05-22-2017 BPU RPT 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R E N E R C Y I WI& P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum SUBJECT: RECYCLED WATER PROGRAM UPDATE ISSUE: DATE: MAY 22, 2017 ITEM NO: 21 Receive and file an update on the City of Riverside Public Utilities Recycled Water Program. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities receive and file an update on the City of Riverside Public Utilities Recycled Water Program. BACKGROUND: For over 20 years, the City of Riverside Public Utilities Department (RPU) has investigated opportunities to utilize recycled water within the City. In 1992, a study outlined a conceptual recycled water system. In the same time frame, the City provided recycled water to a few isolated projects in the vicinity of the Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP), including: the Van Buren Golf Center, the Van Buren Urban Forest, the Riverside Energy Resource Center and the Toro Company. These projects consume about 260 acre-feet per year (AFY). In 2006, RPU filed a change of use petition with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to allow RPU to develop a recycled water system. In a settlement with environmental advocates, RPU agreed to discharge 10,000 AFY of water to environmental uses above and beyond the 15,250 AFY required by the 1969 Settlement Agreement. At the time, staff understood that around 42,000 AFY of recycled water would ultimately be available from the RWQCP. However, due to conservation efforts and reductions in development, the new projected amount of available recycled water for use by RPU is only about 20,000 AFY. In 2008, RPU installed an 8 -inch purple pipe in Central Avenue as part of the Central Avenue widening project. This pipeline is currently unused. This pipeline extends from about the SR 91 Freeway to Fairview Avenue. The following year, RPU installed a 24 -inch recycled water transmission main in Van Buren Boulevard from Jurupa Avenue to Jackson Street. This project was part of the Van Buren widening project in anticipation of future projects. At this time, the pipeline provides recycled water service to several medians along Van Buren. In 2011, RPU commissioned a second recycled water study. Titled "Recycled Water Facilities Plan" this study outlined a 10,000 AFY recycled water system consisting of over 171 miles of pipeline, two storage reservoirs and three pump stations. With an estimated cost of $544 Million, RPU did not consider the project any further. A more limited, two -phased proposal adopted portions of the 2011 plan, but reduced the size of the project to provide approximately 4,600 AFY of recycled water at a cost of approximately $30.8 million to $36.7 million. This plan was considered by the Board of Public Utilities on April 6, 2012. However, after further discussion, this project was returned for further evaluation.