WATER DEMAND COMMITTEE
2.	CONSIDER AUTHORIZATION FOR PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT FOR IRRIGATION RETROFITS AT MONTEREY PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS
Meeting Date:		February 19, 2014	Budgeted:	Yes
From:		David J. Stoldt,	Program/	Water Conservation
		General Manager	Line Item No.: 4-2-2-B
Prepared By:		Stephanie Pintar	Cost Estimate:	$60,603
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Water Demand Committee considered this item on February 19, 2014, and recommended ___________________.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: Staff is seeking authorization to expend up to $65,000 in budgeted funds to pay for water saving irrigation equipment for installation at six Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) schools supplied by California American Water. A related funding request was approved by the Board in December 2011 (Exhibit 2-A). This current request funds installations at six additional schools, includes a five year contract for service from WeatherTRAK as well as installation and training costs.

MPUSD Energy Specialist, David Chandler, obtained a quote for thirteen sophisticated WeatherTRAK weather-based irrigation system controllers (Exhibit 2-B). The controllers will secured in a steel housing and receive real-time weather data through the WeatherTRAK satellite communication system. The controller utilizes this information to automatically schedule irrigation based on individual landscape needs and local weather conditions. The quote includes six years of service from the satellite communication system. These are the same controllers installed on five other MPUSD school sites in 2011. This installation will help MPUSD meet its water conservation goal by standardizing the irrigation systems across the school district with high tech irrigation controllers (Exhibit 2-C). By funding this proposal all of the Cal Am serviced sites will use ET irrigation technology and will have the tools to best manage water conservation. Use of the WeatherTRAK technology will result in accurate and exceptionally efficient irrigation water use.

Funding for school retrofits is fully reimbursable through the Conservation Budget approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2011. The Conservation Budget for School Retrofits provides funding to local educational facilities to upgrade high water use areas and water fixtures with new technology. This program is directed primarily toward schools that have limited budgets and that could not otherwise afford to upgrade toilets, urinals, food service facilities and landscaping devices to water-efficient levels. In exchange for funding school retrofits, MPUSD must agree that water savings from these retrofits will be added to community water savings and not available as a water credit.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Water Demand Committee support this request by recommending the Board approve the expenditures of up to $65,000 to pay for irrigation equipment (Exhibit 2-B).

EXHIBITS

2-A December 5, 2011, Staff Report

2-B Purchase Estimate

2-C MPUSD Proposal

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