Meiners Oaks Water District. Drought Contingency Plan. Revision 2.0 Adopted by MOWD s Board of Directors. Final Draft. Amended June 21, 2016

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1 Revision 2.0 Adopted by MOWD s Board of Directors Final Draft Amended June 21, 2016 Prepared by MOWD Adopted on By Resolution No.

2 Meiners Oaks Water District Table of Contents Summary of the Plan 5 Summary of MOWD s Drought Plan 6 MOWD Drought Stages 8 Table 2 Drought Stage Restrictions 9 Summary of Casitas MWD s Water Conservation Plan 12 Future Changes to MOWD s 12 Proposed Rate Structure 13 Table 4 Proposed Rates Over Allocation Fee Table 5 15 Fines for improper use of water 16 Multiple homes on a single meter 17 What You Can Do 18 Possible Future Water Use Restrictions 18 Legality of Drought Incentive rates 19 Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs 21 Water Allocation adjustments 22 PART 2 23 Section I. Background Information 23 Introduction 23 2

3 About MOWD 23 Water Demand in MOWD 24 MOWD Wells 25 Upper Ventura River Groundwater Basin 25 Groundwater Pumping Rights 26 Supplemental Water from Lake Casitas 26 Supply versus Demand 28 Fire Flows 28 Conjunctive Use in Our Region 29 Limits and Costs of CMWD Water 30 Casitas MWD Surcharge 31 Part 2 32 Section II. MOWD s Water Conservation Plan 32 Range of Viewpoints 32 Summary of Prior Water-Use Restrictions 32 Board Workshop 33 Guiding principles 34 Additional discussion of Drought Stages 35 Education through Friendly Reminders 36 Irrigation Scheduling 37 Shutting Off Agriculture in an Emergency 38 Irrigating at Night 39 Replacement Storage Tank 40 Web Site 40 Billing Software 40 PART

4 Section III. MOWD s Rates 41 Minimum Indoor Residential Use 41 Rate Model 41 Effects on our Customers 42 Casitas Surcharge 42 Possible Effects on Average MOWD Water Bills as Lake Casitas Drains 42 Waiver Process 43 Questions or Comments Welcome 44 Glossary of acronyms Casitas MWD CMWD GPM MDD MOWD Casitas Municipal Water District Casitas Municipal Water District Gallons per minute Maximum Day Demand Meiners Oaks Water District 4

5 Meiners Oaks Water District Part 1 Summary of the Plan Introduction California is in the midst of the worst short-term drought in recorded history which has adversely affected Meiners Oaks Water District (MOWD). By fall of 2013, the pumping capacity of the District s wells had dropped so low that, for a time, MOWD had to purchase all of its water from Casitas Municipal Water District. Although heavy rains in late February and early March of 2014 improved groundwater levels for a while, the drought is not over. After four dry years, we could have difficulty meeting water demands during hot spells in the summer of 2016 when water use is at its highest, and our wells drop out of production again. The immediate water supply problem for MOWD was that, until July of 2014, MOWD had only a single 4-inch meter to Casitas MWD, limited to 1,000 gallons per minute. During hot summer days, MOWD s maximum day demand (MDD) can peak at over 1,200 gpm. (MDD is the maximum 24-hour water demand expressed as a constant flow over 24 hours.) Without a second connection to Casitas MWD, we may not be able to meet that peak demand, and our tank levels could drop to the point that we would no longer be able to supply adequate water for fighting fires within MOWDs boundaries. Fortunately, in July 2014, a second connection to Casitas MWD was installed and is now functional. This second connection has reduced the short-term danger of outages. Nevertheless, we must implement measures in preparation for a potentially worsening drought. A closely related problem is that MOWD uses chlorine (Only) for disinfecting its well water, while Casitas MWD uses chloramines (chlorine with a small amount of ammonia added). Blending those two types of disinfectants can create problems at low mixing rates. For that reason, we cannot run our wells when their flow is too low to mix properly with Casitas water. That is another reason we may need to stop using our wells in drought conditions. 5

6 The purpose of this is to outline the specific steps MOWD plans to take to bring its water demand into balance with its limited water supply. Though this plan is intended to respond to a short-term emergency, it will also guide future actions by the District in future droughts. However, it is not intended to restrain future actions by MOWD s board of directors in response to actual drought conditions as they may occur. Though we hope otherwise, it is possible that a future or ongoing drought could be worse than was foreseen during the preparation of this Plan. In January 2014, Governor Brown declared California to be in a drought emergency. His proclamation requested water agencies to update their drought contingency plans. This Plan satisfies that provision. In addition, on July 15, 2014, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted emergency regulations for statewide urban water conservation, by Resolution No The requirements of those regulations, as they pertain to MOWD, have been added to Revision 1.4 of this Drought Plan. This Plan is prepared in two parts: Part 1 summarizes the Plan and how it will affect our customers. All of our customers should become familiar with applicable portions of Part 1. Part 2 provides background information and explains what we have developed and why. This additional information is provided for those who want further information or who have questions about the Plan. MOWD is a not-for-profit public agency with an elected board of directors. We have no shareholders. Any money left over at the end of one year is used the following year to operate and maintain the District and deliver water to our customers. Summary of MOWD s Drought Plan The Plan consists of the following major measures to be undertaken by MOWD: 1) MOWD will adopt and enforce all appropriate, applicable water conservation measures and policies adopted by its wholesale supplier, Casitas MWD. MOWD will enact 5 stages of drought, consistent with stages that are adopted by Casitas. For each drought stage, our customers will be requested to reduce water usage by a given percentage. Water use must decrease as the level of Lake Casitas drops. 2) A public meeting focusing on the and tiered rates was held on June 3, The plan was also discussed with customers at several MOWD public board meetings. 6

