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U WM P a ter

For more than 55 years, the Vallecitos Water District (VWD)

has not only consistently provided water, but continuously evolved

to meet the burgeoning demands of a population that grew from a

few hundred residents to more than 87,000 today.

In 1955, it was dwindling water supplies that led to the formation of the San Marcos

County Water District to tap into an aqueduct to import water from Northern California

and the Colorado River. As you would imagine, offering this valuable, but limited,

product to a semi-arid desert experiencing accelerated growth in agriculture, business

activities, and residences would have been a challenge under the best of circumstances.

Over time VWD has reinvented itself with a new name, additional services and a

commitment to necessary change that offers customers a safe, reliable product without

an excessive premium price. This philosophy has carried over to today.

Looking to bolster water service reliability, VWD recently completed initiatives that

include upgrading its wastewater recycling facility to double its output and lower

imported water demand for the region. A new, 40-million-gallon water storage tank

was also constructed for service ef� ciency and emergency storage.

Furthermore, VWD has adopted a new sustainability focus, to meet its customers� needs

today without compromising precious natural resources for tomorrow. At its San Marcos

headquarters facility, VWD has erected solar car ports to ease electricity demand from

the California grid and recently completed a sustainable demonstration garden that

further serves as an exceptional example of conservation for the future.

VWD is pleased to provide this 2010 Urban Water Management Plan. Contained in it

are all current and projected water supply demands for the next 25 years, as well as

descriptions of the water recycling, conservation, education and outreach programs

that will shape our water district going forward.

Although this plan is no guarantee to an endless water supply for the future, as proven

time and time again, the Vallecitos Water District will rise up to meet all challenges and

strive to maintain the reliable service and affordability its customers have come to expect.

Message from the General Manager

D e n n i s O . L a m b

Atkins North America, Inc. 9275 Sky Park Court, Suite 200 San Diego, California 92123

Telephone: +1.858.874.1810 Fax: +1.858.514.1001

www.atkinsglobal.com/northamerica

June 7, 2011 Mr. Dennis Lamb General Manager Vallecitos Water District 201 Vallecitos de Oro San Marcos, CA 92069 Subject: Technical Review of the Vallecitos Water District’s 2010 Urban Water

Management Plan Dear Mr. Lamb: Atkins is pleased to have provided a technical review of the District’s draft 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) which was prepared by District staff. Having assisted the District with the development of their 2008 Water, Wastewater and Recycled Water Master Plan, Atkins staff are familiar with much of the information needed to complete the UWMP. In addition, our staff are in the process of preparing UWMPs for other agencies. Through that work, we have a thorough understanding of the California UWMP Act and California Department of Water Resources (DWR) guidelines and checklist requirements for preparation of the document. We have attended the DWR’s UWMP Preparation Workshops and sought clarification of the requirements directly from DWR staff. Through April and May of 2011, Atkins worked with District staff and performed a technical review of the Vallecitos draft 2010 UWMP for completeness, consistency, technical accuracy, and format to ensure an organized and dependable planning document that conforms to the DWR requirements. We provided District staff with input and interpretation of the DWR guidelines based on our experience and understanding of those requirements and our suggestions were largely incorporated into the document. We appreciate the opportunity to work closely with the District in the preparation of this important planning document and look forward to its submittal in July. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 858.514.1014. Sincerely, Jennifer Duffy, PE Practice Manager, Water Infrastructure

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan Page i

Table of Contents

SECTION PAGE

Section 1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 1-1

1.1 Regulatory Overview .................................................................... 1-5

1.2 Vallecitos Water District Background / Service Area .................. 1-10

1.3 Master Plan & Capital Improvement Program ............................ 1-13

Section 2 Land Use and Water Demand .............................................................. 2-1

2.1 Land Use Database ..................................................................... 2-2

2.2 Water Duty Factors ...................................................................... 2-7

2.3 Water Demand ........................................................................... 2-12

Section 3 Senate Bill X7-7 Compliance .................................................................. 3-1

3.1 Baselines and Targets ................................................................. 3-1

3.2 Regional Alliance Target .............................................................. 3-5

Section 4 Water Supply ......................................................................................... 4-1

4.1 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Supplies ......... 4-2

4.2 San Diego County Water Authority Supplies ................................ 4-5

4.3 Vallecitos Water District Supplies ............................................... 4-10

Section 5 Water Quality ......................................................................................... 5-1

5.1 Colorado River ............................................................................. 5-1

5.2 The State Water Project ............................................................... 5-4

Section 6 Water Supply Reliability ....................................................................... 6-1

6.1 Normal Water Year Assessment .................................................. 6-1

6.2 Dry Water Year Assessment ........................................................ 6-2

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan Page ii

Section 7 Water Demand Management Measures .............................................. 7-1

7.1 Vallecitos Water District’s History in Conservation ....................... 7-1

7.2 Best Management Practices ........................................................ 7-2

Section 8 Water Recycling .................................................................................... 8-1

8.1 Wastewater System Description, Generation & Treatment .......... 8-2

8.2 Wastewater Disposal and Recycled Water Uses ......................... 8-5

Section 9 Shortage Contingency Plan ................................................................. 9-1

9.1 Catastrophic Water Shortage ....................................................... 9-1

9.2 Drought Management Planning.................................................... 9-3

TABLES

Table 1-1 Coordination with Appropriate Agencies ................................................. 1-9

Table 2-1 Vallecitos Water District Land Use Acreages .......................................... 2-4

Table 2-2 SANDAG Series 12 Growth Forecasts for VWD Study Area .................. 2-7

Table 2-3 Unit Water Demands............................................................................... 2-9

Table 2-4 Water Demands – Actual, 2005 ............................................................ 2-12

Table 2-5 Water Demands – Actual, 2010 ............................................................ 2-13

Table 2-6 Water Deliveries – Projected, 2015 and 2020 ....................................... 2-14

Table 2-7 Water Deliveries – Projected, 2025 and 2030 ....................................... 2-15

Table 2-8 Low-Income Projected Water Demands ............................................... 2-15

Table 3-1 Base Daily per Capita Water Use – 10-Year Range ............................... 3-4

Table 3-2 Base Daily per Capita Water Use – 5-Year Range ................................. 3-5

Table 3-3 Regional Alliance per Capita Daily Water Use Targets ........................... 3-7

Table 4-1 VWD Water Supply – Existing and Planned Sources of Water ............. 4-10

Table 4-2 VWD Water Supply Connections .......................................................... 4-12

Table 4-3 VWD Existing Pump Station Summary ................................................. 4-13

Table 4-4 VWD Existing Reservoir Summary ....................................................... 4-15

Table 4-5 VWD Water Distribution Pipeline Inventory ........................................... 4-16

Table 4-6 Emergency Interagency Connections ................................................... 4-17

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan Page iii

Table 4-7 Concept Future Water Supply Projects ................................................. 4-20

Table 6-1 Normal Year Water Assessment ............................................................. 6-2

Table 6-2 Single Dry Year Water Assessment ........................................................ 6-3

Table 6-3 Multiple Dry Year Water Assessment ..................................................... 6-4

Table 7-1 Previous and Revised BMPs .................................................................. 7-4

Table 7-2 VWD’s Drought Response Restriction Overview .................................... 7-7

Table 8-1 VWD Wastewater Collection and Treatment Volumes ............................ 8-7

Table 9-1 Supply Reliability – Current Water Sources .......................................... 9-10

FIGURES

Figure 1-1 Water Service Area ................................................................................. 1-3

Figure 1-2 Wastewater Service Area ....................................................................... 1-4

Figure 1-3 VWD 2008 Master Plan Water Capital Improvement Program ............. 1-14

Figure 2-1 Vallecitos Water District Existing Land Use ............................................ 2-5

Figure 2-2 Vallecitos Water District Future Land Use .............................................. 2-6

Figure 2-3 Water System Peaking Curves ............................................................. 2-11

Figure 3-1 Regional Alliance Agencies .................................................................... 3-8

Figure 4-1 Existing Water System .......................................................................... 4-11

Figure 4-2 Inter-Agency and Emergency Service Connections .............................. 4-18

Figure 4-3 Carlsbad Seawater Desalinated Water Conveyance ............................ 4-22

Figure 4-4 Escondido Recycled Water Conveyance Alternatives .......................... 4-24

Figure 4-5 VAL 2 Transmission Pipeline ................................................................ 4-26

Figure 8-1 Wastewater Service Area ....................................................................... 8-8

Figure 8-2 VWD Daily Wastewater and Reclamation Flows .................................... 8-9

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan Page iv

Acronyms and Abbreviations

2008 Master Plan Vallecitos Water District 2008 Water, Wastewater and Recycled

Water Master Plan

ACP Asbestos Cement Pipe

Act California Urban Water Management Planning Act

AF Acre-Feet

AFY Acre-Feet per Year

BMP Best Management Practice

cfs Cubic Feet per Second

CII Commercial, Industrial and Institutional

CIP Capital Improvement Program

CMWD Carlsbad Municipal Water District

CSUSM California State University San Marcos

CUWCC California Urban Water Conservation Council

CWC California Water Code

DBP Disinfection Byproduct

DIP Ductile Iron Pipe

du/ac Dwelling Units per Acre

DWR State of California Department of Water Resources

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

ESP Emergency Storage Project

EWPCF Encina Water Pollution Control Facility

Forum Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum

GIS Geographic Information System

GPCD Gallons per Capita per Day

gpd Gallons per Day

gpd/ac Gallons per Day per Acre

gpm Gallons per Minute

HARRF City of Escondido Hale Avenue Resource Recovery Facility

ICP Integrated Contingency Plan

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan Page v

IRP Integrated Water Resources Plan

LAFCO Local Agency Formation Commission

lbs/day Pounds per Day

MCL California Maximum Contaminant Level

MG Million Gallons

MGD Million Gallons per Day

mg/l Milligram per Liter

MOU Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Urban Water

Conservation

MRF Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility

MWD Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

NTA Northern Tributary Area

OMWD Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Rincon MWD Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District

SANDAG San Diego Association of Governments

SB7 Senate Bill 7 of the Seventh Extraordinary Session of 2009

SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

SDCWA San Diego County Water Authority

SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act

SDWD San Dieguito Water District

TDS Total Dissolved Solids

µg/l Micrograms per Liter

UWMP Urban Water Management Plan

VWD Vallecitos Water District

WSDM Water Surplus and Drought Management

WSDRP San Diego County Water Authority Water Storage and Drought

Response Plan

WTP Water Treatment Plant

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan Page 1-1

Section 1: Introduction

allecitos Water District (VWD) is a public agency responsible for supplying water,

wastewater and recycled water service to a 45-square mile area within northern San

Diego County that includes the City of San Marcos, parts of the cities of Vista, Carlsbad,

Escondido, and unincorporated areas within the County of San Diego. Its service area

includes the State Highway 78 corridor and is bordered by Interstate 15 on its eastern

boundary. Figure 1-1 illustrates VWD’s location and service boundary.

VWD is a member agency of the San Diego County

Water Authority (SDCWA) and currently receives

100% of its potable water supply from this water

wholesaler. VWD serves potable water to

approximately 87,700 people, as well as

commercial, light industrial, institutional,

construction, landscape irrigation and agricultural

customers. VWD also provides wastewater

collection services to a 23-square mile area, as

illustrated in Figure 1-2, that serves approximately

69,000 people, as well as commercial, light

industrial, institutional, construction, landscape

irrigation and agricultural customers.

Since adopting its Updated 2005 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), VWD has

made great strides in long-range planning to maintain a sustainable and reliable water

supply for the future. Since 2005, VWD added an additional 40-million-gallon potable

water storage reservoir to assist in emergencies and peak demand management. VWD

V


also doubled the recycled water output at its Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility

and implemented aggressive water conservation outreach efforts, which lowered the

overall demand for imported water into the region.

VWD has prepared this 2010 UWMP in accordance with the Urban Water Management

Planning Act (California Water Code §10610 through 10656). This document covers

water demand, supply, quality, reliability, water recycling and Best Management

Practices programs and policies as dictated by California Water Code (CWC)

§10608.36.

This section will provide an overview of the regulatory process of this Urban Water

Management Plan, and will provide background information regarding VWD and its

service area. Further, this section will detail VWD’s master planning process and the

generation of its Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

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Vista Irrigation District

Carlsbad MWD

Olivenhain MWD

Valley Center MWD

Rincon del Diablo MWD

Rainbow MWD

Deer Springs Rd

SOURCE: LAFCO SOI - Affirmed 08-06-2007VWD GIS Data - 07-17-2008, provided by District

Ü0 1.5

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Old Castle RdGopher Canyon Rd

City ofEscondido

QuesthavenMWD

Vallecitos Water District

2010 Urban Water Management Plan

Legend

VWD Sphere of Influence

VWD Service Area

Sewer Only Service Area

VID Service Area

VID Within VWD SOI


Future Service Area

Sewer Service Area

Northern Tributary Area

VID Within VWD SOI

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Olivenhain MWD

Valley Center MWD


Rainbow MWD

Deer Springs Rd

San MarcosLandfill



City ofEscondido

Ü0 1.5

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WASTEWATER SERVICE AREAFIGURE 1-2


1.1 Regulatory Overview

The Vallecitos Water District is an independent special district governed by five

representatives voted into office by the local citizens within its service boundary. The

long-term mission of the District is to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of its

service area within the expressed and implied powers provided by law, as stated in its

adopted Mission Statement, below.

“To provide planned, effective, equitable and fiscally sound water and sewer service to its

residential, commercial and institutional customers. Recognizing that its resources are

limited and valuable, the District has made it a priority to preserve and protect these

resources, promoting their conservation and reuse while maintaining a high level of

community awareness so that future generations may continue to be served.”

The following regulations apply to this 2010 UWMP and have dictated its preparation.

1.1.1 California Urban Water Management Planning Act

UWMPs are prepared by California's urban water suppliers to support their long-term

resource planning and ensure adequate water supplies are available to meet existing

and future water demands. The California Urban Water Management Planning Act

(Act) requires every urban water supplier that provides water for municipal services to

more than 3,000 connections or is supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water

annually to assess the reliability of its water sources over a 20-year planning horizon

considering normal and dry years. This assessment is to be included in the supplier’s

UWMP, which is to be prepared and adopted every 5 years and submitted to the

Department of Water Resources (DWR). VWD complied with the Act in 2005 with the

adoption of its 2005 UWMP.

DWR’s Guidebook to Assist Urban Water Suppliers to Prepare a 2010 UWMP served

as a blueprint to VWD as it compiled this 2010 UWMP.

Major amendments made to the Act since preparation of the 2005 UWMP include:

CWC §10631.1 requires a plan by retail water suppliers to include water use

projections for single- and multi-family residential housing needed for lower

income and affordable households, to assist with compliance with the existing

requirement under §65589.7 of the Government Code, that suppliers grant a

priority for the provision of service to housing units affordable to lower income

households.


CWC §10621(b) clarifies that every urban water supplier preparing a plan must

give at least 60 days advanced notice to any city or county prior to the public

hearing on the plan within which the supplier provides water supplies to allow for

consultation on the proposed plan.

CWC §10631(j) deems water suppliers that are members of the California Urban

Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) and comply with the Memorandum of

Understanding, as it may be amended, to be in compliance with the requirement

to describe the supplier’s water demand management measures in its UWMP.

CWC §10631.7 required DWR, in consultation with the CUWCC, to convene a

technical panel, no later than January 1, 2009, to provide information and

recommendations to DWR and the Legislature on new demand management

measures, technologies, and approaches. The panel and DWR were to report

the Legislature on their findings no later than January 1, 2010, and each five

years thereafter.

CWC §10633(d) clarifies that the “indirect potable reuse” of recycled water

should be described and quantified in the plan, including a determination

regarding the technical and economic feasibility of serving those uses.

CWC §10644(c) requires DWR to recognize exemplary efforts by water suppliers

by obligating DWR to identify and report to the technical panel, described above

and “exemplary elements” of individual water suppliers’ plans, meaning any

water demand management measures adopted and implemented by specific

urban water suppliers that achieve water savings significantly above the levels

required to meet the conditions of state grant or loan funding.

CWC §10631.5 was amended to address conditions of eligibility for grants or

loans from DWR. DWR will consider whether the urban water supplier has

submitted an updated plan when determining eligibility for funds made available

pursuant to any program administered by the department.

1.1.2 Senate Bill 7 of the Seventh Extraordinary Session

of 2009

In addition to changes in the Act, the state Legislature passed Senate Bill X7-7, referred

to as SB7, on November 10, 2009, which became effective February 3, 2010. This new

law was the water conservation component to the Delta legislation package, and seeks

to achieve a 20 percent statewide reduction in urban per capita water use in California


by December 31, 2020. The law requires each urban retail water supplier to develop

urban water use targets to help meet the 20 percent goal by 2020, an interim water

reduction target by 2015, and incorporate this information into the 2010 UWMP.

Urban water providers such as VWD must include in their 2020 plans the following

information: (1) baseline daily per capita water use; (2) urban water use target; (3)

interim water use target; (4) compliance daily per capita water use, including technical

bases and supporting data for those determinations. An urban retail water supplier may

update its 2020 urban water use target in its 2015 UWMP (CWC §10608.20). Wholesale

water suppliers must include in their UWMPs an assessment of their present and

proposed future measures, programs and policies to help retail agencies achieve their

water use reduction targets (CWC §10608.36.).

A Regional Alliance allows individual urban retail water suppliers to combine their

individual targets into a regional target. An urban retail water supplier is required to

meet either their own or the regional water conservation target in order to comply with

SB7. VWD has entered into a Regional Alliance with Olivenhain Municipal Water

District (OMWD), Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (Rincon MWD), and San

Dieguito Water District (SDWD). A copy of the “Cooperative Agreement to Establish

and Carry Out a Regional Alliance in Accordance with Part 2.55 of the California Water

Code” is included in Appendix H.

1.1.3 Senate Bills 610 and 221

CWC §10910 through 10914 and Government Code §65867.5, 66455.3 and 66473.7

(commonly referred to as SB 610 and SB 221) amended state law to improve the link

between information on water supply availability and certain land use decisions made

by cities and counties. SB 610 requires that the water purveyor of the public water

system prepare a water supply assessment to be included in the environmental

documentation of certain large proposed projects. SB 221 requires affirmative written

verification from the water purveyor of the public water system that sufficient water

supplies are available for certain large residential subdivisions of property prior to

approval of the tentative map.

VWD has used documentation from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

(MWD) and SDCWA in preparing the water supply assessments and written

verifications required under state law in producing this UWMP.


1.1.4 2010 Plan Preparation and Implementation

To adequately demonstrate regional water supply reliability through the next 25 years,

this UWMP quantifies the regional mix of existing and projected local and imported

supplies necessary to meet future demands within VWD’s service area. Although this

UWMP includes specific documentation regarding VWD’s supplies, plans submitted by

wholesalers (SDCWA and MWD) provide further details that contribute to the

diversification and reliability of supplies in the region. VWD’s UWMP will adhere to a

DWR-prepared checklist of items based on the Act that must be addressed in an

agency’s UWMP. This checklist allows an agency to identify where in its UWMP it has

addressed each item. This is included in Appendix I.

Reasonable consistency among the plans of VWD, SDCWA, and MWD is important to

accurately identify the projected supplies available to meet regional demands. In order

to facilitate coordination within VWD’s service area, VWD established its own internal

workgroup and also utilized information from SDCWA’s Urban Water Management Plan

Working Group. This group provided a forum for exchanging demand and local supply

information. SDCWA further coordinated its effort by working with appropriate

wastewater agencies. These agencies helped prepare the water recycling element of its

UWMP, which describes the wastewater treatment requirements and water recycling

potential for the region. In addition, MWD held a Regional Urban Water Management

Plan coordination meeting with its member agencies to discuss and share information

pertaining to demands and supplies within its service areas. The SDCWA further

coordinated with MWD regarding projected needs for imported water deliveries. Finally,

DWR hosted a webinar on November 30, 2010, and a special workshop on March 7,

2011, to review the requirements of the Act.

As stated in Section 1.1.2 above, VWD has formed a Regional Alliance with OMWD,

SDWD, and Rincon MWD pursuant to CWC §10608.28(a), the DWR Guidebook, and

the DWR Methodologies, and has coordinated with these water agencies to report

progress toward achieving water use targets on a regional basis. A copy of the regional

alliance agreement is included in Appendix H.

A draft of the SDCWA’s UWMP, which VWD’s UWMP is largely based on, was

distributed to the SDCWA member agencies on May 6, 2011. The draft UWMP included

water supply projections to satisfy CWC §10631(k).

In accordance with the Act, VWD served 60-day notice to the agencies that have land

use jurisdiction within its service area on April 11, 2011 that its UWMP is under review

and may be revised in concurrence with updated land use information, demand

projections and new legislations. This 60-day notice also stated that a public hearing will


be held on June 15, 2011 to receive comments, questions and suggestions regarding

VWD’s 2010 UWMP, and to discuss VWD’s implementation plan for complying with

SB7. VWD advertised this notice in the local newspaper (North County Times) once per

week for two consecutive weeks prior to the public hearing. Copies of the 60-day

notices are included in Appendix A.

Table 1-1: Coordination with Appropriate Agencies

Coordinating Agencies

Participated in developing the

plan

Contacted for assistance

Sent a copy of the draft Plan

Sent a notice of intention to adopt

San Diego County Water Authority

X X X

Olivenhain Municipal Water District

X X

Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District

X X

San Dieguito Water District

X X

County of San Diego X X

City of San Marcos X X

City of Vista X X

City of Escondido X X

City of Carlsbad X X

VWD adopted its 2010 UWMP following the public hearing at its regularly-scheduled

Board of Directors meeting on June 15, 2011. A copy of the approved VWD Board

Meeting minutes and the approved and signed Resolution is included in Appendix A.

VWD’s 2010 UWMP will be provided to the agencies that have land use jurisdiction

within its service area no later than 60 days following its submission to DWR. Copies of

these letters of transmittal are included in Appendix B.


