Mobility Element 2015
City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
Page | 35
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the South Coast Air Quality Management
District (AQMD) or with regional or subregional population projects approved by SCAG from time to
time. The Sanitation Districts presently have sufficient existing and planned waste water treatment
capacity to accommodate the year 2010 population forecasts for the Glendale/Pasadena subregional
encompassing Sanitation District No. 16.
In addition, a small portion of the southwest hillside area of Pasadena comprised exclusively of single-
family homes is tributary to the waste water collection, treatment, and disposal system owned and
operated by the City of Los Angeles. This service is provided under a contractual arrangement under the
auspices of County Sanitation District No. 16. As this small area is virtually fully built-out, potential
incremental additions to the sewer system are insignificant.
6.4 Drainage
The City's drainage system, which consists of open channels, underground conduits, and streets, in
general provides a reasonable degree of protection against flooding. Localized problems that may occur
from time to time, especially in hillside areas subject to periodic fire and flood cycles, are treated on a
case-by-case basis.
The standard for the level of protection to be provided against flooding in Los Angeles County requires
that during the "urban design storm" - one with a probability of occurring once in 25 years, based on
rainfall records - the surface capacity of a street may be used up to a water surface level not extending
above or beyond the street's right-of-way lines.
As the City is almost fully built out and proposed land use changes will primarily involve the re-use of
developed areas, no significant impact is anticipated on the drainage system. However, drainage system
elements, particularly older facilities, are subject to ongoing repair, replacement, or modification efforts
based on maintenance records, complaints, and field observations. Major developments that impact the
capacities of downstream lines are required to upgrade adjacent system components to mitigate these
impacts at their sole expense.
6.5 Waterway
The nearest port facilities are located at the Ports of
Los Angeles and Long Beach, approximately 35
miles south of downtown Pasadena. There are no inland waterways which directly link the City to these
ports.
6.6 Water System
An adequate supply of water for Pasadena is dependent on weather, statewide growth, development of
new sources and other factors. Since it is not possible to predict climatic changes and other outside
influences, it is difficult to give an accurate picture of water supply ten to twenty years from now.
Since 60 percent of Pasadena's water is dependent on outside purchases through Metropolitan Water
District, reasonable steps must be taken to avoid water shortfalls. To address these critical water supply
challenges, Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) have taken a proactive step to lead as a model water
agency by developing a Water Integrated Resources Plan (WIRP).
Mobility Element 2015
City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
Page | 36
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) imports their water from the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta via the State Water Project (SWP), and from the Colorado River. An eight-
year drought in the Colorado Basin—more severe than any other measured.
In the 20th century—resulted in record lows in Colorado River water levels. Water supplies from the
SWP have also been significantly reduced due to recent court restrictions to protect fisheries in the
Delta and a prolonged drought. These strains on MWD’s supply sources have caused it to dip into
emergency storage, and impose water allocation limits to its member agencies for the first time since
1991. In addition, MWD’s imported water costs have increased an average of 12 percent per year from
2006 to 2010. In response to water supply limitations from MWD and reduced local groundwater,
Pasadena recently enforced city-wide Level 1 shortage and water restrictions to its residential and
commercial/institutional customers.
To address these critical water supply challenges, PWP has taken a proactive step to lead as a model
water agency by developing WIRP. In addition to providing an overall water resources strategy, the
WIRP is a source document for Pasadena’s 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). California law
requires that all water agencies prepare an UWMP every five years. Furthermore, both the WIRP and
2010 UWMP have to indicate how Pasadena will meet the new Water Conservation Act of 2009, also
known as California’s “20x2020” plan.
In 2009, Senate Bill 7 (SB7) was passed as part of a comprehensive legislative package to improve the
state’s water supply reliability and restoration of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. SB7 requires that
per capita water use be reduced by 20 percent by the year 2020.
As of 2013, PWP had a service area population of 164,729 and covering 26 square miles. Pasadena’s
water distribution system consists of 508 miles of water mains, ranging from 2 to 36 inches in diameter;
19 booster stations; and 14 distribution reservoirs (PWP 2014). The City also has five service connections
with MWD. Water from MWD is stored in reservoirs with a total capacity of 110 million gallons before it
is put into the water distribution system. PWP owns and operates 16 wells that draw water from the
Raymond Groundwater Basin and has developed 11 interconnections with neighboring water agencies
to enhance the reliability of the City’s system and to use as emergency back-up. The Raymond
Groundwater Basin covers about 40 square miles. Groundwater is recharged from direct percolation of
precipitation and stream flow in the natural creek beds of Arroyo Seco, Eaton Wash, and Santa Anita
Wash. The basin is intentionally recharged in spreading basins north of Devil’s Gate Dam and along the
south side of Eaton Wash. The long-term yield of the Raymond Groundwater Basin is about 30,000 afy
(RBMB 2013). Pumping rights in the basin are adjudicated and managed by the Raymond Basin
Management Board. The City also has a Recycled Water Management Plan that identifies potential
demands and projects that could be developed.
The network of pipes and other appurtenances that comprise the existing water distribution network is
such that no major transmission pipeline changes are anticipated to meet growth projections. Specific
development projects generally do not have a major impact on overall water supply or storage, but
rather have an effect on the water mains in the immediate area surrounding the development. Fiscal
responsibility for any water distribution requirements in the immediate vicinity of the development are
the sole responsibility of the developer.
6.7
Power System