"Our board's responsibility is to balance water reliability with affordability, and we are deeply concerned that moving forward with Pacheco would place too great a burden on our ratepayers without cost-effective benefits."
"This is a significant setback as it greatly limits the project's viability and reduces opportunities for partnerships."
Valley Water's board unanimously voted to suspend the Pacheco Dam expansion after eight years. The project would have increased reservoir capacity from 5,500 to 14,000 acre-feet. Latest cost estimates have risen to $3.2 billion, with construction delayed until 2029 at the earliest. Valley Water has spent $100 million on the project, including $24.4 million of a $504 million state grant; the district will withdraw from the grant and return remaining funding. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation denied a request to import Central Valley Project water, viewing primary benefits as environmental rather than supply, limiting project viability and partnership opportunities.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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