San Juan and two of its wholesale customer agencies - Fair Oaks Water District (FOWD) and Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) - are working with a regional coalition of water suppliers to conduct a groundwater substitution water transfer to the Santa Clara Valley Water District and various other State Water Contractor member agencies, including potentially the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Kern County Water Agency, Alameda County Water District, Napa County FC & WCD, Kings County Water District, Palmdale Water District, Dudley Ridge Water District, Zone 7 Water Agency, Central Coast Water Authority, and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency.

FOWD and CHWD will pump up to a combined 4,302 acre-feet more groundwater this year to serve their customers and the surface water that would have otherwise been supplied to them by San Juan will be transferred to the buyers, minus a “depletion” factor accounting for water seeping into the ground beneath the American River as the water flows to the confluence with the Sacramento River.  All costs associated with the transfer will be covered by the sale.  Revenues generated above the costs will be shared by San Juan-Wholesale and FOWD/CHWD, which will help reduce upward pressure on future rate requirements. 

Documents describing the transfer can be found here.  Written comments are welcome and can be submitted here or by mail or in person, but they must be received by May 23, 2022.  The San Juan Board of Directors will consider approval of the proposed transfer at its regular meeting on May 25, 2022 at 6:00 PM.