Utility advisory commission to forward Palo Alto ‘One Water’ plan to council for reference; commissioners request further review

City staff presented a 20‑year "One Water" planning framework to the Utility Advisory Commission that summarizes potential portfolios of alternative water supplies, enhanced conservation measures and a set of triggers that would prompt further evaluation.

Carla Daley, assistant director of utilities, said the One Water Plan is intended to "have a framework, under which to make decisions in the future about Palo Alto's water supply and conservation portfolio." She said the plan does not recommend any specific capital project at this time and that acceptance by council would provide a documented basis for future evaluation if triggers – such as changes in supplier reliability, state regulatory actions or the expiration of a Valley Water effluent transfer option in 2033 – occur.

The plan presents several portfolios that couple enhanced conservation with potential supply options; staff provided broad cost and rate‑impact ranges for illustrative planning purposes and said estimates are planning level only. Daley and staff emphasized conservation work will continue regardless of other decisions and noted groundwater well blending, while desirable as a drought backstop, is not yet fully budgeted and would require additional system work to blend with regional treated water.

Public comment and commissioners focused on three areas: (1) the plan’s assumptions and evaluation methodology, (2) the level of community outreach and education required for topics such as potable reuse, and (3) regional dynamics driven by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and other agencies. Peter Drechmeier of the Tuolumne River Trust urged commissioners to press the SFPUC on figures the commenter called controversial and to pursue stronger regional coordination.

Commissioners discussed the report’s analytical tool and weighting approach; several raised methodological concerns and asked staff to record those concerns in the record. The commission voted to appoint a three‑member subcommittee to draft a letter of follow‑up questions and points to staff; the subcommittee will work with staff and return a draft for full commission review before it goes to council. Staff said they will present the One Water Plan to council in March and will continue the conservation, funding‑opportunity monitoring and technical work described in the presentation.

No council action or capital authorization is included in staff’s recommended action; acceptance would be administrative and would not itself authorize construction or financing.