Dec 04, 2025 Utilities Commission

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HOW'S THAT? WAS THAT ALL RIGHT? GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

WHOA, THAT'S LOUD.

UH, IT'S THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH.

WELCOME TO THE, UH, UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING.

UH, UH, LET'S SEE.

MAY I PLEASE CALL?

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

THANK YOU, JOY.

[ROLL CALL]

PRESIDENT SCOTT, PRESENT VICE PRESIDENT CORDERO.

SECRETARY PARKIN.

COMMISSIONER MCGUIRE HERE.

AND COMMISSIONER AUSTIN,

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

THANK YOU.

YOU.

OUR FIRST ITEM IS CONSENT CALENDAR.

MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR? MOTION TO APPROVE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED?

[2. 25-57055 Recommendation to receive and file the State Water Project Supply Overview.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE STATE WATER PROJECT SUPPLY OVERVIEW.

UH, IN ORDER TO BEGIN THE DISCUSSION, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU.

UH, CALL ON GENERAL MANAGER FEGAN.

THANK YOU.

UM, COMMISSIONERS STATE WATER PROJECT SUPPLY OVERVIEW SOUNDS SO SIMPLE IN ITS INTRODUCTION, AND IN FACT, WE OFTEN TAKE STATE WATER PROJECT AND WE SIMPLIFY THAT EVEN.

AND WE JUST SIMPLY CALL IT THE SWP.

I THINK IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY ONE OF THE CRITICAL SOURCES OF SUPPLY THAT WE DEPEND ON.

AS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

WE CANNOT DELIVER WATER EVERY DAY WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THIS SUPPLY IS ASSURED.

AND IN THAT STATEMENT THAT I JUST GAVE YOU, MAKING SURE THAT THE SUPPLY IS ASSURED IS REALLY ONE OF THE CRITICAL ISSUES THAT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FACES GOING FORWARD.

UM, AT AQUA, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION FROM DWR.

IT'S A PRESENTATION THAT I KNOW OUR GUEST SPEAKER TODAY IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH AS WELL, WHERE THERE WAS AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NEXT 40 TO 50 YEARS OF THE RELIABILITY OF THAT SUPPLY.

WITHOUT ANY MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS OR MAINTENANCE THAT IS CRITICAL TO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT SUPPLY WILL ERODE TO ESSENTIALLY 20% OR LESS OF ITS SUPPLY RELIABILITY IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS.

SO YOU AS A BOARD THROUGH DIRECTOR CORDERO, HAVE IMPORTANT UNDERSTANDINGS TO HAVE IMPORTANT POSITIONS TO TAKE, AND ONE PRESENTATION CANNOT DO IT JUSTICE.

SO, IN WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN METROPOLITAN, MR. RANDALL ECK IS HERE TODAY.

TODAY WE'VE TAKEN THE APPROACH TO TRY TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, PERHAPS OVER THREE PRESENTATIONS AT LEAST BEGIN TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THIS CRITICAL SUPPLY, ITS CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD.

RANDALL ECK IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL MANAGERS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS RESOURCE.

UM, I WAS JOKINGLY GONNA SAY, RANDALL IS NOT AS OLD AS ME.

UM, BUT RANDALL AND I GO WAY BACK AT METROPOLITAN.

UH, RANDALL IS GONNA INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND SHARE WITH YOU, I CAN THINK OF NO MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON ON STATE WATER PROJECT SUPPLY TO BRING YOU THIS INFORMATION.

AND THAT'S WHY RANDALL IS HERE TODAY.

SO, RANDALL, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR A LITTLE BIT OF SELF INTRODUCTION AND YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.

THANK YOU.

UH, THANK YOU ANTO, PRESIDENT SCOTT, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.

I, I HAVE WORKED WITH AN ANTO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

UH, WE, WE STARTED ACTUALLY TOGETHER, WELL, WE WORKED AT METROPOLITAN IN OUR WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GROUP.

AND MY POSITION OUT METROPOLITAN IS THE MANAGER OF THE BAY DELTA RESOURCES, MAINLY THE IMPORT OF SUPPLIES COMING FROM THE STATE WATER PROJECT.

UH, THANK YOU.

AND, UM, YOUR STAFF TOLD ME, THERE WE GO, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO IT.

SO, UM, TODAY, AS ANTO SAID, THIS IS, UH, REALLY A JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE STATE WATER PROJECT.

I'M GONNA ADD, TRY TO ADD A LITTLE BIT COLOR.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES IN THESE OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTS AND, AND FIGURES.

UM, SO TO START OFF THE, JUST AN OUTLINE, WE'LL GO OVER THE SOURCE OF THE STATE WATER PROJECT SUPPLY SOME OF THE KEY FACILITIES, AND HOW DOES METROPOLITAN, WHAT IS OUR PORTION OF THE STATE WATER PROJECT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT METROPOLITAN'S OVERALL SUPPLY PORTFOLIO, YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THIS CHART, THE NUMBERS CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.

BUT COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE WATER PROJECT, THAT PORTION OF

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WE ALSO HAVE, UH, A LARGER PORTFOLIO.

WE TAKE SOME OF THAT SUPPLY, UH, FROM THE STATE PROJECT.

WE STORE IT IN GROUNDWATER BASINS IN THE BOTTOM PART OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY SEMITROPIC TURNED OUT TO ARVIN EDISON.

WE ALSO STORE SOME OF THAT WATER IN THE HIGH DESERT.

AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER WATER SUPPLY PROGRAMS BRINGING IN COLORADO RIVER, STORING 'EM, UH, GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, UH, UH, SUPPORTING, UM, A SEAWATER DESAL.

AND OTHERS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DELTAS, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

IT'S REALLY, THEY CALL IT THE HUB OF CALIFORNIA'S WATER.

ALL THOSE BLUE DARK BLUE LINES THERE, THOSE RIVERS FLOW FROM THE NORTH, THEY FLOW FROM THE SOUTH, BUT THEY ALL GO INTO THE BAY DELTA.

THERE'S NO NATURAL, THERE'S NO DAM.

IT JUST GOES INTO THE DELTA AND PUSHES OUT THE SALT WATER.

AND THEN WE TAKE THAT WATER, THAT FRESH WATER, AND PUMP IT, UH, FROM THE BOTTOM PART OF THE DELTA TO LARGE PARTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

I'VE SHOWN THIS CHART A LOT.

I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THIS ONE.

IT'S, IT SHOWS THE COMPARISON OF DIFFERING WATERSHEDS IN CALIFORNIA.

