Thanksgiving and the holidays are quickly approaching! Despite (or perhaps because of) the challenges and difficulties of the last year-plus, it’s nice to bring to mind and share some of the things for which we’re grateful.
Doing this can be a heartening and restorative exercise, something that renews our appreciation for family and friends, reminds us of the many positives in our lives and our work, and replenishes our spirit. And that’s a large part of what the holidays are all about, isn’t it?
At the Soquel Creek Water District, we have much to be grateful for, in particular, the many partnerships and cooperative relationships – both formal and informal – that help us to better serve the community, every day.
At the local level, our highly-valued partners and networks range from arts and environmental education groups to the business community; from schools and colleges to the local fire district; from museums to local agencies, cities, the county, and elected officials; and more. These are among the relationships that bring us closer to the local community, so we can better share information and gather input and knowledge, communicate about the water supply and our services, and ensure we are staying on course in our work.
On another level, we’re very thankful for our partnerships with the state and federal agencies that continue to recognize the value and necessity of the Pure Water Soquel project, understand the District’s role, and have been so generously supportive. We have built these relationships over time by meeting and getting to know the individuals involved with those agencies, sharing our long-term objectives and action plans, and describing how we intend to make the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin sustainable. These agencies have responded with great support, providing significant grant funding and low-interest loans which have enabled us to proceed with Pure Water Soquel. Because of those partnerships, the entire community is closer to meeting the serious challenges in our water supply issues.
From an “inside the District” perspective, we are grateful for the members of our Board of Directors, our standing committee members, our staff members, and our community partners. From the policy-level decision-making to the on-the-ground functional efforts, there is a tremendous, shared commitment to the objectives and mission of the District. This dedication unites us, and encompasses the critical functions of reliably providing water to our customers, the maintenance and build-out of our water service infrastructure, the District’s financial, customer service, and communications functions, and the supplemental water supply projects that the District is building and/or exploring.
We can’t let the season of thanks pass without a grateful affirmation of our natural earth and the water that sustains us. Water is the driving force in nature. It’s the lifeblood of humanity, our nations and our villages, our economies, and the well-being of families and individuals. There is no new water — all the water that we use today has already been recycled through the natural water cycle. It is precious, and we particularly recognize the value of water right now, as we are experiencing a drought of historic magnitude. To be thankful for water isn’t really enough — we must protect and enhance our water supplies, for the good of all people, the environment, and the wildlife and critical habitats.
And last but most importantly – we are continually thankful for our customers. Through your enthusiastic and productive involvement, our Community Water Plan was created, which continues to help guide our policies and actions toward the crucial development of supplemental water supplies.
Soquel Creek Water District is proud and grateful to be your community partner for reliable water. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and our best wishes for the holidays.