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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1990 0905 CC REG ITEM 09ABERNARDO M. PEREZ Mayor SCOTT MONTGOMERY Mayor Pro Tern ELOISE BROWN Councilmember CLINT HARPER, Ph.D. Councilmember PAUL W. LAWRASON, Jr. Councilmember LILLIAN KELLERMAN City Clerk MOORPARK iTEM41P'�'� PeIooRPPAK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting F� of_ -7/2 S7 1 z ACTION: 9, By MOORPARK. CAUFORNIA CNy CounoR Meeting of ACTION: �,! 'qlf � The Honorable City Council e FR * Craig Phillips, Administrative Assistant C DATE: July 5, 1990 (City Council Meeting 7- 25 -90) STEVEN KUENY oz City Manager ;,'OORPARK, CALIFORNIA CHERYL J. KANE City Councl Meefln City Attorney of gPATRICK RICHARDS, A.I.C.P. e 199,Q Director of Community Development ACTION: R. DENNIS DELZ S City Engineer �S - JOHW- 9.�Ef UFORNIA BY m.._ - Chighf rcli M flag RICHARD T. HARE 199 City rea: L y ACTION; �1Ji,1 M E M O R A N D U M SUBJECT: Consideration of a Requirement to Install Low - Water Consumption Fixtures and Devices in all New Construction (Public Hearing) At the May 2, 1990 City Council Meeting, staff was directed to prepare a modification to the Building Code that would require low -flow fixtures in new construction. summary Ventura County has problems with groundwater overdraft, seawater intrusion, drought, and increasing demands on limited water supplies. Efficient use of limited water supplies is needed. One type of water waste that can be eliminated with minimal cost and impact on life- styles is the water consumed by inefficient plumbing fixtures and devices. To eliminate this waste, it is proposed that the Plumbing Code be amended to require water- efficient plumbing fixtures in new construction. Since the provisions of the proposed ordinance will constitute a change or modification of the requirements of the Municipal Code, the City Council will have to adopt the necessary findings that this action is reasonable in light of local conditions. Background Since 1983, the California Uniform Plumbing Code has required 3.5 gallon per flush (gpf) water closets in new construction. Even more efficient water closets, designed to use only 1.6 gpf, have been successfully marketed. Their use has already been mandated in many jurisdictions, both within California and throughout the nation, dtie to their effectiveness in 799 Moorpark Avenue Moorpark California 93021 (805) 529 -6864 AN ORDINANCE OF THE _'-QTY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK BY ADDING SECTION 8.02.030 REQUIRING IOW -RATER CONSUMPTION FIX- TURES AND DEVICES. WHEREAS, the use of low water consumption plumbing fixtures will contribute to water conservation and WHEREAS, a noticed public hearing has been held by the City Coun- cil, at which time all interested persons had the opportunity to appear and be heard on the matte, of requiring Low Water Consump- tion Fixtures and Devices; NOW, THEREFORE THE CITY COUNCI's. OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. That Title 8 of the Moorpark Municipal Code is amended by adding section 8.08.0:30 to read: 8.08.030 Low water Consumption Fixtures The uniform Plumbing Code, as adopted, i.s hereby amended by adding Section 913 to read: Section 913 Low water Consumption Fixtures (a) Every tank -type water closet installed shall be of a design that requires no' more than 1.6 gallons per flush and that has been tested and a_ouroved in accor- dance with ANSI standards a listed in Chapter 2 of UPC, Table A. (b) Every showerhead installed shall be of an approved type that limits the water _.ow to a maximum of 2.5 Gal- lons per minute. Exception ii l. when documentation of non - availability of the 1.6 gallon- per - flush water closets is furnished, the Building Official may approve an al- ternate fixture design in. accordance with the provisions of Section 108 of the Uniform Administrative Code as adopted. Exception =2. when documentation of non - compatibility with existing plumbing systems due to rough -in dimensions for retrofitted water closets, or with existing_ sewer aradients insufficient to meet the water - closet manufacturer's installation instructions or recommendations, the Building Official may approve an alternate fixture design in accordance with the provi- sions of Section 108 of the uniform Administrative Code as adopted. SECTION 2. AMENDMENTS NECESSARY. Pursuant to Section 17958.5 of the Health and Safety Code of the State of California, The City Council of the City of Moorpark hereby finds that the amendments to the Uniform Plumbing Code made by this ordinance are reasonably necessary due to 1-cal climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY, If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed and adopted this ordinance and each and all provisions thereof, irrespective of the fact that: any one or more of said provisions may be declared invalic SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adop- tion of this ordinance by the City Council; shall enter the same in the book of original ordinances of said City; shall make a minute of the passage and adoption thereof: in the records of the proceedings of the City Council zkt which the same is passed and adopted; and shall, within fiftee>i (15) days after the passage and adoption thereof, cause the s.iine to be published in the man- ner prescribed by law. PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of 1990. Mavoi- of the City of Moorpark, California ATTEST: The Honorable City Council June 6, 1990 Page 2 reducing water usage. Governor Deukmejian recently signed Assembly Bill 2355 (co- sponsored by Assembly Member Jack O'Connell), requiring all buildings constructed after January 1, 1992, to install water closets and associated flushometer valves, if any, which use no more than 1.6 gpf, and urinals and associated flushometer valves, if any, which use no more than 1.0 gpf. Massachusetts, New York, Washington, Rhode Island, and Connecticut have implemented similar requirements. Federal legislation has been introduced to set national standards and require labels on water -using products, in much the same manner as the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 regulates energy -using appliances. The Federal water -use standards would be the same as California's. Even before AB 2355 was passed, the County Water Conservation Management Program, Supervisor Lacey, representing the Board, and the Association of Water Agencies invited interested parties to meet to discuss the feasibility and desirability of mandatory ultra -low consumption plumbing fixtures in the County. This voluntary group, which came to be called the Plumbing Efficiency Research Group (PERG), investigated the performance of water - efficient plumbing devices (referred to herein as ultra -low consumption [ULC] plumbing devices) and the potential measures to mandate them in new construction. Building officials, plumbing contractors, water districts, sanitation districts, and others, were represented on this committee. The committee's findings supported the use of such devices. Representatives from Goleta Water District, Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Las Virgenes Water District, and the City of Santa Monica related their successful experiences with ULC water closets at the PERG meetings. Monterey has at least 4,000 homes using ULC water closets. Goleta has at least 10,000 water closets in place and more than six years of experience with ULC water closets. The performance of these ULC fixtures - in the home, in transporting waste from the house to the main sewer line, and impacts on wastewater treatment has been positive. The PERG committee found ULC plumbing fixtures are as reliable as conventional water closets, Because of the significant amount of water which can be saved, several cities in Ventura County are adopting requirements for ULC plumbing fixtures before the 1992 effective date of the new law. The City of Ventura was the first to do so, with an amendment to the plumbing code The Honorable City Council June 6, 1990 Page 3 effective January 1, 1990. The cities of Camarillo and Simi Valley followed with effective dates of April 25, 1990 and July 5, 1990, respectively. Ventura County's was effective July 1, 1990. These amendments set water -use standards for water closets, showerheads, and sink faucets. Similarly, Calleguas Municipal Water District passed a resolution on December 20, 1989, encouraging local governments to require the installation of ULC water closets, urinals, and showerheads in new construction within their service area. Calleguas MWD's service area covers a large area in the southeastern portion of the County, including the cities of Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Oxnard and surrounding unincorporated areas. The Association of Water Agencies (AWA) has taken a position supporting requirements for ULC plumbing fixtures. This recommended plumbing code amendment would apply to the installation of plumbing fixtures in all new residential, commercial, and industrial construction within the City of Moorpark. Effective August 30, 1990, all new construction would be required to be equipped with 1.6 gpf water closets and 2.5 gallon per minute (gpm) showerheads. Availability of these fixtures does not appear to be a problem. At least three wholesale and six retail plumbing stores in Ventura County stock ULC water closets, with many more stores indicating the fixtures could easily be obtained once a demand exists. Based on a 1980 study by the County Department of Water Resources, water closet flushing comprises 42% of interior water use, the largest use of water inside the home. The Department assumed that if there were 20 flushes per household per day (EPA estimate) the potential water savings for households in the unincorporated area of the County would be: 46% savings in water and wastewater 38 gal /day saved per household 13,870 gal /year saved per household If similar amendments were approved countywide, approximately 132,444,630 gallons, or 406 acre feet of water could be saved in the County before the State law becomes effective in 1992. This amount of water would support about 1,765 people a year in Ventura County. The second largest use of water inside the home is for bathing and showering. Ultra -low consumption showerheads use 2.5 gpm, compared to the State standard of 2.75 gpm. Many The Honorable City Council June 6, 1990 Page 4 showerheads certified at 2.5 gpm are available. The potential water savings from the use of ULC showerheads can vary considerably depending upon showering time and water pressure. Staff Recommendation It is recommended that the City Council introduce the Ordinance. CP:sc 661.per Attachment