Tri-Valley Water Supply Benefits From Water Education and Long-Term Stewardship

In April 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a regional drought emergency. The following month, the Tri-Valley's Zone 7 Water Agency, California Water Service, the Cities of Pleasanton and Livermore, and Dublin San Ramon Services District asked their customers and residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 10%. In September 2021, in response to severe drought conditions and reduced water supply allocations from the State Water Project, Zone 7 instituted a mandatory 15% reduction in water usage for its customers.

At the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023, the water situation changed. "Winter precipitation, combined with recent storms, wiped out exceptional and extreme drought in California for the first time since 2020, and is expected to further improve drought conditions this spring," according to officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In March, the governor lifted statewide restrictions while emphasizing the need for ongoing voluntary conservation. In April, the Zone 7 Board of Directors unanimously declared an end to the drought emergency and ended the 15% mandatory conservation requirements.

Much to Celebrate

This month California observes Water Awareness Month. During May, water agencies throughout the state work to educate the public about each region's water supply and the ongoing need to conserve water and use it efficiently regardless of the state's current water situation. It is also a good month to celebrate how the Tri-Valley community worked to lower water usage during the most recent drought.

"We are grateful to the Tri-Valley community for their successful efforts to conserve water during the drought," according to Zone 7 Board of Directors President Sarah Palmer. "We recorded some of the driest years on record for our area recently, and times like these remind us that water is a precious commodity. Working together, our community saved 1.7 billion gallons of water in 2022 and we thank every resident in our community who reduced outdoor watering, replaced grass lawns with native and drought tolerant plants, saved their shower warm up water, and made other efforts to achieve these savings. Your small changes have made a big difference."

While the mandatory restrictions have ended, other requirements remain in place, including state-wide bans on wasteful water uses such as watering ornamental grass on commercial properties. Zone 7 officials encourage Tri-Valley businesses and residents to "consider conservation a way of life. Changes in weather patterns and severe conditions mean having reliable water supply and plentiful reserves such as our local groundwater basin are critical for long-term sustainability of our region."

Preparing for the Future

Zone 7 is Pleasanton's exclusive water wholesaler, which means the reliability of Pleasanton's water supply is fundamentally linked to the reliability of Zone 7's water supply. Zone 7's water supply is largely drawn from the State Water Project. During the most recent drought, allocations were as low as 5%. That forced Zone 7 to shift reliance to "the local groundwater basin to carry the Tri-Valley through the drought years," according to the 2023 Sustainability Report from the water agency.

Each year in December, the California Department of Water Resources announces an initial allocation of water from the State Water Project. "On December 1, 2022, the initial allocation was announced at 5%," according to Zone 7 officials. "Subsequently, it was increased to 30% in January, 35% in February, and 75% in March." Officials note that this jump in allocation, which may go up further, will allow Zone 7 to begin recharging the groundwater basin with imported water in preparation for the next dry period.

According to the report, "a comparison of projected water supply and demand indicates that, based on supply availability, Zone 7 can deliver 100% of projected demands over the next five years." There is ongoing work to ensure the Tri-Valley has a dependable water supply for many years beyond 2028, and Zone 7 is leading efforts to help diversify water sources to avoid future shortages and support regional growth.

"We are strongly committed to securing the water future of the Tri-Valley region by taking significant measures," says Valerie Pryor, General Manager of Zone 7. "Our dedication to investing in crucial water infrastructure projects such as the expansion of Los Vaqueros Reservoir, Sites Reservoir Project, and Delta Conveyance, along with exploring localized projects like desalination and potable reuse, highlights our determination to provide a reliable and sustainable water supply for our community."

Many resources are available to businesses and residents to support that work and to continue to conserve water. Long after Water Awareness Month is over, for example, Tri-Valley businesses and residents will be able access water education on demand thanks to the TriValleyWater.org website. TriValleyWater.org was created in 2022 by Tri-Valley Water Partners, which is made up of the Zone 7 Water Agency and local water retailers California Water Service, the City of Livermore, the City of Pleasanton, and the Dublin San Ramon Services District. The City of Pleasanton, Zone 7, and the State of California Water Conservation Portal all offer water conservation tips as well.

The State of California has long grappled with periodic drought conditions. A newspaper article from San Jose published in January 1851 noted that "the country is greatly in need of rain. Complaints are made that the pasturage is insufficient to keep cattle alive. Such a drought has not been known in California for many years." Earlier residents had no way of knowing that dry periods have always been a part of living in California, which is becoming hotter and drier over time. Public officials, nonprofits, and agency executives understand that reality and are working with shareholders to build a sustainable future.

For more information about the Zone 7 Water Agency, please visit www.zone7water.com.
For information from Zone 7 about water conservation and rebates, please visit www.zone7water.com/conservation-and-rebates.

For more information about Tri-Valley Water Partners, please visit www.trivalleywater.org.

For information about City of Pleasanton water-related rebates and services, please visit www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/os/env/water/rebates.asp#.

For information about Hacienda sustainability efforts, including water conservation, please visit www.hacienda.org/location/project-overview/sustainability.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

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