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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-18-23 CPRL&L PacketOTAY WATER DISTRICT CONSERVATION, PUBLIC RELATIONS, LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING and SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2554 SWEETWATER SPRINGS BOULEVARD SPRING VALLEY, CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY October 18, 2023 12:00 P.M. This is a District Committee meeting. This meeting is being posted as a special meeting in order to comply with the Brown Act (Government Code Section §54954.2) in the event that a quorum of the Board is present. Items will be deliberated, however, no formal board actions will be taken at this meeting. The committee makes recommendations to the full board for its consideration and formal action. UAGENDA 1.ROLL CALL 2.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER WITHIN THE COMMITTEE’S JURISDICTION INCLUDING AN ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA DISCUSSION ITEMS 3.2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE (SALMERON) 4.SOCIAL MEDIA, MOBILE APPLICATION, AND WEBSITE ANALYTICS UPDATE (SALMERON) BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDING: Gary Croucher, Chair Mark Robak All items appearing on this agenda, whether or not expressly listed for action, may be deliberated and may be subject to action by the Board. The Agenda, and any attachments containing written information, are available at the District’s website at www.otaywater.gov. Written changes to any items to be considered at the open meeting, or to any attachments, will be posted on the District’s website. Copies of the Agenda and all attachments are also available by contacting the District Secretary at (619) 670-2253. 2 If you have any disability that would require accommodation in order to enable you to participate in this meeting, please call the District Secretary at 670-2253 at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Certification of Posting I certify that on October 16, 2023 I posted a copy of the foregoing agenda near the regular meeting place of the Board of Directors of Otay Water District, said time be- ing at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting of the Board of Directors (Government Code Section §54954.2). Executed at Spring Valley, California on October 16, 2023. /s/ Tita Ramos-Krogman, District Secretary Otay Water District Top 10 Legislative Priorities for 2023 in Review Presented by: Baltazar Cornejo Policy Advisor October 18, 2023 AGENDA ITEM 3 Top 10 Legislative Priorities 2023 2 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | Legislative Update •Legislature reconvened on January 4, 2022. —Over 30 new members in both the Assembly and Senate due to term limits expiring and other resignations. •In 2023, over 2800 bills, resolutions and constitutional amendments were introduced. —This is the third highest amount of bills introduced in the last 17 years. —Over 1100 bills made it to the Governor’s Desk. •Key Legislative Deadlines: —January 10 – Governor’s Budget Proposal —February 17 – Bill Introduction deadline —May 15 – May Revision of the January Budget (“May Revise”) —June 2 – Last day for each house pass bills introduced in that house. (“House of Origin Deadline”). —June 15 – Budget must be passed by midnight —September 14 – Deadline to pass bills out of Legislature. (“Final Recess upon Adjournment of Session”) —October 14 – Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills passed on or before September 1 •The Legislature adjourned for the year on September 14th. •The Governor finished signing and vetoing bills on October 14th. •Not urgency clause/different specified date legislation will go into effect on January 1st. •Legislature will reconvene for the 2024 session on January 3rd. 3 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 1. Affordability •During the 2021-2022 legislative session, Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) introduced SB 222: Water Rate Assistance Program. —This legislation sought to establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury to help provide water affordability assistance, for both drinking water and wastewater services, to low- income ratepayers and ratepayers experiencing economic hardship in California. —Otay adopted an “Oppose Unless Amended” position and joined the Association of California Water Agencies’ (ACWA) coalition. —The bill was vetoed by the Governor on September 28th due to lack of an ongoing funding source. —Following the veto, Senator Dodd, ACWA, and affordable water advocates said they would continue to work closely this year with the Governor’s office and the state water board to find funding for a long-term water assistance program. •Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) —In 2020, the federal government funded LIHWAP to provide financial assistance to low-income Californians with residential water utility costs and debt repayment. —California has been allocated $116 million in one-time funding to provide LIHWAP assistance. —Administering Agency – Department of Community Services and Development (CSD). •In response to low LIHWAP participation and grant expenditure, CSD expanded eligibility to include current bills to maximize grant expenditures through August 2023, the end of the federal grant period. —LIHWAP benefit payments began to be issued to households in June 2022 and all funds must be expended by August 2023. 