Water – Safety & Sources in Milpitas
Origins of Milpitas water and where it goes later: creek maps, waste water, urban runoff, water quality. How you can help conserve our precious water.
The City purchases and distributes water from Valley Water treatment plants, as well as from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Before making its way to your tap, your drinking water is treated and tested to ensure its safety. Valley Water and SFPUC are ensuring the water supplied to the City is of the highest possible quality meeting or exceeding all federal and state drinking water standards.
Water Conservation
The City of Milpitas has several programs to help residents and businesses with saving water to practice Water Conservation as a Way of Life. Explore our page to find resources that are best fit to help you save water, and find more information about rebates, free educational programs and classes, and conservation tips.
Water Waste Restrictions
The following uses of potable water are prohibited under the City of Milpitas Municipal Code: Chapter 6
and Urban Runoff Hotline: 408-586-2666 |
800-426-4791 408-265-2600, Pollution Hotline: 1-888-510-5151 |
Sewer rates effective July 1, 2020. |
Our Watershed
Watersheds are nature’s way of dividing up the landscape. A watershed is the land area that catches rain or other runoff and drains to specific wetlands, streams, rivers, and reservoirs. Runoff from every home or business ultimately makes its way to a creek or channel. That’s why everyone somehow contributes to flooding even if it happens miles away. Creeks and street water in Milpitas flow into the Coyote Creek and then into the San Francisco Bay.
Adopt A Creek
This program offers citizen participation in creek cleaning projects within Santa Clara County. Helping with this program is a great way for schools, community organizations and private companies to demonstrate their concern about the environment. Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Calaveras dam finally complete, seismically retrofitted
The new Calaveras dam, on the border of Alameda and Santa Clara counties, is finally complete.
Calaveras Dam Time Lapse (2012-2018)
Time Lapse of the Calaveras Dam from April 2012 – September 2018 captured by EarthCam.
Moving Mountains at Calaveras Dam Replacement
Coyote Watershed Fast Facts
The county’s largest watershed, it extends from the urbanized valley floor upward to the vast natural areas of the Mt. Hamilton range. Coyote Creek, its main waterway, is the longest creek in the county. Resources for teachers and students.
Fixing Anderson Dam is a priority for Valley Water
In 2019, Valley Water produced a draft of a video depicting a worst-case scenario should a filled-to-capacity Anderson Dam fail in the event of a major earthquake. Valley Water embarks on Anderson Dam project after years of unexpected delays. The original plan –– to add buttressing and materials up and downstream to reinforce the dam –– would take roughly three years and come with a $250 million price tag. But in 2016, that number grew after the district conducted geotechnical borings of the surrounding soil and found evidence of seismic activity in two nearby fault lines previously thought to be inactive.
Flood Watch Tool
Introduction on how to use the flood watch tool for those living in flood zones near our creeks. Most important to those living near Penitencia Ck at Machado Ave. or working near Coyote Creek and 237.
My Hazards of Santa Clara County
Map showing areas of Milpitas and other Silicon Valley areas which have in the past been flooded. Many flood control systems have been installed, but if you are considering buying a home in these areas, do a thorough check first. Also shows earthquake zones.
Hetch Hetchy Photos
From before the dam was built. This group would like to restore the valley.
The California Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum
Teachers may access all of the EEI Curriculum online for free, and until the end of this school year students may access form-fillable workbooks and other materials directly from our website. Feel free to reach out to us at eei@calrecycle.ca.gov if you need support with your digital instruction and we’ll do our best to assist you.
Penitencia Water Treatment Plant
This plant typically serves an area from Milpitas in the north to Aborn Road in the south, supplying safe drinking water to 270,000 residential and commercial users.
South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
This project will result in large-scale restoration of wetlands from the San Mateo Bridge to southern edge of San Francisco Bay.
Water Quality
Water Quality Report: Consumer Confidence Report
The City of Milpitas is pleased to provide our customers with pertinent information about the quality of our drinking water. This annual water quality report tells you where our water comes from, what our tests show about it, and what is in it.
Water & Sewer Bills
Automatic Payment Service
You can pay your water and waste services bill online; however, it takes 6-8 weeks to process your request. You can set this up in a day or so with your bank’s online service, but the City’s service is free.
Water conservation in the home
Are you concerned about high water bills and would like to use less water? Want a rebate for installing low water usage toilet or washing machine?
Water Systems
The San Francisco PUC, which draws its water from the Hetch-Hetchy system in the Sierra, serves 2.4 million people in San Francisco and 33 communities stretching from Milpitas and San Jose to Daly City and the water district in southern Alameda County.
City of Milpitas Water Maintenance Services
Maintenance Services provides for the routine and emergency operation, maintenance, and repair of the City’s water, sewer, and storm systems and facilities.
City of Milpitas Water Supply Map
Map helps you determine whether you get Hetch Hetchy water (the best tasting), or SVPUC water (still great water!).
Sewer Master Plans
The City of Milpitas is approaching buildout, and open spaces are being converted to domestic and irrigation type uses, changing diurnal flow patterns and water needs. In addition, redevelopment of older industrial/commercial areas to high density residential is being considered as part of the Midtown Specific Plan.
Santa Clara Valley Water District
Parts of Milpitas are supplied with water from SCVWD. Watershed and flood control district primarily. Those in the quadrant west of 880 and south of 237 get water through SCVWD.
S.F. Public Utilities Commission
Provides Milpitas with Hetch Hetchy water. (Note to newcomers: Hetch Hetchy water is considered the finest!)
Milpitas gets most of its drinking water through the San Francisco PUC. The Hetch Hetchy Project supplies water and power to the City of San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area communities, and regulates stream flow in the Upper Tuolumne River, Cherry Creek, and Eleanor Creek.
Where Your Water Comes From
Groundwater and local surface water is the county’s original source of water supply. Local rainfall and runoff flows into reservoirs for storage and blending with imported water. The water is released into creeks and ponds to augment natural percolation and maintain groundwater levels. Some of the local surface water is processed at drinking water treatment plants. The treated water is sold to local water retailers such as San Jose Water Company, who use their own distribution systems to serve customers. Water pumped from the groundwater aquifer through wells is used by private well owners, farmers, and water retailers.
Milpitas Waste Water Treatment
San Jose/Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility
The San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant is one of the largest advanced wastewater treatment facilities in California. It treats and cleans the wastewater of over 1,500,000 people that live and work in the 300-square mile area encompassing San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Saratoga, and Monte Sereno.
San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant Video Tour
This is an interesting and educational facility to visit. It is pertinent for general science students, biology students, and chemistry students.
Urban Runoff & Pollution Prevention
City of Milpitas Urban Water Management Plan
On June 15, 2021 the Milpitas City Council adopted the 2020 UWMP and 2020 WSCP. The updated UWMP and WSCP were submitted to the California Department of Water Resources on July 1, 2021. The final 2020 UWMP and WSCP are available for public review:
Managing Urban Runoff
To protect surface water and ground water quality, urban development and household activities must be guided by plans that limit runoff and reduce pollutant loadings. EPA.
Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program
The Program’s mission is to assist in the protection of beneficial uses of receiving waters by preventing pollutants generated from activities in urban service areas from entering runoff to the maximum extent practicable.
Zoom webinars about gardening presented by the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency.
BAWSCA is committed to the communities we serve. We actively collaborate with our member agencies, other water agencies, and community partners and participate in a variety of public outreach and community events.
Don’t Take Water For Granted
Amina Ahmad, a sixth-grader at Marshall Pomeroy Elementary School, was a winner in the Bay Area Water Users Association Water Awareness Poster Contest. Her poster is featured in the association’s 2001 calendar.