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Council adopts 2025 Urban Water Management Plan; staff flags dry‑year supply uncertainty tied to Bay‑Delta Plan
Summary
Menlo Park adopted its 2025 Urban Water Management Plan June 23, finding sufficient supplies in normal years but highlighting potential dry‑year shortfalls if the Bay‑Delta Plan is implemented; Council directed staff to file the plan with the Department of Water Resources by July 1.
Menlo Park’s City Council unanimously approved the city’s 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and associated Water Shortage Contingency Plan on June 23.
City consultants from EKI and City staff described the city’s water profile: Menlo Park Municipal Water serves roughly 4,229 connections and relies on the SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy supply for potable water plus localized recycled water for nonpotable uses. Tina Wong, an EKI consultant, summarized projections indicating a roughly 13% projected demand increase through 2050 driven by population and employment growth assumptions, while noting conservation and efficiency will counter some of that increase.
A central theme of the presentation was supply uncertainty in dry years tied to regional regulation. Staff relayed two SFPUC scenarios provided for UWMP reporting: one reflecting implementation of the Bay‑Delta Plan (a more conservative scenario that could induce significant dry‑year shortages, in one modeling run up to ~43% shortfalls) and a second scenario assuming no plan implementation, which showed available supplies. The plan uses the more conservative scenario for state reporting tables, and staff emphasized the city’s participation in regional planning through BOSCA to pursue alternative supply and allocation agreements.
The UWMP includes an updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan with six response stages (starting at 10% shortage) and measures to eliminate waste and prioritize essential uses. The plan is due to the California Department of Water Resources by July 1; Council adopted the resolution authorizing submittal.
What’s next: staff will file the adopted plan with DWR and provide it to the State Library and San Mateo County; the city will continue participation in regional planning efforts and pursue recycled‑water expansion and alternative local supplies.
