AND ADJUST FOR THE FUTURE.

UM, WE, WE KNOW, UH, HOW MUCH WE BENEFIT FROM THE FACT THAT THE HIGHLAND LAKES ARE VERY WELL PROTECTED.

SO THE HIGHLAND LAKES

[00:20:01]

DISCHARGE BAN HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME.

IT PREVENTS THE DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS INTO THE COLORADO RIVER UPSTREAM OF AUSTIN.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, TO LEAN IN ON THAT IS BY LOOKING FOR LAND THAT WE CAN EITHER ACQUIRE OR ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH LANDOWNERS TO CONSERVE.

UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THAT IN THE, IN OUR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS PROGRAM AND IN THE BALCONES CANYON LAND PRESERVE.

AND SO, UM, WE, THIS PLAN, UH, TODAY IS THE BEGINNING ANALYSIS FOR THE COLORADO RIVER ANALYSIS.

AND THEN THAT WILL LEAD INTO MORE WORK THAT, THAT WE'RE BEGINNING NOW.

UH, AND THEN, UH, EXPANDING WATER CONSERVATION AND WATER LOSS CONTROL.

AND I MENTIONED THE LAKE WALTER, LONG OFF CHANNEL STORAGE.

SO THOSE ARE THE MAJOR CHANGES, UM, THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING IN THIS UPDATE.

SO, UM, CONSERVATION AND DROUGHT PLANNING GO HAND IN HAND WITH OUR WATER FORWARD PLAN.

UM, THESE PLANS ARE, UM, ARE DUE EVERY FIVE YEARS TO OUR STATE REGULATORY AGENCY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

UM, THEY WERE DUE IN MAY.

UM, THIS COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND THEM.

COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE THEM, UH, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN AND DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN IN CONCERT WITH THE UPDATE TO WATER FORWARD.

SO, WATER CONSERVATION IS OUR PLAN FOR HOW WE USE WATER ALL YEAR ROUND, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS.

UM, AND OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN REALLY FOCUSES ON HOW WE CAN RATCHET DOWN OUR WATER USE, UH, DURING TIMES OF, OF DROUGHT.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE BETWEEN 2019 AND MAY OF 2024, UH, WE UPDATED AND EXPANDED THE, UH, OUR METRICS AND OUR CONSERVATION DESCRIPTIONS OF OUR CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.

AND WE DUG, REALLY DUG INTO OUR WATER USE GOALS, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, UPDATE THOSE BASED ON A BOTTOMS UP ESTIMATE ESTIMATE OF POTENTIAL SAVINGS.

SO WE LOOKED, WE NOW HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH GOALS AND ACTIVITIES THAT FIVE YEARS AGO WE WERE JUST BEGINNING.

AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO MUCH BETTER UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT KINDS OF SAVINGS WE CAN ACHIEVE WITH THESE GOAL, WITH THESE ACTIVITIES.

AND SO WE UPDATED OUR GOALS TO REFLECT THAT.

UM, NEW AND EXPANDED ACTIVITIES THAT WE ADDED INCLUDE SINGLE FAMILY, UH, LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION REQUIREMENTS, COMMERCIAL CONSERVATION INCENTIVES, UH, WATER LOSS ACTIVITIES, EXPANDING THE RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM, UH, COMPLETING OUR MY A TX WATER AUTOMATED METER, UH, ROLLOUT.

AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT WILL GO WITH THAT.

ONCE EVERYONE HAS THEIR, UH, THEIR A MI METER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ALREADY, WE'RE SEEING SO MANY BENEFITS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT BEFORE OF THOSE A MI METERS.

AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'VE INCORPORATED, UH, THE BENEFITS OF THOSE INTO THIS CURRENT PLAN.

AND THEN CONSTANTLY THE, THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND MARKETING ON WATER CONSERVATION.

SO SINCE MAY, UM, WE HAVE, UH, ADDED, UH, QUITE A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY WORK HARD ON OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

UM, AND THOSE INCLUDE, UH, DRIP IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS.

SO PREVIOUSLY DRIP IRRIGATION WAS UNREGULATED.

