Santa Clara Valley Water District meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Valley Water board weighs $600M bond refunding; eminent domain hearing set for Aug. 25

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors met Aug. 11 to consider a $600 million water system bond refunding, a 2045 carbon neutrality target, and several contracts, but minutes have not been published, so no decisions are known. The board is also scheduled to hold a public hearing Aug. 25 on using eminent domain to acquire property for the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project.

Recent meetings

Board of Directors (Aug. 11)

The board's agenda included:

• Issuance of Water System Refunding Revenue Bonds and Revenue Notes not to exceed $600 million.
• Adoption of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan with a 2045 carbon neutrality target.
• An agreement with AQC Environmental Brokerage Services Inc. for carbon offsets for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project, up to $5,000,000.
• An agreement with Sjoberg Evashenk Consulting, Inc. for board audit services, up to $1,500,000 over five years.
• A continued public hearing on modifications to San Francisquito Creek Flood Protection (Project E5) and the Good Neighbor Program (Project F6).
• Authorization of a payment of up to $1,344,613 for Valley Water's share of the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project planning costs.

No outcomes were released because minutes have not been published.

Board of Directors closed session (Aug. 13)

The board met in closed session to interview candidates for the Chief Executive Officer position. No public action was scheduled.

Capital Improvement Program Committee (Aug. 17)

The committee received updates on capital projects in feasibility/planning and design/permitting phases, discussed upcoming consultant agreement amendments, and reviewed change orders for the Anderson Dam Tunnel Project. All items were informational.

Board Policy and Monitoring Committee (Aug. 18)

The regular meeting was canceled.

Board Audit Committee (Aug. 19)

The committee reviewed the audit report for the Water Utility Enterprise Funds for fiscal year 2025, discussed audit recommendations, and considered topics for the 2027 annual audit plan.

Coming up

Board of Directors (Aug. 25, 1 p.m.)

The board will hold a public hearing on a resolution of necessity to acquire property from Pedro D. Valdez, Maria C. Valdez, and Tomasa S. Valdez by eminent domain for the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project (APN 467-13-007). The board will also consider:

• Awarding a construction contract to Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation for $5,963,750 for Berryessa Creek Flood Protection Project off-site mitigation.
• Approving Amendment No. 1 to an EMC Research agreement, increasing the not-to-exceed fee by $190,000 to $415,000 for polling services.
• Adopting positions on state ballot measures: Support Prop 1, Oppose Prop 43, Support Measure RTM.
• Accepting work as complete for the South County Recycled Water Pipeline Phase 1C Project.

Youth Commission (Aug. 26)

The commission will elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, receive Brown Act training, and review the 2026 Accomplishments Report.

Santa Clara Valley Water Commission (Aug. 26)

The commission will hold a special meeting and site visit, including a tour of the Upper Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project site (informational only).

Canceled meetings

• Water Supply and Demand Management Committee (Aug. 24) — canceled.
• Recycled Water Committee (Aug. 26) — canceled; next meeting Sept. 23.

Valley Water board considers $600M bond refunding, audit contract

The Santa Clara Valley Water District board met Aug. 11 to consider a $600 million water system refunding bond issuance and a $1.5 million audit consultant contract, among other items. No decisions have been published; minutes are not yet available. The board also held a closed session Aug. 13 to interview candidates for the chief executive officer position.

Board considers $600M bond refunding, audit contract

At its Aug. 11 meeting, the board continued a public hearing on modifications to two flood protection and graffiti removal projects: Project E5 (San Francisquito Creek Flood Protection) and Project F6 (Good Neighbor Program: Graffiti and Litter Removal and Public Art). The board also considered a resolution approving the form of a Preliminary Official Statement for $600 million in Water System Refunding Revenue Bonds and Revenue Notes. Additionally, the board reviewed a $1.5 million, five-year agreement with Sjoberg Evashenk Consulting for on-call audit services, a $1.34 million payment for Valley Water's share of the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project planning costs, and a $5 million carbon offset brokerage agreement with AQC Environmental Brokerage Services for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project. The board also discussed adopting a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan with a 2045 carbon neutrality target.

All items were on the agenda for discussion; no votes have been reported.

CEO search in closed session

On Aug. 13, the board held a special closed-session meeting to interview candidates for the chief executive officer position. The meeting, held at 5700 Almaden Expressway in San Jose, was conducted under Government Code Section 54957(b)(1) for a public employee appointment. No public action was scheduled. The next regular board meeting is set for Aug. 25.

Upcoming: Aug. 25 board meeting with eminent domain hearing

The board's next regular meeting is Aug. 25 at 1 p.m. The agenda includes a public hearing on a resolution of necessity to acquire property from Pedro D. Valdez, Maria C. Valdez, and Tomasa S. Valdez by eminent domain for the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project (APN 467-13-007). The board will also consider awarding a construction contract to Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation for $5,963,750 for off-site mitigation for the Berryessa Creek Flood Protection Project, approving an amendment to an EMC Research agreement increasing the not-to-exceed fee by $190,000 to $415,000 for polling services, adopting positions on state ballot measures (support Prop 1, oppose Prop 43, support Measure RTM), and accepting work as complete for the South County Recycled Water Pipeline Phase 1C Project.

Coming up

• Aug. 17: Capital Improvement Program Committee — will review capital project statuses, consultant agreement amendments, and change orders for the Anderson Dam Tunnel Project. No final decisions scheduled.
• Aug. 19: Board Audit Committee — will discuss the FY2025 water utility audit, audit recommendations, and potential topics for the 2027 audit plan.
• Aug. 25: Board of Directors — regular meeting with eminent domain hearing and construction contract award (see above).

