The annual shutdown at Castaic Lake was expected to last eight days; however, due to weather delays and additional infrastructure repairs, the shutdown lasted nearly 18 days, – but SCV Water customers didn’t feel a thing.

SCV Water coordinated with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to complete maintenance and upgrades on infrastructure at Castaic Lake in early February, hoping that the timing would benefit the project, and it did.

Winter rain storms, milder temperatures and minimal need for outdoor irrigation all played a big part in SCV Water being able to meet customer demand while water was unavailable for use from Castaic Lake. SCV Water users also stepped up their conservation efforts during the extended irrigation hiatus, which resulted in a water demand that was down by as much as 36% during the shutdown, when compared to the week prior.

“Maintenance is done and customers can resume outdoor irrigation as needed. However, we encourage a continuing conservation mindset, especially when it comes to outdoor water use,” said Keith Abercrombie, Chief Operating Officer for SCV Water. “Several big winter storms have boosted the Northern California snowpack to more than 100% of normal and replenished reservoirs all over the state, but we never know what next year, or even next month, can bring.”

Even though weather conditions are unpredictable, it’s SCV Water’s mission to provide a reliable water supply.

“We know that these storms come and go, but water conservation is a California lifestyle, and even the smallest changes can have a big impact,” said Matt Dickens SCV Water resource conservation manager. “It’s impressive to see so many people embracing smart water use habits. A great way to determine whether your landscape needs water is to look around. When the hills are alive, your landscape will thrive!”
During the shutdown, SCV Water upgraded its connection to MWD’s Foothill Feeder.

“The upgraded connection increased capacity to 66 million gallons per day (MGD) from 60 MGD; and allows for future capacity of up to 90 MGD,” said Jim Leserman, SCV Water senior engineer and project manager. “It also provides more reliability to meet customers’ demands and is necessary for any future expansions of the agency’s Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant.”

This project improves the water delivery infrastructure from Castaic Lake into the SCV Water treatment and distribution system.

“We expect a lot from our water system on a daily basis,” said Gary Haggin, SCV Water operations and maintenance superintendent. “The annual shutdown at Castaic Lake insures time for routine maintenance and upgrades to prolong the life of our water infrastructure and the ability to ensure a reliable supply.”