Beautiful landmarks, such as Lake San Marcos,

and a temperate climate attract residents to live

within VWD’s service area.

1.2 VALLECITOS WATER DISTRICT

BACKGROUND / SERVICE AREA

VWD was formed on March 12, 1955 as a water-only district by a group of local farmers

who recognized a need for a more substantial water supply than the groundwater found

in the San Marcos and Twin Oaks valleys to serve the area. Originally named the San

Marcos County Water District, VWD was initially established as an independent special

district pursuant to §30000 et seq., Division 12 of the CWC, with the purpose of bringing

outside water into the area through the development and operation of a public water

supply system that tapped Colorado River water. With the passage of a $998,000 bond

issue in 1956, water system construction began. Initially, water deliveries from the

SDCWA to the San Marcos County Water District were handled through the Buena

Colorado Municipal Water District. In 1981, the San Marcos County Water District

became a member of the SDCWA, from which it now receives 100 percent of its potable

water supply. On May 1, 1989, the San Marcos County Water District’s name was

changed to the Vallecitos Water District.

1.2.1 Climate

VWD is located in a semi-arid coastal

desert environment, which is

characteristically Mediterranean with

mild temperatures throughout the year.

Prolonged rain storms are rare. More

than 80 percent of the region’s rainfall

occurs between December and March.

The area typically receives about 10

inches of rainfall annually, with monthly

average temperatures ranging between

a low of 50 degrees and high of 72

degrees.

1.2.2 Demographics

VWD is located in northern San Diego County, bounded by the Olivenhain Municipal

Water District to the south, Carlsbad Municipal Water District to the west, Vista Irrigation


District to the northwest, Rainbow Municipal Water District to the north, Valley Center

Municipal Water District to the northeast, Rincon MWD to the east, and City of

Escondido to the southeast. VWD’s service area includes corridors on two major

freeways. Interstate 15 stretches along VWD’s eastern boundary and State Highway 78

transverses though the middle of its service area.

Of VWD’s 29,115 acres, approximately 7,145 are currently residential. Most of this is

single-family homes, although recent development is trending more toward multi-family

residential. According to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) 2030

forecast, VWD’s population is projected to increase from 87,700 in 2010, to 109,751 by

the year 2030.

1.2.3 Water Service

VWD serves a 45-square mile potable water service area. VWD has approximately

21,500 water meters that deliver over 15,500 acre-feet per year of potable water.

Currently, VWD delivers water through 323 miles of pipeline and operates 9 pump

stations and 20 potable water storage reservoirs ranging in size from 100,000 gallons to

40 million gallons. VWD’s total operational storage capacity is 121.6 million gallons. In

2010, VWD provided an average of 13.9 MGD of potable water to residential,

commercial, light industrial,

institutional, construction, landscape

irrigation and agricultural uses.

VWD’s Twin Oaks Reservoirs #1 and #2.

Reservoir #2 can hold 40 million gallons

of water and is said to be the largest

prestressed concrete tank in the world.

Inside view of Twin Oaks Reservoir #2

during construction


VWD has 178 miles of sewer pipeline,

which is regularly maintained to

ensure reliable service.

1.2.4 Wastewater and Recycled Water Service

In 1958, an improvement district was formed to finance the construction of a wastewater

collection system. A second improvement district was formed that same year to finance

the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, which was completed in 1961. This

treatment plant, now known as the Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility (MRF), was

retrofitted in the early 1980’s with upgraded treatment technologies and a wastewater

treatment and recycled water production capacity of up to 2 MGD.

Today, VWD serves a 23-square mile sewer service area that is much smaller in size

than its water service area, as shown in Figure 1-2. This sewer service area can be

expanded to the same size as VWD’s water service area through annexation of these

additional parcels. However, because of its rural nature and land use designations, the

Northern Tributary Area, is an area that is likely to remain on septic systems and

therefore is not likely to be an area where VWD’s wastewater infrastructure will be

expanded to in the future.

VWD has over 19,000 sewer service

connections with 4 lift stations and 178

miles of pipeline. The average wastewater

flow in VWD’s service area is currently 6.8

MGD. This wastewater is conveyed to

either the Encina Water Pollution Control

Facility (EWPCF) or to MRF for treatment.

Expansion of MRF was completed in 2008,

increasing its recycled water production

capacity to 5 MGD. The Carlsbad

Municipal Water District (CMWD) and

Olivenhain Municipal Water District

(OMWD) purchase 4.5 MGD for non-

potable purposes, such as landscape

irrigation.

Although VWD produces up to 5 MGD of

recycled water at MRF and maintains the 54 million-gallon (MG) Mahr Reservoir, VWD

does not maintain a recycled water service area within its sphere of influence. All of the

recycled water produced is sold to the CMWD and the OMWD. CMWD originally

contracted for up to 2.0 MGD during peak summer months, and in 2003, increased that

amount to 3.0 MGD. As part of that agreement, VWD also provides CMWD with 32 MG

of recycled water storage in the Mahr Reservoir. Also in 2003, the OMWD contracted

for up to 1.5 MGD of recycled water and 16 MG of recycled water storage in the Mahr


Reservoir. Excess recycled water is disposed of through a failsafe pipeline that

connects to the ocean outfall at the EWPCF.

1.3 MASTER PLAN & CAPITAL

IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The Master Plan and comprehensive Capital Improvement Program (CIP) provide the

VWD with guidelines for reliable service to VWD’s customers well into the future. In

order to accomplish this, VWD’s 2008 Water, Wastewater and Recycled Water Master

Plan (2008 Master Plan) analyzes existing and future land uses, as well as current

water demands and trends. Through use of VWD’s ArcGIS/ArcINFO-based Geographic

Information System (GIS) and WaterGEMS / SewerGEMS hydraulic modeling software,

the 2008 Master Plan evaluates the capacity of the existing water and sewer systems

and specifies improvements necessary to serve existing and future customers. Phasing

of these improvements is based on regional population projections and known plans for

development within VWD’s sphere of influence.

A CIP is then developed to guide VWD in timely and cost-effective investments that

contribute to the sustainability of its infrastructure and the reliability of service to its

customers. CIP projects are prioritized according to how quickly they are needed.

Phase 1 projects represent projects that have commenced or were completed by the

end of 2010. Phase 2 (2011 – 2015) projects represent high priority projects that should

be planned or constructed over the next five years. Lower priority projects are identified

as Phase 3 through 5 projects that would be phased over the following fifteen years

(2016 – 2030).

The 2008 Master Plan identified 13 potable water pipeline projects totaling

approximately 65,480 linear feet, 8 potable water pump station projects that will

increase VWD’s pumping capacity by 17,950 gallons per minute, and 11 storage

projects that will increase VWD’s total potable water storage capacity by 39.67 MG.

The locations of these projects are shown in Figure 1-3. VWD’s total potable water CIP

costs through 2030 are estimated to be $79.8 million and breaks down as follows:

Water Pipeline CIP Total: $18,300,000

Water Pump Station CIP Total: $11,500,000

Water Storage CIP Total: $50,000,000


Section 2: Land Use & Water Demand

and use information is used to characterize existing water use patterns for different

types of land use (single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial,

industrial, etc.). The Vallecitos Water District (VWD) keeps track of the water use

patterns for each type of land use. These patterns can be expressed in terms of unit

water demands, also known as water duty factors, which represent the average daily

water demands for each type of land use. These are usually expressed in units of

gallons per day per acre (gpd/ac).

Water duty factors are combined with land use data to generate future (typically ultimate

build-out) water demand estimates. With this ultimate build-out demand information

VWD can project the potable water supply quantities that it will need to plan for. VWD

can also model its water distribution system to determine where deficiencies are likely to

occur in the future as demands increase. This eventually leads to the composition of

the comprehensive Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

This section will describe the land use coverage of VWD‟s service area, including a

breakdown of the different land use categories and their respective areas. This section

will then turn to water system planning criteria, including unit water demands and

peaking factors, and how the criteria are used to project future water demands.

L

VWD’s service area


2.1 Land Use Database

VWD‟s service area encompasses approximately 45 square miles and serves the City

of San Marcos, and parts of the cities of Carlsbad, Escondido, Vista and the County of

San Diego. Land uses within this service area are primarily residential with a mix of

agricultural/rural, light industrial and commercial. Land use data is obtained through the

San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), which serves as a regional

clearinghouse for land use information in San Diego.

Every two to five years, SANDAG produces a new forecast to incorporate updated data,

changing trends, and new policies. VWD will use two separate SANDAG forecasts in

this Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). SANDAG‟s 2008 forecast is known as

the 2030 Regional Growth Forecast Update, which is based on the current, adopted

general and community plans of the 18 cities within the region, and the most recent

(June 2006) version of the County‟s General Plan. Related to this growth forecast is

SANDAG‟s Series 11 land use data. The Series 11 data was utilized by VWD to

establish agency-approved land use, except for the areas within the County of San

Diego where SANDAG Series 11 utilized land uses that have not been formally adopted

by the County. In this case, the older 1979 County General Plan is used instead of the

2006 Draft General Plan Amendment data that was used for SANDAG Series 11.

SANDAG‟s 2010 forecast is known as the 2050 Regional Growth Forecast. Related to

this growth forecast is SANDAG‟s Series 12 residential population forecast, which was

utilized by VWD to establish population estimates for this 2010 UWMP. Two key

refinements of the 2050 Regional Growth Forecast include an economic outlook that

factors in the current recession and local jurisdictions‟ general/specific plan updates not

completed at the time of SANDAG‟s last forecast. Based on these updates, SANDAG

population projections are on average about one percent higher than the 2005 UWMP

estimates. Housing unit projections have also increased, with the additional housing

more heavily weighted toward multi-family units in the 2050 Regional Growth Forecast.

The San Diego County Water Authority‟s (SDCWA‟s) 2010 UWMP includes water use

associated with accelerated forecasted residential development in municipal and

industrial demand projections. These housing units were identified by SANDAG in the

course of its regional housing needs assessment, but are not yet included in existing

general land use plans. Because these units are not yet included in local jurisdictions‟

general plans, their projected demands are incorporated at a regional level and not

associated with specific member agencies, including VWD. The demands associated

with accelerated forecasted growth are intended to account for SANDAG‟s land-use

development currently projected to occur between 2035 and 2050, but has the potential

to occur on an accelerated schedule. SANDAG estimates that general plan


amendments, allowing this accelerated residential development, could occur within the

planning horizon of the SDCWA‟s 2010 UWMP.

2.1.1 Existing and Planned Land Uses

The existing and planned land use coverage for the study area, as presented in the

SANDAG 2030 Regional Growth Forecast Update and the most recent (June 2006)

version of the County‟s General Plan, are shown in Figures 2-1 and 2-2, respectively.

The land use data for VWD was summarized and categorized to match VWD‟s standard

land use categories. Table 2-1 presents a breakdown of the land uses categories by

acreage for both existing and planned land uses.


Table 2-1: Vallecitos Water District Land Use Acreages

Land Use Type

Acres

Existing Planned 20301

Hillside Res. (0.05-0.25 du/ac)2 Single Family Residential 1,123 6,202

Rural Res. (0.125-1.0 du/ac) Single Family Residential 2,495 4,835

Residential (1-2 du/ac) Single Family Residential 531 1,096

Residential (2-4 du/ac) Single Family Residential 856 1,471

Residential (4-8 du/ac) Single Family Residential 1,879 2,131

Residential (8-12 du/ac) Single Family Residential 512 637

Subtotal 7,397 16,371

Residential (12-15 du/ac) Multi-Family Residential 114 130



Subtotal 434 429

Commercial Commercial / Other 456 486

Office Professional Commercial / Other 66 115

Light Industrial Commercial / Other 338 367

Industrial Commercial / Other 389 465

Schools & Public Facilities Commercial / Other 321 468

Palomar College Commercial / Other 103 103

San Marcos State University Commercial / Other 66 113

Other Commercial / Other 524 407

Subtotal 2,262 2,525

Agriculture (0.125-0.5 du/ac) Outdoor Uses 2,732 775

Parks / Golf Courses Outdoor Uses 3,605 3,041

Subtotal 6,337 3,816

Open Space / Vacant Open Space / Vacant 9,962 3,488

Right-of-Way Right-of-Way 2,647 2,410

Water Water 76 76

Subtotal 12,685 5,974

Total 29,115 29,115 1 Based on land use data within VWD‟s sphere of influence study area boundary

2 du/ac = Dwelling units per acre

Source: VWD 2008 Water, Wastewater, and Recycled Water Master Plan

5/05/2011 KC SD Z:\Projects\IS\VallecitosWaterDistrict\2010 UWMP\mxd\20411_Existing Land Use_F2-1.mxd

EXISTING LAND USEFIGURE 2-1

Ü

Legend


RESIDENTIAL

Spaced Rural Residential

Single Family Detached

Single Family Attached

Mobile Homes

Multiple Family

COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE

Shopping Centers

Commercial and Office

INDUSTRIAL

Heavy Industry

Light Industry

Extractive Industry

PUBLIC FACILITIES AND UTILITIES

Transportation, Communications, and Utilities

Education

Institutions

Military

PARKS AND RECREATION

Recreation

Open Space Parks

AGRICULTURE

Intensive Agriculture

Extensive Agriculture

UNDEVELOPED

Undeveloped

Water

!"a$

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San Marcos

San DiegoCounty

San DiegoCounty

San DiegoCounty

Oceanside

Vista

Carlsbad

Encinitas

Escondido

San DiegoCounty

San Marcos Blvd

Mission Rd Tw

in O

aks V

all e

y R

d

Buena Creek Rd

Ran

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Deer Springs Rd

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5/05/2011 KC SD Z:\Projects\IS\VallecitosWaterDistrict\2010 UWMP\mxd\20411_2030 Land Use_F2-2.mxd

FUTURE LAND USEFIGURE 2-2

Ü

Legend

LAFCO Sphere of Influence

RESIDENTIAL

Spaced Rural Residential

Single Family Detached

Single Family Attached

Mobile Homes

Multiple Family

COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE

Shopping Centers

Commercial and Office

INDUSTRIAL

Heavy Industry

Light Industry

Extractive Industry

PUBLIC FACILITIES AND UTILITIES

Transportation, Communications, and Utilities

Education

Institutions

Military

PARKS AND RECREATION

Recreation

Open Space Parks

AGRICULTURE

Intensive Agriculture

Extensive Agriculture

UNDEVELOPED

Undeveloped

Water

!"a$

A©

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San Marcos

San DiegoCounty

San DiegoCounty

San DiegoCounty

Oceanside

Vista

Carlsbad

Encinitas

Escondido

San DiegoCounty

San Marcos Blvd

Mission Rd Tw

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aks V

all e

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Buena Creek Rd

Ran

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2.1.2 Population Forecast

The SANDAG Series 12 forecasted residential population growth for VWD‟s sphere of

influence, as defined by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). These

figures were adjusted according to the results of the 2010 Census for the VWD water

service area. The resulting population forecast is shown in Table 2-2. The data

indicates that the population within the study area will increase by 27.7 percent from

2010 to 2035, at an average rate of 1.1 percent per year.

Table 2-2: SANDAG Series 12 Growth Forecast for VWD Study Area

2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

VWD Water Service Area Population

87,728 96,123 98,001 105,428 109,751 112,007

2.2 Water Duty Factors

2.2.1 Unit Water System Demands

The unit water demands represent the average daily water demands on a per acre

basis for various approved land use categories within VWD. These unit water demands

were created using several sources:

VWD water meter records

Comparisons between VWD water meter records and wastewater flow records

Comparisons to unit water demands utilized in previous VWD master plans

Comparisons to other water service agencies‟ duty factors

Calculating Water Demands for Standard Land Uses

Water unit demands were developed on a per acreage basis based on a detailed

evaluation of actual water use for VWD‟s different land uses. Current demand data was

also compared to previous planning study data, and local agency standards. Table 2-3

presents the VWD 2008 Water, Wastewater and Recycled Water (2008 Master Plan)

unit demand factors and the factors used in the previous planning studies. The

calculation is expressed as:


California State University – San Marcos

(Acres of Base Land Use) x (2008 Unit Demand, Table 2-3) = Gallons per Day (gpd)

Calculating Generation Rates for Mixed Land Uses

Mixed use developments typically blend commercial or office land uses with stacked,

high density residential units. For water use estimation, the uses are additive.

Therefore the calculation adds the base land use totals to the residential totals. For the

residential element, a unit demand rate of 200 gallons per day per unit shall be used.

This demand rate is consistent with the high-density residential land use average duty

factor, on a per unit basis, as measured from VWD‟s water demand data. VWD, at its

discretion, may require higher residential unit rates if deemed appropriate. The

calculation is expressed as:

(Acres of Base Land Use) x (2008 Unit Rate, Table 2-3) + (200 gpd/unit) X (# Units)] = gpd

Calculating Water Demands for Schools and Hotels

Water demands at schools,

including Palomar College and

California State University – San

Marcos, shall initially be

calculated based on the area-

based duty factor given in Table

2-3. These demands shall be

compared to water demands

based on student capacity at a

demand factor of 5 gpd/student.

If the water demand based on

student count is higher

compared to the area-based

demand, VWD may utilize the higher demand figure.

The water demand for hotels and motels with commercial space will be based on the

commercial area-based demand factor for the hotel‟s/motel‟s parcel area, plus 125

gpd/room. This figure is consistent with the hotel/motel demand factor utilized by other

local water purveyors within the County. Without commercial space, only the 125

gpd/room demand factor applies.


Table 2-3: Unit Water Demands

Land Use Category 1991 Master Plan (gpd/ac)

1997 Master Plan (gpd/ac)



Hillside Res. (0.05-0.25 du/ac) 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000

Rural Res. (0.125-1.0 du/ac) 1,000 1,000 600 600

Residential (1-2 du/ac) 1,500 1,300 1,200 1,200








Residential (30-40 du/ac) - - - 7,000

Residential (40-50 du/ac) - - - 9,000

Intensive Ag./Res. (0.125-0.5 du/ac) 2,000 2,000 600 1,400

Agriculture/Res. (0.125-0.5 du/ac) 1,000 1,000 700 800

Commercial 1,250 1,200 1,700 1,500

Hotel / Motel - - - 125 gpd/room

Office Professional 1,500 1,500 2,000 1,500

Light Industrial 1,500 1,500 1,800 1,800

Industrial 2,000 2,000 1,000 1,000

Schools & Public Facilities 1,250 1,300 1,400 1,400

Palomar College 2,250 2,300 2,300 1,200

San Marcos State University - 2,300 2,300 1,200

Parks/Golf Courses 1,250 1,300 1,700 1,700

Solid Waste Management 0 0 0 -

Open Space 0 200 200 200

Right-of-Way 0 0 200 200

du/ac = dwelling units per acre

gpd/ac = gallons per day per acre



2.2.2 Water System Peaking Factors

Water demands vary throughout the day and throughout the year, being greatest during

the warmer summer months and smallest during the cooler winter months. This

phenomenon is known as “peaking”. The amount of “peaking” is greatly dependent on

the size of the study area (“peaking” amounts become smaller as study areas increase

in size) and the local climate (“peaking” is usually greater inland where temperatures

are higher in summer months). For a system having a size and local climate such as

VWD‟s, the water demand during a hot summer day is approximately 1.9 times greater

than an average day‟s demand. Therefore, VWD‟s district-wide “peaking factor” in this

case is 1.9.

Figure 2-3 displays the peaking factor curves for both maximum day (i.e. the demand

multiplier during a hot summer day vs. an average day) and peak hour (i.e. the demand

multiplier for the highest water usage hour of the year vs. the average day demand)

conditions. For a system of similar size as VWD‟s (a demand of 13.9 MGD), the

maximum day peaking factor is 1.9 and the peak hour factor is 3.1. These

corresponding peaking factors obtained from these curves are multiplied by the average

water demands to determine the maximum day and peak hour demands, respectively.

To size improvements ranging in size from district-wide transmission infrastructure to

individual development projects, VWD uses Figure 2-3 to determine the appropriate

peaking factors. This figure gives the maximum day and peak hour demand curves

utilized in the 2008 Master Plan. The peaking factors used for VWD‟s overall service

area are lower than what would be appropriate for smaller study areas, such as specific

development plans, or an individual pressure zone analysis.

10

Peakin

g F

acto

r

Water System Peaking CurvesFigure 2-3



1

0.1 1 10 100

Average Annual Demand (mgd)

Maximum Day Peak Hour


2.3 Water Demand

Past, current and projected water use in VWD is divided into seven categories:

single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial, industrial,

institutional and governmental, landscape and agriculture.

2.3.1 Past Water Use

Past water use for VWD was evaluated by examining the monthly metered water

deliveries during 2005. VWD experienced an average day demand of approximately

16.2 MGD during 2005. Table 2-4 summarizes the average demands by water meter

type and by total volume.

Table 2-4: Water Demands – Actual, 2005

Water use sectors # of accounts Average Daily

Demand1

Single-family 16,870 6,734,390

Multi-family 438 1,662,173

Commercial 725 1,455,071

Industrial 118 244,595

Institutional/Governmental 156 515,077

Landscape 687 2,743,318

Agriculture 213 1,988,895

Unaccounted/Unbilled Losses - 859,653

Total 19,207 16,202,172 1In units of gallons per day

2.3.2 Current Water Use

Current water use for VWD was evaluated by examining the monthly metered water

deliveries during the fiscal year ending in 2010. VWD experienced an average day

demand of approximately 14.6 MGD during the fiscal year ending in 2010. It should be

noted that this average day demand figure includes water consumption through

temporary meters, as well as other end delivery facilities that are typically unbilled uses

such as fire hydrant testing or system flushing. Such unbilled losses have been


between 4.5 percent and 6.5 percent of the annual volume of potable water delivered

from the SDCWA since 2002.

