Permits
To manage and protect the valley's water resources, the Santa Clara Valley Water District requires permits for all well construction and destruction work, most exploratory boring, and for projects or works that affect Santa Clara Valley Water District facilities, property and easements.

Water Resources Protection Collaborative(Ordinance 06-01)
In an effort to clarify and streamline local permitting for streamside activities, representatives from the water district, cities, the county and business, agriculture, streamside property owner and environmental interests created a partnership known as the Water Resources Protection Collaborative. Among its many accomplishments is a manual of model guidelines and standards for land-use near streams.

The 2006 ordinance includes:

Clarity of Governance: The approach makes a clear distinction regarding governance. Municipal organizations will continue to exercise their land use authority. The District will issue permits solely where it has a facility or property interest.

Clarity of Standards: The Collaborative developed model Guidelines and Standards which will serve as a basis for the District and municipal organizations to implement as appropriate. The application of the District’s standards will be solely on its facilities and properties. Each municipal organization will develop and apply these standards as needed for their jurisdiction.

Streamlined processing: Property owners and land use applicants will only need to work with one agency unless an activity is proposed on a District facility or property. Then, a District encroachment permit will be needed.

Focus on Strengths: Municipal organizations have land use authority and police powers and are well suited to impose and enforce development standards. Municipal organizations can uses these strengths to foster resource protection in private development and its public works. The District’s strength is its technical knowledge and can provide technical assistance through early consultation, in-depth project referrals. Also, it could enhance this service through individualized agreements between a municipal organization and the District. The District can also focus its efforts on protection and enhancement of its assets.

Water Resources Protection Manual
For your convenience, this 117-page document has been broken down into five more easily downloadable sections:

For more information regarding obtaining permits for construction on and adjacent to, and encroachments on, district sites, please contact the Community Projects Review Unit:

Ardy Ghoreishi: (408) 265-2607, ext. 2258

District Ordinance 90-1
Groundwater is an important water resource for Santa Clara County. Nearly 50 percent of the county's water needs are met by pumping water directly from our underground aquifers. To protect this important resource, District Ordinance 90-1 requires permitting for any person digging, boring, drilling, deepening, refurbishing, or destroying a water well, cathodic protection well, observation well, monitoring well, exploratory boring (45 feet or deeper), or other deep excavation that intersects the groundwater aquifers of Santa Clara County. Anyone who plans such a project must first obtain a permit from the district's Wells and Water Production Unit.

Complete text of District Ordinance 90-1