UM, SPRAY IRRIGATION IS ONCE PER WEEK HOSE AND IRRIGATION IS TWICE PER WEEK.

WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT DRIP IRRIGATION IS MORE EFFICIENT, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT ALL FORMS OF IRRIGATION NEED GUARDRAILS.

AND SO, UM, WE'RE PROPOSING TWO DAYS A WEEK, UH, RESTRICTIONS FOR DRIP IRRIGATION, UM, ON THE GO PURPLE PROGRAM, WHICH, UM, I MENTIONED EARLIER WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN MARCH.

WE'VE NOW MORE FULLY INCORPORATED THAT INTO THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.

UH, WE'VE MORE FULLY, UH, INCORPORATED THE WATER LOSS MITIGATION STRATEGIES COMING OUT OF THE EXTERNAL REVIEW.

UM, WE'VE ADDED, UH, DISCUSSION INTO THE PLAN ON WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN 2019 AND 2024 THAT, UM, CAUSED US NOT TO MEET THE 2019 GOALS.

UM, AND THEN, UH, WE'VE ADDED OUR FUTURE ACTIVITIES AND, UM, UH, AND A, UM, A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND OUR SPECIFIC WATER LOSS ACTIVITIES AND EXPANDING OUR, UM, OUR CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT AND BENCHMARKING AND BUDGETING.

AND I THINK A, AN IMPORTANT, UM, PART THAT I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO ON THIS SLIDE IS THE QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL REPORTING.

SO WE, WE WANT TO, WE WILL GET INTO A REGULAR REPORTING CYCLE OF HOW IT'S GOING WITH OUR CONSERVATION, SO WE DON'T GET FIVE

[00:25:01]

YEARS DOWN THE ROAD TO OUR NEXT PLAN AND HAVE ANYONE BE SURPRISED ABOUT HOW WELL IT'S GOING.

SO, UM, LOTS OF GOOD, UH, REPORTING WILL BE COMING OUT OF THIS.

AND, UH, TO ME, I THINK THAT REPORTING IS THE, THE BIGGEST KEY TO THAT IS BEING ABLE TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR CUSTOMERS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE HOW THEIR ACTIONS DIRECTLY INFLUENCE OUR COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO MEET THIS SHARED GOAL.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, UH, THE GOALS, THE GOALS THAT WERE SET IN THE 2019 PLAN HAD A FIVE.

WE, AT THAT TIME, WE WERE AT A BASELINE WATER USE OF 126 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WE TAKE ALL OF THE WATER THAT WE PRODUCE IN A DAY, AND WE DIVIDE IT BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.

AND THAT'S OUR GPCD.

UM, WE SET A FIVE YEAR GOAL AT THAT TIME OF 119 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY.

BUT OUR WATER USE STAYED ROUGHLY THE SAME OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND SO, UM, IN MAY, WITH THE STRATEGIES THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED AT THE TIME WITH OUR BOTTOM UP APPROACH TO ESTIMATING SAVINGS, WE WERE RECOMMENDING A GOAL FIVE YEAR GOAL OF 123 GPCD.

WITH THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SINCE MAY, WE'RE NOW RECOMMENDING A GOAL OF 121 GPCD.

AND I WOULD, UM, UH, I WOULD LIKE, I DEFINITELY WANNA POINT OUT THAT THAT 121 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY TAKES ALL OF THE SAVINGS AND YIELD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO QUANTIFY, AND THEN GOES ABOVE THAT.

SO THIS IS A, SO WE, WE STILL HAVE, UM, WE HAVE SET A GOAL THAT IS A STRETCH GOAL IN THIS 121 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY.

WE HAVE NOT YET IDENTIFIED, UH, ALL THE TOOLS WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO GET THERE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR ABILITY TO GAIN THE MOMENTUM AND TRACTION THAT WE NEED, UH, IN THE COMING SEVERAL COUPLE OF YEARS IN ORDER TO REACH THAT FIVE YEAR GOAL.

AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN CHANGES WE MADE FROM, UH, ACTUALLY THE 2016 PLAN, BECAUSE IN 2019, WE DID NOT MAKE CHANGES TO OUR, TO OUR 2016 PLAN.

