Largest water district in Silicon Valley has renewed interest in water tunnel project

UPDATE: Santa Clara Valley Water District’s scheduled vote on whether to commit $650 million to the $17 billion water tunnel proposal was delayed, according to The Mercury News. The tunnels would funnel water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to points due south.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Silicon Valley’s largest water district is showing renewed interest in California Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan – called “WaterFix” – to build two massive tunnels to ferry water to the southern part of the state.

The Mercury News reported the Santa Clara Valley Water District was scheduled to vote on whether to commit up to $650 million to the controversial project.

Critics say the timing is suspicious and wonder if the water district struck a deal for state money for a new dam the agency wants to build.

District chairman Dick Santos said he hadn’t heard of any deal and was not sure how he would vote.

The governor’s legacy project had been languishing but earlier this month, California’s largest water agency approved a nearly $11 billion plan for the $17 billion project.