Frequently Asked Questions
When was the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District formed?
The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (Valley District) was incorporated on February 17, 1954, pursuant to the Municipal Water District Act of 1911 as codified in State of California Water Code Sections 71000 and following.
What is Valley District's service area?
Valley District serves a 325 square mile area and includes the cities and communities of Bloomington, Colton, East Highlands, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Redlands, Rialto, Yucaipa, San Bernardino and portions of Fontana and Riverside County. The approximate population within Valley District's service area is 600,000 people.
What is Valley District?
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District is a Municipal Water District that was organized on February 17, 1954, in accordance with the Municipal Water District Act of 1911 as codified in the State of California Water Code Sections 71000 and following. The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District was organized to provide supplemental water to the San Bernardino Valley and has many functions authorized under the Water Code including recreation, electrical power, sewage, waste and storm water disposal and fire protection. Valley District is the fifth largest of 29 contractors who are part of the California State Water Project (SWP). Valley District's maximum annual entitlement to State Project Water is 102,600 acre-feet, out of a total for all 29 contractors of 4,185,000 acre-feet. One acre-foot of water will serve the needs of a family of 5 for approximately one year.
Who approved participating in the State Water Project?
The Board of Directors of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District voted and contracted to participation in the State Water Project in December 1960. The voters of the State of California approved the construction of the Feather River Project, now called the State Water Project (SWP) through a state-wide general election in November 1960.
What is valley district's entitlement to SWP water?
Valley District's State Contract Entitlement is 102,600 acre-feet per year. The amount of water actually available may vary each year as a conseqence of climatic conditions throughout the State of California.
How much does it cost to participate in the State Water Project?
This year Valley District's share of the project costs are about $34,400,000.00. Payments to the State of California Department of Water Resources continue until the year 2035.
How does valley district pay for the costs of the state water project?
The single largest source of revenue for Valley District is property taxes that appear on your property tax bill. The Tax Rate for the SWP and District Bonds in fiscal year 2007-08 is 16.50 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. For a house assessed at $100,000, the taxes paid to the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District would be $165.00.
What does Valley District do?
Valley District supplies both local and State Water Project water for direct delivery to retail water agencies (the agency you pay for water each month). In addition, Valley District is responsible for "re-filling" or recharging certain groundwater basins to ensure that the basins have adequate water supplies to meet the needs of the retail water agencies and residents within San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
Where does Valley District get its water?
The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District's primary source of water is from the California State Water Project (SWP) through the East Branch of the State Aqueduct via Lake Silverwood. However, Valley District and Western Municipal Water District have filed water right applications with the State Water Resources Control Board to obtain authorization to divert water from the Santa Ana River.
Why doesn't Valley District show up on my water bill?
Valley District is a water wholesaler and sells water to most of the retail water agencies within its service area. The retail agencies include the costs of this purchased water in their expenses and bills to provide water to their consumers.
How does Valley District deliver water?
Water is delivered throughout Valley District's service area via 42 miles of 12" to 78" diameter pipelines. The District has constructed its major transmission pipelines as joint ventures with other water agencies to save money which would otherwise have been spent on parallel pipelines.
What is Valley District's annual budget?
The total annual budget including operations and contractual payments to the State of California Department of Water Resources is approximately $30,000,000.00.
How can I obtain additional information?
For additional information or if you have further questions about the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, please call the District office at (909) 387-9211.
