VENTURA RIVER WATER DISTRICT (VRWD) Drought Update and Water Rate Changes July 20, 2016 7:00 P.M. Oak View Community Center The District Must Be Revenue Neutral
Background Drought Future Conservation Efforts Cost of Service Water Rates Water Conservation Education TONIGHT'S AGENDA Groundwater Sustainability Plan & Ventura River Flow Study
Ventura River Water District Population served: 5,700 Formed in 1956 from 6 small mutual water companies and water districts We are a County Water District that is revenue neutral Customers are Residential and Commercial Four water wells in the Upper Ventura River Basin Casitas water is backup, no outside water source Casitas Springs and Monte Via/Rio Via in Oak View receive Casitas Water at all times Casitas providing 30% to 50% of our water
Pressure Zone 1 Pressure Zone 2
Casitas Springs Service Area
Status of the drought
Casitas Drought Stages Stage 1 Normal Stage 4 Reduction: 40% 100% to 50% Conservation 30% to 25% Stage 2 Reduction: 20% Stage 5 Reduction: 50% Irrigate 2 days/week No Lawn Irrigation 50% to 40% 25% to 0 Stage 3 Reduction: 30% Irrigate 1 day/week 40% to 30% July 2016
By Summer of 2018 we may equal late 1940 s drought.
Conservation to Date
MANDATORY WATER PROHIBITIONS Allowing irrigation water to run off a property; Washing a vehicle without using an automatically shutting nozzle; The application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks; Irrigating ornamental landscaping more than one day per week; Using potable water in a decorative water feature without a recirculating system; Irrigating outside between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
What if Casitas goes dry? We will have some well water Working on connection to the regional water supply system Considering Seawater Desalinization
Drought Measures: Enough water should be available for health and safety purposes from groundwater and a connection to the regional piping system. 1. Regional water supply system: The District is actively working with other agencies to tie in, achievable within two to three years. 2. Sea Water Desalinization: The District is also considering this option which can take 7 to 10 years to bring on line and would be very expensive.
Future Conservation Activities Texting water meters, notify you once a day if you have a suspected leak and post your daily water usage Water Conservation Education with the Ojai Valley Green Coalition Individualized Water Budget Rates # of persons size of the lot Type of landscaping Monthly evapotranspiration rates You will be able to see how you are doing
Budget Water Bill Examples Efficient User Wasteful User
Questions?
Cost of Service Rates Caused by San Juan Capistrano Tiered Rate Case Tiers are replaced by Cost Classes based on the cost to provide the water Rates revised to reflect cost of service Some customers bills will increase some will decrease
COST OF SERVICE RATES (Cont.) Base Rate Down: $14.70 to $10.00 Additional Dwelling Unit Up: $2.81 to $5.00 Tiers are now called Cost Classes Quantity of Water in Cost Classes:
Assigned Costs Peaking costs for pumping large amounts of water: Larger booster pumps Larger wells Larger water tanks Small Users <12 units/month = 126 Gal/Minute Large Users >12 units/month = 917 Gal/Minute Water Use Fluctuation: Save money for a rainy day (Oops: Dry Day ) Prevent postponement of critical maintenance work Savings Target $870,000, Collect: $290,000 (3 Years Purchased Water Surcharge Only to Well Areas
Cost Assignment Changes Commercial and Multifamily put on fixed rate for water used. Purchased Water Surcharge: Apply to customers served well water (i.e. Casitas Springs and Monte & Rio Via neighborhoods are excluded, they receive 100% Casitas water) Charged to the large water users starting with Cost Class 4 and progressing to lower Cost Classes
Assigning Costs to the Largest Fluctuations
Multi Family & Commercial Do Not Fluctuate Significantly
Purchased Water Surcharge Application Example Quantity of Water Purchased: 10,000 Units Cost Class Casitas Cost Per Unit: $1.49 Credit: Electricity & Disinfection: $0.13 Cost per unit: $1.36 Total Cost: $13,600 Usage Purchased Water Surcharge Allocation Cost Allocation per unit Total PWS Charge Cost Class 1 5,000 Units 0 Units $0 $0 Cost Class 2 8,000 Units 0 Units $0 $0 Cost Class 3 8,000 Units 2,000 Units $0.34 $2,720 Cost Class 4 8,000 Units 8,000 Units $1.36 $10,880 29,000 Units 10,000 Units $13,600
Water Sales Fluctuation The Goal: have a strong economic tie to the use of water The Problem: This causes revenue fluctuations
Projects Delayed by Usage Reductions Well Drilling Hydrant Maintenance (Hydrant Maintenance delayed two years)
Water Sales Fluctuation Two Solutions: 1. Water Sales Fluctuation Reserves 2. Ability to adjust rates when usage drops
Water Usage Cost Allocations to Single Family Cost Classes Cost Class 1 Cost Class 2 Cost Class 3 Cost Class 4 Totals Water Usage Fluctuation Rate: 2.2% 15.6% 37.5% 44.7% 100% Water Usage Fluctuation Allocation: $6,468 $45,211 $108,790 $129,531 $290,000 Property Tax Revenue 1 -$27,000 -$27,000 Water Usage: CIP & Operating Costs to Cost Classes 3 & 4 distributed on a per unit basis: Operations & CIP Allocation to Single Family Cost Classes, Proportioned by usage: Total Cost Assigned to each Single Family Residential Cost Class: Single Family Cost Class Allocations 633,561 448,778 112,190 94,645 1,289,175 $154,045 $129,955 $284,000 $946,811 $670,665 $167,660 $141,441 $1,926,577 $1,559,840 $1,164,654 $542,686 $495,572 $3,762,752
2016 Cost of Service Rates Single Family Residential Cost Class 1 Cost Class 2 Cost Class 3 Cost Class 4 5 Units 7 Units 18 Units > 30 Units Zone 1 $3.94 $4.34 $7.10 $8.26 Zone 2 $4.33 $4.77 $7.81 $9.09 Multi Family Residential & Commercial Cost Class 1 Cost Class 2 Cost Class 3 Cost Class 4 Zone 1 $5.35 $5.35 $5.35 $5.35 Zone 2 $5.89 $5.89 $5.89 $5.89 Additional Dwelling Charge $5.00 3/4" & 1" Meter 1 1/2" Meter 2" Meter 4" Meter Base Rate: $10.00 $33.30 $53.30 $210.00
Cost of Service Rates Adoption Schedule Protest Hearing and Sept. 14, 2016 Adoption of Cost of Service Rate Customers see rate Nov. 1, 2016 change on bill
Questions?