AND THE REASON I LIKE IT, 'CAUSE IT SHOWS YOU THAT HOW MUCH WATER CALIFORNIA ACTUALLY HAS, AND THE JOB THAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT OTHERS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT SUPPLY? SO IN THAT SMALL WATERSHED, AND START LOOKING AT THE SIZE TO THE SACRAMENTO IS 18 MILLION ACRE FEET OF RUNOFF EVERY YEAR.

THE SAN JOAQUIN WATERSHED OF 3 MILLION, AND THEN THE WATERSHED OF THE NORTH COAST, WHICH WE ACTUALLY DO NOT TAKE.

THAT'S OFF LIMITS DUE TO THE FEDERAL AND STATE WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT.

THAT'S 25 MILLION ACRE FEET.

NOW, YOU COMPARE IT TO THE COLORADO RIVER.

COLORADO RIVER IS 13 MILLION ACRE FEET IN A RUNOFF, BUT THE BASIN IS MUCH, MUCH LARGER.

AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAX OF THESE, UM, WAS 20 17, 20, NO, NO, IT WAS JUST TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, WHERE ON THE STATE, ON THE CALIFORNIA SYSTEM, SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN, WE GOT UPWARDS OF 40 MILLION ACRE FEET OF RUNOFF ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

THE MAXIMUM WOULD BE AROUND 20, 25 MILLION ACRE FEET.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WATER WE CAN ACTUALLY PRODUCE FROM THESE WATERSHEDS.

AGAIN, MOST OF THIS WATER STAYS UP IN STORAGE AND AS SNOW.

SO WE NEED THAT SNOW PACK.

AND WE SLOWLY, ONCE THAT SNOW PACK, SLOWLY OUR WHOLE SYSTEM'S BASED ON HAVING THAT SNOW PACK THERE, SLOWLY BRINGING IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM DOWN TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

I'LL JUST GO THROUGH A COUPLE SLIDES HERE, AND THESE ARE SOMEWHAT DRY HERE, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU, LET LET YOU KNOW SOME OF THE FACILITIES.

THE MAIN FACILITY FOR THE STATE PROJECT IS ORVILLE RESERVOIR.

THAT'S THE STATE WATER PROJECTS, UH, AN INITIAL RESERVOIR THAT BRINGS WATER OUT OF THE SACRAMENTO WATERSHED.

WE TAKE THAT DOWN THE FEATHER RIVER INTO THE DELTA AREA, UH, AND THEN DOWN THE CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT.

WHEN I SAY WE, IT'S NOT JUST METROPOLITAN, OTHERS GET WATER FROM THIS.

THE CENTRAL VALLEY GETS WATER AND NORTH COAST, UH, AREAS, NAPA SOLANO, UM, UH, THE, UM, EVEN EVEN DOWN TO SAN LUIS OBISPO AREA GETS, IT, GETS WATER AS WELL.

AND THEN WE BRING THAT WATER DOWN, AS YOU CAN SEE DOWN THROUGH A NUMBER OF RESERVOIRS ALTOGETHER.

THERE'S 21 RESERVOIRS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.

UM, THERE'S, UH, I'M JUST GOING THROUGH SOME OF THESE NUMBERS QUICKLY.

THERE'S 21, UM, EITHER PUMPING PLANTS OR A COMBINATION OF PUMPING PLANTS AND HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS.

MOST OF THE HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS ARE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

HIGHER ELEVATION, OBVIOUSLY.

WE BRING IT DOWN, WE PUMP IT THROUGH THE CENTRAL VALLEY UP AND OVER THE TEHACHAPI, AND THEN WE START AGAIN USING SOME OF THAT ENERGY AND PUTTING IT BACK INTO HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS LIKE CASTAIC.

THAT ENERGY IS USED AGAIN THROUGH TO, UH, PROVIDE POWER TO, UH, TO SOME OF THESE, UH, PUMPING STATIONS ALONG THE WAY, SPECIFICALLY LIKE, UM, EDMONDSON PUMPING PLANT.

AND OTHERS TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER, UH, ENERGY, EXCUSE ME, TO, UH, PUMP THESE SUPPLIES.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S 700 MILES OF AQUEDUCT AND, AND, AND PIPELINE THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.

AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, IT JUST DOESN'T COME JUST TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

YOU HAVE THE SOUTH BAY AQUEDUCT, NORTH BAY AQUEDUCT, NAPA AND SOLANO COUNTY, SOUTH BAY AQUEDUCT, SAN JOSE, SANTA CLARA, UH, ALAMEDA COUNTY.

UH, THE, AND THEN DOWN TO THE CALIFORNIA AQUATIC, TO THE

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UM, AND THEN THE WEST BRANCH, WHICH IS, AND THE EAST BRANCH.

SO THE WEST BRANCH, MAINLY A LARGE PART OF OUR, THE AREA HERE, LOS ANGELES AND AREA.

THEN THE, THEN THE, UM, EAST BRANCH TO RIVERSIDE, SAN DIEGO AND OTHERS.

SO IN ADDITION TO BRINGING THE WATER DOWN, AS I MENTIONED, WE DO STORE IT.

WE DO HAVE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS THAT IF WE DON'T USE IT IN THAT YEAR, AND WE STORE IT NOT JUST IN OUR LOCAL RESERVOIRS, BUT IN OTHER AREAS.

SO WE CAN STORE SOME OF THE WATER IN, IN THE, UH, RESERVOIRS UP ON THE CALIFORNIA AQUATIC AND SAN LUIS RESERVOIR, HISTORIC LAKE, WHICH IS OWNED BY THE STATE.

WE CAN HAVE A, WE HAVE A FLEXIBLE ACCOUNT THERE, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, LAKE PARIS.

WE HAVE THESE GROUNDWATER BANKING PROGRAMS. AGAIN, AS YOU GO OVER THE TEHACHAPI INTO THE HATCH INTO THAT AGRICULTURAL LAND THERE, WE HAVE PROGRAMS WITH THOSE AGRICULTURAL PARTNERS THERE TO BRING DOWN WATER STORED IN THERE AND UTILIZE THOSE GROUNDWATER BASINS TO PUMP OUT DURING DRY PERIODS.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, OR I SHOULD SAY, UM, COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT AND DESERT WATER AGENCY.

UH, WE EXCHANGE WATER.

SO WE GET THEIR, THEIR SEPARATE STATE WATER CONTRACTOR.

WE GET THEIR STATE WATER CONTRACTOR WATER, AND THEN THEY, WE, WE GIVE THEM OUR COLORADO RIVER WATER IN EXCHANGE, UM, HELPS US ALL OUT.