4 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 2. Water Quality •MCL Compliance Periods – State Water Board/ACWA determined that legislation was not needed to establish compliance periods for MCLs; State Water Board to use its existing authority. —The SWRCB adopted a resolution for drinking water regulations development for this calendar year on the March 7-8 workshop. •The Division of Drinking Water has established a proposed prioritized list for regulatory development projects for 2023. •DDW staff use multiple factors in prioritizing drinking water regulations, including the protection of public health, establishment of a new or revised federal regulation or rule, existence of statutory mandates, etc. This includes MCLs for: •Chromium (hexavalent), Arsenic, Perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoro-octanesulfonic acid (PFOS), N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), Disinfection Byproducts, Styrene,Cadmium, and Mercury. •State Water Board - Maximum Contaminant Level on Chrome-6: •Proposed MCL: 10 ppb (0.010 mg/L) •Proposed DLR: 0.1 ppb (0.0001 mg/L) •Update: Written comments were due on August 18th. ACWA still in conversations with SWRCB staff and will continue to provide updates. •Lead Testing in Schools – Assemblymember Chris Holden introduced AB 249, which would lower the standards for lead levels at TK-12 school buildings built after 2010. The bill passed and is pending the Governor’s signature. —Lowers standard from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 5ppb. —Community water systems would have to test water faucets once over the next 5 years. —There are current changes pending to the federal Lead and Copper Rule through October 16, 2024, which could result in conflicting or duplicative requirements if this legislation is signed. 5 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 3. Water Use and Efficiency •November 2021 – DWR and the State Water Board submitted its final report to the Legislature recommending an indoor water use efficiency standard of 55 GPCD by 2023, declining to 47 GCPD by 2025, and 42 GCPD by 2030 and beyond. •January 2022 – AB 1434 (Friedman) was amended to mirror the recommendations in this report. However, the bill failed to move forward. •In 2022, then-Senator Robert Hertzberg introduced SB 1157 (Hertzberg), which also mirrors the recommendations in the report and the language that was in AB 1434 (Friedman). —Otay initially joined ACWA’s “Oppose Unless Amended” coalition on SB 1157 but moved its position to neutral following language adding a quantitative study, adding flexibility to the timeline to achieve the standards, and adopting additional variances. —SB 1157 was signed by the Governor on September 28, 2022. •Assemblymember Friedman introduced AB 1572 to prohibit the use of potable water for irrigation of nonfunctional turf on specified properties. The bill is pending in the Governor’s desk. —Nonfunctional turf” would be defined as “any turf that is not functional turf, and includes turf located within street rights-of-way and parking lots”. —Urban water retail suppliers would be required to adopt these same nonfunctional turf bans within their terms and conditions of water service by January 1, 2027. (Was 2026 when introduced). —A reduction in irrigation due to removal of turf may not have a large impact on urban water suppliers’ ability to meet their overall objective, but the proposed ban on the irrigation of nonfunctional turf on multifamily properties envisioned under AB 1572 may result in some water savings toward that overall objective for urban water suppliers. 6 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 4. Drought Response & Extreme Weather •California experienced significant rainfall and flooding during the series of atmospheric rivers that hit the state in late December through late March. —Winter storms temporarily alleviate water shortages, but these large precipitation events do not signal the end of the drought. —2020-2022 was the driest three-year period on record, and despite recent storms, we remain in a statewide drought emergency. •On March 24th the Governor issued an executive order amending the Emergency Drought Proclamation and previous executive orders on conservation. —Ends the voluntary 15% water conservation target, while continuing to encourage that Californians make conservation a way of life; —Ends requirement that local water agencies implement level 2 of their drought contingency plans; —Retains a state of emergency for all 58 counties to allow for drought response and recovery efforts to continue. •Governor Newsom announced California’s Water Supply Strategy in August 2022. —Water Supply Strategy created due to hotter and drier weather conditions (spurred by climate change) potentially reducing California’s water supply by up to 10% by the year 2040. —To help make up for the water supplies California could lose over the next two decades, the strategy prioritizes actions to capture, recycle, de-salt and conserve more water. •Create storage space for up to 4 million acre-feet of water. •Recycle and reuse at least 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030. •Free up 500,000 acre-feet of water for new purposes each year. •Make new water available for use by capturing stormwater and desalinating ocean water and salty water in groundwater basins. 