Local News Water 

McPherson, Stone, Laird urge Big Basin Water Co Merger with SLVWD

April 19, 2021 letter from Supervisor Bruce McPherson, Assemblymember Mark Stone, and Senator John Laird to Jim Moore, owner/manager of Big Basin Water Company strongly urging a merger of their company with the San Lorenzo Valley Water District stating, “as the county and state elected officials representing your company and its customers, we implore BBWD to immediately and earnestly engage… Read More
City of Santa Cruz Water Department Local News Water 

City of Santa Cruz Water Department Petitions to Modify its Use of San Lorenzo River Water

Summary and Commentary Prepared by Friends of San Lorenzo Valley Water April 2, 2021 Introduction The Santa Cruz City Water Department (SCWD) has submitted five separate petitions to the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) seeking changes to its permits and water rights associated with the San Lorenzo River.  The State Water Board oversees water rights throughout… Read More
San Lorenzo River photo by Mary Andersen Local News Water 

San Lorenzo Valley Groundwater Basin and Water Rights

By Mary Andersen During the recent community discussion on a potential consolidation between SLV and Scotts Valley water districts, there were statements made that “we all drink from the same source.” While we are all part of the greater watershed, a close look at specifics yields a different and more accurate picture. The Santa Margarita Groundwater Basin is a triangle… Read More
Big Basin Water Company Columns Fire Recovery Local News Water 

Big Basin Water Company Facing Challenges

By Jayme Ackemann “Water, water everywhere; nor a drop to drink.” The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, depicts the plight of an Irish sailor adrift at sea, surrounded by undrinkable saltwater. For Big Basin Water Company (BBWC) customers, this old idiom may seem especially prophetic as questions are raised about the utility’s fate. Until January… Read More
San Lorenzo Valley Water District consolidation Columns Local News Water 

Long Term Engagement or Shotgun Wedding? SLV and Scotts Valley Water Districts Explore a Merger

By Jayme Ackemann Last month, as the San Lorenzo Valley was beginning to worry about debris flows and a lack of precipitation, the SLV and Scotts Valley water districts threw out a pretty significant trial balloon: A merger proposal. At the District’s February 4th board meeting, directors and staff hashed out a loose framework to study a merger. So loose,… Read More
San Lorenzo Valley Water District surface water Commentary Letters Water 

Letter: Scotts Valley / SLV Water District Proposal

To the Editor: The proposed consolidation of the Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley Water Districts (SLVWD) has generated a lot of excellent comments and questions from our community, particularly at the SLVWD Board meeting held on Feb. 4th and attended by almost 100 SLVWD residents.    As a current SLVWD Director, I’m speaking for myself in this letter—I’m not speaking… Read More