Recently, misinformation regarding the source of Saratoga’s water supply circulated through the community. As the Valley Water Board Member representing District 5, which includes Saratoga, I would like to correct that information and provide more detail and clarity regarding the source of Saratoga’s water supply.
Valley Water, as a countywide wholesale water and groundwater management agency, relies on local retailers (municipalities and private companies) to deliver water to homes and businesses throughout the county.
Saratoga receives its water from one of those retailers, the San Jose Water Company.
Most of the water delivered by the San Jose Water Company to Saratoga is treated water and groundwater. Valley Water manages the groundwater that San Jose Water Company pumps and provides to its customers. We also provide San Jose Water Company with water from our treatment plants.
Valley Water carefully manages Santa Clara County’s groundwater basins to ensure there are sufficient supplies for San Jose Water Company to pump and provide to its customers. We use our diverse and expansive recharge ponds and waterways to recharge the groundwater with local supplies from ten Valley Water reservoirs, including eight that benefit the groundwater sub-basin that San Jose Water Company pumps from. Water purchased from the state and federal governments and imported from Northern California is also used to replenish our county’s groundwater basins.
Treated water provided to San Jose Water Company is also a combination of local and imported surface water supplies. Valley Water operates three water treatment plants that clean and disinfect imported water and water captured in four of our local reservoirs.
San Jose Water Company also receives recycled water from the South Bay Water Recycling program. The recycled water is provided to certain customers for non-potable uses, primarily landscape watering.
During non-drought years, the San Jose Water Company supplements Valley Water’s treated water by treating water at its Montevina Water Treatment Plant, located on the east side of Highway 17 near Lexington Reservoir.
Considering the current extreme drought gripping our county and most of the state, Valley Water is working diligently with the City of Saratoga, as well as the San Jose Water Company, to ensure residents are reducing their water use by 15% and making water conservation a way of life.
I urge everyone in Saratoga and across Santa Clara County to continue the efforts many of you started during the last drought and reduce outdoor watering, which is half of the water used in homes, reduce indoor use, and take advantage of our many programs, rebates, and conservation tips. Every drop saved today is one that is available tomorrow. To learn more, visit watersavings.org or check out our interactive web page at Beheard.valleywater.org.
Submitted on behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Water District. For further information, contact your elected district representative, Nai Hsueh at NHsueh@valleywater.org.
Valley Water News 