STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Transportation & Infrastructure
AGENDA DATE: December 11, 2024
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Dallas Water Utilities Department
EXECUTIVE: Dev Rastogi
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SUBJECT
Title
Authorize adoption of Recommended Strategies, Alternate Strategies, and Infrastructure Recommendations identified in the Dallas 2024 Long Range Water Supply Plan and authorize the City Manager to submit the adopted strategies and infrastructure recommendations to the Region C Planning Group in accordance with State Law for the State’s 2027 Water Plan - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
Body
BACKGROUND
Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) serves as a regional and municipal water provider serving over 2.6 million customers within a 700 square mile service area, located primarily within North and Northeast Texas. As such, it is necessary to plan for customer needs through long range planning efforts that identify needs and strategies to sufficiently plan for a fifty to sixty year horizon. Long range water supply plans are required to be submitted to the State of Texas, ultimately to be included in the State’s Long Range Water Supply Plan. DWU has participated in long range water supply planning efforts locally, regionally and statewide for decades with the current plans being executed as part of the 2014 Long Range Water Supply Plan.
On November 9, 2022, the City Council awarded a contract to HDR Engineering, Inc. to prepare the 2024 Long Range Water Supply Plan (LRWSP) to the Year 2080. The objectives of the LRWSP are to review current conditions, analyze the need for revisions to the current planning area, update population and water demand projections, analyze the impact of water conservation on demand planning, compare alternative supply sources (water conservation, reuse, surface water and groundwater), identify transmission and treatment facilities needed to meet demand and to recommend a plan of action that would allow the City to provide for the needs of its customers to the year 2080. The recommendations from the 2024 LRWSP, once adopted, will need to be submitted to the Region C Water Planning Group in accordance with State law to be incorporated into the 2026 Region C Water Plan and 2027 State Water Plan.
On April 10, 2024, the City Council approved the 2024 Water Conservation Plan and Five-Year Work Plan (Work Plan) for the City of Dallas, prepared as part of the 2024 LRWSP. The Work Plan identifies water conservation strategies for continuation and implementation based on the City’s water use profile, estimated water savings, benefits, costs, and builds on prior conservation strategies as well as provides the basis for the water conservation water management strategy identified in the 2024 LRWSP.
The 2024 LRWSP development included outreach initiatives for customers and interested parties. A public meeting, online survey and open comment period were made available during the Summer of 2024. Beginning in October 2024, the Draft LRWSP was made available for public comment. Opportunities for review and comment have been promoted and shared via social media, Dallas City News blog, wholesale customer meetings, and council memos. There have been no significant comments of concern from interested parties during these time frames.
The 2024 LRWSP identified a reduction in demands primarily due to a decline in the rate of population growth and per capita water usage that is projected over the planning horizon compared to the 2014 LRWSP. In addition, the 2024 LRWSP identified a reduction in the currently connected water supply due to sedimentation and the projected effects of climate change over the 55-year planning horizon. Comparing the water demands with the currently connected water supply by decade, the City’s projected water needs by decade were identified. To meet the projected water needs, the 2024 LRWSP reviewed and updated the 2014 LRWSP recommended and alternate strategies, identified interstate strategies from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana and evaluated local storage strategies. Through a multi-level screening process taking into consideration cost, permitting, environmental, water quality, reliability, and equity factors the strategies were ranked. Eight of the highest ranked strategies were then selected as Recommended Strategies to meet Dallas’ water needs to 2080 and beyond, and nine additional strategies were selected as alternatives.
In addition to the Recommended Strategies, the 2024 LRWSP also identified infrastructure improvements, water treatment plant modifications and expansions, distribution system enhancements, and raw water transmission modifications and enhancements necessary to implement the strategies. The associated Infrastructure Recommendations and their timing are driven by growth, anticipated regulation changes and reliability.
The Recommended Strategies and Alternate Strategies are required to be submitted to the Region C Water Planning Group for inclusion into the 2026 Region C Water Plan and the 2027 State Water Plan prior to January 2025.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On October 17, 2022, the City Council was briefed regarding the need to update the existing 2014 Long Range Water Supply Plan to determine the water needs of Dallas and its customers to the year 2080 and beyond.
On November 9, 2022, the City Council authorized a professional services contract with HDR Engineering, Inc. to prepare the City’s Long Range Water Supply Plan Study to the Year 2080 and beyond, by Resolution No. 22-1698.
On April 10, 2024, the City Council authorized the adoption of the 2024 Drought Contingency Plan for the City of Dallas, by Resolution No. 24-0543.
On April 10, 2024, the City Council authorized the adoption of the 2024 Water Conservation Plan for the City of Dallas, by Resolution No. 24-0527.
On April 10, 2024, the City Council authorized the adoption of the 2024 Water Conservation Five-Year Work Plan for the City of Dallas, by Resolution No. No. 24-0526.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was briefed on the 2024 Long Range Water Supply Plan, Recommended Strategies, Alternate Strategies, and Infrastructure Requirements on December 3, 2024.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City.