After cutbacks East Bay MUD to consider emergency water purchases.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) board will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, December 9 to consider a staff recommendation to purchase emergency drought water supplies in addition to raising water bills to pay for it. According to EBMUD, a call for increased customer conservation, a second purchase of federal water and a 15 percent surcharge on all water used by customers will be among the staff recommendations before the District Board of Directors. 

A typical customer uses 246 gallons per day so a 15 percent reduction would amount to 37 less per day. According to the US EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) a typical American Household uses 400 gallons of water per day. On average, approximately 70 percent of that water is used indoors, with the bathroom being the largest consumer (a toilet alone can use 27 percent!).

This past April, EBMUD purchased and delivered about 18,600 acre feet of water from the Sacramento River through its federal Central Valley Project (CVP) contract. One acre foot is 325,851 gallons, or approximately the amount of water used by three average East Bay households in a year. The approximate $8 million cost of purchasing, pumping and treating that water was absorbed by the district through a surplus sale of a Castro Valley property and budget savings over the past fiscal year.

Tomorrow, the Board of Directorswill consider making a second purchase of federal water before a February 28 deadline when its current CVP allocation expires. EBMUD has 41,625 acre feet available to purchase before the deadline. Staff will recommend the board approve purchasing 16,000 acre feet starting in January to refill local reservoirs. If a federal allocation is received on March 1 and if there has not been enough precipitation in the EBMUD watershed, staff will recommend making an additional purchase of up to 19,000 acre feet.

Freeport Intake on the Sacramento River

This purchased water would flow for four months from the Sacramento River into the EBMUD system via the Freeport Regional Water Facility in Sacramento County (link to map). The cost to purchase, pump and treat it is estimated to cost up to $16 million.Costs will be offset by adding via a 14 percent surcharge on all customers’ water use charges to take effect as soon as the emergency water starts to flow. If the purchase occurs and the surcharge takes effect, the average EBMUD residential customer could see their bills increase by an average of $4.30 per month, depending on their level of conservation, until the drought costs are paid.

According to a quote by John Coleman, a water board member from the Walnut Creek District, highlighted in an Inside Bay Area News story, "the delivery from the Sacramento River is a history milestone in protecting customers against shortages. We spent decades and hundreds of millions of dollars ot come up with a collaborative project, Now I feel it's proper to say it's time to take it." 

If the drought continues into next summer, staff is recommending higher surcharges be considered to recoup the costs of future water purchases, increased conservation outreach and lost revenue due to the drought.

TIMELINE FOR EBMUD's SACRAMENTO RIVER WATER SUPPLY
1970 -- EBMUD signs federal contract to divert water from American River but has no way to deliver it.
1972 -- EBMUD is sued to block the diversion.
1990 -- EBMUD and Sacramento County Water Agency begin water negotiations.
2002 -- Deal is struck for EBMUD and Sacramento County Water Agency to build joint project at Freeport to divert Sacramento River water for both regions
2011 -- Joint water project is finished, and Sacramento County takes first water.
2014 -- EBMUD begins pumping Sacramento River water to East Bay.

Oakland Tribune: 

Oakland Tribune editorial: EBMUD voters who care about controlling costs and tempering rate increases should back Katy Foulkes

Inside Bay Area News: 

EBMUD taps Sacramento River water for first time to avoid rationing

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