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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10111988 - WC.1 - A WG.Z TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Water Committee o Costa DATE: September 28, 1988 County SUBJECT: Water Related Issues SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: 1. Authorize chair to sign letters to the East Bay Municipal Utility District and Contra Costa Water District requesting them to assess the potential for additional water savings through water reclamation projects and agricultural conser- vation in Contra Costa County, ask both districts to assess the feasibility of requiring industry to use state-of-the- art technology to obtain lowest possible water uses, and ask how the County could assist the Districts in these actions through the County' s land use authority. 2. Authorize chair to sign a letter to the Director of the State Department of Water Resources, requesting that the environmental review of the use of the California Aqueduct to wheel U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water include the effects of full-cost pricing of the water. 3 . Authorize chair to sign a letter to the Contra Costa Water District showing support for any efforts by the District to obtain their full water entitlement and determining its eventual use. 4. Adopt position not supporting County supervisors Association of California/League of California Cities' Water Policy Resolution and authorize chair to sign a letter to all cities in the County asking them to not adopt the resolu- tion. 5. Refer the United States Environmental Protection Agency Wetland Improvement Project to the Fish and Wildlife Study Committee and Water Committee for consideration. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: - RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE -� __ APPROVE / OTH ER�`>�� SIGNATURE(S): Supervisor Tom Torlakson Su ervisor Sunne Wright McPeak ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROV D AS RECO ME DED O ER Recommendation No. was amended to inc u e a request to t�le Communi' y `�evelpment Y.re c r to transmit the action of the Board to ABAG, and to encourage ABAG to communicate with its member cities and counties Contra Costa County's position of non-support, and to remind them that the matter is still pending before ABAG. In addition to the above recommendations, the Board approved the recommendation of Supervisor Fanden that the Water Committee review and make rprn�-ndati ons.-to_the_Boar-d_a.n_the_feas-ibi-la ty-.__ i/OTE OF SUPERVISORS pure high� quudMty water will be used for drinking and r watering yards and washing automobiles, etc. X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT III AYES: NOES: , I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy Of ABSENT: ABSTAIN: i an action taken and entered on,the minutes of the CC: Community Development i Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED:_ 0 CT 11 1988 PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board EW j j n i of Supervisors and County Administrator 158:wc.brd By 4 Deputy M382/7-83 j 2. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION: 1. All potential water saving activities should be pursued by the two water districts that serve Contra Costa County. Water reclamation projects and agricultural conservation are two areas that can be looked at for potential water savings in Contra Costa County. The two water districts should be asked to evaluate potential water savings through the devel- opment of additional water reclamation projects and in optimizing water use in agriculture within their service areas. The Committee also _felt it was necessary to ask the districts what the County could do to promote and provide incentives for such actions, possibly through its land use authority. Lowest possible water use by industry can often be obtained by requiring the use of state-of-the-art tech- nology. The Committee felt it was appropriate to ask the water districts to consider the feasibility of requiring new industrial facilities to follow such a requirement. 2 . The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is attempting to market approximately 1 million acre feet of water they define as surplus yield. The Bureau wants to use the State-owned California Aqueduct to transport the water to potential customers in the San Joaquin valley. Environmental review is underway for the marketing and wheeling of the Bureau water. The County has policies that encourage full pricing of State and federal project water as a means to encourage efficient use of the State' s waters. it is appropriate for the County to communicate with the Department of Water Resources that the County would like the environmental and project review to consider the impact of the full-cost pricing as a requirement for using the state' s aqueduct. 3 . The Contra Costa Water District is currently not receiving its full water entitlement from the Bureau of Reclamation. This water is being utilized elsewhere by the Bureau of Reclamation. The County should indicate its support to the Contra Costa Water District for any efforts the district may undertake to receive its full water entitlement. The water district should be in charge of controlling the use of its full water entitlement, including the potential for market- ing this water for sale elsewhere in the State. 4. The County Supervisors Association of California and League of California Cities have circulated a water policy resolu- tion regarding Bay/Delta standards and have asked counties and cities to support the resolution. The Water Committee feels that this resolution does not adequately address the standards needed by the Bay/Delta ecosystem. 5. The United States Environmental Protection Agency Wetland Improvement Project has set aside approximately $28,000 for the use of developing and improving wetland areas within the Delta. The Fish and Wildlife Study Committee and Water Committee have both been actively monitoring wetland activ- ities within the County for some time and could make recom- mendations on potential areas for enhancement of wetlands. EWjjn 158:wc.brd