(Nov. 18, 2025) SCOTTS VALLEY, CA – The Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency (SMGWA) today announced it has a board vacancy for a Well Owner Representative Alternate and applications are now being accepted for the position. The public agency, formed in 2017 to comply with California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, serves communities in the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley areas.

To be eligible, candidates must either own, manage or be served by:

1. a private or shared domestic well;
2. a small water system well; or
3. an irrigation well used for commercial, industrial, institutional, recreational, or agricultural purposes.

This well must be located within the Santa Margarita Groundwater Basin.

SMGWA is seeking candidates that can effectively represent the interests of community members reliant upon water from private domestic wells or small water systems. Candidates should be open to learning about, and working with, people whose interests may conflict with their own and are willing to make educated compromises that are respectful of competing viewpoints.

Applicants must also be able to meet the time commitment of approximately 5-10 hours per quarter, including evenings. The term is for 3 years and the position is unpaid. All Board members are expected to adhere to the Agency’s Code of Conduct and act in accordance with the Bylaws and Guiding Principles, which are available on the SMGWA website.

The application is available at www.smgwa.org. Applications are due by Dec. 15, 2025, at 4 p.m.