7 3) The use of more costly water from Lake Casitas will continue to be paid by a Casitas surcharge (or Casitas pass-through ) to be added to our customers water bills. As the lake levels drop, the cost of Casitas water could increase dramatically. (Casitas is currently revising their allocations and resale rates for their 5 drought stages.) In a severe multi-year drought, that will provide additional incentive to reduce water use, minimize landscaping, and remove unproductive or decorative orchards. 4) Each customer will be given a monthly allocation based on a percentage of that customer s average demand from ) MOWD will implement a waiver process under which a customer may be granted an adjustment to his/her allocation amount, subject to approval by the Board. The waiver criteria that will be considered are described in Part 2. 6) Irrigation scheduling for our larger agricultural customers will be implemented during critical periods and hot spells. MOWD has a phone number ( ) with a recorded message to notify large customers when they can irrigate their parcels. We encourage residential customers with orchards and large landscapes to check the number before irrigating as well. 7) MOWD has installed a second, emergency backup connection to Casitas MWD to increase our peak supply capacity. 8) As MOWD workers observe instances when customers are not conserving water properly, they will leave friendly reminders of appropriate conservation measures that should be taken. A sample door hanger notice with a list of possible steps to take is provided on a following page. MOWD staff will keep a log of notices that are handed out. The list will run continually as long as the drought persists. 9) When MOWD is in Stages 2-5 of a drought, MOWD will impose fines for improper use of water, as directed by State regulations. Fines will range from $100 per violation to $550 per violation for repeat offenders. 10) MOWD has completed the design and construction of a new 750,000 gallon reservoir. 11) MOWD will put information concerning the drought and water conservation on its web site: 7

8 12) When and if water demand exceeds the available supply to the point that we no longer have sufficient fire storage, MOWD staff will have no choice but to shut off the supply to its agricultural customers until the peak demand event (hot spell or wildfire) subsides. We would place a written notice at a convenient location for each customer. notification will also be provided for those irrigators who give us their addresses in advance. With the second connection to Casitas MWD, this action is less likely. 13) Water use may be subject to further restrictions in more advanced stages of drought, depending on restrictions imposed by Casitas MWD. If, after receiving two notices of excessive water use, a customer continues to violate any water use restrictions then in effect, a flow restrictor may be placed on that customer s water meter for a limited period of time. Further information on these measures is provided in this Plan and on MOWD s website. MOWD s five drought stages are defined in Table 1 below: MOWD Drought Stages MOWD Drought Stage CMWD Drought Stage Requested Reduction in Water Use Stage 1 Stage 1 0% Stage 2 Stage 1 OR Stage 2 20% Stage 3 Stage 3 30% Stage 4 Stage 4 40% Stage 5 Stage 5 50% Triggering Conditions For MOWD Stages Lake Casitas over 50% of capacity. MOWD wells near full capacity. No projected water shortages. MOWD wells projected to be insufficient to meet full demands. OR Lake Casitas drops below 50% storage capacity and CMWD declares a Stage 2 condition. CMWD declares a Stage 3 condition. CMWD declares a Stage 4 condition. Lake Casitas approaching Minimum pool elevation. CMWD declares a Stage 5 condition. Lake Casitas Storage % (> 127,000 AF) 40 50% (100, ,000 AF) 30 40% (75, ,000 AF) 26 30% (65,000-75,000 AF) 0 26% (< 65,000 AF) 8

9 Table 2 Drought Stage Restrictions Drought Condition Stage 1 Lake Supply 100%-50% Acre Feet Available 254, ,000 Stage 2 Lake Supply 50%-40% Acre Feet Available 127, ,000 MOWD Actions Declare Stage 1 Keep conservation in the forefront Internet, bill stuffers, etc... Friendly Reminders Declare Stage 2 Increase public notification Continue friendly reminders Display District banners Water waste enforcement Promote agriculture evaluations from Casitas MWD Reduction Measures Voluntary reductions of 20% from all customer classes Positive shut-off nozzles are required at all times No rinsing of sidewalks or driveways, public roadways, parking lots or structures Continue Stage 1 conservation efforts Mandatory 20% reductions from all customer classes Restrict watering to (2) times per week Increase conservation measures Implement watering times - 6pm to 9am Only Moratorium on new services Reduce watering for large landscapes Drinking water only served upon request in restaurants Plumbing leaks to be fixed within 48 hours of discovery No watering prior to, during or 48 hours after measurable rainfall Washing streets, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, or buildings except for health and safety reasons is prohibited Penalties and Rates No allocations or penalties to be enforced Implement customer allocations Consider $1.00/unit drought surcharge Consider revenues Implement fines for improper use 9