VWD serves a predominantly residential community, where nearly 61 percent of the

water use is single-family and multi-family residential. Table 2-5 summarizes the

demands by water meter type and by average daily demand.

Table 2-5: Water Demands – Actual, 2010

Water use sectors # of accounts Average Daily

Demand1

Single-family 18,226 7,754,267

Multi-family 429 953,140

Commercial 749 845,920

Industrial 116 175,080

Institutional/Governmental 109 403,464

Landscape 774 2,644,897

Agriculture 81 1,137,544

Unaccounted/Unbilled Losses - 643,630

Total 20,484 14,557,942 1In units of gallons per day

VWD‟s 2010 average water demand, 14.6 MGD, is substantially less than its 2005

average water demand of 16.2 MGD. In the fiscal year ending in 2007, VWD‟s service

area received an average of 19.5 MGD. However, conservation efforts due to the

drought combined with the recent economic recession have reduced water use by over

25 percent. This includes a 48 percent reduction in agricultural water usage from fiscal

year ending in 2007 to fiscal year ending in 2010.

2.3.3 Projected Water Use

Future water use projections were generated in the 2008 Master Plan through the

planning horizon year 2030. The following steps were utilized in developing the future

water demand projections:

The approved land use coverage and zoning maps were provided by the land

use agencies.


In VWD‟s Geographic Information System (GIS) database, all parcels in VWD‟s

service area were attributed with their approved land use condition and unit water

demands.

Vacant and un-served parcels were assigned likely connection points to the

existing distribution system or were determined to be best served by another

water agency through an exchange agreement.

Ultimate demand projections were then estimated by applying the appropriate

unit water demands to all parcels identified as being served by VWD, or another

agency through an exchange agreement.

2030 Demand Projections were developed by applying the SANDAG „2030

Regional Growth Forecast Update‟ coverage to these ultimate demand

projections.

Tables 2-6 and 2-7 present the projected future average water demands for VWD in 5-

year increments up to the year 2030. Projected water demands for interim years 2015,

2020, and 2025 were estimated based upon SANDAG‟s growth forecasts for VWD. The

ultimate future build-out average water demand projection for VWD is approximately

34.1 MGD.

Table 2-6: Water Deliveries – Projected, 2015 and 2020

Water use sectors

2015 2020

# of accounts

Average Daily Demand

1

# of accounts


1

Single-family 18,741 16,394,371 20,039 18,523,787

Multi-family 429 1,073,070 479 1,193,000

Commercial 742 1,021,065 790 1,196,210

Industrial 120 312,960 124 450,840

Institutional/Governmental 120 447,623 130 491,782

Landscape 744 2,614,513 714 2,584,129

Agriculture 67 1,126,398 62 1,115,252

Unaccounted/Unbilled Losses 1,210,000 1,345,000

Total 20,963 24,200,000 22,338 26,900,000 1In units of gallons per day


Table 2-7: Water Deliveries – Projected, 2025 and 2030

Water use sectors

2025 2030

# of accounts


1

# of accounts


1

Single-family 21,395 20,178,204 22,750 21,737,620

Multi-family 504 1,312,930 529 1,432,860

Commercial 810 1,371,355 830 1,546,500

Industrial 129 588,720 133 726,600

Institutional/Governmental 141 535,941 151 580,100

Landscape 683 2,553,744 653 2,523,360

Agriculture 52 1,104,106 42 1,092,960

Unaccounted/Unbilled Losses 1,455,000 1,560,000

Total 23,714 29,100,000 25,088 31,200,000 1In units of gallons per day

Low-Income Projected Demands

Table 2-8 identifies the projected water use for affordable and lower income residential

housing as identified in the housing elements of the land use agencies that have

jurisdiction within VWD‟s service area.

Table 2-8: Low-Income Projected Water Demands

Low Income Water Demands1 2015 2020 2025 2030

Total Low Income Residential 160,960 178,950 196,940 214,930

Total 160,960 178,950 196,940 214,930 1In units of gallons per day


Section 3: Senate Bill X7-7 Compliance

n November 10, 2009, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law

a comprehensive water package made up of four bills, including Senate Bill X7-7

(SB7). SB7 mandates conservation targets for all urban retail water entities supplying

potable municipal water to more than 3,000 end users or delivering more than 3,000

acre feet of potable water per year to end users. The conservation targets of 10 percent

by 2015 and 20 percent by 2020 on a gallons-per-capita-per-day (gpcd) water use basis

must be complied with in order to be eligible for state water grants and loans. Vallecitos

Water District (VWD) is not subject to agricultural-related provisions of SB7 since VWD

supplies agricultural water to less than 10,000 acres.

This section includes analysis for both VWD baselines and targets, as well as Regional

Alliance targets to meet SB7 mandates for 2015 and 2020. Section 2.55 of the

California Water Code allows agencies to form a Regional Alliance and establish a

regional target to satisfy SB7. The Regional Alliance includes three additional water

agencies, Olivenhain Municipal Water District (OMWD), San Dieguito Water District

(SDWD), and Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (Rincon MWD). A

“Cooperative Agreement to Establish and Carry Out a Regional Alliance in Accordance

with Part 2.55 of the California Water Code” is attached in Appendix H.

3.1 Baselines and Targets

In accordance with California Water Code (CWC) §10608.20(b), there are four methods

available to VWD to determine urban water use targets:

1. 80 percent of baseline per capita water usage

2. Per capita daily water use as the sum of

a. 55 gpcd plus dedicated irrigation,

b. the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance water efficiency

equivalent, and

c. Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII) use equivalent to 90 percent

of baseline CII water use by 2020

3. 95 percent of the applicable state hydrological region target as set forth in

California’s draft 20 X 2020 Water Conservation Plan

4. An approach developed by the California Department of Water Resources

(DWR)

O


VWD chose the first method (80 percent of baseline per capita water usage) and

calculated the baseline and target gpcd consistent with guidance provided by the

California DWR and California Urban Water Conservation Council in accordance with

CWC §10608.20(h)(1). The calculation, presented below in Table 3-1, results in a

baseline per capita water usage of 199.2 gpcd. Explanations of the components of the

calculation are as follows:

Fiscal Year End

CWC §10608.20(a)(1) allows water use targets to be determined on either a fiscal year

or calendar year. VWD chose to use its fiscal year,

which starts on July 1 and ends on June 30. “Fiscal

Year End” is defined as the fiscal year ending on June

30 of the stated year.

Distribution System Population

CWC §10608.20(f) requires that population data be determined using federal, state, and

local population reports and projections. VWD used data compiled and reported by the

San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) from their Series 12 projections for

fiscal years ending in 1995 through 2010.

Daily System Gross Water Use

CWC §10608.12(g) defines “daily system gross water use” as the total volume of water

entering the distribution system, excluding recycled water, wholesale water sold and

agricultural water, and the net change in water storage. VWD’s sole source of “daily

system gross water use” is imported wholesale water. Million gallons per day (MGD) of

“daily system gross water use” = total water supplied + decrease in water storage –

increase in water storage – agricultural water use.

Average Daily per Capita Water Use

The average daily per capita water use is calculated by dividing the volume of “daily

system gross water use” (in MGD) by the population, then multiplying by 1,000,000 to

convert the figure to gallons.

Average gpcd – 10-Year

Guidance provided in the California DWR’s “Methodologies for Calculating Baseline and

Compliance Urban Per Capita Water Use” (DWR Guidance) requires use of a


continuous 10-year period ended no earlier than December 31, 2004, and no later than

December 31, 2010, to calculate Baseline gpcd. Table 3-1 calculates all possible 10-

year periods over which an average can be used as the baseline. The time frame of

fiscal years ending in 1999 through 2008 yields the greatest average usage at 199.2

gpcd and is therefore selected for VWD’s baseline. Although VWD supplies a

significant amount of recycled water to neighboring agencies, no recycled water is sold

by VWD. Therefore, VWD cannot use the longer 15-year averaging period as allowed

per DWR Guidance.

Target GPCD Reductions

CWC §10608.16 mandates that VWD achieve a 20 percent reduction from baseline

usage by 2020 and an incremental reduction of 10 percent by 2015. VWD has

calculated the 2015 target (90 percent of baseline per capita water usage) at 179.3

gpcd, and the 2020 target (80 percent of baseline per capita water usage) at 159.4

gpcd. These baseline and target figures were developed individually rather than on a

regional basis.

The actual capita daily water use for the fiscal year ending in 2010 is 154.6 gpcd, which

is already below the 2020 target. The current water conservation goals have effectively

provided the reduction necessary to comply with SB7. Best management practices

delineated in Section 7 present VWD’s plan to maintain conservation to ensure that the

demands do not increase again if drought alert levels are decreased and water

awareness wanes.


Table 3-1: Base Daily per Capita Water Use – 10-Year Range

Base period year Distribution System

Population

Daily System Gross Water Use (MGD)

Average Daily per Capita Water Use

(gpcd)

Average gpcd 10-Year

Sequence Year

Fiscal Year End

Year 1 1995 50,149 8.81 175.6

Year 2 1996 51,974 10.06 193.6

Year 3 1997 53,865 10.45 193.9

Year 4 1998 55,825 9.59 171.8

Year 5 1999 57,856 10.73 185.5

Year 6 2000 59,968 12.48 208.1

Year 7 2001 60,481 12.08 199.7

Year 8 2002 64,154 13.33 207.7

Year 9 2003 67,191 13.41 199.6

Year 10 2004 70,668 14.91 211.0

Year 11 2005 75,992 14.30 188.2 195.9

Year 12 2006 79,986 15.30 191.2 195.7

Year 13 2007 82,967 17.29 208.3 197.1

Year 14 2008 85,910 16.55 192.7 199.2

Year 15 2009 86,673 15.53 179.2 198.6

Year 16 2010 87,728 13.56 154.6 193.2

Base Daily per Capita Water Use 199.2

CWC §10608.22 provides that the 2020 target reduction shall be no less than 5 percent

of the capita daily water use for a five-year period ending no earlier than December 31,

2007, and no later than December 31, 2010. Table 3-2 below is presented in

accordance with DWR Guidance and shows the target reduction to 159.3 gpcd exceeds

the reduction using the 5-year calculation.


Table 3-2: Base Daily per Capita Water Use – 5-Year Range

Base period year Distribution System

Population

Daily System Gross Water Use (MGD)

Annual Daily per Capita Water Use (gpcd)

Average GPCD – 5-

Year (gpcd) Sequence Year

Fiscal Year End

Year 1 2004 70,668 14.91 211.0

Year 2 2005 75,992 14.30 188.2

Year 3 2006 79,986 15.30 191.2

Year 4 2007 82,967 17.29 208.3

Year 5 2008 85,910 16.55 192.7 198.3

95 Percent of Base Daily per Capita Water Use 188.4

3.2 Regional Alliance Target

As set forth above, SB7 requires each urban retail water supplier to develop an urban

water use target and an interim urban water use target. Notably, SB7 authorizes urban

retail water suppliers to determine and report progress toward achieving these targets

on an individual agency basis or pursuant to a regional alliance as provided in CWC

§10608.28(a). The DWR Guidebook and the DWR Methodologies provide guidance to

urban retail water suppliers for purposes of forming and carrying out a regional alliance

in accordance with CWC §10608.28(a) and related provisions of SB7. The DWR

Guidebook and the DWR Methodologies provide that urban retail water suppliers are

eligible to form a regional alliance in accordance with CWC §10608.28(a) if the

suppliers meet at least one of several specified criteria, such as (1) the suppliers are

recipients of water from a common wholesale water supplier, or (2) the suppliers are

located within the same hydrologic region, which for purposes of a regional alliance

refers to the 10 hydrologic regions as shown in the California Water Plan.

VWD has formed a regional alliance with OMWD, SDWD, and Rincon MWD pursuant to

CWC §10608.28(a), the DWR Guidebook, and DWR Methodology 9 to cooperatively

determine and report progress toward achieving their water use targets on a regional

basis. All of these agencies are recipients of water from a common wholesale water

supplier, in this case the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), and all of the

members are located within the South Coast Hydrologic Region as shown in the

California Water Plan. Figure 3-1 illustrates the service areas of these agencies.


These agencies have entered into a cooperative agreement to establish and carry out a

regional alliance, and they have jointly notified DWR of the formation of their regional

alliance (this agreement is included in Appendix H). In accordance with the DWR

Guidebook and DWR Methodologies, the members have prepared an urban water use

target for the year 2020 and an interim urban water use target for 2015 for the region,

which is further set forth in Table 3-3 below and within each of the other member’s

individual Urban Water Management Plans (UWMPs).

Furthermore, each member of the regional alliance has developed its own urban water

use target for the year 2020 and interim urban water use target for the year 2015, along

with other supporting data and determinations, all of which is included in each member’s

individual UWMP. These individual agency targets were created using Method 1 as set

forth in CWC §10608.20(b)(1). VWD’s individual interim and urban water use targets

are set forth in Section 3.1 above. The regional alliance urban water use and interim

urban water use targets are based on the weighted average, by population, of the

agencies’ individual urban water use and interim urban water use targets.


Table 3-3: Regional Alliance per Capita Daily Water Use Targets

VWD 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

GPCD Target 179 159 159 159 159

Population Projection 96,123 98,001 105,428 109,751 112,007

20x2020 Demand Target (AF) 19,273 17,454 18,777 19,547 19,949

OMWD 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

GPCD Target 319 283 283 283 283



SDWD 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

GPCD Target 180 160 160 160 160



Rincon MWD 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

GPCD Target 239 213 213 213 213



REGIONAL ALLIANCE 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

GPCD Target 227 201 201 201 201




Figure 3-1: Regional Alliance Agencies


Section 4: Water Supply

Ince its formation in 1955, the Vallecitos Water District (VWD) has received 100

percent of its water supply from the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), of

which it is one of 24 member agencies. The SDCWA, in turn, obtains most of its water

from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which obtains its

water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in Northern California via the State

Water Project, and from the Colorado River via the Colorado River Aqueduct. VWD is

fully aware how uncertain these water supplies have become in the last few years and

has investigated opportunities to develop local resources. VWD’s 2007 Integrated

Water Resources Plan (IRP) analyzed several local water supply alternatives to

supplement its existing SDCWA water supply, including seawater desalination, recycled

water purchasing, treated water purchases from other agencies and groundwater

feasibility.

This section describes MWD and the SDCWA and their respective water supply

resources. VWD’s own potable water and recycled water distribution systems are also

discussed. And finally, this section discusses local water supply alternatives that

VWD’s IRP recommended for further study.

S

Colorado River (Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California)


4.1 Metropolitan Water District of Southern

California Supplies

4.1.1 MWD Description

MWD was formed in 1928 to develop, store, and distribute supplemental water to

Southern California for domestic and municipal use. It serves approximately 19 million

people in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego

counties. In terms of area, MWD’s service area boundary encompasses a 70-mile strip

of the Southern California coastal plain, extending from Oxnard south to the Mexican

border. Close to half of the water used in this 5,200-square-mile region is supplied by

MWD, and about 90 percent of the population receives at least some water from MWD.

VWD receives this water via the SDCWA.

Section 135 of the Metropolitan Act grants member agencies preferential rights to MWD

water. The rights are determined by each agency’s total historic payments to MWD

from property taxes, readiness-to-serve charges and other minor revenue. However,

revenue resulting from the purchase of MWD water is excluded. SDCWA has a

preferential right to purchase 17.47 percent of MWD’s water based on historic

payments, although it purchased about 21 percent of MWD’s available supply in fiscal

year 2010.

MWD’s 2010 Regional Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) presented its supply

availability at the regional level. This report stated that reliable water supplies could be

provided to the SDCWA in normal years and a single dry year. In multiple dry years,

however, the SDCWA could experience shortages.

4.1.2 MWD Supplies

MWD supplies Southern California from two sources: the 224-mile Colorado River

Aqueduct and the 444-mile California Aqueduct. In order to meet challenges such as

dry weather patterns and regulatory pumping restrictions that may limit these supplies,

MWD’s strategy also includes utilizing its various storage programs that save excess

water during wet years for dry-year use.

Colorado River aqueduct


Colorado River

MWD was originally formed to import water

from the Colorado River. During the 1930s,

MWD built the Colorado River Aqueduct,

and member agencies first received this

water in 1941. The structure, running from

Lake Havasu on the Arizona/California

border to Lake Mathews in Riverside

County, has the capacity to deliver up to

1.25 million acre-feet per year (AFY).

MWD currently receives a Colorado River

supply of 550,000 AFY of California’s

apportionment of 4.4 million AFY. Through the 2003 Quantification Settlement

Agreement and related agreements among Imperial Irrigation District, the Coachella

Valley Water District, State of California, Department of Interior, MWD, and the

SDCWA, a plan was formalized on how California will implement water transfers and

supply programs that allow California to live within the state’s 4.4 million AFY

apportionment of Colorado River water. This agreement, which is in effect for 45 years

(and up to 75 years), resolved longstanding disputes regarding Colorado River water

use among the agencies, and established a baseline water use for the Coachella Valley

Water District, Imperial Irrigation District, and MWD. This permitted the implementation

of a variety of water conservation and transfer agreements, including the SDCWA’s

transfer agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District.

MWD has relied on cooperative transfer programs and storage programs to increase its

Colorado River water deliveries beyond its basic apportionment. More information

regarding reliability issues, environmental considerations, and the Quantification

Settlement Agreement’s potential to affect VWD supplies can be found in the Water

Supply sections of MWD’s 2010 Regional UWMP and SDCWA’s 2010 UWMP.

Colorado River Aqueduct


State Water Project

The State Water Project is owned by the State of California and is operated by the

Department of Water Resources (DWR). MWD is entitled to take about 48 percent of

available State Water Project through its Long-Term State Water Project Supply

Contract. The project stretches more than 600 miles, from Lake Oroville in the north to

Lake Perris in the south. Water is stored at Lake Oroville and released when needed

into the Feather River, which flows into the Sacramento River and to the Sacramento-

San Joaquin River Delta. The Delta

is the largest estuary on the United

States’ west coast and is home to an

agricultural industry, recreation and

fishing, and provides the means by

which to deliver water from Northern

California to the south. In the south

Delta, water is diverted into the State

Water Project’s Banks Pumping

Plant, where it is lifted into the 444-

mile-long California Aqueduct. Some

of this water flows into the South Bay

Aqueduct to serve areas in Alameda

and Santa Clara counties. The remainder flows southward to cities and farms in Central

and Southern California. In the winter, when demands are lower, water is stored at the

San Luis Reservoir located south of the Delta. State Water Project facilities provide

drinking water to 23 million Californians and 755,000 acres of irrigated farmland.

In recent years, actions taken to protect the ecosystem of the Bay-Delta have placed

additional restrictions on State Water Project operations. These actions may affect

water delivery projections from the State Water Project.

Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

California Aqueduct


MWD State Water Project supply projections are based on DWR’s Draft 2009 State

Water Project Delivery Reliability Report for current and future conditions, taking into

consideration restrictions on State Water Project and Central Valley Project operations.

Under the reliability report, delivery estimates for current conditions are 7 percent under

a single dry-year condition, which is the equivalent of 134,000 AFY, and 60 percent

under long-term average conditions, which is equivalent to 1.15 million AFY. For dry

hydrologic conditions and regulatory restrictions, MWD developed additional supplies

from Central Valley storage and transfer programs.

MWD’s future projections indicate the State Water Project target for a dry year (based

on 1977 hydrology) is 522,000 AFY in 2015, 601,000 AFY in 2020 and 651,000 AFY in

2025. Projections from MWD’s 2010 Regional Urban Water Management Plan estimate

a State Water Project supply range of between 609,000 and 610,000 AFY for the 2030-

2035 period.

More information regarding reliability issues, environmental considerations, and any

other potential challenges possibly affecting the VWD supplies from the State Water

Project can be found in the Water Supply sections of MWD’s 2010 Regional Urban

Water Management Plan and SDCWA’s 2010 Urban Water Management Plan.

4.2 San Diego County Water Authority

Supplies

4.2.1 SDCWA Description

The SDCWA was established pursuant to legislation adopted by the California State

Legislature in 1943 to provide a supplemental supply of water as the region’s civilian

and military population expanded and local resources became insufficient to meet the

region’s water-supply needs. Before 1947, the San Diego region relied on local surface

water runoff in normal and wet weather years and on groundwater pumped from local

aquifers during dry years when stream flows were reduced. In 1947, water began to be

imported from the Colorado River via a single pipeline that connected to MWD’s

Colorado River Aqueduct.

Since 1950, the SDCWA became more reliant on imported water supplies from MWD to

meet the needs of its member agencies. After experiencing severe shortages from

MWD during the 1987-1992 drought, the SDCWA began aggressively pursuing actions

to diversify the region’s supply sources. These include the Water Conservation and


Transfer Agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District in 1998, the lining of the All-

American and Coachella Canals, the purchase of a water supply from the Carlsbad

Desalination Project, planning efforts for a new regional desalination project located on

Camp Pendleton, and feasibility evaluation of a bi-national seawater desalination project

in Rosarito, Mexico.

4.2.2 SDCWA Supplies

Imported water supplies are delivered to the SDCWA member agencies through a

system of large-diameter pipelines, pumping stations, and reservoirs. The pipelines that

deliver supplies from MWD are divided into two aqueduct alignments, both of which

originate at Lake Skinner in southern Riverside County and run in a north to south

direction through the SDCWA service area. MWD’s ownership of these pipelines

extends to a “delivery point” six miles into San Diego County. From there, Pipelines 1

and 2 comprise the First Aqueduct, which reaches from the delivery point to the San

Vicente Reservoir. These two pipelines share five common tunnels and operate as a

single unit to provide 180 cubic feet per second (cfs) of conveyance capacity. Pipelines

3, 4, and 5 form the Second Aqueduct. These pipelines, which are located several

miles to the west of the First Aqueduct, have delivery point capacities as follows:

Pipeline 3 provides 280 cfs; Pipeline 4 provides 470 cfs; and Pipeline 5 provides 500

cfs.

