WATER LOSS PROGRAM REVIEW, ANALYSIS & OPTIMIZATION Presentation to Water Forward Task Force Andrew Chastain-Howley October 8, 2024 Report Overview 1.0 Executive Summary 2.0 Introduction and Initial Audit Analysis • City of Austin System Profile • Water Loss Audit Approach/Results • Data Validity 3.0 Production Metering Analysis 4.0 Apparent Loss Analysis • Customer Metering Inaccuracies • Systematic Data Handling Errors • Costs of Apparent Losses 5.0 Real Loss Analysis • COA Leakage Detection • Real Loss Component Analysis/Results • Costs of Real Losses 6.0 Goals and Recommended Strategies • Production Metering Strategies • Apparent Loss Strategies • Real Loss Strategies • Other Strategies KPI Real Loss (ILI) Real Loss (gal/conn/day) Apparent Loss (gal/conn/day) Data Validity 2022 AUDIT 4.1 75.60 17.40 77 2030 GOAL (THIS PROJECT) 3.0 55.60 7.40 85 AW’s Water Forward (2024) ILI Goal is 3.0 by 2040. 2 AWWA Manual M36 Water Audits and AWWA Manual M36 Water Audits and Loss Control Programs Loss Control Programs 3 Real Loss Component Analysis See Section 5.2 & Appendix A How does Austin Water’s Real Loss Compare to Other Utilities? Mains Failure Frequency Comparison Service Connection Failure Frequency Comparison ) r y / s e l i m 0 0 1 / r e b m u n ( 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 ) r y / s n o i t c e n n o c e c i v r e s 0 0 0 1 / r e b m u n ( , 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Failure Frequency Austin Water Department Average Failure Frequency in North America (WaterRF 4372) Failure Frequency for Optimized Distribution Systems (Friedman 2010) Failure Frequency Austin Water Department Failure Frequency for Optimized Systems (AWWA UARL) 4 Austin’s Ongoing Efforts See Sections 4.1, 5.1, 6.1 Four Pillars of Leakage Management Pressure Management Speed and Quality of Repairs Active Leakage Control Real Losses in this range are not technically recoverable Real Losses in this range are not economic to recover Economically Recoverable Annual Real Losses Pipeline and Asset Management Selection, Installation, Maintenance, Renewal, Replacement Renewing Austin Third-party proactive leakage detection AW leakage detection program 5 Austin’s Ongoing Efforts See Sections 4.1, 5.1, 6.1 Development of strategies through Austin's Water Forward program Replacing smaller meters to transition to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Meter calibration/verification and validation 6 Key Findings 1 Limitations with production piping …
Water Forward 2024 Plan Report This page intentionally left blank. DRAFT – September 3, 2024 Report Cover Page WATER FORWARD 2024 - DRAFT | 2 Director’s Message Austin Water is doing important work to make sure Austin has a strong and reliable water supply, even as our city faces the challenges of growth, drought, and a changing climate. Over the past few years, Austin Water has put in place smart strategies that have already made a big difference. We've focused on conservation, encouraging our customers to use water wisely through recent hot and dry years. We've also launched GoPurple, a program that includes requirements and incentives for new and existing developments to reuse water onsite. We are pursuing water storage strategies to stretch our existing supplies. And working closely with our regional partners, we've strengthened Austin's ability to bridge droughts and provide a sustainable water supply to meet all our community’s water needs. Our work doesn't stop here. Climate science tells us that we must do even more to protect our future. The challenges we face are real, and we need to stay ahead of them. That's why we're committed to learning from our past efforts and adjusting as we go. We've been using an adaptive management approach, which means we closely monitor how our plans are working and make changes as needed. This is a key part of Water Forward 2024, which provides a roadmap for Austin's water future. We've been working hand in hand with the Water Forward Task Force, a group of dedicated community members who help inform our efforts. Together, we've updated the plan, adjusted our strategies, and responded to the needs we've identified along the way. This collaborative approach means we're not only thinking about today's needs but also preparing for tomorrow's challenges. At Austin Water, work is already underway to carry out this updated plan. We're focused on staying transparent and accountable to you, our community, as we move forward. We know that water is essential to our quality of life, and we're determined to protect this precious resource. As we look to the future, we at Austin Water hold a hopeful vision. Austin is a leader in water conservation and sustainability and we see a future where our city continues to thrive, and where every resident has access to clean and reliable water, no matter what challenges come our way. Together, we can …