AND THEN ON A, UM, DURING A, UH, SEVERE DRY PERIOD, WE, WE DO DO TRANSFERS WITH, UH, YUBA COUNTY AND OTHERS.

ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE THE BO OUR BOARD IS LOOKING AT, AND THE DIRECTOR, CORDERO, I SHOULD SAY COMMISSIONER CORDERO IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR, IS, UH, A PROPOSED PROJECT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

IT'S ABOUT A HOUR NORTH OF SACRAMENTO.

IT'S CALLED SITES RESERVOIR.

AND THAT PROJECT WILL BE ONE OF THE MAIN USES OF THAT WILL BE FOR DRY YEAR STORAGE SITES, HAS ITS OWN WATER, RIGHT? BUT, AND IT ALSO IS A, IS A, IS A OFF STREAM STORAGE.

SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD.

IT'LL BE MOVED THROUGH WHAT WE CALL THIS CAMP FOR WATER PROCESS, WHICH LOOKS LIKE THE BENEFITS OF THAT PROJECT COMPARED TO OTHERS AS WELL.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER CORDERO AT THE METROPOLITAN BOARD WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT.

HOW DO THESE PROJECTS ALL FIT TOGETHER AND WHICH ONES SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, FOR CAL FOR, FOR NOT ONLY, UM, LONG BEACH'S FUTURE, BUT FOR THE FUTURE OF, OF, UH, UH, METROPOLITAN ITS MEMBER AGENCIES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATE WATER PROJECT TOO, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT JUST SHOWS THE REGIONAL DEPENDENCIES, NOT JUST SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, LEMME GO THROUGH THE ANIMATIONS.

THE BAY AREA IS ABOUT 33% DEPENDENT ON IT.

THEY DO HAVE OTHER SUPPLIES, UH, THE CENTRAL VALLEY, SOME AREAS A LOT DEPENDENT, AND SOME AREAS YOU CAN SEE NOT FROM, FROM A LITTLE LESS THAN 25% TO ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT THERE.

AND THEN SAME THING FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

ON AVERAGE 25 TO 30%, SOME OF OUR NORTHERN MEMBER AGENCIES, A LOT MORE, UH, UPWARDS OF 90 AND SOME CASES, A HUNDRED PERCENT.

THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE STATE WATER CONTRACTORS.

THERE'S 29 CONTRACTORS.

THE YELLOW REPRESENTS THE CONTRACTORS THAT REALLY IN SO-CALLED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA.

IT REPRESENT ABOUT 63% OF THE OVERALL TABLE A ALLOCATIONS.

THAT'S THE KIND OF THE CONTRACT ALLOCATIONS THAT THE GREEN AREA AND THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER COLOR THAT IS, THAT DARKER GREEN COLOR REPRESENTS MAINLY THE AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.

THERE IS SOME URBAN THERE.

SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT KERN COUNTY WATER AGENCY IN IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

I'VE ALWAYS FOUND THIS CHART TO BE INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN YOUR GENERAL MANAGER WORKED AT METROPOLITAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE EIGHTIES TO TWO THOUSANDS, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF RISK RELATED TO THE STATE WATER PROJECT.

YOU CAN SEE THERE, AND ON AVERAGE WE GOT ABOUT 2 MILLION ACRE FEET OF RUNOFF.

IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT ALLOCATION.

AND VERY FEW TIMES DID IT EVER, THE ALLOCATION GO DOWN TO SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, UH, PAST OR PAST 50% ALLOCATION.

YOU CAN SEE HERE ONLY ABOUT TWO TO THREE TIMES.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE PERIOD FROM 2001 TO 2013, WE STARTED SEEING MORE VARIABILITY IN OUR SYSTEM.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE SUPPLIES THAT METROPOLITAN GOT

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NOW, SOME OF THAT WASN'T DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

SOME OF THAT WAS DUE TO THE METROPOLITAN BOARD WANTING TO SWITCH AS WELL, TO HAVE MORE LOCAL SUPPLIES.

SO THEY WANTED TO BALANCE NOT JUST HAVING A LARGE PORTION OF OUR SERVICE AREA, PROVIDE OUR OUR SERVICE BY IMPORTED SUPPLIES, BUT ALSO REALLY BUILD UP THE LOCAL SUPPLIES.

AND THAT'S BEEN A BIG CHANGE.

AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE LAST 10 YEARS HERE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A LOT HIGHER VARIABILITY.

WE'VE SEEN SOME YEARS WITH 5%, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S GONNA BECOME A CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY IF WE START SEEING LOW SUPPLIES ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

IN FACT, UP UP TO A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AGAIN, WE NEVER SAW A SITUATION WHERE BOTH THE CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT AND THE COLORADO RIVER AQUEDUCT WERE DOWN AT THE SAME TIME.

SO AGAIN, FROM A WATER PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, WELL, I'M A WATER PLANNER.

WE REALLY NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

AND NOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT IS A REALITY, AND WE ARE HAVING TO START PLAN FOR THAT AND START REALLY CHANGING SOME OF OUR, OUR MODELS TO, TO INCORPORATE THAT IN.

UM, AGAIN, JUST ON AN ALLOCATION BASIS.

IT'S NOT JUST BASED, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, JUST ON, ON PRECIPITATION OR, OR, OR, UH, OR, OR STORAGE UP OR, OR EXCUSE ME, UM, SNOW PACK.

BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, CURRENT RESERVOIR STORAGE.

UH, IS THERE ANY CONSTRAINTS IN THE DELTA DUE TO BIOLOGICAL OPINIONS OR FISHERIES OR NEW, NEW STANDARDS IN THERE? AND ALSO, WHAT ARE THE DEMANDS OF OTHER, OTHER STATE WATER CONTRACTORS? UH, THIS IS JUST SOME OTHER FACTS.

I THINK I WENT THROUGH SOME OF THESE.

ONE OF THE THINGS ON STATE PROJECT WATER TOO, REMEMBER, IT'S A LOW SALINITY SUPPLY.

SO FROM A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STANDPOINT, OUR TWO MAIN SOURCES, AGAIN, ARE THE LOW SALINITY COLORADO RIVER.

WE DO HAVE THE LOW SALINITY, UH, LA AQUEDUCT COMING IN, BUT THEN WE HAVE A HIGHER SALINITY COLORADO RIVER.

WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS BLEND THOSE SUPPLIES TOGETHER SO THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, UH, METROPOLITAN BOARD HAS A, A GOAL, A 500 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER MAXIMUM ON THE SALINITY.

