EXHIBIT 23.1

                       INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT






The Board of Directors
SJW Corp.:

We consent to the  incorporation by reference in the  registration  statement on
Form S-8 to be filed on or about May 5, 2003 of SJW Corp.  and  subsidiaries  of
our report dated  January 30, 2003,  with  respect to the  consolidated  balance
sheets of SJW Corp. and  subsidiaries  as of December 31, 2002 and 2001, and the
related   consolidated   statements   of  income   and   comprehensive   income,
shareholders'  equity,  and cash  flows for each of the years in the  three-year
period ended December 31, 2002, and the related  financial  statement  schedule,
which report appears in the December 31, 2002, annual report on Form 10-K of SJW
Corp.


                                    KPMG LLP

Mountain View, California
May 2, 2003