REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 10, 2024
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Accept Funding from Mojave Water Agency’s 2024-25 Strategic Partners Program and Funding for Cash for Grass Program for Urban Water Systems
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of Board Governed County Service Area 42 Oro Grande, County Service Area 64 Spring Valley Lake, County Service Area 70 J Oak Hills, and County Service Area 70 W-4 Pioneertown:
1. Approve and accept Strategic Partner Funding Agreement from Mojave Water Agency’s Strategic Partners Program for 2024-25, in the amount of $2,000, for the County Service Area 64 Spring Valley Lake Annual Water Conservation Festival.
2. Approve and accept Strategic Partner Funding Agreement from Mojave Water Agency’s Strategic Partners Program for 2024-25, in the amount of $20,000, for the Cash for Grass Program for County Service Area 42 Oro Grande, County Service Area 64 Spring Valley Lake, County Service Area 70 J Oak Hills, and County Service Area 70 W-4 Pioneertown.
3. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Works to execute, and submit reimbursement requests, subject to review by County Counsel, for funds from Mojave Water Agency’s Strategic Partners Program for 2024-25.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The funding received from the Mojave Water Agency Strategic Partners Program, totaling $22,000, does not require a local match. Sufficient appropriation for the use of this funding is included in the 2024-25 budget of the applicable County Service Areas (CSAs) listed in Recommendation Nos. 1 and 2.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Mojave Water Agency, through their Strategic Partners Program, annually awards funding to various water agencies to promote water conservation. For 2024-25, the Mojave Water Agency notified the Department of Public Works - Special Districts, Water and Sanitation Division (Division) that funding was awarded in the amounts of $2,000 for CSA 64 Spring Valley Lake Annual Water Conservation Festival (Festival) and $20,000 for the Cash for Grass Program (Program) for CSA 42 Oro Grande, CSA 64 Spring Valley Lake, CSA 70 J Oak Hills, and CSA 70 W-4 Pioneertown. Participation in the program is on a first-come first-serve basis administered by the Division.
The Festival is an event hosted by the Division to promote water conservation through workshops and public outreach. The Festival includes various County agencies and other partnering water agencies that provide public education for the community on various topics.
The Program and the CSA 64 Spring Valley Lake Annual Water Conservation Festival are in accordance with meeting the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) requirements, in coordination with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), by offering water efficiency programs and education programs to our customers.
The Program provides residential customers in CSA 42 Oro Grande, CSA 64 Spring Valley Lake, CSA 70 J Oak Hills, and CSA 70 W-4 Pioneertown the opportunity to receive a rebate on their customer account for replacing turf with drought-tolerant landscaping. The program offers a rebate of $0.50 per square foot up to 1,500 square feet per household. The maximum rebate amount per household is $750. This Program will continue to promote all high desert water agencies’ unified message to “Live Like a Desert Native”.
Both the Festival and Program provide outreach and conservation education and incentives to customers to reduce water usage. Acceptance of the funds for the Festival allows the Division to meet one of the requirements for reducing per capita daily indoor residential water use through education as required by Assembly Bill 1668 (AB 1668). The Program meets the requirements of Senate Bill 606 (SB 606) for water conservation and drought resilience across California.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 19, 2024; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on August 21, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on August 23, 2024.