Facts About Santa Clarita’s Water Supply
1. SCV Water, and its predecessor, CLWA, has developed a diversified water supply portfolio and those efforts continue today. This is reflected in the Agency’s Urban Water Management Plan, which concludes that the SCV has adequate supplies to meet service area demands throughout the planning period that extends to build-out of the Valley in 2050. The most recent supply augmentation since adoption of the latest UWMP is the completion of 2019 Drought Relief Project in Kern County that increased SCV Water’s capability to dry year demands.
2. SCV Water is working to protect our local ground water in the Santa Clara River Valley East Groundwater Basin, a major source of water supply for the SCV. In response to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which was signed into law in 2014, the Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SCV-GSA) was created. The SCV-GSA is tasked with developing a management plan for the basin that will ensure its continued sustainability. In 2019, the SCV Water Board of Directors adopted the Santa Clara River Stewardship Objectives to protect and preserve the entire Upper Santa Clara Valley watershed.
3. Water quality is a top priority for SCV Water. Since 2000, SCV Water and its predecessor water suppliers have been remediating groundwater contamination emanating from property owned by the Whittaker Corporation and other related entities. Through settlement agreements, projects have been implemented to treat groundwater contaminated by perchlorate and restore impacted well capacity. More recently, efforts are underway to install treatment for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) also emanating from the Whittaker Bermite site. In addition, SCV Water is expeditiously moving forward with projects to recover lost well capacity due to the presence of small amounts of manmade chemicals, referred to as PFAS.
4. During the SCV Water formation process, it was agreed an independent rate payer advocate would be hired by the Board to independently analyze water rates developed by SCV Water staff. In December 2018, the SCV Water Board adopted the Rate Payer Advocacy Process and in August 2019, the Board also approved the selection of an independent rate payer advocate, Robert D. Niehaus, Inc.
5. The new Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency was projected to save $14 million in its first ten years. This was a major commitment made by the SCV Water Board of Directors, even before the first day of operation on January 1, 2018. With adoption of the first biennial budget for FY 19/20 and FY 20/21, total savings for the first 3 ½ years of operation are now projected to be $20 million.
