Despite what the Morgan Hill Times would lead its readers to
believe, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is constantly
working to make sure Santa Clara County
’s 1.7 million residents receive the best service possible.
Despite what the Morgan Hill Times would lead its readers to believe, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is constantly working to make sure Santa Clara County’s 1.7 million residents receive the best service possible.
The water district has served the Santa Clara County community for 75 years, including nearly two decades recharging and protecting South County’s groundwater basin, and providing crucial flood protection.
South County voters’ wise decision in 1987 to place their water management in the hands of the Santa Clara Valley Water District paid off immediately when an additional water supply from the district helped residents, farmers and business owners in Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill through one of the worst droughts in California history.
Much of your newspaper’s criticism of the district is based on a budget review prepared by the county’s management auditor. The review was limited in scope and was unable to make findings in many areas essential to the business of water. Supervisors acknowledged that, as a primarily infrastructure-intensive organization, the water district’s scope of work would require a much more extensive review than the county could commit to on an annual basis. Ultimately, the supervisors approved the district’s budget as submitted.
Your recent editorial, “Supes must order sweeping changes to juggernaut water district,” insists that reserves could be used to lower rates.
Ninety-six percent of our total reserves are for flood protection projects, are legally or contractually restricted, and represent funding to complete projects continued from prior years. That leaves less than $20 million in reserves that could be used for, as the Times suggests, a one-year reduction in rates. But it could only apply to North County rate payers because South County rates – which are roughly half that of the North County – have not generated any reserves.
Rather than a rate rebate, the district uses reserves as insurance against the inevitable drought, earthquake or preventive maintenance needs of key infrastructure, such as the perchlorate threat to South County well owners. As a percentage of annual revenue, $20 million represents less than half of the level of reserves budgeted by water agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, East Bay Municipal Utilities District and Contra Costa Water District.
Water is a great value in South County. The monthly bill for an average single-family household in Gilroy is among the lowest in the state.
The recent rate increase will cost the average single-family household an additional 52 cents per month – about what it costs for one-fifth gallon of gasoline.
And because of water conservation programs offered to local growers, 70 percent of water used by South County’s agricultural industry is discounted to a rate of $14 per acre-foot – the same rate as last year. Growers who take advantage of these programs have seen their rate increase by less than half the cost of living over the past 15 years (22 percent vs. 53 percent).
We believe that the level of reliability and quality of the water we provide is what the community deserves and expects.
Stan Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Santa Clara Valley Water District
