LAFCO
Coachella Valley Service Review Area
Read the report at Local Agency Formation Commissions ↗
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Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
3.0 COACHELLA VALLEY SERVICE REVIEW AREA
3.1 AGENCY DESCRIPTIONS
The following Table 3.1.1 lists water and wastewater agencies in the Coachella Valley service
review area.
TABLE 3.1.1
COACHELLA VALLEY AGENCIES
Riverside LAFCO Water and Wastewater Service Review Agencies
February 2005 – Final Report 3-1
SECIVRES
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COACHELLA VALLEY
1. City of Coachella
- Coachella Water Authority X ● ●
- Coachella Sanitary District X ● ●
2. City of Indio (Indio Water Authority) X ● ●
3. Coachella Valley Water District X ● ● ● ● X ● ● X
4. Desert Water Agency X ● ● ● X ●
5. Mission Springs Water District X ● ● X ● ●
6. Valley Sanitary District X ● ●
(cid:153) CITY OF COACHELLA
(COACHELLA WATER AUTHORITY AND COACHELLA SANITARY DISTRICT)
The Coachella Water Authority serves potable water the City with nearly 4,000 water service
connections. The City formed the Coachella Water Authority in 2003 in order to issue bonds to
make improvements in the City’s water system and repair streets. The water authority board is
comprised of City Council members. The Coachella Sanitary District, a dependent district with
the Coachella City Council sitting as the SD board, provides wastewater service to a portion of
the City and areas outside the City’s SOI.
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
(cid:153) CITY OF INDIO (INDIO WATER AUTHORITY)
The City of Indio, through the Indio Water Authority, provides potable water to approximately
12,000 service connections. In 2000 the City created the Indio Water Authority to raise funds
for improvements to the water system and roadways. The water authority board is comprised of
City Council members and others.
(cid:153) COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
The Coachella Valley Water District’s service area includes approximately 640,000 acres and
encompasses territory primarily within Riverside County but also within Imperial and San Diego
Counties. The district provides irrigation water, domestic water, storm water protection,
agricultural drainage, groundwater management and wastewater reclamation and water
conservation to approximately 225,000 residents. The District imports water from the Colorado
River and the State Water Project.
(cid:153) DESERT WATER AGENCY
The Desert Water Agency serves a 325-square-mile area including all of Palm Springs,
unincorporated areas and parts of Cathedral City. It provides potable water to approximately
20,000 water connections and wastewater collection services to approximately 350 connections.
(cid:153) MISSION SPRINGS WATER DISTRICT
The Mission Springs Water District provides water and wastewater services to Desert Hot
Springs, 10 communities in Riverside County and a portion of Palm Springs. The service area
includes 135 square miles and over 25,000 people. It serves approximately 8,000 water
connections and 3,300 wastewater accounts.
(cid:153) VALLEY SANITARY DISTRICT
The Valley Sanitary District provides wastewater service to approximately 23,000 wastewater
connections. Its service area includes a majority of the City of Indio, portions of the City of
Coachella, unincorporated areas and portions of the Cabazon Reservation.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-2
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
3.2 GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS
3.2.1 Growth and Population—Regional Setting
One of the determinations that LAFCO is required to make for service reviews includes growth
and population projections. Accurate and consistent population and growth projections are
critical in planning for the provision of future services and infrastructure.
The Riverside LAFCO survey asked the agencies to provide the current population and
projected growth in five-year increments through 2025. Those projections are shown in the
following charts and tables. The information submitted by the agencies was then aggregated by
service review area and compared to countywide and sub-regional projections, where available,
to evaluate the consistency of projections among agencies. Sources for county-wide and sub-
regional population projections were obtained from Riverside County (as part of the
documentation for the recent General Plan process), the Western Riverside Council of
Governments (WRCOG), the Coachella Valley Association of Government (CVAG), the United
States Census and the California Department of Finance (DOF). The population projections
from the wholesale agencies, whose population projections include retail agencies, were also
used as a means of comparison.
The rate of growth in Riverside County has frequently been cited as one of the fastest in
southern California as well as in the nation with a ranking of fifth among California counties for
the highest increase in population. Table 3.2.1 shows the change in the Census population for
Riverside County from 1990 to the 2000 counts in comparison with other southern California
counties.
