Creating a Sustainability Index for Water Planning in Southern California Presented at: AWWA ACE-09 June 18, 2009 Dan Rodrigo Vice President CDM 523 West Sixth Street, Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA Creating a Sustainability Index for Water Planning in Southern California Presented at: AWWA ACE-09 June 18, 2009 Dan Rodrigo Vice President CDM 523 West Sixth Street, Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90014

What is Sustainability? Finding the right balance between economic, environmental and social needs Taking a holistic, interconnected perspective Consideration of the long-term Economic EnvironmentSocial

Why is Sustainability Important in Water Supply Planning? With limited resources, its critical to consider multiple benefits Stakeholder involvement in decision-making requires new paradigm Sustainability is reliability Sustainability is reliability Economic EnvironmentSocial Reliability

Water Supply WastewaterWastewater Receiving Waters In the past, cities developed new water supplies often from far distances, discharged wastewater into receiving waters, and diverted stormwater away from city into receiving waters. dry weather wet weather StormwaterStormwater Understanding the Water Cycle…

Integration of Water Resources Leads to Sustainability Sustainable cities will reuse wastewater, reduce stormwater and find ways to beneficially reuse it, and reduce the need for importing water supplies — in other words become more self-sufficient. Water Supply WastewaterWastewater Receiving Waters dry weather wet weather StormwaterStormwater Reduced flows from BMPs Beneficial reuse of stormwater (e.g., groundwater recharge) Reuse of treated wastewater

Traditional Economic Comparison of Water Supply Cost of Water Cost of Water Treatment Cost of Conveyance

Expanded Cost View (Source to Disposal) Cost of Water Cost of Water Treatment Cost of Conveyance Cost of Wastewater Treatment Cost of Disposal (Outfall)

Sustainability Goes Even Further … Cost of Water Cost of Water Treatment Cost of Conveyance Cost of Wastewater Treatment Cost of Disposal (Outfall) Reliability & Adaptability Environmental Impacts Societal Preferences

Lake Oroville Mono Lake San Francisco San Diego Lake Mead Los Angeles State Water Project Los Angeles Aqueducts Colorado River Aqueduct Major Imported Water Systems for Southern CA

Creating a Sustainability Index for Water Supply in So. California Water Supply Options: New State Water Project Supply Groundwater Recovery (Brackish Desalination) Seawater Desalination Traditional Recycling (Tertiary) Advanced Recycling (MF/RO for indirect potable) Conservation (Smart Irrigation) Urban Runoff Reuse Data from the following CDM Water Supply Studies and IRPs: City of San Diego City of San Diego City of Los Angeles City of Los Angeles Rancho California WD Rancho California WD Eastern MWD Eastern MWD Western MWD Western MWD Data from the following CDM Water Supply Studies and IRPs: City of San Diego City of San Diego City of Los Angeles City of Los Angeles Rancho California WD Rancho California WD Eastern MWD Eastern MWD Western MWD Western MWD

Supply Options Evaluated at the Margin Existing Imported Water Supplies Existing Local Water Supplies Margin Projected Water Demands

Indoor Use Outdoor Use Receiving Waters W Treatment WW Treatment SWP Supply ~20% of Outdoor use Urban Runoff Tracking Water Supply from Source to Disposal Using Systems Model 300 miles of conveyance Outfall

Indoor Use Outdoor Use Receiving Waters W Treatment WW Treatment SWP Supply ~20% of Outdoor use Urban Runoff 300 miles of conveyance Brine line GW Recovery or Seawater Desal Outfall Tracking Water Supply from Source to Disposal Using Systems Model Reduces imported water and regional treatment costs, and reduces CO 2 emissions or is CO 2 neutral

Indoor Use Outdoor Use Receiving Waters W Treatment WW Treatment SWP Supply ~20% of Outdoor use Urban Runoff 300 miles of conveyance Traditional Recycled Outfall Tracking Water Supply from Source to Disposal Using Systems Model Reduces imported water and regional treatment costs, and significantly reduces CO 2 emissions Reduces costs for outfall and reduces flows to receiving waters

Indoor Use Outdoor Use Receiving Water W Treatment WW Treatment Urban Runoff SWP Supply Outfall ~20% of Outdoor use 300 miles of conveyance UR Treatment Tracking Water Supply from Source to Disposal Using Systems Model Reduces imported water and regional treatment costs, and significantly reduces CO 2 emissions Improves water quality going to receiving waters

Indoor Use Outdoor Use Receiving Waters W Treatment WW Treatment Urban Runoff SWP Supply Outfall Smart Irrigation <10% of Outdoor use 300 miles of conveyance Tracking Water Supply from Source to Disposal Using Systems Model Reduces imported water and regional treatment costs, and significantly reduces CO 2 emissions Improves water quality going to receiving waters

True Cost of Supply Options State Water Project * Groundwater Recovery Seawater Desalination Traditional Recycled Advanced Recycled Conservation (Smart Irrigation) Urban Runoff Reuse Unit Cost ($/AF) Disposal Wastewater Water * Including surface treatment

Reliability and Adaptability Score

Habitat Impacts

CO 2 Emissions (lbs/AF)

Societal Preference

Creating the Sustainability Index Uses technique called multi attribute rating (Criterium Decision Plus software)

CDP Software Ranks Options & Shows Trade-Offs

How Supply Options Rank Traditional Recycled SWP Supply Conservation Groundwater Recovery Advanced Recycle Seawater Desalination Urban Runoff Reuse Water Cost Conservation Traditional Recycled Urban Runoff Reuse SWP Supply Advanced Recycle Groundwater Recovery Seawater Desalination Expanded Cost Conservation Traditional Recycled Groundwater Recovery Urban Runoff Reuse Advanced Recycle Seawater Desalination SWP Supply Sustainability

Conclusions Expanding costs to include wastewater and disposal gives a more accurate view of the economic impacts But only when you add all sustainability indicators do you get the full comparison Do the results mean that Southern California should abandon its SWP supply? Of course not! All other options cannot meet both marginal demands and replace existing SWP supply; but these other options at the margin have merit and should be examined seriously

QUESTIONS ?