San Jose Water revolutionizes emergency preparedness with mobile distribution station

During an emergency, every second matters. Water utilities like San Jose Water (SJW) know that in dire situations, quick and reliable access to safe water is critical to keeping communities healthy and resilient.

SJW recently unveiled an innovative emergency preparedness solution – the Emergency Water Distribution Unit (EWDU). It is a self-contained mobile distribution station that can rapidly provide safe drinking water during emergencies like water outages, boil-water notices and natural disasters.

“The unit is purposefully designed with 18 water-tap stations and the versatility to connect to hydrants, tanker trucks or storage bladders, enabling us to deliver essential water services quickly and efficiently,” said Jake Walsh, SJW interim vice president of engineering.

“Equipped with advanced safety features like integrated chlorination and backflow prevention, it reflects our commitment to protecting public health and ensuring access to safe, reliable drinking water whenever and wherever it’s needed most,” he added.

Deployment is swift, requiring just a few hours from arrival to full operation. With a straightforward setup that includes installing hoses and implementing traffic control measures, the EWDU is quickly ready to dispense potable drinking water to those in need.

In the past, SJW depended on bottled water to supply residents with drinking water during emergencies, an approach that presented logistical challenges, environmental concerns, and inequities for residents with limited access to resources and transportation.

“The EWDU helps us take a more sustainable approach by cutting down on single-use plastic bottles and reducing waste,” said Walsh. “Customers can bring their own containers or use company provided reusable bags, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to bottled water during emergencies.”

While the EWDU hasn’t yet been utilized in a real emergency, the utility conducts crisis simulations to refine the deployment process and has established quarterly drills to ensure readiness.

Preparing community through communication, demonstrations

SJW prioritizes proactive communication, ensuring residents know where and how to access the EWDU during a crisis. The utility uses a comprehensive emergency management approach, including pre-event awareness, real-time response and recovery updates, and collaboration with community partners to keep its customers and communities informed and prepared.

“In 2025, we will be showcasing the EWDU at community events to help residents understand its capabilities,” Walsh said. “When emergencies arise, we’ll leverage multiple communication channels, including our Emergency Mass Notification System (Everbridge), to provide timely alerts via email, text, and phone notifications ensuring our customers know the EWDU’s location and how to access it.”

SJW also partners with local and regional emergency management organizations such as the Santa Clara County Operational Area, Valley Water (Santa Clara Valley Water District), and CALWARN (California Water & Wastewater Alert Response Network) members.

“These partnerships will be pivotal in 2025 as we continue refining our emergency preparedness efforts,” Walsh added. “They allow us to combine resources, share expertise and provide faster, more effective aid to communities in need.”

Looking beyond its service area, SJW envisions the EWDU as a proactive model for utilities nationwide.

“While we hope disasters never occur, the EWDU can serve as a vital resource in mutual aid scenarios, supporting communities during large-scale emergencies,” Walsh said.