On July 14, 2026, the Valley Water Board of Directors will hold a public hearing at 1 P.M. to consider a proposed modification to two of the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program projects.
SAN JOSE — Some residents may be noticing an earthy smell in their tap water. Please be assured that this temporary odor, which is caused by geosmin, a naturally occurring compound produced by algae in water sources, is not a health concern.
Valley Water is aware of the elevated geosmin levels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and our treatment plants are actively working to reduce the odor.
Since the human nose is extremely sensitive to this compound, residents may find that chilling the tap water before drinking makes the odor less noticeable.
Valley Water has reached two major regulatory milestones that keep the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project on schedule to begin construction in January 2027.
In spring 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order approving the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project and the decommissioning of the hydroelectric facility. Valley Water operated the hydroelectric facility at Anderson Dam for about 30 years; however, the facility has not been operational since 2018.