Item 8 - Adopt Resolution to Return to Water Shortage Level 1 Voluntary Water Measures & Rescind Resolution 22-034Additionally, the WSCP includes prescribed actions to conduct an Annual Water Supply and Demand
Assessment (AWSDA). The AWSDA process includes staff analyzing projected water supply and
demands in collaboration with SDCWA to determine if a supply deficit exists and enact the appropriate
water shortage response level and associated actions necessary to reduce demand and ensure
adequate supply. The AWSDA was approved by the City Council on June 13, 2023, and submitted to
the State on June 16, 2023. The AWSDA concludes Poway has sufficient water supplies to meet its
demands from July 2023 through June 2024.
Poway's WSCP states the City will enter into a Water Shortage Response Level 2 when SDCWA notifies
its member agencies a demand reduction of up to twenty percent is required due to water supply
shortages resulting from drought to ensure the availability of sufficient supplies to meet anticipated
demands. As a result of improved statewide hydrological conditions and Executive Order N-5-23,
SDCWA has determined sufficient regional water supplies are available and have deactivated Level 1
and implementation of Level 2 actions of their WSCP, effective July 1, 2023.
To keep in line with SDCWA and the region, staff is recommending the City rescind Level 2 mandatory
water use restrictions and return to Level 1 voluntary water measures.
Level 1 -Voluntary Measures:
The measures under a Level 1 condition are voluntary with no penalty, unless a separate action is
taken by the City Council to make measures mandatory, and include the following actions:
• Landscape watering shall be conducted before 10:00 a.m., and after 6:00 p.m;
• All leaks must be repaired within five days of notification by the City of Poway; and
• Runoff from landscape irrigation is prohibited.
A complete list of voluntary measures is included in Exhibit A of the attached resolution.
Per State Water Resources Control Board's May 2023 Readopted Emergency Regulation, the use of
potable (drinking) water remains prohibited for the irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial,
industrial, and institutional sites. However, the use of potable irrigation is not prohibited to the extent
necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial non-turf plantings or to the extent
necessary to address an immediate health and safety need.
Outreach:
Staff will notify residents of the return to Level 1 voluntary measures through local media outlets, the
City's website, and the City's social media pages. In addition, SDCWA will provide regional water
conservation messaging to ensure a consistent message across the region's water suppliers.
Water Conservation Assistance:
Poway is a participant in SDCWA's water conservation program which offers rebates and incentives,
such as: high-efficiency clothes washers, high-efficiency toilets, weather-based irrigation controllers,
rotating nozzles, rain barrels, and turf replacement. Also available through SDCWA's program are free
irrigation checkups to all residents and businesses within Poway. These programs can be found on
the City's website at www.poway.org/waterconservation.
2 of6 August 1, 2023, Item #8
RESOLUTION NO. 23-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
POWAY, CALIFORNIA, TO RETURN TO WATER SHORTAGE
LEVEL 1 VOLUNTARY WATER MEASURES AND RESCIND
RESOLUTION NO. 22-034
WHEREAS, the City of Poway imports nearly 100% of its potable water supply from the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the San Diego County Water Authority;
WHEREAS, on May 18, 2021, the City of Poway City Council adopted Poway's Water
Shortage Contingency Plan with water use restrictions and six progressive water shortage
response levels to achieve water savings of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and greater than 50%;
WHEREAS, the Governor issued Executive Order N-7-22 on March 28, 2022, calling on
the State Water Resources Control Board to consider adopting emergency regulations to increase
water conservation, require urban water suppliers to implement water use restrictive actions within
Level 2 of their water shortage contingency plans, and establish a ban on the irrigation of non-
functional turf by water users in the commercial, industrial, and institutions sectors;
WHEREAS, on May 24, 2022, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted
Resolution No. 2022-0018 implementing an emergency regulation requiring California urban
water suppliers to reduce water demand and improve water conservation;
WHEREAS, pursuant to that emergency regulation, California urban water suppliers were
required to implement demand reduction actions identified in their Water Shortage Contingency
