Santa Clara Valley Water District Government News

The Valley Water Board of Directors elected Tony Estremera as the Chair for 2025, and Richard P. Santos as Vice Chair. The board voted on their new officers at the Dec. 10 meeting.

Silicon Valley’s main water supplier will maintain a hiring freeze in order to offset hundreds of millions of dollars in a budget shortfall.

A long overdue agreement between San Jose and Santa Clara County's largest water agency to build housing for homeless residents has been greenlit and is slated to break ground next month.
The San Jose City Council unanimously voted on Dec. 3 to enter into an agreement with Valley Water to build a new tiny home facility at Cherry Avenue.

Homeless people are barred from living along regional waterways owned by Santa Clara County’s largest water agency — and could be charged with an infraction or misdemeanor and face up to $500 fines if they’re caught camping there.

Valley Water and the National Weather Service urged the community to prepare for winter storms during a news conference held Nov. 13 at a sandbag distribution center in San José.

During the past year, Valley Water biologists and other people spotted numerous Chinook salmon, juvenile steelhead and other fish species in waterways across Santa Clara County.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors on July 9 held off on a decision regarding an ordinance that would prohibit homeless encampments along waterways in the water district’s jurisdiction.

Those living along the waterways could soon be fined or face jail time, due to a policy being considered by the largest water agency in Santa Clara County.

Crews for Valley Water and various construction contractors later this month will finish digging a new 1,736-foot diversion tunnel for Anderson Reservoir—which has been about 80% complete since February.

Santa Clara County residents could see higher water bills in the upcoming year, as one water agency looks for ways to cover costs.

The region’s largest taxpayer-funded water supplier is suing one of its own board directors weeks after they censured her.

Valley Water leaders have censured one of their colleagues and stripped her of some responsibilities for taking confidential documents from district offices and allegedly making discriminatory and harassing remarks against district officials and workers.

Santa Clara Valley Water District’s 10 reservoirs are collectively about 130% of their normal water levels for this time of year, spokesperson Matt Keller said.

Valley Water Director Rebecca Eisenberg turns up the heat in battle with water district staff one week after its CEO accused her of stealing sensitive documents about her and asked police to investigate.

Valley Water CEO Rick Callender said videos confirmed that Director Rebecca Eisenberg illegally took a report on allegations that she had discriminated against male Valley Water staff and insulted water district officials.

Two years ago, the cost of the dam project—required for earthquake protection and improved flood control for the Coyote Creek watershed—was estimated at $648 million.

Morgan Hill’s Anderson Reservoir, which spilled over and flooded central San Jose neighborhoods in 2017, could be an even bigger problem in an earthquake. Fixing the dangerous reservoir is a priority, but that comes at a price.

Officials from the Santa Clara Valley Water District, Santa Clara County and the city of San Jose provided directions to preparation and emergency resources in advance of the rainy season.

The Valley Water Board of Directors allocated resources toward cleaning up trash, debris and hazardous pollutants produced by encampments along waterways.

Local Valley Water district officials have adopted new permanent water use restrictions, as well as a process to enforce them even during non-drought periods.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board of directors voted unanimously April 11 to rescind a “water shortage emergency” that was declared in 2021 during a historic statewide drought.