7 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 5. Water Rights Modernization •Due to the ongoing drought and greater federal level discussions on the Colorado River water rights, water rights is poised to rise to the top of the Legislature’s agenda. —Several bills were introduced this year that collectively present a fundamental change in California’s water rights system and a coordinated effort is underway to see that this year ends with a foundational change to how the water rights system is implemented and enforced. —AB 1337 (Wicks) gives the State Water Board authority to adopt sweeping curtailment regulations for water conservation purposes to prevent the waste, unreasonable use, or unreasonable method of diversion of water. —AB 460 (Bauer-Kahan) would authorize the State Water Board to issue an interim relief order on water rights. —Other spot bills on water rights have been introduced with no indication on what they will do. —AB 676 (Bennett) would declare ‘domestic purposes’ as the highest use of water, providing specific examples of ‘domestic purposes’ and explicitly states that all water rights remain subject to the reasonable use and public trust doctrines. •ACWA considered proposing its own water rights legislation as an alternative to the above-described legislation, however no agreement was reached by its membership. Instead ACWA will led a coalition in opposition of the above-described legislation, which was successful. The bills are expected to return next session. 8 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 6. Advanced Clean Fleets Rulemaking •Executive Order N-79-20 accelerates the state’s transition to carbon neutrality by setting a course to end sales of internal combustion passenger vehicles by 2035. •The Advanced Clean Fleets proposed rulemaking for Public Fleets would require. —100 percent zero-emission drayage trucks by 2035. —100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035, where feasible. —100 percent zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045, where feasible. •Otay Water District submitted comments to CARB and met with CARB staff, seeking an exemption for emergency response vehicles. •CARB adopted the rule on April 27th workshop after 15 days of public comment. Otay WD submitted comments and Brownstein policy advisor provided public comment. The Office of Administrative law approved the rule on September 29th and it is official as of October 1st. •AB 1594 (E. Garcia) was introduced to provide flexibility not present in the regulations. The bill is pending on the Governor’s desk & Otay WD submitted letters of support & a request for signature. •- Requires any state regulation that seeks to require the procurement of medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs to authorize public agency utilities to purchase replacements for traditional utility-specialized vehicles that are at the end of life, as determined by CARB in consultation with public utility agencies, when needed to maintain reliable service and respond to major foreseeable events, including severe weather, wildfires, natural disasters, and physical attacks, without regard to the model year of the vehicle being replaced. •- Authorizes a public agency utility, for the purposes of determining the daily usage of a medium- or heavy-duty vehicle, to provide comprehensive usage data for a class of vehicles that does not exclusively rely on the lowest mileage reading and does not exclude the highest usage days. •- Defines "public agency utility" as a local publicly owned electric utility, a community water system, a water district, and a wastewater treatment provider. 9 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 7. Proposed Bonds (Recycled Water, Climate Resiliency, Flood Protection) SB 867 (Allen): Drought and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, and Park Creation and Outdoor Access Bond Act of 2023. •Would authorize the issuance of bonds in an unspecified amount pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for drought and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature- based climate solutions, climate smart agriculture, and park creation and outdoor access programs. AB 1567 (E. Garcia): Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2023. Would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,105,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, and workforce development programs. SB 638 (Eggman):Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024 . Would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,500,000,000, pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, for flood protection and climate resiliency projects. All Bond legislation were made 2-year bills as the Governor wanted to focus on his Mental Health Bond Proposal. 