10 Drought Condition MOWD Actions Reduction Measures Penalties and Rates Stage 3 Lake Supply 40%-30% Acre Feet Available 100,000 75,000 Stage 4 Lake Supply 30%-25% Acre Feet Available 75,000 65,000 Declare Stage 3 Continue increased public notification and education Update District banners Water waste enforcement Provide monthly letters to customers updating the drought (Bill Stuffer) Declare Stage 4 Intensify public awareness and education Continue drought updates through letters to the customers Change banners district wide Continue enforcing Stages 1 and 2 guidelines Restrict watering to (1) time per week Reduce water allocations Reduce watering for large landscapes 30% mandatory reduction for all customer classes Use of potable water for dust control and compaction is prohibited Plumbing leaks to be fixed within 36 hours Prohibit turf irrigation Continue Stages 1-3 conservation measures Decrease water allocations 40% mandatory reductions for urban and agriculture use Cease all outside watering Consider prohibiting water use for agriculture Prohibiting water to fill swimming pools and fountains Prohibit temporary meters Implement $1.00/unit drought surcharge Continue fines for improper water use Consider revenue (Possible rate change) Consider increasing $1.00/unit drought surcharge Continue fines for improper water use Service line restrictor plates for consumption misuse Change language in Friendly Reminders 10

11 Drought Condition MOWD Actions Reduction Measures Penalties and Rates Stage 5 Lake Supply 25%-0% Acre Feet Available 65,000 3,000 Declare Stage 5 Continue intensified public awareness and education Continue drought updates through letters to customers Change district banners Prohibit all nonessential uses Coordinate with State and Local agencies for enforcement options Join Casitas MWD to implement crisis communication plan Continue Stages 1-4 conservation measures Decrease water allocations 50% Mandatory reductions for urban use Cease all outside watering Prohibit water use for agriculture Prohibit water to fill swimming pools and fountains Consider increasing drought surcharge Continue fines for improper water use Consider rate adjustment Each time Casitas MWD declares a new stage of drought, MOWD s Board would, at its discretion, adopt by resolution a corresponding drought stage as described above. Similarly, when sufficient rainfall occurs, MOWD would reduce its drought stages by resolution as appropriate, in conjunction with CMWD. For planning purposes, it can be seen that, without rain and with a demand of 20,000 AF/Yr from Lake Casitas, Stages 2 and 3 would each last around one year. That allows some time for additional planning and drought response. But Stage 4 would only last around 6 months. 11

12 Stage 5 would be limited by the depth to minimum pool and the difficulty of draining the last water out of the lake due to potential limitations of the outlet works. It is important to recall that evaporation from Lake Casitas can be as much as 10,000 AF/Yr, about half of its safe yield of 20,000 AF/Yr. Once Lake Casitas is drained and MOWD s wells are dry, there is no water to deliver to our customers. Therefore, it is important to reduce water demand and conserve existing supplies before that happens. Summary of Casitas MWD s Water Conservation Plan Casitas MWD provides good information on water conservation on their website: which also provides links to relevant sites. Additional information on Casitas MWD and their drought planning is provided in their 2010 Urban Water Management Plan, also posted on their website. Casitas MWD s program includes the following elements relevant to customers of MOWD: 1) All residential customers within MOWD may receive a free water survey from Casitas MWD. 2) Casitas MWD provides rebates for high efficiency washing machines, high efficiency toilets, and other devices. 3) They provide agricultural evaluations for certain agricultural customers. 4) Their primary focus on reducing water demand during droughts is based on charging higher rates as the level of Lake Casitas drops (Section 15 of their 2009 Rates and Regulations, discussed in Part 2 of this Plan.) MOWD s customers may contact Casitas MWD to determine which of these programs may apply to them. Future Changes to MOWD s If the drought continues over the next year or more, we expect that Casitas MWD will adopt specific steps to implement water use restrictions such as limits on watering lawns, landscaping and farms. In response, MOWD will refine its own plan to incorporate specific steps consistent with Casitas MWD s actions. This is considered to be a living document, to be amended as necessary with Board approval. 12

13 In the meantime, we ask our customers to use good sense to implement well-known water conservation measures, such as those described on our Friendly Reminders. Proposed Rate Structure Many customers currently pay a fixed Meter Capacity Charge each month for water service, whether any water is taken or not. This charge depends on meter size, but not on the class of service (residential, commercial, and agricultural). The monthly meter capacity charges for are provided below: Table 3 Current Monthly Meter Capacity Charge by Meter Size (For Fiscal Year ) Monthly meter Meter size capacity charge 5/8 and 3/4 None 1 $ $ $ $ $ $1, These meter capacity charges will not change substantially as part of the new water rate structure. They may be adjusted each year as necessary to fund water service. In addition to the meter capacity charge, each customer pays a unit rate for the amount of water he/she uses each month. The current rate ( ) is $1.65 per unit of water delivered. One unit is 100 cubic feet, which is 748 gallons of water. A customer s water meter tells us how many units he/she uses each month. In our new rate structure, this cost per unit of water is referred to as the base rate. The District will adopt new rates and restrictions in (See figure table 3) of water use that depend on the amount of water used. 13

