Sec. 27-61. Functions and purposes.

The functions, purposes, powers and duties of the committee shall be to:

   (a)   Act as the official advisory body on water capital improvement program planning and rate structure formulation to city government;

   (b)   Annually review the proposed water system capital improvement program, and recommend to the governing body an annual and a six-year capital budget;

   (c)   Annually review the water revenue requirements of the water system and recommend to the governing body rate adjustments as required; promote the concerns of Tucson Water customers by ensuring that recommended water rate adjustments are kept to the absolute minimum necessary, consistent with adopted mayor and council plans and policies; and ensure that the water system delivers safe, high-quality water to all its customers.

   (d)   Review and report to the governing body on the long-term (twenty (20) to thirty (30) years) water source and capital needs of the water system, utilizing staff of the water utility and other sources for the information necessary for such review;

   (e)   Consult with the governing body from time-to-time as may be required by the mayor and council relative to water resource development needs;

   (f)   Annually review the "Tucson Water Resources Plan 1990--2100" and recommend revisions thereto to the governing body as required;

   (g)   Initiate comprehensive revision of the "Tucson Water Resources Plan 1990-- 2100" at five-year intervals or more frequently as required and recommend the necessary changes thereto to the governing body.

   (h)   Review or make recommendations on policies affecting those water issues which the committee deems appropriate.

(Ord. No. 4638, § 1, 4-25-77; Ord. No. 7279, § 1, 9-11-89; Ord. No. 8183, §§ 1, 2, 2-7-94; Ord. No. 8262, § 1, 4-25-94)

Sec. 27-62. Membership composition, terms and qualifications.

   (a)   Appointment. The citizens' water advisory committee shall be composed of fifteen (15) members who shall be customers of the Tucson Water utility, as either a residential user or owning an enterprise using Tucson Water, and shall serve without compensation.

   (b)   Selection process. The mayor and each council member shall appoint one (1) member of the committee. The city manager, utilizing the resources of his office, shall nominate eight (8) members for final approval by the mayor and council.

It is suggested that appointed members have professional or technical competence in one of the following areas:

   (1)   Utility rate making;

   (2)   Water resource planning;

   (3)   Business management;

   (4)   Accounting;

   (5)   Financial analysis;

   (6)   Public health;

   (7)   Water system engineering;

   (8)   Resource economics;

   (9)   Hydrology;

   (10)   Landscape architecture;

   (11)   Water law.

   (c)   Terms. The term of those committee members appointed by the mayor and council shall be coterminous with that of the appointing elected official. The term of those committee members nominated by the city manager and appointed by the mayor and council shall be four (4) years, or shall be coterminous with the term of the nominating city manager, whichever is less.

   (d)   The director of the water department and the director of the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department shall serve as non-voting, ex officio, advisory members of the committee, who do not count toward the quorum, but may fully participate in all committee and subcommittee discussions. As used in this subsection, "director" means the director or the director's designee.

(Ord. No. 4638, § 1, 4-25-77; Ord. No. 7261, § 1, 8-7-89; Ord. No. 9172, § 1, 12-7-98; Ord. No. 10379, § 1, 3-20-07; Ord. No. 10606, § 1, 11-25-08)

Sec. 27-63. Committee organization.

The citizens’ water advisory committee chairperson and a vice-chairperson shall be selected by a majority of the committee members annually within the first two weeks of December, and the members shall adopt their own rules and regulations in relation to the committee’s powers and duties, and shall appoint their own executive committees, standing committees and subcommittees, and shall meet at such time and places as determined by the committee.

(Ord. No. 4638, § 2, 4-25-77; Ord. No. 11269, § 2, 5-19-15)

Sec. 27-64. Committee reports.

The citizens' water advisory committee shall render to the mayor and council an annual report on or before March 1 and send additional reports and recommendations as it determines, or as requested by the mayor and council. Minutes of the committee shall be filed with the city clerk.

(Ord. No. 4638, § 3, 4-25-77)

Sec. 27-65. Limitation of powers.

Neither the citizens' water advisory committee nor any member may incur city expenses without prior authorization of the mayor and council, nor may it obligate the city in any manner or form.

(Ord. No. 4638, § 4, 4-25-77)

ARTICLE IV. GROUNDWATER CONSULTANT BOARD

Sec. 27-66. Creation.

There is hereby established an entity to be called the "groundwater consultant board."

(Ord. No. 4840, § 1, 6-26-78)

Sec. 27-67. Functions and purposes.

   (a)   The purpose of the groundwater consultant board will be the review and evaluation of all geologic, hydrologic and economic factors affecting the development of all available water resources in eastern Pima County.

   (b)   The functions, powers and duties of the board shall be as follows:

   (1)   Review all hydrogeologic data which has become available since the United States Geological Survey work on the Tucson Basin was published.

   (2)   Review past and present exploration drilling programs conducted by the city.

   (3)   Make recommendations for alternatively or additional methods, procedures or techniques for data acquisition and processing.

   (4)   Develop from the above findings, alternative short-term and long-term groundwater development strategies for city implementation.

   (5)   Develop alternative short-term and long-term water resources strategies through evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of various sources available to the region.

   (6)   Outline steps which must be taken for the development of a basin-wide management plan.

   (7)   Evaluate alternative actions the city should take with regard to land surface subsidence.

   (8)   Develop and evaluate alternative wastewater re-use schemes which could be implemented by the city, consistent with the basin-wide management plan.

   (9)   Review and comment upon water department policies affecting such programs as land acquisition for water rights, transfers, conservation and capital improvements. Recommend additional policies for consideration.

(Ord. No. 4840, § 1, 6-26-78)