The Department of Water Resources has announced the final adjustment to the State Water Project allocation forecast, and officials with the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency are pleased with the results.
Water allocation forecasts for the 2025 season increased to 50% of requested water supplies, which is 10% higher than last month’s projected allocation, according to a DWR news release.
The SCV, which benefits from the allocation along with other areas of Los Angeles County, will see more water flow from the north into the area, allowing SCV Water to rely less on local groundwater production and will “ultimately help extend the life and the viability of that ground water system,” said Kevin Strauss, director of communications for SCV Water.
According to Strauss, the 50% allocation means the local water agency will have half of its contracted amount through the State Water Project, which is approximately 47,500-acre feet of water. The contract for 100% of allocation would cover 95,000-acre feet per year, he added.
An acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre of land a foot deep in water – about enough to serve two to three homes for one year.
Although the new projected allocation is only half of the contracted amount, SCV Water will still be able “to provide reliable, high-quality water to the community,” Strauss said, and “we’re very happy,” he said, adding that last year’s allocation was 40%.
With the water allocation heading toward a positive direction, Strauss still advised residents to continue practicing water conservation procedures not only to conserve the water supply but also to keep water bills and rates from increasing.
“Practice that conservation habit. There are those swings in the climate and cycles of weather where we will have to either implement new state mandates or voluntary reductions in use to help balance that supply, so keeping that behavior in that culture of conservation now assists in planning for the future,” he said.
Each year allocation forecasts are measured through water storage, projected water supply, and water demands, according to the news release.
