Local Groundwater Supplies Are Becoming Depleted, Says Soquel Water District

The Soquel Water District relies solely on overused groundwater aquifers to provide water to over 15,000 residents and businesses in mid-Santa Cruz County, they announced last week.

That’s why its celebrating National Groundwater Awareness Week and Fix a Leak Week March 10-16 by educating their customers about their water source and ways to protect the community’s groundwater supply.

“Local groundwater sources are at risk,” wrote spokeswoman Leigh Ann Gessner in a press release. “Over the last several decades, more water has been drawn from the groundwater aquifers underlying the Soquel-Aptos area than is naturally replenished, putting the water supply at risk for seawater intrusion.” 

In order to conserve its current water supply, the District is looking into sources of supplemental water, including the possibility of desalination in partnership with the City of Santa Cruz Water Department.

Visit Soquelcreek.org for more information about local efforts to protect groundwater, as well as water conservation tools and rebates.