TABLE 3.2.1
CHANGE IN POPULATION FROM 1990-2000
County 1990 Census 2000 Census Change % Change
Los Angeles 8,863,164 9,519,338 656,174 7%
Orange 2,410,556 2,846,289 435,733 18%
San Bernardino 1,418,380 1,709,434 291,054 21%
San Diego 2,498,016 2,813,833 315,817 13%
Riverside 1,170,413 1,545,387 374,974 32%
Source: SCAG and US Census
February 2005 – Final Report 3-3
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Although regional population projections developed by the DOF and by the Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) use Census data as the basis for their projections, the
numbers vary. In Riverside County, both the Western Riverside Council of Governments
(WRCOG) and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) use the Census
figures and the SCAG numbers in projecting future population growth. Table 3.2.2 compares the
2000 Census figures and projections from both DOF and WRCOG.
TABLE 3.2.2
REGIONAL POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY
1990 2000 2002 2003 2005 2010 2015 2020 2030
United States Census
Riverside County 1,170,413 1,545,387
Department of Finance (DOF)*
Riverside County 1,577,700 1,645,300 1,705,500 1,864,700 2,159,700 2,459,600 2,817,600
Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG)
Western 1,559,554 2,085,500
Riverside County
*Some numbers based on interim County Projections, 2003
Growth is projected to primarily be concentrated in the unincorporated area simply because only
10% of the land area of Riverside County is incorporated (i.e., within the boundaries of a city).
However, existing population figures and future projections are most frequently based on
municipal boundaries and are rarely projected for the service areas of special districts.
Therefore, it is difficult to obtain current population figures or project future population for future
service demands in the service areas of smaller agencies or to ensure that agencies use
consistent methodology and assumptions as regional forecasts. This is a significant issue for
predicting future service demands for smaller water and wastewater agencies where growth is
expected and whose resources are more limited.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
The final OPR Guidelines for Municipal Service Reviews recommend that service review reports
address environmental justice issues, including the provision of affordable housing. LAFCO has
no legal authority to regulate land use or affordable housing production, nevertheless,
information about affordable housing will be included in subsequent and more appropriate
service review reports.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-4
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Ex_Pop 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Year
February 2005 – Final Report 3-5
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3.2.2 Growth and Population—Coachella Valley Service Review
Area
The population and growth projections from each agency are shown in Figure 3.2.1, Coachella
Valley Population Projections; actual numbers are shown in Table 3.2.3, Water/Wastewater
Service Population Projections.
FIGURE 3.2.1
COACHELLA VALLEY POPULATION PROJECTIONS
City of Indio / Indio Water Authority
Coachella Valley Water District
Coachella Water Authority (City of
Coachella)
Desert Water Agency
Mission Springs Water District
Valley Sanitary District
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
TABLE 3.2.3
WATER/WASTEWATER SERVICE POPULATION PROJECTIONS
Existing
Population 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Agency
City of Coachella 26,700 28,000 35,000 45,000 55,000 65,000
City of Indio* 54,500 60,100 70,866 81,646 92,426 99,601
Coachella Valley Water District 219,800 242,000 264,000 290,000 319,000 348,000
Desert Water Agency 65,119 71,200 79,400 84,200 88,900 93,500
Mission Springs Water District 24,252 24,384 26,213 28,179 30,292 32,564
Valley Sanitary District** 51,400 54,900 64,500 75,900 89,300 105,000
TOTAL 441,771 482,589 541,989 606,940 676,938 745,690
* Service review questionnaire data used. UWMP included significantly higher projections
** VSD serves 95% of the City of Indio
As a comparison, data received from the WRCOG contained three population projections for the
CVAG area in the year 2030. They were:
• 688,097—2030 projections from data submitted by the agencies
• 715,696—2030 projections from the Regional Transportation Plan’s EIR “no project”
alternative
• 715,648—2030 projections from the Regional Transportation Plan
The difference among the population projections varies by approximately 5-7%. While the
differences are not considered substantial or significant if used for regional planning purposes, it
can result in difficulties for agencies, in particular smaller cities and special districts, when
planning for the sizing and financing of future infrastructure. The lack of a generally accepted,
consistent source and methodology for projecting future growth and population projections was
noted in all three service review areas in Riverside County. No other significant issues related
to population and growth projections were noted.
