In a move aimed at preserving the environment and public health, Valley Water's Board of Directors has passed an ordinance designed to stem the proliferation of encampments along the county's waterways and water supply facilities. The decision, made yesterday, underscores a broad initiative to minimize environmental and safety hazards posed by homelessness while championing collaborative efforts to provide sustainable housing solutions for the unsheltered population of Santa Clara County.
"The intention of this ordinance is not to result in the criminalization of unsheltered people living along our waterways," Valley Water Board Chair Nai Hsueh said, emphasizing the agency’s dedication to ensuring Silicon Valley's access to safe, clean water and its commitment to foster cooperation with local government and private partners to address homelessness and its attendant environmental concerns, according to the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The enforcement, set to commence on January 2, 2025, follows the ordinance's effectual date of December 26, 2024, which will first endure a phase of extensive education and outreach involving various sectors of the community.
This ordinance, titled the Water Resources Protection Zones Ordinance, aims to shield water resources, endangered species, and habitats along with the integrity of flood protection and environmental mitigation efforts managed by Valley Water; it strictly prohibits camping within delineated zones that cover Valley Water's extensive property and maintenance domains within the county. An integral component of Santa Clara County's infrastructure, Valley Water oversees 333 miles of creeks and rivers critical to regional ecology and flood management, where the ordinance will be particularly focused on eliminating detrimental impacts of encampments.
Alongside the newly imposed restrictions, Valley Water's approach includes crafting an Ordinance Implementation Plan, a strategic framework guiding the roll-out of the regulations. It aims to tackle the most pressing environmental, health, and safety issues first and foremost while prioritizing the well-being of those unsheltered, the safety of Valley Water employees, and community health, according to the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