WE ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS IS AT BLEND THAT WATER.

WHEN WE LOOK AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S GROUNDWATER BASINS, MOST OF THOSE BASINS, THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD REQUIRES LOW SALINITY WATER.

SO WE'RE LIMITED ON THE AMOUNT OF COLORADO RIVER WATER WE CAN STORE IN THOSE BASES.

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT ON A SHORT TERM BASIS, BUT YOU REALLY NEED THAT STATE WATER PROJECT WATER TO RECHARGE THOSE BASINS OVER TIME.

UM, I THREW THIS SLIDE IN JUST AT THE LAST MINUTE THERE.

UM, 'CAUSE WE GET ASKED, WELL, HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT AND WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO METROPOLITAN STATE PROJECT? SO WE STARTED IN, YOU CAN SEE WHAT IS A 60 YEAR PERIOD FROM 1963 TO THE, UH, CLOSE TO THE PRESENT, A LITTLE LESS THAN $30 BILLION.

OUR, OUR REGION IS SPENT ON, UH, INVESTED INTO THE STATE PROJECT AS PROVIDED ABOUT 44 MILLION ACRE FEET OF SUPPLIES OVER THE 60 YEARS ON AVERAGE OF ABOUT $674 AN ACRE FEET, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR LOWEST COST, UH, SUPPLIES THAT METROPOLITAN HAS.

I'VE ALSO GOT THIS, I THREW THIS IN, IS, IS I'VE HAD QUESTIONS LIKE, WELL, WHY DO WE, WHAT IF WE JUST GET RID OF THE STATE PROJECT? YOU KNOW, YOU, WE SOMETIMES COME TO OUR BOARD AND SAY, WE HAVE FISHERY ISSUES UP THERE.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE SALMON IS MAYBE BEING IMPACTED.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE DELTA SMELL IS UP THERE.

SO WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS LIKE, WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST GET RID OF THE PROJECT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING ELSE.

SO THIS IS JUST A, A QUICK ANALYSIS DONE BY ONE OF THE, UH, RESOURCE PLANTERS AT METROPOLITAN THAT SAID, IF WE HAD TO REPLACE 1 MILLION ACRE FEET OF WATER A YEAR, AND YOU BASE THAT ON A KIND OF A DESAL PLANT THAT COULD PRODUCE 50,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, 18 TO 36 DESAL PLANTS AND YOU NEED, YOU'D HAVE TO SPACE THEM OUT ON THE COAST, RIGHT? SO IT'D BE EVERY 48 MILES FROM LA DOWN TO SAN DIEGO.

YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A DESAL PLANT.

AND IF YOU DID THAT, THEN YOU'D HAVE TO EITHER GET THE ENERGY, BUILD A BIG POWER PLANT, OR DO, YOU KNOW, 200 ADDITIONAL, UH, LARGE WINDMILLS FOR THE ENERGY.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY.

AND, AND I'D BE HAPPY, AS ANTO SAID, TO COME BACK AND GET MORE ON AND, AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS MORE THE POLICY AND STUFF.

BUT

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WE'RE WORKING THAT THROUGH WITH THEM, THROUGH THIS CAMP FOR WATER PROCESS TO GIVE THEM SOME OF THE, THE IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VARIOUS SUPPLIES WE HAVE, BUT WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE UP THERE.

AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS IS, IS, UH, GENERAL MANAGER FAGAN MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE THE COMING BEFORE US.

WE'LL HAVE THE DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT THAT'LL COME FORWARD IN A COUPLE YEARS FOR A VOTE.

THE DEL THE SITE'S RESERVOIR IS ACTUALLY GONNA COME FOR A VOTE IN THE SUMMERTIME OF 2026.

SO AROUND JUNE, 2026 IS, IT WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT.

AND THAT RESERVOIR IS JUST AS NOT METROPOLITAN, BUT IT'S 23, 24 DIFFERENT OTHER USERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AND THEN WE HAVE LOCAL LITTLE OTHER SUPPLIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

FACT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I GUESS HE'S A FORMER GENERAL MANAGER NOW, NOW, UH, DEVIN IS ASKED US TO LOOK AT IS WHAT ADDITIONAL SMALL PROJECTS CAN HE DO UP IN THE DELTA AND PROVIDE WATER.

IT MIGHT NOT BE AS BIG AS THE STATE PROJECT OR A DELTA CONVEYANCE PROJECT.

IT MIGHT NOT BE AS BIG AS THE, UH, SITE'S RESERVOIR, BUT THERE'S A LITTLE INCREMENTAL THINGS THEY CAN DO TO FILL IN THAT PORTFOLIO.

'CAUSE I KNOW OUR BOARD IS LOOKING AT AN ADAPTABLE ONE YOU CAN BRING ON AT CERTAIN TIMES AND DON'T HAVE TO DO THE BIG CHUNK IF, IF, IF POSSIBLE.

UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. NEWICK, THAT WAS A, A REALLY TERRIFIC, UH, OVERVIEW.

UH, MUCH APPRECIATED.

UH, I'M GONNA ASK IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.

MICROPHONE, IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE YOU WERE EXPLAINING HOW MANY DESAL PLANTS IT WOULD REQUIRE.

UM, SO, SO ONE PIECE TO REPLACE 1 MILLION ACRE FEET WITH 18 TO 36 DESAL PLANTS, WHAT WOULD BE THE COST PER ACRE FOOT THAT I, ANNA TOLD? DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE THE LATEST COST ON THAT? I DON'T, IT'S, IT'S IN, IT'S BETWEEN, UM, I, I WOULD SAY 3000 TO $5,000 AN ACRE.

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A RANGE BECAUSE AS IT ALL REALLY DEPENDS ON, NOT JUST ON THE COST OF THE, OF THE ACTUAL FACILITY, BUT WHAT TYPES OF FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS YOU CAN GET FROM THAT.

AND YOU ALSO HAVE METROPOLITAN.

SO SOMETIMES WHEN MEMBER AGENCIES DO THESE TYPES OF THINGS, THEY ADD ALL THOSE UP, BE ABLE TO REDUCE SOME OF THE COST OF IT, BUT IT, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE, IT IS OUR MOST EXPENSIVE SOURCE OF WATER BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY TO DO THAT.

SO ABOUT, UM, IN THE OPERATIONS OF A SEAWATER DESAL PLANT, ABOUT 50 TO 60% OF THE OPERATIONAL COSTS ARE STRICTLY ELECTRICITY COSTS.