10 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 8. State Budget/Infrastructure Funding The enacted 2023-24 budget balanced package of solutions to bridge an approximately $31.7 billion shortfall while avoiding deep and damaging program cuts. Zero Emission Vehicles •The 2021 and 2022 Budget Acts committed $10 billion over 5 years in investments to the state’s ZEV agenda—ranging from cleaning up short-haul trucks and school buses to accelerating equitable electrification of passenger vehicles—coupled with infrastructure and incentives for in-state manufacturing. •The 2023-2024 Budget maintains $10.1 billion (100%) over 6 years in investments to the state’s ZEV agenda—including targeted investments. Water The 2021 and 2022 Budget Acts committed $8.7 billion over multiple years to support drought resilience and response programs to help communities and fish and wildlife avoid immediate impacts from extreme drought, while advancing programs that will improve the state’s resilience to future droughts and floods. The Budget maintains $8.1 billion (93%) of these investments over multiple years. The Budget reflects $632 million in General Fund reductions and $455 million in delays across various programs which include,, water recycling, Salton Sea restoration, and water conservation programs. At the same time, the Budget includes new strategic investments to continue supporting the state’s drought response, accelerate implementation of the state’s Water Supply Strategy, and increase flood preparedness and response. SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENTS •Water and Wastewater Arrearages—Shifts $200 million Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund of 2021 from the Department of Community Services and Development to the State Water Resources Control Board to extend the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program supported by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The Budget extends the end date of the eligible period of arrearage forgiveness from June 15, 2021, to December 31, 2022. These funds are in addition to approximately $400 million already available to support the Program. 11 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | •Lead in Schools—An increase of $25 million one-time General Fund for the State Water Resources Control Board to support work associated with lead in schools, contingent on enactment of associated legislation. Other Water Investments •Water Urban Flood Risk Reduction — $135.5 million over two years to support local agencies working to reduce urban flood risk. •Delta Levee — $40.6 million for ongoing Delta projects that reduce risk of levee failure and flooding, provide habitat benefits, and reduce the risk of saltwater intrusion contaminating water supplies. •2023 Drought Contingency — $135 million one-time General Fund as a flood contingency set aside to support costs associated with preparedness, response, recovery, and other associated activities related to the 2023 storms, the resulting snowmelt, and other flooding risks, including, but not limited to, supporting communities and vulnerable populations, such as farmworkers, from these impacts and to better withstand future flood events. This includes $20 million to support flood relief in the community of Pajaro and $20 million to support flood relief in the community of Planada. •Flood Control Subventions—$75 million one-time General Fund to support local flood control projects, including in communities impacted by recent storms, such as the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project. 12 8.5 State Budget/Infrastructure Funding Continued… © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 9. Recycled Water •AB 1152 (Patterson): California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): exemption: recycled water. Bill did not move and is still pending in the Assembly Committee Process. —Provides a CEQA exemption for the construction or expansion of recycled water pipelines built to mitigate drought conditions if the project meets certain criteria. —Lead agencies would be required to determine if a project qualified for the exemption under a state- mandated local program. —Also exempts development and approval of building standards by state agencies for recycled water systems. —Bill currently awaiting a hearing in Assembly Natural Resources. 