The SDCWA has also focused on developing local and alternate water supplies. In

1993, the SDCWA completed a Water Resources Plan and updated it in 1997 to

emphasize the development of local supplies and core water transfers. The SDCWA’s

2010 UWMP identified additional water supply strategies. These projects are discussed

in further detail below.

SDCWA-Imperial Irrigation District Water Conservation and Transfer Agreement

From 1998 to 2003, the SDCWA entered into a series of agreements to obtain a portion

of the Imperial Irrigation District’s allocation of Colorado River water.

On April 29, 1998, the SDCWA entered into a Water Conservation and Transfer

Agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District for the long-term transfer of

conserved Colorado River water to San Diego County.

On October 10, 2003, this agreement was amended to lessen environmental

impacts due to the water transfer and to be consistent with the terms and

conditions of the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement.


Also on October 10, 2003, SDCWA entered into a water exchange agreement

with MWD to transport this water from the Colorado River to San Diego County.

Under the agreement, MWD takes delivery of the transfer water though the

Colorado River Aqueduct. In exchange, MWD delivers to the SDCWA a like

quantity and quality of water.

The series of agreements resulted in the SDCWA initially receiving 10,000 AFY of water

from the Imperial Irrigation District in 2003, with the volume increasing annually until it

reaches 200,000 AFY in 2021. In 2010, the SDCWA received 70,000 acre-feet (AF) of

water. The initial term of the transfer agreement is 45 years, with a provision that either

agency may extend the agreement for an additional 30-year term.

More information regarding the project’s cost and financing, the Quantification

Settlement Agreement or other related contracts can be found in the Water Supply

sections of MWD’s 2010 Regional Urban Water Management Plan and SDCWA’s 2010

Urban Water Management Plan.

All-American Canal and Coachella Canal Lining Projects

As part of the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement, the SDCWA contracted for

77,700 AFY of conserved water from projects that lined portions of the All-American and

Coachella Canals. Deliveries of conserved water from the Coachella Canal reached the

region in 2007 and deliveries from the All-American Canal reached the region in 2010.

The project reduced the loss of water that

occurred through seepage, and the

conserved water is now delivered to the

SDCWA.

The Coachella Canal project constructed a

37-mile long parallel canal adjacent to the

existing Coachella Canal. The lining of the

All-American Canal project constructed a

concrete-lined canal parallel to the 24 miles

of the existing All-American Canal. The

combined conserved water from both

projects will provide the San Diego region

with an additional 8.5 million acre-feet over the 110-year life of the agreement.

The October 10, 2003 exchange agreement between the SDCWA and MWD provides

for the delivery of conserved water from the canal lining projects. SDCWA pays MWD

Coachella Canal lining project


SDCWA’s Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant

applicable wheeling rates. In the exchange agreement, MWD will deliver the canal

lining water for the entire 110-year term of the Allocation Agreement.

More information on the cost and financing, contracts and other information related to

All-American Canal and Coachella Canal Lining Projects can be found in the Water

Supply sections of MWD’s 2010 Regional Urban Water Management Plan and

SDCWA’s 2010 Urban Water Management Plan.

Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Facility

To continue to diversify its future water resource portfolio, the SDCWA identified

seawater desalination as a potential supply for meeting future demands. The SDCWA is

pursuing the purchase of water supply from the Carlsbad Desalination Facility; a fully-

permitted, private desalination project at the Encina Power Station site in the City of

Carlsbad. The project is being proposed to be constructed and fully-funded by a private

company known as Poseidon Resources Corporation.

When complete, the project will provide a highly reliable local supply of 56,000 AFY of

supply for the region, available in both normal and dry hydrologic conditions. A 54-inch

pipeline will be constructed to convey product water from the desalination plant 10.5

miles east to the SDCWA’s Second Aqueduct. The water will then

be conveyed 5 miles north to the SDCWA’s Twin

Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant facility,


where it will be blended with treated imported water and subsequently distributed into

SDCWA’s existing aqueduct system.

Under the terms and conditions of the draft agreement between the SDCWA and

Poseidon Resources Corporation, the SDCWA would purchase the entire output of

56,000 AFY from the project at a price based on the cost of production. A preliminary

September 2010 unit cost estimate was $1,600 per AF. The project is expected to be

completed and online by early 2016.

More information on cost and financing, contracts, and other information related to the

Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Facility can be found in the Section 4 of the SDCWA’s

2010 UWMP.

Other Seawater Desalination Efforts

In June 2009, the SDCWA, in collaboration with the Marine Corps Base at Camp

Pendleton, completed a feasibility study for a potential 50 to 150 MGD seawater

desalination project on Camp Pendleton. The feasibility study provided an analysis on

new facilities, environmental and permitting requirements, cost estimates, and

implementation issues.

At a special meeting in May 2009, the SDCWA Board approved funding in the amount

of $5.72 million to conduct further planning work for this project, including seawater

intake analysis, hydrogeological and marine environment studies, and studies on

product water conveyance and integration for the Camp Pendleton project. These

studies are expected to be underway by early 2011 and completed by the end of 2012.

Results from the studies will be incorporated into the SDCWA’s 2012 Regional Water

Facilities Optimization and Master Plan Update. The earliest online date of a potential

Camp Pendleton desalination project is 2020.

The SDCWA is also participating with U.S. and Mexican agencies in a bi-national review

of potential water management and water supply programs that could benefit Colorado

River water users of both countries. As part of this effort, a bi-national workgroup

formed to study potential new water supplies, recommended the evaluation and

preliminary design of an initial 25 MGD (expandable to 50 MGD) seawater desalination

plant that would be located at Rosarito Beach in Baja California, Mexico. U.S. water

agencies, including the SDCWA, MWD, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and the

Central Arizona Water Conservation District, have collaborated to fund a feasibility

evaluation and preliminary design of the plant. The SDCWA agreed to administer the

consultant selection process and serve as project manager for the project.


Currently, the Rosarito Beach Desalination Project is considered a conceptual-level

project. If built, product water from the plant would be available to both U.S. and

Mexican water users. For U.S. water users, the water could be delivered either directly

to the San Diego region, using a cross-border pipeline, or possibly by exchange, with

Mexican users taking delivery of the product water and leaving an equivalent amount of

Colorado River water available for U.S. users.

4.3 Vallecitos Water District Supplies

VWD is committed to providing a reliable and fiscally sound water supply to its

customers. VWD forecasts that continued growth in population and economic activity

within its service area will lead to increased water demands relative to current

conditions, and the need for additional water supplies to serve these demands.

4.3.1 Current Sources of Supply

VWD obtains 100 percent of its water supply from the SDCWA, of which it is one of 24

member agencies. VWD anticipates relying on the SDCWA for 100 percent of its water

supply in the foreseeable future, as shown in Table 4-1. VWD receives water from the

SDCWA through five potable water connections (turnouts) to the SDCWA aqueduct

system as shown in Figure 4-1. Table 4-2 lists the location, capacity, and the average

annual delivery to VWD for each connection.

Table 4-1: VWD Water Supply – Existing and Planned Sources of Water

Wholesale Sources Contracted

Volume (2010)1

20151 2020

1 2025

1 2030

1

San Diego County Water Authority

16,308 27,109 30,134 32,598 34,951

1In units of acre-feet per year

900Tres Amigos

1059

1608San Marcos

Mountain

North1228

North1228

North1228

1608Coggan

1235Deer Springs

1500PalosVista

1028Twin Oaks

920Richland

855

1530Coronado

Hills1115

1320

1530San Elijo

877Las Posas

622Zone

815Meadowlark

664686

1125

1275La Cienega 1380

1071

1567Wulff

*

*

’

’

’

’

’

’ ’

’

’

’

’

’

’

’

’

’

’

’

MOUNTAIN BELLE

NORTH

DEER SPRINGS #1

TWIN OAKS #1& #2

COGGAN

N TWIN OAKS #2

WULFF #1

PALOS VISTA

RICHLAND #1 & #2PALOMAR

CORONADO HILLS #1

VIA VERA CRUZ

DOUBLE PEAK

SAGE CANYON

MEADOWLARK #1 & #2 SCHOOLHOUSE

N TWIN OAKS #1

!"a$

A©

A

6/20/2011 KC SD Z:\Projects\IS\VallecitosWaterDistrict\UWMP\mxd\20411_ExistingSystem_W_Fig_4-1.mxd

San Marcos Blvd

Ran

cho

Santa

Fe

Rd

Mission Rd

Tw

in O

aks V

al le

y R

d

Buena Creek Rd


Carlsbad MWD

Olivenhain MWD

Valley Center MWD


Rainbow MWD

Deer S

prings

Rd


Ü0 1.5

Miles


EXISTING WATER SYSTEMFIGURE 4-1

Reservoir’

* Future Zone

Legend


SDCWA Flow Control Facility#



City of Escondido


Table 4-2: VWD Water Supply Connections

Connection Location

Capacity

2010 Average

Delivery to VWD

(cfs)1 (MGD)

2 (gpm)

3 (MGD)

VAL 2 First Aqueduct 12 8 200 0.3

VAL 7 Second Aqueduct, south edge of VWD 40 26 1,800 2.5

VAL 8

Second Aqueduct, off North County

Distribution Pipeline, northwest corner of

VWD

11 7 200 0.3

VAL 9 Second Aqueduct, center of VWD, south of

Twin Oaks Diversion Structure 30 19 1,400 2.0

VAL 10 Second Aqueduct, north-center of VWD,

north of Twin Oaks Diversion Structure 60 39 6,100 8.8

Total 9,700 13.9

Source: VWD 2010 Monthly Operations Report 1 cfs = cubic feet per second

2 MGD = million gallons per day

3 gpm = gallons per minute

4.3.2 Vallecitos Water District’s Water System

Today, VWD serves a 45-square mile potable water service area with a population of

approximately 87,700 people. VWD has approximately 21,500 meters that deliver over

15,500 acre-feet per year of potable water to a mix of residential, commercial, industrial,

and agricultural customers.

VWD operates and maintains 26 pressure zones to serve customers with appropriate

system pressures. The varied topography of VWD dictates a wide range of pressure

zones ranging from a 622-foot hydraulic grade to a 1608-foot hydraulic grade. Their

approximate boundaries are shown in Figure 4-1. These pressure zones are supplied

from the SDCWA connections through a network of pump stations, reservoirs, and

pressure reducing stations. Pressure zones within VWD are named by the downstream

valve setting or base elevation of the tank. The Northern Pressure Zones primarily

receive water from the VAL 8 and VAL 10 connections. The Central Pressure Zones

primarily receive water from the 1028 Twin Oaks Reservoirs via VAL 10 and two large

pressure reducing stations, and can also receive water from the VAL 9 and VAL 2

connections. The Southern Pressure Zones primarily receive water from the VAL 7

connection.


Pump Stations

VWD currently operates nine pump stations (including the Meadowlark Hydropneumatic

Pump Station), which all feed directly to storage tanks in the system. Table 4-3

summarizes the hydraulic grade line and operational capacity at each existing pump

station. The operational capacity is defined as the capacity of the pump station with the

largest pump out of service.

Table 4-3: VWD Existing Pump Station Summary


Pump Station

Hydraulic Grade (ft) Operational Capacity

From To gpm MGD

Northern Pump Stations

Deer Springs 1028 1235 1,550 2.23

North Twin Oaks 1028 1330 2,000 2.88

Wulff 1235 1567 1,000 1.44

Coggan 1028 1608 4,000 5.76

Central Pump Stations

Palos Vista 920 1500 3,375 4.86

South Lake 920 1530 2,200 3.17

Southern Pump Stations

Meadowlark Hydro 815 930 470 0.68

Schoolhouse 877 1115 2,100 3.02

Double Peak 1115 1530 1,050 1.51


Reservoirs

Reservoirs serve four critical

water storage needs: operational

storage for daily use; fire flow

storage; and both in-zone

emergency storage and storage

during aqueduct shutdowns. VWD

operates and maintains 20

potable water reservoirs, which

are listed in Table 4-4. This table

includes the size, age, and floor

elevation for each reservoir. The

total existing storage capacity for

VWD’s potable water system is

121.6 million gallons (MG).

VWD’s Double Peak Reservoir


Table 4-4: VWD Existing Reservoir Summary

Pressure Zone

Facility ID (Name)

Year

Built

Height

(ft)

Diameter

(ft)

Capacity

(MG) Elevation Name

Northern Reservoirs

900 Tres Amigos Mountain Belle 1996 24 134 2.5

1028 Twin Oaks Twin Oaks Reservoir #1 2000 38 388 33.0

Twin Oaks Reservoir #2 2007 38 432 40.0

1228 North 1228 North 1977 40 74 1.3

1235 Deer Springs Deer Spring 1961 32 55 0.6

1330 North Twin

Oaks

North Twin Oaks

Reservoir #1 1961 32 55 0.6

North Twin Oaks

Reservoir #2 2007 32 138 3.6

1567 Wulff Wulff 1961 24 26 0.1

1608 Coggan Coggan 1977 40 74 1.3

Total North 82.9

Central Reservoirs

920 Richland

Richland #1 1961 32 82 1.3

Richland #2 1981 30 200 7.0

Palomar 1989 32 120 2.7

Via Vera Cruz 1987 30 200 7.0

1500 Palos Vista Palos Vista 1991 33 143 4.0

Total Central 22.0

Southern Reservoirs

815 Meadowlark Meadowlark #1 1961 32 82 1.3

Meadowlark #2 1979 32 120 2.7

877 Las Posas Sage Canyon 2001 38 129 3.7

1115 1115 Schoolhouse 2001 32 116 2.5

1530 Coronado Hills Coronado Hills 1981 36 110 2.6

Double Peak 2006 36 135 3.9

Total South 16.6

Total 121.6



Distribution System Pipelines

VWD maintains over 323 miles of water pipelines ranging in size from 4-inches to 48-

inches in diameter. Table 4-5 includes an inventory of material types, sizes and range

of age by material. In general, the pipelines are predominantly asbestos cement pipe

(ACP) and ductile iron pipe (DIP), and the majority of VWD’s system has been installed

since the 1960s and thus should have many years of remaining functionality based on

the expected useful life of the pipe materials.

Table 4-5: VWD Water Distribution Pipeline Inventory

Pipe

Type

Lineal Diameter Pipe Length by Decade

Feet Min Max Unknown 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

ACP 937,084 4 30 44 118,082 151,781 190,154 232,625 241,487 2,913

DIP 500,546 4 48 18,540 0 58 0 43 23,701 458,204

Steel,

Cement

Mortar

Lined and

Coated

380,841 4 48 0 32,804 59,675 49,615 62,752 119,450 56,545

Steel,

Cement

spiral-

wrapped

6,306 8 14 0 6,153 0 0 0 0 154

Total 1,824,778 -- -- 18,584 157,039 211,514 239,769 295,420 384,638 517,815


Interagency Service Agreements

VWD provides potable water to the Olivenhain Municipal Water District (OMWD) and

the Carlsbad Municipal Water District (CMWD) from its SDCWA connection at VAL 7.

This service is provided through an interagency service agreement entitled,

“Construction of a Water Transmission and Storage System – Questhaven Pipeline”,

dated July 1, 1978 and its supplement dated September 1979, in which VWD is

designated as the lead agency. The locations of these interconnections are numbered

1 and 4, as shown on Figure 4-2.

By agreement, the OMWD capacity is limited to 6.47 MGD and the CMWD connection

capacity is limited to 8.61 MGD.


Emergency Connections

VWD has a total of 15 inter-agency service connections to neighboring water districts,

including the interagency service connections to OMWD and CMWD as previously

discussed. The remaining 13 are available to VWD only under emergency conditions.

VWD has emergency connections with the CMWD (1), Vista Irrigation District (8), the

City of Escondido (1), Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (1), Rainbow Water

District (1), and OMWD (1), as shown on Figure 4-2. These connections, listed below in

Table 4-6, are limited in their ability to deliver flows, and would be used for short term

outages within VWD or the neighboring agency.

Table 4-6: Emergency Interagency Connections

Reference

& Location

(see

Figure 4-2) Name

Size

(in)

Service to

Pressure

Zone

Approx.

Flow Rate

(gpm) System

Connecting

Agency

2 Melrose/Carlsbad Crosstie 8 VWD CMWD 815 900

3 Escondido Pump Connection 8 EWD VWD 920 1,000

5 San Elijo Hills Pump

Connection

8 OMWD VWD 877 2,000

6 Rincon del Diablo Crosstie 8 VWD Rincon 920 900

7 Rainbow Crosstie 8 VWD RMWD 900 1,800

8 Rees & El Norte VID Crosstie 8 VWD/VID VID/VWD 920 450

9 Mulberry Crosstie 6 VWD VID 920 900

10 Linda Vista/VID Crosstie

(Stone Gate PRV)

6 VWD VID 920 450

11 S. Santa Fe Crosstie 8 VWD VID 920 450

12 Capalina Crosstie 8 VWD VID 920 450

13 Ormsby Crosstie 8 VWD VID 900 450

14 Nordahl Crosstie 12 VWD VID 920 N/A

15 Knobhill/Center St Crosstie N/A VWD VID 920 N/A


ORMSBY

RAINBOW

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TRI-AGENCIES PIPELINE

SECONDAQUEDUCT

NORTH COUNTYDISTRIBUTION PIPELINE

CROSSOVER PIPELINE

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INTER-AGENCY ANDEMERGENCY SERVICE CONNECTIONS

FIGURE 4-2




4.3.3 Recycled Water

Although VWD produces up to 5 MGD of recycled water at the Meadowlark Water

Reclamation Facility (MRF) and maintains the 54 million-gallon (MG) Mahr Reservoir,

VWD does not maintain a recycled water service area within its sphere of influence. All

of the recycled water produced at MRF is sold to the CMWD and the OMWD. CMWD

originally contracted for up to 2.0 MGD during peak summer months, and in 2003,

increased that amount to 3.0 MGD. As part of that agreement, VWD also provides

CMWD with 32 MG of recycled water storage in the Mahr Reservoir. Also in 2003, the

OMWD contracted for up to 1.5 MGD of recycled water and 16 MG of recycled water

storage in the Mahr Reservoir. Excess recycled water produced at MRF is disposed of

through a failsafe pipeline that connects to the ocean outfall at the Encina Water

Pollution Control Facility (EWPCF).

4.3.4 Supply Alternatives

VWD’s IRP identified several water supply alternatives. This section details those

improvements that the IRP recommended for further study, including:

1. Seawater Desalination

2. Recycled Water Purchases from the City of Escondido

3. Expanded Transmission Capacity from VAL 2 Connection

4. Treated Water Purchases from the Escondido-Vista Water Treatment Plant

5. Treated Water Purchases from the Olivenhain Water Treatment Plant

6. Treated Water Purchases from the City of Oceanside’s Weese Water Treatment

Plant

Table 4-7 summarizes the water supplies that could be realized from each of these

alternatives and possible constraints. It is important to note that all of these alternatives

are considered concept-phase only and are not required to meet VWD’s demands

discussed in Section 2.


Table 4-7: Concept Future Water Supply Projects

Project Name Projected Start Date

Projected Completion

Date

Potential Project

Constraints

Normal-Year

Supply1

Single-Dry Year

Supply1

Multiple-Dry Year Supply

1

Seawater Desalination

2

11/13/09 2016

Private financing issues; Likely to be acquired by the SDCWA

7,500 7,500 7,500

Recycled Water Purchases from Escondido

Not Specified

Not Specified

Not cost-effective and low water yield

477 477 477

Expanded Capacity from VAL 2

Not Specified

Not Specified

Not likely to occur due to cost; Would not produce a new local water supply

8,000 Not

Determined Not

Determined

Water Purchases from Escondido-Vista Treatment Plant

Not Specified

Not Specified


3,500 to 8,500

Not Determined

Not Determined

Water Purchases from Olivenhain Treatment Plant

Not Specified

Not Specified


3,550 to 5,500

Not Determined

Not Determined

Water Purchases from Oceanside’s Treatment Plant

Not Specified

Not Specified


325 to 9,800

Not Determined

Not Determined

1In units of acre-feet per year

2Also being considered for acquisition by the SDCWA (see page 4-8)

Seawater Desalination

VWD has signed a water purchase agreement with Poseidon Resources Corporation to

obtain up to 7,500 AFY of treated water from the proposed Carlsbad Seawater

Desalination Facility, and may be interested in increasing this amount if possible. At

7,500 AFY, desalinated water would make up approximately 35 percent of VWD’s

supply at current demand levels. VWD anticipates receiving delivery of this supply at its

existing VAL 9 connection, as shown in Figure 4-3.

The purchase price for the desalinated water would be set at or below the purchase

price of treated water from the SDCWA. As a new local water supply independent of

the imported water delivery system, seawater desalination would provide a highly

reliable addition to VWD’s supply portfolio. This supply would be available during

droughts, during an emergency event that may lead to the failure of the SDCWA


Carlsbad State Beach -

Located adjacent to the proposed

Carlsbad Seawater Desalination Facility

aqueduct pipelines, or during other prolonged reductions in imported water deliveries.

This would increase VWD’s supply reliability during drought and emergency conditions.

As stated in Section 4.2.2, the

SDCWA is considering purchase of

the entire 56,000 AFY desalinated

water supply from the Carlsbad

Seawater Desalination Facility.

VWD has requested a direct

connection to the desalinated water

distribution main next to its VAL 9

turnout if this were to occur. This

could allow VWD to take water from

the desalination plant directly as an

alternative water supply. Seawater

desalination offers the advantage of

being a highly reliable supply and

immune from the effects of

prolonged drought and SDCWA

aqueduct shutdowns.

