City staff presented a technical memorandum and spreadsheet tool for assessing Lindsay City’s water supply capacity and urged the council to use it as a live document to guide development approvals and capital planning. The presentation showed that the city’s total water supply would meet average demand but that the firm supply — the amount available in emergencies if a major source is lost — would fall short as population and entitlements grow unless additional sources or wells are developed.

The memo, produced with outside engineering support, tested seasonal demand factors and scenarios that assume the city rehabilitates Well 11 and brings other planned wells online. Staff emphasized that firm-supply shortfalls occur sooner if the council approves new entitlements without new water resources. City staff said the technical spreadsheet that accompanies the memo will allow planning staff to update entitlement assumptions and immediately see supply/demand impacts.

Why it matters: Lindsay’s water supply decisions affect whether the city can responsibly allow new housing or commercial projects without risking service interruptions. The city must plan not only for average-year supply but for resiliency under drought, contamination, or infrastructure failure — the “firm supply” scenario state reviewers require.

Details from the presentation and council discussion

- Scope and assumptions: Staff and the consultant reviewed current wells, the surface water treatment plant, and a canal that historically goes offline some winters. The memo used seasonal peak-day factors rather than a single annual average and incorporated the city’s 2024 Urban Water Management Plan projections.
- Entitlements and scenarios: The consultants modeled several proposed developments (described in the memo as multiple phases and a travel center) using developer-provided numbers; staff noted some developer assumptions (for example, amenities at the travel center) will likely be reduced and the spreadsheet can be adjusted accordingly.
- Recommended actions: The memo recommends rehabilitating Well 11 (work already underway), developing additional groundwater supply, and using the spreadsheet to condition future development approvals. Staff also recommended the council acknowledge the memo as a planning guide rather than a fixed adoption document because assumptions will be updated as permits and grants materialize.
- Funding and grants: Staff said the city recently secured a state grant of more than $6 million related to water projects, which will reduce the amount the council would otherwise fund from rates for planned improvements.
- Related regional work: Council and staff discussed continuing outreach to nearby districts and state programs about consolidation options and tertiary reuse (treated wastewater) to reduce reliance on groundwater. Staff said they would bring back a follow-up item for further exploration if the council wants to pursue those regional options.

Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded in the meeting)

- Bridal Water Authority membership: Council approved joining the regional water authority. Staff presented an estimated annual membership cost to Lindsay of $60,200. Recorded outcome: motion passed (tally reported in the meeting as 4 yes, 0 no, 1 absent). Motion mover/second: not specified in the record.
- Holiday decorations budget: Council approved funding for the holiday program and downtown decorations. Staff presented several options and a one-time purchase estimate (discussed figure about $25,000 for a purchase; rental and full-scope options raised to about $27,029); the council approved a motion to keep the program and provide funding (exact motion text and detailed tally not recorded in the transcript; vote indicated in favor).
- Fiscal-year budget and allocations: Staff presented the proposed FY 2025–26 budget and an allocation plan for the SQM settlement funds (paying down debt, a $1 million general-fund reserve lockbox, and other set-asides). The council voted to proceed with the budget measures presented; the meeting record shows a motion and a vote in favor (mover/second and numeric tally not specified in the excerpt).
- Consent item (Cal OES generator grant): Staff reported a Cal OES grant awarded to the city that included design and installation services for emergency generators at multiple city sites. Staff requested council authorization to proceed with the next grant steps (including contract and design services). The consent motion was moved and seconded and proceeded as a consent-item approval (specific vote tally not recorded in the excerpt).

What the council directed staff to do

- Use the technical water-capacity memo and accompanying spreadsheet as a live planning tool to evaluate permit applications and to update assumptions as building permits and grant outcomes are confirmed.
- Continue to pursue grant funding and regional partnerships (including exploring wastewater tertiary reuse and possible consolidation or interconnection options) and return to council with specific proposals or agreements for further consideration.
- Proceed with membership in the regional water authority and implement the holiday decorations scope consistent with the approved funding direction.

Context and next steps

Staff and the consulting engineers said the spreadsheet tool will let planning and public-works staff enter building-permit timelines, revised developer proposals, and grant outcomes to see how quickly entitlements would consume available supply. Staff emphasized Well 11 rehabilitation as an important near-term action and repeated the recommendation that some proposed entitlements not be approved as unrestricted allocations until additional water resources are developed.

Staff also noted a separate discussion with Self Help and other entities about possibilities for regional wastewater treatment and tertiary reuse; if council wants to proceed, staff said they would bring a formal item back to a future meeting for direction or authorization to negotiate.

The council’s formal votes on the regional authority membership, the holiday-decorations funding, and the budget package were taken during the meeting; the water-capacity memo was presented with staff recommendation to accept or acknowledge the report, and staff characterized the memo as a living document to be updated as permits, grants and projects progress.