REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution Approving the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and Adopt a Resolution Approving the 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) to be Included in the UWMP and Find that These Actions are Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
The Report to Council (RTC) provides a comprehensive overview of the City of Sunnyvale’s process to adopt the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and the 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), in compliance with the California Urban Management Planning Act and related state mandates. These plans are important because they help ensure the City is prepared for future droughts, climate variability, and water supply uncertainties while continuing to provide reliable water service to the community and protect public health, the environment, and the local economy.
Key findings include:
• Demand Outlook: Water demands within the City’s service area are projected to increase from 18,806 acre-feet per year (AFY) in 2025 to approximately 29,014 AFY in 2045 (end of the planning horizon).
• Normal-Year Reliability: With projected supplies from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), Valley Water, groundwater wells, and recycled water, the City is expected to meet projected demands under normal year conditions through 2045.
• Dry-Year Reliability: Under assumed dry-year cutbacks from wholesalers, and with the City’s ability to increase groundwater pumping up to capacity, the City is projected to meet demands in normal years, single dry years, and five consecutive dry years through 2040. The City anticipates shortfalls of up to 4% in years two through five of a five-year drought in the event it begins in 2045; however, the City remains prepared to implement demand management and water shortage response measures as needed to address any supply constraints and maintain reliable water service.
• WSCP Framework: The WSCP includes six shortage stages (from ≤10% through >50%) with escalating demand reduction actions, enforcement tools, and potential supply augmentation.
Staff recommend Council adopt: (1) a resolution approving the 2025 UWMP, and (2) a resolution approving the WSCP, and find these actions exempt from CEQA.
BACKGROUND
California Water Code Sections10608 and 10610-10656 require that urban water suppliers that either provide over 3,000 acre-feet of water annually or serve more than 3,000 service connections prepare UWMPs every five years. Some of the main topics required in the UWMP include:
• Water supply reliability: Assessment of water source reliability over a 20-year planning period considering future demands, growth, and population to ensure that adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future water needs.
• Water service reliability and drought risk assessment: Conduct a dry-year water reliability assessment for up to five consecutive dry years.
• Water shortage contingency plan: A WSCP consisting of five drought stages (ranging from normal conditions to 50% water reduction goal).
• The UWMP also describes efficient uses of water, demand management measures, implementation strategy and schedule, and other relevant information and programs.
Sunnyvale last updated its UWMP in 2021 (RTC No. 21-0616, June 29, 2021). The 2025 draft UWMP (Attachment 1) is being presented to Council in 2026 consistent with other California water agencies. It will be finalized after Council action and approval. The city must adopt the 2025 UWMP by July 1, 2026, and submit it to the California Department of Water Resources within 30 days of adoption. Council is being asked to adopt a Resolution approving the 2025 UWMP (Attachment 2) and a second Resolution approving the WSCP (Attachment 3).
EXISTING POLICY
Goal EM 1: Adequate Water Supply. Acquire and manage water supplies so that existing and future reasonable demands are reliably met over the planning horizon.
The City also implements permanent water waste prohibitions and drought response authorities through its Municipal Code and Council action mechanisms reflected in the WSCP, including staged demand reduction measures and enforcement.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Preparation and adoption of an UWMP is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to California Water Code Section 10652. In addition, adoption of the UWMP and WSCP is an administrative action and is not a “project” under CEQA because it will not result in a physical change to the environment (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5)).
DISCUSSION
The City of Sunnyvale owns, operates, and maintains a drinking water system serving approximately 159,673 residents and 28,514 municipal connections (2025), with 18,806 AF supplied within City limits in 2025. Sunnyvale’s potable supply is primarily purchased treated surface water from two wholesalers:
• Regional Water System/Hetch Hetchy and local supplies from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), and
• Treated surface water from imported and local sources from Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water).
The City also maintains six active groundwater wells and operates a recycled water system supplied by the City’s Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) to serve non-potable demands (primarily irrigation and select commercial and industrial uses).
1. Water Supply Reliability (Normal Conditions)
The 2025 UWMP evaluates Sunnyvale’s reliability using projected demand and supply assumptions and compares them under normal, single dry-year, and multiple dry-year conditions.
Under normal-year conditions, the City’s projected water supplies are sufficient to meet projected demands throughout the planning horizon. As shown in Table 1, Sunnyvale’s projected water demand is expected to increase from 18,806 AFY in 2025 to 29,014 AFY by 2045, reflecting anticipated population and employment growth identified in the City’s General Plan and approved development projects. In addition, Figure 1 illustrates both historical and projected trends in water demand and population from 2000 through 2045, showing that while population is expected to continue growing, long-term water demand growth remains moderated by ongoing water conservation efforts and improved water use efficiency.
