Valley State Prison & Central California Women’s Facility New Potable Water Wells

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is proceeding with the design and construction of two new groundwater wells at Valley State Prison and Central California Women’s Facility to address critical shortages in potable water supply. Years of aquifer overuse and prolonged drought have caused water levels to decline by an average of ten feet annually, rendering existing wells outdated, unreliable, and insufficient to meet demand. The two currently operational wells are underperforming, and the new wells are necessary to comply with Section 64554 of the California Water Code and State Water Resources Control Board requirements, ensuring reliable access to safe drinking water for both incarcerated individuals and staff. These additions will also enable routine maintenance and provide redundancy to safeguard against future well failures while meeting the institutions’ Maximum Daily Demand. The project will be carried out on existing prison property within a previously disturbed, undeveloped agricultural field at both sites, with no impact on environmentally sensitive areas. All work is confined to developed grounds, minimizing ecological disruption. The initiative is forecasted to move forward with the project tracking number 2026080235, and inquiries can be directed to Peter J. Connelly, Jr., Chief of the Environmental Planning Section, through the provided contact information. The project is positioned to address long-term water sustainability and regulatory compliance at these facilities without requiring expansion into protected or natural lands.