Water demand continues to decline and is largely price-inelastic (10% rate increase reduces demand ~2%). The study estimated ~37,000 households may face unaffordable bills. No formal action was taken; staff will gather more information on assistance programs (retailers and Sacred Heart) and may return to the committee.
A $10.3B CIP draft for FY2027–31 was approved for release to cities/land-use agencies for General Plan consistency review (42 water supply, 13 flood, 12 stewardship, 3 buildings/grounds, 3 IT). Staff presented FY27 outlays of $1.3B and assumed water charge increases of 6.6% (W5) and 9.4% (W7). Public comment was dominated by workplace culture/CEO issues; San Jose Water urged a $3M mobile DPR pilot.
Staff reported on development of the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan, which uses WSMP 2050 demand projections to assess supply reliability through 2045, with a draft expected for public review in May 2026. Concerns over past demand overestimates were raised, and staff were urged to meet with the Sierra Club to review its alternative model. The 2026 Groundwater Management Plan periodic evaluation is on track, with a public comment period expected to open in September 2026.
The Independent Monitoring Committee unanimously approved the FY 2024-2025 Safe Clean Water Program Annual Report and agreed with the reported project statuses, noting that prior recommendations had been fulfilled and adding new notes for future report improvements. The committee also asked that the goal of conserving 126,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2050 be clearly listed under Project A2 benefits.
The committee elected new leadership and reviewed progress on a desalination feasibility study evaluating surface water intakes at three bay locations and facilities ranging from 10–40 MGD capacity, with brine management options under review. Multiple conservation measures for Anderson Dam’s seismic retrofit are advancing, including temperature-control chillers by summer 2026 and the Ogier Ponds project separating 1.2 miles of Coyote Creek from gravel ponds by 2032.
