Item 4- 20250211_CDC Water Forward and R2R Presentation — original pdf

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Water Forward 2024 Austin’s 100-Year Integrated Water Resource Plan 1 Marisa Flores Gonzalez Water Resources Team Supervisor February 11, 2025 Water Forward Water Forward is Austin’s 100-year integrated water resource plan, unanimously adopted by Council in November 2018. Water Forward identifies diverse and environmentally-conscious water management strategies to adapt to growth, drought, and climate change and ensure a sustainable, resilient, equitable, and affordable water future for our community. The first update to the Water Forward plan was unanimously adopted by Council in November 2024. Water Forward 2024 was created through a collaborative process led by Austin Water and involving the Water Forward Task Force, outside experts and consultants, and community stakeholders. 2 Austin’s Water Colorado River: • Combination of State-granted water rights & long-term contract with LCRA • Up to 325,000 acre-feet per year (afy) LCRA reservation & use fees pre-paid in 1999 • Additional use payments trigger when average for 2 consecutive years exceeds 201,000 afy Centralized Reclaimed System 3 Combined Storage Lakes Buchanan and Travis 4 WATER FORWARD One City One Water One Approach  Environmental Sustainability & Climate Equity  Affordability  Reliability & Resiliency 5 Water Forward Guiding Principles Resiliency Inclusive approach + Community values Diverse strategies Equity + Affordability Protect the Colorado River Reduce operational risks Focus on local supplies 6 Planning for Uncertainty Population Growth Climate Change 7 Plan Development  Projected water demands  Developed climate and streamflow projections  Modeled future supply needs  Identified strategies 8 Equity Tasks Community Ambassadors Group (CAG) • Formed to help develop the Water Forward 2024 Equity and Affordability Roadmap and Tool • Membership of community volunteers reflecting diverse backgrounds Staff and CAG Equity Grounding Equity and Affordability Roadmap and Tool • Developed shared equity lens • Discussed historical context of institutional and structural racism • Framework to evaluate the distribution of benefits and burdens of plan implementation outcomes • Describes approaches for more equitable community engagement Equity and Affordability Framework Reliable Supply Accountable Affordable Protect Public Health Water Forward 2024 Objectives Objective Sub-Objective Maximize reliability and resiliency, minimize vulnerability Water Supply Benefits Maximize portfolio diversity Economic Benefits Maximize cost-effectiveness Equity Benefits Minimize impacts and maximize benefits of plan outcomes for marginalized communities Environmental Benefits Implementation Benefits Minimize ecosystem impacts Minimize net energy use Maximize water use efficiency Minimize water quality impacts Minimize implementation and operational risk Maximize water distribution and wastewater collection system resiliency Maximize Local Control/Local Resource Water Forward 2024 Strategies Utility-Side Water Loss Control • Production meter improvements • Expanded active leak detection programs • Additional analysis of smart meter data Customer Side Water Use Management • Expanded customer incentives for conservation • Use of smart meter data for customer-side leak identification, education, and outreach • Water use budgeting Native & Efficient Landscapes • New landscape ordinances & incentives • • Irrigation efficiency incentives Landscape conversion programs Non-Potable Reuse • Onsite Water Reuse Systems • Decentralized Reclaimed • Centralized Reclaimed Water Supply Storage Aquifer Storage and Recovery Decker Lake Off Channel Reservoir Potable Reuse Indirect Potable Reuse New Water Supplies Brackish Groundwater Desalination Strategies reliant on Colorado River and LCRA supplies 12 Water Forward 2024 Equity and Affordability Conservation Mitigation Approaches  Design water budget program to work for larger households  Tailor landscape and irrigation programs for marginalized communities  Provide water conservation education, training programs, grants, and financial assistance Water Forward 2024 Equity and Affordability Reuse Mitigation Approaches  Provide programs for maintenance support, training for building management, etc. for dual plumbed systems  Promote programs to help people navigate the permitting process  Continue to work with the Watershed Protection Department to allow centralized reclaimed water for outdoor irrigation across our community  Continue to identify locations for onsite reuse to make reuse water more widely available  Continued implementation of the GoPurple program, including code exemptions for affordable housing and financial and development incentives Water Forward 2024 Equity and Affordability Supply Mitigation Approaches  Continue to minimize rate impacts through Customer Assistance Programs  Use low-cost implementation project funding through Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) programs  Address construction impacts on marginalized communities (traffic, noise, etc.)  Explore options to minimize potential impacts to neighboring communities that may be impacted by strategies located outside of Austin Water’s service area  Partner with community organizations to provide education on water supply strategies and water quality Questions? A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks and Communities Erin Wood – Planning Manager, Watershed Protection What is Rain to River? • The Watershed Protection Department (WPD) protects the lives, property, and environment of our community by reducing the impact of flooding, erosion, and water pollution • Rain to River is a strategic plan that will guide the work of Watershed Protection for the next 10 years • We will use this plan to set goals, prioritize our work, and guide our decision making to tackle urgent challenges Goals for the Update ❖ Reflect the vision and values of our community ❖ Incorporate equity and climate resilience ❖ Be informative and accessible Focused Efforts to Reach: ❖ Historically under-served groups ❖ Impacted groups ❖ Organizations with relevant expertise We are striving for a representative sample of the Austin community Broad Community Engagement • Launched RaintoRiverATX.com • Created a Community Vision Survey for people to share their experiences with natural spaces, waterways, and drainage infrastructure • Advertised the survey using yard signs at community gathering spaces and via social media and radio • Attended 60+ community events • Worked with consultant to conduct a statistically valid survey to validate Community Vision Survey results Focused Engagement • Worked with MEASURE, a local black-owned nonprofit, to conduct five compensated focus groups designed by and centered on historically-excluded communities • Conducted 11 more focus groups with organizations like Austin Youth River Watch, Foundation Communities, and Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired • Hired a cohort of community ambassadors – a group of paid community members who gathered stories and perspectives from racially and economically diverse communities Focused Engagement • Awarded six $5K mini-grants to partner organizations who gathered additional input from historically-excluded communities • Reached out to over 120 different priority stakeholder organizations and met 1:1 with more than a dozen organization leaders to build relationships • Surveyed community organizations to gather their expertise-informed perspectives • Promoted Community Vision Survey by mailing postcards to addresses in flood risk areas and attending community events serving priority stakeholders What’s Next? We brought on a consultant team to work collaboratively with staff and the community to develop the content of the plan We recruited a Community Activation Group (CAG), comprised of diverse community leaders with expertise in environmental advocacy, community health, and disaster recovery We will launch our second phase of engagement this summer to share back what we learned and ask the community to help us evaluate strategies and trade-offs ​The plan will be completed in early 2026 www.RaintoRiverATX.com Sari Albornoz sari.albornoz@austintexas.gov Erin Wood erin.wood@austintexas.gov 25