Valley Water

What Valley Water does

Valley Water, legally the Santa Clara Valley Water District, is a California special district founded in 1929 and headquartered in San Jose that serves as the exclusive wholesale water supplier, flood protection authority, and watershed steward for all of Santa Clara County. The organization manages a portfolio of dams and reservoirs, water treatment plants, the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center (which uses ultraviolet light disinfection as part of the Pure Water Silicon Valley program), and 333 miles of creeks. It conducts approximately 150,000 lab tests annually to verify regulatory water quality compliance and operates programs such as the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program (31 active projects protecting 100,000 parcels), water conservation rebates (up to $3,000 residential and $100,000 commercial), the Adopt-A-Creek volunteer program, and the Watersavings.org consumer portal.

Its underlying technology centers on advanced water purification (including a pioneering direct potable reuse blending study with Stanford University and PureWater Peninsula), seismic-resilient dam infrastructure, GIS-based open data publishing, and a real-time Water Sensor ALERT system. Revenue is generated through recurring monthly water charges applied by customer type and zone (private well owners, agricultural, wholesale) and through property-based assessments that fund the Safe, Clean Water program; the district is also supported by state grants such as a $3.8M award from the California State Coastal Conservancy. The customer base spans residential households, commercial and industrial enterprises (e.g., Gordon Biersch Brewery, Shockwave Medical as named participants in rebate and volunteer programs), agricultural operations, and wholesale municipal retailers, with services distributed via local water retailers, the Access Valley Water customer portal, public tours, and conservation rebate programs.

Recent strategic activity is dominated by major infrastructure modernization: the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval in spring 2026 with construction scheduled to begin January 2027, the Pure Water Silicon Valley Demonstration Facility advanced with a design consultant selection in June 2026, and a landmark direct potable reuse research initiative launched in January 2026. The district is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Directors (with Gary Kremen serving as Vice Chair) and led by CEO Rick Callender.

Name

Valley Water

Legal name

Santa Clara Valley Water District

Website

https://valleywater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Valley Water is a California special district that supplies wholesale water, flood protection, and watershed stewardship services to all residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal customers across Santa Clara County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL), Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity (EUANADAF)

Keywords

• Water supply services
• Flood protection services
• Water treatment operations
• Watershed management
• Water conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Charges: Revenue generated from water charges applied to private well owners, agricultural customers, and wholesale customers by zone. The district sets and collects water charges to fund operations and infrastructure maintenance.
2. Property-Based Funding: Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program funded through property-based assessments. Protects 100,000 parcels through project efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Valley Water (Santa Clara Valley Water District) is a public water district that supplies wholesale drinking water, provides natural flood protection, and delivers environmental stewardship services across Santa Clara County. The district operates dams, reservoirs, water treatment plants, and 333 miles of creeks; runs the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center with UV disinfection; conducts 150,000 water quality tests annually; and funds infrastructure through water charges and property-based assessments under the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program.

Product overview

Valley Water is a government water utility (Santa Clara Valley Water District) providing water supply, flood protection, and environmental stewardship services to Santa Clara County. The organization operates as a unified public services entity rather than a product company, delivering water treatment and purification (including the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center), flood protection infrastructure, water conservation programs through Watersavings.org, and the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program with 31 active projects. Core services include water quality testing (150K annual lab tests), creek management (333 miles), water education programs, and community engagement through Adopt-A-Creek. The utility is undergoing major infrastructure modernization including the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project and Pure Water Silicon Valley initiative for drought-resilient water supply.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program Primary district program delivering six priority areas — safe and reliable water supply, toxin and hazard reduction in waterways, earthquake and disaster protection, wildlife habitat restoration, flood protection, and public health and safety — through 31 active projects protecting 100,000 parcels in Santa Clara County. Funded by property-based assessments.
• Water Conservation Programs (Rebates & Surveys)
• Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center
• Water Quality Testing and Treatment
• Flood Protection Services
• Water Education Programs and Public Tours
• Watersavings.org
• Adopt-A-Creek Program
• Water Efficient Technology (WET) Rebate Program
• Water Rate Assistance Program (WRAP)
• Grants and Environmental Protection Partnerships

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000 water quality lab tests annually ensuring regulatory compliance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Stanford researchers William Mitch, Richard Luthy, Scott Fendorf, Ben Maki, and Ben Najm are conducting a landmark research project in collaboration with Valley Water and PureWater Peninsula. This is the world's first study evaluating the effects of blending direct potable reuse (DPR) water with conventional drinking water in distribution systems. The study uses eight pilot-scale pipelines testing four blend ratios while monitoring water quality parameters including corrosion, disinfection byproducts, and microbial biofilms. Findings will guide other utilities conducting similar pilot studies.
• PureWater PeninsulacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026PureWater Peninsula collaborates with Valley Water and Stanford University on the direct potable reuse water blending study. This partnership supports the Pure Water Silicon Valley Demonstration Facility Project, selected by the Valley Water Board of Directors on June 9, 2026.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC): Municipal water and wastewater utility serving San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area communities. Directly comparable in mandate, scale, and Bay Area geography to Valley Water, including wholesale supply, treatment, and watershed management.
• East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD): Large Northern California water and wastewater utility serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Comparable as a multi-purpose special district with integrated water supply, treatment, and recycled water programs.
• Orange County Water District: California groundwater management and water reuse leader, operating the Groundwater Replenishment System — a flagship potable reuse initiative. Directly comparable to Valley Water's Pure Water Silicon Valley program and its DPR research focus.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Regional wholesale water supplier serving 26 member agencies across Southern California. Comparable in scale and mission (imported and treated water supply, conservation, treatment) but operates at a much larger geographic scale.
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP): Largest municipal utility in the U.S., supplying water and power to Los Angeles. Comparable in integrated water supply, treatment, and conservation mandate, though with a much larger and more diversified service territory.
• California Water Service (Cal Water): Investor-owned regulated water utility serving more than 2 million people across California, including parts of Santa Clara County. Comparable in retail water service delivery and rate-regulated operating model, though private rather than public.

Regional players

• San Diego County Water Authority: Regional wholesale water supplier for San Diego County, focused on imported supply diversification and conservation. Comparable in mission to provide drought-resilient supply and infrastructure investment.
• Contra Costa Water District: Northern California water district serving eastern Contra Costa County with raw and treated water. Comparable as a special district with multi-source supply, treatment plants, and active water recycling programs.
• Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (SRCSD): Regional wastewater collection and treatment utility for the Sacramento area, with active water recycling initiatives. Comparable in public-agency structure, treatment plant operations, and water reuse focus.
• San Jose Water Company: Investor-owned water utility serving San Jose and surrounding Santa Clara County cities, directly operating within Valley Water's service area. Comparable as a retail water distributor purchasing wholesale supply from Valley Water.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Valleywater
• Instagraminstagram.com/scvwd
• Xx.com/valleywater
• Facebookfacebook.com/SCVWD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/valleywater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Valley Water