1 Presentation on revisions to the draft Water Forward 2024 Plan, Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan 10/8/24 Report Edits No further edits were made to the WCP/DCP in this round Water Forward 2024 edits include: • New cover page, header, footer, and water supply graphics • Ch. 4: Edits to Colorado River Land Analysis section (pp. 25-27) • Ch.5 • Additional intro language and strategy summary table (p. 28) • Updated Customer Side Water Use Management 2030 & 2040 Yields (p. 30) • Updated Native and Efficient Landscape 2030 & 2040 Yields (p. 31) • Edits to Land Conservation Strategies section (pp. 44-46) • Ch.6: Added section on 100-Year Adaptive Management Plan (pp. 48-49) Pending edits: • Completion of Executive Summary • Appendix references (and completion of appendices) • Breakout of Indirect Potable Reuse & Capture Local Inflows to Lady Bird Lake • Further grammar, spelling, readability, and formatting edits as needed Colorado River Land Analysis Overview Identifying Priority Conservation Areas in the Highland Lakes Watershed Helps understand solution geography and scale • Lake Travis drainage area is 40x that of entire Austin corporate limits! • Want/need to focus on the highest priority areas within this large basin • Some areas clearly more critical to conserve than others Rating system: consider multiple factors • Water supply: stream flows, recharge, springs, wells, AW intakes • Environmental: riparian/floodplains, impervious cover, protected lands, slopes, vegetation Combine via GIS to spatially show priority conservation areas in the Highland Lakes Watershed Central Texas and waterways of interest Rivers • • Colorado Llano • • • • Pedernales San Saba North Llano South Llano Watersheds • Middle Colorado, Brady, San Saba, Llano, North Llano, South Llano, Buchanan-LBJ Lakes, Pedernales, Lake Travis, Lake Austin Lake Austin Watershed (92 sq. mi.) Barton Springs Zone (371 sq. mi.) GIS analysis factors: scales and weights Flow Recharge Zones Springs Distance from Intakes Wells Combined Water Factors Raster Combined Water Factors Raster Riparian & Floodplain Vegetation Pavement Slopes Protected Lands Vegetation Combined Environmental Factors Raster Combined Enviro. Factors Raster Final Conservation Priority Raster Final Conservation Priority Raster 13 Colorado River Land Analysis Next Steps Further refine conservation prioritization model based on stakeholder feedback Conduct additional analysis to include economic, equity, and social factors + further watershed modeling Engage with land conservation and governmental entities; evaluate potential partnership opportunities Evaluate …
Tentative Schedule 10/9 WF24 Update Working Group Meeting • Opportunity for further discussion of WF24/WCP/DCP Late October Water Forward Task Force meeting (Date TBD) • Opportunity for further discussion of WF24/WCP/DCP 11/4 Water Forward Task Force meeting • Recommendation for Council action re: WF24/WCP/DCP 11/12 AWOC meeting • Briefing and possible action re: WF24/WCP/DCP 11/13 W/WW Commission meeting • Recommendation for Council action re: WF24/WCP/DCP 11/21 Council meeting • Consideration of WF24/WCP/DCP
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, October 8, 2024 The Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force convened in a Regular Called Meeting on October 8, 2024, with Social Distancing Modifications. Chair WALKER called the meeting to order at 12:02 pm. Members in Attendance: Jennifer Walker, Chair Robert Mace, Vice Chair Madelline Mathis Ex-Officio Members in Attendance: Chase Bryan Kevin Critendon Members in Attendance Remotely: Bill Moriarty Paul DiFiore Hani Michel Sarah Faust Vanessa Puig-Williams Austin Water Staff: Shay Ralls Roalson Teresa Lutes Kevin Kluge Marisa Flores Gonzalez Emily Rafferty Fatima Wahid Young-Hoon Jin Joseph Gonzales Sherri Kuhl Justin Bates Brandon Niese Matt Cullen Richard Hoffpauir Charles Celauro Jose Emperador The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please contact Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force liaison Emily Rafferty at 512-972-0427, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Page 1 of 2 Dan Strub Others in Attendance: Qiwen Zhang, Plummer Brigit Buff, Plummer Curtis Smith, TNLA Cody McCann, Plummer Andrew Chastain-Howley, Black & Veatch PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 1. Curtis Smith gave a public comment in-person. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the meeting minutes from the special called September 19, 2024, Task Force meeting. The minutes from the September 19th, meeting were approved on Member MATHIS’ motion and Member FAUST’s second on an 8-0 vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS, PRESENTATIONS, AND/OR REPORTS 2. Presentation on water distribution system water loss report The presentation was made by Andrew Chastain-Howley, Black & Veatch, Matt Cullen, Division Manager of Engineering & Operations Support, Austin Water. 3. Presentation on revisions to the draft Water Forward 2024 Plan, Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan reports The presentation was made by Marisa Flores Gonzalez, Program Manager III, Sherri Kuhl, Environmental Resource Officer, and Justin Bates, Environmental Conservation Division Manager, Austin Water. VOTING ITEMS None Chair WALKER adjourned the meeting at 2:34pm. The minutes were approved at the October 28th, 2024, meeting on Paul DiFiore’s motion, Sarah Faust’s second on an 7-0 vote with one vacancy. Task Force Members Hani Michel and Perry Lorenz and Vanessa Puig-Williams absent. …
