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2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN <br /> MAY 2026/FINAL DRAFT/CAROLLO <br /> 7.2.2 Regulatory and Legal <br /> Ongoing regulatory restrictions, such as those imposed by the Biological Opinions (BiOps) on the effects <br /> of SWP and the federal CVP operations on certain marine life, also contribute to the challenge of <br /> determining water delivery reliability. Endangered species protection and conveyance needs in the Delta <br /> have resulted in operational constraints that are particularly important because pumping restrictions <br /> impact many water resources programs—SWP supplies and additional voluntary transfers, Central Valley <br /> storage and transfers, and in-region groundwater and surface water storage. BiOps protect special-status <br /> species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and imposed <br /> substantial constraints on Delta water supply operations through requirements for Delta inflow and <br /> outflow and export pumping restrictions. <br /> In addition, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) has set water quality objectives that must <br /> be met by the SWP including minimum Delta outflows, limits on SWP and CVP Delta exports, and <br /> maximum allowable salinity level. SWRCB has implemented the new Lower San Joaquin River flow <br /> objectives from the Phase 1 Delta Plan amendments through adjudicatory (water rights) and regulatory <br /> (water quality) processes.The Lower San Joaquin River flow objectives are estimated to reduce water <br /> available for municipal water use. New litigation, listings of additional species under the ESA, or regulatory <br /> requirements imposed by the SWRCB could further adversely affect SWP operations in the future by <br /> requiring additional export reductions, releases of additional water from storage, or other operational <br /> changes impacting water supply operations. <br /> The Colorado River 2007 Interim Guidelines governing the Lower Basin water supply shortages and the <br /> operations of Lakes Mead and Powell are set to expire in 2026, and new operating guidelines will need to <br /> be developed for 2027 and beyond. At the time of this 2025 UWMP, negotiations over the successor <br /> post-2026 guidelines are ongoing and the outcome is highly uncertain. It is anticipated that California will <br /> likely be required to reduce its supplies from the Colorado River, on average, under the new guidelines, <br /> and that as the junior priority, MET is at risk.A final EIS with a Selected Alternative is expected in the <br /> summer of 2026 with a record of decision to follow. <br /> The difficulty and implications of environmental review, documentation, and permitting pose challenges <br /> for multi-year transfer agreements, recycled water projects, and seawater desalination plants.The timeline <br /> and roadmap for getting a permit for recycled water projects are challenging and inconsistently <br /> implemented in different regions of the state. Indirect potable reuse projects face regulatory restraints <br /> such as treatment, blend water, retention time, and Basin Plan objectives, which may limit how much <br /> recycled water can feasibly be recharged into the groundwater basins. New regulations and permitting <br /> uncertainty are also barriers to seawater desalination supplies, including updated Ocean Plan Regulations, <br /> Marine Life Protected Areas, and Once-Through Cooling Regulations (MET, 2025). <br /> 7.2.3 Water 0--slit <br /> The following sub-section describes the water quality of the region's water supplies and the measures <br /> being taken to continue to deliver high-quality drinking water that meets federal and state regulations. <br /> 7.2.3.1 Imported Water <br /> MET is responsible for providing high quality potable water throughout its service area. Over 250,000 <br /> water quality tests are performed per year on MET's water to test for regulated contaminants and <br /> CITY OF SANTA ANA <br />