Pleasanton adopts 2025 Urban Water Management Plan; warns of possible late-decade drought shortfall

Pleasanton's City Council unanimously adopted the city's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and the associated Water Shortage Contingency Plan on Tuesday.

Consultants and city staff told council the plan, required every five years, examines demand projections, supply sources (Zone 7 purchases, local groundwater, recycled water), reliability and drought-response actions. "In both a normal year and a single dry year, Pleasanton should be able to meet 100% of its projected demands," consultant Colin Dixon said; he added a multi-year (five-year) drought model could leave the city about 10% short in the final year because of Zone 7 supply constraints.

Key findings and actions:
- Groundwater: Pleasanton's groundwater production has been offline since detections of PFAS ("forever chemicals") and is expected to come back online as part of a joint wells project around 2030.
- Recycled water: Reuse customers provide some offset to potable demand, but available treatment and peak-day distribution constraints limit expansion.
- Water loss: The report quantifies non-revenue water and sets a water-loss standard consistent with state reporting rules; staff noted a water-loss management program and meter-replacement projects are underway.

The plan is a prerequisite for state grants and provides the framework for annual July 1 water-supply-and-demand assessments and staged shortage actions, from voluntary reductions to mandatory restrictions and excess-use charges in severe scenarios.

Councilors thanked staff and consultants and adopted the plan by unanimous vote. Staff said the plan will be posted as the final document and used to support grant applications and long-range capital planning.