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE September 19, 2024 --12:00pm Hybrid Special Called Meeting Waller Creek Center, Room 104 625 East 10th Street Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live For more information go to: Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. The first 10 speakers to register will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns not on the agenda. To register, contact Emily Rafferty at emily.rafferty@austintexas.gov. The information required is the speaker’s name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). CURRENT TASK FORCE MEMBERS: Voting Members: Bill Moriarty Sarah Faust Hani Michel Perry Lorenz Madelline Mathis Todd Bartee Robert Mace, Vice Chair Paul DiFiore Vanessa Puig-Williams Jennifer Walker, Chair Ex Officio Non-Voting Members: Austin Water: Kevin Critendon Austin Energy: Kathleen Garrett Austin Resource Recovery: Donald Hardee Housing: Chase Bryan Office of Innovation: Daniel Culotta Office of Sustainability: Zach Baumer Parks and Recreation: Liana Kallivoka Watershed Protection: Ramesh Swaminathan AGENDA CALL TO ORDER – PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL APPROVAL OF MINUTES September 10, 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Review and approve the meeting minutes from the Regular Called Task Force meeting on 2. Presentation on revisions to the draft Water Forward 2024 plan report, including preliminary Colorado River Land Analysis recommendations 3. Presentation on water conservation program investment and marketing activities DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Discuss and possibly make a recommendation regarding the draft Water Forward 2024 5. Discuss and possibly make a recommendation regarding the draft revised Drought 6. Discuss and possibly make a recommendation regarding the draft revised Water Plan Report Contingency Plan Conservation Plan FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURN The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 …
Presentation on revisions to the draft Water Forward 2024 plan report, including preliminary Colorado River Land Analysis recommendations September 19, 2024 Further Water Forward 2024 plan revisions 3 Further Revisions Presented in 9/10 meeting • Comparison of WF18 and WF24 strategies • Summary of strategy yields and costs To be discussed today • Draft 100 Year Adaptive Management Pathways • Additional information on Colorado River Land Analysis plan development Ongoing work • Editorial review, graphic design, etc. • Confirming plan alignment with WCP/DCP Draft 100 Year Adaptive Management Pathways Portfolio 6 in 2080 Adaptive pathways identify signposts that may prompt us to pursue different water management strategies in the very long-term future If Climate = historic If Climate = 2.6 (low severity) If Climate = 4.5 (medium severity) If Demand = Low If Demand = Med If Demand = High If Demand = Low If Supply = Med If Supply = Low, High If Supply = Low, Med If Supply = High If Supply = Med, High If Supply = Low If Demand = Med, High If Demand = Low If Supply = Low, Med If Supply High If Demand = High If Supply = Med If Supply = Low, High 4 6A 6A 6B 6B 6C 6C 6A 6B 6C 6B 6C 6B 6B 6C If Climate = 8.5 (high severity) If Demand = Med Draft 100 Year Adaptive Management Portfolios 5 Water Forward Strategies Water Conservation Strategies Utility-Side Water Loss Control Customer-Side Water Use Management Native & Efficient Landscaping Water Conservation Strategies Sub-Total Non-Potable Water Reuse Strategies Centralized Reclaimed Decentralized Reclaimed Onsite Reuse Non-Potable Reuse Strategies Sub-Total Potable Water Supply Strategies Aquifer Storage and Recovery Lake Walter E. Long (Decker) Off Channel Reservoir Indirect Potable Reuse Brackish Groundwater Desalination Additional Colorado River Basin-Independent Supply* Additional Colorado River Basin Supply** Water Supply Strategies Sub-Total Water Forward Strategies Overall Total Estimated Yield (Acre Feet per Year) Portfolio 6 2080 Portfolio 6A 2120 Portfolio 6B 2120 Portfolio 6C 2120 15,000 11,400 7,000 33,400 26,900 1,300 10,600 38,800 44,500 18,300 22,400 40,000 0 0 125,200 197,400 26,300 13,100 10,900 50,300 41,700 3,100 16,300 61,100 44,500 18,300 33,600 40,000 20,000 0 156,400 277,800 26,300 13,100 10,900 50,300 41,700 3,100 16,300 61,100 83,000 18,300 22,400 40,000 20,000 35,000 218,700 340,100 26,300 13,100 10,900 50,300 41,700 3,100 16,300 61,100 44,500 18,300 44,800 40,000 60,000 30,000 237,600 359,000 Current Supplies Colorado River …
