Pasadena Water and Power has completed a state mandated water supply Reliability Stress Test that recently replaced the 26 percent water conservation target for the city and instead required the city to estimate the anticipated water demand for the next three water years and base conservation targets on it.
The test is part of a new water use efficiency framework which Gov. Jerry Brown mandated through Executive Order B3716 issued on May 9.
To complete the test, urban water suppliers like PWP must determine the anticipated potable water demand for the next three water years equal to the average demand for calendar years 2013 and 2014. A water year is from October 1 to September 30.
In a report to Interim City Manager Steve Mermell, PWP Interim General Manager Shari Thomas said the stress test determined that Pasadena will need an estimated 32,678 acrefeet of potable water annually for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 based on this formula.
PWP also must determine its potable water supplies based on current supply conditions and assuming a threeyear hydrology that mirrors the 2013 to 2015 water years. For the Stress Test calculations, Thomas said PWP will apply a conservative water supply estimate of 10,964 acrefeet per year.
Analyzing these data and considering supplies that will be delivered by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to PWP, Thomas said the Stress Test results showed that PWP does not anticipate a supply shortfall for the utility.
“With the new water efficiency framework in place, the State is able to sunset the mandatory conservation target,” Thomas said, adding that although a mandatory target is no longer required, PWP will continue to encourage continued conservation.
This month, PWP will submit a proposal to the City Council’s Municipal Services Committee to consider changes to the city’s Water Waste Prohibitions Ordinance, Thomas said.