For Immediate Release

October 4, 2024

Contact: Melanie Mow Schumacher, General Manager
Phone: 831-475-8501 x153 
Email: melanies@soquelcreekwater.org 

Soquel Creek Water District Celebrates Completion of New Advanced Water Purification Center

Pure Water Soquel Facility Will Soon Produce Purified Water for Groundwater Replenishment

Soquel, CA (October 4, 2024) – Yesterday, the Soquel Creek Water District and nearly 200 attendees celebrated the completion of construction on its new advanced water purification center. “Water Transformed” was the theme of the day, as officials joined together at this festive event to cut the ribbon and open this facility – the heart of the Pure Water Soquel Groundwater Replenishment and Seawater Contamination Prevention Project.

“Today we celebrated a momentous turning point in our work to preserve and protect the precious local groundwater,” said Soquel Creek Water District General Manager Melanie Mow Schumacher. “Completion of this facility brings a new, drought-resistant and reliable supply of clean, pure water to the community we serve, that will help prevent further seawater contamination of our sole source of drinking water.”

The event took place at the site of the new facility, on Chanticleer Avenue near Soquel Avenue in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz County, just north of Capitola. Approximately 200 invited guests attended in celebration of the official opening of this state-of-the-art advanced water purification facility. The Water Purification Center is anticipated to begin actual operations early next year.

Among the top dignitaries speaking at this event were: 

• Jimmy Panetta, Member, U.S. House of Representatives
• Mae Wu, Deputy Assistant Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water 
• Roque T. Sánchez, Deputy Commissioner, US Bureau of Reclamation
• E. Joaquin Esquivel, Chair, California State Water Resources Control Board 

Other notable officials who spoke included State Senator John Laird, California Assemblymembers Gail Pellerin and Dawn Addis, Santa Cruz County Supervisors Zach Friend, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley, and former Soquel Creek Water District General Manager Ron Duncan. Emcee duties were handled by District General Manager Melanie Mow Schumacher, who was introduce by District Board of Directors President Bruce Jaffe.

After the keynote speeches, officials who have been involved and supportive in bringing the project to completion gathered to cut a giant blue ribbon to mark the opening of the new facility. 

This was accompanied by the release of dozens of Painted Ladies butterflies as a symbol of transformation and renewal, to ceremonially proclaim that the Pure Water Soquel Water Purification Facility is officially open. 

The program featured a mini documentary about Pure Water Soquel, part of 2022’s short film series “Beneath the Surface: The Journey of Water” (presented by the International Water Association and produced for the District and Black & Veatch by BBC StoryWorks). It chronicles how the District, in collaboration with its community, identified replenishing groundwater with advanced purified recycled water as the most effective path to achieving a sustainable water supply. Showing this at the event helped provide the context of the significant, serious water problem faced by the Soquel Creek Water District and other users of the Mid-County Groundwater Basin – a problem which Pure Water Soquel is designed to directly address.

Attendees were excited to be part of celebrating this history-making project, and many commemorated their participation by taking selfies with an over-sized butterfly wing backdrop in the colors of the Pure Water Soquel butterfly logo. 

“We have entered an era in which we must always be focused on our water resiliency,” said Representative Panetta.  “Through our work in Congress, I’m proud that the federal government is focused on the safety and sustainability of our local water supply with a significant federal investment in the Soquel Creek Water advanced water purification center.  Today’s ribbon-cutting is a milestone in our work at all levels of government to ensure that our water systems are fortified to enhance the future of our community.”  

The purified water produced at this new facility will be sent to seawater intrusion prevention/recharge wells to replenish the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin, which is the sole source of water supply for District customers and other residents in the mid-county. This basin is designated by the State of California as critically over-drafted, resulting in a shortage of drinking water and verified seawater contamination of the aquifer at several locations. Recharging the basin with purified, clean, safe water, will create and maintain a barrier against further seawater contamination, and provide a high-quality, reliable, and sustainable water supply for generations to come in the Santa Cruz Mid-County region. 

“Pure Water Soquel is a great example of a multi-benefit water recycling project that will boost groundwater supplies, reduce wastewater discharges to Monterey Bay and shield from the harmful effects of sea level rise,” said State Water Board Chair Esquivel. “Expanding water recycling projects beyond major cities is a critical component of California’s plan to protect its resources from a hotter and drier future. We are eager to support local leaders who are using water recycling as a tool to diversify their water supplies and build resilience amid climate change.”

This region is not connected to any state or federal imported water system – it relies on rainfall to naturally replenish the groundwater. However, due to the critical overdraft condition of the basin, coupled with a series of droughts, the District has been in a ‘Groundwater Emergency’ and ‘Stage 3 Water Shortage Emergency’ every year since 2014. Groundwater levels in the basin are below sustainable levels, resulting in verified saltwater contamination of the groundwater at several locations. While District residents have done a remarkable job of water conservation, a reliable supplemental source of water is needed to raise the groundwater levels and prevent further seawater intrusion. Pure Water Soquel is designed to accomplish exactly that. 

“Over the last 10 years our small District kept its focus on the big picture of providing a supplemental water supply to replenish our groundwater basin, for the benefit of the entire region,” said Soquel Creek Board President Jaffe. “Our Board and staff achieved an advanced, scientifically informed level of understanding of our groundwater crisis, which enabled us to move ahead with Pure Water Soquel. Thanks to our efforts, and those of the many other agencies and funding entities involved, we are now ready to make good on our promise of a reliable, sustainable water supply for today and the future.”

Funding for development and construction of Pure Water Soquel includes: $87 million in grants and low-interest loans from the California State Water Resources Control Board; a US Bureau of Reclamation Title XVI grant of $30 million; and substantial low-interest loans from the US Environmental Protection Agency/Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). 

The ribbon cutting event marked the beginning of a new era in water reuse in the mid-county area - an era where a smaller agency like Soquel Creek Water District successfully builds the relationships, partnerships, funding, and support to bring a water reuse project of this magnitude to fruition. Today’s celebration clearly points to a brighter future for the region, which will benefit from a drinking water supply that is enhanced by “water transformed” – water that is renewable, safe, clean, and pure.

About Soquel Creek Water District:  

The Soquel Creek Water District is a not-for-profit local government agency that provides water resource management within its service area to deliver a safe and reliable supply of high-quality water to meet present and future needs in an environmentally sensitive and economically responsible way.