UM, RANDALL, YOU SAID 200 ADDITIONAL LARGE WINDMILLS FOR ALL 18 TO 36 OR EACH? ALL ALL OF THEM.

YEAH, ALL OF THEM.

YEAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS TOO THAT'S EMBEDDED IN RANDALL'S PRESENTATION HERE IS THAT IT'S ENOUGH TO SAY THAT THE DEMAND ON THE GRID FROM THE CARLSBAD DESAL PLANT IS WHAT IT IS, AND IT DRIVES ELECTRICITY PRICES IN A PARTICULAR WAY.

BUT IF YOU WERE TO PUT 18 TO 36 DESAL PLANTS ALONG THE ENTIRE COAST, IT'S 50 TO 60% OPERATIONAL DEMANDS FOR ELECTRICITY AND PUT THAT STRAIN ON THE GRID, THE PRICES FOR ELECTRICITY WOULD CHANGE DRAMATICALLY AND THE COST COULD GO HIGHER, WHICH IS WHY RUL WAS GIVING YOU BETWEEN 3000 AND $5,000 AN ACRE FOOT.

UM, THAT IN ESSENCE IS, UM, AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ASPECT ON REPLACING THIS BACK TO YOU, COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.

VERY INFORMATIVE, UH, OVERVIEW AND PRESENTATION.

THE SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY, AS WE'RE MOVING TOWARD AI, UM, WHAT, WHAT, UH, HAS THERE BEEN A FACTOR IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ON OUR WATER SUPPLY THAT AND, AND COSTS THAT WILL CREATE THE DATA CENTERS? HAS THERE BEEN ANY SORT OF WORK OR STUDIES ON THAT? UH, I'M NOT AWARE.

I'M SURE THERE IS.

I I AM NOT AWARE OF IT.

AND, AND, AND INTERESTING YOU BROUGHT UP THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I, I HEARD A SIMILAR QUESTION A WEEK OR SO AGO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO LOOK,

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WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN USING SOME OF THE EIGHT ACRE PONDS ON THOSE ISLANDS TO PUT DATA CENTERS ON FOR COOLING PURPOSES.

UM, SO, BUT FROM AN ENERGY AND OTHER STANDPOINT, I, IT'D BE VERY INTERESTING TO FIND THAT OUT.

RANDALL, CAN YOU GO TO THE, GO BACK TO THE GRAPH ON THE DECLINE AND THE SUPPLY YIELD FROM THE STATE WATER PROJECT? UH, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHERE THAT WAS, THAT ONE.

THIS ONE OUT.

THERE WE GO.

JUST, JUST RIGHT THERE.

SO ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF DATA CENTERS IS DATA CENTERS ARE LOOKING FOR CONSISTENT, RELIABLE DELIVERY OF ELECTRICITY AND CONSISTENT, RELIABLE DELIVERY OF WATER.

AND SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY VIEW THE STATE WATER PROJECT SUPPLY AS A CONSISTENT DELIVERER OF WATER.

PRECISELY FOR WHAT RANDALL SAID HERE, METROPOLITAN DOES THINGS TO TRY TO MANAGE THIS VARIABILITY.

INVARIABLY, MUCH OF THE DATA CENTER FOCUS HAS BEEN ON TRYING TO IDENTIFY GUARANTEED WATER RIGHTS THAT DELIVER WATER FROM THE GROUND, PERHAPS, OR FROM, FROM SOURCES, FROM SOME SOURCE OF SUPPLY THAT HAS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY RIGHT IN THE STATE.

AND THAT WOULD GIVE THEM THE FIRST AND FOREMOST RELIABILITY THAT THEY CAN COUNT ON THAT WATER EACH AND EVERY DAY IN ORDER TO POWER THEIR DATA CENTERS.

IT'S A DIFFICULT DISCUSSION BEING HAPPENING IN THE STATE, BUT, BUT IT IS A CRITICAL ONE TO THIS, THE ABILITY OF DATA CENTERS TO SURVIVE IN CALIFORNIA.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER .

THANK YOU, RANDALL.

UM, I ALWAYS LEARN QUITE A BIT WHEN YOU SPEAK OR YOUR STAFF SPEAK, SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE THIS.

UM, COUPLE OF THINGS.

IS IT, IS IT TRUE THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS THAT WE AS A BOARD HAVE TO FACE AND STAFF TOO, IS, UM, THE EDUCATION OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR CUSTOMERS, AS TO WHY SOME OF THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE THE WAY THEY ARE? AND I HAVE TO SAY, BECAUSE SITES HAS COME, NOT WITH SOME CONTROVERSY, AS YOU WELL KNOW, UM, DATA CENTERS ARE, HAVE A LOT OF CONTROVERSY.

UM, SO A A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US ARE, ARE GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT BASED ON THAT.

HAVING SAID THAT, UM, I KNOW I READ AN AR UH, A SAYING ONCE THAT I, IT WAS ANONYMOUS, I BELIEVE IT WAS A CHINESE, UH, PHILOSOPHER WHO SAID, THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO WATER RELIABILITY IS WATER MANAGEMENT.

THAT'S WHAT THIS PERSON SAID.

SO AS A WATER PLANNER, WOULD YOU SAY THAT THAT'S TRUE? YES.

I, I, I WOULD, I MEAN, I, I COULD, I I SHOWED YOU SOME OF THOSE INITIAL CHARTS ABOUT HOW MUCH WATER ACTUALLY FALLS ON CALIFORNIA.

AND I, I, I, YOU KNOW, FROM A WATER PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, IF IT, IF WE HAD MORE INTEGRATION IN ALL THE SYSTEMS, BOTH FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT, THE STATE WATER PROJECT LOCAL, BECAUSE OF THE WATER RIGHTS SYSTEMS AND, YOU KNOW, UH, HIGHER PRIORITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S, IT'S, IT REALLY PUTS CONSTRAINTS.

AND SO THE WATER SOMETIMES DOESN'T GET TO, UH, I'M TRYING TO SAY THIS IS, IT'S, IT'S NOT AS MUCH.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT WORDS I WANT TO USE.

I'M TRYING TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT ON THIS, BUT WE COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE, IS HOW DO WE INTEGRATE SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS, STILL MAINTAIN THE WATER RIGHT PRIORITIES AND BE MORE EFFICIENT IN THE FUTURE AND, AND HAVE A PORTFOLIO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN BRING, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING DONE AT ONCE.

WE CAN BRING SOME THINGS ON AT A, AT, AT VARIOUS TIMES AS WELL.