SO, UM, SO SINCE 2016 TO 2024, LCRA MADE SOME CHANGES TO WHEN THEY GO INTO DROUGHT STAGES, THEY ACTUALLY MOVED THEIR DROUGHT STAGE ONE TO 1.1 MILLION ACRE FEET.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ON THAT SLIDE OF THE, UM, COMBINED STORAGE, 2 MILLION FEET IS FULL.

UH, WE REALLY FEEL LIKE, UM, WE ARE, UM, WE'RE A BIG SHIP TO TURN.

AND SO WE HELD OUR STAGE ONE AT 1.4 MILLION ACRE FEET.

UM, BECAUSE WE REALLY FEEL LIKE, WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT 1.1 LEVEL, WE NEED TO BE BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY ALONG WITH US ON THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT WATER SAVINGS.

UM, LCA ALSO ADDED AN INFLOW TRIGGER TO STAGE TWO.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS TWICE A YEAR, THEY WILL LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE INFLOWS COMING INTO THE LAKES, AND IF THOSE MEET A CERTAIN TRIGGER LEVEL, THEN THEY WILL GO AHEAD AND GO INTO STAGE TWO, EVEN IF LAKE LEVELS HAVEN'T DROPPED ALL THE WAY TO 900,000 ACRE FEET YET.

AND WE HAVE THAT IN OUR PLAN AS WELL.

UH, AND THEN WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR, UM, WE ADDED A STAGE THREE OF 700.

IT USED TO GO, I THINK, KEVIN DIRECTLY FROM 900,000 TO 600,000.

UM, ELSIE RAY FELT, AND WE FELT AS WELL, WE WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT A MID STAGE WAS IMPORTANT, UM, TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND CONTINUE TO RATCHET DOWN OUR COMMUNITIES' WATER USE.

UH, AND SO WE MADE SOME CHANGES, UM, TO STAGE THREE IN ORDER TO, UM, UH, ACCOMPLISH THAT.

UM, NOTABLY, ATHLETIC FIELDS GO FROM JUST BEING A VARIANCE TO BEING AN EXEMPTION, WHICH JUST BASICALLY MEANS THEY JUST NEED TO CALL US AND, AND THEY CAN HAVE THEIR EXEMPTION.

BUT, UH, WE WANNA HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT HOW THEY'RE HAVING FROM A VARIANCE WATER VARIANCE TO AN EXEMPTION, FROM A VARIANCE, AN EXEMPTION, FROM AN EXEMPTION TO A VARIANCE.

ON PERMITS FOR NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND SINGLE FAMILY POOLS.

UM, LET ME SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.

ATHLETIC FIELDS USED TO HAVE AN EXEMPTION.

NOW THEY HAVE A VARIANCE.

THANK YOU FOR CLEANING THAT UP.

UH, AND THEN NO WARNINGS FOR WATERING VIOLATIONS.

ONCE WE GET TO STAGE THREE, EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW.

UM, SO NO WARNINGS.

HOWEVER, WE'LL DISMISS YOUR PENALTY IF YOU'LL COMPLETE AN ONLINE EDUCATION COURSE, JUST LIKE DEFENSIVE DRIVING, BECAUSE THE POINT IS EDUCATION.

UM, AND WE GOT ASKED THIS QUESTION YESTERDAY, SO I'LL JUST JUST GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU REPEAT OFFENDERS DON'T GET REPEATED OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE DEFENSIVE DRIVING .

UH, AND THEN ONCE WE GET TO STAGE FOUR, LCRA, UM, IMPLEMENTED NO IRRIGATION OF NON-FUNCTIONAL TURF.

SO THAT BASICALLY MEANS GRASSY AREAS THAT DON'T SERVE A COMMUNITY PURPOSE.

UM, AND THEN TEMPORARY MORATORIUM

[00:30:01]

AND THEN AT ALL STAGES, WE'RE IDENTIFYING, UM, DISCRETIONARY MEASURES TO SAVE WATER, EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH AND ENFORCEMENT, ADDING ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES.

UH, WE HAVE DROUGHT SURCHARGES ON OUR RATES AND STAGES THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE.