Promoting the efficient use of our regional water resources all of them!
What is a watershed? An area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. Boundaries are defined by elevation of peaks and valleys, water flows thru rivers, creeks to Ocean, recharge Groundwater Basin
Why care about Watershed Wise Landscapes? Use Less Water Save Money REUSE RECYCLE Build Soil Build Community Support Wildlife Build Healthy Ecosystems Build a Movement More???
Sustainable Gardening Practices Start with Healthy Soil Compost and Mulch SOWO! WATERSHED WISE Landscape Series promote: Sheet Mulching Losing Your Lawn and Weeds without Chemicals Fertilizing Responsibly compost Water Wisely Reuse, Capture, Recycle Wood chip mulch help to suppresses weeds, retain moisture and build healthy soil. Right Plant for the Right Place Climate Appropriate Plant Materials OJAI VALLEY GREEN COALITION SAVE OUR WATER, Ojai! California fuchsia is a low growing shrub that attracts hummingbirds and thrives in our sunny Mediterranean climate.
SOWO! WATERSHED WISE Sustainable Gardening Practice-Capture Rainwater Rain Garden or Ocean Friendly Garden to Reduce Runoff, Reduce Pollutants that end up in the Ocean Wood chips help to suppresses weeds, retain moisture and build healthy soil OJAI VALLEY GREEN COALITION SAVE OUR WATER, Ojai! Recharge Groundwater and Reduce Runoff
Laundry-to-Landscape (L2L) A washing machine system that doesn't alter the plumbing and doesn t require a permit (if basic guidelines are followed). CC-BY-NC www.greywateraction.org 43
Upcoming SOWO! Events Saturday, August 13: Casitas Municipal Water District sponsors a FREE rainwater capture and greywater class. Oak View Park & Resource Center 9am 12pm. RSVP to bsandoval@casitaswater.org or (805) 649 2251 ext. 105 Free Watershed Friendly Garden Series hosted by Ventura County Watershed Protection District. All workshops held at Meiners Oaks Elementary School 400 S. Lomita Ave., Meiners Oaks 9am to 12pm. Saturday, September 10: Watershed Basics to understand importantce of water supply/demand and importance of water conservation in the landscape. Saturday, September 24: Site Evaluation of your current landscape s strengths and weaknesses. Saturday, October 1: Design & review of your site plan. Create a water wise plant list. Saturday, October 15: Sheet Mulching & Grading for Rainwater Capture Saturday, October 22: Planting & Irrigation Details and registration at http://greengardensgroup.com/events/ Save Our Water, Ojai! campaign workshops coming this fall. Resources, events and watch water related videos at ojaivalleygreencoalition.com/save Our Water, Ojai!.shtml Get involved in County General Plan Updates http://vc2040.org/
Questions?
Groundwater Sustainability Plan Required by new State Law Prepared by Groundwater Sustainability Agency Ventura River Water District Meiners Oaks Water District Casitas Municipal Water District City of Ventura County of Ventura Agricultural Representative Environmental Representative
Schedule Agencies Approve JPA September 2016 First meeting of JPA Board October 2016 Selection of stakeholder directors First meeting of full Board November 2016 Election to be GSA GSA Begins Working on: December 2016 Budget By Laws Administrative needs Assessing Pump Fees Coordinating with Calif Wtr Action Plan Flow Study Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Finish GSP January 2022 Attain Sustainability by: Year 2042
Upper Ventura River Groundwater Basin New Boundary Old Boundary
Groundwater Sustainability Plan Sustainability management criteria
Key Plan Characteristics 1. Local Control 2. Technical input 3. Stakeholder engagement
INSTREAM FLOW REQUIREMENT FOR VENTURA RIVER Part of 2014 California Water Action Plan Three year study of Ventura River Result will establish an instream flow necessary to support steelhead trout in the Ventura River This is also major issue for the Groundwater Sustainability Plan
What the GSA and Flow Study may mean by year 2022 Likely pumping restrictions Possible increased reliance on Lake Casitas Likely increased costs Reduced drought storage in Lake Casitas
Questions?
Wrapping it up Drought New Cost of Service Rates Sign up for texting meters Green Coalition Education Electronic Billing Websites: VenturaRiverWD.com UVRgroundwater.org Phone: (805) 646 3403 Look for free Auto Pay in the lower left hand corner of the sign up web page.