Meetings canceled: Aug. 18 Board Policy and Monitoring Committee, Aug. 24 Water Supply and Demand Management Committee, Aug. 26 Recycled Water Committee.

Water district board to weigh $600M bond issuance, carbon neutrality target

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors will consider issuing up to $600 million in refunding revenue bonds and notes at its Aug. 11 meeting, along with a plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. No decisions were made at the district's meetings over the past two weeks, which were largely procedural or canceled.

Recent meetings

The board held a closed-session interview for the Chief Executive Officer position on July 27. No public decisions were scheduled. The Water Supply and Demand Management Committee meeting that same day was canceled.

On July 28, the board held a special meeting solely for annual audit training; no decisions or ordinances were on the agenda. The regular board meeting scheduled for that day was canceled, with the next regular meeting set for Aug. 11.

Also on July 28, the Board Audit Committee reviewed the 2025 Water Usage and Demand Forecasting Audit Report and received a presentation on the FY 2025-2026 financial audit from Vasquez and Company LLP. The committee also received FY 2025 financial audit reports from Joint Powers Authority partners and discussed the 2026 annual audit plan, which covers Risk Assessment, Asset Management, the Pacheco Reservoir Project, and the Investigations Process. The committee's 2026 work plan was also on the agenda.

On July 29, the Recycled Water Committee received updates on the Pure Water Silicon Valley Demonstration Facility and Full-Scale Direct Potable Reuse Facility, as well as the Desalination Engineering Feasibility Study. The committee reviewed and potentially adjusted its 2026 work plan and approved minutes from its May 27 meeting.

Upcoming: Aug. 11 board meeting

The board's next regular meeting, scheduled for Aug. 11, includes several significant items for consideration:

• Proposed issuance of Water System Refunding Revenue Bonds and Revenue Notes not to exceed $600 million.
• Adoption of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan with a 2045 carbon neutrality target.
• Agreement with AQC Environmental Brokerage Services Inc. for Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit carbon offsets up to $5,000,000.
• Agreement with Sjoberg Evashenk Consulting, Inc. for board audit services up to $1,500,000.
• A continued public hearing on modifications to San Francisquito Creek Flood Protection (Project E5) and the Good Neighbor Program (Project F6) under the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program.

These items are proposals and have not yet been approved.

Coming up

The Aug. 11 board meeting is the only scheduled meeting with substantive agenda items in the next two weeks. The Board Policy and Monitoring Committee meeting on Aug. 18 and the Water Supply and Demand Management Committee meeting on Aug. 24 have both been canceled.

Water District Board Set to Vote on $1.88 Billion Anderson Dam Contract; Several Committee Meetings Canceled

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors was scheduled to vote on awarding a $1.88 billion contract for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project during its July 24 meeting, according to the published agenda. Minutes for the meeting have not yet been released.

Major Construction Contracts on July 24 Agenda

The Board was set to consider awarding a $1,883,542,190 contract to Flatiron Dragados Sukut ADSRP Joint Venture for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project in Morgan Hill (District 1). The agenda also included a $50,000,000 contingency fund for potential change orders on the project.

Directors were also scheduled to vote on a $124,378,309 contract for Shimmick Construction Company for the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project in San Jose (Districts 2, 3, and 6), along with an $18,656,746 contingency fund. The agenda included ratifying Addenda Nos. 1–20 for the Anderson Dam project and Addenda Nos. 1–7 for the Coyote Creek project.

Committee Updates and Cancellations

Several committee meetings were held or scheduled in the past two weeks, though three were canceled:

• The Capital Improvement Program Committee (July 20), Santa Clara Valley Water Commission (July 22), and Water Supply and Demand Management Committee (July 27) meetings were all canceled.
• The Environmental and Water Resources Committee met July 20 to receive updates on the Stream Maintenance Program, the Pure Water Silicon Valley Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) project, and the West Valley and Lower Peninsula Watershed Master Plans.
• The Board Policy and Monitoring Committee met July 21 to review the FY26 Board Work Plan and discuss Board Member roles on external committees and Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs). Proposed edits to policy GP-9.3 regarding Board Committee Structure were also on the agenda.
• The Board Audit Committee met July 28 to discuss the 2025 Water Usage and Demand Forecasting Audit Report and the 2026 annual audit plan, which covers Risk Assessment, Asset Management, Pacheco Reservoir Project, and Investigations Process. The committee was also scheduled to receive a financial audit presentation by Vasquez and Company LLP.
• The Recycled Water Committee met July 29 to receive updates on the Pure Water Silicon Valley Demonstration Facility and Full-Scale Direct Potable Reuse Facility, as well as a Desalination Engineering Feasibility Study.

Board CEO Search and Audit Training

The Board of Directors held a closed-session meeting on July 27 to interview candidates for the Chief Executive Officer position. No public decisions were scheduled. A July 28 special meeting was held for annual audit training for board members. The regular Board meeting scheduled for July 28 was canceled; the next regular meeting is set for August 11.

Coming Up

The Board of Directors will meet on August 11, 2026, to consider the proposed issuance of Water System Refunding Revenue Bonds and Revenue Notes not to exceed $600 million. The agenda also includes the adoption of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan with a 2045 carbon neutrality target and agreements for Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit carbon offsets up to $5,000,000 with AQC Environmental Brokerage Services Inc. and board audit services up to $1,500,000 with Sjoberg Evashenk Consulting, Inc. A continued public hearing on modifications to San Francisquito Creek Flood Protection (Project E5) and Good Neighbor Program (Project F6) is also scheduled.