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ITEM: |
INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF
REPORT |
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18. |
WATER CONSERVATION
PROGRAM REPORT |
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Meeting Date: |
August 18, 2025
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Budgeted: |
N/A |
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From: |
David J. Stoldt, |
Program/ |
N/A |
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General Manager |
Line Item No. |
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Prepared By: |
Kyle Smith |
Cost Estimate: |
N/A |
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General
Counsel Review: N/A
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Committee Recommendation: N/A |
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CEQA
Compliance: This action does not
constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act
Guidelines section 15378. |
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The following information
reflects activities undertaken by the Water Demand Division during the month of
July 2025.
I. MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION RETROFIT PROGRAM
District Regulation XIV requires
the retrofit of water fixtures upon Change of Ownership[1] or
Use with High Efficiency Toilets (HET) (1.28 gallons-per-flush), 2.0
gallons-per-minute (gpm) Showerheads, 1.2 gpm Washbasin faucets, 1.8 gpm Kitchen
Sink, Utility Sink, and Bar Sink faucets, and Rain Sensors on all automatic
Irrigation Systems. Property owners must
certify the Site meets the District’s water efficiency standards by submitting
a Water Conservation Certification Form (WCC) and a self-certification form. A
Site inspection is occasionally conducted to verify compliance. Properties that
do not require an inspection are issued a Conservation Certification.
Information is obtained monthly from Realquest.com on properties transferring ownership within the District. The information is compared against the properties that have submitted WCCs. Details on 77 property transfers that occurred were added to the database.
The District received 49 Water Conservation Certification Forms. Data on ownership, transfer date, and status of water efficiency standard compliance were entered into the database.
25 properties were verified compliant with Rule 144 (Retrofit Upon Change of Ownership or Use). Of the 25 verifications, 9 properties verified compliance by submitting certification forms and/or receipts. District staff completed 39 Site inspections. Of the 39 properties visited, 16 (41%) passed.
D. Non-Residential
Compliance with Water Efficiency Standards
By January 1, 2014, all Non-Residential properties were required to meet Rule 143, Water Efficiency Standards for Existing Non-Residential Uses. District inspectors performed no verification inspections.
As part of the Non-Residential compliance effort, MPWMD notifies California American Water (Cal-Am) of properties with landscaping. Cal-Am staff then schedule an outdoor audit to verify compliance with the Rate Best Management Practices (BMPs). (Compliance with MPWMD’s Rule 143 achieves Rate BMP compliance for indoor water uses.) Properties with landscaping must comply with Cal-Am’s outdoor Rate BMPs to avoid rates in Division 4 (customers that are not in compliance with Rate BMPs). Rate BMPs are used to determine the appropriate Non-Residential rate division for each customer (there are four different rates based on the amount of irrigated area and compliance/noncompliance with the Rate BMPs).
MPWMD referred no property to Cal-Am for
verification of outdoor Rate BMPs.
E. Water
Waste Enforcement
The District has a Water Waste Hotline 831-658-5653 or an online form to report Water Waste occurrences at www.mpwmd.net or www.montereywaterinfo.org. There were four Water Waste responses during the past month. There were no repeated incidents that resulted in a fine.
II. WATER
DEMAND MANAGEMENT
District Rule 23 requires a Water Permit application for all properties that propose to expand or modify water use on a Site, including New Construction and Remodels. District staff processed and issued 135 Water Permits. Nine permits were issued using Water Entitlements (Pebble Beach Company, Malpaso Water, Sand City, etc.). No permits involved a debit to a Public Water Credit account. Four meter enlargement permits, and seven hydrant meter permits were issued.
District Rule 24-3-A allows the addition of a second Bathroom in an existing Dwelling Unit that has only one Bathroom. Of the 135 Water Permits issued, six were issued under this provision.
B. Permit Compliance
Staff completed 52 site inspections for current permit compliance during June. Thirty-five properties passed the interior inspection, and eight properties failed due to unpermitted fixtures. Five properties were inspected to complete a Landscape Water Permit: All passed.
C. Close the “Open” Permits (Amnesty) Project
Staff sent out 86 open permit letters during July. Fifty-eight properties were inspected to close open permits. Forty of the 58 inspected passed and 18 failed. In July, 35 permits were amended using the District Reserve. Other previously noncompliant permits were amended under the conditions of the program to close the permits. A final report on the project will be presented at the October Board meeting.
District staff provided Notary services for 68 customers.
E. Rebates
The District processes rebate applications to ensure that only voluntary replacement of higher efficiency devices receive rebates. The comprehensive list of available rebates can be found in Rule 141. Monthly statistics are shown on the following page.
III. Outreach
and Events
Summer Splash Water Challenge. During the month of July, staff collected responses for Summer Splash Water Challenge. 3020 people visited the site and 478 entries were received. The 25 Prizes will be awarded soon.
Mulch Madness. District and Cal-Am staff organized and participated in Mulch Madness at Keith Day Landscape Supply. Cal-Am/District customers were given up to two cubic yards of free mulch to help conserve water in the landscape. 200 customers participated. Most people opted for bagged mulch, and 680 bags were given out. Sixty-three others received mulch loaded in the bed of their pickup truck.
EXHIBIT
18-A Rebate Report for July 2025
U:\staff\Boardpacket\2025\081825\Informational
Items\18\Item-18.docx