ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
2.	CONSIDER AUTHORIZATION TO FUND WATER SAVING RETROFITS AT LOCAL SCHOOLS
Meeting Date:			October 20, 2014	Budgeted:	Yes - Reimbursable
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	Water Conservation
			General Manager	Line Item No.:	4-2-2-B
Prepared By:			Stephanie Pintar	Cost Estimate:	$177,000
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Water Demand Committee considered this item on September 24, 2014, and recommended approval. The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on October 13, 2014 and recommended approval.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: Funding for water saving retrofits at public schools was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in California American Water’s last General Rate Case. MPWMD has access to $200,000 in reimbursable conservation budget funds through December 2014 to assist schools with retrofits. The funding will not be available after December.

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) has requested the District allow it to re-designate $75,000 previously approved to purchase and install flow sensors and master valves that were determined to be infeasible given the age of the irrigation systems. MPUSD would now like to use the funds to design and implement a master plan for water conservation at Ord Terrace Elementary School (see Exhibit 2-A). The Ord Terrace master plan will include the design and implementation of updating the irrigation for the school’s field. This design will reduce turf area, improve field quality and reduce water use by 46%. The master plan will also include the design and implementation of an educational water conservation model that will teach the students and community about water conservation, ground water quality, and preventing storm water pollution. This part of the master plan will include active and passive rain water collection, cisterns, bioswales, rain gardens, outdoor classrooms, native arboretums and turf removal. The water conservation landscapes will reduce water use on the campus landscape by 50%+.

Carmel Unified School District has requested a rebate for turf removal at the high school’s football field. The Water Demand Committee recommended approval of a rebate in the amount of $1/square-foot. The football field renovation will save approximately 5.5 acre-feet per year (AFA) (66 AF over the life of the project), taking into consideration that there is some water needed for field maintenance. Staff is requesting approval for a rebate of $102,000 ($1,545/AF) using the school retrofit funds.

With the passing of Ordinance No. 162 in August, the public schools now have the ability to permit projects that have outstanding Water Permit requirements. Once the facilities are permitted, Carmel Unified School District (CUSD) is eligible for the school retrofit money. Up to this point, only Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) has been eligible. Staff is anticipating that permitting will be completed in the next two months.

RECOMMENDATION: The Administrative Committee should recommend approval of the requested expenditures.

EXHIBIT

2-A Grant Proposal for Monterey Unified School District

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