Presentation on water conservation program investment and marketing activities 9/19/2024 Austin Water Conservation Program Investment Overview AW has a permanent Water Conservation Division of more than 20 staff members • Division addresses incentives, enforcement, inspections, and analysis • Additional staff are brought on during the annual irrigation season and during drought Ten staff members work on onsite water reuse and the engineering of the centralized reclaimed system, with many more maintaining and expanding the system Water loss mitigation activities are undertaken with a utility leak detection team, as well as a contracted leak detection firm AW Staffing Levels Austin Water Teams/Divisions Permanent Positions Temporary Positions Demand Reduction (Water Conservation Division) Total Enforcement & Compliance Customer Programs Research & Planning Reclaimed and Reuse Total Onsite Water Reuse Team Engineering Systems Planning Water Loss Total Data analysis Leak detection – Austin Water Leak detection – contracted staff 22 9 6 5 10 5 2 3 7.5 1 4 2.5 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Note: Additional staff work on outreach to customers and to develop the water and reclaimed water systems. Water Conservation Division Comparison Utility Number of Permanent Staff Single Family Connections (TWDB, 2022) Positions per 50,000 Single Family Connections 27* 237,934 San Antonio Water System 224,266 Austin 281,331 Dallas 199,925 El Paso Fort Worth 264,888 *plus 4 temporary staff, ** plus 6 temporary staff 22** 12 8 5 5.7 4.9 2.1 2.0 0.9 Questions Conservation Communications & Outreach Update Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force September 19, 2024 Randi Jenkins, Assistant D irector, Customer Experience Geneva Guerrero, Public Information Program Manager Agenda Communications Overview Spring Quarter Activities: • Community Events and Outreach • Educational Programming • Advertising Campaigns • My ATX Water Leak Notifications • Social Media Engagement • Web Traffic Indicators Conservation Rebate Applications Community Events and Educational Outreach APRIL – JUNE: Fix A Leak Week Water Conservation Outreach at Utility Bill Payment Centers Water Conservation Lunch & Learns Water Forward Plan Virtual Session 13 Other Community Events 40 Dowser Dan Appearances TOTAL REACHED: 9,173 Advertising Campaigns APRIL – JUNE: WaterWise Landscapes Drought Stage Awareness Conservation Rebates Irrigation & Outdoor Watering Schedules Register for My ATX Water ~4 MILLION IMPRESSIONS My ATX Water Portal Campaign & Communications Robust communications plan still in action …
REVISED 9/17/24 Water Forward 2024 Plan, Ch. 4 "Planning for Uncertainty" Excerpt Colorado River Land Analysis Austin’s drinking water supply has benefited from a landscape of rural, largely working lands throughout the Highland Lakes’ watershed. However, land use in Texas is changing rapidly as the state’s population grows. According to Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, the 20 counties in the lower Colorado basin have seen an 87% increase in population and the loss of over 108,000 acres of working lands since 1997. The working lands that remain are increasingly being subdivided into smaller and smaller parcels. These trends are likely to continue, emphasizing the need to plan for upstream water quality protection. Source Water Protection refers to the management of areas through which water travels and the regulation of activities on these lands to prevent pollution and contaminants from entering public drinking water sources. The quality and quantity of a city’s drinking water supply, as well as other water bodies used for recreational, environmental, and drainage purposes, can be influenced by both natural and human activities. One of the most effective ways to protect source water is to acquire land over which the water flows or to restrict development on such land through conservation easements or other mechanisms. These protections allow the land to continue acting as a natural filtration system for water as it enters water sources, preventing additional contaminants from development activities. Austin Water conducted the Colorado River Land Analysis to evaluate areas in the lower Colorado river basin upstream of Austin and rank land protection opportunities based on water supply and environmental factors. Water supply factors included stream flow, spring location, recharge zones, and location of undesirable features such as oil and gas wells. Environmental factors included vegetation, slope incline, impervious cover, protected land, and riparian and flood plain areas. This analysis was done with the use of geographic information systems (GIS) mapping tools to overlay these factors and identify priority areas. The results of this analysis are shown in the image below, with darker purple areas (680,000+ acres) indicating areas that contribute most significantly to water quality and quantity based on the evaluated factors. Further analysis and engagement is necessary to define specific conservation priorities and levels of investment for Colorado River protection. Austin Water will engage community stakeholders, the Watershed Protection Department, and other partners in further refining this analysis. This will involve identification of …
