Palo Alto, City of

250 Hamilton Avenue
Palo Alto, California  94301-2593

Phone: (650) 329-2119                               Fax: (650) 326-1507

Web: cityofpaloalto.org

 

Service Area

 

Located in north Santa Clara County, Palo Alto is the only municipality in California that operates six utilities - electric and fiber, water, gas, wastewater collection and treatment, storm drainage and refuse. The utility’s service area includes approximately 40 residential accounts (about 100 people) outside of the City’s boundaries (in Los Altos Hills and Portola Valley).

 

System

 

Profile

 

Area Size

26 square miles

Service Population

 68,624

Number of Accounts

20,098

Number of SF RWS Connections

5

Connections To SF RWS Mains

Palo Alto Pipeline, BDPL 3 and 4

Avg. Day Demand (mgd)

9.56

Avg. Day Purchases From SF RWS (mgd)

8.63

%  Demand Met With SF RWS Supplies

90.26%

Maximum Local Water Production (mgd)

15.05 – 8 emergency wells

Alternative Supply Sources

Recycled Water, Local Groundwater

Interties With Other Agencies

East Palo Alto CWD, Mountain View, Purissima Hills WD, Stanford University

Local Storage (mg)

13

Days of Storage

1.13 – Currently, Palo Alto water system can independently supply 8 hr under maximum day demands for emergency use

 

Summary

 

The City of Palo Alto's primary source of water is the SF RWS, via 5 turnouts, 3 off the Palo Alto Pipeline and 2 off BDPLs 3 and 4, that in most years provide 100% of Palo Alto’s potable water supply. Palo Alto has 9 pressure zones, 7 storage tanks, 5 booster pump stations in the Foothills which pump water to the higher elevation pressure zones, and 2 booster pump stations to support pressure zones 1 and 2.

 

To improve the capacity of the local water distribution system to provide water during an emergency event, Palo Alto initiated the Emergency Water Supply and Storage Project.  The Project included the rehabilitation of 5 existing wells, construction of 3 new wells, and construction of a new 2.5 million gallon emergency water storage reservoir. Palo Alto now has adequate storage and pumping capacity to provide emergency back up during an interruption of SF RWS service.  The wells may also be available to meet limited dry year requirements.

 

Palo Alto replaces potable water with recycled water to irrigate a golf course and a city park, to fill a duck pond, and some uses at the water quality control plant. Recycled water use that does not replace potable water includes the Emily Renzel Marsh enhancement project and additional process uses at the water quality control plant.

 

Water Supply and Demand

 

Supply by Source

Actual
FY 19-20
(ccf)

Actual
FY 20-21
(ccf)

Actual
FY 21-22
(ccf)

Actual
FY 22-23
(ccf)

San Francisco Water

4,757,199

4,953,805

4,709,184

4,210,400

Local Groundwater

0

0

0

0

Recycled Water

380,458

498,649

476,934

454,561

Other

0

0

0

0

Total

5,137,657

5,452,454

5,186,118

4,664,961

mgd equivalent

10.53

11.17

10.63

9.56

 

 

 

 

 

Demand by Sector

 

 

 

 

Residential

2,946,443

3,097,067

2,771,300

2,384,451

Commercial/Industrial

837,673

734,025

808,852

794,929

Other

710,137

694,338

651,375

592,658

Dedicated Irrigation

556,858

744,143

703,976

549,094

Non-Revenue Water

86,546

182,881

250,615

343,829

Total

5,137,657

5,452,454

5,186,118

4,664,961

mgd equivalent

10.53

11.17

10.63

9.59

 

 

 

 

 

Per Capita Use

Actual
FY 19-20
(gpcpd)

Actual
FY 20-21
(gpcpd)

Actual
FY 21-22
(gpcpd)

Actual
FY 22-23
(gpcpd)

Residential

90

95

84

71

Gross (Less Recycled Water)

145

152

142

126

 

Facilities and Distribution

Storage Reservoirs

 

Designation

Type

Capacity (gallons)

 

Designation

Type

Capacity (gallons)

Mayfield

Concrete

4,000,000

 

El Camino

Steel

2,500,000

Boronda

Concrete

1,500,000

 

Montebello

Steel

1,500,000

Corte Madera

Steel

1,500,000

 

Park

Steel

1,000,000

Dahl

Steel

1,000,000

 

Total

 

13,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wells

 

Name

Capacity (mgd)

Status

Eleanor Pardee

1.44

New – Operational

Library

0.86

New – Operational

El Camino Park

1.44

New – Operational

Fernando

1.01

Existing – Operational

Hale

2.09

Existing – Operational

Matadero

1.01

Existing – Operational

Peers

2.45

Existing – Operational

Rinconada

4.75

Existing – Operational

Total

15.05

 

Note: All wells are designated Emergency/Standby at this time.

 

Interties

 

Name

No.

Diameter
(in.)

East Palo Alto

1

6

Mountain View

2

6, 6

Stanford

2

8, 8

Purissima Hills WD

2

8, 12