VAL 9

VAL 2

VAL 10

VAL 8

#VAL 7


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Olivenhain MWD

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Rainbow MWD

Deer Sprin

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City ofEscondido

QuesthavenMWD

Ü0 1.5

Miles

CARLSBADSEAWATER DESALINATED

WATER CONVEYANCEFIGURE 4-3

Legend

VWD Service Area


Desal Conveyance Pipeline

SDCWA Supply Pipeline

Flow Control Facility#




Recycled Water Purchases from the City of Escondido

To offset potable water use, VWD could potentially purchase recycled water from the

City of Escondido’s Hale Avenue Resource Recovery Facility (HARRF), an 18.0-MGD

treatment facility located in the southwest section of Escondido, and construct facilities

to deliver this water to customers within the VWD service area. HARRF currently

produces 4.0 MGD of tertiary treated recycled water for landscape and industrial use.

There are sufficient potential uses and customers within Escondido and the Rincon del

Diablo Municipal Water District service areas for the recycled water.

Escondido’s 2005 Urban Water Management Plan states: “The City’s inland location

and accessibility to both agriculture and urban users provides an excellent opportunity

to expand recycled water deliveries to customers adjacent to Escondido as well as

downstream.” Escondido plans to expand the plant incrementally to increase

production as customer demand increases in future years and is currently conducting a

pilot study to improve the dissolved mineral quality of the recycled water.

Escondido’s recycled water distribution system extends from a 16-inch pipeline in North

Broadway, to a 12-inch pipeline in Country Club Lane. The 12-inch line extends west

under Interstate 15 to just north of El Norte Parkway, and to the VWD boundary.

Pumping and additional storage may be required to distribute the recycled water within

the VWD service area, depending on the location of the customers and volume of

recycled water served. Figure 4-4 illustrates possible routes for extending recycled

water service to portions of VWD’s service area. Several parks and schools could be

served by extending the recycled water system along Borden Road and south on

Woodland Parkway. Approximately 500 AFY of recycled water demand was identified.

Recycled water purchases from Escondido offer the advantage of being a highly reliable

supply and immune from the effects of prolonged drought and SDCWA aqueduct

shutdowns.

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0 1,500FeetSCALE IN FEET

ÜESCONDIDO RECYCLED WATERCONVEYANCE ALTERNATIVES

FIGURE 4-4

Vallecitos Water District2010 Urban Water Management Plan


Expanded Transmission Capacity from VAL 2 Connection

Under this alternative, VWD would expand its transmission capacity from its VAL 2

connection, which is its lone connection to the SDCWA First Aqueduct. This project

would not provide new supply to VWD, but could help improve operational flexibility and

reliability during SDCWA Second Aqueduct service outages.

The existing transmission pipeline has a diameter of 18-inches and extends

approximately 12,500 feet from the VAL 2 connection in the City of Escondido to the

eastern portion of VWD’s 920 Zone. The pipeline diameter and hydraulic conditions

result in a delivery capacity to the 920 Zone of approximately 10 to 11 cfs (4,500 to

5,000 gpm). The facility is shown in Figure 4-5.

Replacing the 18-inch diameter pipeline with a new 24-inch diameter pipeline would

double the transmission capacity to approximately 22 cfs (10,000 gpm). The current

VAL 2 connection, rated at 12 cfs (5,500 gpm), would need to be expanded to 22 cfs

(10,000 gpm) to match the delivery capacity of the new 24-inch transmission pipeline.

Absorbing this much flow into the 920 Zone would likely require VWD to construct a

pumping station facility to transfer water from the 920 Zone to the 1028 Zone. The

combination of the expanded transmission capacity from the SDCWA First Aqueduct

and the ability to move water out of the 920 Zone into the 1028 Zone would allow VWD

to operate independent of the SDCWA Second Aqueduct for days or weeks at a time,

depending on seasonal demand conditions.

VAL 9

VAL 2

VAL 10

VAL 8

#VAL 7


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Olivenhain MWD

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QuesthavenMWD

Ü0 1.5

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VAL 2 TRANSMISSIONPIPELINEFIGURE 4-5

Legend

VWD Service Area


SDCWA Supply Pipeline

VAL2 Transmission Pipeline

Flow Control Facility#




Treated Water Purchases from the Escondido-Vista Water Treatment Plant

Under this alternative, VWD would arrange to purchase treated water from the

Escondido-Vista Water Treatment Plant (WTP), for delivery to VWD via the Vista Flume.

These facilities are owned and operated by the City of Escondido and the Vista

Irrigation District. Within this alternative are scenarios relative to whether VWD obtains

capacity rights in the treatment and delivery facilities, as described below:

Surplus Purchases without Capacity Rights: The simplest scenario would be

where VWD does not purchase capacity rights in either the Escondido-Vista

WTP or the Vista Flume, but merely purchases surplus flows of treated water as

may be available. VWD would construct permanent facilities to allow for delivery

from the Vista Flume into its 920 Zone. Pumping may be required. This scenario

would be of limited reliability benefit to VWD, in that absent capacity rights it

could not count on water being available when needed, such as during an

aqueduct shutdown. This scenario might be considered simply on the merits of

its costs in comparison to VWD’s treated water purchases from the SDCWA.

Purchases with Capacity Rights in the Vista Flume or in both the Vista

Flume and the Escondido-Vista WTP: The other scenario would be where

VWD worked with the Vista Irrigation District or with both the Vista Irrigation

District and the City of Escondido to obtain capacity rights in the Vista Flume or

in both the Vista Flume and the Escondido-Vista WTP. This would provide VWD

with the assurance of a reliable supply as long as raw imported water remained

available to the Escondido-Vista WTP.

A logical third variation would be where VWD also obtained capacity rights to the City of

Escondido and Vista Irrigation District’s raw water storage at Lake Henshaw, Lake

Wolford, and Lake Dixon, and possibly to their associated water rights for diversion,

storage, and use of local waters of the San Luis Rey River. These water rights and

storage reservoirs provide their owners with the additional reliability benefit of being

available to deliver water to the Escondido-Vista WTP even during a total interruption of

imported water deliveries from the SDCWA. However, the City of Escondido and Vista

Irrigation District have advised VWD that they are not interested in considering making

these rights available to entities outside their service areas.

This alternative would not provide a new local water supply, but would provide for an

increment of treated water supply independent of the SDCWA’s treated water

aqueducts.


Treated Water Purchases from the Olivenhain Water Treatment Plant

Under this alternative, VWD would arrange to purchase treated water from the

Olivenhain WTP for delivery via the existing Vallecitos-Carlsbad-Olivenhain Tri-

Agencies Pipeline. This capacity could help improve operational flexibility and reliability

during SDCWA First and Second Aqueduct service outages. The Olivenhain WTP is

owned and operated by the OMWD. Within this alternative are two scenarios relative to

whether VWD obtains capacity rights in the treatment plant, as described below:

Surplus Purchases without Capacity Rights: The simplest variation would be

where VWD does not purchase capacity rights in the Olivenhain WTP, but merely

purchases surplus flows of treated water as may be available. This variation

would be of limited reliability benefit to VWD in that absent capacity rights, it

could not count on water being available when needed, such as during an

aqueduct shutdown. This project variation might be considered simply on the

merits of its costs in comparison to VWD’s treated water purchases from the

SDCWA.

Purchases with Capacity Rights in the Olivenhain WTP: This variation would

be where VWD worked with OMWD to obtain capacity rights in the Olivenhain

WTP. This would provide VWD with the assurance of reliable supply as long as

raw imported water remained available to the Olivenhain WTP.



aqueducts.

Treated Water Purchases from the City of Oceanside’s Weese Water Treatment Plant

Under this alternative, VWD would arrange to purchase treated water from the City of

Oceanside’s Weese WTP, for delivery via VWD’s existing VAL 8 connection on the

North County Distribution Pipeline. Within this alternative are two scenarios relative to

whether VWD obtains capacity rights in the treatment plant.

Surplus Purchases without Capacity Rights: The simplest variation would be

where VWD does not purchase capacity rights in the Weese WTP, but merely

purchases surplus flows of treated water as may be available. Existing

interconnect facilities allow for a maximum delivery at VWD’s VAL 8 connection

of up to 11 cfs (5,000 gpm), but in practice deliveries are limited to the

approximately 0.3 MGD (200 gpm) average daily demand of the 900 Zone. VWD


would need to construct a pump station to allow additional deliveries at the VAL 8

connection. This variation would be of limited reliability benefit to VWD, in that

absent capacity rights in the Weese WTP it could not count on water being

available when needed, such as during an aqueduct shutdown. This project

variation might be considered simply on the merits of its costs in comparison to

VWD’s treated water purchases from the SDCWA.

Purchases with Capacity Rights in Weese WTP: The next variation would be

where VWD worked with the City of Oceanside to obtain capacity rights in the

Weese WTP. This would provide VWD with the assurance of reliable supply as

long as raw imported water remained available to the Weese WTP.



aqueducts.

4.3.5 Groundwater Feasibility

Historically, local groundwater supplies have not been used by VWD due to

questionable quantity and relatively poor quality. In 1996, a draft groundwater feasibility

analysis was performed for VWD to determine the quantity and quality of groundwater

potentially available for use as a local groundwater supply source.

The draft groundwater feasibility analysis determined that the volume of water stored in

the fractured bedrock aquifer beneath the VWD service area likely ranges between

97,000 and 389,000 acre-feet. The estimated volume of water stored in the combined

alluvium and residuum units likely ranges between 9,700 and 38,600 acre-feet.

Groundwater yields for wells would likely be small, averaging about 114 gallons per

minute.

Groundwater quality in the aquifer is characterized by moderately high levels of total

dissolved solids and occurrences of relatively high concentrations of bicarbonate,

sodium, chloride and nitrate. The groundwater would require treatment prior to

introduction into VWD’s potable water distribution system.

The draft groundwater feasibility analysis concluded that the storage capacity of the

alluvium and residuum is too small to be considered as a long-term source, although the

fractured bedrock aquifer may be considered further as a possible source. However,

the expected yields from wells in the VWD service area, combined with the water quality

issues that would need to be resolved, would not be likely to produce groundwater at an


economically viable rate even in the short-term. Therefore, groundwater is not a

planned source of water available to VWD.


Section 5: Water Quality

he California Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act) requires that

the 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) include information,

to the extent practicable, on the quality of existing supply sources and the

manner in which water quality affects water supply reliability. It is the

responsibility of the Vallecitos Water District (VWD) is to protect the water

quality of the water entering its distribution system to report water quality

information to its customers and the regulatory agencies.

The potable water received by VWD from the San Diego County Water Authority

(SDCWA) is a blend from the Colorado River delivered via the Colorado River

Aqueduct, and from the Northern California’s Bay-Delta via the State Water Project.

This water is treated to meet stringent state and federal drinking water standards prior

to entering VWD’s distribution system. However, source water of degraded quality will

make it increasingly expensive and difficult to meet these standards.

This section summarizes water quality issues associated with supplies serving the San

Diego region. Information on Colorado River Aqueduct and the State Water Project

supplies came in part from Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s (MWD’s)

2010 Regional UWMP.

5.1 Colorado River

The Colorado River is one of the two primary sources of VWD’s imported water supply.

High salinity levels, uranium, and perchlorate contamination represent the primary areas

of concern with the quality of Colorado River supplies. Managing the watershed of the

Colorado River has been the most effective method for controlling these elements of

concern.

5.1.1 Salinity

The salts in the Colorado River System are indigenous and pervasive, mostly resulting

from saline sediments in the basin that were deposited in prehistoric marine

environments. They are easily eroded, dissolved, and transported into the river system.

Agricultural development and water diversions over the past 50 years increase the

already high naturally occurring levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

T


The Colorado River Aqueduct

Water imported via the Colorado River

Aqueduct has a TDS averaging around 650

milligrams per liter (mg/l) during normal water

years. During the high water flows of 1983–

1986, salinity levels in the Colorado River

Aqueduct dropped to a historic low of 525 mg/l.

However, during the 1987–1990 drought,

higher salinity levels returned. During an

extreme drought, Colorado River Aqueduct

supplies could exceed 900 mg/l. High TDS in

water supplies leads to high TDS in

wastewater, which lowers the usefulness of

the water and increases the cost of recycled water. In addition to the link between

water supply and water quality, high levels of TDS in water supplies can damage water

delivery systems and home appliances.

To reduce the effects of high TDS levels on water supply reliability, MWD approved a

highly successful Salinity Management Policy in April 1999. One of the policy goals is

to blend Colorado River supplies with lower-salinity water from the State Water Project

to achieve delivered water salinity levels of less than 500 mg/l of TDS. In addition to

fostering interstate cooperation on this issue, the seven Colorado River basin states

formed the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (Forum). To lower TDS levels

in Colorado River supplies, the Forum develops programs designed to prevent a portion

of the abundant salt supply from moving into the river system. The Colorado River

Basin Salinity Control Program targets the interception and control of non-point sources,

such as surface runoff, as well as wastewater and saline hot springs.

5.1.2 Perchlorate

Perchlorate is used as the main component in solid rocket propellant, and it can also be

found in some types of munitions and fireworks. Perchlorate and other perchlorate salts

are readily soluble in water, dissociating into the perchlorate ion, which does not readily

interact with the soil matrix or degrade in the environment. The primary human health

concern related to perchlorate is its effects on the thyroid. Perchlorate has been

detected at low levels in MWD’s Colorado River Aqueduct water supply.

Because of the growing concerns over perchlorate levels in drinking water, MWD

adopted a Perchlorate Action Plan in 2002. As of December 2004, the amount of


perchlorate entering the Colorado River system has been reduced from approximately

1,000 pounds per day (lbs/day) to less than 90 lbs/day.

5.1.3 Uranium

Naturally occurring uranium has always been present in Colorado River water and has

always been under the California Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 20 picocuries

per liter. The risks to water quality have primarily come from upstream mining in Moab,

Utah and other potential mining sites in the west. Currently the U.S. Department of

Energy is working to remove and dispose of mine tailings and improve groundwater

quality on the Colorado River Watershed near Moab. The expected completion of this

cleanup is between 2019 and 2025. Current levels are below MCL and can be treated

by regional water treatment plants.

5.1.4 Nutrients

The Colorado River system has historically been low in nutrients, but nutrients are still a

concern with population growth in the watershed. MWD is involved with upstream

entities along the lower Colorado River to enhance wastewater management to control

nutrient loading, especially phosphorus. The Colorado River’s low nutrient level has

been important for blending with State Water Project water to reduce the nutrient level

delivered to retail agencies.

5.1.5 Arsenic

Arsenic is another naturally occurring element that is being monitored by drinking water

agencies. The state detection level for purposes of reporting is 2 micrograms per liter

(μg/l), and the MCL for domestic water supplies is 10 μg/l. Between 2001 and 2008,

arsenic levels in Colorado River water have ranged from “not detected” to 3.5 μg/l.

Increasing coagulant doses at water treatment plants reduces arsenic levels for retail

deliveries.


5.2 The State Water Project

The quality of State Water Project water

as a drinking water source is affected

by a number of factors, most notably

seawater intrusion and agricultural

drainage from peat soil islands in the

Bay-Delta. State Water Project water

contains relatively high levels of

bromide and total organic carbon, two

elements that are of particular concern

to drinking water agencies. Bromide

and total organic carbon combine with

chemicals used in the water treatment

process to form disinfection byproducts

(DBPs) that are regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

Wastewater discharges from cities and towns surrounding the Bay-Delta also add salts

and pathogens to water, and they influence its suitability for drinking and recycling.

Actions to protect the Bay-Delta fisheries have exacerbated existing water quality

problems by forcing the State Water Project to shift its diversions from the springtime to

the fall, when salinity and bromide levels are higher. Closure of the Delta Cross-

Channel gates to protect migrating fish has also degraded State Water Project water

quality by reducing the flow of higher quality Sacramento River water to the State Water

Project pumps at critical times.

5.2.1 Total Organic Carbon and Bromide

Total organic carbon and bromide are naturally occurring but are elevated due to

agricultural drainage and seawater intrusion as water moves through the delta. The

concern with both total organic carbon and bromide is that they form DBPs when

treated with disinfectants such as chlorine. Some DBPs have been identified and are

regulated under SDWA; there are others that are not yet identified. The potential

adverse health effects may not be fully understood, but associations with certain

cancers, reproductive and developmental effects are of significant concern. Water

agencies began complying with new regulations to protect against the risk of DBP

exposure in January 2002 under the DBP rule Stage 1. The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated the Stage 2 DBP rule in January 2006, which has

made compliance more challenging. CALFED’s Bay-Delta Program calls for a wide

The California Aqueduct


array of actions to improve Bay-Delta water quality and to control these elements of

concern in the drinking water supply.

5.2.2 Nutrients

State Water Project supplies have significantly higher nutrient levels over the Colorado

River supplies. Elevated levels of nutrients can increase nuisance algal and aquatic

weed growth, which in turn affects taste and odor in product water and can reduce filter

run times at water treatment plants. Nutrient rich soils in the Delta, agricultural drainage,

and wastewater discharges are primary sources of nutrient loading to the State Water

Project. Water agencies receiving State Water Project water have been engaged in

efforts to minimize the effects of nutrient loading from upstream wastewater plants.

Taste and odor complaints due to Delta nutrients are dependent on the blend of

imported water delivered through MWD. MWD has developed a program to provide

early warning of algae-related problems, taste, and odor events to best manage water

quality in the system.

5.2.3 Salinity

Water supplies from the State Water Project have significantly lower TDS levels than

the Colorado River, averaging 250 mg/l in water supplied through the East Branch and

325 mg/l on the West Branch. Because of this lower salinity, MWD blends State Water

Project water with high salinity Colorado River Aqueduct water to reduce the salinity

levels of delivered water. However, both the volume and the TDS levels of State Water

Project water can vary significantly in response to hydrologic conditions in the

Sacramento–San Joaquin watersheds.

The TDS levels of State Water Project water can also vary widely over short periods of

time. These variations reflect seasonal and tidal flow patterns, and they pose an

additional problem to blending as a management tool to lower the higher TDS from the

Colorado River Aqueduct supply. For example, in the 1977 drought, the salinity of State

Water Project water reaching MWD increased to 430 mg/l, and supplies became limited.

During this same event, the salinity of the Colorado River Aqueduct water exceeded

700 mg/l. Under similar circumstances, MWD’s 500 mg/l salinity goal could only be

achieved by reducing imported water from the Colorado River Aqueduct. Thus, it may

not be possible to maintain both salinity standards and water supply reliability unless

salinity levels of source supplies can be reduced.


The CALFED Bay-Delta Program’s Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental

Impact Report, Technical Appendix, July 2000 Water Quality Program Plan, identified

salinity targets that are consistent with TDS objectives in Article 19 of the State Water

Project Water Service Contract. These include a ten-year average of 220 mg/l and a

maximum monthly average of 440 mg/l. These objectives were set in the 1960s when

MWD expected to obtain a greater proportion of its total supplies from the State Water

Project. Because of reductions in expected State Water Project deliveries, MWD’s

Board believes that this standard is no longer appropriate, so it has adopted a

statement of needs from the Bay-Delta. Under the drinking water quality and salinity

targets element, the Board states its need “to meet Metropolitan’s 500 mg/l salinity-by

blending objective in a cost-effective manner while minimizing resource losses and

ensuring the viability of recycling and groundwater management programs.”

5.2.4 Arsenic

Between 2001 and 2008, arsenic levels in State Water Project water have ranged from

“not detected” to 4.0 μg/l. Increasing coagulant doses at water treatment plants can

reduce arsenic levels for retail deliveries. Groundwater storage programs in the State

Water Project appear to provide the greatest risk of arsenic contamination; therefore, a

pilot arsenic treatment facility has been installed to evaluate effective removal of arsenic

at the storage site.


Section 6: Water Supply Reliability nder the California Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act), all Urban Water

Management Plans (UWMPs) must include an assessment of the reliability of their

water supplies. The water supply and demand assessment must compare the total

projected water use with the projected water supply, in 5-year increments, through the

next 20 years. This section presents a comparison of the water demands and supplies

within the Vallecitos Water District’s (VWD’s) service area, and assesses supply versus

demand during normal years, single dry water years, and multiple dry water years.

VWD imports 100 percent of its potable water supply from the San Diego County Water

Authority (SDCWA). Though VWD is guided by its 2008 Water, Wastewater and

Recycled Water Master Plan (2008 Master Plan) to assure future reliable water

supplies, it is dependent on the water supply abilities of its wholesaler, the SDCWA.

According to the SDCWA’s 2010 UWMP, the SDCWA anticipates meeting all future

demands of its member agencies in normal and single dry-year scenarios. However,

some level of shortage could potentially be experienced during the multiple dry-year

scenarios. Strategies to address these deficiencies, including SDCWA’s Carryover

Storage Program and Dry-Year Transfer Program, are discussed in Section 9.

6.1 Normal Water Year Assessment

Table 6-1 shows the normal year assessment comparing the 2008 Master Plan

projected water demands for VWD through the year 2030 with the target demands

necessary to meet Senate Bill X7-7 (SB7) supply objectives. Please note that VWD’s

actual capita daily water use for the fiscal year ending in 2010 is 154.6 gpcd, which is

already below the 2020 target. And although the 2008 Master Plan projects significant

increases in demand, these estimates may not reflect actual demands at those times.

U


Artist rendering of the proposed SDCWA

seawater desalination project in Carlsbad, CA

The “SB X7-7 Compliant Supply” quantities given in Table 6-1 are consistent with VWD’s

per capita daily water use targets for the years 2015, 2020, 2025 and 2030. In order to

meet SB7 supply objectives, the demand projections given in the 2008 Master Plan

must be reduced with additional conservation by 19.3 percent in 2015, 32.9 percent in

2020, 33.6 percent in 2025, and 35.6 percent in 2030.

