Open water district seats

What they are: Special districts independent of cities and counties, water districts manage the extraction, storage, treatment and distribution of drinking water.

Why they matter: Santa Cruz County water districts are tasked with maintaining clean and reliable water service in the face of recurring droughts and natural disasters. Some are making systems that are less likely to fail during fires, while others are trying to restore depleted groundwater reserves. Water districts can also impose rate increases, and often manage parts of public land.