SO IT IS A CHALLENGE, AND I THINK THAT'S THE STAFF'S CHALLENGE TO BRING TO, TO NOT ONLY THE, YOUR COMMISSION HERE, BUT TO METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT.

AND, UH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE E EVEN JUST TRYING TO SHOW SOME OF THE STUFF ON THE SLIDES, AS YOU MENTIONED, BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED.

YEAH.

I, I WISH, UM, I WISH THE PUBLIC COULD, COULD LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT WATER RELIABILITY.

AND, UM, YOUR LAST SLIDE, WHICH I, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA POST ABOUT HAVING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE AND THE THREE AREAS OF DIVERSIFICATION AND STORAGE AND A STABLE, RELIABLE, IMPORTED SUPPLIES IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FEATHER RIVER.

AND YOU KNOW THAT A LOT OF US HAVE GONE UP THERE TO SEE FEATHER RIVER.

COULD YOU, COULD YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR

[00:30:01]

WHY DID WE GO TO FEATHER RIVER? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OUR SYSTEM? AND, AND I'M, I'M FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TOO, ORIGINALLY, GREW UP IN THAT AREA.

SO THE FEATHER FEATHER RIVER IS REALLY THE, ACTUALLY THE WATERSHED, AS COMMISSIONER CORDERO SAID, THAT'S THE HEAD HEADWATERS OF OUR SYSTEM.

AND WE ARE NOW WORKING WITH FOLKS UP THERE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T IN THE PAST TO, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FIRES UP THERE, DIFFERENT TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, UH, OTHER RUNOFF GETTING INTO OUR SYSTEM WITH DIFFERENT CHEMICALS, DIFFERENT MINERALS INTO THE SYSTEM.

SO WORKING WITH THOSE INTERESTS UP THERE TO, TO, ON THE WATERSHED ISSUES, AND THEN BRINGING THAT WATER DOWN THROUGH, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE NATURAL RIVERS, THE FEATHER RIVER, DOWN TO THE SACRAMENTO RIVER, DOWN TO THE DELTA, AND THEN THROUGH THE PIPELINES.

ONE OF THE THINGS, IN FACT, I WAS TALKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWN HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOMETIMES WE THINK, WELL, WE JUST NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR SYSTEM DOWN HERE.

AND THE REALITY IS OUR SYSTEM STARTS AT THE WATERSHED, AND THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE, ARE MANAGING THAT, AND WE NEED TO BE A PART OF THAT AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT THAT SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE US WITH THAT RELIABLE HIGH QUALITY SUPPLIES EVEN DURING THE DROUGHT HEARING.

GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND, AND I CAN THINK A LOT OF US CAN SEE WHY METROPOLITAN, UM, IS HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM IN TERMS OF ITS INFLUENCE, ITS INVOLVEMENT, AND ITS RELATIONSHIPS ALONG THE STATE, UM, PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? UH, I, I WOULD JUST ECHO WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER CORDERO SAID THIS, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY COMPLEX.

IF IT WAS EASY, IT WOULD'VE BEEN SOLVED A LONG TIME AGO, AND WE WOULDN'T NEED BRILLIANT MINDS LIKE YOURS WORKING ON THIS 24 7.

UM, SO THANK YOU.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT PLANS FOR THAT.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

THANK YOU.

WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT.

ONE, ONE FINAL COMMENT, RANDALL, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE SLIDE UP, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S INSTRUCTIVE FOR WHAT YOU, THE BOARD WILL EXPERIENCE IN SEEING THIS.

AND THEN WHAT YOU'LL SEE FROM DEAN'S SHOP IN TERMS OF WATER RESOURCES PLANNING IS YOU CAN SEE THIS DECLINE IN THE RELIABILITY OF THE SUPPLY, IN TERMS OF ITS YIELD.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE VOLATILITY THAT COMES.

IN FACT, IN 20 14, 20 21, 20 22, WHEN THE STATE WATER PROJECT ALLOCATION WENT DOWN TO THAT LEVEL, IT WAS HISTORIC AND UNPRECEDENTED.

AND SO SEEING THAT, IF YOU THINK BACK TO OUR EXPERIENCES HERE, WE NEVER HAD TO RATION WATER.

AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME OTHER GRAPHS THAT WOULD SHOW THAT FOR THAT KIND OF STEADY DECLINE, METROPOLITAN DRAMATICALLY INCREASED IN THE LATE NINETIES AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.

IT INCREASED ITS AVAILABILITY OF STORAGE, DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE, AND HEMMET AND OTHER PLACES.

IT DRAMATICALLY RAMPED UP STORAGE CAPABILITIES.

SO ALL OF THOSE HIGH YEARS THAT IN MODERATE AND HIGH VARIABILITY OCCUR, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT WATER TO STORAGE THEN.

AND ANOTHER THING IS THAT THIS SHOWS THAT THIS RESOURCE THAT SHOWS UP IN PEOPLE'S MONTHLY BILLS IS BECOMING INCREDIBLY SCARCE AS OPPOSED TO THE EXPLOSION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ALL OF THESE THINGS, THE RESOURCE THAT WE DEPEND ON IS GETTING SCARCER AND SCARCER.

AND SO ALSO IN LINE WITH THAT DOWNWARD TREND IS THE DOWNWARD TREND IN CONSUMPTION.

WE'VE BECOME MORE AWARE OF THIS, WE'VE CONSUMED LESS WATER CONSERVED IT, AND THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE FEEL WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE, THE LONG-TERM WATER RESOURCES PLANNING.

SO WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RANDALL.

THANK YOU.

UH, SO ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE ALONG WITH A SECOND.

UH, UH, WE'VE GOT COMMENTS OUT OF THE WAY.

SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, RECEIVING AND FILING, UH, SAY AYE.

AYE.

UH, ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER UT 15 4 5, AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY NECESSARY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS WITH OCEAN BLUE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INC.

UH, IN ORDER FOR DISCUSSION TO BEGIN, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU.

[00:35:01]

UH, CALL ON, UH, LISA GUTIERREZ, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

SO FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, STAFF IS REQUESTING BOARD AUTHORIZATION FOR THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH OCEAN BLUE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC.

OR AS NEEDED HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES UNDER THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS CURRENTLY AFFORDED TO THE CITY OF PASADENA IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1 MILLION.

SOME BACKGROUND ON THE, THE SELECTED VENDOR.

OCEAN BLUE HAS PROVIDED HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES TO THE CITY SINCE 1996.