Table 6-1: Normal Year Water Assessment

2015

1 2020

1 2025

1 2030

1

Demand from the 2008 Master Plan2 24,200,000 26,900,000 29,100,000 31,200,000

SB X7-7 Compliant Supply3 17,204,622 15,580,837 16,761,852 17,449,216

Agricultural Water2 1,126,398 1,115,252 1,104,106 1,092,960

Unaccounted/Unbilled Water Losses2 1,210,000 1,345,000 1,455,000 1,560,000

Total Supply from SDCWA4 19,541,020 18,041,089 19,320,958 20,102,176

Additional Conservation Required5 4,658,980 8,858,911 9,779,042 11,097,824

1In units of gallons per day

2As given in Tables 2-6 and 2-7 (see Section 2)

3Equals the VWD target per capita water usage * the population in VWD’s service area (see Section 3)

4Equals the sum of the SB X7-7 Compliant Supply, Agricultural Water and Unaccounted Water Losses

5Equals the difference of the Demand from the 2008 Master Plan and the Total Supply from SDCWA

6.2 Dry Water Year Assessment

In addition to a normal water-year, an

assessment is required to compare the

total water supply available to VWD with

the total projected water use under

single dry year and multiple dry years

over the next 20 years, in 5-year

increments. The SDCWA’s assessment

includes existing and planned supplies

from the Imperial Irrigation District

transfer, canal lining projects and

seawater desalination, which are

considered “drought-proof” supplies.

With the previous years leading up to

the single dry-year being wet or

average hydrologic conditions, MWD


should have adequate supplies in storage to cover potential shortfalls in core supplies to

its member agencies. Therefore, there would be no reason for allocation.

SDCWA estimated dry-year demands in 5-year increments from 2015 through 2030.

According to models used during preparation of the SDCWA’s 2010 UWMP, water

demand is expected to increase in the dry years above normal-year demands by 5.9

percent in 2015, by 6.0 percent in 2020, by 6.8 percent in 2025, and by 7.1 percent in

2030.

Table 6-2 shows VWD’s single dry-year assessment in five-year increments through the

year 2030. The “SB X7-7 Compliant Supply” figures in this table were increased by the

percentages given in the above paragraph from the “SB X7-7 Compliant Supply” figures

given in Table 6-1.

Table 6-2: Single Dry Year Water Assessment

2015

1 2020

1 2025

1 2030

1



Unaccounted/Unbilled Water Losses3 1,210,000 1,345,000 1,455,000 1,560,000



2From Table 6-1 plus the single dry-year supply increase over normal year supply per the SDCWA



If MWD, SDCWA and VWD supplies are developed as planned, along with achievement

of SB7 retail conservation targets, then no shortages are anticipated within VWD’s

service area in a single dry-year through 2030.

Similar to the single dry-year assessment, SDCWA estimated multiple dry-year

demands in 5-year increments from 2015 through 2030. According to models used

during preparation of the SDCWA’s 2010 UWMP, water demand is expected to increase

in the dry years above normal-year demands as follows:

4.3 percent in 2016

6.7 percent in 2017

10.3 percent in 2018

5.6 percent in 2021

7.9 percent in 2022



6.2 percent in 2026

8.7 percent in 2027


6.3 percent in 2031

9.1 percent in 2032


Table 6-3 shows VWD’s multiple dry water year assessments in 5-year increments

through the year 2030.

Table 6-3: Multiple Dry Year Water Assessment

20151 2020

1 2025

1 2030

1

Multiple-dry year

first year supply



Unaccounted/Unbilled Water Losses

3

1,210,000 1,345,000 1,455,000 1,560,000


Multiple-dry year

second year supply




3

1,210,000 1,345,000 1,455,000 1,560,000


Multiple-dry year

third year supply




3

1,210,000 1,345,000 1,455,000 1,560,000



2From Table 6-1 plus the multiple dry-year supply increase over normal year supply per the SDCWA




The SDCWA’s assessment of its water supply reliability showed that it would meet

demands under single dry conditions through the year 2035. However, as shown in

Tables 9-3 through 9-6 of the Water Authority’s 2010 UWMP under multiple dry year

conditions, these tables present potential water supply shortages of varying degrees

over the 25-year planning horizon. If these shortfalls occur as projected, additional

conservation measures will be necessary to balance supply against the regional

demands in the SDCWA’s service area. Section 9.5 of the SDCWA’s 2010 UWMP

describes its additional planned supply projects.

VWD continues to work closely with the SDCWA and MWD for future water supply

planning. These agencies have determined that they will be able to meet their projected

demands through 2035, which include potable water demands for VWD. Based on the

information provided by MWD and the SDCWA, the water supply available to VWD is

considered to be reliable.

If MWD, SDCWA and VWD supplies are developed as planned, along with achievement

of SB7 retail conservation targets, then no shortages are anticipated within VWD’s

service area in multiple dry-year events through 2030.


Section 7: Water Demand Management

Measures

his section briefly overviews the Vallecitos Water District (VWD) conservation

programs and their history. The section then discusses the urban water

conservation Best Management Practices (BMPs) as proposed by the California Urban

Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) and VWD’s compliance strategies for these

BMPs.

7.1 Vallecitos Water District’s History in

Conservation

During the past few decades, conservation has become a vital part

of VWD’s overall reliability strategy. This is similar to its water

wholesaler, the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA),

which has projected that conservation will account for 11

percent of its water diversification strategy for 2011

and increase to 17 percent by 2020. With a similar

vested interest in water savings, VWD, as well

as the other 24 member agencies of the

SDCWA and the Metropolitan Water

District of Southern California (MWD),

collaborate on programs that

benefit the entire region. The

combined effort has yielded

increased conservation and water knowledge through education, messaging and

financial incentives for water-efficient devices.

VWD started a water conservation program in 1975, and with the support of the Board

of Directors, the program expanded significantly during the drought of 1976-77. At the

program’s inception, efforts steered toward a long-term public information program and

active cooperation with regional water conservation programs of the SDCWA. Though

the drought ended, many of the programs that emerged during that time remained

focused on switching from an “emergency situation” agenda to a long-term public

information effort aimed at outreach in wise water management.

T


Through the addition of a Water Conservation Supervisor and Resources Assistant, the

framework of a long-term conservation program continued to serve as a backdrop for

the next major drought of 1987-1992. With the additional staff and a clear

understanding of the importance of conservation, VWD aggressively revamped the

conservation program and developed a variety of innovative and effective approaches

to demand management. VWD reaffirmed its commitment to conservation and became

one of the original signatories to the “Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Urban

Water Conservation” (MOU) in California on September 16, 1991. The CUWCC, of

which VWD is a long-time member, emerged from the MOU, as well as urban water

conservation practices known as the BMPs, which are aimed at reducing California’s

long-term urban water demands.

To assist in achieving goals set by the CUWCC, the structure of VWD’s conservation

department was later changed to include a Public Information / Conservation Supervisor

and two Public Information Representatives.

As conservation and public information go hand in hand, all members of the

conservation department now have the responsibility for water conservation programs

and related outreach. This proved to be extremely valuable in 2009 when two dry winter

seasons and judicial pumping restrictions to the region left reservoir levels severely

drained. This forced the SDCWA to cut supplies to its member agencies and resulted in

a supply reduction to VWD customers of approximately 10 percent. As a result, the

VWD Board of Directors declared a Level 2 drought alert, prompting mandatory water-

use restrictions for all VWD customers. Through aggressive and innovative

conservation outreach in 2009 and 2010, and by successfully implementing the BMPs,

VWD water usage was consistently below the wholesaler’s allotment.

7.2 Best Management Practices

VWD has adopted 13 of the CUWCC’s 14 comprehensive BMPs as a framework for its

water conservation program. In 2007, however, the CUWCC actively pursued updates

to the MOU and BMPs. VWD actively participated on the BMP revision committees to

draft revised BMPs. In June 2010, the CUWCC formally reorganized their 14 BMPs into

five categories. The first two categories, Operations Practices and Education, have

been classified as “Foundational BMPs” and are considered to be essential water

conservation activities that all agencies should implement. The three remaining

categories, Public Outreach / Residential; Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (CII);

and Landscape, have been classified as “Programmatic BMPs”. VWD’s compliance


strategies and history with these five BMP categories are detailed later in the section,

and the most recent annual report submitted to the CUWCC is included in Appendix G.

In order to track the effectiveness of the BMPs implemented during the 2009 – 2010

drought, VWD created a monthly report that compared the cumulative municipal and

industrial demand and agricultural demand against the allotment that was given to VWD

by its wholesaler, the SDCWA. The report also tracked monthly water production,

rainfall, and number of water meters in service to document how weather and customer

growth impacted water usage for the month. If usage approached the allotment, staff

could implement extra outreach measures to notify customers of necessary actions

needed to reduce usage. More information regarding VWD’s water use reduction

determination is included in Appendix F.

Signatory agencies are required to comply with the new CUWCC BMPs through 2015.

After 2015, the BMPs sunset and compliance with Senate Bill X7-7 is required for all

retail water agencies. Table 7-1 shows the reorganization of the BMPs.


Table 7-1: Previous and Revised BMPs

Previous BMP Number and Name Revised BMP Number and Category

1. Water Survey Programs for Single-Family &

Multi-Family Residential Customers

3. Public Outreach / Residential;

Programmatic

2. Residential Plumbing Retrofit 3. Public Outreach / Residential;

Programmatic

3. System Water Audits, Leak Detection and

Repair

1. Operations Practices; Foundational

4. Metering with Commodity Rates For All New

Connections & Retrofit of Existing Connections

1. Operations Practices; Foundational

5. Large Landscape Conservation Programs and

Incentives

5. Landscape; Programmatic

6. High-Efficiency Clothes Washing Machine

Financial incentive Programs


Programmatic

7. Public Information Programs 2. Education; Foundational

8. School Education Programs 2. Education; Foundational

9. Conservation Programs for Commercial,

Industrial, and Institutional Accounts

4. Commercial, Industrial and

Institutional; Programmatic

10. Wholesale Agency Assistance Programs 1. Operations Practices; Foundational

11. Retail Conservation Pricing 1. Operations Practices; Foundational

12. Conservation Coordinator 1. Operations Practices; Foundational

13. Water Waste Prohibition 1. Operations Practices; Foundational

14. Residential Ultra-Low Flush Toilets

Replacements


Programmatic


Dry winters and judicial pumping restrictions caused reservoir levels

to drop, prompting VWD to declare a Level 2 Drought Alert in July of 2009.

(Photos of Lake Oroville reservoir, which supplies water to San Diego).

7.2.1 Foundational BMPs

BMP Category 1 - Operations Practices

Water Waste Prohibitions

All water agencies are required to administer a strategy – an adopted ordinance or

terms of service – to meet water waste prevention. For compliance, VWD has adopted

Ordinance No. 162, which is included in Appendix G. This Drought Response

Conservation Program is patterned after the conservation actions of its water

wholesaler (SDCWA) and establishes regulations to be implemented during times of

declared water shortages or emergencies to conserve water. This ordinance

establishes four levels of drought response with corresponding actions to be

implemented in times of shortage or emergency, with increasing restriction on water use

in response to worsening drought or emergency conditions, and decreasing available

supplies.

Level 1 – Drought Watch:

With this alert, VWD will increase

public outreach and take action to

encourage voluntary conservation

practices.

Level 2 – Drought Alert: With this alert, VWD will implement mandatory

conservation practices to reduce water use by up to 20 percent. These practices

include limiting landscape irrigation and repairing leaks within 72 hours of

notification.

2005

2009


Level 3 – Drought Critical: With this alert, VWD will implement mandatory

conservation practices to reduce water use by up to 40 percent. Additional

conservation practices include the prohibition of filling pools or fountains and

washing vehicles and require repair of leaks within 48 hours of notification. With

minor exceptions, no new potable water services will be allowed during a Level 3

Drought alert.

Level 4 – Drought Emergency: With this alert, VWD will implement mandatory

conservation practices to reduce water use above 40 percent in order for VWD to

have adequate supplies to meet anticipated demands. Additional conservation

practices include prohibited landscape irrigation, excluding commercial growers

or nurseries, and the repair of leaks within 24 hours of notification.

Table 7-2 provides a summary of the conservation practices required at the four stages

of drought conditions.


Table 7-2: VWD’s Drought Response Restriction Overview

LEVEL 1 - DROUGHT WATCH Conservation Practices

All customers shall comply with the following drought measures:

Stop washing down paved surfaces (except to alleviate sanitary hazards). Includes sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or patios.

Stop water waste from inefficient landscape irrigation.

Irrigate landscapes before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m.

Use a hand-held hose with a shut-off nozzle or bucket to irrigate landscaped areas that are not watered by an automatic system.

Use re-circulated water to operate ornamental fountains.

Wash vehicles using a bucket and hand-held hose with shut-off nozzle, high pressure / low volume wash system, or at a commercial site that re-circulated water on-site.

Serve and refill water in restaurants only upon request. Offer hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.

Repair all water leaks within five days of notification by VWD.

Use recycled or non-potable water for construction purposes.

LEVEL 2 – DROUGHT ALERT Conservation Practices

All customers shall comply with Level 1 drought measures, as well as the following:

Residential and commercial landscape irrigation will be limited to no more than three unassigned days.

Irrigation using sprinklers will be limited to no more than 10 minutes per watering station per day (Systems using water-efficient devices are excluded).

All leaks must be repaired within 72 hours of notification by VWD.

Stop operation of ornamental fountains unless re-circulated water is used.

LEVEL 3 – DROUGHT CRITICAL Conservation Practices

All customers shall comply with Levels 1 and 2 drought measures, as well as the following:

Residential and commercial landscape irrigation will be limited to two assigned days per week and no more than once a week from November through May (excludes commercial growers and nurseries).

Stop refilling ornamental lakes or ponds, except to sustain aquatic life.

Stop refilling pools or spas.

Stop washing vehicles except at commercial car washes that recirculate water.

Repair all leaks within 48 hours of notification by VWD.

With minor exceptions, no new potable water service shall be provided.

LEVEL 4 – DROUGHT EMERGENCY Conservation Practices

All customers shall comply with Levels 1, 2 and 3 drought measures, as well as the following:

Stop all landscape irrigation, and other outdoor watering for residential and commercial customers (excludes commercial growers and nurseries).

Repair all leaks within 24 hours of notification by VWD.


In the event that supply interruptions were caused by a major failure or other related

situation, a Water Emergency would declare severe restrictions. This could result in a

mandatory water reduction beyond 40 percent. In this case, the General Manager has

the authority to declare a reduction beyond measures detailed in Ordinance No. 162.

Administrative fines can be levied for each violation of a provision of the ordinance as

follows:

$100 fine for first violation

$200 fine for second violation if it occurred within one year of the prior violation

$500 fine for each additional violation if it occurred within one year of the prior

violation

Enforcement for further violations increases in severity and may include

installation of a flow-restricting device in the meter, imprisonment, a fine up to

$1,000, and/or discontinuing service to the property where the violation occurred.

Water Loss Control

The goals of modern water loss control methods include both an increase in water use

efficiency in the utility operations and proper economic valuation of water losses to

support water loss control activities. Agencies are expected to use the AWWA Free

Water Audit Software (“AWWA Software”) to complete their standard water audit and

water balance. Instrumental to VWD complying with this BMP is a host of programs

targeted at averting unbilled water loss before they happen. These programs include:

Water Audits: Monthly water audits that compare total water sales with water

acquisitions to determine the amount of unaccounted water. Regular audits allow

VWD to develop new programs to enhance water loss reduction as needed.

Leak Detection: VWD’s distribution system is constantly monitored for leaks by

a centralized control system, electric leak detection devices and visual

inspections.

Water System Improvements: A state-of-the-art telemetry room uses a

computerized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to

monitor water flow more efficiently. Routine and preventative maintenance is

performed on the entire delivery system.

Meter Maintenance and Replacement Program: Meters within VWD are

replaced every 15 years to prevent malfunction and leakage.


Prosecution for Water Theft: VWD personnel continually monitor for water theft

and prosecute as necessary.

Water Loss Billing: Whenever possible, the parties responsible for water loss

(for example, damages fire hydrants, dig-ins, etc.) are billed for the cost of

required repairs and for all water lost.

Metering with Commodity

Some of the requirements associated with meeting this BMP are including meters for all

new service connections; establishing a program to retrofit existing unmetered

connections; reading meters and billing customers by volume of use; billing intervals of

no greater than bi-monthly; performing at least five meter readings for every 12-month

period; and preparing a written plan that includes a census of all meters by size, type,

year installed, and customers served. Also included are barrier identifications to

retrofitting mixed commercial accounts with dedicated meters and conducting feasibility

studies to assess the merits of a program to provide incentives to switch mixed-use

accounts dedicated to irrigation meters.

Metering of all water use and billing by volume has long been the standard practice at

VWD. As directed by the BMP, all new and existing water service connections are

metered. For large parcels and commercial developments, separate, dedicated

irrigation meters are placed where needed. Customers are billed based on monthly

reads and according to “Tier Ranges” adopted by VWD on July 1, 2003. The “Tier

Ranges” are divided into three step pricing tiers with separate use requirements for

residential, irrigation, agriculture, and commercial / industrial, in an effort to promote

conservation by charging a higher rate for each incremental use of water.

Retail Conservation Pricing

This aspect of BMP Category 1 promotes water conserving retail water rate structures.

When creating a rate case, professional judgments are made to determine whether

costs are accounted to a variable or fixed cost center by the staff of the agency. The

final water rate case is an accumulation of all the decisions and judgments made by

staff and supplemented by the financial projections leading an agency to establish its

final water rate recommendation. The BMP is not intended to supplant this process, but

rather to reinforce the need for water agencies to establish a strong nexus between

volume-related system costs and volumetric commodity rates.

VWD customers are billed based on monthly reads and according to “Tier Ranges”

adopted on July 1, 2003. The “Tier Ranges” are divided into three step pricing tiers with


VWD Public Information Representative

educates students about rainwater harvesting

at VWD’s sustainable

demonstration garden.

separate use requirements for residential, irrigation, agriculture, and commercial /

industrial. This is an effort to meet this BMP and promote conservation and wise water

use by charging a higher rate for each incremental use of water. VWD currently offers a

financial incentive for customers who practice exceptional water conservation. These

customers, called “Frugal Users”, use 5 units or less of water per billing cycle and

receive a 20 percent discount on their “Ready-to-Serve” charge and their sewer charge.

BMP Category 2 - Education

This BMP has been established for water

agencies to reach younger water users at

an early age and enforce the need to

engage in water conservation as a life-

long behavior. Some targets associated

with achieving success include

implementing a school education program

to promote water conservation and water

conservation-related benefits through

instructional assistance, educational

materials, and classroom presentations

that identify urban, agricultural, and

environmental issues and conditions in

the local watershed. Educational

materials shall meet the state education

framework requirements and grade-appropriate materials shall be distributed. Also,

when mutually beneficial, the water wholesale agency may operate all or part of the

education program. For such cases it may be beneficial for the retail agency to assume

responsibility for CUWCC reporting of this BMP; under this arrangement, a water

wholesale agency may aggregate all or portions of the reporting and coverage

requirements of the retail agencies joining into the mutual consent.

The VWD Education Program is designed to meet BMP requirements and establish

standards adopted by the California State Board of Education in October, 1998.

Implemented in conjunction with the SDCWA, the presentations are designed to

increase water knowledge among VWD’s most impressionable users. The VWD

Education Program includes:

Kindergarten – In-class presentation to bring the science of the water cycle

together with an effort to personalize the student’s scientific knowledge of the

role of water.


VWD covers the cost for the “Splash Science Mobile Lab” to make visits to area schools.

First Grade – In-class presentation to help students comprehend the role of

water in essential industries and introduce water conservation.

Second Grade – Through a partnership with the City of San Marcos, VWD

covers the cost to transport students to Jack’s Pond Park and Nature Center

where they are exposed to nature by having hands-on time with native plant

exhibits. They also listen to a presentation on the importance of water in the

ecosystem and the development of human settlements.

Fourth Grade – In-class presentation and “water awareness calendar” poster

contest to deepen the student’s understanding of the water cycle.

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade – VWD covers the cost for the San Diego

County Office of Education’s “Green Machine” to be brought directly to the

classroom. This hands-on agricultural program teaches the students about how

they get their food and explores the journey from “seed to table” by explaining

soil science, integrated pest management and the water cycle.

Fourth through Sixth Grade – VWD

covers the cost for the “Splash

Science Mobile Lab” to make visits to

area schools. This self-contained

mobile laboratory is offered through

the San Diego County Office of

Education. It provides a hands-on

experience where students learn

about water by using cooperative

learning skills, microscopes with live

specimens, chemistry experiments,

and state-of-the-art computers.

VWD has also partnered with the

City of San Marcos to help create a conservation barn at Jack’s Pond Park to

educate fourth through sixth grade students on various environmental topics.

Inside the barn are seven rooms that each has a specific educational theme,

such as wildlife and habitats; native plants, and the water cycle. There are also

many hands-on displays, such as microscopes for examining life in the pond and

an interactive wastewater treatment plant model (newspaper article included in

Appendix C).


VWD has partnered with the

City of San Marcos to create a

conservation barn to educate

fourth through sixth grade students

on various environmental topics.

Photos of conservation barn (above)

and two of the educational rooms

(right and below).

Seventh through Twelfth Grade – VWD outreaches to older students in a

variety of ways, including:

In-class presentations on requested topics for middle schools and high

schools.

VWD covers the cost to transport students to VWD’s Meadowlark Water

Reclamation Facility (MRF) for facility tours to learn about wastewater

treatment and recycling.

VWD participates in the San Marcos Unified School District’s annual

Wellness Policy Fair by setting up a booth to discuss water issues with the

high school students.

Throughout the year, VWD partners with local schools on a variety of

special projects. As an example, in 2009 VWD provided plants for


VWD’s sustainable demonstration garden

features these solar-powered ornamental

water features that operate using

collected rainwater.

students to install to create a native plant demonstration garden at San

Marcos Middle School (newspaper article included in Appendix C). In

2010, VWD utilized San Marcos High School Future Farmers of America

students to help install a sustainable demonstration garden in front of

VWD’s administration building.