13 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | 10. State Water Project/Delta Conveyance •State Water Project —State water officials in late January 2023 had announced a major boost, from 5% of requested water supply to 30%. February saw another update, with the SWP allocation increased to 35%, reflecting nine atmospheric river storms from late December through late January. On March 24th DWR increased the allocation to 75% after more recent storms. On Thursday April 21st the State Water Project allocations were boosted 75% to 100%, meeting 100% of all water requests for the first time since 2006 —The increase translates to an additional 2.26 million acre-feet of water for the 29 public water agencies that serve 27 million Californians. —State Water Project allotments are set each year on Dec. 1, & updated monthly through May or June. •Delta Conveyance Project —2022 marked the release and public review of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), evaluating the proposed Delta Conveyance Project under the California Environmental Quality Act. —Building on that progress, DWR states that it will continue to advance environmental planning and permitting activities, as well as public outreach and engagement, in 2023, including but not limited to CEQA, NEPA, CESA Incidental Take Permits, ESA Biological Opinions, etc. —DWR has released an Adapting to Climate Change fact sheet after the January winter storms, detailing that if the DCP had been operational, it would have moved 202,000-acre feet of water into the San Luis Reservoir, enough supply for 2.1 million people for one year or 710,000 households. This is about 35% of the total volume exported by the SWP in water year 2022. 14 © 2021 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP www.bhfs.com | Other 2023 Legislative Actions by Otay WD and Brownstein AB 399 (Boerner)- Water Ratepayers Protections Act of 2023. Otay Water District Authorized Brownstein Policy Advisors to lobby in support of the bill, joining the San Diego County Water Authority’s and City of San Diego’s lobbying effort. The bill passed the legislature and is pending in the Governor’s Desk. •The bill would require, as an additional condition to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) process for allowing the detachment of a public agency from their relevant county water authority, that the majority of the voters within the jurisdiction of the county water authority vote to approve the detachment at a scheduled election. Essentially it would give voters within a County Water Authority the chance to have a voice, through the electoral process, over governance decisions that impact their rates. ACA 13 (Ward)- Voting thresholds. Otay Water District Authorized Brownstein Policy Advisors to lobby in support of the bill, joining ACWA in support. The amendment passed the legislature and will be placed in the primary election ballot as a proposition. •Requires an initiative constitutional amendment to comply with any increased voter approval threshold that it seeks to impose on future ballot measures. Guarantees in the state constitution the ability of local governments to submit advisory questions to voters. 15 Questions? Baltazar Cornejo bcornejo@bhfs.com (916) 594-9705 1 STAFF REPORT TYPE MEETING: Regular Board MEETING DATE: November 8, 2023 SUBMITTED BY: Eileen Salmeron, Communications Assistant PROJECT: Various DIV. NO.All APPROVED BY: Jose Martinez, General Manager SUBJECT: Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics Update GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION: No recommendation. This is an informational item only. COMMITTEE ACTION: See Attachment B. PURPOSE: To provide the Board with an update on the Otay Water District’s social media, mobile application, and website analytics. ANALYSIS: District communications staff uses online services, including social media platforms, a mobile application, and the website, to share news with customers and the public. Through social media, the District can provide up-to-date information regarding water-related programs, events, and local- and state-wide news. Social media engagement enhances the interaction between the public and public agencies. It also increases the reach to demographics that do not regularly consume traditional media. Staff also manages and monitors the District’s website and its “Make Every Drop Count” mobile application to stay current with evolving technology, encourage water-use efficiency, and ensure customer AGENDA ITEM 4 2 satisfaction. It also manages and monitors its daily social media presence and stays current with evolving online trends. Included in Attachment B are the social media, mobile application, and website analytics for fiscal year 2023. Social Media The District’s social media presence, online audience, and stakeholder engagement has steadily increased each year. Staff continues its online reach to promote water-related programs such as education, conservation, operational efficiencies, and capital improvement projects. Staff increases its social media followers and engagement by creating visual content, publishing posts in English and Spanish, and partnering with other water agencies and organizations to launch water-related campaigns and programs. The District uses the following social media platforms: •YouTube – Joined November 2010 •Twitter – Joined February 2011 •Facebook – Joined November 2011 •Nextdoor – Joined July 2016 •LinkedIn – Joined August 2017 •Instagram – Joined November 2018 The social media analytics report in Attachment B shows a comparison of the cumulative number of followers the District has gained in the last two fiscal years. Twitter: From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the number of Twitter followers increased by 0.4%, from 2,236 to 2,245. