Earlier this year, the Tri-Valley Water Partners launched a new website at TriValleyWater.org that focuses on the region’s water supply reliability. Tri-Valley Water Partners is a collaborative effort by the Tri-Valley’s water wholesaler, Zone 7 Water Agency (Zone 7), and local water retailers California Water Service (Cal Water), the City of Livermore, the City of Pleasanton, and the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD).

In 2019, Zone 7 completed the Water Supply Evaluation Update, a report that reaffirmed and clarified the need to pursue new water supply options for long-term water reliability in the Tri-Valley. Potential future water supply, conveyance, and storage options identified in the study included the Sites Reservoir, Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion, Delta Conveyance, potable reuse, and regional desalination. As none of these projects singlehandedly meet the water reliability needs identified in the study, they are all currently under evaluation and a combination of projects will eventually be selected for investment and implementation.

Under the guidance of the Tri-Valley Water Liaison Committee made up of elected officials from the Tri-Valley Water Partners, it was agreed the water supply reliability options identified in the study needed continued evaluation. In addition, it was agreed that a community outreach program to educate Tri-Valley residents and businesses about the region’s water supply challenges and potential solutions needed to be developed. The new website and an accompanying “Water’s Journey” video explaining the region’s water supply support the launch of this new outreach program.

“Before beginning work on this program, we looked at past studies which demonstrated there is considerable confusion about where our water comes from and the system that provides it,” according to Valerie Pryor, Zone 7 General Manager. “Our goal with this education program is to give constituents a solid understanding of their water supply, so they can be more informed about the potential solutions to our water challenges. Equipped with this information, we feel residents and businesses will be in a better position to participate in the process of informing us which of the potential solutions we are currently exploring will best meet the needs and values of the community.”

The Tri-Valley area imports about 70% of the water it uses from outside the region. When visiting the new website, users will learn about the journey water makes from the Northern Sierra Nevada “through 237 miles of naturally occurring waterways and built infrastructure, arriving to the Tri-Valley via an intricate interconnected system of rivers and reservoirs, dams and aqueducts.” The site also covers water supply challenges and potential solutions, including Sites Reservoir and Delta Conveyance, as well as more local solutions such as Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion, potable reuse, and regional desalination. 

Zone 7 Water Agency treats and manages water supplies for eastern Alameda County, including the city limits of Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of San Ramon. Drinking water service is provided to these regions by the Tri-Valley’s water retailers, Cal Water, the Cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, and DSRSD.

For more information about the Tri-Valley Water Partners, please visit www.trivalleywater.org.

For more information about Zone 7 Water Agency, please visit www.zone7water.com.