SAN LORENZO VALLEY WATER DISTRICT RESPONDS TO STORM DAMAGE, PREPARES FOR NEXT WEATHER EVENT
CUSTOMERS ARE ASKED TO CONSERVE WATER, CALL FOR ASSISTANCE DURING A WATER EMERGENCY
JAN 3, 2023 — BOULDER CREEK — The San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) is working around the clock to recover from the 2022 New Year’s Eve storm. The storm destroyed several water pipelines, requiring the district to depend on stored water to continue to supply water to customers. As a result, customers have been asked to conserve water until repairs are completed. District staff are now preparing for further potential damage as the San Lorenzo Valley is expected to receive up to 6 inches in the next 48 hours with high winds up to 42 mph.
As of Tuesday evening, the District has made significant progress in the storm damage recovery effort to get operations back up and running. To address a damaged 12-inch-diameter pipeline in the Huckleberry Island area of Brookdale, District staff installed a temporary 700 lineal feet above-ground bypass water main. Also, an emergency construction contract was issued to install an emergency waterline to bypass the damaged area.
The District also contacted the County’s Office of Emergency Services in support to declare a storm damage disaster. The total storm damage to the District, which is still recovering from extensive damage caused by the 2020 CZU Fire, is estimated at more than $1.3 million.
With another storm looming Wednesday through Thursday, service interruptions and water system damages are expected to occur. The District is preparing generators and equipment to prevent water interruptions. Customers should continue conserving water during power outages.
All water-related service interruptions and updates can be found on the San Lorenzo Valley Water District’sFacebook and Instagram.
Any customers experiencing low pressure or who are out of water please, please call 831-338-2153 to report it directly to the District. For any storm-related evacuation information, rainfall and river levels and more, refer to the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery & Resilience website.
ABOUT THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is located in the mountains of northern Santa Cruz County. The district serves more than 7,500 metered connections. Established in 1941, the district supplies water to the communities of Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Ben Lomond, Zayante, Quail Hollow, Scotts Valley, Whispering Pines, Manana Woods and Felton. For more information, visit www.slvwd.com or follow the District on Facebook and Instagram.