Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hayward council adopts 2025 Urban Water Management and Water Shortage plans; staff flags Bay‑Delta long‑drought risk
Summary
Council adopted Hayward's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan after a staff presentation on demand projections, recycled water capacity, and worst‑case Bay‑Delta scenarios that could cut supplies 40–50% in extended droughts; council asked for further study on data center and recycled‑water impacts.
Hayward's City Council on June 16 adopted the city's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and companion 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan, required five‑year planning documents that project demand, identify supply sources and set staged actions for shortages.
Water Resource Manager Cheryl Munoz told council that Hayward receives potable supply from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) regional system and operates a tertiary recycled‑water system for nonpotable uses. The city's planning model projects overall demand growth through 2050 driven by population and redevelopment; staff showed a shift in share from residential toward commercial/industrial use under some scenarios.
Munoz highlighted a worst‑case reliability scenario that incorporates the Bay‑Delta Plan: "Implementation of the Bay Delta plan could result in 40 to 50% reduction in our water supply during extended droughts and that could lead to rationing." The plan includes six shortage stages with cumulative prohibitions and gives the council a menu of response measures to select if specific shortages occur.
Councilmembers pressed staff on two recurring issues: closed‑loop versus open‑loop data‑center cooling, and recycled‑water capacity. Council Member Andrews asked whether demand estimates include closed‑loop data‑center designs; Munoz said operating data are limited but noted vendor guidance that "for a 100 megawatt data center the usage would be in the neighborhood of 4,000 gallons a day," while adding the city would seek more detailed study. Mayor Pro Tem Tim Cyro and others asked about expanding recycled‑water production and distribution; staff said a multi‑phase expansion is planned but costly and the current demand projections do not assume future phases beyond those already funded.
On emergency supplies, staff said four standby wells exist for short‑term emergency use and the wells are exercised regularly. Munoz said specific rationing decisions would be presented to council when a reduction requirement is triggered: "When there is a requirement for reduction... we are going to come before you with a menu that you can choose from how to apportion the available waters."
Council moved and unanimously adopted the plans. Staff said the city met public‑notice requirements and received no written comments during the public review period.
