Urban Water Projects
The Hollister Urban Area Water Project (HUAWP) is an integrated plan that was developed in collaboration with the City of Hollister, the Sunnyslope County Water District and the San Benito County Water District. The primary goal of the plan was to deliver better quality drinking water to Hollister Urban Area residents. This helps ensure economic stability and contributes to a better quality of life for the entire community.
Surface water imported from the Central Valley Project (CVP) is being treated to drinking water standards for the Hollister Urban Area. The Lessalt Water Treatment Plant was retrofitted in 2015 and can treat up to 2.5 million gallons of surface water per day. The West Hills Water Treatment Plant was completed in the fall of 2017 and has a capacity to treat 4.5 million gallons of surface water per day. Combined, the two treatment plants can meet all the City of Hollister and Sunnyslope County Water District needs through 2025. The West Hills Treatment Plant can be expanded to treat 9 million gallons of surface water per day to meet the future need of residents as our area continues to grow. The average family of four uses 440 gallons of water per day for all their water needs.
The most direct benefit of the HUAWP is the high-quality drinking water that Hollister and Sunnyslope water customers are now receiving. Tap water now has much lower salt levels and reduces the need for water softeners, which are expensive. For many customers, it also eliminates the need to buy bottled water and helps prolong appliance life of machines that use water.
Upgrades to our local water reclamation system have greatly improved the quality of wastewater discharge. Improved drinking water quality, coupled with the reclamation plant treatment, allowed our wastewater discharge to meet state regulations, avoided costly fines and the ability to produce high-quality recycled water for agricultural and landscape irrigation customers. This project also protects the quality of our groundwater basin by reducing salt buildup.
Together the City of Hollister, San Benito County Water District, and Sunnyslope County Water District continue to look to the future for the water needs of our community.