Water Quality Report

Our 2019 Water Quality Report is now available. Click here to see it.

Click here to read our full 2019 Water Quality Report

Illegal Fireworks Enforcement

Enforcement efforts against the use of illegal fireworks are still underway and will continue into the weekend.

Narrowing down the exact location of these illegal fireworks is not an easy task. But residents can help our officers by providing dispatchers an address. Taking cell phone video could also help us with our investigation. To report illegal fireworks, plea...

Fourth of July Safety Tips

At this time, the stay at home order is still in effect and social gatherings are not allowed and highly discouraged. We know everyone is eager to go out, but we need to remind you on the importance to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Visiting family and friends still presents a risk of spreading COVID-19.We know everyone is eager to go out, but we need to remind you on the importance to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.We wish you a happy and safe 4th of July.

Video on Fireworks ...

Seeking 2 Zone 7 Non-Voting Members!

The City of Watsonville is seeking 2 non-voting members that will serve in an advisory capacity on the Zone 7 Flood Control and Water Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.

The City of Watsonville is seeking 2 non-voting members that will serve in an advisory capacity on the Zone 7 Flood Control and Water Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.  The non-voting Board members can initiate and participate in Board ...

July Bike Month!

Bike Month starts July 1st! Ecology Action is putting $2,500 back into our local bike shops by giving away $100 gift cards to five lucky winners every Friday in July!

Bike Month starts July 1st! Ecology Action is putting $2,500 back into our local bike shops by giving away $100 gift cards to five lucky winners every Friday in July!

Let’s share the #bikelovesc, Santa Cruz! It’s summer, and it&rsqu...

Restaurants and Retail Businesses to use Outdoor Areas for Outdoor Dining and Display Areas

City allowing for restaurants and retail businesses to use outdoor areas for outdoor dining and display areas with approval of a Temporary COVID-19 Encroachment Agreement.

Watsonville City Manager, Matt Huffaker, signed Emergency Order 2020-01 on Friday, June 5, 2020, allowing for restaurants and retail businesses to use outdoor areas for outdoor dining and display areas with approval of a Temporary COVID-19 Encroachment Ag...

Watsonville is Open for Business - Guidelines to Help you Open Safely

Our goal is to help workers and businesses take responsible steps toward resuming work, serving customers and rebuilding our economy. Click here for state specific industry guidelines to help you reopen safely.

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to evolve rapidly, the city is committed to keeping business owners informed, providing resources, and advocating for effective strategies to assist in the recovery. We stand with you, and we’re ...

Emergency Housing Assistance Program Guidelines

This program is designed to assist Watsonville low and moderate income renters affected by the COVID-19 economic crisis with a grant of up to $1,500.

This program is a partnership between the City of Watsonville and Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County Inc. 

For more information please visit cabinc.org

APPLY HERE:

On March 27th, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Econom...

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) COVID-19

The City of Watsonville has received additional CDBG funding to help communities deal with the impacts of COVID 19 and related shutdowns.

With the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act the City of Watsonville has received additional CDBG funding to help communities deal with the impacts of COVID 19 and related shutdowns.

For questions regarding this fundi...

Temporary Moratorium on Evictions Frequently Asked Questions

The ordinance is aimed at protecting tenants who are at risk of eviction due to financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frequently Asked Questions - Temporary Moratorium on Evictions

Preguntas Frecuentes Moratoria Temporal Sobre los Desalojos

Eviction Moritorium Ordinance

Who does this ordinance apply to?

The ordinance is aimed at protecting tenants who are at risk of eviction...

COVID-19 Resources

To help assist the community in answering questions about the COVID-19 outbreak, the County of Santa Cruz has established a call center to help direct questions to the proper channels.

Santa Cruz County Health Officer, along with six other Public Health Officers from the Bay Area, issued a legal order asking residents to stay home, a unified step to slow the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and preserve critical health care capaci...

Adjourned Special City Council Meeting to March 23, 2020

The City Council will be holding a continuation of the special meeting held Friday to discuss an urgency ordinance to halt commercial & residential evictions.

This meeting will be streamed in English and Spanish via Facebook. The Watsonville Police Department’s Facebook page will stream the meeting in English, while the City of Watsonville will focus on our Spanish-speaking community.

Public ...

Community COVID-19 Resources

To help assist the community in answering questions about the COVID-19 outbreak, the County of Santa Cruz has established a call center to help direct questions to the proper channels.

If you have questions, please call (831) 454-4242 between the hours of 8 a.m.6 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Due to overwhelming call volume and in order to maintain the County’s ability to investigate and respond to the outbreak, members of the public ar...

Message from Police Chief David Honda

We are asking residents and business owners to follow this order so that we can keep officers from having to issue citations and to avoid any potential criminal charges or civil/administrative sanctions by the County.

 And trust us, it’s the last thing we want to do during a public health emergency.

Our enforcement efforts begin with educating the community of what is expected of all of us; those efforts are already underway.  Resid...