9/19/2024 Revised Water Conservation Plan Excerpt: TABLE 13. PROJECTED ADDITIONAL YIELDS FROM FUTURE WATER USE AND LOSS ACTIVITIES Activity 2029 Annual Yield (acre feet) 2034 Annual Yield (acre feet) Commercial conservation incentives New single family landscape transformation My ATX Water Residential customer water saving opportunities Commercial customer engagement and water saving opportunities Customer irrigation engagement Water use benchmarking Water use budgeting Reclaimed and reuse Water Centralized reclaimed Decentralized reclaimed Onsite water reuse Public outreach and marketing Utility side water loss control 2,240 181 652 165 192 574 24 0 880 0 880 -2 Total yields 5,875 17,219 1Benchmarking savings are anticipated to be supplanted by the implementation of water use budgeting. 2Activities that are widely recognized as water-savings measures that promote all other activities that cannot be quantified at time of the adoption of the Water Conservation Plan. 366 1,457 345 432 703 01 2,424 4,680 3,940 80 2,260 -2 1
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES Thursday, September 19, 2024 The Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force convened in a Special Called Meeting on September 19, 2024, with Social Distancing Modifications. Chair WALKER called the meeting to order at 12:05 pm. Members in Attendance: Jennifer Walker, Chair Madelline Mathis Ex-Officio Members in Attendance: Chase Bryan Kevin Critendon Members in Attendance Remotely: Bill Moriarty Paul DiFiore Perry Lorenz Hani Michel Sarah Faust Austin Water Staff: Shay Ralls Roalson Teresa Lutes Kevin Kluge Marisa Flores Gonzalez Emily Rafferty Fatima Wahid Young-Hoon Jin Joseph Gonzales Sherri Kuhl Justin Bates Brandon Niese Randi Jackson Matt Cullen Geneva Guerrero Richard Hoffpauir The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please contact Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force liaison Emily Rafferty at 512-972-0427, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Page 1 of 2 Others in Attendance: Qiwen Zhang, Plummer Brigit Buff, Plummer Tanzia Karim, Save Our Springs Alliance Susan Hoover, Circle C Landscape Frank Davis, Hill Country Conservancy PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 1. Susan Hoover gave a public comment in-person. 2. Tanzia Karim gave a public comment in-person. 3. Frank Davis gave a public comment remotely. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the meeting minutes from the regular called September 10, 2024, Task Force meeting. The minutes from the September 10th, meeting were approved on Member MATHIS’ motion and Member MICHEL’s second on an 7-0 vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS, PRESENTATIONS, AND/OR REPORTS 2. Presentation on revisions to the draft Water Forward 2024 plan report, including preliminary Colorado River Land Analysis recommendations The presentation was made by Marisa Flores Gonzalez, Program Manager III, Sherri Kuhl, Environmental Resource Officer, and Justin Bates, Environmental Conservation Division Manager, Austin Water. 3. Presentation on water conservation program investment and marketing activities The presentation was made by Kevin Kluge, Division Manager, Water Conservation, Randi Jenkins, Assistant Director, and Geneva Guerrero, Public Information & Marketing Program Manager, Austin Water. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Discuss and possibly make a recommendation regarding the draft Water Forward 2024 Plan Report 5. Discuss and possibly make a …
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE September 10, 2024 --12:00pm Hybrid Regular Called Meeting Waller Creek Center, Room 104 625 East 10th Street Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live For more information go to: Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. The first 10 speakers to register will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns not on the agenda. To register, contact Emily Rafferty at emily.rafferty@austintexas.gov. The information required is the speaker’s name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). CURRENT TASK FORCE MEMBERS: Voting Members: Bill Moriarty Sarah Faust Hani Michel Perry Lorenz Madelline Mathis Todd Bartee Robert Mace, Vice Chair Paul DiFiore Vanessa Puig-Williams Jennifer Walker, Chair Ex Officio Non-Voting Members: Austin Water: Kevin Critendon Austin Energy: Kathleen Garrett Austin Resource Recovery: Donald Hardee Housing: Chase Bryan Office of Innovation: Daniel Culotta Office of Sustainability: Zach Baumer Parks and Recreation: Liana Kallivoka Watershed Protection: Ramesh Swaminathan 1. Review and approve the meeting minutes from the Special Called Task Force meeting on AGENDA CALL TO ORDER – PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL APPROVAL OF MINUTES August 29, 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 2. Presentation of Draft Revised Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan 3. Presentation of Draft Water Forward 2024 Plan Report ADJOURN The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force Liaison, Emily Rafferty at 512-972-0427, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force, please contact Emily Rafferty at 512-972-0427 or emily.rafferty@austintexas.gov.
