REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 26, 2023
FROM
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Funding from the Mojave Water Agency Strategic Partners Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of Board Governed County Service Areas, approve the acceptance of the following award funding from the Mojave Water Agency Strategic Partners Program for 2023-24:
1. $2,000 towards the County Service Area 64 Spring Valley Lake Annual Water Conservation Festival.
2. $10,000 towards 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.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, 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 $12,000 does not require a local match. Sufficient appropriation for the use of this funding is available in the 2023-24 budget of the applicable County Service Areas (CSAs).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Mojave Water Agency, through their Strategic Partners Program, annually awards funding to various water agencies to promote water conservation. For 2023-24, the Mojave Water Agency notified the Department of Public Works - Special Districts, Water and Sanitation Division (Division) that funding was awarded as indicated in the Recommendation. The funding for Recommendation No. 2 is on a first come first serve basis, so the specific amount allocated to each CSA is not known at this time.
The CSA 64 Spring Valley Lake Annual Water Conservation Festival (Festival) is an event hosted by the Division to promote water conservation through workshops. The Festival includes various County agencies and other partnering water agencies that provide valuable public education for the community on various topics.
The Cash for Grass 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 $.50 per square foot up to 1,500 square feet per household. The maximum amount per household is $750. This program will continue to promote all high desert water agencies’ unified message to Live Like a Desert Native.
In addition to receiving funding from the Mojave Water Agency, CSA 64 and CSA 70 J plan to augment this funding by allocating $20,000 each of local funds to aid customers with saving water and meeting the requirements of California Assembly Bill (AB) 1668, which was enacted with the passage of California Senate Bill (SB) 606. Both bills address water conservation and drought resilience across California.
AB 1668 requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), in coordination with the Department of Water Resources (DWR), to adopt water efficiency standards and regulations, drought and water shortage contingency plan guidance, and specified standards for per capita daily indoor residential water use. The legislation also specifies penalties on local water suppliers for violations to these standards. Annual Water Use Objective reporting will be required starting January 2024, and indoor and outdoor compliance targets will go into effect in 2025. Starting in 2027, local water suppliers that fail to comply with the SWRCB’s adopted long-term standards could receive fines of $1,000 per day during non-drought years, and $10,000 per day during declared drought emergencies and certain dry years.
SB 606 requires the SWRCB and DWR to adopt water efficiency regulations, outline requirements for urban water suppliers including urban drought risk assessments and implement penalties for violations. The law contains directives on water shortage planning and water loss reporting for urban wholesale water suppliers and offers a bonus incentive for potable reuse water.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 5, 2023; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on September 5, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on September 11, 2023.