COMMITTEE AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Water Supply and Demand Management Committee
Government Code § 84308 Applies: Yes ☐ No ☒
(If “YES” Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code § 84308)
SUBJECT: title
Receive Information on 2025 Urban Water Management Plan Update and Provide Feedback.
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation
Receive information on 2025 Urban Water Management Plan update; Provide Feedback to Staff.
Body
SUMMARY:
The Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water), as a wholesale urban water supplier, is required by California Water Code §10610-10656 to update its Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) every five years. Valley Water’s UWMP documents important information on water supply, water usage, water supply reliability, water conservation programs, and water shortage contingency planning in Santa Clara County. It provides an overall picture of Valley Water’s current and future water conditions and management over the next 25 years and complements other water resource planning efforts.
Valley Water last updated its UWMP in 2021 and is currently developing the 2025 UWMP in accordance with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) guidelines. This memorandum summarizes key requirements of the UWMP and Valley Water’s timeline for completion. The 2025 UWMP must be adopted following a public hearing and submitted to DWR by July 1, 2026.
Demand Projections
The UWMP must include current and projected water use in five-year increments for a period of at least 20 years. Valley Water recently completed its Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) 2050 with two demand projections. Valley Water plans to use the WSMP demand projections for developing its 2025 UMWP.
Water Supply Reliability Analysis
The UWMP will also identify and quantify the existing and planned sources of water available to Valley Water for the next 25 years to meet the projected countywide demand. The plan requires water supply reliability analysis under normal, a single dry year, and five consecutive dry year conditions through 2045. In addition to this analysis, a drought risk analysis is also required for a five-year drought that is assumed to occur in the next five years and represents the worst drought in an agency’s service area.
Valley Water is planning to use the WSMP 2050 analysis and recommended projects as the basis for future supply estimation. For the five-year drought risk analysis, Valley Water will use information on historical droughts and actions in the most recent drought to conduct the analysis.
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
As part of the UWMP update, Valley Water will also update its Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), now a separate and standalone plan, to establish actions and procedures to address water shortages due to droughts and other emergencies. Following DWR requirements, the WSCP also summarizes other planning efforts related to natural disasters, drought revenue impacts, as well as Valley Water’s legal authority and communication protocol to respond to water shortages.
Demand Management Measures
In recognizing the importance of demand management to sustainable management of water resources in California, the UWMP requires urban suppliers to present their efforts to promote water conservation and reduce water demands. Valley Water’s demand management measures include metering, public education and outreach, rebates for residential and commercial users, including rebates for lawn conversion, free water use audits and consultation, and many more. The 2025 UWMP will summarize conservation efforts over the past five years, as well as Valley Water’s conservation goals and water savings.
Reduced Reliance on the Delta
Starting from the last UWMP update, DWR requires the suppliers receiving or planning to receive water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) to demonstrate their reduced reliance on the Delta. Valley Water receives Delta water from the State Water Project, Central Valley Project, and water transfers and exchanges. Therefore, Valley Water falls under this requirement. Valley Water, with the support of all its retailers, has made significant investments in demand management and local supplies to increase regional self-reliance and reduce the county’s reliance on the Delta. These investments include conservation and demand management; recycled and purified water; seismic retrofits of local reservoirs; and regional collaborations. With these past efforts and planned investments and water conservation goals recommended in the WSMP 2050, Valley Water will be able to fulfill this requirement.
Coordination and Outreach
Valley Water is coordinating with retailers on data and information sharing and will provide retailers with the draft UWMP and WSCP for review. For regional collaboration on updating the UWMP, Valley Water has notified all cities within Santa Clara County, the County, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and the Bay Area Water Conservation and Supply Agency of its efforts. The draft plans will be posted on the Valley Water website for public review, and a public hearing will be held for plan adoption.
Timeline and Next Steps
Below is the timeline for Valley Water’s 2025 UWMP development:
• November - December 2025: reviewed DWR's draft guidebook, identified data requirements, developed analysis methodologies, and coordinated with internal stakeholders
• December 2025 - February 2026: engage and coordinate with external stakeholders on data and information sharing
• March - April 2026 - Draft plan review
• May 2026: Public review of draft plan
• June 2026: Public hearing for plan adoption
Valley Water will bring another update to this committee before the public hearing. Staff will also continue to coordinate with water retailers on demand projections, water supplies, and reduced Delta reliance, to support each agency’s UWMP development.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
The Urban Water Management Plan addresses water supply equity by ensuring a cost-effective, high-quality supply is available for all of Santa Clara County, including disadvantaged communities.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: PowerPoint
*Handout 5.1-A: Public Comment, Sierra Club
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Kirsten Struve, 408-630-3138