It is suggested that the Riverside LAFCO along with other agencies in Riverside County
investigate the costs and benefits of developing a county-wide system for consistent populations
projections for both municipalities and, most importantly, for special districts. The WRCOG has
previously proposed a regional model for projection population figures that are specific to
Riverside County and has estimated that it would require approximately $250,000 per year to
operate and maintain those projections. Regional, consistent projections would be of most
value to agencies with expected growth; agencies whose service areas are generally built-out
February 2005 – Final Report 3-6
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
typically estimate population using the current number of service connections, the average
population per household from the U.S. Census and regional growth rates.
3.3 INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES
In addressing infrastructure needs and deficiencies, the service review survey included a series
of questions to determine current and future demand/supply and capacity. Additional questions
were included to gather an overall “snapshot” of the infrastructure. This section first addresses
infrastructure needs and deficiencies for the water agencies within the Coachella Valley service
review area. The second part addresses infrastructure needs and deficiencies for the
wastewater agencies.
3.3.1 Water System Information
Table 3.3.1, Water System Information, depicts data obtained from responses to the service
review questionnaire regarding number of customers, peak capacity/demand, storage and
facilities of each water agency. Assessing this type of information can highlight agencies that
might have infrastructure deficiencies such as significant shortfalls in the peak capacity as
compared to the peak demand.
TABLE 3.3.1
WATER SYSTEM INFORMATION
Total # Estimated Peak Estimated
of Miles of Storage Storage Demand Peak Capacity
AGENCY Connections Lines (mg) (in days) (mgd) (mgd)
City of Coachella 4,120 60 5.1 2 4.8 8.4
City of Indio 1,758 120 8 0.4 22 22
Coachella Valley Water
89,926 1730 105.8 0.5 200 230
District
Desert Water Agency 19,733 368 54.2 NP 59.63 67
Mission Springs Water
8,230 245 18.25 1-3 days 9.878 18.247
District
NP – not provided
Typical water system storage is based on providing a maximum day demand, on enough
storage to account for the peaking that occurs throughout the day, on required fire flow within all
pressure zones and on a reserve volume. All of these factors are based on the needs of the
specific agency and may vary.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-7
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
In the table above, peak demand is assumed to reflect the maximum demand required by
customers on any one day. Demand peaking, which occurs typically twice each day (morning
and evening), is normally in the range of 1.5 to 3 times the average demand for the day. Water
storage reservoirs are designed to fulfill these peaks during the day and refill at night, thereby
creating a buffer that will allow a constant supply from the water source. Wells and
replenishment of underground aquifers also can serve as storage facilities. The agencies in the
Coachella Valley review area use groundwater so that typical storage requirements are not as
meaningful since the agencies can use the underground aquifers as storage.
Based on the table above, it would appear that the CVWD and the City of Indio have systems
with one-half the typical water storage reservoir volume needed to maintain pressures during a
maximum day. In their service review response, the City of Indio did not note plans to address
storage capacity. However, their master plan was adopted in April of 2000 and the CIP budget
for FY 2002-2003 (actual numbers) was four times the previous year’s CIP expenditures. It is
assumed that the majority of the CIP budget reported was earmarked for water system
replacement and upgrades.
The CVWD has a master plan and CIP process that has and continues to address storage
needs. In addition the agency primarily relies on groundwater and the underground aquifer
used also serves storage purposes. In terms of other infrastructure needs and deficiencies, the
CVWD also noted transmission and distribution line infrastructure needs in the Salton Sea area.
In their responses the Desert Water Agency noted a need to the service review questionnaire
for developing more storage capacity; the agency is addressing the need through their master
plan and CIP process.
The City of Coachella (Coachella Water Authority) also noted a need for additional storage
capacity to meet the growing need as well as fire flow requirements. Construction of a new 5
MG reservoir is expected to occur in 2004.
No significant areas of infrastructure deficiencies were noted and the future need for new and/or
upgraded infrastructure has generally been addressed by the agencies through master plans
and/or annual CIP budgets and plans. All water agencies reported that all permits are current,
have master plans/Urban Water Management Plans (UWMP) and 2003 water quality reports.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-8
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
3.3.2 Regional Water Demand Projections
The first step in determining an overall, regional picture of supply and demand for water was
assembling the data for each agency which was presented in the preceding section. A per
capita daily use of 397 gallons per day per capita (gd/pc) was used in calculating future demand
in the following table for the Coachella Valley service review region. The figure, which does not
include agricultural use, was derived by dividing the existing demand by the existing population.
