TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Jeff Page, Utilities Manager
Sandy Nimat, Water Compliance Supervisor
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Pursuant to Water Code Section 10632.1 (No Budget Impact) (Public Works Director Lee).
RECEIVE AND FILE ASSESSMENT
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive and file the Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
The City’s water supply sources include local pumped groundwater from the West Coast Basin and imported water purchased from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which is provided by the West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD). The City also receives recycled water supplies from WBMWD.
The 2018 Water Conservation Legislation (Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668), Making Conservation a California Way of Life, established a new framework for urban water use efficiency and drought preparedness. As part of this framework, the California Water Code (CWC) now requires urban water suppliers to complete an Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment (Assessment) and submit an Annual Shortage Report to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) by July 1st of each year.
The Assessment is intended to evaluate the anticipated water supply and demand conditions, from July of the current year to June of the following year, assuming that the next year is a dry year. Its purpose is to determine whether the implementation of the City’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is warranted. The Annual Shortage Report, as outlined in CWC Section 10632.1, must be prepared in accordance with the procedures established in the City’s adopted WSCP. The City’s procedures for completing the Assessment and Water Shortage report are detailed in Chapter 8 of the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP).
Following two consecutive above-average water years, the State of California made adjustments to its drought response efforts. On September 4, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom formally ended the drought State of Emergency in 19 counties, including Los Angeles County, where hydrologic conditions have significantly improved. However, the State of Emergency remains in effect in 39 counties where drought-related challenges persist, particularly in regions dependent on groundwater resources and sensitive watershed areas.
Consistent with these changes, the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) has allowed the expiration of several emergency drought-related regulations. The emergency regulation prohibiting wasteful water uses, such as the irrigation of ornamental turf on commercial properties, expired on December 21, 2023. Additionally, the regulation restricting decorative grass watering within commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) landscapes expired on June 5, 2024.
Although these State-level mandates have been lifted, local jurisdictions retain the authority to implement and enforce more stringent conservation measures as deemed necessary. In alignment with this discretion, the City continues to encourage all residents and businesses to adopt voluntary conservation practices. These include, but are not limited to, turning off decorative fountains when not in use, suspending irrigation during and immediately following rainfall, using hoses equipped with automatic shutoff nozzles, and using brooms instead of water for cleaning paved surfaces.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has completed the City of Manhattan Beach’s Assessment for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in accordance with the WSCP and DWR guidelines, incorporating supply projections and unconstrained demand estimates from the City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. WBMWD has confirmed that it will have sufficient supplies to meet the City’s demands. The Assessment confirms that there is no anticipated water supply shortage for the upcoming dry season. If the next year (2026) is a dry year, the City may experience a minor water supply shortage that can be managed with its current voluntary conservation practices.
Given the absence of a projected shortage for the upcoming dry season, staff recommends that the City Council receive and file this Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment. In support of the State’s long-term water conservation objectives and in recognition of the potential for future regulatory changes, staff further recommends that the City continue operating under Stage 2 Water Shortage, as provided in its WSCP. Stage 2 calls for a 10-20% reduction in water use and reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to sustainable water management.
Staff will continue to monitor local and regional water conditions and will return to Council with recommendations should adjustments to water conservation measures and Water Shortage Level become necessary.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
No public outreach was conducted in preparation for recommending this approval.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the action is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Report