SO SINCE MAY I MENTIONED THE DRIP IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS.

SO THOSE ARE, UH, IN THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN AS WELL, OR IN THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.

AND THEN, UM, UH, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MOST OF THESE.

UM, WE ARE PROVIDING EXEMPTIONS FOR TREES AND GARDENS, UM, UH, BECAUSE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PRESERVE OUR TREE CANOPY EVEN IN TIMES OF, OF DEEP DROUGHT.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, UH, FOR OTHER CLIMATE RESILIENCY GOALS.

AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, HAND IN HAND WITH OUR WATER FORWARD TASK FORCE OVER THE LAST, REALLY, SINCE 2016, BUT CERTAINLY VERY HEAVILY OVER THE LAST YEAR.

UM, THEY HELD A MEETING, UM, ON NOVEMBER THE FOURTH, UH, WHERE THEY RECOMMENDED, UM, ALL THREE OF THESE PLANS FOR, UH, COUNCIL APPROVAL.

UM, AND SO THAT, I BELIEVE TAKES US TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION ON THE UPDATES TO THESE PLANS.

AND THESE ARE ITEMS 15, 16, AND 17 ON YOUR AGENDA.

AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

THAT WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND GOOD.

GREAT UPDATE.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE QUESTIONS.

COMMISSIONER ZU ZUO ZULO, UM, YES, WITH THE DROUGHT SURCHARGE, ARE PEOPLE ABLE TO APPLY FOR EXEMPTIONS FOR IT IF THEY MEET IN CERTAIN INCOME CRITERIA? SO THE, UH, I'M GONNA LET JOSEPH GONZALEZ COME ANSWER THAT QUESTION TO BE SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.

BUT I WILL POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE A CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT, UM, THAT HELPS PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE ABOUT A 50% RATE REDUCTION IF YOU'RE IN THE CAP PROGRAM.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THE, THE DROUGHT SURCHARGE WHEN WE GET INTO STAGE THREE AND FOUR, APPLIES TO ALL RETAIL CUSTOMERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

CUSTOMERS.

UM, AND, UH, ELIGIBILITY FOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS, UH, DETERMINED PRIMARILY BY INCOME, BUT ALSO, UH, ENROLLMENT IN, IN OTHER SOCIAL PROGRAMS LIKE MEDICARE, MEDICAID, WELL, MEDICAID, UM, CHIP.

UH, SO IF, IF YOU'RE ALREADY A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE QUALIFYING PROGRAMS, YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED IN THE CAP.

AND SO THOSE ARE PRIMARILY INCOME, UH, ELIGIBILITY DRIVEN.

AND WHAT'S THE INCOME CUTOFF FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING BASED ON THEIR INCOME? UH, IT'S DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. UH, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A SET CUTOFF.

UM, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, UM, I, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

NO PROBLEM.

I CAN, I I'M SURE I CAN FIND IT ON THE WEBSITE.

I WAS JUST WONDERING.

AND JUST WANTED, JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, THAT IN THE WATER FORWARD PLAN, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS OF POPULATION GROWTH THAT WE USE IN OUR SCENARIO PLANNING.

SURE.

COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER ROSARIO, GO AHEAD.

YES.

UM, SO, UM, GREAT, GREAT PRESENTATION.

JUST QUICK QUESTION.

WITH THE RECENT HOME TWO INITIATIVE WITH ALLOWING, UH, SMALLER LOTS AND POTENTIALLY INCREASE IN DENSITY AND, AND MAYBE STRAIN ON WATER, UH, HOW IS THAT IMPACTING AUSTIN WATER'S LONG TERM, UH, CONSERVATION GOALS? HAVE YOU GUYS A ADAPTED TO THAT? HAVE YOU MAYBE RAN POTENTIAL SIMULATION MODELS OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AS THE CITY GETS MORE DENSE? UM, JUST WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE, HAVE, UH, ANALYZED THAT.