THEIR SERVICES INCLUDE

[3. 25-57126 Recommendation to adopt Resolution No. UT-1545 authorizing the General Manager to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary subsequent amendments, with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc., of Long Beach, California, for providing as-needed hazardous waste removal services on the same terms and conditions afforded to the City of Pasadena, California (Contract No. 32722), in an annual amount not to exceed $1,000,000, until the City of Pasadena contract expires on September 28, 2026, with the option to renew for as long as the City of Pasadena contract remains in effect.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

DUE TO THESE CRITICAL RESPONSE PARAMETERS, THE CITY CURRENTLY MAINTAINS A CONTRACT WITH OCEAN BLUE THROUGH PIGGYBACK AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF PASADENA, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER, 2024.

SIMILAR TO THE CITY'S APPROACH, THE DEPARTMENT PROPOSES TO PIGGYBACK ON THE CITY OF PASADENA'S EXISTING AGREEMENT, WHICH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2026.

LEVERAGING THIS ESTABLISHED CONTRACT ALLOWS THE DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE HANDLING AND DISPOSAL REQUIREMENTS, SUPPORT A LOCAL VENDOR PARTNER, AND ENSURE OPERATIONAL READINESS IN A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER TO ALIGN THE CONTRACT WITH CONTRACT, UH, WITH CURRENT OPERATIONAL DEMANDS AND ENSURE ADEQUATE FUNDING, THE PROPOSED ANNUAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH THE WATER, SEWER, AND GAS FUNDS.

POTENTIAL EXPENSES ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET.

THIS CONTRACT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE BUSINESS PLAN'S FOCUS ON OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY BY ENSURING TIMELY COMPLIANT HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES AND MAINTAINING 24 7 EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPABILITY.

IT STRENGTHENS SYSTEM RELIABILITY AND SAFEGUARDS OUR CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES, AND THE ENVIRONMENT WITH THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER UT DASH 1545, AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY NECESSARY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS WITH OCEAN BLUE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INCOR INCORPORATED OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, OR PROVIDING AS NEEDED HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES ON THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS AFFORDED TO THE CITY OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA CONTRACT NUMBER 3 2 7 2 2 IN AN ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1 MILLION UNTIL THE CITY OF PASADENA CONTRACT EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2026, WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR AS LONG AS THE CITY OF PASADENA CONTRACT REMAINS IN EFFECT.

THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, LISA.

UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

UH, SINCE THIS IS A RESOLUTION, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL.

VOTE PLEASE.

VICE PRESIDENT CORDERO? YES.

SECRETARY PARKIN.

YES.

COMMISSIONER MCGUIRE? YES.

COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.

I'M PRESIDENT SCOTT.

AYE.

THANK YOU.

UH, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU LISA.

UH, AGENDA, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RECEIVE AND FILE THE NOVEMBER 20TH, 2025 RESOURCES COMMITTEE REPORT.

UH, IN ORDER FOR DISCUSSION, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.

THANK YOU.

AND A SECOND.

THANK YOU.

UH, CALL ON VICE PRESIDENT CORDERO FOR AN UPDATE.

JUST VERY BRIEFLY, UH, WE HAD TWO ITEMS. ONE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE OUR DEPARTMENT'S, UH, PARTICIPATION AT THE CPU'S LONG-TERM PLANNING WORKSHOP, GAS PLANNING WORK WORKSHOP.

UM, I WILL NOT DO IT JUSTICE.

MR. TRU GAS DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB, UM, OF, OF INFORMING US.

UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT AND THEN WE WILL BE USING IT AS

[4. 25-57135 Recommendation to receive and file the November 20, 2025 Resources Committee Report.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

YES, WE WILL BRING SOME OF THAT INFORMATION BACK.

IT WILL COME FORWARD IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VENUES AND INTERACTIONS.

OKAY.

THERE WAS QUITE A BIT THERE AND IT WAS, UH, ACTUALLY EXTREMELY INTERESTING.

I THINK IT'D BE GREAT FOR THE REST OF US TO HEAR.

I KNOW, UH, PRESIDENT SCOTT WAS THERE, COMMISSIONER, UH, AUSTIN AND I WERE THERE ALSO, SO THE OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT, I'M SURE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT GREAT REPORT.

UH, THE SECOND ITEM WAS AN UPDATE.

UH, THERE EVEN FILED THE UPDATE ON THE SAN DIEGO, UH, COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY EXCHANGE AGREEMENT.

UM, THERE'S CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS ON THAT.

UM, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT, UM, IT'S A LITTLE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND I HAVE TO CREDIT

[00:40:01]

AND SO I KNOW THERE'S SOME DISCUSSIONS GOING ON AT THE MET LEVEL, UH, IN INTERNALLY HERE, DEAN AS WELL.

UH, AND SO WE'LL HAVE MORE TO REPORT, UM, LATER ON ON THAT.

AND THAT'S MY REPORT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? EXCUSE ME, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? CAN I DO ANNOUNCEMENTS OR ARE YOU, UH, WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST, OKAY.

UH, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO RECEIVE AND FILE, UH, RESOURCES COMMITTEE REPORTS SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, SO NOW, UH, MOVING TO PUBLIC COMMENT, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A NON-AGENDA ITEM? SEEING NONE.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.

JUMPING INTO ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, REAL QUICK, JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE 2026 BOARD MEETING

[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Utilities Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Board.]

AND, UH, ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT'S IN INTERESTED, UH, UH, COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE TAKE A, UH, A MOMENT TO REVIEW THAT.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY CONFLICTS, PLEASE LET DINA KNOW.

UH, ALSO A REMINDER THAT OUR BOARD RETREAT IS NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, UH, AT THE QUEEN MARY.

UH, BREAKFAST BEGINS AT 8:00 AM AND THE MEETING WILL START PROMPTLY AT 9:00 AM.

UM, UH, VICE PRESIDENT CORDERO, DO YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? YEAH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY.

[ANNOUNCEMENTS]

UH, FOR FORMER MAYOR BOB FOSTER, UM, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, HE, HE PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY ON SUNDAY EVENING.

UM, IT'S A BIG LOSS TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY.

HE DID A, AN EXCELLENT JOB.

I KNOW CHARLIE AND, AND NOW BOTH WORKED WITH HIM VERY CLOSELY.

HE, HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND.

I WORKED WITH HIM AT EDISON AND BECAME FRIENDS WITH HE AND HIS WIFE.

HE, HE WAS REMARKABLE.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, I PUT IT ON, ON MY FACEBOOK POST THAT THERE WAS A PUBLIC AND A PRIVATE SIDE OF BOB.

