Santa Clara County Medical Association Endorses Valley Water’s Purified Water Project

Santa Clara County and all of California are enduring another historical drought. Climate change means hotter and drier weather, leaving us with less water. That’s why it’s important to invest in new technologies to help ensure there’s enough water for us now and into the future. Valley Water is expanding its ability to replenish the county’s groundwater with a drought-resilient, and locally controlled water source through the Purified Water Project.

Following a series of presentations and discussions with representatives from Valley Water, the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) endorsed the Purified Water Project as a safe and healthy option to add to our water supply. According to the SCCMA Committee on Environmental Health, “based on its extensive regulation and treatment, recycled [purified water] is safe for human consumption.”

How does water become purified into safe drinking water?

The purification process begins at the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center. The facility takes secondary-treated wastewater that would be otherwise discharged into the San Francisco Bay and purifies it by using three proven purification processes: microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light disinfection. Currently, the purified water produced is then blended with the existing recycled water supply produced at the neighboring San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility to enhance its quality and expand its usage.

Valley Water and SCCMA worked on a series of co-authored articles on Santa Clara County’s water supply conditions and challenges. You can find these articles at sccma.org/news-events/bulletin-magazine.aspx.