The California Public Utilities Commission has cleared the way for a South Bay water company serving about 1 million customers to impose its first drought restrictions in five years.
The San Jose Water Company, which serves customers in San Jose, Cupertino, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga and Monte Sereno, can start charging customers for going over their allotted water usage, after the state commission approved the company’s plan on Wednesday.
San Jose Water customers are required to cut their water usage by 15% compared to 2019. Customers who go over their allotted amount will pay $7.13 in surcharges for each unit, or 748 gallons of water, they go over.
"We have no choice," Liann Walborsky, a spokesperson with San Jose Water, told KCBS Radio. "This is where we're at."
The San Jose Water Company first informed state officials of the cuts in October, after the Santa Clara Valley Water District – which sells the company its water – directed the company to do so in June.
In September, San Jose Water customers had saved 9% over 2019 levels, up from 8% the previous month. By the end of January, customers will pay more if they don't further decrease their water usage.
"Our customers, I know a lot of them are trying very hard to conserve," Walborsky said. "We've seen reductions. I think people are on the right track. But, unfortunately, we need everyone involved in this effort."
All of Santa Clara County is in "extreme" or "exceptional" drought, the most intense measured by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
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