Citizens' 2000 Master Plan
In this proceeding, Montgomery Watson, the consulting firm that prepared Citizens' 1993 and 1996 Master Plans, reevaluates the current status of the various potential water supply sources, identifies and reassesses necessary system improvements, and outlines a seven-year capital improvement program for 2001-2007. (Application, Attachment A-2000 Master Plan.) The intent of the 2000 Master Plan is to correct long-standing water supply deficiencies in Montara with the ultimate goal of removing the long-standing moratorium on new connections. In order to do this, the Commission has ordered Citizens to bring its capacity up from 327 to 550 gpm.
In summary, the 2000 Master Plan recommends that the following changes be made to the 1996 Master Plan:
- Eliminate fire protection projects completed since 1996.
- Modify the number and location of wells and storage in the water supply project list.
- Update the cost estimates of all projects.
- Extend the timeframe to seven years, instead of five years, to reduce the rate impact of the cost of improvements on customers.
- Include funds to conduct further studies of supply options for short-term and long-term planning.
Citizens reports that the DWR study did not identify any new water supply options beyond those previously explored by Citizens in earlier Master Plans. Thus, Citizens concludes that local groundwater sources are still the most economical source of potential new water supply. Citizens contends that the necessary revisions to well projects do not conflict with the DWR study. In the 2000 Master Plan, Citizens removes from the list of projects development of the Guntren Well because the property site could not be acquired. Citizens removes the projects to re-drill the Park Well and install an iron and manganese treatment facility for the Park Well because it would only be used for emergencies and because this well site, partially within Montara Creek's flood plain, was not a feasible location. Citizens now proposes to move the wells to new sites, one at Wagner Valley and two at McNee Ranch.
Citizens' eight operating wells have a total capacity of 327 gpm. These new wells are estimated to increase capacity by 60 gpm, 50 gpm, and 50 gpm, respectively, totaling 160 gpm. These new wells would be constructed in addition to completing the Airport Well # 4 site, which was detailed in the 1996 Plan to add 60 gpm. (Citizens is currently awaiting approval of Airport Well # 4 from the California Coastal Commission.)
The 2000 Plan's well development program adding 220 gpm capacity to the existing 327 gpm, plus surface water of 75 gpm from its surface water treatment plant, will allow Citizens to achieve total supply capability of at least 550 gpm, the Commission-mandated capacity, within five years. At that time Citizens will request that the moratorium on new customers be lifted.
The 2000 Plan also recommends further investigation and provides funding for groundwater monitoring, studies on groundwater resources, water transfers, wheeling, desalination, recycled water, and other supply sources, throughout the seven-year period.
Finally, Citizens proposes several thousand feet of pipeline replacements, distribution system improvements, and increased water storage at two sites, the existing Schoolhouse tank site and the Portola site. These new tanks would add a net 1,300,000 gallons of storage to the system (the Portola tank will be torn down and replaced by a tank the same size) to provide a fully stand-alone system in the case of a regional emergency, such as occurred during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Additional storage would also enhance adequate fire flow.
In summary, Citizens proposes the following scheduling and estimated annual costs of the capital improvements (Application, Attachment A-2000 Master Plan):
Annual Cost Summary of Recommended Capital Improvement Projects
7-Year Capital Improvement Program
Description |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
Year 7 |
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Improvements to Storage and Pumping Facilities |
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Misc. Pipeline Replacement Program |
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Total |
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Citizens estimates that its seven-year capital improvement program will cost $7.402 million. Citizens estimates the total rate impact to be roughly $1.084 million per year. This will result in an average annual rate increase of 9.08%, or a cumulative rate increase of approximately 83% over the seven years. Citizens proposes to request rate recovery for the actual costs of improvements by annual advice letter filings in the year the approved projects are completed.