The per capita figure is high relative to figures from the Department of Water Resources which
estimates that the per capita water use in California varies from a high in the Central Valley of
300 gd/pc to a low in the Central Coast of as little as 50 gd/pc in cooler weather when demand
for water is less. Using a figure of 397 gd/pc is a “worse-case” analysis for future demand
based on existing information. Table 3.3.2, Regional Water Demand Projections, shows the
expected increase in demand for each agency as of 2025 based on available data. . Figure
3.3.1 shows the relationship of water providers and water sources in the service review region.
TABLE 3.3.2 – REGIONAL WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS
Future Demand
Future Demand Future Supply Based on Population
Existing Demand Existing Supply
Agency (2025) (2025) Projections
AF AF
AF AF (2025)
AF
City of Coachella 3,572 9,416 8,968 28,810 28,893
City of Indio* 18,390 20,000 73,000 77,000 44,273
Coachella Valley Water
129,000 257,000 187,000 360,000 154,686
District
Desert Water Agency 42,260 85,115 70,500 85,115 41,560
Mission Springs Water
5,597 20,159 10,034 37,142 14,475
District
*Figure obtained from 2001 Riverside LAFCO Special Districts Questionnaire
3.3.3 Water Demand and Supply by Agency
The water and wastewater service review questionnaire requested data from agencies
regarding both the current and future supply of water and the current and future demand. The
data is summarized in the following paragraphs and a regional aggregate of data is presented at
the end of this section.
The responses to the service review questionnaire were to be the basis for determining the
existing and future demand; however, several agencies did not respond or provided partial
responses. Therefore, other sources of information, such as UWMPs, were used. However,
data taken from supplemental reports submitted by agencies did not always coincide with data
February 2005 – Final Report 3-9
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
submitted as part of this service review. It was not possible to reconcile the various sources of
data; the graphs on the following pages, which show the expected demand for each agency in
five-year increments, have been created using a combination of the service review
questionnaire, the agencies’ UWMPs, if available, and other documents.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-10
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.3.1
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER SUPPLY SCHEMATIC
February 2005 – Final Report 3-11
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
(cid:153) CITY OF COACHELLA (COACHELLA WATER AUTHORITY)
Water supply and demand information was not submitted by the City of Coachella. The City’s
website, 1997 General Plan and EIR, and other sources were used to obtain the following
information. All water supplied to the City of Coachella is from groundwater from four active
wells. In 2002, a total of 1,163 MG was used, equaling an average daily demand of 3.19 MGD.
The City has two reservoirs totaling approximately 5.1 MG of storage. The City’s 1997 EIR
concluded that some of the existing transmission lines are inadequate to meet the demands of
the future and will need to be paralleled or replaced. The City’s un-adopted (as of 1997) Water
Master Plan noted the need for new wells, reservoirs (with a total storage capacity for average
day demand plus fire flow requirements (which were estimated at 65 million gallons) and water
distribution lines within the City and its SOI. Figure 3.3.2 illustrates the water supply/demand
forecast to year 2025.
FIGURE 3.3.2
COACHELLA WATER AUTHORITY
SUPPLY/DEMAND FORECAST
35,000
30,000 28,810
25,550
25,000
22,301 22,301
20,000
15,877
15,000
10,000 9,416 8,968
7,324
5,882
4,693
5,000 3,572 4,110
0
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
February 2005 – Final Report 3-12
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Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
(cid:153) CITY OF INDIO
The City of Indio, through the Indio Water Authority (IWA) provides potable water to its residents
with the Valley Sanitary District (VSD) providing wastewater services. Since the 1960s the City
has provided water service directly to residents; in 2000 IWA was created to raise funds for
improvements to the water system and streets. IWA, whose board is comprised of City Council
members, leases the water assets from the city. The Authority serves over 12,000 service
connections using approximately 6.8 billion gallons of water per year.
The City’s water supply is groundwater and recycled water supplied by EVMWD. The City of
Indio, Indio Water Authority and the Coachella Valley Water District entered into a Settlement
Agreement in December 2002 to increase the reliability and efficiency of their respective
domestic water distribution system. This agreement includes the construction of three new
inter-tie connections and service area boundary modifications.
Groundwater is provided to IWA by 14 wells and 4 reservoirs. Wells are capable of supplying
1,500 to 2,000 gpm and each of the four reservoirs has a capacity of 2 million-gallons each, for
a total of 8 MG of storage. Therefore the existing peak supply of the City water system is
approximately 35 MGD.
