SAN JOSE — On Nov. 26, 2024, Valley Water’s Board of Directors adopted an ordinance to address the environmental, health, and safety impacts of encampments along waterways, water supply facilities, and other lands where Valley Water holds land rights.
The Water Resources Protection Zones Ordinance establishes new regulations prohibiting camping and encampment-related activities on Valley Water lands. The ordinance will enable Valley Water to manage encampment impacts better while working with local agencies and private partners to implement long-term solutions to address unsheltered homelessness within Santa Clara County.
“The intention of this ordinance is not to result in the criminalization of unsheltered people living along our waterways,” Valley Water Board Chair Nai Hsueh said. “Our agency’s mission is to provide Silicon Valley safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. By advancing this ordinance, we aim to enhance our capacity to achieve these goals while fostering collaboration with government entities and private partners to create sustainable housing alternatives for unsheltered individuals. Together, we can make significant strides in addressing homelessness and environmental concerns in our community.”
The primary goals of the ordinance are to:
- Protect water resources, endangered species, riparian habitat of creeks and waterways, and other ecological resources
- Protect Valley Water investments in flood protection and environmental mitigation projects
- Support and improve the safety of Valley Water’s field operations staff
The ordinance prohibits camping within Water Resources Protection Zones, encompassing all lands where Valley Water owns property in fee title, has an easement, or has maintenance obligations. Valley Water owns and manages 333 miles of the more than 800 miles of creeks and rivers in Santa Clara County. The remaining stretches of creeks are owned by Santa Clara County, private entities, cities in which the creeks are located, and other public agencies.
The ordinance includes a provision for an implementation plan that provides a framework and timeline for implementing the ordinance. The Ordinance Implementation Plan focuses on reducing and eliminating the most serious environmental, health, and safety impacts encampments have on the environment, unsheltered individuals, Valley Water employees and the broader community.
Valley Water will conduct widespread education and outreach to the community, including unsheltered individuals residing in encampments, advocates and social services providers who support unsheltered people, and local and law enforcement agencies. The ordinance goes into effect on Dec. 26, 2024; enforcement will begin on Jan. 2, 2025.