Valley Water tells Cupertino council multibillion‑dollar projects and dam retrofits are driving wholesale charge increases

At the Nov. 4 Cupertino City Council meeting, Santa Clara Valley Water District officials warned that a multibillion‑dollar capital program — including dam retrofits and a proposed purified water project — is a key driver of projected wholesale charge increases that will affect local retail water bills.

"One of our most expensive improvements will be to our dams," Aaron Baker, Valley Water chief operating officer, told the council, citing an estimated $3.4 billion cost to retrofit aging dams. He said the district is also pursuing a purified water project to increase drought resilience, with an estimated cost near $2.6 billion.

Darren Taylor, Valley Water chief financial…