Valley Water board votes Tuesday on groundwater plan, starts 2027-28 rate process
The plan covers basins that supply about 40% of the county's water. No rate number is proposed yet.
The Valley Water board holds a public hearing Tuesday and votes on its 2026 Groundwater Management Plan, according to the meeting agenda. The plan covers the Santa Clara and Llagas groundwater basins, which supply about 40% of the water used countywide, a staff presentation shows. The update is due to the state Dec. 17.
The board also gets its first look at setting water rates for 2027-28. Staff's rate presentation builds in the Anderson Dam retrofit, including its recent $800 million cost increase, and the Pure Water Silicon Valley water-recycling plant. Ways to ease future rates include a federal loan $370 million larger and a possible future general obligation bond, a borrowing that voters approve. No rate is proposed yet. Preliminary numbers come in January, and the board is set to adopt rates May 11.
On the consent calendar, the board will decide by a four-fifths vote whether to continue the El Niño emergency the interim CEO declared Oct. 7.
The open session starts at 1 p.m. at 5700 Almaden Expressway and on Zoom.
Source: Valley Water Board of Directors agenda, Nov. 10, 2026
- Valley Water Board of Directors amended/appended agenda, Nov. 10, 2026 (opened Nov. 9)
- Item 3.6 presentation: Overview of the FY 2027-28 Groundwater Production Charge Setting Process (opened Nov. 9)
- Item 3.4 presentation: 2026 Groundwater Management Plan (opened Nov. 9)
- Item 4.5 Attachment 1: Declaration of El Niño Emergency (opened Nov. 9)