Drought and Water Conservation

SAN JOSE – On June 13, 2023, Valley Water's Board of Directors unanimously adopted a resolution declaring that water conservation must be a way of life in Santa Clara County. The Board also unanimously passed an ordinance with permanent water waste prohibitions to ensure that water as a precious resource is not misused, even during non-drought periods.

Making water conservation a way of life is critical to the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of Santa Clara County. Our region is prone to multi-year droughts and resulting water shortages.

“Our residents and businesses showed a commitment to water conservation by saving more than 10 billion gallons of water during the drought emergency,” Chair John L. Varela said. “Now, we are asking the community to work with us to make water conservation a way of life.”

The ordinance allows Valley Water to respond quickly to future droughts. During periods when Valley Water’s Board has called for mandatory water use reduction, the ordinance provides an enforcement process that includes fines for those who violate outdoor water waste restrictions despite repeated notifications to address the waste. During periods when Valley Water’s Board has not called for mandatory water use reduction, the ordinance provides an enforcement process that includes notifications and education for those reported to have violated water waste restrictions and refers repeated complaints to water retailers for further enforcement action.

As part of the ordinance approved by the Board, the following water-wasting actions are now permanently prohibited in Santa Clara County:

• Using sprinklers between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
• Causing runoff while watering any outdoor landscape.
• Watering outdoors within 48 hours of measurable rainfall.
• Using leaking plumbing fixtures, sprinklers, or irrigation systems without repairing them after written notification from a retailer or Valley Water.
• Watering non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, including common areas of homeowner's associations and multi-family residential properties.
• Washing cars, except by handwashing, by a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or at a car washing facility.
• Washing building exteriors or mobile homes with a hose without an automatic shut-off nozzle.
• Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, patios, parking lots, or other hard-surfaced, non-porous ground areas except in cases where health and safety are at risk. Power washing of sidewalks or other outdoor surfaces for health and safety reasons is not considered a violation of this provision.

Valley Water’s water waste inspectors respond to reports of water waste and violations of local water use restrictions. Reports of water waste in Santa Clara County can be reported through our webpage at access.valleywater.org, emailing WaterWise@valleywater.org, or by calling (408) 630-2000.

The Valley Water Board of Directors voted unanimously to rescind the water shortage emergency condition calling for a 15% mandatory water-use reduction in Santa Clara County.

In an effort to keep the community's water saving momentum, the Board of Directors also called for a 15% voluntary water-use reduction.

“Water conservation must be a way of life,” Valley Water Chair John L. Varela said. “California has experienced two multi-year droughts in the past decade. We can’t predict when the next drought will arrive. That’s why it’s so important that we continue our water saving ways.”

Valley Water will continue enforcing restrictions for these water-wasting activities:

• Outdoor watering more than two days per week of residential decorative lawns
• Outdoor watering that causes runoff
• Mid-day watering
• Watering after rainfall
• The State of California’s ban against watering decorative lawns on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, including homeowners’ associations

The Board of Directors also requested Valley Water Chief Executive Officer Rick Callender to bring a recommendation for the Board's consideration for additional actions to support water conservation as a way of life in our county and state.

Valley Water is committed to continuing to work with stakeholders across Santa Clara County to develop approaches for making water conservation a way of life. Since July 2021, residents, businesses, farms and others reduced water use by 12% compared to 2020.

This winter’s parade of storms filled reservoirs across Santa Clara County and delivered one of the largest Sierra Nevada snowpacks on record. The result: the county’s water supply significantly improved and much of California was pulled out of drought.

On April 3, the California Dept. of Water Resources announced this winter’s snowpack in the Sierra Nevada was among the highest since the 1950s. Snowmelt and rain from the Sierra Nevada are typically the source of about half of Santa Clara County’s water supply, known as imported water.

Valley Water receives imported water through contracts with the State Water Project and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Recently, the California Dept. of Water Resources announced Valley Water will receive 75% of its contract amount through the State Water Project. Regarding our allocations through the Central Valley Project, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced Valley Water will receive 100% of its contract amount for municipal and industrial use and 80% of the agricultural allocation. These allocations amount to approximately 220,000 acre-feet of supply.

Based on this improved water supply outlook, Valley Water staff plans to bring recommendations from the Water Conservation and Demand Management Committee to the Board of Directors on April 11 related to the existing water conservation mandates for Santa Clara County.

“Rain or shine, water conservation should be a way of life,” Valley Water Board Chair John L. Varela said. “Thank you to all the residents, businesses and farmers who took actions to reduce water use during the past few years. Please continue to say yes to saving water and making a difference in your community.”

The Valley Water Board of Directors took several actions during the drought to ensure Santa Clara County continued to have a reliable water supply. Following the water shortage emergency condition declaration, the Board of Directors in May 2022 adopted a program to enforce restrictions on outdoor water use by residents and businesses. In September of 2022, the Board voted to enforce the State of California’s ban against watering decorative lawns on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties.

While we welcome wet winters, we know that our climate is only getting hotter and drier. To take advantage of Valley Water’s robust conservation programs, visit watersavings.org.

Image: Employees of the California Dept. of Water Resources conduct the fourth media snow survey of the 2023 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey is held approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off U.S. Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken April 3, 2023. Courtesy of Kenneth James / California Department of Water Resources

Following a string of atmospheric rivers in January, we expressed cautious optimism for our county’s water supply outlook for the year. As the wet weather pattern continued, our outlook improved.

