COMMITTEE AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Joint WRC with Cities of Gilroy/Morgan Hill/SCRWA
Government Code § 84308 Applies: Yes ☐ No ☒
(If “YES” Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code § 84308)
SUBJECT: title
Receive an Update on South Santa Clara County Water Reuse Collaboration and Projects and Plans.
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation
Receive an update and provide feedback on South County water reuse collaboration and projects and plans.
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SUMMARY:
Since 1999, Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water), the Cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill have collaborated to expand South Santa Clara County (South County) non-potable water recycling. The Joint Water Resources Committee (JWRC) was established in 2017 to advance water resource interests in South County, including seeking project and funding opportunities for purified and recycled water reuse as informed by the South County Water Reuse Master Plan. The JWRC most recently received an informational update in October 2025.
Feasibility Study Update
Valley Water has been collaborating with the Cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill on the South County Recycled Water System Feasibility Study (Study) to evaluate opportunities to expand South County purified and recycled water reuse.
Valley Water has procured engineering services and has completed data collection and engineering analysis. Project options have been discussed with our South County partners, and staff will present recommendations for both preferred and alternative project scenarios for the Study.
The Study is partially funded by a 2023 United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) planning grant and is also a prerequisite for the USBR Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse grant funding program.
South County Recycled Water Pipeline
The Southern Recycled Water Pipeline Alignment (Southern Pipeline Alignment) was recommended in the 2004 South County Water Recycling Master Plan and confirmed in the 2015 Master Plan Update. Since 2015, Valley Water and the City of Gilroy have implemented interagency agreements to construct pipeline segments along the Southern Pipeline Alignment as developers have expanded neighborhood communities in the Glen Loma Development. Valley Water staff will present an update of discussions with developers, and the City of Gilroy to develop an interagency agreement to construct the last pipeline segment (approximately 800 feet in length) that will complete the Southern Pipeline Alignment.
In 2024, Valley Water completed the South County Recycled Water Pipeline Project that completed a major portion of the Southern Pipeline Alignment, except for one pipeline segment (Phase 1C) that would bridge the southern pipeline system to the existing northern pipeline system. In 2025, Valley Water obtained construction services to complete this critical pipeline segment that can support a future Amazon data center using non-potable recycled water. Valey Water will provide a project update on pipeline construction that will increase system capabilities and support recycled water use in east Gilroy. Valley Water will also present discussions with the City of Gilroy to expand system conveyance and storage to provide service to the Amazon project.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
There are no environmental justice impacts associated with this agenda item.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: PowerPoint
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Kirsten Struve, 408-630-3138