Plan Level 2 by June 10, 2022;
WHEREAS, pursuant to that emergency regulation, potable water is prohibited for the
irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional sites with the stipulation
that the use of water is not prohibited to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and
other perennials non-turf plantings, or to the extent necessary to address an immediate health
and safety need;
WHEREAS, on June 7, 2022, the City of Poway City Council adopted Resolution No. 22-
034, implementing mandatory water use restrictions listed in its Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Level 2, set forth in Poway Municipal Code section 8.94.050(8);
WHEREAS, the City of Poway's Water Shortage Contingency Plan states that the City of
Poway will enter into a Water Shortage Response Level 2 when the San Diego County Water
Authority notifies its member agencies that a demand reduction of 20% is required due to water
supply shortages;
WHEREAS, as required by emergency regulations, the San Diego County Water Authority
remained in a Water Shortage Level 1 while implementing its Water Shortage Level 2 actions
pursuant to Resolution No. 2021-24; and
WHEREAS, due to improved hydrologic conditions and the expiration of certain provisions
of the emergency regulation on June 10, 2023, the San Diego County Water Authority rescinded
Resolution No. 2021-24 to deactivate Level 2 shortage actions effective, July 1, 2023
4 of6 ATTACHMENT A August 1, 2023, Item #8
Resolution No. 23-Page 2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Poway as
follows:
1)The San Diego region, including the City of Poway, is not facing a water supply
shortage.
2)The City of Poway will follow the actions of its wholesale water supplier, the San DiegoCounty Water Authority, and return to Level 1 voluntary conservation measures setforth in Poway Municipal Code section 8.94.050(8).
3)The voluntary water measures applicable to a Water Shortage Response Level 1 are
attached hereto as "Exhibit A".
4)The State Water Resources Control Board emergency regulation related to the
prohibition of potable water for the irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial,industrial, and institutional sites with the stipulation that the use of water is notprohibited to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial
non-turf plantings, or to the extent necessary to address an immediate health andsafety need remains in effect.
5)The City of Poway will continue to offer regional water use efficiency programs andrebates for residential, commercial and agricultural customers and conduct outreach
and education on the importance of water use efficiency.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the
City of Poway, California on the 1st day of August, 2023 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAINED:
ABSENT:
DISQUALIFIED:
Steve Vaus, Mayor
ATTEST:
Carrie Gallagher, CMC, City Clerk
5 of6 August 1, 2023, Item #8
Exhibit "A"
Poway Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Resolution No. 23-
Page 3
Water Shortage Response Level 1 Voluntary Measures
As outlined in Poway's Water Shortage Contingency Plan, the following water
conservation measures are voluntary:
•Do not wash down paved surfaces unless for health and safety reasons.
•Do not allow water waste from inefficient landscape irrigation.
•Irrigate residential and commercial landscapes, and nursery and commercial
grower's products before 10:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m., only. Watering is
permitted at any time using a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shut-off
nozzle or bucket.
•Use a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shut-off nozzle or bucket for
watering landscaped areas not irrigated by a landscape irrigation system.
•Use only recirculated water to operate ornamental fountains.
•Wash vehicles only using a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shut-off
nozzle and a bucket, or a high pressure/low volume wash system.
•Offer guests in hotels the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.
•Do not use single pass cooling equipment in new commercial applications.
•Use a water recirculation system for commercial conveyor car washes and all new
commercial laundry systems.
•Run only fully loaded dishwashers and washing machines.
•Repair all water leaks within five days of notification by the City of Poway.
•Use recycled or non-potable water for construction purposes when available.
•Reset irrigation clocks as necessary to water once per week in winter and not more
than three times per week in summer.
•Add water to maintain the level in swimming pools and spas only when necessary.
•Serve and refill water in restaurants only upon request.
6 of 6 August 1, 2023, Item #8