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District continues to be number one with the most Twitter followers. Instagram: From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the number of Instagram followers increased by 7%, from 1,045 to 1,113. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is number one with the most Instagram followers. LinkedIn: From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the number of LinkedIn followers increased by 20%, from 833 to 1,003. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is in the top two with the most LinkedIn followers. Facebook: From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the number of Facebook followers increased by 5%, from 694 to 727. Compared to 3 other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is in the top five with the most Facebook followers. YouTube: From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the number of channel subscribers increased by 3%, from 225 to 231. Compared to other retail water agencies in the San Diego region, the District is in the top two with the most subscribers. Also, YouTube video views increased by 7%, from 180,615 to 193,023. Nextdoor: Unlike the other social media platforms, Nextdoor followers or members, are based on the number of residents within the District’s service area who have joined the platform. If they are in its service area, they are automatically subscribed to receive the District’s posts. Since all its members are customers, staff also uses the platform to geo-target specific neighborhoods within the District’s service area to share exclusive messaging regarding projects in those neighborhoods. From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the number of Nextdoor members in the District’s service area increased by 17%, from 56,295 to 65,839. Communications staff will continue to assess its current use of social media platforms and their effectiveness. Mobile App The District first launched its “Make Every Drop Count” mobile application in August 2015. In 2020, IT and communications staff collaborated to enhance the app for iOS and Android users. The application’s features include utility bill payment, water waste reports, programs and resources, water-saving tips, water-use restrictions, contact information, and social media interaction. Its iOS downloads increased by 13 %, from 5,542 as of June 30, 2022, to 6,274 as of June 30, 2023. Android downloads increased by 53%, from 519 as of June 30, 2022, to 795 as of June 30, 2023. Website Staff also manages and maintains the District’s website, otaywater.gov. The goal is to better serve customers by enhancing its web presence and user-friendliness, communicating the most current information, and visually conveying that it uses state-of-the-art technologies and is a forward-thinking agency. Attachment B includes the District’s website analytics. During fiscal year 2023, its top 20 most viewed website pages were the following: 1)Home Page 2)Payment Options 3)Customer Service 4 4)Billing Information 5)Employment 6)Start or Terminate Service Page 7)Contact Us 8)Start or Terminate Service Form 9)Update Your Info 10)Owner Acknowledgement Form 11)Engineering Bids 12)Conservation Programs 13)About Otay 14)Water Services 15)Outages 16)Water Agency Search 17)Otay Employees 18)Bid Opportunities 19)Water and Sewer Rates 20)Board Agenda In fiscal year 2023, the District’s web page views decreased by 7% from 347,347 to 324,925, compared to fiscal year 2022. Its users increased by 2%, from 108,072 to 109,980, compared to fiscal year 2022. In fiscal year 2023, about 82% of its website users were new, and about 19% were returning. Attachment B shows how users arrived to the website and which URLs are considered the top 10 referral sources. To address the Spanish-speaking population in the District’s service area, the website includes functionality that displays most of the web content in Spanish. Staff works with a consultant to have the English content translated to Spanish. As part of its strategic plan, staff assesses and implements ways to improve the website. It enhances its functionality and navigational structure, crafting content aligned with key messaging, conveying information searched by visitors in English and Spanish, and publishing content more frequently to keep pages attractive and engaging. Critical to owning, maintaining, and cultivating integrated communication, outreach, and marketing strategy, staff will continue to explore best practices for cross-promoting messaging through social media, its website, and other outreach tools. It will post new content to social media platforms, including short and long videos, photos, graphics, and other material necessary depending on the topic, resources available, and value added. It will also continue to work closely with IT staff to evaluate best practices for websites and monitor online trends to effectively reach customers. 