The mission of the Santa Clara Water and Sewer Utilities is to provide to our customers, the following:

• A dependable supply of safe, potable water
• Environmentally-sound, wastewater collection, treatment and disposal
• Recycled water, where available, for approved uses including irrigation and industrial processes
• All programs and services are designed and implemented with economic and environmental benefits in mind

COVID-19: No Impact to City of Santa Clara Drinking Water Supply

The City continues to work with regional partners, including its water wholesale providers, as well as County, State and Federal agencies, to monitor the emerging public health crisis. There are no impacts to the drinking water supplies provided to Santa Clara residents and businesses. 

City staff will continue to conduct regular water quality monitoring to ensure the City’s water supply continues to meet all State and Federal standards for drinking water. Based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies remains low. Staff suggests Santa Clarans continue to practice good hygiene, frequently cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 

Please refer to SantaClaraCA.gov/CoronavirusUpdates for the latest updates on the City’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Water & Sewer Rate Assistance Program for Residential Customers

The City of Santa Clara Water & Sewer Utilities Department  recognizes that some Santa Clara residents are likely experiencing real economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could further benefit from assistance in paying their utility bills. To further support customers who may be impacted by the pandemic, the City will offer its most flexible payment plans to customers who indicate either an impact or hardship as a result of COVID-19. 

Residents will have to qualify and apply to participate in this program. If approved, customers listed on the Water & Sewer Rate Assistance Program (WSRAP) will receive a discount on water and sewer bills of 25%. The 25% discount will only be applied to the first 12 hundred cubic feet (HCF) of billed water usage which is a normal household water use. The discount on the sewer charge will be fixed as residential customers are charged a flat rate for sewer services.

This program will be eligible to residential customers in early August 2020, with more information to follow soon on how to qualify and apply for participation in this program.

COVID-19 Reopening Procedures

As buildings around the City begin to reopen after extended closure, your Water & Sewer Utilities would like to remind you to check your systems that may not be accustomed to being unused for this long. Please take a look at our COVID-19 Reopening Procedures page for more information.

Public Advised to NOT Flush Disinfecting Wipes, Paper Towels down Toilet – Throw Them Away instead

State’s Wastewater Treatment Plants May get Overwhelmed, Consumers may face In-home Plumbing backups and Blockages

Post Date: 03/19/2020 10:00 AM

Don't forget, wipes clog pipes!

While public agencies encourage Californians to follow the Centers for Disease Control recommendations to clean surfaces with disinfecting wipes to reduce the spread of COVID-19, it is important to discard those items in the trash, not the toilet. Wastewater treatment facilities around the state are reporting issues with their sewer management collection systems. Flushing wipes and paper towels will clog sewers and cause backups and overflows at wastewater treatment facilities, creating an additional public health risk in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

• Do not flush wipes, paper towels and similar products down toilets
• Even wipes labeled “flushable” will clog pipes and interfere with sewage collection and treatment
• Don't discard wipes in the toilet, but instead to throw them in the trash to avoid backups and overflow.

A majority of centralized sewage collection systems depend on gravity and enough water flow to move along human waste and biodegradable toilet paper. The systems were not designed for individual nylon wipes and paper towels. The wipes and paper towels do not break down like toilet paper, and therefore clog systems very quickly. Wipes are among the leading causes of sewer system backups, impacting sewer system and treatment plant pumps and treatment systems. Many spills go to our lakes, rivers, and oceans where they have broad ranging impacts on public-health and the environment. Preventing sewer spills is important, especially during this COVID-19 emergency, for the protection of public health and the environment.

Additional Resources - Drinking Water:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Water Transmission and COVID-19

Santa Clara Valley Water District: Valley Water closely monitoring COVID-19

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: SF Water Quality