Shelter in Place: What Does it Mean?

The Santa Cruz County Health Officer has issued a shelter-in-place order through April 7. We are posting these frequently asked questions to help residents, businesses and partners interpret these orders.

Spanish Information: Refugiarse en Casa: ¿Qué Significa?

The Santa Cruz County Health Officer has issued a shelter-in-place order through April 7. We are posting these frequently asked questions to help residents, businesses and partn...

City List of Essential Services During Shelter in Place

Given the shelter in place directive, the City will maintain essential services open (Police, Fire, water, sewer and garbage collection). Most city facilities are closed to the public, however the public may still contact certain city services remotely.

Today, Santa Cruz County Health Officer, along with six other public health officers from the Bay Area,  issued a legal order asking residents to stay home, a unified step to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and preserve critical h...

Santa Cruz County Shelter In Place Order

Santa Cruz County Shelter In Place Order - Community Update March 16, 2020By the City of Watsonville 

Español: 
Orden de Refugiarse en el Hogar del Condado de Santa Cruz - Mensaje para la comunidad del 16 de marzo de 2020 por la Ciudad de Watsonville

VIDEO - Community Update on Shelter in Place Order 

VIDEO - Mensaje para la Comunidad Sobre la Orden de Refugiarse en el Hogar

Community Update - 03/16/2020

 Mensaje para la Comunidad - 03/16/2020

Shelter In Place Order

Questions Regarding the Census? We can help!

Visit one of the 18 designated locations here in Watsonville available to assist you with questions and concerns regarding the 2020 Census.

Link to Interactive Census Questionnaire Assistance Locations Map: http://bit.do/WatsonvilleQAKs

Fill out your 2020 Census form at my2020census.gov beginning on March 12.

Find the nearest location near you:

Flipping the Lid to Help Residents with Recycling

Every day, we throw away tons of garbage into the recycling bins. When this happens, the facility that processes Watsonville’s recycling has to bury it in their landfill, and charges us additional fees.

When this garbage, such as food scraps, diapers, plastic bags, wrappers, and old clothes is mixed with good recyclables it is impossible to recycle. When this happens, the facility that processes Watsonville’s recycling has to bury it in their l...

Maintaining Our Roads for Smooth Driving

Our Public Works engineering staff are working to make sure that our roads are smooth, safe and in good conditions

How do they know where to start? We recently completed a survey of every city street to measure the extent of cracks and potholes. This information was used to calculate the most efficient use of our limited maintenance budget. When this inspection was fi...

2020 CENSUS RESOURCES AVAILABLE

One of the most powerful things you can do for your community is
to participate in the Census.Starting on March 12, 2020, you can respond to the 2020 Census online.

Your participation helps ensure that Watsonville residents receive the funding we all deserve for important services and programs such as funding for schools, childcare programs, road maintenance projects, healthcare, housing, school lunches and social as...

Officers track down & return tricycle stolen from disabled elderly man

Officers tracked down a tricycle that was recently stolen from a disabled senior citizen

It wasn’t easy but after days of investigating, our officers managed to track down a tricycle that was recently stolen from a disabled senior citizen.

Unfortunately, the trike was found in the slough in three pieces. So, several Watsonville Police officers...

Officers visit fields to provide farmworkers information and guidance

It's part of “Agua con la Chota” or “Water with a Cop” program

Watsonville Police Officers are meeting face-to-face with some of the hardest working people in the community as part of an outreach program aimed at helping farmworkers.

The department’s “Agua con la Chota” or “Water with a Cop” program provides Ag worker...

Watsonville PD Officers raise $3,500 for local kids with cancer

They raised $3,500 for local kids with cancer.

Wow, our officers truly amaze us every day! 

They raised $3,500 for local kids with cancer. The Watsonville Police Officers’ Association presented a check to Jacob’s Heart during their annual Kidrageous Carnival at the city plaza this past weekend...

Watsonville Police Officers grow beards to help children with cancer

The department suspended its “facial hair” policy for its annual fundraiser

For the fourth year in a row, dozens of Watsonville Police Officers are growing out their beards to support local children with cancer.

The department suspended its “facial hair” policy for its annual fundraiser to raise awareness about pediatric...

Familia de la Costa Central cae víctima de secuestradores virtuales

Una familia de la Costa Central vivió una verdadera pesadilla vacacionando en México

Una familia de la Costa Central vivió una verdadera pesadilla vacacionando en México y ahora esa familia está compartiendo su historia para evitar que otros caigan víctimas de una extorción que va en aumento.

Se trata de un secuestro virtual y el FBI conti...

Central Coast family falls victim to virtual kidnappers

A vacation in Mexico turned into a living nightmare for a Central Coast family

A vacation in Mexico turned into a living nightmare for a Central Coast family and now that family is sharing their story to keep others from becoming victims of an extortion that’s on the rise.

It’s called a virtual kidnapping and the FBI continues to war...