History

Coastside is settled as an agricultural outpost and fishing community, originally named “Spanishtown”.

Water service commences by subdividers to facilitate the sale of real estate on the Coastside after 1906 earthquake.

Ocean Shore Railroad brings visitors to the Coastside. (Coastside thrives during Prohibition!)

Water system properties are acquired by the Public Utilities Corporation of California, which changed names to Citizens Utilities Company of California in 1949.

Principal water sources for the Coastside are two reservoirs and local wells near Apanolio Creek and McMahon Creek (El Granada).

July 19, 1947: Coastside County Water District is established by a vote of the people of Half Moon Bay and El Granada.

Key Goals: Improve water quality, supply water for fire protection, and provide water service for Princeton canneries.

First General Manager: Jack Canada

First bond issue for $300,000 approved by voters 582 to 28.

The new District constructs a pipeline from Lake Pilarcitos/Stone Dam (San Francisco Public Utilities Water System) to Half Moon Bay. Water deliveries begin!

The District purchases the Half Moon Bay and El Granada water distribution pipelines and facilities owned by Citizen’s Utility Company of Stamford, CT, at a cost of $31,000.

On January 1, the District begins water system operation for 487 customers.

The District installs pipelines in Princeton;  1^st tank in El Granada; purchases Carter Hill site (behind high school) and constructs 1^st tank; purchases 300 acres of land adjacent to San Francisco’s watershed in Pilarcitos Canyon, installs wells and considers possibility of a dam on the site.

Pescadero Dam is proposed to bring water to the entire Coastside. Project is pursued during 1960s and ultimately cancelled in 1971.

El Granada Highlands, Miramar and other communities develop. The District installs distribution pipelines and tanks in El Granada, Miramar, and at Carter Hill to supply water storage.

The District is issued first water rights permit to obtain water on Denniston and San Vicente Creeks.

The District’s new office at 766 Main Street is completed.

The District completes Denniston Water Treatment Plant, Water Storage Tank and Pump Station. Alves Tank built in southern end of the District for fire flow to Ocean Colony.

Record drought. Board approves a moratorium on new water connections. First drought ordinances adopted prohibiting non-essential uses of water.

State mandates construction of a water treatment plant in Half Moon Bay, and the District obtains $1.5 million loan for financing.

Board accepts engineering report that the best option for the District to obtain reliable water supply is to undertake the construction of a Crystal Springs pipeline.

Nunes Water Treatment Plant is completed on Carter Hill at a cost of $2.3 million. All District customers receive treated water.

The District becomes a permanent customer of the San Francisco Water Department after settlement of a lawsuit between San Francisco Water Department and suburban customers.

Crystal Springs Water Supply Project is approved. The District receives a Coastal Development Permit under the newly adopted San Mateo County Local Coastal Plan by the San Mateo Board of Supervisors.

Crystal Springs Water Supply Project designed by CH2mHill and Kennedy/Jenks/Chilton Engineers.

The District pre-sells new water connections to finance the $25M+ Crystal Springs Water Supply Project.

Second critical drought occurred requiring water use rationing of 25%.

Ground-breaking ceremony for Crystal Springs Water Supply Project.

Crystal Springs Water Supply Project is completed with Hetch Hetchy water deliveries from Crystal Springs Pump Station over the Santa Cruz Mountains to Half Moon Bay.

The District completes the El Granada Pipeline Replacement Project, replacing 13,000 linear feet of the original pre-1940s pipeline between Half Moon Bay and El Granada.

Denniston Water Treatment Plant Improvement Project is completed.

The District completes replacement of original pre-1940s pipeline into downtown Half Moon Bay and the southern end of the District.

The District installs a Booster Pump Station at Denniston and the Bridgeport Transmission Pipeline to improve the resiliency of the system and to move potable local source water south and District-wide.

The District implements advanced metering infrastructure along with the “WaterSmart” customer web portal to allow meters to be read remotely and enable faster leak detection.

The District begins $9M upgrade to Nunes Water Treatment Plant.

The District celebrates 75 years of serving the Coastside.

Additional accomplishments in the past 25 years include: installation of backup generators at the District’s water treatment plants, tank sites, pump stations and corporation yard; improved automation and state-of-the-art software for SCADA/instrumentation.

7,700 connections
19,000+ population served
100 miles of pipeline
2 water treatment plants
10 treated water storage tanks
Crystal Springs Pump Station
21 employees
$15M annual operating budget
$68M 10-year Capital Improvement Program

The District would like to thank the community for their support.