UM, AND THE, THE, YOU ALL KNOW THE PUBLIC SIDE, UM, SOME OF YOU TOO, WELL, PROBABLY, BUT HE WAS PRETTY BULLISH AND HE WAS, UH, NOT GONNA LET SOMETHING GO BY.

HE WAS ALWAYS READY TO FIGHT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

UM, BUT HE ALWAYS TOLD IT LIKE IT IS.

HE WAS VERY DIRECT.

YOU KNEW WHERE YOU STOOD WITH HIM.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, HE WAS EXTREMELY COMPASSIONATE.

HE HAD A VERY, VERY BIG HEART.

AND, UM, WITHOUT SAYING TOO, TOO MUCH, HE WAS JUST THE KIND OF PERSON WHO, WHEN HE, WHEN HE LEFT, WHEN THEY SOLD THEIR HOME IN NAPLES, UM, HE GAVE HIS LANDSCAPE FOR $5,000, JUST AS A BONUS, JUST BECAUSE HE WANTED TO.

AND HE GAVE HIS HOUSEKEEPER A $5,000 BONUS.

HE WAS JUST THAT KIND OF A GUY.

HE DIDN'T SHOW THAT SIDE VERY OFTEN BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT HIS STYLE.

UM, BUT HE WILL BE MISSED.

I WILL MISS HIM AS A DEAR FRIEND.

THANK YOU.

IF I COULD JUST ADD ON TO WHAT GLORIA SAID.

UH, WORKING WITH BOB WAS ONE THING, AND THEN BECOMING HIS FRIEND AFTER HE LEFT, UH, AS BEING THE MAYOR WAS, WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SIDE OF BOB THAT I GOT TO SEE AND ENJOY WITH.

HE AND NANCY AND FOLKS.

HE WAS A VERY SPECIAL, SPECIAL PERSON, UH, ON THE WORK SIDE.

IT WAS ALWAYS VERY NICE WHEN YOU WENT IN THERE WITH A PROBLEM.

HE DIDN'T JUST SEE THE PROBLEM.

HE, HE SAW WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE AS A CITY AT THE END OF IT.

AND YOU COULD AGREE WITH HIM OR DISAGREE WITH HIM AS, AS MANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DID.

BUT HE HAD A VISION FOR WHERE THE CITY COULD BE AND TO BE A BETTER PLACE.

AND, AND AS GLORIA SAID, HIS GENEROSITY WAS ALWAYS THERE.

UM, EVEN WHEN HE WAS THE MAYOR, HE WAS DOING THOSE KIND OF THINGS, UM, BUT NEVER ADVERTISING OR TAKING CREDIT FOR IT.

AND, AND JUST HE AND HIS WIFE WERE JUST SUPER SPECIAL PEOPLE AND, UM, HE WILL BE MISSED.

VERY, VERY NICE GUY.

THANK YOU.

WELL, CHARLIE, YOU MENTIONED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DISAGREEING WITH THE MAYOR FROM TIME TO TIME.

UM, I WAS ONE OF THEM.

UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF, UH, ACTUALLY MEETING COMMISSIONER CORDERO, UH, WHILE WORKING ON BOB'S CORE STAFF ON THE CAMPAIGN WHEN HE RAN FOR MAYOR IN 2006.

AND, UH, AT THAT POINT I OBVIOUSLY WE'RE IN THE, THE HEAT OF A CAMPAIGN.

YOU GET TO KNOW THE FOLKS THAT, THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I SPENT A LOT OF, UH, TIME WITH THE MAYOR.

UH, I DIDN'T GET TO FINISH THE CAMPAIGN AND HE NEVER LET ME FINISH.

FORGET THAT.

UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING YOU NEVER WANTED TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE THERE WAS ALWAYS CONSEQUENCES FOR, FOR OPPOSING THE MAYOR.

BUT, UM, FROM TIME TO TIME, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T AGREE.

BUT, UM, IT WAS ALWAYS A LEVEL OF RESPECT, I THINK, THAT I DEFINITELY HAD FOR HIM.

AND I THINK IT WAS VICE VERSA.

UM, BUT AGAIN, AFTER HE LEFT OFFICE, UH, I GOT TO, TO, TO REALLY APPRECIATE AND, AND, AND KNOW THE MAYOR,

[00:45:01]

AND THEN I WOULD JUST SAY AS A, AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, CERTAIN THINGS WOULD COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

AND, AND THERE WAS ALWAYS A QUESTION IN MY BACK OF MY, MY MIND OR HEAD IS WHERE'S BOB FOSTER'S HAND ON THIS? HE WAS, HE WAS SOMEWHAT LIKE, LIKE THE WIZARD OF OZ, EVEN WHEN HE WASN'T PRESENT.

HE WAS, HE HAD AN INFLUENCE ON, ON A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN THIS CITY.

AND SO, UM, FOR THAT, I MEAN, WE REALLY LOST A, A, A GREAT MIND, A GREAT RESOURCE.

SOMEBODY WHO WAS A POLICY EXPERT IN MANY AREAS.

UM, AND, UH, SOMEBODY WHO WAS A MENTOR TO MANY, INCLUDING MYSELF.

AND SO I'M GLAD THAT HE WAS IN MY LIFE.

UM, AND PART OF MY JOURNEY.

I DIDN'T FOLLOW ALL OF HIS ADVICE, BUT THE ADVICE I DID FOLLOW, I'M GLAD I DID.

I, I GOT TO EXPERIENCE BOB FROM THE GENEROSITY SIDE, PROBABLY 100%.

UM, YOU KNOW, I, THERE, I, I WOULD SEE THE BLUSTER WHEN I'D SEE HIM AT EVENTS OR, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OTHERS.

BUT FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT WAS ALWAYS JUST GENEROSITY.

AND IT WASN'T JUST THROUGH DONATIONS OR GIFTS.

HIS PRESENCE WAS THERE.

HE WOULD SHOW UP AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN WITH NANCY BREAKFAST ADVICE, HELP, HE WASN'T EVEN CATHOLIC .

AND HE, HE WOULD SHOW UP FOR ST.

ANTHONY AND THAT GREATER COMMUNITY WITHIN THE CITY.

SO I MISS HIM VERY, VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE NOW TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU.

UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL ON OUR GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT.

I HAVE NO SPECIFIC COMMENTS TODAY.

I'LL FILE A GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ITEMS AT THE NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU.

SUPER.

UH, THAT BEING SAID, UH, THIS MEETING IS NOW

[ADJOURNMENT]

THANK YOU.