In-class presentations are currently under development for high school

students, such as “Careers in the Water Industry”, “Cost of Water”, “Water

Bill of Rights”, and the classroom activity, “Value of Water”.

Private Schools – Smaller private schools and home schools within VWD’s

service area are each invited to a special two-day Splash Science Mobile Lab

event at Jack’s Pond Park. The City of San Marcos’ Jack’s Pond Park and

Nature Center is opened in conjunction with the Splash Science Mobile Lab

event, and the Nature Center’s Director offers nature walks discussing storm

water issues, local flora and fauna, and water allocation topics.

Colleges – Although not a

requirement of this BMP, VWD

also works with local colleges to

help educate students about the

importance of water conservation.

VWD participates in an annual

environmental fair at Palomar

College, and in 2010, VWD

partnered with the college to

create the sustainable demonstration

garden which now graces the front

of VWD’s administration building.

Environmental architecture and design

students designed the garden, which includes native plants, and a 2,500-gallon-

capacity rainwater collection system that supplies water to solar-powered

ornamental water features. One of the water features includes a casted bronze

hand depicting the value of water, which was created by Palomar College’s

sculpture and foundry departments (newspaper article included in Appendix C).


In honor of Earth Day, VWD also participates with the “Earth Day through the

Arts”, which is a community event held on the campus of California State

University San Marcos (CSUSM), by manning a booth at the event. The event is

sponsored by the CSUSM’s Art and Lecture series and the City of San Marcos.

Some of the festivities include eco-friendly art exhibits and a fashion show

sporting garments made from recycled and repurposed items. This partnership

allows VWD the opportunity to encourage water conservation and sustainability

and to showcase the importance of Earth Day.

7.2.2 Programmatic BMPs

BMP Category 3: Public Outreach / Residential

Public Outreach

The primary basis for this BMP is to use public information programs as an effective tool

to inform customers about the need for water conservation and ways they can

conserve, and to influence customer behavior to conserve. The program should include,

when possible, but should not be limited to, providing speakers to employees, creating

social marketing elements that are designed to change attitudes to influence behavior;

using paid and public service advertising; using bill inserts; providing information on

customers’ bills showing use for the last billing period compared to the same period the

year before; providing public information to promote water conservation measures and

shaping water conservation messages; training stakeholders outside the utility staff in

water conservation priorities and techniques and coordinating with other government

agencies, industry groups, public interest groups and the media.

Through a three-person dedicated staff, VWD meets this BMP requirement through a

variety of programs and strategically targeted communication. This includes internal and

external, in-house produced periodicals such as a quarterly “Splash!” newsletter mailed

to all customers, use of VWD’s website located at www.vwd.org, a Speaker’s Bureau

covering a range of topics, and an employee newsletter. Also critical to outreach

success are visibility at community events, press releases, brochures, paid newspaper

advertisements, bill inserts and bill messages, free water-wise workshops, promotional

events, displays, open house events, the Lending Library, classroom presentations,

field trips for area schools, and facility tours. Some specific recent examples include

paid newspaper advertisements and bill messages to remind people to conserve during

the recent drought, school presentations covering water history and demonstrating

water conservation techniques, as well as conservation advice available online at

http://www.vwd.org/


VWD’s website. VWD has also started using other forms of communications such as

automated phone calls, movie theater ads and social networking sites, such as

Facebook. The recently installed sustainable demonstration garden is another avenue

that opens communication dialogue with customers to discuss ways to reduce outdoor

water use.

VWD’s outreach is directed to reach the diverse social, cultural, and economic elements

of the population within the service area. This is accomplished by mailing the quarterly

newsletter to all residents within our service area, instead of limiting distribution to

actual water customers. Brochures and bill inserts are periodically mailed to VWD

customers informing them of current water conditions. To assist our Spanish speaking

customers, many of VWD’s outreach materials are printed in Spanish and VWD’s

website contains a link which can convert the website text into Spanish. (See Appendix

C for examples of outreach materials).

Residential

Residential water users throughout California depend on a reliable and safe supply of

water for their homes. This BMP is designed to establish the best and most proven

water conservation methods and measures that residents, working in conjunction with

water agencies, can implement. The practices will encourage homeowners, multi-family

property owners, and tenants to increase water use efficiency and reliability. As

required by the BMP, retail water agencies will implement water-use efficiency through

residential assistance programs such as landscape surveys, and water-efficient

appliance and fixture rebates and incentives*.

In meeting this BMP, VWD participates in a free water audit program to encourage

water savings. As fifty to seventy percent of the water used in San Diego County is

used on landscaping, customers can see significant savings by having an audit

performed on their property. Audits assist customers by offering instrumental ways to

save water in their own homes by reviewing landscaping irrigation systems as well as

inspecting indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures for leaks. VWD staff may suggest

outdoor irrigation adjustments according to season and soil moisture composition, as

well as recommend proper lawn maintenance and tips on low-water-use landscaping.

Once complete, an educational packet with information about other water conservation

programs is also offered. Also available for distribution are free faucet aerators, low-

flow showerheads and booklets outlining effective irrigation practices, drought-tolerant

plant selections, and simple tips to reduce water waste indoors and outdoors.


2009 VWD California Friendly

Landscape Contest winner

To further encourage customers to reduce

outdoor water use, VWD participates in a

regional landscape contest to award

customers whose yards best exhibit the

beauty of low-water gardening. Contest

winners receive a gift certificate to a local

nursery and are recognized at an award

ceremony and/or at a VWD Board meeting.

In addition, in 2010 VWD implemented an

innovative promotion where VWD field

crews distributed letters of recognition along

with donated gift cards from local

businesses to reward customers for being

leaders in the community by having an exceptionally beautiful water-efficient front yard

(see newspaper article in Appendix C).

*Rebates and incentives are dependent upon funding by VWD’s wholesalers (SDCWA and MWD).

BMP Category 4: Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (CII)

Commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) usage make up a large percentage of total

water demand for California. CII water use varies dramatically between business

sectors within a water agency’s territory. The goal is to implement comprehensive yet

flexible BMPs, allowing each water agency to tailor the implementation of each practice

to fit local needs and opportunities. The end result is a practice that is successful and

will produce the greatest amount of cost-effective water savings.

Through collaboration with SDCWA’s CII Program, VWD meets BMP Category 4

requirements through a rebate program* that offers CII customers financial incentives to

migrate to water-efficient equipment. Participants also benefit long-term, experiencing

savings in water, wastewater and energy costs. VWD’s CII offerings have included

partial reimbursement for pre-rinse spray valves, ultra-low flush toilets, urinals

(waterless models included), water brooms, single-load high-efficiency washers, cooling

tower conductivity controllers, multi-load high-efficiency washers, and weather-based

irrigation controllers. The CII program is regularly promoted through VWD’s website,

mailings, bill inserts, letters, display ads, articles and newsletters.

*Rebates are dependent upon funding by VWD’s wholesalers (SDCWA and MWD).


VWD’s audit program shows customers

how to have a water-wise garden

that can be lush and beautiful.

BMP Category 5: Landscape

Irrigation accounts for a large portion of urban water use in California. This water use

varies dramatically depending on water pricing and availability, plant choice, geographic

locations, seasonal conditions, and the level of commitment to sound water efficiency

practices. The goal of this BMP is that irrigators, with assistance from the water agency,

will achieve a higher level of water use efficiency consistent with the actual irrigation

needs of the plant materials. Reaching this goal would reduce overall demands for

water, reduce demands during the peak summer months, and still result in a healthy

and vibrant landscape for California.

VWD meets this BMP with its own in-

house audit program and a partnership

with the Mission Resource Conservation

District to provide audits at no charge to

VWD customers. For small residential or

commercial properties, VWD has an in-

house certified landscape irrigation

auditor who conducts the landscape

audits. On larger properties, such as

homeowners associations or agricultural

users, Mission Resources Conservation

District is hired to conduct a more

extensive audit.

Regardless of the size of the property, all

audits include a face-to-face meeting where a walkthrough is performed to identify type

of plants, irrigation system design, equipment problems and scheduling. This is

completed with the goal of providing cost-effective opportunities at the property – from

simple repairs to new ways to schedule irrigation. On large property audits, the audit

concludes with a detailed report of graphs and charts showing a sample of the

landscaped area, plant material identification, hyrdozoning, weather data and water

savings potential.


Meadowlark Water Reclamation

Facility

Section 8: Water Recycling

ue to limited supplies, the Vallecitos Water

District’s (VWD’s) commitment to water

conservation and sustainability has significantly

increased over the last 5 years and is

demonstrated by its successful water recycling

efforts.

Recycled water is wastewater that has undergone tertiary treatment so that it can be

used for irrigation or other non-potable uses. To produce recycled water, secondary

treated effluent undergoes filtration and chlorination. Up to 5 million gallons per day

(MGD) of wastewater is treated at VWD’s Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility

(MRF), with an average of around 3.5 MGD being recycled for use in landscaping at

parks, schools, golf courses, flower fields and municipalities. Wastewater that is not

recycled at MRF is sent to the Encina Water Pollution Control Facility (EWPCF), a

regional facility owned jointly by six public agencies, where it is treated and reclaimed or

discharged to the ocean.

By purifying wastewater and recycling water for reuse at MRF, VWD has been effective

at reducing the overall regional demand for imported water, which is essential as the

San Diego region has few local sources of water and therefore must import most of its

water from hundreds of miles away. Imported water sources are potentially subject to

drought and emergency outages during catastrophes such as major earthquakes.

To meet current and future water needs, the San Diego region must diversify its sources

of water and increase its use of locally produced water. Recycled water is an important

piece of the puzzle in solving the region’s long-term water reliability needs. By taking a

proactive role in producing recycled water, VWD has continued to increase and offset

San Diego's need to import water, continually improving our quality of life.

This section describes VWD’s wastewater system, as well as how the wastewater is

generated, collected and treated. Further, this section details how the wastewater is

disposed of or recycled, and how VWD encourages water recycling.

D


8.1 Wastewater System Description,

Generation & Treatment

VWD’s existing system includes a

wastewater collection system, wastewater

treatment facility and water reclamation

facility. VWD has approximately 19,678

sewer connections. The existing wastewater

collection system is composed of treatment

facilities, major conveyance facilities, gravity

mains, trunk sewers, lift stations, siphons and

force mains. An average of 6.8 MGD of

wastewater is collected by VWD’s

conveyance system, which consists of more

than 178 miles of pipeline ranging in size

from 4-inch pipe to the 54-inch section of the land outfall. VWD operates four lift

stations with pumping capacities ranging from 100 gallons per minute (gpm) to over

2,000 gpm. This collection system conveys the wastewater for treatment to either MRF

or EWPCF.

VWD’s 23-square mile sewer service area is divided between two principal drainage

basins which are named based on the treatment facility which serves it. The treatment

facilities used by VWD are the regionally owned EWPCF located on the coast in

Carlsbad, and MRF located in the southwestern portion of VWD’s service area. A third

drainage basin is located in the northern part of VWD that naturally drains away from

the existing collection system and is referred to as the Northern Tributary Area (NTA).

The NTA is entirely made up of rural residential and agricultural land uses, and is

served by on-site septic systems or by a neighboring agency. Land uses within the

NTA are not planned to change in character and as such it is assumed that on-site

septic systems will continue to service this area.

8.1.1 Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility

MRF is located in the City of Carlsbad in the southwestern portion of VWD’s service

area and treats wastewater to meet recycled water standards in accordance with State

of California Title 22 requirements and under the provisions of Waste Discharge Permit

R9-2007-0018 issued by the State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board

Questhaven sewer lift station


Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility

54-million-gallon Mahr Reservoir

for Region 9. It was originally built in 1958

as a 0.25 MGD secondary treatment

plant, and expanded to a 2 MGD, tertiary

treatment facility in 1982. Capacity was

re-rated in 1996 to 2.25 MGD.

The plant underwent construction in 2005

to increase capacity to 5 MGD. This was

completed in 2008 and added preliminary

treatment (grinders/augers) to remove

large debris and primary treatment

(settling basins) to allow greater removal

of solids. The existing fixed-film biological

process, which utilized Rotating Biological

Contactors, was removed and replaced with roughing filters, which is a more efficient

fixed-film biological process. Activated sludge, another biological process, was also

added, which entailed adding aeration basins along with Return Activated Sludge and

Waste Activated Sludge.

Currently, recycled water (up to 5 MGD) from MRF that is sold under contract to the City

of Carlsbad (Carlsbad) and the Olivenhain Municipal Water District (OMWD) is

transported through VWD’s 24-inch recycled water pipeline that provides additional

points of service to both Carlsbad and OMWD. Carlsbad is contracted to purchase a

minimum of 2 MGD December through March and 3 MGD the remainder of the year.

OMWD is contracted to purchase up to 1.5 million gallons year-round, provided

adequate effluent is available.

Surplus water is stored in VWD’s 54-million-

gallon Mahr Reservoir, which is located just

south of MRF. If necessary, water from both

MRF and the Mahr Reservoir can be sent

through VWD’s “Failsafe” pipeline to the

EWPCF for disposal into the ocean. Currently,

the MRF basin produces 0.65 MGD for recycling

and the remaining wastewater is pumped from

the Encina basin. MRF does not have the

capacity capacity to treat solids. All solid material is

sent to the EWPCF via VWD’s land outfall.


Encina Water Pollution

Control Facility

8.1.2 Encina Water Pollution

Control Facility

The EWPCF, which was built in the mid-1960s, is

located on the coast in Carlsbad and is a regional

facility owned jointly by six public agencies: VWD, the

cities of Carlsbad, Vista and Encinitas, the Buena

Sanitation District and the Leucadia Wastewater

District. VWD owns about 24 percent of the facility and

has the ability to send up to 10.5 million gallons a day

of solids and 7.54 million gallons per day of liquids to

the EWPCF. Average current flows to the EWPCF are

approximately 3.54 MGD.

The facility provides wastewater treatment services to

approximately 300,000 North San Diego County

residents. The EWPCF is a 43.3 MGD activated sludge

treatment facility (average influent flow is around 23.3 MGD). The facility is primarily a

secondary treatment and disposal facility. Treated wastewater from the EWPCF is sent

through an ocean outfall extended along the ocean floor and transported about 1½

miles into the ocean on the coast in Carlsbad at about a depth of 150 feet. A small

portion of the EWPCF’s treated wastewater is diverted to various reclamation facilities,

which are detailed further in this section.

8.1.3 Participation in a Regional Recycled Water Plan

In addition to being actively involved in producing recycled water, VWD is also currently

a member of the North San Diego County Regional Recycled Water Project. This group

of eleven North County water and wastewater agencies has joined together to

investigate opportunities for expanded use of recycled water within North San Diego

County and document their efforts in a Facility Plan Report, which will be used to pursue

local, State and Federal funding. This planning study:

• Compares recycled water supplies with projected demands

• Investigates seasonal and daily storage opportunities

• Considers regulatory requirements and basin objectives

• Develops regional concepts to expand the use of recycled water

• Identifies regional facilities and concept-level costs

• Prepares a Recycled Water Facility Plan


The final Facility Plan Report is scheduled to be produced by August of 2011.

8.1.4 WateReuse Association Membership

The San Diego Regional Chapter of the WateReuse Association was founded in 2000

to support the ever-increasing focus on water recycling to supplement and diversify the

San Diego region's water supplies. Members of the San Diego Regional Chapter

include recycled water purveyors, recycled water customers, regulatory agencies,

engineering and consulting firms, equipment vendors, as well as interested individuals

from the community at large. The mission of the San Diego Regional Chapter of the

WateReuse Association is to provide a forum for the exchange of information to

promote the beneficial use of recycled water in the San Diego region. VWD is an active

member of the California WateReuse Association.

8.2 Wastewater Disposal and Recycled

Water Uses

8.2.1 Recycled Water Currently Being Used

VWD currently has the ability to recycle up to 74 percent of its wastewater by utilizing its

Lift Station No. 1 on San Marcos Boulevard to redirect wastewater that would normally

be sent to the EWPCF to the MRF instead. All of the recycled water produced at MRF

is sold under contract to the City of Carlsbad and OMWD. Carlsbad purchases up to 3

MGD and OMWD purchases up to 1.5 MGD. With the exception of the on-site irrigation

at MRF, VWD currently does not sell its recycled water to customers within its service

area. At this time, it is not cost-effective to install the recycled water infrastructure and

to pump the recycled water to areas that could use it within VWD’s service area.

VWD is also a member of the regional EWPCF and sends an average of 3.54 MGD of

wastewater to this facility for treatment. The EWPCF has the ability to treat up to 43.3

MGD, but currently treats an average of 23.3 MGD of wastewater from its 6 member

agencies, a small portion of which is recycled as described below:

The EWPCF produces about 1 MGD of recycled water onsite. This water is used

in the plant and reduces the costs for potable water. Recycled water uses


Treated water storage tank at

Carlsbad Water Recycling Facility

include: equipment wash down, cogeneration engine cooling; odor reduction and

landscape irrigation.

Two reclamation plants also currently treat secondary effluent from the EWPCF:

The Leucadia Wastewater District pipes treated secondary effluent from the

EWPCF to their Gafner Water Reclamation Facility. This facility presently

produces 86 million gallons of recycled water per year (0.25 MGD), but has the

capacity to produce up to 350 million gallons per year (approx. 1 MGD).

Presently, this water is sold to the City of Carlsbad, who acts as the retailer and

sells it to the La Costa Resort & Spa Golf Course for irrigation purposes.

The second reclamation facility is

the Carlsbad Water Recycling

Facility, which is located adjacent to

to the EWPCF but is owned by the

Carlsbad Municipal Water District.

Up to 4 MGD of secondary effluent

from the EWPCF is diverted from

the ocean outfall and delivered to

this facility. On average, 2 MGD is

treated at this facility. The treated

water is then supplied to the City of

Carlsbad. The City of Carlsbad has about 78 miles of recycled distribution

pipeline, which supplies 357 recycled-use sites.

8.2.2 Potential Uses of Recycled Water

Table 8-1 below shows the past, current and projected average wastewater collection

and treatment volumes for VWD’s service area. These include areas within VWD’s

service area that may or may not be expanded to, such as the Northern Tributary Area.

Table 8-1 also shows breaks-down VWD’s average wastewater volume between that

which meets recycled water standards and that which is typically treated to secondary

level and disposed of through the EWPCF ocean outfall.


Table 8-1: VWD Wastewater Collection and Treatment Volumes

20051 2010

1 2015

1 2020

1 2025

1 2030

1

Wastewater Volumes Collected & Treated in VWD’s Service Area

7.3 6.8 9.4 10.6 11.6 12.9

Volume that Meets Recycled Water Standards

2

2.0 5.0 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4

Non-Recycled Wastewater that is Disposed of through the EWPCF Ocean Outfall

5.3 1.8 3.0 4.2 5.2 6.5

1In units of millions of gallons per day

2Projected recycled water volumes for 2015 through 2030 includes 5.0 MGD at MRF and an estimated

1.4 MGD-equivalent from EWPCF (VWD owns 24 percent of EWPCF wastewater capacity, and 6 MGD of recycled water is produced from EWPCF wastewater)

Since the entirety of VWD’s recycled water is sold under contract to the City of Carlsbad

and the OMWD, it is these agencies’ responsibility to encourage and develop uses of

recycled water. VWD has purchased and/or produced brochures, videos and other

educational materials to inform people on the uses and benefits of recycled water.

Information is also posted on VWD’s website. Meanwhile, Carlsbad and OMWD

encourage and optimize recycled water use via a combination of financial incentives

(such as a reduced purchasing rate), policies, ordinances, and staff assistance.

There are currently no future plans to supply recycled water within VWD’s service area.

However, VWD recognizes that there will be a greater need for alternative water

sources in the future. As a result, VWD is actively looking at implementing a regional

water recycling plan, known as the North San Diego County Regional Recycled Water

Project. This regional water recycling plan could tie VWD’s system together with other

water and wastewater agencies to increase future recycled water use. The recycled

water could be supplied to provide irrigation water to institutional users, parks and golf

courses, landscape medians, and large homeowners associations that currently are

supplied with potable water. By 2020, VWD may add up to 1,400 acre-feet, or 2.2

MGD, of potential recycled water demand by customers that are currently supplied with

potable water. By 2030, this demand could increase to 2,400 AF (3.9 MGD).


Future Service Area

Sewer Service Area

Northern Tributary Area

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WASTEWATER SERVICE AREAFIGURE 8-1


Figure 8-2: VWD Daily Wastewater and Reclamation Flows

(Maximum wastewater flow that can be generated in service area is 12.5 MGD)

Wastewater flow and reclamation is described below:

Encina Water

Pollution Control Facility (EWPCF)

Secondary effluent Reclaimed

sold to Leucadia and used

Wastewater District onsite

for reclamation Secondary

effluent sold to

City of Carlsbad

for reclamation

Reclaimed water

sold to

City of Carlsbad

Meadowlark Water

Reclamation Facility (MRF)

Reclaimed water

sold to

City of Carlsbad Reclaimed water

sold to Olivenhain

Municipal Water

District

Up to 7.5 MGD Up to 5.0 MGD

Up to 1.0 MGD

Up to 4.0 MGD

1.0 MGD Up to 3.0 MGD Up to 1.5 MGD

Small quantity

used on site

Maximum Flow – 12.5 MGD

2010 Flow – 6.8 MGD

Note: Based on VWD’s 2010 average daily wastewater flow of 6.8 MGD and MRF’s recycling capacity of 5 MGD, up to 74% of the wastewater generated in

VWD’s service area can currently be recycled. (5 MGD ÷ 6.8 MGD = 74%)

By factoring in the wastewater that can be recycled at the EWPCF,

this percentage can further increase.


