Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency will shut down the Castaic Lake water supply for annual maintenance on Jan. 3 and the shutdown is scheduled to conclude on Jan. 12, water officials said in a prepared statement, asking customers to limit their water use during the maintenance period.
SCV Water will rely solely on the local groundwater sources and treated imported water stored at reservoirs. The agency will store more than 121 million gallons of water at its storage facilities in preparation for the water shutdown.
“About half of the SCV’s water supply is local groundwater, while the other half is imported from the State Water Project and other sources,” SCV Water’s Water Treatment Manager Rafael Pulido said.
In a news release, SCV Water said, during the shutdown, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will conduct pipeline inspections at Castaic Lake, but SCV Water has no scheduled repair or maintenance work associated with the water shutdown.
“With the scheduled shutdown of facilities, the water from Castaic Lake will be unavailable for use.,” Pulido said. “The water will be in the lake; we just won’t be able to receive it while the facility is undergoing upgrades and annual maintenance.”
Pulido also said the weeklong water conservation initiative is not a reflection of the water supply but a response to the temporary disruption of water delivery, while critical infrastructure is taken out of service for repairs, maintenance and upgrades.
“Once the work is complete, water from Castaic Lake will be available again,” the news release stated.
SCV Water and MWD collaborate on maintenance and repair projects for the water conveyance systems at Castaic Lake, according to the news release.
This infrastructure is part of the system that delivers water from Castaic Lake to SCV Water for treatment and distribution for urban use.
Additionally, SCV Water asks residents to refrain from irrigating next week to get through the repair period without any significant issues.
“We scheduled the project during the winter months when temperatures are mild, days are shorter and the need for outdoor irrigation is minimal,” said Mike Alvord, SCV Water director of operations and maintenance. “Outdoor water use is the single largest use of residential water, so turning off the irrigation is an easy way to help achieve essential water savings.”
Alvord added that the municipal water systems operate constantly and regular maintenance to the infrastructure is critical to maximizing performance, reducing maintenance costs and ensuring a reliable water supply.
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 75,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on Jan. 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found at www.YourSCVwater.com.