5 FISCAL IMPACT: Joe Beachem, Chief Financial Officer There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. STRATEGIC GOAL: Execute and deliver services that meet or exceed customer expectations, and increase customer engagement in order to improve District Services. LEGAL IMPACT: None. Attachments: A)Committee Action B)Presentation: Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics 6 ATTACHMENT A SUBJECT/PROJECT: Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics Update COMMITTEE ACTION: The Conservation, Public Relations, Legal and Legislative Committee (Committee) reviewed this item at a meeting held on October 18, 2023. Attachment A will be updated with notes from the committee’s discussion. Social Media, Mobile Application, and Website Analytics CPRL&L Committee MeetingOctober 18, 2023 Otay Water District 1 Attachment B 3.90% 4.10% 9.40% 22.50% 58.80% Social Media in Fiscal Year 2023 2 Facebook X / Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Nextdoor YouTube 12,835IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 952 FOLLOWERS 727 5% increase from 694in FY22 47,798IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 1,746 FOLLOWERS 2,245 0.4% increase from 2,236in FY22 12,709IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 820 FOLLOWERS 1,003 20% increase from 833in FY22 11,060IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 1,228 FOLLOWERS 1,113 7% increase from 1,045 in FY22 48,919IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 32 FOLLOWERS 65,839 9,120VIDEO VIEWS CUMULATIVE VIEWS193,023 SUBSCRIBERS23117% increase from 56,295 in FY22 3% increase from 225 in FY22 YouTube Traffic Sources Suggested Videos External Browse Features Direct or Unknown2.85% 3.61% 4.00% 4.50% 6.10%Otay Ranch Village 1 Eastlake Greens Rolling Hills Ranch Rancho San Diego Eastlake Nextdoor Top FollowersLinkedIn Top Followers 3.90% 4.50%5.10% 9.20% 15.90%Water Supply and Irrigation Systems GovernmentAdministration Utilities 7% increase from 180,615 in FY22 Civil Engineering Construction YouTube Search Agency Comparison in Followers Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Facebook SDCWA 6,527Otay 2,245Sweetwater 2,098 Total Number of Followers as of June 30, 2023 SDCWA 3,344Otay 1,113 Otay 231 Padre 986 SDCWA 1,190Vallecitos 326 Otay 1,003Sweetwater 1,346 SDCWA 8,796 SDCWA11,000 Otay 727 Vallecitos 2,500Sweetwater 1,300Padre 853 Olivenhain 675 Helix 790 3 Fiscal Year 2023 Highlights 4 820 IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 89 Facebook 691 IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 50 / Twitter Published Sept. 8, 2022 Published March 29, 2023 Fiscal Year 2023 Highlights Cont’d. 5 LinkedIn 1,736 IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 113 Instagram 314 REACH VIEWS 17 ENGAGEMENT 596 Published Jan. 20, 2023 Published Dec. 7, 2022 Fiscal Year 2023 Highlights Cont’d. 6 2,877 IMPRESSIONS ENGAGEMENTS 1 Published Jan. 20, 2023 How to Read Your New DigitalWater Meter/Register Published July 22, 2017 Nextdoor YouTube 3,234 VIEWS IN FY 23 VIEWS SINCE PUBLISHED27,364 Mobile Application 7 iOS Downloads AndroidDownloads 6,274 (13% increase) AS OFJUNE 30, 2023 5,542 AS OF JUNE 30, 2022 795 (53% increase) AS OF JUNE 30, 2023 519 AS OF JUNE 30, 2022 Website Analytics – Most Viewed Pages 8 Total Page Views in Fiscal Year 2023: 324,925 PAGE VIEWS PAGE VIEWS 1. Home Page 42.92%11. Engineering Bids 1.21% 2. Payment Options 10.25%12. Conservation Programs 1.07% 3. Customer Service 4.35%13. About Otay 1.04% 4. Billing Information 3.40%14. Water Services 0.98% 5. Employment 3.12%15. Outages 0.91% 6. Start or Terminate Service Page 2.72%16. Water Agency Search 0.88% 7. Contact Us 1.89%17. Otay Employees 0.63% 8. Start or Terminate Service Form 1.64%18. Bid Opportunities 0.60% 9. Update Your Info 1.56%19. Water and Sewer Rates 0.60% 10. Owner Acknowledgement Form 1.33%20. Board Agenda 0.55% Total Page Views and Users 9 347,347 108,072 324,925 109,980 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 Views Users 2022 2023 7% decrease 2% increase Website Referrals 10 New Users 81.50% Returning Users, 18.50% Organic Search 52.00%Direct 43.20% Referral 3.00% Other 1.20%Social Media 0.60% New Users vs. Returning Users Total Users in Fiscal Year 2023: 109,980 How Users Arrived to otaywater.gov Referral Sources 11 Total Referrals in Fiscal Year 2023: 4,003 1. otay-3y354o0pajyrfwiyyvs.netdna-ssl.com – Otay’s home page 2. duckduckgo.com – Search engine 3. facebook.com – Facebook 4. newsbreakapp.com – News application 5. com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox – Android Google search app 6. governmentjobs.com – Government job search website 7. com.google.android.gm – Gmail Android app 8. sandiegowaterworks.org – SDCWA water industry job website 9. t.co - Twitter 10. search.aol.com - AOL Search Top 10 Cities 12 Total Users in Fiscal Year 2023: 109,980 0.73%0.89% 0.94% 1.36% 1.40% 2.62% 2.70% 18.79% 22.24% 25.32%Chula Vista San Diego Los Angeles El Cajon San Jose Spring Valley (not set) La Mesa Santee Rancho San Diego Top 5 Computer Browsers 13 1.08% 2.15% 7.06% 40.48% 46.70% 0.05% 20.15% 79.80%iOS Android Windows Total Mobile Users in FY23: 53,317Total Users in FY23: 109,980 Safari Chrome Edge Firefox Top Mobile Operating Systems Samsung Internet Questions? 14 Otay Water District otaywater.gov (619) 670-2222 info@otaywater.gov