It didn't come up last Wednesday, when the council talked about saving and selling Dallas's water. But there was a brief mention made ago, during that chitchat concerning the city's long-range water-supply plan, the most recent of which was done six years ago. Says right there on Slide No. 41: "Seek engineering contract to identify Dallas' water planning needs to the year 2070 using 2010 population numbers."
So happens, the city stuck out its dowsing rod for that consultant just last Thursday. I found the request for quotation moments on the city's woefully antiquated bids website. (Hmmm, "Swiss Avenue Median Improvements" -- had no idea.) The RFQ's a long one too, as you'll see on the other side. Among its myriad highlights: the map showing quite clearly to whom Dallas sells its treated and untreated water; the demand to identify "potential reservoir sites that may be still feasible" and evaluate "the impact of regulations regarding current or future invasive species such as Zebra mussels in order to determine if water can be delivered between reservoirs"; and the note that the winning bidder should take into consideration "possible climate change (hotter, drier weather scenarios)."
From the RFQ, this intro:
The Consultant shall update the population and water demand projections, including any impact on water conservation on demand planning, examine development plans and land use assumptions for the current planning area as these could impact demand, identify future potential water supply sources, compare existing alternative supply sources, identify future demands and needs of the treatment facilities and distribution infrastructure, and to recommend a plan of action that will allow the DWU to provide for the needs of its customers up to the year 2070 and possibly beyond. A continual goal of DWU is to maintain a high level of service to DWU customers by minimizing risk to the various DWU infrastructure systems and the Utility as a whole. For this report, the consultant must work with DWU to define risk factors and areas of associated risks as they apply to the DWU water supply system.This would be the city's sixth such long-range water supply plan, the first coming in 1959 following the historic drought of record by which all others have been measured since.
