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ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE |
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10. |
CONSIDER
EXPENDITURE OF BUDGETED FUNDS FOR
LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION AUDITS/BUDGETS (RULE 172) AND AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL
MANAGER TO RENEW LIMITED CONTRACTS WITH SPOT WATER MANAGEMENT, PACIFIC WATER
MANAGEMENT, AND WATERWISE CONSULTING INC., FOR AUDITING SERVICES |
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Meeting
Date: |
June 15, 2010 |
Budgeted: |
Yes |
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From: |
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Program/ |
Conservation
Programs |
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General
Manager |
Line Item No.: |
4-2-2-C, D, and I |
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Prepared
By: |
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Cost Estimate: |
$200,000 Reimbursable $10,000 Non-reimbursable |
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General Counsel Review: N/A |
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Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on June 15, 2010 and recommended _____________.CEQA Compliance: N/A |
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SUMMARY: Staff is seeking Board authorization to renew
contracts with Spot Water Management (SWM), Pacific Water Management (PWM), and
WaterWise Consulting, Inc., for Landscape Water Audit and Landscape Water
Budget services not-to-exceed $200,000.
Funding for audits is included in the Fiscal Year 2010-2011 budget and
is partially reimbursable through California American Water (CAW). District funding is available through the
line item for CII audits. SWM and PWM
have been under contract with the District for these services since 2007. WaterWise was added in 2009. The majority of this contract amount is to
complete landscape audits/budgets that are currently in progress and to complete
audits on the golf courses and open space in the Del Monte Forest supplied with
both recycled and CAW water.
Landscape Water
Audits and Landscape Water Budgets completed by a Certified Landscape
Irrigation Auditor (CLIA) are required for specific users by District Rule No.
172. Rule 172 requires landscape water
audits and landscape water budgets to be offered by the District and/or CAW or
their agent free of charge to CAW customers that have dedicated landscape
meters or large irrigated areas over three acres, and to all large residential
water users that use more than 32 units per month average. Note that one unit equals one hundred cubic
feet or 748 gallons of water. The audit
involves an on-site analysis of existing plant types and locations, soil types,
existing irrigation and watering practices and equipment. The CLIA then determines a water budget based
on those factors and efficient water use.
As of June 4,
2010, nearly all Large Residential Water Users and priority Dedicated
Irrigation Meters have been completed or are underway and funds have been
mostly exhausted. Once the funding has
been expended, audits will be conducted by District and/or California American
Water staff until the next General Rate Case (GRC) has been decided. Funding to continue outsourcing the audits is
in the proposed GRC conservation budget for 2012-2014.
The new contracts
will not exceed $200,000 for Fiscal Year 2010-2011. Funding for this effort is in the FY 2010-2011
budget. Payment to the contractors is
made at the completion of the audit and budget and is reimbursed by California
American Water through the conservation budget approved by the California
Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in 2009.
The Administrative Law Judge involved in the PUC decision was
particularly supportive of completing these audits.
RECOMMENDATION: The Administrative Committee should recommend the Board authorize the General Manager to renew contracts with PWM, SWM and WaterWise in a not-to-exceed amount of $200,000 for the purpose of conducting Landscape Water Audits and Landscape Water Budgets to comply with the requirements set forth in District Rule 172.
IMPACT
TO STAFF/RESOURCES: Funding is
available in
the Fiscal Year 2010-2011 budget through reimbursement by California
American Water in the conservation budget approved by the Public Utilities
Commission in May 2009 and through the District’s budget for CII audits.
BACKGROUND: Stage 2 Water Conservation (and higher
stages) implements enforcement of Landscape Water Budgets to maintain
regulatory compliance. During Stage 2,
all water users required to have a Landscape Water Budget must manage outdoor
irrigation within their budget. Use in
excess of the Landscape Water Budget is considered Water Waste and is subject
to Water Waste fees and enforcement.
Every October (i.e., new Water Year), CAW reviews their customer
database to determine which customers are subject to the audit/budget
requirement.
EXHIBITS
None
U:\staff\word\committees\Admin\2010\20100615\10\item10.doc