As California continues to suffer one of the worst droughts in its history, the Santa Clara (Calif.) Valley Water District is convening one of the first regional water summits in the state focused on providing local governments and agencies tools to combat the ongoing water crisis.
The summit will be held Saturday May 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
The summit will bring together elected officials from around the region to develop a framework to encourage collaboration and uniformity in the ways in which local cities and public agencies regulate water use in their respective jurisdictions. More importantly, the summit will outline a number of tools with which local municipalities can combat the ongoing water crisis, including ways to encourage greater conservation and use of recycled water.
Water district officials are hopeful the summit will spark change at the local level in the ways in which local cities and agencies view their responsibilities to combat the ongoing water crisis, as years of dry conditions, below average rainfall and Sierra Nevada snowpack totals have created emergency conditions that necessitate action at all levels of government.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages an integrated water resources system that includes the supply of clean, safe water, flood protection and stewardship of streams on behalf of Santa Clara County's 1.8 million residents. The district manages 10 dams and surface water reservoirs, three water treatment plants, an advanced recycled water purification center, a water quality laboratory, nearly 400 acres of groundwater recharge ponds and more than 275 miles of streams. The district provides wholesale water and groundwater management services to local municipalities and private water retailers who deliver drinking water directly to homes and businesses in Santa Clara County.
Source: Santa Clara Valley Water District