14 Table 4 Proposed Rates Proposed Water Rates 1) Monthly Water Availability Charge (MWAC) Current Proposed Meter size All $25.34 $32.88 $34.20 $ ) Meter Capacity Charge (MCC) Meter size /8"&3/4" $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 1" $16.00 $16.00 $16.00 $ " $36.00 $36.00 $36.00 $ " $ $ $ $ " $ $ $ $ " $ $ $ $ " $1, $1, $1, $1, ) Variable Rate per Unit Meter size All $1.65 $2.14 $2.24 $2.34 4) Casitas Surcharge Meter size All 5) Temporary Drought Surcharge Meter size All The cost of purchasing water from Casitas MWD is collected as a "Casitas Surcharge" added to a customer's bill in proportion to the amount of water used that month. NO CHANGE. None 6) Other Fees and Charges A $1.00/Unit drought surcharge will be added to any water use exceeding each customer's allocation levels based on that customer's historical usage, using the procedure defined in MOWD's Drought Contingency Plan. Customers in pressure zones are to pay pass-through costs for electrical usage that benefits their zone only. Casitas MWD Stand-By Charges will be passed through at Casitas' rate. All additional dwellings will be charged the MWAC. Note 1: These rates apply to residential, commercial and agricultural customers. 14

15 Over Allocation Fee Table 5 Lake Casitas Demand Reductions and Drought Surcharge Stage of Drought Reduction in Use/Consumption Allocation Reduction from Casitas MWD per MOU Drought Surcharge Lake Supply Percent/ Volume/AF Stage 1 20% Voluntary 20% $ %-50% 254,000 to 127,000 Stage 2 20% Mandatory 20% $ %-40% 127,000 to 100,000 Stage 3 30% Mandatory 30% $ 1.00/Unit 40%-30% 100,000 to 75,000 Stage 4 40% Mandatory 40% $ 1.00/Unit 30%-25% 75,000 to 65,000 Stage 5 50% Mandatory 50% $ 1.00/Unit 25%-0% 65,000 to 3,000 15

16 In addition to the voluntary and mandatory reductions in consumption, CMWD will impose $1.00/Unit drought surcharge for any water delivered to their resale agencies above the base allocation. To further promote conservation, MOWD has established a single allocation based on your consumption history. This base allocation will decrease as Lake Casitas storage decreases in volume. A customer s average demand is his/her average monthly demand for the three-year period from 2010 through The allotment of water provided to you is based on the mandatory reduction requirement implemented by Casitas MWD as they move through the different stages of drought. Fines for improper use of water In Stages 1-5 MOWD will impose fines for water uses that are prohibited by State regulations. In particular, the following activities are specifically prohibited by State regulations, and/or by this Drought Plan: 1) The application of potable water to outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures. 2) The use of a hose that dispenses potable water to wash a motor vehicle, except where the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use. 3) The application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks. 4) The use of potable water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a circulating system. 5) Outdoor irrigation of ornamental landscapes with potable water more than one time per week for no more than 5 minutes per station. 6) Yards with micro sprinklers or drip irrigation are allowed once per week not to exceed 15 minutes per station 7) No large-scale spray or oscillating irrigation during the heat of the day. 8) Large-scale irrigation that results in water flowing into ditches or channels, water ponding, or excessive runoff. 16

17 9) Use of potable water for dust control. MOWD will issue fines for serial violations of these regulations as follows in table 6: Stage 1 Stages 2 and 3 Stages 4 and 5 First violation No fine Warning Warning Second violation No fine $100 $150 Third violation No fine $100 $250 Fourth violation No fine $200 $350 Fifth violation No fine $300 $450 > 5 violations No fine $500 $550 MOWD staff will document all violations in the following manner: 1) Field staff will give a verbal warning 2) Field staff will give a Friendly Reminder to the customer or place it in a convenient location. 3) Field staff will then submit a copy of the Friendly Reminder and a photograph depicting the misuse of water to office staff. 4) Office staff will then forward this information back to the customer accompanied with a letter of explanation. 5) Further notices will be accompanied with a fine. 6) The list will run continually as long as the drought persists. Stages 1-5 will be as declared by MOWD and CMWD. 7) Fines will be attached to a customer s water bill. These regulations will be enforced in a reasonable and balanced way. For example, otherwise prohibited water uses may be allowed if required to protect public health and safety. Multiple homes on a single meter Some customers supply several homes through a single meter. However, one of the best management practices for water conservation is to meter individual water use. This means that every ancillary dwelling connected to the water system should be metered either by the District or the individual homeowner. Exceptions to this policy may be granted for good reason under our waiver process, as described in Part 2 of this Plan. 17