Water for irrigation and non-potable uses is currently provided to the City by CVWD. The Valley
Sanitary District, through its treatment plant, serves 95% of the City of Indio but does not
currently reclaim effluent water. Although providing reclaimed water from the VSD’s treatment
facilities and the CVWD’s facility could decrease the region’s reliance on imported and
groundwater, the constraints are primarily the costs of upgrades to the treatment facility, the
costs of the distribution system and the currently relative low costs of potable water.
Because the primary supply of source water for the Coachella Valley, including the City of Indio,
is groundwater, the water supply is considered reliable and not as subject to fluctuations in
supply if over drafting ceases. However, the Indio Water Authority’s UWMP contains a water
shortage contingency analysis in the event that supply is compromised in the future. Figure
3.3.3 illustrates the water supply/demand forecast to year 2025.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-13
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.3.3
CITY OF INDIO
SUPPLY/DEMAND FORECAST
90,000
80,000 77,000
73,000
70,000
65,000
60,000
60,000
52,000
49,000
50,000
40,000
40,000 37,000
30,000 28,000
26,000
20,000
20,000 18,000
10,000
-
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
(cid:153) Coachella Valley Water District
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) was formed in 1918 under the state water code
provisions of the County Water District Act. Its service area includes approximately 640,000
acres and encompasses territory primarily within Riverside County but also within Imperial and
San Diego Counties. The district provides irrigation water, domestic water, stormwater
protection, agricultural drainage, wastewater reclamation, groundwater management, sanitation
collection and treatment, and water conservation. Recreational facilities and generation of
energy have become by-products of some of these services. It imports water from the Colorado
River under a contract with the Bureau of Reclamation and by exchange agreements with the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for State Water Project (SWP) entitlements.
The CVWD has a five member board of directors elected by division.
The district serves urban water to most of the Coachella Valley and along both sides of the
Salton Sea in Imperial Valley. The CVWD's urban water service area is 70 miles long. It has
between 81 and 83 wells in operation and serves 89,826 connections with total water use of 30
billion gallons of water annually. The agency maintains more than 1,420 miles lines and 60
reservoirs.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-14
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Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
The CVWD has used groundwater as the primary source of drinking water. A common
groundwater source, the Whitewater River Basin, is shared by the Coachella Valley Water
District (CVWD), Desert Water Agency (DWA), the City of Indio, and the City of Coachella. The
basin is divided into the upper and lower basins, with an estimated total storage of 30 million
acre feet of water. The City of Indio and City of Coachella obtain water from the lower basin.
CVWD obtains water from both the upper and lower Whitewater River Basin and Mission Creek.
Based on the water balance calculations performed for the District’s UWMP, the basin is
currently over drafted by 3.7 million acre feet. It was estimated that 4.7 million acre feet was
over drafted during the 64 year period between 1936 and 1999.
The agency has had a concern about the potential for over drafting of the groundwater basin for
sometime. In 1963 CVWD and Desert Water Agency entered into contracts for SWP water as a
supplemental source of water for farming and for expected growth. To avoid the cost of
constructing an aqueduct for the SWP water, the CVWD and Desert Water Agency (DWA)
entered into an exchange agreement with Metropolitan which allowed CVWD and DWA to trade
their SWP entitlement for the same amount of Colorado River. The exchange agreement runs to
the year 2035 and there are no plans to construct a transmission system for future delivery of
SWP supplies.
When the Hoover Dam was built, the Coachella Canal and All-American Canal were built to
provide imported water from the Colorado River. The water delivered is limited to the
“reasonable beneficial use for land within a defined portion of the Coachella Valley”. The future
of this source is protected as a result of the Quantification Settlement Agreement signed in
2003. This has and will continue to result in increased dependence on groundwater within the
valley.
In the past, available surplus water from both the SWP and the Colorado River Basin water
have been used to recharge the upper Coachella Valley groundwater basin. According to the
District’s UWMP, over 290,000 acre-feet of surplus remains from a 1980’s storage program.
