Urban Water Management Plan
The City Council adopted the City of Palo Alto’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan on June 7, 2021. The UWMP includes an assessment of the reliability of the City’s water sources, an analysis of water demand, identification of alternative water supply sources, a description of water conservation efforts, and a water shortage contingency plan. Every five years, an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) is prepared and submitted as required to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), per the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
On March 7, 2022, the City of Palo Alto Council implemented water use restrictions in Stage I of Palo Alto’s amended Water Shortage Contingency Plan(PDF, 125KB).
The City of Palo Alto will be reviewing and considering amendments and changes to its Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP). A draft of the 2025 UWMP and WSCP will be available for public review, and a public hearing will be scheduled before July 2026. Once available, the draft plans and public hearing notice will be posted here.
Public Meeting Schedule
- March 31, 2026 - UAC Meeting - Preliminary Information for Discussion on the 2025 UWMP
- May 6, 2026 - UAC Meeting - Review and Recommendation on the 2025 UWMP and WSCP
- June 8, 2026 - City Council - Review and Adoption of 2025 UWMP and WSCP (Public Hearing)
Additional Background and Resources
The City receives most of its water supply from the City and County of San Francisco’s regional system, that is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Although this water supply is predominantly from the Sierra Nevada, delivered through the Hetch-Hetchy aqueducts, it also includes treated water produced by the SFPUC from its local watersheds and facilities in Alameda and San Mateo Counties.
City of Palo Alto Utilities customers are also a part of Santa Clara County. The City partners with the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) to offer residents and businesses a number of free services and rebates designed to assist with using water efficiently.
The City of Palo Alto is a very active member of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA). The BAWSCA members, including the City, receive water from the City and County of San Francisco through a contract that is administered by the SFPUC.
Related Websites
Past Urban Water Management Plans