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BACKGROUND On March 22, 2021, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWB) released a letter to water suppliers reporting the ongoing dry conditions after two years of low precipitation in California, in preparation for statewide drought impacts. Immediately following this release, Zone 7 issued a request for the Tri-Valley community to voluntarily reduce water usage due to the ongoing dry weather and low snowpack conditions. This was followed by a joint news release between Zone 7 and the Retailers (Cities of Pleasanton and Livermore, California Water Service, and Dublin San Ramon Services District) on May 27, 2021, asking customers to reduce water use by 10% compared to the year prior. Within this timeframe, the Governor issued a State of Emergency Proclamation on April 21, 2021, for Mendocino and Sonoma counties due to drought conditions in the Russian River watershed. Then on May 10, 2021 , the emergency declaration was expanded to include 39 additional counties, including Alameda County, due to drought conditions within the Klamath River, Tulare Lake Watershed, and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Most recently, on July 8, 2021, the Governor further expanded the drought emergency and requested all Californians to reduce water use by 15 percent to help protect water reserves if drought conditions continue. In response, Zone 7 and the Retailers increased the voluntary conservation request to the Tri-Valley community to 15 percent to further protect available water supply. To educate the Tri-Valley community, expanded outreach through a social media campaign was coordinated between Zone 7 and the Retailers. The City included this outreach material on our website and community update electronic newsletters. Zone 7 also increased some of its water conservation rebates to further incentivize long-term water-efficiency. In addition, internal coordination was conducted between the City Park's Division and Callippe Golf Course to request the appropriate adjustments in landscape irrigation in light of the conservation request. Despite these efforts, monthly water production comparisons between 2021 and 2020 show that the water reduction target falls short from achieving the 15 percent reduction. The Tri-Valley communities have achieved an approximately 7 percent reduction for the month of July. Considering the conservation target shortfall, and uncertainty over State Water Project (SWP) deliveries next year (with only a 5 percent allocation received this year), on September 1, 2021, the Zone 7 Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution declaring a drought emergency and Stage 2 Water Shortage Emergency, which includes mandatory 15 percent conservation from the Retailers. DISCUSSION The City's WSCP describes the City's strategic plan in response to water shortages, and establishes a fundamental link to Zone 7's water supply outlook as critical criteria for assessing a water shortage. The WSCP defines a Stage 2 water shortage as follows: There is sufficient uncertainty concerning water supply, either based upon Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment (AWSDA) finding or unforeseeable event, to lead to the conclusion that supply may not adequately meet normal demand in the current or upcoming years. Page 2 of 4