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Atwater adopts 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and water shortage contingency plan
Summary
The council adopted the city’s 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan; staff and consultant said the city currently averages 191 gallons per capita per day and is preparing to meet a 2028 real water-loss standard.
Atwater’s City Council on June 22 adopted the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and an updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan, a five-year UWMP revision required under California law to remain eligible for state grants and loans.
Consultant Ryan Simpson of Black Water Consulting Engineers told the council the municipal system serves roughly 7,821 connections, supplies about 6,812 acre-feet of water (approximately 2,220 million gallons) annually to a population the presentation cited as 31,862 residents, and is projecting demand trends to 2045. Simpson summarized state requirements including SB X7-7 per-capita targets and the new 2028 "real water loss" standard under Senate Bill 555; staff reported the city's current reported per-capita use of 191 gallons per capita per day and a baseline real loss volume of 268.7 gallons per standard connection per day with a 2028 target of about 12.8 gallons per connection per day.
Councilmembers asked about the Merced sub-basin (SGMA) allocations and whether basin constraints might affect supply assumptions; staff said SGMA allocation work is separate but ongoing and noted the city is pursuing a new baseline now that meters are in place to avoid an anomalous large reduction figure in state reporting. The UWMP includes demand-management measures and a water shortage response matrix covering shortage levels and associated actions.
The council voted to adopt the UWMP and the associated Water Shortage Contingency Plan for submission to the Department of Water Resources and related agencies.
