Estremera: Investing in the future of water

From the water we drink to the flood protection projects in our neighborhoods, infrastructure quietly supports our daily lives. In Santa Clara County, many of our water systems are nearly 50 to 60 years old, making this a critical time to modernize and strengthen them.

As we take time to acknowledge the upcoming National Public Works Week, we recognize the essential role public works play in our community and the people who maintain and improve these systems.

These services are essential to our health, safety and quality of life, and they depend on an informed and engaged community that supports the work behind them. Much of this work happens behind the scenes and requires ongoing investment, planning and expertise. At Valley Water, we are investing in modernizing aging infrastructure so it can continue serving our community for years to come.

One of our agency’s top priorities is rebuilding Anderson Dam to withstand a major earthquake and continue serving as the county’s largest reservoir. We’ve made significant progress with a new, larger outlet tunnel, a key part of the effort. Crews completed excavation of the 1,700-foot tunnel in 2024 and recently reached a major milestone with the completion of the final concrete tunnel lining. Work is underway to install a large steel pipe inside the tunnel, which will be encased in concrete to create a durable, seismically resilient system.

Improvements extend beyond the tunnel. Along Coyote Creek, we’ve completed new channel features that improve flood protection and help manage water releases. This includes a uniquely designed North Channel weir that increases flow capacity while reducing erosion and supporting habitat, as well as a smaller South Channel weir. Together, these features help move water safely through the system during high flows.

We expect to complete the tunnel project this year and begin work on the dam retrofit project in January 2027.

Our agency is also making major upgrades at two of our three water treatment plants, which can produce up to 220 million gallons of safe, clean drinking water each day.

Since 2015, we have been upgrading the Rinconada Water Treatment Plant to ensure it continues to serve western Santa Clara County. We are now in Phase 4 of the upgrades, where crews are building new facilities and modifying existing structures to improve water treatment. This includes ozone systems, new upgraded filters and a chlorine treatment basin. We expect this phase of the project to finish in mid-2027. Once all upgrades are done, the plant’s capacity will increase from 80 million to 100 million gallons per day, improving reliability and meeting the needs of our growing community.

We recently began upgrading the residuals management system at the Penitencia Water Treatment Plant, which provides up to 42 million gallons of water per day to San Jose, Milpitas and local water providers. This system processes and treats byproducts from the water treatment process. Replacing it will modernize aging infrastructure, improve efficiency and ensure continued high-quality water.

Valley Water and local partners are also working on a project to build a new purification center to produce 24 million gallons a day of drinking water. This project is designed to create a new drought-resilient, locally controlled, high quality water supply.

In addition to these projects, we are advancing other efforts across the county, including flood protection, fish passage improvements and habitat restoration that support a healthier ecosystem.

Established by the American Public Works Association in 1960, National Public Works Week highlights the importance of public works in our daily lives. Our board of directors has proclaimed May 17-23, 2026 as National Public Works Week, honoring the professionals who plan, build and maintain the systems we all depend on.

We are committed to making smart investments so we can continue providing safe, clean water and protecting our communities now and in the years ahead.

Tony Estremera represents District 6 on the Valley Water board of directors.