Stanford University

327 Bonair Siding
Stanford, California   94305-7272

Phone: (650) 723-9747                               Fax: (650) 723-3191

Web: suwater.stanford.edu

 

Service Area

 

The Stanford Sustainability & Energy Management Department supplies water to the campus area and nearby Stanford unincorporated lands.

 

System

 

Profile

 

Area Size

3.1 square miles

Service Population

32,235*

Number of Accounts

n/a

Number of SF RWS Connections

3

Connections To SF RWS Mains

BDPL 3 and 4, 1 turnout off Palo Alto pipeline

Avg. Day Demand (mgd)

2.52

Avg. Day Purchases From SF RWS (mgd)

1.46

%  Demand Met With SF RWS Supplies

58% (100% of drinking water)

Average Day Local Water Production (mgd)

1.1

Alternative Supply Sources

Local groundwater, surface water, recycled water**

Interties With Other Agencies

Palo Alto

Local Storage (mg)

8

Days of Storage

2.5 to 4 - All 3 zones can meet the 8 hr criteria either separately or by pumping from zones with excess capacity. Wells can supply an additional 3.7 mgd in an emergency.

*Average daytime population is used for current and future projections. In FY 2020-21, Stanford’s population dropped significantly due to most students and faculty remaining home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

** In FY-08-09, Stanford completed a recycled water plant that treats wastewater from the former Cogeneration Facility cooling tower blow-down for reuse for toilet and urinal flushing in new buildings. The plant was decommissioned in 2015 with the construction of the Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI) Central Energy Facility. Source water for the recycled water system was lost but the infrastructure remains and can resume using recycled water once another source is established.

 

Summary

 

Stanford has four sources of water supply: purchased potable water from the SF RWS, groundwater, non-potable surface water from the local watershed, and recycled water.

 

SF RWS water is delivered through two turnouts off BDPL 3 and 4 and one turnout off the Palo Alto pipeline. There are four wells located on Stanford property that could be used in an emergency. Three of the wells are in compliance with all drinking water standards, while the fourth well is “standby”, since its manganese levels exceed current standards.

 

Stanford also has a non-potable (lake) water system that supplies more than 80% of its irrigation needs, significantly reducing Stanford’s use of potable water for irrigation. This system is typically supplied by Stanford’s surface water diversions, and supplemented by ground water. The extent of ground water use depends on the amount of rainfall and resulting surface water supply availability. The lake water system can also be supplied as needed by SF RWS water.

 

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

697,159

699,352

659,830

714,224

Local Groundwater

0

0

0

0

Recycled Water

0

0

0

1,199

Other

531,006

521,726

538,983

513,069

Total

1,228,165

1,221,078

1,198,813

1,228,492

mgd equivalent

2.52

2.50

2.46

2.52

Note: The source of water contributing to the non-potable irrigation water have been tracked through various methods in order to fit within the format of the Annual Survey. Prior to the 2014-2015

Annual Survey, the volume entering storage was subtracted from total surface water diverted and water used from storage. Prior to the 2015-2016 Annual Survey, all water coming from storage was assumed to be surface water. In order to better reflect the sources of water used in the non-potable irrigation system, beginning in the 2015-2016 Annual Survey the source of stored water is being accounted for by tracking the volume of groundwater that enters and is used from storage. Assumptions for this new method include a starting point of zero groundwater in the non-potable irrigation system storage as of July 2013, surface water entering storage first, and groundwater used from storage first. In the FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19 Annual Survey, additional tracking of captured construction dewatering water for use as irrigation water is also included (other, non-potable alternative water supply).

Demand by Sector

 

 

 

 

Residential

380,398

381,216

383,290

281,216

Commercial/Industrial

63,374

73,482

72,869

72,962

Other

169,600

160,343

123,189

154,952

Dedicated Irrigation

572,128

540,451

540,451

540,451

Non-Revenue

42,667

65,587

79,014

78,911

Total

1,228,167

1,221,078

1,198,813

1,228,492

mgd equivalent

2.52

2.50

2.46

2.52

Notes: The new SESI Central Energy Facility uses 70% less water than the former Cogeneration Facility, which caused the commercial/industrial demand to decrease beginning in April 2015. Due to the differing bill period schedules of SFPUC and Stanford, reporting for the Annual Surveys between 2011 and 2015 included the difference between Production and total Consumption within the customer categories. The difference between Production and Consumption totals includes both the different bill period schedules of SFPUC and Stanford, and actual unaccounted for water. Beginning in the 2015-2016 Annual Survey the full difference is reported in the "Non-Revenue Water" category.

Per Capita Use

Actual
FY 18-19
(gpcpd)

Actual
FY 19-20
(gpcpd)

Actual
FY 20-21
(gpcpd)

Actual
FY 21-22
(gpcpd)

Residential

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Gross

77

78

180

78

Note: Due to its unique service area, Stanford’s residential per capita numbers are excluded.

 

Facilities and Distribution

 

Storage Reservoirs

 

Wells

 

 

 

Interties

 

 

Designation

Type

Capacity (gallons)

 

Name

Capacity (gpm)

Status

 

Name

No.

Diameter
(in.)

Foothill 1

 

2,000,000

 

Well 1

500

Active

 

Roth Way

1

8

Foothill 2

 

6,000,000

 

Well 2

500

Active

 

Sandhill

1

8

Reservoir 3 (Formally San Juan*)

1,500,000

 

Well 3R

1200

Active

 

**Actual total well capacity will be less than total indicated.  Simultaneous pumping of wells will affect the individual well pumping rates.  Wells are periodically taken out of service for maintenance

Total

 

9,500,000

 

Well 4R

400

Inactive

 

*Rehabilitated reservoir was brought into service in November 2019.

 

Well 5

500

Standby

 

Total

3100**