I'D SAY FROM, UH, LOOKING AT, FROM THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN PERSPECTIVE, UM, WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING THAT, ALTHOUGH THE QUESTION ALWAYS HAS BEEN NOT HOW LARGE THE LOT IS FROM WATER CONSERVATION PERSPECTIVE, BUT HOW MUCH OF IS, IS IRRIGATED? SO WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE'VE BEEN PURSUING SOME LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ACTIVITY ACTIVITIES, ONE OF WHICH IS, UM, IN A LOCAL AMENDMENT IN THE UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE, IN JANUARY BY THE COUNCIL, UM, WHICH LIMITS THE SIZE OF AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

SO WHILE WE HAVEN'T EXACTLY BEEN LOOKING AT THE CHANGE OF LOT SIZE, WE'VE BEEN MORE FOCUSING ON THE CHANGE IN IRRIGATION SYSTEM SIZE AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THOSE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.

[00:35:02]

WE HAVE A, A LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH SCENARIO.

THE HIGH SCENARIO COULD INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT MAY BE PROMPTED BY CHANGES TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNITS, UH, PER LOT.

UM, WE DO SEE THOUGH THAT AS LOT SIZE DECREASES THEN, LIKE KEVIN WAS MENTIONING, YOU HAVE LESS IRRITABLE AREA AND YOU TEND TO SEE LOWER WATER USE PER UNIT.

UM, WE'VE INCLUDED THE, THOSE THREE PROJECTIONS AND A RANGE OF DEMANDS, THOUGH, TO ACCOUNT FOR THE UNCERTAINTY THAT THERE IS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR AT DIFFERENT PACES DEPENDING ON LAND USE REGULATIONS, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, ET CETERA.

GOT IT.

OF THE PRESENTATION TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUES HERE? NO.

GOOD QUESTIONS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

I THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION, AND I MAY HAVE JUST MISSED IT.

WHAT CAUSED THE 2019 PLAN TO NOT BE COMPLIED? SO, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT, WE SET A GOAL AND THAT GOAL DIDN'T WORK.

BASICALLY, I GUESS I WANNA KNOW WHAT IT, WHAT CAUSED IT TO NOT BE COMPLIED AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE ENSURED THAT IT'S GONNA BE MET THIS TIME AROUND? YEAH, WE DID LOOK AT THAT, UM, AS PART OF OVER THE SUMMER WORKING WITH THE WATER FOUR TASK FORCE.

AND WE ATTRIBUTED, UM, NOT MEETING THAT GOAL TO ESSENTIALLY FOUR FACTORS, FIVE FACTORS THAT IS, UH, FIRST OF WHICH IS THAT 2018 PLAN UTILIZED A NUMBER OF, I WOULD SAY, RELATIVELY LOW USE YEARS, 20 13, 14, AND 15, AND SETTING THEIR BASELINE USE.

SO THAT REALLY KIND OF SET IT PRETTY LOW TO BEGIN WITH.

UM, SECONDLY, PANDEMIC IMPACTS HAD A, UH, AN IMPACT ON THAT, UM, IN WHICH DURING THE PANDEMIC, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO WORK FROM HOME.

UM, SO RESIDENTIAL WATER USE WENT UP, COMMERCIAL WATER USE WENT DOWN, WHICH WAS A TREND THAT WAS SEEN BY ALL KINDS OF WATER UTILITIES.

UM, BUT AFTER THE PANDEMIC AND WHEN PEOPLE STARTED COMING BACK, COMMERCIAL DID GO BACK UP, BUT RESIDENTIAL DID NOT SEE A, A CORRESPONDING DECLINE.

UM, PEOPLE CONTINUED TO WORK FROM HOME.

UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT IN, UM, LANDSCAPING THAT UTILIZED MORE WATER OR POOLS WHILE THEY WERE HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC.

SO THAT RESIDENTIAL DID NOT SEE REALLY A DECLINE.

UM, THIRD, WE SAW A NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXTREME WEATHER.

UH, WE CERTAINLY HAD THE WINTER STORMS, YURI AND MARA, UH, WHICH KILLED A LOT OF VEGETATION AND REQUIRED REPLANTING.

AND THEN 20 YEARS, 22 AND 23 WERE RECORD HIGH, UH, RECORD HOT YEARS, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A LOT OF LANDSCAPE USE.