Figure 3.3.4 was developed using information submitted by the District. A pilot program has
been in place to demonstrate the ability to percolate Colorado River water into the lower basin
at a rate of potentially up to 100,000 AF/Yr. CVWD has purchased additional SWP water above
its original contract with the State. The District and DWA have recharge programs in both the
Whitewater and Mission Springs Basins.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-15
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.3.4
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
SUPPLY/DEMAND FORECAST
400,000
360,000
350,000
330,000
305,000
300,000 285,000
266,000
257,000
250,000
200,000 187,000
171,000
156,000
146,000
150,000 137,000
129,000
100,000
50,000
-
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
In addition, declining groundwater levels prompted the district to initiate a recharge program for
the lower Coachella Valley. The effort included preparation of an environmental impact study to
determine the size of the groundwater supply and potential recharge sites, legal action to
reduce overdraft and hiring an engineering firm to help farmers convert from well to canal water.
The CVWD has several reclamation plants to reclaim wastewater effluent as an additional
source of groundwater recharge and non-potable water use.
Even though Coachella Valley has a high quality groundwater supply adequate to meet the
growth needs of the area for many years, the supply is not inexhaustible.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-16
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(cid:153) Desert Water Agency
The Desert Water Agency serves a 325-square-mile area including all of Palm Springs,
unincorporated areas and parts of Cathedral City. The Agency’s service area overlies four
groundwater basins. The Whitewater River sub basin, the largest of the four basins, supplies
most of the water. The Agency notes that the amount of water used has increased considerably
due to area population growth with 1,200 AF used in 1940 increasing to 45,000 AF in 1990;
demand is expected to exceed 84,000 AF/Yr by 2020. Natural replenishment has been
supplemented since 1973 with Colorado River water imported through the Colorado River
Aqueduct. The Desert Water Agency, as a participating public agency, is entitled to water
through the State Water Project (SWP) originating in Northern California and has a contract for
delivery of 38,100 AF. As of January 1, 2004 entitlement is 50,000 AF/Yr.
The Agency trades its SWP water with the Metropolitan’s Colorado River allotment, which is
accessible to recharge basins located near Windy Point. In 1988 the Desert Water Agency and
the City of Palm Springs entered into an agreement to treat sewage water and reclaim water
which is used for non-potable purposes and for groundwater recharge. DWA and CVWD
recharge the Whitewater and Mission Springs Basins. Figure 3.3.5 illustrates the water
supply/demand forecast to year 2025.
FIGURE 3.3.5
DESERT WATER AGENCY
SUPPLY/DEMAND FORECAST
90,000
85,115 85,115 85,115 85,115 85,115 85,115
80,000
70,500
70,000 67,000
63,500
60,000
60,000
51,130
50,000
42,260
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
February 2005 – Final Report 3-17
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Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
(cid:153) Mission Springs Water District
The Mission Springs Water District (MSWD) operates three separate water distribution systems
and two separate wastewater collection and treatment systems, serving Desert Hot Springs, ten
smaller communities in Riverside County, and a portion of Palm Springs. The service area
includes 135 square miles and over 25,000 people. It serves approximately 8,000 water
connections and 3,300 wastewater accounts. The information used in creating the following
chart was taken from the Riverside LAFCO service review questionnaire. The District is within
the Desert Water Agency's taxing jurisdiction boundary in order to qualify for the State Water
Project entitlements. Figure 3.3.6 illustrates the water supply/demand forecast to year 2025.
FIGURE 3.3.6
MISSION SPRINGS WATER DISTRICT
SUPPLY/DEMAND FORECAST
40,000
37,142
35,000
32,868
30,000 29,087
25,741
25,000
22,780
20,159
20,000
15,000
10,034
10,000 8,880
7,858
6,954
5,597
6,154
5,000
-
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Sources of Water in Coachella Valley Service Review Area
The service review questionnaire also requested that the agencies provide information
regarding the sources of water. Each agency was asked to list the supply in AF for each source
(wholesale, SWP, surface water, wells, reclaimed) for each five-year increment. The regional
summary of water supply sources is shown in Figure 3.3.7. Colorado River water will be used
February 2005 – Final Report 3-18
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Water System Capacity/Supply Average Annual Water Demand
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
700,000
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Year
February 2005 – Final Report 3-19
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for direct and in-lieu recharge and for treatment and delivery. The following Figures 3.3.8-12
show the proportion of source water for each water agency over the next 25 years.
