WSAC Annual Report 2018
Santa Cruz Water Department The Water Supply Advisory Committee
Santa Cruz Water Department
The Water Supply Advisory Committee
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Recommendation:<br />
Explore sharing water with<br />
other water districts (also<br />
known as In Lieu).<br />
4<br />
Develop agreements to deliver<br />
surface water to Soquel Creek<br />
Water District and/or Scotts<br />
Valley Water District so that they<br />
could potentially rest their wells,<br />
help the aquifers recover and<br />
effectively store water for use by<br />
Santa Cruz Water Department<br />
during drought years.<br />
Did You Know?<br />
In-Lieu<br />
Recharge<br />
of aquifers provides water from<br />
another source in lieu of drawing<br />
water from an aquifer, so the<br />
aquifer can rest and recharge.<br />
ELEMENT<br />
1<br />
Explore Sharing Water with<br />
Other Water Districts<br />
Ninety-five percent of Santa Cruz’s water supply is surface water, from creeks and<br />
rivers; Soquel Creek and Scotts Valley water supplies are 100% groundwater from<br />
aquifers. The chemistry of surface water and groundwater is different, and may<br />
require different treatment. After two years of analysis to confirm the compatibility of<br />
Santa Cruz surface water and Soquel Creek Water District groundwater, a formal pilot<br />
water-sharing project began on December 3, <strong>2018</strong>. During the pilot, water quality and<br />
groundwater levels where water is no longer being drawn from will be studied.<br />
You can think of water exchanges/in-lieu as “banking” water for use in the future.<br />
By water districts using surface water in-lieu of using groundwater, aquifers are able<br />
to rest and recharge with water. Then, during dry times when surface water is in short<br />
supply, water supply may be drawn from recharged aquifers.
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