Valley Water Celebrates the Power of Volunteering

Volunteers are the heart of Valley Water’s stewardship and civic leadership programs. They actively support our mission of providing safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment and economy.

In January, to honor the outstanding people behind our 2022 volunteer programs, Valley Water held the first in-person Volunteer Recognition Event since 2019. This annual event highlights the time and energy the volunteers put into our year-round programs.

In 2022:

• More than 2,400 volunteers generously gave over 6,300 hours of their time.
• Our creek cleanup volunteers helped remove 129,509 pounds of trash throughout 106 miles of creeks and natural spaces throughout our county.

Valley Water recognized seven awardees for their tireless commitment to keeping our waterways clean and sharing their knowledge of water-related issues. These volunteers included individuals from our Adopt-A-Creek Program, Water Ambassadors and National River Cleanup & Coastal Cleanup site coordinators

Valley Water Board Directors presented each awardee with a plaque and certificate as a token of our appreciation. The winners demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and appreciation and respect toward others.

How You Can Get Involved

We’re always seeking new volunteers to help achieve our mission. The Adopt-A-Creek Program is an excellent way to get involved and help protect our waterways. Program partners monitor trash in their adopted creek segments and coordinate at least two cleanups a year. Please join us and help preserve the health and beauty of our local creeks. Sign up to be an Adopt-A-Creek partner.

You can also join us for National River Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 20. National River Cleanup is a national day of action to protect our rivers, watersheds and wildlife from trash and debris. Visit cleanacreek.org to learn more.

If you’re interested in educating, inspiring and empowering community members, consider joining our Water 101 Academy. The Water 101 Academy is a leadership opportunity to help others learn about local water issues and become environmental stewards within their neighborhoods.

Another leadership opportunity specifically for youth is the Youth Commission. The Youth Commission is made up of 21 high school students throughout Santa Clara County, each appointed by one of the seven board members. It is an official board advisory committee that assists the board with public policy, education, outreach, and all matters impacting Santa Clara County youth.

Valley Water is proud to see our community come together, and we encourage others to join in and make a difference in Santa Clara County.