18 What You Can Do All of our customers are requested to take steps in response to the drought. Here are some specific steps you can take: 1) Please postpone any new landscape plantings until the drought is over. 2) Please consider not having a vegetable garden this year. 3) Please upgrade your irrigation system, or make adjustments where necessary to make it more efficient. 4) Please consider water efficient appliances. (Rebates are available through Casitas MWD.) 5) Abandon your lawn until the drought is over. 6) Overgrown trees and shrubs should be pruned or stumped to reduce their water needs. 7) Please irrigate at night or in the evening when possible. Agricultural customers should consider the following steps: 1) Please stop irrigating any unproductive or marginal trees in your orchard. 2) If your trees need pruning, this would be a good time; pruned or stumped trees generally need less water. 3) Please focus your irrigation at night, and no more than one time per week. Possible Future Water Use Restrictions During a worsening or future drought (Stages 3, 4 and 5), specific water use restrictions would be adopted by the MOWD. It is not within the scope of this Plan to define all of the potential water use restrictions that could be adopted under a worsening drought. Such restrictions could be adopted by the MOWD Board in response to reduced water supply, in coordination with Casitas MWD and in conformance with the laws of the State of California. Such water use restrictions would include, but are not limited to, the following: 1) A prohibition on watering lawns. 2) A ban on washing vehicles. 3) A halt to supplying water to agriculture. 4) A prohibition on irrigating outside landscaping. 5) A prohibition on filling pools and fountains It is hoped that these measures will not be required. In a worst case scenario 3 or more years of continuing drought culminating in Stages 4 and 5 they might become necessary. These measures would only be adopted in a dire water shortage emergency after extensive customer outreach and public meetings. 18

19 Legality of Drought Incentive rates California law does not allow public agencies to collect more revenue than necessary to provide services, and the rates charged for those services must reflect the cost of providing them. (Proposition 218) Emergency regulations adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board in July 2014 encourage incentives to reduce demand, such as drought rate structures. (Water Code Sections , , ) When preparing MOWD s annual budget, it is intended that the proposed rates will be revenue neutral, that is, we will not in the aggregate collect more revenue than required to deliver water to our customers and satisfy our regulatory obligations. Additional information Additional information on water conservation can be found at Additional information on drought water rates can be found at 19

20 Friendly reminder From your water district Meiners Oaks and the Ojai Valley are in a drought, and we must all conserve water as best we can: Current Drought Stage Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 5 Stage 3 Stage 4 Please do not overwater your lawn and landscaping. Stage 1-3 Please adjust your sprinklers so they don t spray on or run off onto asphalt or concrete. All Stages Please set your sprinkler timers to run between 6pm to 9 am. Stages 1-3 Please limit washing your car, and use a shut-off nozzle on the hose, only for quick rinses. All Stages All outside irrigation is prohibited Stages 4-5 Please check your irrigation and plumbing system for leaks and make necessary repairs. All Stages Please don t wash sidewalks, driveways or patios. All stages unless for health and sanitary reasons i.e... (Restaurant s) Please do not refill yo u r d eco rative fountain. Stages 2-5 Restaurants should provide glasses of water to customers only upon request. Stages 2-5 Other Date Customer/Address Feel free to call us at if you have any questions or comments. Meiners Oaks Water District 20

21 Meiners Oaks Water District s Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs 1. If I go over my allocation limit, do I pay a higher rate for all the water I use or only for the amount I go over? The over-allocation fee applies only for the amount you use over your allocation limit. 2. I m on a fixed income and can t afford higher water rates. How is that fair? If you are a retiree on a fixed income, you may plant drought tolerant landscaping or forgo a lawn to avoid paying higher rates. Under our new rates, those who conserve water shouldn t pay more than they already do under our existing rates. 3. I have specialized water needs that the proposed rates do not consider. Can I obtain any additional amounts for use within my allocation? Our intent is to implement fair water rates, but we acknowledge that we cannot know everything about our customers uses. Therefore, we have created a waiver system as described in the plan; the district will provide specific criteria that will be considered when granting waivers. If you think you might qualify for a waiver, consult the plan and send us a letter describing your water use and why you think you qualify for additional water. However, be aware that we are a non-profit agency and any reduction in rates to one customer must be offset by an increase in rates to others. 4. Can I receive an increase of water allocation at the proposed rate if my residential meter supplies several houses or a granny flat? One of the best management practices for water conservation is to measure water use. Therefore, a customer with several houses or a granny flat on a single meter may fund the installation of separate water meters, and receive an allocation of water for each meter. (See resolution for water connection rules and regulations) To encourage conservation, those meters should remain in use after the drought is ended. 21

22 5. How much would it cost me to install a new ¾ residential meter? The cost of installing a new meter depends on the size of meter and service requested. The customer is responsible for purchasing and installing the meter with an approved design and location in the public right-of-way, after payment of the meter connection charges as described in MOWD s Schedule of Fees and Rates. Any applicable connection fees to Casitas MWD must also be paid. Call the District for more information. 6. What if my granny flat is not occupied? Then there would be no water use there and a customer s water bills would not be substantially increased by owning a granny flat. MOWD cannot control or monitor who lives where. However, once a separate meter is installed on a granny flat, service there may be disconnected at the customer s request and no more monthly bills would be received for that meter until service is restored. 7. If I reduce my water use now, how do I know that I won t be cut back in the future to some percentage of my lower water use? Isn t it better for me to use more water now so I can have a higher allocation in the future? Our intent for the duration of this drought is to base historical water use on the periods, using more water now will not increase your historical allocation. Water Allocation adjustments Water allocations will not be adjusted for the following reasons; Pools, Ponds, spas, or hot tubs; In-home businesses or hobbies that use an increased amount water; Gardens and orchards; HOA s requirements for turf areas in excess of that water allocation specified by MOWD for residential; Where an allocation has been assigned through a recorded agreement. 22

