Achieving Drought Resiliency with San Jose Water
The Board is very pleased and impressed by the roadmap and strategy developed by CDM Smith. The adaptive approach was spot on ideal for this challenge.
The SWRP is a 30-year roadmap to improve water supply reliability, affordability of high-quality water services, and economic vitality. The plan also prioritizes environmental stewardship and quality-of-life improvement initiatives. To develop it, CDM Smith spent one year meeting with SJW’s board of directors, conferring with SJW technical staff in biweekly project meetings, and working with an external stakeholder group to solicit input. “The Board is very pleased and impressed by the roadmap and strategy developed by CDM Smith. The adaptive approach was spot on ideal for this challenge,” said Eric Thornburg, the CEO of SJW Group.
- Econometric water demand forecasting was used to account for the major factors influencing water use by water billing sector, such as weather, income, price of water, and climate through the year 2050.
- Water supply simulations using CDM Smith’s Water Integration Tool predicted estimates of water shortages through using historical and climate-changed hydrological conditions.
- Scenario planning and adaptive management defined future needs for new water supply investments, ranked alternatives, and developed a flexible strategy that can adapt to changed conditions.
- Brackish water desalination
- Expansion of non-potable recycled water
- Advanced metering infrastructure
- Purifying wastewater for direct potable reuse
Adaptive Management for SJW's Recommended Water Resources Plan Strategy