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 |
Actual |
Actual |
Actual |
|
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 |
Actual |
Actual |
Actual |
|
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 |
|
East Palo Alto |
1 |
6 |
|
Mountain View |
2 |
6, 6 |
|
Stanford |
2 |
8, 8 |
|
Purissima Hills WD |
2 |
8, 12 |