Scotts Valley Water District launches effort to protect water supply support through expanded groundwater recharge system at Cavallaro Transit Center

(AUG. 28, 2024) SCOTTS VALLEY, CA – The Scotts Valley Water District (SVWD) today announced it is developing the second phase of its groundwater recharge system at the Cavallaro Transit Center on Kings Village Drive.

Funded through the California Department of Water Resources Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program, the project will provide “low impact development” parking lot features to reduce stormwater volumes, improve water quality and increase groundwater recharge through the capture and treatment of stormwater from the south end of the parking lot at the property.

This work is the second phase of an aquifer recharge project that began in 2016. Three tree-well biofiltration units will be installed to treat stormwater before it percolates into the aquifer. A hydrodynamic separator will remove any solids, such as trash, as part of this process.

The first phase included the excavation for the infiltration gallery and construction of a retaining wall and bio swale. Once captured and treated, the water seeps through the soil into the aquifer that SVWD draws on to provide water to customers. It can take years for water to travel through layers of soil and sandstone into the aquifer.

SVWD has monitored the rate and volume of percolation of the existing recharge area. Approximately 3-acre feet — nearly 1 million gallons — of water has recharged to the aquifer each year since 2017. The expansion of the groundwater recharge system is expected to increase the annual recharge to 2.3 million gallons.

Work hours will be Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The work is expected to be completed by early January 2025. The $1.5 million project has been approved by the City of Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz METRO.

There will be temporary parking changes at the transit center: overflow parking will be available in the City-owned dirt lot across the street and disabled parking will be relocated to the northwest end of the parking lot during construction.

ABOUT SCOTTS VALLEY WATER DISTRICT

Scotts Valley Water District is a public agency providing water service over six square miles including most of the City of Scotts Valley and a portion of the unincorporated areas north of the city limits. The community of Scotts Valley places a high value on livability, innovation and planning for the future. Scotts Valley Water

District is proud to play a vital role in supporting those efforts by providing a reliable, sustainable, high-quality water supply. Through partnership with our community, strategic investment in resources and pursuit of new ideas, Scotts Valley Water District is redefining its historic role in order to meet future challenges and turn them into opportunities. Learn more at www.svwd.org, Facebook, Instagram and X.

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