Transcript City of San Antonio Water Policy Study

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City of San Antonio
Water Policy Study
John M. Dugan, AICP, Director
Department of Planning & Community Development
Plan Element Working Group Summit
December 4, 2015
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Scope & Purpose of Water Policy Study
Prepared by Texas A&M Institute of
Renewable Natural Resources (IRNR)
Analyzed policies, procedures and
regulations to ensure water security
through 2060
Integrated SA Tomorrow comprehensive
effort
Informed Cities of San Antonio and Fair
Oaks Ranch
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Science Panel Review
Provided an independent assessment of the report
12 Water
supply
sources
24 Water
Policy issues
• Assigned reliability ratings on
water supply projects
• Assigned grades on water
management and planning
performance ranging from A to F
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Reliability Factors for Water Projects
 Total amount of water
 Cost of Water
 Water Ownership
 Length of contract
 Distance to Source
 Endangered species
 Water Treatment required
 Contamination Threat
 Sensitivity to drought
 Regulatory Authority
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Ratings for Water Supply Reliability
Water Projects
Rating
Water Conservation
High
SAWS Recycled Water
High
Local Carrizo (Bexar County)
High
Brackish Water Desalination
High
SAWS Twin Oaks ASR
Medium
Vista Ridge Water Project
Medium
Gonzales Carrizo
Medium
Edwards Aquifer Groundwater
Medium
Trinity Oliver Ranch Water
Low
Medina Lake
Low
CRWA Lake Dunlap/Wells Ranch
Low
Western Canyon
Low
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Water Projects Findings
and Recommendations
 Brackish Groundwater will
reduce reliance on Edwards
Aquifer and San Antonio
should pursue legislation
 Vista Ridge project is a major
contributor for long-term
water supply
 Review long term pros and
cons of water sources
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Grades for Water Policy
(Planning & Management) Issues
A
Accomplishes goals – exemplary, leading example
B
Accomplishes goals – effective but lacking in an
area
C
Meets goals - not exemplary or effective
D
Does not meet goals - inadequate effort to correct
F
Failure to meet goals - not much effort to correct
n/a History or information not available to grade
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Water Planning Issues
 Public Input – A
 Population Estimates –B
 Gallons Per Capita Per
Day (GPCD) Demand
Management – C
 Water Shortage – C
 Climate Change – n/a
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Water Planning Recommendations
 Revise population
estimates to reduce
potential future water
shortages
 Identify key climate
change strategies
 Set goal of less than 135
GPCD (gallons/capita/
day)
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Water Management
 Drought Management – A
 Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan – A
 Bexar Metropolitan Integration – A
 Lost/Non-revenue water – B
 City of San Antonio as water neighbor – B
 Contamination threat - B
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Water Management Recommendations
 Recommend drought management strategies
targeting reduced landscape water use
 Direct actions to recapture portions of lost/nonrevenue water that makes most economic sense
 Continue leadership in Edwards Aquifer Habitat
Conservation Plan
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Water Quality
 Edwards Aquifer Protection
easements – A
 Coal-Tar Sealant – B
 Development Regulations over
Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone
(EARZ)/Contributing Zone – C
 Low-Impact Development (LID) – C
 Annexation and extension of water
infrastructure – C
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Water Quality Recommendations
 Continue diversification efforts to reduce dependence
on Edwards Aquifer
 Consider improvements to EARZ rules
 Extend EARZ rules to contributing zone
 Review coal tar sealant threats
 Expand conservation easement program
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Regulatory Agencies
 TX Water Development Board– B
 Edwards Aquifer Authority – B
 Local Regulatory Agencies
(Groundwater Dists.) – C
Recommendations
 Organize a Contaminants of
Emerging Concern effort that
follows EPA guidelines
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Water Costs
 Water Project Costs – B
 Residential Water Rate
Structures – B
 Commercial/Industrial
Water Rate Structures – B
 Impact Fees – B
Recommendations
 Supports rate increases
and steeper block rates
for 2015 to provide
incentives for more
conservation
 Consider economic
development goals when
developing commercial
rate structures
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Water Policy Issues Summary
Policy Issue
Expand EARZ rules across the
region
Address coal tar issue in EARZ
/contributing zone
Expand conservation easements
EARZ up to 35% coverage
Continue to expand water
conservation program to reduce
below than 135 GPCD goal
Comprehensive
Plan
Implementation
Unified
Development
Code
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Water Policy Issues Summary Cont.
Policy Issue
Consider establishing a policy for
extension of utilities consistent
with Comp Plan
Ensure EARZ development rules
to protect water quality in ETJ
and annexed areas
Work with municipal
jurisdictions to develop regional
action plan
Consider Climate Change Impact
on water sources
Comprehensive
Unified
Plan
Development
Implementation
Code
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Water Policy Issues Summary Cont.
Policy Issue
Continue review of emergency
response plans for
contamination events
Use Low Impact Development
to improve water quality in
contributing zone
Include a goal to consider
additional TWDB funding
sources in Comp Plan
implementation
Comprehensive
Plan
Implementation
Unified
Development
Code
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Report and other
documents available at:
http://www.sanantonio.gov/Planning/Resources/WaterStudy.aspx
http://irnr.tamu.edu/
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New SAWS Water Rates and Structure
 7.5% system-wide increase for 2016 and 7.9%
for 2017
 Rate Plan for 2017 to 2020