23 Part 2 Section I. Background Information Introduction Part 2 of this provides supplemental information and analysis to support the implementation of MOWD s drought measures, as summarized in Part 1. About MOWD Meiners Oaks Water District (MOWD) is a special district, which is a public agency formed under the laws of California. MOWD is a government entity, and is not operated for profit. There are no shareholders or dividends. The District is overseen by a board of directors consisting of five residents living in Meiners Oaks and within the boundaries of MOWD. In principle, directors are elected by registered voters during the federal/state/ local elections that are normally held every two years. Each elected director serves a two-year or a four year term; the directors terms are staggered so that no more than 3 are up for election or re-election at a single time. In practice, when vacancies occur on the Board, public notice is made and the remaining directors appoint a local resident who has offered to serve on the Board until the next election for that director. MOWD s board of directors meets the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM at the District s office at 202 W. El Roblar Drive in Meiners Oaks. The meetings are open to the public and comments from the public are welcome. Written comments are also accepted. Financially, the entire District is operated as a single enterprise fund, with all costs attributed to a general fund. MOWD operates with a reserve fund that is invested in safe, financially-secure deposits. The District recently has held over a million dollars in reserves, accumulated largely to finance future water facilities construction, including a replacement water tank. The District s reserves also enable it to withstand unexpected circumstances and emergencies. MOWD s highest priority is to provide water for residential and commercial use. Residential use is for the people who live in the District, and commercial use is for the businesses that are important for the local economy. 23

24 Although agriculture is important for the ambiance of Meiners Oaks, most local farms are not primary commercial operations and are less essential for the economic wellbeing of the residents of Meiners Oaks. Many local orchards, Valencia oranges in particular, are only marginally profitable. In a severe drought, State law places a higher priority on water for public health and safety. For that reason, agriculture is of secondary importance within MOWD. In contrast, water for fire flows, and for health and safety, is a very high priority. Water Demand in MOWD MOWD sells about 1,100 acre-feet of water per year to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers, as summarized approximately below in table 7: Categories of Water Use in MOWD Annual Usage in Customer Category Acre-Feet Residential 870 AF Commercial 70 AF Agriculture 160 AF TOTAL 1,100 AF Source: Derived from MOWD spreadsheet Water demand in MOWD is seasonal, with the greatest demand in the hot summer months. MOWD s water system was designed to supply the Maximum Day Demand (MDD) of its customers. The MDD, expressed as a uniform flow in gallons per minute (GPM) over a 24-hour period, is the highest single daily water demand expected during a year. The MDD is usually associated with hot spells, when many customers irrigate their landscaping and farms. In a small water district like MOWD, some statistical variation is inherent in the MDD, representing the chance that many customers will randomly choose to irrigate on the same day. Based on prior analysis, the current pre-drought MDD in MOWD is projected to be 1,200 GPM. That amount represents a level of water conservation consistent with normal water availability, in the absence of drought. The MDD would be reduced to some lower level if our customers reduce their water usage when requested during a drought. 24

25 MOWD Wells MOWD owns and operates 5 wells located near the Ventura River. Under normal groundwater conditions, the wells have capacities shown in the following table 8: MOWD Well Capacities Well No. Capacity (GPM) Well Depth (Feet) Year drilled Total 2,083 As in most of Ventura County, the groundwater is high in minerals that affect its taste. However, the water meets all primary drinking water standards and is safe to drink. We are fortunate that most of our water originates from rain in the Los Padres National Forest, a fairly pristine area. However, Well No. 8 suffers from high nitrate levels caused by human impacts. As a result, nitrate levels are too high to serve to our customers. Upper Ventura River Groundwater Basin MOWD s wells draw from the Upper Ventura River groundwater basin, which is an alluvial basin along the Ventura River. It is separated from the Lower Ventura River groundwater basin at Foster Park. The basin is recharged by the Ventura River. The river, in turn, is augmented by rainfall within the upstream watershed and by groundwater that drains from the nearby mountain ranges. Fortunately, the local watershed includes some of the historically wettest parts of Southern California. The groundwater basin recharges fairly quickly after a series of winter storms. Unfortunately, the basin is unconfined, and drains to the south even without pumping. The Upper Ventura River groundwater basin has been described as a big water slide. Water flows downstream underground towards the ocean on a continual basis. As long as there is some surface water in the Ventura River, the basin is being recharged. 25