AND THEN NUMBER FOUR, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES IN THE 2018 PLAN, UH, SIMPLY DID NOT PRODUCE THE YIELDS THAT WE ARE EXPECTING IN THAT SHORT TIMEFRAME.

UM, MOST OF THOSE STRATEGIES ARE CONTINUING, THEY'RE ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL, WE'RE MOVING THOSE ALONG, BUT THEY JUST DID NOT MOVE AS QUICKLY AS THE 2018 PLAN ANTICIPATED.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE, OF COURSE, WE HAD CONTINUED TO HAVE GROWTH IN THE CITY, UH, WHICH PUSHED ALMOST ALL CUSTOMER CLASS WATER USE UP.

SO THOSE WERE THE FACTORS THAT REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO NOT THAT 2019 GOAL.

I WOULD JUST LEAN IN A LITTLE BIT ON THE, UM, THE WATER LOSS.

SO IN 2019, WE WERE REALLY, WE WERE ESTIMATING THAT ALL OF THE THINGS WE WERE DOING AROUND WATER LOSS WOULD REDUCE OUR WATER LOSS.

UM, WE WERE COUNTING ON THAT TO MEET OUR WATER CONSERVATION GOALS.

UH, AND THEN DESPITE DOING ALL OF THE THINGS WE WERE DOING, WE DIDN'T SEE A DECREASE IN WATER LOSS.

AND SO AS WE'VE, UM, PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY, WE COMMISSIONED AN EXTERNAL REVIEW.

WE ARE STANDING UP A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL UTILITY TEAM TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT REVIEW.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS KEVIN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN WATER LOSS AND THE A MI ROLLOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE STRATEGIES THAT WE WERE COUNTING ON IN THAT FIVE-YEAR TIMEFRAME THAT ARE NOW BEGINNING TO ACHIEVE THE, THE GOALS THAT WE HAD HOPED FOR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I NEGLECTED IN THE BEGINNING

[00:40:01]

, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

MY NAME IS KEVIN KLU.

I'M THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION MANAGER.

AND I'M MARISA FLORES GONZALEZ.

I'M THE SUPERVISOR OF THE WATER RESOURCES.

GREAT.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER IF I INTRODUCED MYSELF, UH, BUT JOSEPH GONZALEZ, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER FINANCIAL SERVICES.

WONDERFUL.

UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS TO GO THROUGH, UM, SINCE WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION ON ALL THREE.

DO I HAVE TO READ 'EM IN? I THINK I SHOULD, OR NO? SHOULD I READ 'EM ALL TOGETHER? DO I HAVE TO READ THEM? NO.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

UM, .

SO, UM, ITEM

[Items 15 - 17]

UM, ITEM 16 IS THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, AND ITEM 17 IS A DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, ALL OF WHICH YOU HEARD ABOUT TODAY AND ACTUALLY GOT SOME GOOD BACKUP MATERIAL TO, TO REVIEW, UM, WITH NO OTHER QUESTIONS GOING ONCE, UM, I ENTERTAIN A, UM, MOTION FOR ITEMS 15, 16, AND 17.

I MAY I MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PGI AND A SECOND I'LL TAKE FROM COMMISSIONER NAVARRO.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND, AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS WITH ALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.

GREAT.

MOVING TO ITEM

[18. Discuss and approve the calendar year 2025 Water and Wastewater Commission meeting schedule. ]

18.

THERE IS A HANDOUT IN YOUR PACKET.

UM, IT'S A ONE PAGER THAT TALKS ABOUT OUR MEETINGS FOR 2025.

UM, UH, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS HERE.

UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST EXPLAIN THEM BRIEFLY AND THEN, UH, HAVE ANY DISCUSSION.

AND THEN, UH, I'M HOPING THAT THERE'LL BE A NOMINATION TO APPROVE ONE OF THESE THAT WE CAN VOTE ON SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IN 2025, UM, THERE HAS BEEN TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE REQUESTED THAT WE MOVE IT A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE DAY SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE WHEN IT'S DARK.

