East Bay Municipal Utility District
EBMUD | |
Administrative offices in Oakland | |
Agency overview | |
---|---|
Jurisdiction | Eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area |
Headquarters | 375 11th Street Oakland, CA 94607-4240 |
Annual budget | $1.8 billion USD (July 2015 – June 2017) |
Website | https://www.ebmud.com/ |
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), colloquially referred to as "East Bay Mud", is a
EBMUD Reservoirs
- Camanche Reservoir
- Pardee Reservoir
- Briones Reservoir
- Lafayette Reservoir
- San Pablo Reservoir
- Upper San Leandro Reservoir
History
In 1923, EBMUD was founded due to the rapid population growth and severe drought in the area. The district constructed
In the 1980s with federal grant funding, EBMUD undertook a major facility expansion to accommodate wet weather waste water overflow (i.e. the vastly increased system demand in the rainy season). This project took many years of construction for implementation, after the planning and
In 1994, the EBMUD board of directors approved the Seismic Improvement Plan (SIP), a $189 million capital project designed to minimize damage and disruption in the event of a potential earthquake along the
In May 2008, EBMUD announced severe drought and austerity measures for its customers. With the easing of the drought, these measures were rescinded in 2010. EBMUD announced mandatory water rationing again in August 2014.[4] The emergency regulations imposed during this prolonged drought were relaxed effective July 1, 2016, after the drought was declared officially ended. EBMUD announced mandatory water rationing again in April 2022, following a bleak California snow survey and the driest January to March period on record.[5]
Finances
As with other public entities, the District has significantly underfunded liabilities for legacy costs. These include $535 million for retirement and $89 million for retiree health.[6]
EBMUD has several sources of revenue for both water and sewage treatment enterprises. These sources include the sale of water, hydroelectric power, system capacity charges, sewage treatment charges, connection fees, wet weather facilities charges, interest and property tax increments.
In 2007, the water system was anticipated to generate a total of $375.5 million in revenue. Water sales account for approximately 76 percent of the revenue, with System Capacity Charges generating an additional 7 percent in revenue. Property Tax Revenue is expected to generate an additional 5 percent of revenues, with interest, electric energy sales, reimbursements and other sources making up the remaining 12 percent of revenues.[1]
Water rights
Historically, 90 percent of the water used by EBMUD comes from the 577 square mile protected Mokelumne River watershed. EBMUD has water rights for up to 325 million U.S. gallons per day (MGD) (997 acre-feet) or a total of 364,000 acre-feet per year.[1] In normal years, EBMUD reservoirs in the East Bay receive an additional 30,000 acre-feet of local water from runoff annually. In dry years, evaporation and other losses can total more than the local runoff. Runoff from the Mokelumne watershed is not sufficient to meet EBMUD customer needs in times of severe drought.
In February 2020, 75 project customers, including the East Bay Municipal Utility District, received permanent federal water contracts for the Central Valley Project.[7][8]
Effects of California drought
In April 2015, EBMUD declared a Stage 4 critical drought and has set a community-wide goal to reduce water use by 20%. To reach this goal, EBMUD has adopted new water rules that affect all customers and must supplement normal water supplies with water from additional sources, like 33,250 acre-feet from the Central Valley Project. EBMUD has enforced strict water restrictions in order to ensure all conservation measures are being taken. By the end of 2015, EBMUD was projected to have in storage 320,000 to 330,000 acre-feet of water.[9]
On May 10, 2016, EBMUD declared an end to the drought emergency, as their reservoirs had more water than average. The board voted to relax many of the
Future expansion
EBMUD has begun considering the expansion of its own
In 2009, environmental activists groups sued to block approval of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Pardee Reservoir expansion proposal.[a] Following a two-year trial, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley agreed with the plaintiffs' objections and rejected the EIS in 2011. His ruling stated that EBMUD had not adequately addressed all the potential environmental harms of the project.[13] Specifically, Judge Frawley said the document completely omitted discussing a less destructive alternative - working with CCWD on expanding Los Vaqueros reservoir. Moreover, it neglected to discuss the impacts of: (1) flooding two whitewater runs (Electra and Middle Bar); (2) destroying the historic Middle Bar Bridge and (3) inundating a stand of black willow trees that were important to the culture of the native Miwok people.[13] After reviewing the ruling, EBMUD announced in December, 2011, that it had dropped plans for a new dam on the Mokelumne River, and would work with CCWD on expanding Los Vaqueros.[12]
Notes
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Section 9.0 East Bay Municipal Utility District Water and Wastewater Service
- ^ "Your Board members :: East Bay Municipal Utility District".
- ^ "Case Study: Seismic Improvement Program, East Bay Municipal Utility District" (PDF). Earthquake Engineering Research Institute: Mitigation Center. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ "EBMUD declares emergency water shortage, issues mandatory restrictions". 12 August 2014.
- ^ "EBMUD declares Stage 2 drought emergency". 26 April 2022.
- ^ "Best Tips and References".
- ^ Boxall, Bettina (2020-02-29). "Westlands Water District gets permanent U.S. contract for massive irrigation deliveries". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
- ^ "Bureau of Reclamation Completes First Group of Congressionally-Mandated California Central Valley Project Contract Conversions". Sierra Sun Times. March 2, 2010. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
- ^ "Water Supply Briefing April 28, 2015" (PDF). EBMUD. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "Thankful for a wet winter." East Bay Municipal Utility District. 2017. Accessed February 16, 2017.
- ^ a b "EBMUD Has Yet Another Option Besides a New Mokelumne Dam." East Bay Express. June 3, 2009. Accessed July 5, 2017.
- ^ a b Shutes, Chris. "Major Victory for CSPA: East Bay MUD Abandons Plan To Raise Pardee Dam." California Sportfishing Protection Alliance. December 6, 2011. Accessed July 5, 2017.
- ^ a b Zito, Kelly. "EBMUD set back by Pardee Reservoir ruling." SF Gate. April 18, 2011. Accessed July 5, 2017.