City Council Agenda Report
TO: Mayor Clauzel and Members of the City Council
FROM: Fernando Ulloa, City Manager
BY: Mike Willett, Public Works Director
MEETING DATE: July 15, 2025
ITEM NO: 6.8
SUBJECT: Approve Resolution No. 2025-47 Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between Valley Water Collaborative and the City of Patterson GSA for Coordination on Groundwater Quality and Domestic Well Mitigation Efforts.
RECOMMENDATION
Motion to Approve Resolution No. 2025-47 Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between Valley Water Collaborative and City of Patterson GSA for Coordination on Groundwater Quality and Domestic Well Mitigation Efforts.
BACKGROUND
The Valley Water Collaborative (VWC) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation focused on addressing groundwater quality concerns, particularly nitrate contamination, across several Central Valley groundwater basins and subbasins. Since 2021, the VWC has been implementing Early Action Plans to provide domestic well testing and replacement water to residents whose wells exceed the state’s nitrate standard. This work expanded in early 2025 to include the DeltaMendota Subbasin.
The Delta-Mendota Subbasin is governed by 23 GSAs operating under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). These agencies have collectively developed and finalized a single Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), which was revised in 2024 to address deficiencies identified by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The GSP is now under State Water Board jurisdiction. Recognizing overlapping responsibilities and shared goals, the GSAs and VWC seek to coordinate efforts through an MOU to enhance service delivery, reduce redundancy and ensure residents in the subbasin have access to safe, reliable drinking water.
ANALYSIS
The MOU outlines a collaborative framework between the VWC and the 23 GSAs to coordinate efforts in groundwater monitoring, domestic well testing, mitigation of dry wells and the provision of replacement drinking water. Key provisions include:
• Avoidance of duplicative efforts in data collection, monitoring and public outreach. • VWC’s commitment to continued testing and replacement water provision for wells exceeding primary contaminant standards.
• Information sharing between VWC and GSAs, including outreach on the GSAs’ Domestic Well Mitigation Policy.
• Coordination in addressing dry wells potentially impacted by groundwater management activities.
• Agreement to jointly develop and share groundwater monitoring networks and results. • Future consideration of financial contributions from GSAs to VWC for Delta-Mendotaspecific services.
This collaborative approach ensures more efficient resource use, better service to impacted residents and alignment with state regulatory expectations. It also provides a pathway for shared data, streamlined community outreach and long-term program planning between entities with overlapping goals.
According to the DWR’s Domestic Well portal, there are approximately 28 domestic wells located within the city limits, most of which were established as part of the Villages of Patterson and Zacharias annexation areas. These wells are situated in locations without nearby water lines, making connection to the city’s water system currently unfeasible. However, the long-term goal is to connect these sites once infrastructure becomes available. In the meantime, both this MOU and the previously adopted Well Mitigation Policy will apply to these wells. This MOU does not apply to public water supply wells, as they are already monitored by the city.
It’s also important to note that this MOU is separate and independent from any other activities involving VWC under the CV-SALTS program, including nitrate sampling related to wastewater operations.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with the approval of this MOU. However, the MOU includes a provision that allows for the development of a future agreement under which GSAs may contribute funding to the VWC for well testing and provision of replacement water.
Any such contributions would be negotiated separately and brought forward for approval through the appropriate process.