CITY OF AUSTIN DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN Developed to Meet Requirements Outlined in 30 TAC § 288.20 and § 288.22 Water Conservation Division City of Austin, Texas PWS # 2270001 DRAFT - November 7, 2024 - DRAFT City of Austin Drought Contingency Plan Table of Contents SECTION I: DECLARATION OF POLICY, PURPOSE, AND INTENT ..................................................................... 2 SECTION II: BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................... 2 SECTION III: TRIGGER CONDITIONS AND GOALS ............................................................................................... 7 SECTION IV: DROUGHT RESPONSE MEASURES .............................................................................................. 10 SECTION V: WHOLESALE CONTRACT PROVISIONS ........................................................................................ 21 SECTION VI: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT................................................................................................................... 21 SECTION VII: PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND EDUCATION................................................................................... 22 SECTION VIII: COORDINATION WITH REGIONAL PLANNING GROUPS (RPG)............................................... 22 SECTION IX: TCEQ NOTIFICATION ...................................................................................................................... 22 SECTION X: PLAN REVIEW AND UPDATES ........................................................................................................ 23 APPENDIX A: WATER CONSERVATION CODE ................................................................................................... 24 APPENDIX B: WATER CONSERVATION PENALTY CODE ................................................................................. 25 APPENDIX C: RESOLUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF ADOPTION OF THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN ...... 26 APPENDIX D: RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2024 DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN .................................. 27 APPENDIX E: TRANSMITTAL LETTER TO REGIONAL PLANNING GROUP ..................................................... 28 APPENDIX F: PUBLIC RESPONSE TO NOVEMBER 2023 SURVEY .................................................................. 29 1 City of Austin Drought Contingency Plan Section I: Declaration of Policy, Purpose, and Intent The City of Austin (the City) maintains a decades-long commitment to ensuring a sustainable water supply through demand management measures. The latest update to Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan (the Plan) builds upon this legacy. This iteration of the Plan retains all measures from previous versions while incorporating new strategies to better address droughts in the future. Designed as a comprehensive strategy, the Plan focuses on addressing water shortages and emergencies, with specific attention to domestic water use, sanitation, fire protection, and public well- being. In accordance with Section 11.1272 of the Texas Water Code and Chapter 288 of Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code, the City regularly updates this plan, underscoring the importance of adaptability to evolving water supply dynamics. This document outlines the City's strategic response to challenges posed by demand surges, infrastructure constraints, and droughts, including historical critical droughts. Through coordination with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), the Drought Contingency Plans of both the LCRA and the City are consistent in terms of targets and goals. The City’s plan is more proactive, including the implementation activities necessary to conserve water. Detailed within the regulatory framework of the City of Austin’s Municipal Code, the Water Conservation Code (updated in conjunction with this plan in May …
Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile CITY OF AUSTIN WATER CONSERVATION PLAN Developed to Meet Requirements Outlined in 30 TAC §288.2 and §288.5 DRAFT - November 7, 2024 - DRAFT Page 1 of 58 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Page 2 of 58 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Message from the Director Thank you for your interest in Austin’s most precious natural resource: water. The city was founded in the mid-1800s on the banks of the Colorado River to take advantage of that abundant water resource. Our water supply is just as critical today, but now we face unprecedented challenges: record high temperatures, record low flows into the Highland Lakes, water quality concerns, and continued rapid population growth. Together, we can meet these challenges. The City of Austin’s 100-year Water Forward Integrated Water Resources Plan is focused on water conservation and water use efficiency, as well as strategies to strengthen the diversity of Austin’s water supply. Austin has come a long way over the last decade – in 2023, we used essentially the same amount