Water Supply & Conservation City of Palo Alto Utilities Josh Wallace & Nico Procos June 11th, 2009 Providing water to Palo Alto since 1896

Water Supply & Conservation Presentation Overview: I. Supply Status and Challenges II. Conservation: Your Part of the Solution

California Water Picture

California Hydrologic Conditions

Environmental restrictions affecting already reduced water deliveries

State and Federal Water Project Deliveries

Where does Palo Alto’s water come from?   San Francisco Public Utilities Commission   Hetch Hetchy Water System located in Yosemite National Park   Built in the early to mid-1900s   Today, it serves 2.5 million people   Cleanest and purest water in the country

Water Supply System  First water served in 1934  Now serves 2.4 million people  280 miles of pipeline  60 miles of tunnels  11 reservoirs

Water System Improvement Program   Parts of Hetch Hetchy water system nearing end of working life.   Critical areas near three major earthquake faults - Calaveras, Hayward and San Andreas.   A significant earthquake could cause a catastrophic system failure and lead to 30 days of no water service.   $4.4 billion improvement project in process to upgrade pipelines, pumps, tunnels, tanks, dams, facilities.

Wholesale Water Cost  One CCF equals 748 gallons.  Cost of purchasing SFPUC water will increase 2-3 times up to 2018 when the full cost of the system improvement kicks in  While costly, the costs of an earthquake range from $17-$30 billion!!

How is it made safe to drink?  Two water treatment plants along the 160 mile stretch of the Hetch Hetchy water system clean water for human uses.  Chloramine is added to “disinfect” water. Similar to chlorine which is used in pools.  Fluoride is also added to the water for healthy teeth.

How does water get to our homes and buildings?  Water is moved around Palo Alto by a series of pumps and pipes.  217 miles of water pipeline.  202 miles of sewer pipeline.  Each home and business has a water meter to track water consumption, which is billed in CCF, or hundred cubic feet. 1 CCF = 748 gallons.

Water Consumption in Palo Alto

Future water use

How much energy is used to pump, purify and heat water? Because the Hetch Hetchy system is gravity fed from the Sierra’s down to the Bay Area, energy consumption to move water is considerably lower than other water systems. Water-related energy use in CA   19 percent of the state’s electricity   30 percent of its natural gas   88 billion gallons of diesel It takes energy to…   Pump water around CA and around our own towns   Treat water to make it safe for drinking   Heat water for showers, baths, washing

Water Related Electric Consumption

Water Related Natural Gas Consumption

Water Energy Lifecycle

Water/Energy Use Comparison

Impact of climate change on water supply/quality

Water Conservation The Strategic Big Picture: - Change Your Behavior, Tell Your Community! - Plan For The Future!

Water Conservation The Tactical Big Picture: - So Many Resources! - So Little Effort!

Water Conservation Ground Zero: Search: water tips, water rebates

What can you do to conserve water and reduce Greenhouse Gases ACTION   Run your dishwasher only when full.   Turn off water when brushing teeth or rinsing dishes.   Shorten showers.   Fill the bathtub only half full.   Wash only full loads of clothes.   For even more savings purchase a high-efficiency clothes washer.   While working in your yard, do not use water as a broom or leave the hose unattended.   Repair broken or leaky sprinkler heads and adjust sprinklers to prevent overspray and run-off. SAVINGS   2 to 4 gallons each load   2 to 2.5 gallons every minute   2.5 gallons per minute   15 to 25 gallons each bath   15 to 50 gallons per load   35 gallons per load   10–25 gallons per minute   15 to 25 gallons per day per leak or overspray

How can the City of Palo Alto help you conserve water and reduce Greenhouse gases  Water-Wise House Call Free showerheads, advice, leak check Free showerheads, advice, leak check  $$$ for efficient appliances Toilets, clothes washers, dishwashers Toilets, clothes washers, dishwashers  $$$ for landscape and irrigation $1,000 for irrigation, $2,000 for lawn removal $1,000 for irrigation, $2,000 for lawn removal

What is the City of Palo Alto doing to investigate alternative supplies? RWQCP Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 1 Potential Palo Alto Recycled Water Project

What can you do to conserve energy at home  Turn off the lights!  Switch to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).  Use a power strip.  Look for Energy Star on TVs, computers, DVD players, refrigerators, and freezers.  Run the dishwasher and clothes washer with only full loads.  Take shorter showers.  Put on a sweatshirt!

Bottled vs. Tap Water Bottled vs. Tap Water   Over 900,000 tons of plastic per year are used to create bottles in the US.   Producing plastic water bottles takes 17 million barrels of oil.   It takes 1 gallon of water to produce a 32-ounce bottle of water.   86% of plastic water bottles used in the US become garbage or litter.   Only 23% of plastic bottles actually get recycled.   Buried water bottles can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade.   Bottling water produces more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.

How many gallons of water does it take to produce…  1 tablespoon of white sugar? 7 gallons 7 gallons  1 slice of white bread? 11 gallons 11 gallons  1 glass of milk? 48 gallons 48 gallons  1 egg 63 gallons 63 gallons  1 piece of chicken 330 gallons 330 gallons  1 hamburger 616 gallons 616 gallons  1 steak 1,232 gallons 1,232 gallons

Questions??