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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 5, 2009 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 4 _ 1 <br />SUBJECT: Adoption/Incorporation of OWASA's Proposed Revisions to its Water <br />Conservation Standards in the Section of Orange County's Water Conservation <br />Ordinance Affecting the OWASA Service Area <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />OWASA Letter to Chair <br />OWASA Board of Directors' Resolution <br />Proposed Water Conservation Standards <br />Statement of Background, Principles, <br />Revision Highlights and Summary of <br />Revisions to OWASA's Proposed <br />Ordinance Revisions <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />County Engineer ext 2303 <br />Pat Davis, Utility Manager Generalist, <br />OWASA 919-537-4210 <br />PURPOSE: To provide for the Board's review and adoption a resolution effectively revising the <br />portion of the County's Water Conservation Ordinance that applies to OWASA utility customers. <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County's Water Conservation Ordinance contains a section of <br />standards applicable only to OWASA, the County portion of its service area and customers <br />located in that service area. This section has been revised on occasion to reflect changing <br />circumstances in OWASA's water supply availability and improvements in OWASA's ability to <br />predict the necessity to impose use and demand limitations on its water utility. <br />The proposed revisions to OWASA's conservation and use standards and requirements reflect <br />lessons learned during the drought of 2007-08 and comments received by local governments, <br />the local business community and OWASA customers subsequent to that drought. <br />The notable changes to the existing standards and restrictions include: <br />• The "Water Supply Advisory" stage has been eliminated due to its ineffectiveness and the <br />confusion caused to OWASA customers; <br />The high "cut-off' limits on monthly water use has have been eliminated due to the <br />confusion caused to OWASA customers and to the fact that OWASA's increasing block <br />rates and Water Shortage surcharges are effective in reducing water consumption; <br />• Allowances have been made for irrigating "Public Purpose Athletic and Recreations <br />Fields" and "Public Purpose Botanical Sites" at times and frequencies different than <br />