of water as we did in 2011, despite having 140,000 more residents. But the impacts from climate change require us to become even more water-wise and water-efficient. The update of this Water Conservation Plan is required by the State of Texas every five years to provide short-term strategies to address changing conditions. Even more importantly, the update is a necessary part of the city’s future sustainability. This document describes Austin Water’s conservation initiatives, programs, and projects to help residents and businesses increase their water use efficiency. In addition, it describes how Austin Water is maximizing our water supply from the Highland Lakes through conservation and water reuse. Learn more about what you can do to conserve our most precious resource at AustinWater.org. Shay Ralls Roalson, P.E. Austin Water Director Page 3 of 58 Water Conservation Plan and Utility Profile Table of Contents Message from the Director ...................................................................................................... 3 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 5 Conservation Program History ................................................................................................ 7 Public Education and Information ........................................................................................... 9 Residential Customer Programs ........................................................................................... 11 Regulatory Programs ............................................................................................................. 18 Metering and Water Loss ....................................................................................................... 21 Water Reuse............................................................................................................................ 24 Water Rates ............................................................................................................................ 27 Goals for Water Use and Water Loss .................................................................................... 29 Future Water Use and Loss Activities ............................................................................... 31 Utility Profile ........................................................................................................................... 38 System Data ............................................................................................................................ 43 Appendix A. Water Conservation Plan Requirement Checklist .......................................... 50 Appendix B. Drought Contingency …
Water Forward 2024 Plan Report DRAFT – September 3, 2024 Report Cover Page This page intentionally left blank. i | WATER FORWARD 2024 - DRAFT Director’s Message Austin Water is doing important work to make sure Austin has a strong and reliable water supply, even as our city faces the challenges of growth, drought, and a changing climate. Over the past few years, Austin Water has put in place smart strategies that have already made a big difference. We've focused on conservation, encouraging our customers to use water wisely through recent hot and dry years. We've also launched GoPurple, a program that includes requirements and incentives for new and existing developments to reuse water onsite. We are pursuing water storage strategies to stretch our existing supplies. And working closely with our regional partners, we've strengthened Austin's ability to bridge droughts and provide a sustainable water supply to meet all our community’s water needs. Our work doesn't stop here. Climate science tells us that we must do even more to protect our future. The challenges we face are real, and we need to stay ahead of them. That's why we're committed to learning from our past efforts and adjusting as we go. We've been using an adaptive management approach, which means we closely monitor how our plans are working and make changes as needed. This is a key part of Water Forward 2024, which provides a roadmap for Austin's water future. We've been working hand in hand with the Water Forward Task Force, a group of dedicated community members who help inform our efforts. Together, we've updated the plan, adjusted our strategies, and responded to the needs we've identified along the way. This collaborative approach means we're not only thinking about today's needs but also preparing for tomorrow's challenges. At Austin Water, work is already underway to carry out this updated plan. We're focused on staying transparent and accountable to you, our community, as we move forward. We know that water is essential to our quality of life, and we're determined to protect this precious resource. As we look to the future, we at Austin Water hold a hopeful vision. Austin is a leader in water conservation and sustainability and we see a future where our city continues to thrive, and where every resident has access to clean and reliable water, no matter what challenges come our way. Together, we can …
