Good News: the Drought is Over

All of the storms we endured this past winter led to the snowpack measuring at 237% of normal. And, many areas in the Sierra have surpassed 240 inches of snowfall. This was great news for our county and state!

This means that mandatory water conservation ended April 11, 2023. There will be no further allocations or drought surcharges as of this date. We thank our customers for their efforts during the drought.

In a nutshell, based on Valley Water’s rescission of its drought emergency on April 11, San Jose Water’s Mandatory Conservation Plan (Schedule 14.1) is no longer in effect. 

What If I have an appeal in process?

For those customers who sent in an allocation appeal, please know that we will process all pending requests. All approved changes to allocations will be retroactive.

What does this mean for continued conservation?

Despite the bounty of rainfall this year, it is important to understand that water conservation continues to be a way of life in California. Our weather patterns have become more erratic – meaning next winter could be dry again. We are very grateful to our customers for all of your efforts these past few years and into the future.

Learn more about the drought ending at Valley Water's website.

State of California Drought Fact Sheet

Snowpack Survey

Approximately 50% of SJW's water supply comes from imported water. Both the state's snowpack and reservoir levels are updated daily and can be accessed through the following links:

• California Snowpack Surveys
• California Reservoir Levels

The California Drought Monitor, updated weekly, also provides data on the dryness of specific regions throughout the state. SJW relies on these sources to determine the severity of the drought and how much water we have available for our customers.

Drought Resources for Businesses

It’s possible you are using more water for your business than you need to.

San Jose Water partners with Valley Water, who offers free resources for businesses and commercial facilities. These include:

• Table Tents for Restaurants: “Drinking Water By Request”
• Hotel “Linen Reuse” Cards
• High-Efficiency Faucet Aerators – 0.5 gallons per minute
• Pre-Rinse Sprayers – 1.15 gallons per minute

Please email Cindy Torres at ctorres@valleywater.org to request any items which could be helpful for your business.

Additionally, Valley Water offers rebates through their Water Efficient Technology (WET) Rebate Program to help implement equipment changes to reduce commercial or facility water usage. Learn more about the WET Program here.

Drought Regulation by State Water Board Targets Commercial Properties

As another indication of the severity of the drought, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted an emergency water conservation regulation focused on commercial properties to ensure more aggressive water savings.   

Owners and managers of commercial, industrial, and institutional properties are not allowed to use potable water for irrigating non-functional turf (except for circumstances identified in the regulation).

The ban does not include watering turf that is used for recreation or other community purposes, water used at residences or water to maintain trees. The regulation went into effect on June 10, 2022. For more information on the regulation, head here. And, here is a description of what qualifies as non-functional turf in Santa Clara County. 

Image