TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Joe DeFrancesco, Interim Public Works Director
Jeff Page, Utilities Manager
Sandy Nimat, Environmental Compliance Supervisor
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Pursuant to Water Code Section 10632.1 (No Budget Impact) (Interim Public Works Director DeFrancesco).
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 of Manhattan Beach’s water supply portfolio consists of local groundwater pumped from the West Coast Basin, imported water supplies purchased from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) through the West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD), and recycled water supplied by WBMWD.
The 2018 Water Conservation Legislation, Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668, established a long-term framework for urban water use efficiency and drought resilience commonly referred to as “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life.” As part of this framework, California Water Code (CWC) Section 10632.1 requires urban water suppliers to annually prepare an Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment (AWSDA) and submit an Annual Water Shortage Report to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) by July 1 of each year.
The AWSDA evaluates anticipated water supply and demand conditions for the upcoming fiscal year, assuming the following year will be dry. The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether implementation of the City’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) may be necessary. The City’s AWSDA procedures are included in Chapter 8 of the City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP).
Although statewide drought emergency conditions have eased in recent years following improved hydrologic conditions, California continues to emphasize long-term water use efficiency and drought preparedness through ongoing implementation of Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668. Several emergency drought regulations previously adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), including restrictions on certain non-functional turf irrigation and other wasteful water uses, have since expired.
Despite the expiration of these emergency regulations, local water suppliers retain the authority to implement water conservation measures as necessary to address local supply conditions and support long-term sustainability goals. The City continues to encourage residents and businesses to practice voluntary water conservation measures, including limiting irrigation during and after rainfall events, using hoses equipped with automatic shutoff nozzles, turning off decorative fountains when not in use, and using brooms rather than water to clean paved surfaces.
DISCUSSION:
The 2026 AWSDA evaluated projected water demands and available water supplies for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Demand projections were developed using water demand forecasts included in the City’s administrative draft 2025 UWMP and actual 2024 and 2025 monthly potable and non-potable water use data. In accordance with California Water Code requirements, projected demands were assumed to be unconstrained and therefore do not include reductions associated with water conservation measures.
Projected water supplies were based on normal year conditions for Calendar Year 2026 and single-dry year conditions for Calendar Year 2027, consistent with DWR guidance for annual shortage assessments. The assessment assumes the City will continue supplementing imported water supplies with groundwater production up to the City’s annual groundwater pumping allocation from the West Coast Subbasin.
WBMWD has indicated that adequate imported water supplies and stored supplies are available to meet anticipated demands for the upcoming year. In addition, the City’s water service reliability and drought risk assessment analyses completed as part of the administrative draft 2025 UWMP indicate that the City is not expected to experience water supply shortages under normal, single-dry year, or multiple-dry year conditions within the planning horizon.
The AWSDA projects a total potable water demand of approximately 4,560.86 acre-feet and a non-potable demand of approximately 261.74 acre-feet for the reporting period. Available water supplies are projected to fully meet anticipated demands, resulting in no projected water shortage.
Based on the findings of the assessment, no water shortage event is anticipated for the upcoming dry season, and no additional water shortage response actions are required at this time. Staff will continue monitoring regional water supply conditions and maintain coordination with WBMWD and MWD regarding future drought conditions and water supply reliability.
Given the absence of a projected shortage, staff recommends that the City Council receive and file the 2026 Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
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
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment Report