Draft Revised Water Conservation Plan & Drought Contingency Plan Kevin Kluge, Water Conservation Manager September 10, 2024 The Basics Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Plan for all weather conditions Focuses on drought conditions Describes • Utility and water use information • Conservation (rebates, education, enforcement) • Water loss reduction • Reuse activities Describes • Drought Stages • Drought Triggers (demand and supply) • Drought Actions & Restrictions Must be consistent with the LCRA DCP Includes water consumption and water loss Requires Chapter 6-4 changes goals 2 Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) – Fall 2024 Changes Clarification of Stage 4 Drought Functional and Nonfunctional Turf Regulating the use of drip irrigation 3 Regulating the use of drip irrigation Why regulate drip? • No current restrictions • LCRA restricts drip in Stage 4; recommends in other stages • Saves water from overrun and poorly maintained drip systems with limited visibility • Proactively lessens incentive to side-step any watering restrictions Proposed: restrict drip like automatic irrigation, 1 day per week, all stages Stakeholder discussions ongoing • Large property variance • Tree establishment & maintenance 4 Water Conservation Plan (WCP) – Fall 2024 Changes Additional information regarding GoPurple and water loss Discuss historical goals Water-saving activities with yields and milestones (in progress) Revised 2029 and 2034 goals Enhanced reporting activities 5 Discuss historical goals 2019 WCP Goals Factors contributing to not meeting goals: • Under-projected demands • Pandemic impacts • Extreme weather • Over-projected strategy savings 6 Activities with yields and milestones (in progress) Water loss reduction Landscape transformation Commercial incentives Reclaimed and reuse My ATX Water Water use benchmarking and budgeting Public outreach and marketing 7 Water loss reduction Continue existing water loss mitigation activities, such as leak detection, water line repair and replacement, and meter testing, as well as additional activities: • Production meter precision • improvement Increased meter testing for large customers • Enhanced leak detection activities • Implementation of District Meter Areas (DMAs) • Cross-functional utility team to implement recommendation from contracted report 8 Implementation Activity Milestone Continue improving water audit data and processes Launch a cross-functional AW Water Loss Team to implement the recommendations of the water loss report Begin initiative to improve production meter precision Pilot two District Metered Areas …
Presentation of Draft Water Forward 2024 Plan Report September 10, 2024 2 Agenda Orientation to Plan Report • Report Layout • Water Forward Strategies • Implementation Plan Next Steps Questions and Discussion Draft Water Forward 2024 Plan Report 3 Table of Contents • Executive Summary • Introduction • Collaborative Plan Update • Current Water Resources • Planning for Uncertainty • Future Water Strategies • Plan Implementation Appendices Ch. 5 - Future Water Strategies 4 Each strategy includes: • Description • Annual yield targets per decade • Total capital cost and annual cost include O&M and debt service • Five-year implementation actions 5 Total Annual Community Cost ($ per acre foot per year)* Summary of Water Forward 2024 Strategies Water Forward Strategies Water Conservation Strategies Utility-Side Water Loss Control Customer-Side Water Use Management Native & Efficient Landscaping Water Conservation Strategies Sub-Total Non-Potable Water Reuse Strategies Centralized Reclaimed Decentralized Reclaimed Onsite Reuse Non-Potable Reuse Strategies Sub-Total Potable Water Supply Strategies Aquifer Storage and Recovery Lake Walter E. Long (Decker) Off Channel Reservoir Indirect Potable Reuse Brackish Groundwater Desalination Water Supply Strategies Sub-Total Current Supplies Colorado River and Highland Lakes Supply Centralized and Decentralized Reclaimed Water System * Community cost = Utility cost + Customer cost ** May be implemented earlier in severe drought conditions Average/ Drought Both Both Both - Both Both Both - Both Both Drought Both - Both Both Estimated Yield (Acre Feet per Year) 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2,800 200 600 3,600 1,100 0 1,100 2,200 0 0 ** 0 0 7,500 2,100 1,800 11,400 8,200 200 4,000 12,400 44,500 18,300 ** 0 62,800 86,600 9,400 3,800 2,900 16,100 12,900 500 5,700 19,100 44,500 18,300 22,400 0 85,200 11,300 5,500 3,900 20,700 17,600 800 7,300 25,700 44,500 18,300 22,400 0 85,200 325,000 5,000 13,200 7,200 5,000 25,400 22,300 1,100 9,000 32,400 44,500 18,300 22,400 20,000 105,200 163,000 15,000 8,800 6,100 29,900 26,900 1,300 10,600 38,800 44,500 18,300 22,400 40,000 125,200 193,900 $267 $52 $5,112 $2,243 $5,158 $8,957 $2,003 $3,033 $880 $2,688 Water Forward Strategies Overall Total 5,800 120,400 131,600 Water Forward: 2018 compared to 2024 6 Estimated Yield (Acre Feet per Year) Water Forward 2018 2070 2040 10,900 9,300 18,500 10,900 8,500 3,600 37,900 23,800 Water Forward 2024 2040 2070 13,200 7,500 7,200 2,100 5,000 1,800 25,400 11,400 12,000 3,200 7,600 22,800 Water Conservation Strategies Utility-Side Water Loss Control Customer-Side Water …
