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Politics & Government

Dwindling Water Supply Shadows District Board Elections

As three seats open up on the Santa Clara Valley Water District's Board of Directors, the League of Women Voters urges the public to discuss its role in the community.

Three of the Santa Clara Valley Water District board's seven seats have opened up for election, and the Los Altos-Mountain View and the Palo Alto Leagues of Women Voters held a forum Wednesday to ensure that the public is fully aware of the board's role in the community. 

The election has created a "golden opportunity" for residents receiving water from the district, according to Environmental Studies Professor Terry Trumbull.

At the evening event, held at the Los Altos Library, the two League of Women Voters groups sponsored a discussion titled "California's Thirsty Future" featuring panelists Retired Director of Public Works for the City of Mountain View, Cathy Lazarus; Chair of the SCVWD Redistricting Committee, Susanne "Susie" Wilson; and Trumbull.

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The panel gathered to discuss the impact that the SCVWD has on everyday life and the importance of remaining informed about the state of our most valuable natural resource. 

"Water conservation is going to be a way of life" in the near future, according to Lazarus.

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In addition, Lazarus referenced a basic rule of economics, stating that "when you have a scarce commodity such as water, the price is going to become very high. People complain about water pricing today, but hold on to your wallets folks. It's going to be a lot more expensive in the future."

It will be up to the SCVWD Board, therefore, to take charge of the future of the district's water supply, ensuring that residents will never have to go without. 

In 2009, the SCVWD Board called for a mandatory 15 percent conservation in response to an increasing water shortage. According to the district's website, over half of the water used in Santa Clara County is imported water, meaning it comes from either the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) Hetch Hetchy system or elsewhere.

Hetch Hetchy, which serves most of the Bay Area, was not very well maintained and, as a result, is currently undergoing a $4.5 billion system retrofit. 

"A by-product of all that capital investment that's underway right now, the price of water from the Hetch Hetchy system is expected to double, if not more so, in the coming years," said Lazarus. 

However, charging quadruple for water will not make a difference if there is no water to be had. When the Hetch Hecthy system was updated, the SFPUC had to make certain concessions to environmental groups in order to proceed with the retrofit.

As a result of these agreements, it has had to implement artificial supply limitations of 183 million gallons of water per day through the year 2018, an amount that falls short of projected water requirements. 

There are simple steps residents can take ensure that the local water supply maintains at a safe level. Lazarus warns, the "manicured lawns we all dearly love will become a thing of the past."

We will need to not only conserve water, people will also have to face a future in which, says Lazarus, "we pay more for less water...and we'll need to look at alternate sources of water such as recycled water, desalinization, and grey water (from the shower, dishwasher, clothes washer). We'll need to tap those resources."

The panel urged the public to vote for individuals with water wise minds ready to fill the SCVWD's glass from "half empty" to "brimming with possibilities".

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