Water Resource Management and
Updating the Drought Contingency
Plan
Drew Molly, P.E.
Chief Operating Officer
Esteban (Steve) Ramos,
Water Resource Manager
March 18, 2025 1
Purpose and Overview of the
Drought Contingency Plan (DCP)
• Provides a business plan to manage water supplies
• Calls for minimizing the use of non-essential water
during a drought to protect the water supply
• Serves as a framework to identify and manage a
drought or a water emergency
• Defines the triggering criteria for initiation and
termination of stages
• When combined reservoir capacities fall below
certain levels or in the event of an emergency
• Applies to all customers utilizing water provided
by the City
• Updated every five years or as needed
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DCP Review Timeline:
January 28, 2025: • First presentation to Council
January 29 -
February 10: • Public input
February 5, 2025: • DCP Listening Session
February 11, 2025: • Presentation to Council
February 18, 2025: • DCP Listening Session
March 18, 2025: • Presentation to Council
March 18, 2025: • DCP Approval
March 19, 2025: • Regulations take effect
Public Engagement
CCW held two listening sessions and met with several community members,
business and civic groups regarding the proposed changes to the DCP.
Some of those groups include:
• Pool and Hot Tub Association
• Landscape Irrigators
• Coastal Bend Home Builder Association
• Coastal Bend Industry Association
• Nursery Business Owners/Botanical Garden
• Naval Air Station Officials
• Citizens
• Wholesale customers
• Carwash owners 4
Listening Sessions
Summary of Comments
• Large Volume Users
• Public Comment – Repeated requests for industry to comply with the same drought
restrictions as residents.
• Response – Industrial customers must follow the same drought restrictions as all
customers. While some businesses participate in a voluntary surcharge exemption
fund, this does not exempt them from restrictions. Approximately $25M in drought
surcharges have been paid by these customers over the past five years.
• Public Comment – Requests to revoke the non-mandatory surcharge exemption fee
(NDSEF).
• Response – The NDSEF is a non-mandatory fee that is paid year-round by large
volume users (LVU) and exempts those who pay from drought surcharges (IF
implemented by Council) during stages 2, 3 and during a water emergency. Paying this
fee does not limit the City’s ability to curtail the LVU during water allocations. This fee is
designated to bring on a new drought-proof water supply.
• Discretionary power to the City Manager
• Public Comment – Concerns raised by some that City Manager has too much power to
implement components of DCP.
• Response – New authorization language allows the City Manager to implement the
non-emergency stages and restrictions as described in the DCP. Changes not
described in the plan will need Council approval.
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Listening Sessions
Summary of Comments
• DCP is being rushed
• Public Comment – Some perceive new DCP implementation as rushed.
• Response – CCW started working on the DCP in 2024 and has held multiple
listening sessions in addition to the Council presentations. The first read of
the DCP was approved by Council on February 28.
• Resident-first approach
• Public Comment – Several community members stressed they wanted a
“resident-first” DCP.
• Response – The new plan offers reduced restrictions and more flexibility in
later drought stages. Many businesses and residents support the
implementation of the proposed DCP.
• Mandatory triggers for Stage 4 (Current DCP) or Water Emergency
(Proposed DCP)
• Public Comment – Establish mandatory triggers for water crises beyond
Stage 3.
• Response – Water emergencies vary too widely to define specific triggers; to
address this comment, CCW has proposed the addition of a Level 1 and Level 2
water emergency with distinct triggers. 6
Summary of Updates
Proposed changes from January 28, 2025, City Council Meeting
Addition of a voluntary stage:
Water Shortage Watch Landscape Watering in Stage 3
• Voluntary conservation of water by watering once
a week • Drip irrigation for foundations and
landscaped beds is permitted every other
week on the designated watering day.
Car washes
• Stage 2: Allowing the use of water for washing Landscape Watering in Stage 3
a motor vehicle, not occurring at a commercial
car wash, during the designated watering day. • Watering trees, vegetable beds, shrubs,
and potted plants with a handheld hose is
allowed on any day.
Car washes
• Stage 3: Amending the prohibition on car Landscape Watering in Stage 3
washes to permit handwashing with a bucket on
the designated watering day. • Variances up to 30 days for new sod
plantings will be considered.
Pool Restrictions in Stage 3
Renaming Stage 4
• Amending the prohibition on pool filling to allow
the filling, draining, and refilling of existing • Change to Water Emergency
swimming pools and Jacuzzis to maintain
structural integrity.
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Summary of Updates
Proposed changes from January 28, 2025, City Council Meeting
Modifications to the Optional Surcharges
(Can only be implemented with Council Approval)
• For Residents: Modified surcharge by increasing the optional surcharge from
3,000 gallons per month to 7,000 gallons per month to minimize the impact on
working families.
• A surcharge of $1.00 (Stage 2), $2.00 (Stage 3), and $4.00 (Water Emergency)
per 1,000 gallons per month.
• For residential accounts over 7,000 gallons
• For irrigation accounts per 1,000 gallons
• For commercial accounts over 55,000 gallons
• For wholesale customers for volumes exceeding the last 12-month average
usage by 25% for the 12-month billing will be added to the customers’ bill,
except as otherwise provided by contract.
• For non-exempt large volume accounts over 12,842,000 gallons
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Summary of Updates
Proposed changes after February 5, 2025, Listening Session and February 11, 2025, City Council Meeting
• CCW proposed the following changes to the DCP based on additional comments.
Increase the optional surcharge for Non-Exempt Large Volume
Users
• Increase surcharge amount per 1,000 gallons for non-exempt large-volume accounts.
• Stage 2: From $1.00 to $3.00
• Stage 3: From $2.00 to $6.00
• Water Emergency: From $4.00 to $12.00
Change language for surcharges
• From “For other accounts” to “For wholesale customers” and include language for
accounts with contracts.
Moratorium on New Water Services
• Move the Optional Measure not to allow the issuance of new water services applications
from Stage 3 to Water Emergency.
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Summary of Updates
Proposed changes after February 18, 2025, Listening Session
• CCW proposed the following changes to the DCP based on additional comments.
Add new triggers for Water Emergency
• Level 1 Water Emergency: When the City is within 180 days of its total water supply not meeting its water demands.
• Level 2 Water Emergency: When a water supply emergency exists, which causes the demand to exceed the
supply, subsequently leading to imminent failure to maintain pressure that meets TCEQ minimum standards.
Authorization
• Any non-emergency changes to the drought stages and restrictions outside this DCP must have City
Council approval.
Targeted Demand Reduction Levels for proposed Drought Stages
• Water Shortage Watch: 5% water reduction
• Stage 1: Mild Water Shortage 5% water reduction
• Stage 2: Moderate Water Shortage 10% water reduction
• Stage 3: Critical Water Shortage 15% water reduction
• Water Emergency:
• Level 1: 25% water reduction
• Level 2: 50% water reduction
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Staff Recommendation
• Staff recommends the approval of the second read proposed revisions to the
DCP and amendments to Chapter 55, Article XII Water Resource Management
ordinances, which will provide a framework for managing water supplies for the
community while CCW secures a drought-proof water supply for all residents,
with an ordinance amendment effective date of March 19, 2025.
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Thank you!
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