Across California there are numerous organizations doing fantastic work to make sure that our water resources are managed appropriately through conservation efforts. Right here in Santa Clara California, there are several great organizations working tirelessly to keep water use low as the population of Silicon Valley continues to boom. Here are a few of the highlights:
Valley Water, formerly known as the Santa Clara Valley Water District, is our local water district here in Santa Clara County. Valley Water has a robust conservation department with numerous programs to help Santa Clara County’s more than 2 million residents save water at home. From offering free aerators or low-flow shower heads to help reduce the flow of water at home, to rebate programs for the removal of water hungry lawns or the replacement of inefficient irrigation equipment, Valley Water is a great place for any resident to start if they are looking for a cost effective way to lower their water use at home. Over the past several decades, Silicon Valley has seen an explosion in population, but the total water demand measured by the water district has remained largely the same thanks to the efforts of their conservation department
Outdoor irrigation is the single largest residential use of water, largely due to the high water demand that turf-grass lawns have. Removing one’s lawn and replacing it with a drought tolerant landscape is a great way to drastically reduce a home’s water use, but these projects can get extremely expensive quickly. That’s where the San Jose based Our City Forest comes into the picture. Our City Forest offers heavily subsidized lawn conversion projects to low income Santa Clara County residents through their Lawn Busters program. The program includes landscape plans, materials, and labor. In addition to their Lawn Busters program, Our City Forest has a community nursery offering native plant species as well as numerous expert led classes and workshops to help area residents create beautiful, water-efficient, native landscapes!
Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA)
Founded in 2003 through AB 2058, the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA), is a special district serving the water supply needs for the entirety of California’s Bay Area. The Agency is composed of representatives from the cities and water districts of the Bay Area and works to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply for the area. One of BAWSCA’s largest responsibilities is to coordinate and promote water conservation efforts and water recycling activities across member organizations. BAWSCA is a great resource to find conservation reports for your local area, conservation resources, and information about water resource planning for the coming decades.
Since 1972, Clean Water Action has been a leader in water resources advocacy across California and the United States. Clean Water Action organizes grassroots groups and campaigns to elect environmentally focused candidates and solve issues surrounding water access and water resources. The group’s main goals for California this year include ensuring safe and affordable water for all communities, protecting water resources from Oil and Gas Production, and addressing lead and PFAS contamination in water. Clean Water Action is a great organization to get involved in to protect our water resources!