UM, AND WE LOOKED AT LUNCHTIME AND SOME OTHER OPTIONS, AND THEY WEREN'T REALLY FEASIBLE WITH THE AVAILABILITY TO STAFF AND THE ROOM.

AND ALSO SOME FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS.

SO THE TWO OPTIONS ARE OPTION A, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE DID IN 2024.

AND THAT IS A 6:00 PM MEETING.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DATES THERE.

TYPICALLY, IT'S THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, BUT WHEN THERE IS ITEMS, UH, SUCH AS A HOLIDAY OR A VERY HUGE WATER CONFERENCE, THE BEST IN THE WORLD, I MIGHT ADD, UH, WE ADJUST IT ACCORDINGLY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE PROBABLY WON'T GET QUORUM.

UM, UH, SECOND, SECOND OPTION IS OPTION B, UH, WHICH IS AT 4:00 PM AND WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ROOM, UH, AND OTHER MEETINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN WATER, UM, IT TENDED TO SHIFT MORE TO THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, AND THIS WOULD BE AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON IN THIS ROOM, CORRECT? YES.

BOTH OF THE OPTIONS ARE IN THIS ROOM.

UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS OR ANY, UM, THOUGHTS? UH, AS I MENTIONED, TWO COMMISSIONERS, THEY'RE NOT HERE TO VOTE, BUT THEY DID PREFER THE EARLIER TIME SLOT.

UM, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE TO VOTE.

UM, BUT, UH, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, WE NEED A QUORUM.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

SO IF YOU SEE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS, UH, CAUSING A, A CHALLENGE WITH THAT, THEN, THEN WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE OTHER.

AND I'M GOOD WITH BOTH.

GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER PENN.

I'LL JUST ADD TO THE CONVERSATION.

I, I DON'T HAVE A PREFERENCE.

I, I, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THE 4:00 PM BUT IF THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT'S COMMITTED TO THE SIX, SIX O'CLOCK HOUR AND CAN'T MAKE IT, AND THEY, FOR THAT REASON, THEY'RE VOTING FOR THE SIX, I'M, I'M, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

BUT OTHERWISE I WOULD VOTE FOR 4:00 PM THAT'S JUST MY TAKE.

I CAN SECOND COMMISSIONER PENN ON THAT.

I, I CAN MAKE THE 4:00 PM WORK ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAYS, BUT IF SOMEBODY REALLY NEEDS THE 6:00 PM I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, INPUT? IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

I'M GONNA ECHO THAT.

I COULD, I CAN MAKE EITHER ONE WORK, SO IT'S FINE FOR ME.

I GUESS SAYING THAT IF TWO COMMISSIONERS HAVE REQUESTED A, AN EARLIER START THEN, AND WE'RE ALL OKAY WITH THAT, THEN I MOVE TO APPROVE OPTION

[00:45:01]

WONDERFUL.

ANY MORE DISCUSSION BEFORE I, ALL RIGHT.

DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR OPTION B? I'LL SECOND IT.

UH, IF ALL THOSE IN FAVOR WITH OPTION B, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH THE WHOLE COMMISSIONER'S PRESENT.

ON, WE HAVE ITEMS 20 AND 21.

UM, WELL, THE TRAFFIC WILL BE EASIER GETTING HERE.

I DON'T THINK SO.

THREE THAT IT'S NEVER GOOD IN AUSTIN.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

AUSTIN WATER CAN'T FIX.

THEY'RE GONNA BE WORSE.

, WAS THAT 4:00 AM OR 4:00 PM I'M SORRY.

4:00 PM 4:00 AM WORKS.

I MEAN, THAT SHOULD BE REALLY FAST.

I MEAN, THAT'D BE, YOU ALL SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT 4:00 AM THAT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.

ALL RIGHT, WONDERFUL.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DONE WITH THAT.

MOVING

[20. Update from the Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force meeting regarding Water Forward Plan implementation and progress on plan updates – Commissioner William Moriarty]

OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES.

UH, ITEM 20, UM, IS THE, UH, INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY.

BUT COMMISSIONER MURTY IS NOT HERE TO GIVE AN UPDATE.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A BACKUP FOR HIM.