Section 9: Shortage Contingency Plan

he Vallecitos Water District (VWD) adheres to regulatory standards requiring that

urban water agencies conduct a water shortage contingency analysis as a part of

their 2010 Urban Water Management Plans (UWMPs). As an agency that is 100

percent reliant on water supplied by the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA),

the VWD UWMP is based on the SDCWA’s analysis and addresses supply shortages

due to catastrophe, drought, or other situations.

This section addresses the SDCWA’s plans to address catastrophic water shortage

events. It then discusses strategies utilized by the Metropolitan Water District of

Southern California (MWD), the SDCWA and VWD to manage supply shortfalls during a

drought period and increase water supply reliability. Finally, this section provides a brief

analysis of the impacts of such strategies on VWD’s revenues and expenditures, and

estimates the minimum water supplies available over the next three years.

9.1 Catastrophic Water Shortage

A catastrophic water shortage occurs when a disaster, such as earthquake, results in

insufficient available water to meet the region’s needs or eliminates access to imported

water supplies. For increased reliability, VWD subscribes to SDCWA’s Integrated

Contingency Plan (ICP) and Emergency Storage Program (ESP). Both were developed

to protect public health and safety and to potentially limit economic damage that could

occur from a severe shortage of water supplies.

9.1.1 Integrated Contingency Plan

SDCWA’s ICP provides information necessary to respond to an emergency that causes

severe damage to SDCWA’s water distribution system or impedes SDCWA’s ability to

provide reliable service to its member agencies. The ICP describes the situations and

incidents that will trigger the activation of SDCWA’s ICP and Emergency Operations

Center. It also provides direction and strategies for responding to a crisis. SDCWA’s

ICP includes:

Authorities, policies, and procedures associated with emergency response

activities

T


Olivenhain Dam

Emergency Operations Center activities, including activation and deactivation

guidelines

Multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional coordination, particularly between SDCWA,

its member agencies, and MWD in accordance with Standardized Emergency

Management System and National Incident Management System guidelines

Incident Command System management and organization and emergency

staffing required to assist in mitigating any significant emergency or disaster

Mutual Aid Agreement and covenants that outline the terms and conditions under

which mutual aid assistance will be provided

Hazard specific action plans and Incident Command System position checklists

In addition, the plan uses a step-by-step approach to emergency response planning by

providing tools such as resource and information lists, personnel rosters, pertinent

policies and procedures, and reference materials.

9.1.2 Emergency Storage Program (ESP)

In June 1998, the SDCWA Board authorized implementation of the ESP to reduce the

risk of potential catastrophic damage that could result from a prolonged interruption of

imported water due to earthquake, drought, or other disasters. The ESP is a system of

reservoirs, pipelines and other facilities that will work together to store and move water

around the county in the event of a natural disaster. The ESP will provide, when

complete, up to six months of emergency water storage in the San Diego region.

The ESP facilities are located throughout San Diego County and are being constructed

in phases. Construction of the first facilities began in 2000. The initial ESP phase

included construction of the 318-foot-high Olivenhain Dam and accompanying

Olivenhain Reservoir, which together added 24,300 acre-feet (AF) of emergency

storage for the region. Raising the height

of the San Vicente Dam is the last major

component of the ESP and should be

completed by 2012. The raised dam will

add an additional 117 feet, making it the

tallest dam raise in the United States and

will allow for an additional 52,000 AF or

emergency storage, as well as 100,000 AF

of carryover storage. When completed, the

ESP will provide 90,100 AF of stored water

for emergency purposes to meet San Diego


County’s needs through at least 2030. The SDCWA Board of Directors may also

authorize that supplies from the ESP be used in a prolonged drought or other water

shortage situation where imported and local supplies do not meet 75 percent of the

SDCWA’s member agencies’ municipal and industrial demands.

For information on the SDCWA’s methodology for calculating the allocation of ESP

supplies to member agencies in a prolonged outage situation without imported supplies,

see Section 11 of the SDCWA’s UWMP.

9.2 Drought Management Planning

VWD has planned for potential water shortages through coordination with SDCWA.

SDCWA’s Water Storage and Drought Response Plan (WSDRP), which serves as the

region’s guiding shortage management document, most recently highlights the actions

taken during the 2007-2010 storage period to manage supply shortfalls and contains

information on the SDCWA’s dry-year supplies.

Following the major drought in California between 1987 and 1992 that led to severe

water supply shortages throughout the state, SDCWA and its member agencies

aggressively developed plans to minimize the impact of potential shortages. In 2006,

SDCWA’s Board adopted the WSDRP to serve as a comprehensive plan in the event

that the region faced supply shortages due to drought or other water shortage

conditions.

The WSDRP was developed by SDCWA in coordination with its member agencies to

provide a balanced, flexible, systematic approach to identifying regional actions

necessary to reduce the impacts from shortages. It includes all aspects of drought

planning, from steps to avoid rationing, to drought response stages, allocation

methodology, pricing, and a communication strategy. Multiple actions are identified to

manage shortage situations, including both supply augmentation measures and

demand reductions up to 50 percent in water supply. Conservation savings is an

essential component of meeting the need for water in time when available supplies are

limited.

For more information on SDCWA’s WSDRP, see Section 11 of SDCWA’s UWMP.


Increased pumping restrictions at the

Harvey O. Banks pumping plant in the Bay-Delta

have attributed to supply shortages in

Southern California.

9.2.1 Summary of 2007-2011 Shortage Period Management

Actions

The last water shortage affecting VWD

can be attributed to constrained

supplies in 2007 tied to increased

restrictions on State Water Project

pumping due to the Bay-Delta

environmental considerations. The

Colorado River was also in the midst

of a prolonged multi-year drought that

began in 2000. In April 2007, MWD

notified its member agencies that it

expected challenges in meeting

demands due to insufficient imported

water supplies from the State Water

Project and the Colorado River. In

order to meet demands, MWD

announced that it would implement

shortage-related actions consistent with its Water Surplus and Drought Management

(WSDM) Plan, including a need to draw upon its storage to meet expected 2007

demands. MWD adopted its WSDM Plan in 1999 as guidance for managing regional

water supplies during both surplus and shortage situations. The MWD announcement

that it would need to draw upon its storage to meet demands is what triggered

implementation of the SDCWA’s WSDRP.

The SDCWA began to implement a series of response measures identified in its

WSDRP to reduce potential shortage impacts, starting with a call for voluntary

conservation, and securing dry-year water transfers and storage programs for the

region. As dry conditions persisted into 2009, the SDCWA and its member agencies

intensified their drought response activities.

In April 2009, MWD’s Board of Directors voted to allocate urban water deliveries in fiscal

year 2010 for the first time in decades to its member agencies. In turn, the SDCWA

allocated water deliveries to its member agencies using the supply allocation

methodology contained in the WSDRP. The SDCWA’s long-term strategy to improve

water supply reliability by diversifying the region’s water supply portfolio helped offset

some of the required cutbacks from MWD. However, voluntary conservation turned to

mandatory water use restrictions in many areas throughout SDCWA’s service area. On

May 6, 2009, the VWD Board authorized moving to Drought Response Level 2 and


The San Vicente Dam raising project is just

one way the SDCWA is increasing water

storage for the future.

required customer demand reduction of at least 10 percent in order to meet the

SDCWA’s demand allocation.

Residences and businesses responded to the call for conservation, and urban water

use fell throughout San Diego County. At the end of fiscal year 2010, VWD only utilized

83.8 percent of its municipal and industrial allotment from the SDCWA, which saved the

region 2,949 acre-feet of potable water. Although hydrologic conditions began to

improve, 2010 storage reserves remained low and allocations continued into early 2011

to help restore storage reserves. More information regarding VWD’s water use

reduction determination is included in Appendix F.

9.2.2 SDCWA Dry-Year Supplies and Carryover Storage

The SDCWA’s dry-year supplies and carryover storage are an important component of

managing potential shortages within the region and for increasing supply reliability for

the region. The dry-year supplies assist in minimizing or reducing potential supply

shortages from MWD. Through the last five years, the SDCWA developed a carryover

storage program to more effectively manage supplies. This includes in-region surface

storage currently in member agency

reservoirs and increasing capacity

through the raising of San Vicente Dam,

which should be completed by 2012.

The SDCWA also currently has an out-

of-region groundwater-banking program

in the California central valley. Through

such efforts, SDCWA can store water

available during wet periods for use by

member agencies such as VWD during

times of shortage. The SDCWA also

implemented a dry-year transfer program

during the last shortage period and

successfully acquired and utilized dry-

year transfer supplies in 2009.

SDCWA Carryover Storage Program

The carryover storage program provides water for the region in the case of a supply

shortage, such as during a drought. The SDCWA has identified three main needs for

carryover storage:


Enhance reliability of the water supply: During dry weather periods, increased

regional demand for water may exceed available supplies, resulting in potential

water shortages. Carryover storage provides a reliable and readily available

source of water during periods of shortage, such as during dry years.

Increase system efficiency: Carryover storage provides operational flexibility to

serve above normal demands, such as those occurring during peak summer

months or extended droughts, from locally stored water rather than by the over-

sizing of imported water transmission facilities.

Better management of water supplies: Carryover storage allows the SDCWA to

accept additional deliveries from its existing State Water Project and Colorado

River-derived sources during periods of greater availability, such as during wet

years, to increase water availability locally during periods of shortage, such as

during dry years.

The SDCWA’s Water Facilities Master Plan (December 2002) identified a need for

approximately 100,000 AF of carryover storage to assist in maintaining a secure and

reliable supply for the region. The San Vicente Dam Raise Project will meet this need

by providing approximately 100,000 AF of local storage and facilitate the reliable and

efficient delivery of water to the SDCWA’s member agencies.

In accordance with the SDCWA’s WSDRP, potential utilization of carryover storage

supplies could occur in either a Stage 2 or Stage 3 drought declaration. The amount of

water taken from carryover storage reserves to manage potential shortages is

influenced by a number of factors and should generally be handled on a case-by-case

basis. Many of the factors influencing the storage take will vary depending upon

conditions present. These factors include, but are not limited to:

Current water demand trends;

Core water supply availability from imported and local sources;

Existing and projected hydrologic conditions;

Storage supply available for withdrawal;

Take capacity from the groundwater banking program; and

Need to avoid depletion of storage reserves.

For planning purposes in the SDCWA’s 2010 UWMP, general guidelines are

established that approximately one third of the carryover supplies available in storage

will be utilized in one year. Utilizing only a portion of available storage supplies avoids

depletion of storage reserves, thereby making water available for potential ongoing or

future shortages.


The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is

California’s single largest source of water, and

supplies water to the State Water Project system.

For more information on the SDCWA carryover storage program, see Section 11 of the

SDCWA UWMP.

SDCWA Dry-Year Transfer Program

To ensure adequate water supplies in the face of continued drought conditions (2007-

2010) and regulatory constraints, and as part of SDCWA’s WSDRP, the SDCWA

developed a plan to secure one-time

water transfer agreements, which

could lay the foundation for long-term

agreements. Although transfers of

water supplies through the Delta may

be subject to curtailments during

certain periods due to operation of the

pumps in the State Water Project

system, the SDCWA pursued

opportunities as supply options in the

event that Colorado River surplus was

suspended or dry-year conditions

continued. The supply could also

hedge against shortfalls resulting

from the reduced State Water Project

allocation.

In 2009, SDCWA acquired 20,000 AF of water under a one-year transfer agreement

with Placer County Water Agency in Northern California to lessen the impact of water

supply reductions to the San Diego region. The transfer eased the region’s transition

from voluntary conservation to mandatory water use restrictions by keeping regional

water savings target for the year at a manageable level. In 2010, the SDCWA actively

sought water transfer options, however, due to the changed conditions of the SDCWA’s

water demands, which have significantly dropped since MWD enacted Level 2 of its

Water Supply Allocation Plan in July 2009, as well as the expense required to obtain the

necessary approvals and agreements, and the comparatively higher cost of the

supplies, the SDCWA Board approved not exercising its call rights to the 2010 dry-year

transfer with the South Feather Water and Power Agency. The SDCWA Board also

decided to end its pilot program efforts between San Juan Water District, Santa Clara

Valley Water District and the SDCWA for calendar year 2010 and continue it over to

2011.

For more information on the SDCWA dry year transfer program, see Section 11 of the

SDCWA UWMP.


9.2.3 Model Drought Response Conservation Ordinance

In March 2008, the SDCWA’s Board approved for release a Model Drought Response

Conservation Program Ordinance (Model Drought Ordinance) for use by VWD and

other member agencies in updating their existing ordinances. The Model Drought

Ordinance was developed with input from the member agencies to provide regional

consistency during periods of shortages. The Department of Water Resources’s 2008

Updated Urban Drought Guidebook was also utilized as a reference document for

preparation of the Model Drought Ordinance. It identifies four drought response levels

that contain water-use restrictions to help achieve demand reduction during temporary

shortages. The restrictions become more stringent at each successive level to obtain

necessary savings and delay economic impact until higher levels. The Model Drought

Ordinance served as a model to VWD in updating its Drought Response Conservation

Program (Ordinance No. 162). See Section 7.2 and Appendix E regarding water

conservation practices, requirements and water waste prohibitions involved in VWD’s

four drought response levels within its Drought Response Conservation Program.

9.2.4 Penalties for Excessive Water Use

Penalty rates may be used by the SDCWA to encourage conservation and reduce

demand during a drought or other water supply shortage. If MWD allocates imported

water supplies to the SDCWA, MWD can impose surcharges (penalty pricing) on water

consumption in excess of the SDCWA’s allocation. SDCWA’s Implementing Resolution

provides for pass through to VWD of any penalties levied by MWD on SDCWA for

exceeding its annual allocation. Penalties can be assessed on a pro rata basis to VWD

if it should exceed allocations, and only if the SDCWA exceeds its allocation from MWD.

SDCWA may compensate for increased costs or reduced water sales by adjusting

water rates in succeeding years.

Rates may also be adjusted based on any other allocation program implemented by

SDCWA as determined necessary. SDCWA may also reduce the amount of water it

allocates to VWD or any other member agency should it fail to adopt or implement water

use restrictions.

VWD’s Drought Response Conservation Program (Ordinance No. 162) includes a

section indicating fines and penalties that may be levied for water waste violations. A

copy of VWD Ordinance No. 162 is included in Appendix E. These penalties include:

$100 for a first violation


$200 for a second violation of any provision of the ordinance within one year of

the prior violation

$500 for each additional violation of this ordinance within one year of the prior

violation

Violation of a provision of this ordinance is subject to enforcement through

installation of a flow-restricting device in the meter

For any subsequent violations within a period that a Water Conservation Stage is in

effect, the Board would conduct a hearing and may, in its discretion, order either (1) an

installation of a flow restrictor, or (2) the discontinuance of service, each for such a

period of time that the Board deems appropriate under the circumstances. Vallecitos

Water District shall, at least 10 days before the date set for the hearing, mail a written

notice of the hearing.

Furthermore, penalties also exist in Ordinance No. 162 to prosecute each violation as a

misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more that 30 days

and/or by a fine not exceeding $1,000. Additionally, willful violations of the mandatory

conservation measures and water use restrictions as set forth during Stage 4 may be

enforced by discontinuing service to the property at which the violation occurs, as

provided by California Water Code §346.

9.2.5 Revenue & Expenditure Impacts

Although VWD maintains financial reserves, it is possible that additional costs

associated with demand reduction could negatively affect VWD’s short-term financial

situation. Approximately 80 percent of VWD’s fixed costs are shared between all water

customers via a monthly ready-to-serve charge. This charge, which varies depending

on meter size, recovers water system infrastructure and equipment repairs and

maintenance, meter reading, billing, engineering, safety and administration. VWD may

compensate for increased costs or reduced water sales by adjusting water rates in

succeeding years.

Water conservation is a well-established practice in ensuring that there will be a reliable

water supply in the future for the increasing population and commerce within VWD’s

service area. However, conservation occasionally suffers from the perception that it

reduces revenues. Over the long-term, conservation measures actually serve to defer

or limit rate increases by reducing VWD’s need for other, more expensive supplies and

increased infrastructure. Conservation programs also reduce imported water demand

that in turn allows the SDCWA to purchase less of MWD’s more expensive Tier 2 water.


Tier 2 water is more expensive since it represents MWD’s cost to develop additional

supplies.

9.2.6 Minimum Water Supply Available over Next Three

Years

In accordance with the California Urban Water Management Planning Act, agencies are

required to estimate the minimum water supply available during each of the next three

years, based on the driest three-year historic sequence. To determine the minimum

supplies potentially available to VWD, the same assumptions contained in the multi dry-

year analysis in Section 6.2 were used. Table 9-1 contains the minimum estimated

supplies.

Table 9-1: Supply Reliability – Current Water Sources

Water supply sources

Average / Normal

Water Year Supply

Multiple Dry Water Year Supply

Year 2012 Year 2013 Year 2014 San Diego County Water Authority 14,557,942 14,275,903 14,977,762 15,537,933

Percent of normal year: 100 98.1 102.9 106.7 1In units gallons per day

It should be noted that based on current supply and storage conditions statewide, VWD

is not currently forecasting this supply scenario. However, if sufficient supplies from the

SDCWA are not available to meet demand projections, then VWD shall increase the

drought response level described in Section 7.2.1 to prohibit water waste and reduce

demands to meet available supplies.

60-day notices to all affected land use agencies that the Vallecitos Water District has

jurisdiction within that the Vallecitos Water District intends to review and update its 2005

Urban Water Management Plan pursuant to California Water Code Section 10610-

10610.4, and is scheduling a public hearing for 6 p.m. on June 15, 2011.

Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Vallecitos Water District adopting the 2010

Urban Water management Plan as described in the California Water Code Section

10640 et seq.

Minutes from the June 15, 2011 Vallecitos Water District regular meeting of the Board of

Directors showing that a public hearing was held to review the method for determining

an urban water use target, and to allow community input and consideration of economic

impacts regarding the target implementation plan; and to adopt the Vallecitos Water

District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan update subsequent to the public hearing.

Letters of transmittal to the California Department of Water Resources, the California

State Library, and all affected land use agencies that the Vallecitos Water District has

jurisdiction within providing them with the Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water

Management Plan update within 30 days of its adoption.

Printout from the Vallecitos Water District website at www.vwd.org showing a link to the

Vallecitos Water District 2010 Urban Water Management Plan update that can be

accessed by members of the public for review within 30 days of submission of this plan

to the California Department of Water Resources.

http://www.vwd.org/

Article in October 19, 2010 edition of the San Diego Union Tribune, by Michael Breier.

Sustainable garden now open at water district

Article in July 26, 2010 edition of the North County Times. San Marcos: Water district

plants seeds of conservation

Article in April 25, 2009 edition of the North County Times, by Andrea Moss. San

Marcos: Teacher, students create native-plant garden at their school

Article in The Coast News. Water district rewards customers

Article in March 20, 2009 edition of the San Diego Union Tribune, by Linda Lou. Old

barn is new conservation center

Article in April 4, 2009 edition of the North County Times, by Andrea Moss. San

Marcos: Conservation barn is latest addition to nature center

Article in October 16, 2010 edition of the San Diego Union Tribune, by Michael Breier.

Water District’s new garden open for viewing

Spring 2010 edition of the Vallecitos Water District’s “Splash!” publication for its

ratepayers and general public

Fall 2010 edition of the Vallecitos Water District’s “Between the Pipes” publication for

the Vallecitos Water District employees

Printouts from the Vallecitos Water District website at www.vwd.org in both English and

Spanish showing links to information and different services that the Vallecitos Water

District provides

Vallecitos Water District brochure titled, “What Happened to our Water Supplies?”

http://www.vwd.org/

E-mail correspondence between the Vallecitos Water District and the San Diego County

Water Authority providing water use projections for the Vallecitos Water District through

2035.

Ordinance No. 162 – An Ordinance of the Board of Directors of the Vallecitos Water

District Repealing Ordinance No. 159 and Adopting a Drought Response Conservation

Program. Passed, approved and adopted on May 6th, 2009.

Graph showing the Vallecitos Water District municipal and industrial (M&I) water

demand reduction from its water allotment during fiscal year 2010/2011.

Graph showing the Vallecitos Water District special agricultural water rate (SAWR)

water demand reduction from its water allotment during fiscal year 2010/2011.

Graph showing the Vallecitos Water District interim agricultural water program (IAWP)

water demand reduction from its water allotment during fiscal year 2010/2011.

Worksheets showing the Vallecitos Water District monthly water demands for M&I,

SAWR and IAWP uses, comparing the Vallecitos Water District’s M&I water demand

versus its M&I water allotment, and giving a cumulative water conservation percentage

for the Vallecitos Water District against its water allotment for fiscal years 2009/2010

and 2010/2011.

Graph comparing the Vallecitos Water District water production for the month of April

from 2002 to 2011.

Graph comparing the rainfall for the month of April in the Vallecitos Water District from

2002 to 2011.

Graph comparing the Vallecitos Water District total water meters in service for the

month of April from 2002 to 2011.

Vallecitos Water District 2009 and 2010 report to the California Urban Water

Conservation Council estimating water conservation savings.

Cooperative Agreement to Establish and Carry Out a Regional Alliance in Accordance

with Part 2.55 of the California Water Code.

Executed by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District on June 16, 2011

Executed by the Vallecitos Water District on June 16, 2011

Executed by the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District on June 16, 2011

Executed by the San Dieguito Water District on June 17, 2011

Table I-2 – Urban Water Management Plan checklist; completed by VWD to identify the

sections in the VWD 2010 Urban Water Management Plan that address the checklist

items. Table I-2 is taken from the California Department of Water Resources’

Guidebook to Assist Urban Water Suppliers to Prepare a 2010 Urban Water

Management Plan, dated March 2011. This guidebook can be found online at

http://www.water.ca.gov/urbanwatermanagement/docs/2010FinalUWMPGuidebook.pdf

http://www.water.ca.gov/urbanwatermanagement/docs/2010FinalUWMPGuidebook.pdf

Documents

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