As part of the negotiations with the Turlock Irrigation District for a drinking water supply, the Turlock City Council will vote on Tuesday to affirm the City's commitment to provide TID with 2,000 acre feet of recycled water per year on behalf of the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority.
The SRWA, which embodies the cities of Turlock, Ceres, and Modesto, was formed in 2011 with the aim of negotiating a surface water agreement with TID to reduce regional reliance on groundwater. The ultimate goal is to establish a surface water treatment plant that would treat Tuolumne River water in order to make a reliable source of drinking water available to the three partner cities.
In June, the SRWA voted to approve a water sales agreement that included a commitment by the City of Turlock to provide TID with 2,000 acre feet of recycled water per year.
"This shows our intent to honor our commitment to the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority and to TID," said Mayor Gary Soiseth.
On Tuesday, TID will vote on the terms and conditions of a water sales agreement and if both agencies agree to the terms, the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority would be guaranteed up to 30,000 acre feet of drinking water from the facility annually with the City of Turlock receiving roughly half of that amount.
According to TID's agenda for Tuesday, the agreement "would serve as the first of several steps in a process that could result in the cities of Turlock, Ceres and Modesto having access to Tuolumne River for domestic use."
TID also noted that benefits extend beyond its farmers as the in-lieu groundwater recharge to the Turlock Groundwater Subbasin is good for both agricultural and urban water users. Other positive elements include "increased water quantity and water quality reliability for SRWA cities, and increased environmental benefit to the Tuolumne River fishery and aquatic resources."
Also on Tuesday the Turlock City Council is expected to:
• Appoint a community grant ad hoc subcommittee;
• Vote on funding for two police service dogs and associated costs not to exceed $104,000 for the first year of operation with an ongoing annual cost of $28,000 for each additional year of operation.
The Turlock City Council will convene at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the City of Turlock Yosemite Room located at 156 S. Broadway.