2020-2021 State of the District - Community Report

Community Report - State of the District 

Letter from District Manager, Rick Rogers

Our community continues its resiliency and commitment to building a better San Lorenzo Valley Water District. In 2021, we made major strides in improving our water system after the impacts of the 2020 CZU Wildfire Complex. We continued to upgrade aging infrastructure, began to harden critical infrastructure facilities, and moved forward with crucial planning efforts. In 2022, the District will continue to move these efforts full-speed ahead. The “State of the District” details 2021 accomplishments and upcoming projects in 2022.

I’d like to highlight the following District efforts. In the 2020 Fire, the District lost seven of its nine surface water intakes, which in the winter months is the primary water source for a majority of the system. In December 2021, the draft construction feasibility report for rebuilding the raw water supply lines, to bring the damaged surface water intakes back online, was released to the Engineering Committee. In early 2022, the Board will give staff direction on moving the reconstruction of the pipeline forward, increasing water reliability for the District. The District has also made progress on capital improvements; completing three tank upgrades, and 11 pipeline replacements improving fire flow, while also carrying out emergency work throughout the system.

The District is focused on preparing and planning for the future. In 2021, the District received approximately $600,000 in grant funding for fire resiliency and forest health projects. These grants will harden and reduce fuel loads around critical infrastructure while promoting a healthier forested watershed. We are also looking forward to many construction projects in the coming year and are especially excited to start the reconstruction of the Fall Creek Fish ladder and the replacement of a major pipeline along Quail Hollow Road. We have seen crucial planning documents adopted by the Board of Directors. In 2021, the Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), Water System Master Plan, Fire Management Plan, Forest Management Plan, and the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) were adopted to guide the District. The District is also focused on improving customer service. In 2022 the District will increase the number of smart meters in its system allowing customers to monitor their water consumption and add online video chat to make connecting with customer service more efficient.

In addition, the District started work on consolidating with three small water mutuals, Forest Springs, Bracken Brae, and Big Basin Water. All three of the mutuals were severely impacted in the CZU Fire. A state grant was awarded to the District in the amount of $3.2 million to move the consolidation of Forest Springs and Bracken Brae mutuals forward. Further grant funding for the consolidation of the Big Basin Water Company is being explored by District staff.

The District is committed to providing a safe, reliable water supply for everyone we serve. We look forward to continuing progress on infrastructure upgrades and recovery in 2022. Please CLICK HERE to read.