The Benicia City Council may receive the city’s monthly water update at Tuesday’s meeting.

Some new information was presented in a report by Public Works Director Graham Wadsworth, where it was noted that Benicia’s water conservation rate has improved within the past year. In all of 2016, Benicia’s conservation rate was at 43 percent, an increase over the 35 percent rate in 2015 and the 20 percent rate in 2014.

In January, Benicia’s water conservation rate was at 28 percent, which is higher than the statewide average of 21 percent.

“Benicia’s per capita water use was 52 gallons per person per day (GPPD) in January, compared to the statewide average of 58 GPPD, which is the latest information available,” Wadsworth wrote. “In February, Benicia’s water use was reduced by 42% compared to February 2013 with residents using only 47 GPPD.”

On behalf of city staff, Wadsworth thanked Benicia residents for their conscientious efforts to save water.

The report also compared Benicia’s water supplies to other regions, including Lake Oroville, which Wadsworth noted was at 84 percent capacity. He also wrote that the current State Water Project Allocation for 2017 is 85 percent.

“When the allocation exceeds 35%, then the City has an adequate water supply,” Wadsworth wrote.

Wadsworth also discussed the city’s banked water from Lake Berryessa, which as of March 14, was at 101.15 percent of its capacity.

“The Lake started overflowing on February 17, 2017 and the City will lose a proportional amount of water in relation to the other Solano Project members’ carryover water,” Wadsworth wrote. “The City is managing its water supply to maximize the use of the allocated State Water Project water, conserve Solano Project water that can be stored/banked in Lake Berryessa, maximize Lake Herman water storage and delivery, and make improvements to components of the water infrastructure to ensure reliability and redundancy. All of these efforts are intended to ensure, to the extent feasible, an adequate water supply through December 2019 in case the drought continues.”

The report also outlined outdoor water restrictions. Through March 31, automated sprinkler system use is limited to one day per week on weekends before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. From April 1 to Oct. 15, customers will be allowed to use sprinklers no more than three days per week.

“It is anticipated that the Governor will declare an end to the drought emergency in the near future,” Wadsworth wrote. “Therefore, City staff is delaying taking action on the outdoor water restrictions, which were slated to change on April 1 from one to three days per week.”

City staff will go over the sprinkler updates at the May 2 meeting.

The report also includes updates on the city’s water meter replacement project, the Lower Arsenal Pipeline Improvement Project and a proposal for a new pipeline from the city’s Cordelia Pump Station which would extend to the North Bay Aqueduct Expansion Pipeline in Cordelia.

The item is on the agenda’s consent calendar, which means that it may be approved along with several other items in one motion, unless one of the councilmembers requests for it to be pulled. The full report can be accessed on the council agenda, located online at ci.benicia.ca.us/citycouncil.

In other business, the Historic Preservation Review Commission will present its Annual Report for 2016, and the city will consider approving a vegetation management contract with A&L Services, Inc. out of Davis.

The council will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 28 in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 250 East L St.

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