CRPD WATER CONSERVATION PLAN - Laserfiche WebLink

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Conejo Recreation and Park District Response to Drought Conditions Strategic Planning Efforts In 2008, the District developed its initial Strategic Plan, a top level document to set clear direction over all operational aspects of the District's mission. Displaying the District's commitment to resource conservation, included in the original Strategic Plan was the following broad element regarding conservation practices: 6.9 Evaluate enhanced recycling and energy conservation practices. Evaluate and enhance our recycling and energy conservation practices within the District and at District properties and events to assure that we continuously improve the District's recycling, energy conservation, resource utilization and related practices to strive to become an environmentally considerate and sustainable operation. In order to further emphasize the District's commitment to resource conservation, in 2010 the District added a more specific water related conservation element: 2.9 Continue to incorporate water saving practices into standard operations. Follow through with drought -related turf conversions in the parks and consider and implement a variety of cost effective water -saving solutions. Expenditures and Future Costs Since 2015, the District has expended over $3,000,000 on approximately 70 acres of turf conversions and various capital projects (such as projects to modify and upgrade irrigation systems, projects to use reclaimed irrigation) districtwide. These one-time expenditures are necessary in ensuring the viability of District parks and long-term water conservation efforts. Annual, on-going costs for water usage continue to rise. Water costs have steadily risen since Fiscal Year 2007- 20008, when the District spent overall approximately $830,000 for 328,935 units (1 unit equals 748 gallons) of potable water used; in the last Fiscal Year 2016-2017 the District spent approximately $1,500,000 (an approximate 80% increase compared to Fiscal Year 2007-2008) for 280,070 units (an approximate 15% decrease) of potable water used. The District is committed to providing the resources necessary to respond to the ongoing and future droughts. In Fiscal Year 2017-2018, and with the intent to continue annually, the District has committed $300,000 for Annual Drought Response Irrigation Improvements and Annual Master Flow Valve installations. As costs continue to rise, The District will continue to make best efforts for water conservation and thus budgetary savings. Overwatering turf not only wastes money and water but is actually harmful and can lead to fungus, insects, puddles, and weak roots. As costs from water suppliers and distributors continue to rise, the District will be forced to allocate funds from different programs and sources to meet the basic needs of providing and maintaining healthy and quality turf. Page 12