City Releases Draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan for Public Review

The City of Santa Cruz Water Department has released the Draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan for public review. 

Updated every five years, the Urban Water Management Plan is a state-required document that evaluates the City’s water supply, projected demand, conservation progress, drought planning and long-term water reliability. The plan helps guide local water management decisions and supports regional and statewide planning. 

The draft plan reflects Santa Cruz’s continued focus on local water stewardship and preparing for a more variable climate. Santa Cruz relies almost entirely on local, rainfall-dependent sources, including the San Lorenzo River, North Coast streams, Loch Lomond Reservoir and groundwater from the Beltz Well system. While the City’s water use remains low, local supplies can vary significantly from year to year. 

The plan finds that Santa Cruz remains vulnerable to extreme drought, particularly in the near term. However, planned water supply projects are expected to improve long-term reliability and meet projected demand. These projects include aquifer storage and recovery, regional water transfers with neighboring water districts, and major improvements to water system infrastructure. 

“Planning for water reliability is an ongoing responsibility, especially for a community that depends almost entirely on local rainfall,” said Water Director Heidi Luckenbach. “This draft plan reflects the work underway to strengthen our system, make the most of available water supplies, and prepare for a future with more variable conditions.” 

The Water Shortage Contingency Plan, included in the draft, outlines how the City would respond during drought or other water shortage conditions. It includes six standard shortage levels, an annual supply reliability evaluation process and customer allocation procedures that would be used if demand reductions are needed. No major changes to the Water Shortage Contingency Plan are proposed. 

The Draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan is available for review at santacruzca.gov/uwmp, at the Water Department office and at the Downtown Branch Library. 

The Santa Cruz City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing and consider adoption of the plan on Tuesday, June 9. Community members are encouraged to review the draft plan and provide comments before adoption.