26 Once the river dries up, the basin levels can drop significantly after only 2 or 3 years, as was seen in Another disadvantage to the Upper Ventura River groundwater basin is that it is partially recharged by the surrounding mountains. Once those mountains are drained after an extended drought, it will take a longer time for them to be fully recharged by future rainfall. Groundwater Pumping Rights State law treats groundwater pumping differently than diversions of surface water. MOWD has an inherent appropriative right to pump groundwater from its wells. That means that the groundwater is used on properties that are separate from the properties on which the wells are located. There is presently no legal restriction on the pumping of water by MOWD. As long as the water is there, MOWD can pump it. In the event that the groundwater basin was considered to be in a critical state of overdraft, someone could sue to adjudicate the basin. If that were to happen, a California court would appoint a water master who would decide how much each pumper could pump each year. Such adjudications are commonly based on historical water pumping by each pumper. Typically a 5-year average is used to determine future pumping allocations. MOWD has a good record of pumping and would likely be able to withstand adjudication. However, such adjudications are expensive and take many years to finalize. The outcomes of adjudications are unpredictable. Fortunately for the pumpers in the Upper Ventura River groundwater basin, there is no seawater intrusion or land subsidence that would aggravate over pumping during a drought. The wells simply go dry. Supplemental Water from Lake Casitas MOWD receives supplemental water from Lake Casitas, operated by Casitas Municipal Water District (CMWD). CMWD is the wholesale water district for nine resale agencies in the Ojai Valley to the coast, including MOWD, Ventura River Water District and Golden State Water. The largest resale customer of CMWD is the City of Ventura. The main water supply for CMWD is Lake Casitas. The lake holds a maximum of 254,000 acre-feet. That is a large reservoir for the number of people it serves. It is one of the few reservoirs in California operated on a safe-yield basis. Safe yield is that amount of water that can be taken out of the lake each year without the lake going dry in the worst historical drought. Because of its size, the lake is able to withstand a 22 year drought at safe yield. The original safe yield for the Casitas system was 21,920 AF/Year. Due to the new requirement to release additional water for fish, and due to the downsizing and siltation of Matilija Reservoir, the safe yield is now thought to be around 20,000 AF/Yr. 26

27 It is important to note that even during a 22-year drought, some wet years will occur. It is simply that during such a dry period, more dry years than wet years are expected and the lake will slowly drain over its 22 year cycle. It is also important to note that the safe yield of Lake Casitas was designed for the dry period. There are only about 150 years of written record of rainfall in Southern California. There is no guarantee that the last 150 years of weather patterns will extend into the future. Some climatologists believe that the past 100 years have been wetter than normal in California. If that is true, then a return to normal weather patterns could produce worse-than-expected droughts. For this reason, it is better to err on the side of conserving water for future use. Any single dry year could be the start of a very long drought. There is no way of knowing the outcome until it is over. Lake Casitas was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It was funded largely by property tax revenue from landowners within the CMWD service area, including Meiners Oaks. Therefore, in a sense, MOWD customers helped pay for the construction of Lake Casitas. MOWD has two 4-inch turnouts to CMWD, capable of receiving up to 1,000 GPM each. More than 1,000 GPM (up to 1,500 GPM) can be pushed through each meter, but CMWD limits the flow to remain within the nominal capacity of the meter. Higher-than- nominal flows can erode and damage the equipment. One of the 4-inch meters to CMWD was originally installed as a 6-inch meter, which would be more adequate to meet our customers current demands. Unfortunately, in the 1970s, a decision was made by MOWD s staff and Board to reduce the size of the meter to reduce annual standby metering fees. In the meantime, other customers within CMWD have taken over the supply capacity surrendered by MOWD, and CMWD is no longer able to meet the nominal demand for a 6-inch meter in that area. Thus, our peak supply from CMWD is now limited by the nominal flow through our meter and by the available capacity of CMWD s water system. Besides the contribution of our customers to the cost of constructing Lake Casitas, there is another reason that CMWD may be under some obligation to supply backup water to MOWD and other resale agencies. Some of the water diverted by CMWD into Lake Casitas is water that would have flowed downstream and recharged the aquifer supplying MOWD s wells. In essence, a small part of the yield of Lake Casitas is obtained from the reduction of MOWD s pumping capacity. Nevertheless, MOWD benefits greatly from the Casitas project and from being part of a regional water supply infrastructure. During a water shortage emergency (for emergencies other than droughts), Casitas MWD s 2010 Urban Water Management Plan prioritizes water use, from highest to lowest priority, as follows: 27

28 Residential use by those with no other supplies. Irrigation use by those with no other supplies. Residential resale to agencies with other water supplies. Irrigation resale to those with other supplies. Industrial uses and industrial resale. Oil recovery programs. Other. Supply versus Demand When our four wells are at full capacity, they are easily able to meet our Maximum Day Demand. With the largest of our four wells out of service, and the remaining wells at capacity, we are able to meet our Maximum Day Demand. With our two largest wells out of service, we must receive some water from Casitas MWD to meet our Maximum Day Demand. With all of our wells out of service, we must take all of our supply from Casitas MWD. The 2,000 GPM we receive from them is insufficient to meet our Maximum Day Demand of 1,200 GPM with only one connection to CMWD. With all of our wells out of service and with the second connection to Casitas MWD, we should be able to meet our Maximum Day Demand, although at a higher cost due to the purchase of Lake Casitas water. Fire Flows Our nominal fire flow requirement is 1,500 GPM for two hours. That criteria is established by the Ventura County Fire Protection District for the largest commercial buildings in our service area. Residences require less flow for fighting fires between 500 and 1,000 GPM. Our existing and future tanks are able to provide enough water to meet those requirements when our tanks are over half-full. When our tank levels are low we may not have enough pressure to provide the required fire flows of 1,500 GPM for two hours. 28