Table 1: 20-Year Projected Water Supply and Demand (Acre-Feet/Yr - AFY)
|
Supply Source |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
2045 |
|
SFPUC |
12,008 |
12,490 |
13,389 |
14,091 |
|
Valley Water |
9,341 |
11,222 |
11,928 |
12,163 |
|
Groundwater |
8,000 |
8,000 |
8,000 |
8,000 |
|
Recycled Water |
732 |
912 |
1,092 |
1,272 |
|
Total Supply |
30,081 |
32,624 |
34,409 |
35,526 |
|
Demand Source |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
2045 |
|
Potable |
20,602 |
23,285 |
25,533 |
27,742 |
|
Non-Potable |
732 |
913 |
1,092 |
1,272 |
|
Total |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
Figure 1: Historic and Projected Water Demand (AFY) and Population
2. Key Supply Constraints and Regional Considerations
The 2025 UWMP notes uncertainty regarding the Bay-Delta Plan Amendment, adopted in 2018, which would require 30-50% unimpaired flow on the Tuolumne, Merced, and Stanislaus tributaries during February-June. The timing and final implementation approach remain uncertain due to ongoing litigation and regulatory processes.
For planning purposes, Sunnyvale’s 2025 UWMP assumes Bay-Delta Plan Amendment implementation beginning in 2030, consistent with SFPUC’s planning assumptions. Under this assumption, the City incorporates projected SFPUC cutbacks in dry-year reliability modeling.
3. Water Service Reliability Assessment
The UWMP reliability assessment compares projected water supply and demand under three scenarios: normal-year conditions, a single dry year (based on 1977 hydrology), and five consecutive dry years (based on the 1988-1992 hydrology period). Table 2 summarizes the projected supply and demand comparison under normal-year conditions, showing that available supplies are projected to remain adequate to meet Sunnyvale’s water demands through 2045, even with Bay-Delta Plan Amendment assumptions applied beginning in 2030. Table 3 presents the single dry year supply and demand comparison, while Table 4 presents the multiple dry year analysis for five consecutive dry years. The assessments show that the City is generally able to meet projected demands under dry-year conditions through the planning horizon, with only limited shortfalls projected under the most extreme long-term drought scenarios near the end of the planning period.
• Normal Year: Under normal-year conditions, supplies are adequate to meet projected demands through 2045 even with Bay-Delta Plan Amendment assumptions applied beginning in 2030.
Table 2: Normal Year Supply and Demand Comparison (AFY)
|
Parameter |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
2045 |
|
Supply Totals |
30,081 |
32,624 |
34,409 |
35,526 |
|
Demand Totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
Difference |
8,747 |
8,426 |
7,784 |
6,512 |
• Single Dry Year: The City’s analysis indicates supplies remain adequate through 2045 under a single dry-year scenario, with modeled SFPUC cutbacks in later years and the City’s ability to increase groundwater use as needed.
Table 3: Single Dry Year Supply and Demand Comparison (AFY)
|
Parameter |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
2045 |
|
Supply Totals |
26,340 |
28,499 |
29,697 |
30,333 |
|
Demand Totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
Difference |
5,006 |
4,301 |
3,072 |
1,319 |
• Multiple Dry Years: Under five consecutive dry years, the City can meet demands through 2040. For a five-year drought beginning in 2045, the City anticipates shortfalls up to 4% in years two through five, which the City can address through WSCP conservation actions and use of available supply tools.
Table 4: Multiple Dry Years Supply and Demand Comparison (AFY)
|
Year |
Parameter |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
2045 |
|
First year |
Supply totals |
26,340 |
28,499 |
29,697 |
30,333 |
|
|
Demand totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
|
Surplus/(shortfall) |
5,006 |
4,301 |
3,072 |
1,319 |
|
Second year |
Supply totals |
25,013 |
27,262 |
28,373 |
28,935 |
|
|
Demand totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
|
Surplus/(shortfall) |
3,679 |
3,064 |
1,748 |
(79) |
|
Third year |
Supply totals |
25,013 |
27,262 |
28,373 |
28,935 |
|
|
Demand totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
|
Surplus/(shortfall) |
3,679 |
3,064 |
1,748 |
(79) |
|
Fourth year |
Supply totals |
24,192 |
27,262 |
28,373 |
27,977 |
|
|
Demand totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
|
Surplus/(shortfall) |
2,858 |
3,064 |
1,748 |
(1,037) |
|
Fifth year |
Supply totals |
24,419 |
27,262 |
28,373 |
28,272 |
|
|
Demand totals |
21,334 |
24,198 |
26,625 |
29,014 |
|
|
Surplus/(shortfall) |
3,085 |
3,064 |
1,748 |
(742) |
4. Drought Risk Assessment (Near-Term, Five Consecutive Dry Years)
The 2025 UWMP also includes a near-term Drought Risk Assessment (DRA) evaluating the City’s water supply reliability during a hypothetical five-year drought occurring between 2026 and 2030. The analysis uses the five driest consecutive years on record (1988-1992) as the base drought sequence. Table 5 summarizes the projected supply, demand, and resulting surplus or shortage for each year evaluated under the DRA scenario. Based on the assumptions used in the analysis, including no SFPUC supply reductions during the DRA period and only limited Valley Water reductions in the later years of the drought sequence, the City is projected to maintain sufficient potable water supplies to meet projected gross water demands throughout the five-year period. The utilization of recycled water will also augment and improve water supply conditions.