Today’s (March 23) announcements from Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s leadership regarding the drought and increased water supply is welcome news in Santa Clara County.

While the governor did not declare the drought over for the entire state, he announced that Californians will no longer be asked to reduce their water use by 15%. Also, the California Dept. of Water Resources increased the amount of imported water our agency will receive this year through the State Water Project from 35% of our contract amount to 75%.

Based on these announcements, our staff plans to bring recommendations to our Board of Directors related to the existing water conservation rules for Santa Clara County.

In June of 2021, my fellow Board Members and I declared a water shortage emergency condition in Santa Clara County and called for water use reduction of 15% compared to 2019. In May 2022, our Board adopted a program to enforce restrictions on outdoor water use by residents and businesses. And in September of 2022, we voted to enforce the State of California’s ban against watering decorative lawns on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties. The state’s ban against watering decorative lawns on these properties remains in effect.

I would like to thank Governor Newsom for his leadership throughout the drought. We stand in solidarity with the governor in asking our residents to make water conservation a way of life. With climate change, we know droughts will become more frequent and more severe in the future.

I would also like to thank all our residents, businesses and farmers who took steps during the past three years to reduce their water use. Your actions made a difference in helping us navigate through some record-dry years.

Please continue to say yes to saving water and making a difference in your community.

Image: Snow melts into the South Fork of the American River located near White Hall along Highway 50 in El Dorado County, California. Photo taken March 3, 2023. Courtesy of Fred Greaves / California Department of Water Resources.

For the first time in more than three years, Santa Clara County is no longer in any of the five U.S. Drought Monitor categories. In just a few months’ time, we have moved from being classified as being in an extreme drought to being out of drought.

Record-setting atmospheric rivers this year have boosted reservoir levels locally and statewide, adding to our groundwater recharge and building up historic levels of snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.

While the U.S. Drought Monitor status has changed, Valley Water’s conservation efforts continue, as does the State’s, which has not yet lifted its drought emergency.

The Sierra Nevada snowpack is a critical piece of Santa Clara County’s water supply, as half the water used locally originates outside the county and is imported. While construction is happening at Anderson Dam, we will rely even more on this imported water. It’s important to note that while our county is out of drought, some of the areas that provide us with imported water are not.

Next month, Valley Water expects to find out how much imported water we will receive this year. Based on those amounts, we will be able to better assess our water supply for the year. On April 11, staff plans to bring recommendations to our Board of Directors as it relates to the water shortage emergency condition given this improved outlook while staying in compliance with State regulations.

Though Valley Water is optimistic about our improved water supply outlook, with climate change, we know droughts will become more frequent and more severe in the future, and the next drought may be just around the corner. That’s why we encourage everyone in Santa Clara County to make water conservation a way of life.

In addition to promoting conservation, Valley Water is working to diversify its water supply by investing in locally reliable, sustainable and drought-proof supplies such as recycled and purified water, which will help make us more climate resilient.

Please continue to say yes to saving water and making a difference in your community.

It’s encouraging to see the statewide snowpack at such high levels this late in the winter season. With more storms in the immediate forecast, this could end up being one of the largest snowpacks in decades when the final survey takes place around April 1.

The Sierra Nevada snowpack is a critical piece of Santa Clara County’s water supply. More than half the water used in our county originates in the Sierra Nevada, and our reliance on that source of water is even greater with Anderson Reservoir out of commission while we rebuild the dam.

However, while this winter’s storms have improved our water supply outlook, dry conditions persist.

As of March 2, the U.S. Drought Monitor still classifies Santa Clara County as experiencing abnormally dry conditions. And despite recent increases in our county’s groundwater levels, some remain lower than before the drought began.

In the coming weeks, our Board of Directors will evaluate Santa Clara County’s water supply outlook for the rest of the year. While our situation has greatly improved in the past few months, any decision to modify outdoor watering restrictions would be made when the wet season is over and our Board reviews multiple factors regarding our water supplies.

We know that our climate is only getting hotter and drier, leaving us with less water. That’s why it’s important to make water conservation a way of life in Santa Clara County.

Photo courtesy of Fred Greaves / California Department of Water Resources. Drivers find a wall of snow along Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken March 3, 2023.

Santa Clara County is in a severe drought emergency. On the field, the San Francisco 49ers work together to make winning plays. You can join them and make a difference off the field by saving water indoors and out. Taybor Pepper invites you to team up with the 49ers and Valley Water to SAY YES TO SAVING WATER! Visit WaterSavings.org to learn more.

Santa Clara County is in a severe drought emergency. The San Jose Sharks work together on the ice to make winning plays. You can make a difference off the ice by saving water indoors and out. Logan Couture invites you to team up with the Sharks and Valley Water to SAY YES TO SAVING WATER!

Tommy Thompson and the San Jose Earthquakes make water conservation a way of life. You can join the water conservation team and make a difference in your community.

Saving water is a team effort! Visit watersavings.org to learn more.

On October 20, 2022, we Imagine A Day Without Water. There are communities in our country currently experiencing life without reliable safe, clean water. In Santa Clara County, we want to make sure this never happens. Join us in Saying Yes to Saving Water. For conservation tips, tools and rebates visit watersavings.org.