29 In general, water systems with tanks are usually designed to be able to meet fire flows directly from the tank, without supplemental water from pumps or wells. That provides the greatest security during power outages or mechanical failures. MOWD has 12-inch and 18-inch mainlines that can adequately carry the maximum fire flows; however, smaller mains in many areas would reduce that capacity in localized areas. A June 6, 2012 report by WREA found that MOWD can meet the 500-1,500 GPM zone specific fire flows while maintaining a 20 psi pressure in the distribution system. Conjunctive Use in Our Region In good water management, conjunctive use is the balanced use of surface and groundwater supplies. In most parts of California, the surface water supply is highly variable, and agencies fall back on pumping groundwater when surface water is scarce. With that approach, water is left in the ground for future use when necessary. For the case of MOWD, the opposite applies. Because of the large size of Lake Casitas and its operation within safe-yield, surface water is more reliable over the long-term. In addition, water left in the ground in the Upper Ventura River Basin will migrate downstream and may not be available for future use by MOWD. To apply conjunctive use to our watershed, MOWD pumps groundwater when it is available, which is most of the time, and falls back on Casitas water in times of scarcity. CMWD staff has acknowledged that practice as an optimal use of local water supplies. (It is also less costly for our customers.) Nevertheless, MOWD must consider that it is part of a regional water supply system. Any water that MOWD does not pump will migrate downstream to other pumpers who also fall back on CMWD in times of scarcity. Downstream pumpers include the City of Ventura, which is CMWD s largest customer. Therefore, as Lake Casitas is drained, MOWD must implement the same water use restrictions as imposed in the rest of the CMWD service area to ensure that lake water lasts as long as possible for everyone. That applies even when our wells operate at full capacity for a year or two within an extended drought. The drought is not officially over until Lake Casitas refills substantially. 29

30 Limits and Costs of CMWD Water On December 16, 2009, CMWD adopted Rates and Regulations for Water Service that determine how much MOWD would pay for water in various drought stages, based on allocations for water. Those regulations are presently being updated by Casitas MWD and the new version will not be available for review until the summer of However, the prior regulations illustrate how a future allocation program might work. In principle, the cost of water from CMWD will go up as the water level in Lake Casitas drops. That is intended to encourage water conservation as the available supply diminishes. The cost of water from Lake Casitas increases as the drought worsens, as shown in the following table: Casitas MWD Rate Factors by Drought Stage For Resale Agencies (From Casitas MWD s 2009 regulations) Table 9 Drought Stage Rate Factor At Current Resale Rate Cost/AF 1 1 $1.45 $ $2.90 $1, $5.80 $2, $14.50 $6, $14.50 $6,316 Note 1: Based on the unit cost of MOWD taking more than 30 AF (acre-feet) in a year. Note 2: Casitas staff are revising this information, and expect to adopt new regulations in the summer of Note 3: The above table is based on our interpretation of CMWD s 2009 regulations. As the lake level drops, the cost of Casitas water rises dramatically, providing a strong incentive to reduce water use. For comparison, the cost per acre-foot (AF) of water is provided in the right column of the table. In Stages 3-5, the cost of lake water exceeds the $2,000/AF cost of desalinated seawater. However, as previously mentioned, Casitas MWD is revising their current allocation and rates in preparation for a possibly worsening drought, and the above costs could change substantially. Nevertheless, it is likely that the basic concept will remain in place: the cost of water will likely go up as the lake is drained. Under the 2009 rate schedule, each resale agency, including MOWD, was assigned an annual allocation based on its usage of lake water in Unfortunately for obtaining a better allocation, MOWD s wells had an adequate groundwater supply in 1989 and the District took no water from CMWD that year. A small number of new water service connections within MOWD that paid for Casitas MWD connection fees were provided with additional allocation assigned to MOWD. 30

31 As a result, MOWD s official annual allocation is only 17 AF, a fraction of our annual demand. Under the current regulations, the cost goes up by a factor of 2 for water taken in excess of our allocation, as already incorporated in the above table. About 44% of the safe yield of Lake Casitas is allocated to agriculture (2010 UWMP). In the event of an extended drought, which could bring the lake to Stage 5, CMWD may consider reduced deliveries to agriculture and other customers. As a resale agency of CMWD, MOWD would likely adopt those same restrictions, regardless of the available supply from MOWD s wells. If Casitas were to cut off the supply of water to agriculture in a drought emergency, MOWD would likely be compelled to do the same. Again, MOWD depends on the regional water supply system. Casitas MWD Surcharge At present, the cost of purchasing supplemental water from CMWD is distributed among all customers in proportion to the amount of water they use during the month. That shows up as a CMWD Pass-through charge on your monthly water bill. There is somewhat of a delay as the Casitas invoice amount is charged to customers after the month the water is received. MOWD does not currently add any administrative or other charges to the pass-through charges. Those additional costs are built into the MOWD water rate. Starting in Stage 3, CMWD will implement a drought surcharge of $1.00/unit over our current base allocation Prop 218 Compliance California Proposition 218, under the provisions of Article 13D, Section 6 of the California Constitution, adopted by California voters and subsequent case law (Bighorn-Desert Water Agency v. Verjil,) have established steps that water Districts must take in order to increase water rates. Those steps include sending out public information to customers, allowing them to mail back protests, and holding at least one public meeting. In 2013, MOWD went through a Prop 218 process to implement a 4% rate increase in 2013, 2014 and About 7% of our customers protested our proposed rate increase of up to 4% per year over the following three years. 31