Table 5: Five-Year Drought Risk Assessment
|
|
2026 |
2027 |
2028 |
2029 |
2030 |
|
Gross water use |
19,228 |
19,649 |
20,070 |
20,491 |
21,334 |
|
Total supplies |
27,512 |
27,971 |
28,431 |
28,105 |
28,754 |
|
Surplus/(shortfall) without WSCP action |
8,284 |
8,322 |
8,361 |
7,614 |
7,420 |
|
Planned WSCP actions (use reduction and supply augmentation) |
|
WSCP - use reduction savings benefit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
WSCP - supply augmentation benefit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Revised surplus/(shortfall) |
8,284 |
8,322 |
8,361 |
7,614 |
7,420 |
|
Resulting % use reduction from WSCP action |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
5. Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP)
The WSCP is structured around six standard water shortage stages consistent with California Water Code requirements: Stage 1 (up to 10% shortage), Stage 2 (10-20%), Stage 3 (20-30%), Stage 4 (30-40%), Stage 5 (40-50%), and Stage 6 (greater than 50%).
Table 6 summarizes the shortage response actions associated with each stage. As shortage severity increases, the City’s response actions progressively escalate from enhanced public outreach and enforcement of permanent water waste prohibitions to more restrictive irrigation and non-essential water use limitations, implementation of allocation- and rate-based conservation measures, and operational responses such as increased groundwater production and other supply management actions as needed.
Table 6: Water Shortage Contingency Plan Levels
|
Shortage Level / Stage |
% Shortage Range |
Shortage Condition |
Shortage Response Actions Summary |
|
1 |
≤ 10% |
Alert |
• Increase public information campaigning • Increase educational programs • Reduce system flushing |
|
2 |
10-20% |
Moderate |
• Increase water waste patrols and enforcement of permanent water use restrictions • Restrict landscape irrigation to certain days |
|
3 |
20-30% |
Severe |
• Additional restrictions on outdoor and non-essential water use • Drought surcharges and increased rates • Flow restrictors • Increase production monitoring |
|
4 |
30-40% |
Critical |
• Additional restrictions on outdoor and non-essential water use • Allocations and mandatory conservation • Restrict use of decorative fountains and filling/refilling swimming pools • No new swimming pool or pond construction or installation of new lawns |
|
5 |
40-50% |
Catastrophic |
• Additional restrictions on outdoor and non-essential water use • Moratorium or net zero demand increase on new connections • Restrict irrigation to certain months |
|
6 |
> 50% |
Catastrophic |
• Additional restrictions on outdoor and non-essential water use • Increase use of non-potable water |
6. Plan Preparation, Coordination, and Adoption Timing
The 2025 UWMP was prepared consistent with the State’s UWMP Guidebook (January 2026) and includes calendar year 2025 data. The City coordinated with BAWSCA, SFPUC, and Valley Water, and conducted required noticing and public availability steps described in the UWMP’s plan preparation and adoption sections.
The UWMP and WSCP were adopted by City Council on June 16, 2026, with submittal to DWR required within 30 days of adoption and no later than July 1, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with approval of the UWMP or WSCP as planning documents. However, the City could incur costs associated with implementing various stages of the WSCP during declared shortage conditions (e.g., outreach, enforcement, operational adjustments) and the UWMP describes potential revenue impacts and reserves used for stabilization during shortages.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website. A Notice announcing this Public Hearing was also posted in the Sunnyvale Sun over a three-week period on May 15, May 22, and May 29, 2026.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt two resolutions approving the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and the Water Shortage Contingency Plan as presented; direct staff to submit the Plans to the California Department of Water Resources; and find that these actions are exempt from CEQA.
2. Do not adopt the resolutions and direct staff to request an extension and/or revise the Plans as directed by Council (noting potential eligibility impacts for State grants/loans).
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Adopt two Resolutions approving the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and the Water Shortage Contingency Plan as presented; direct staff to submit the Plans to the California Department of Water Resources; and find that these actions are exempt from CEQA.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
_X_ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Winola Cheong, Deputy Director of Environmental Services - Water and Sewer
Reviewed by: Mansour Nasser, Interim Director, Environmental Services
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft 2025 UWMP
2. Resolution Adopting the 2025 UWMP
3. Resolution Adopting the 2025 WSCP
4. Presentation to Sustainability Commission - 20260518