FIGURE 3.3.7
COACHELLA REGIONAL AREA WATER SUPPLY BY SOURCE
Reclaimed
Groundwater
Suface Water
State Water
FIGURE 3.3.8 – COACHELLA WATER AUTHORITY
WATER SUPPLY BY SOURCE
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
Ex 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Year
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All Future Water Supply from Groundwater Wells
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Year
February 2005 – Final Report 3-20
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FIGURE 3.3.9
CITY OF INDIO WATER SUPPLY BY SOURCE
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Ex 2005 2010 2015 2020
Year
FIGURE 3.3.10
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
WATER SUPPLY BY SOURCE
Reclaimed
Groundwater
State Water
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Groundwater
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
140,000
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Existing 2005 2010 2015 2020
Year
February 2005 – Final Report 3-21
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FIGURE 3.3.11
DESERT WATER AGENCY WATER SUPPLY BY SOURCE
Reclaimed
Groundwater
Suface Water
State Water
FIGURE 3.3.12
MISSION SPRINGS WATER DISTRICT WATER SUPPLY BY SOURCE
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Ex 2005 2010 2015 2020
Year
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Groundwater
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Based on the supplied source water information provided by each agency for projected future
water, it is apparent that groundwater will continue to be the primary source of water for the
Coachella Valley. The source of recycled/reclaimed water is expected to increase but actual
supply is highly dependent on the amount of infrastructure constructed to serve future
customers. The supply of SWP deliveries is expected to increase as the result of the DWA and
the CVWD entering into an agreement with Metropolitan to maximize SWP use and of the
CVWD’s purchase of an additional 9,000 AF from the SWP. Finally the Quantification
Settlement Agreement, signed in October 2003, provides a firm supply of 456,000 AF/Yr to the
lower Coachella Valley.
3.3.4 Wastewater Demand Capacity
Four of the six agencies in the Coachella Valley provide wastewater treatment services. The
Coachella Sanitary District, which provides wastewater service to portions of the City, is a
dependent district of the City of Coachella with the City Council sitting as the board.
The following table summarizes the basic treatment levels and infrastructure of each agency.
Based on the above information, most agencies are currently operating within their rated
capacity. The City of Coachella is quickly approaching their treatment capacity and is currently
in the design phase of a treatment plant expansion that will take them to a rated capacity of 5.4
MGD.
TABLE 3.3.3
WASTEWATER AGENCY INFORMATION
Total # of Rated Capacity ADWF Miles of
Treatment Level
Agency Connections (mgd) (mgd) Lines
City of Coachella – Coachella
4,065 2.4 2.0 Secondary 59
Sanitary District
Advanced secondary;
Coachella Valley Water District 81,012 28.6 14.0 1,040
some tertiary
Desert Water Agency* 361 NA 1.1 NA NA
Mission Springs Water District 3,553 2.5 0.9 Secondary 51
Valley Sanitary District** 21,963 8.5 5.7 Secondary 160
NP = not provided; NA – not applicable
*DWA does not provide wastewater treatment services; sewer effluent is transmitted to CVWD for treatment
** City of Indio wastewater needs are served by Valley Sanitary District
February 2005 – Final Report 3-22
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Using the results from the City of Coachella, Coachella Valley Water District, and the Valley
Sanitary District shown in Table 3.3.3, the total average flow per connection equals
approximately 200 gallons per day. Dividing the existing population for each of these three
agencies by their number of connection results in 2.7 people per connection. Therefore the
estimate flow per capita is 200 gpd divided by 2.7 or 75 gallons per capita. Figure 3.3.13
shows the projected wastewater flows up to year 2025 based on population estimates and an
average flow of 75 gallons per day per capita.
FIGURE 3.3.13
REGIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT FLOW PROJECTION
60,000,000
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
-
Ex 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
The Coachella Sanitary District (City of Coachella) is planning a treatment plant expansion to 4
MGD and is considering an ultimate expansion to 5.5 MGD. The District also noted that it has
some lines that are currently within storm drain channels although CIP funds have been
budgeted for replacement. The Coachella Valley Water District reported plans to increase the
capacity of their Wastewater Reclamation Plant (WRP) #4 from 5.3 MGD to 9.9 MGD although
no date for completion was noted. The Valley Sanitary District reported plans to increase the
capacity of their wastewater treatment plant from 8.5 MGD to 11 MGD by 2010.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-23
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Valley Sanitary District
Mission Springs Water District
Desert Water Agency
Coachella Valley Water District
City of Coachella
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
SUMMARY
Groundwater is the primary source of potable water for the Coachella Valley agencies and will
continue to be depended upon at an increasing rate into the future. The withdrawal rate of
groundwater is currently greater than the recharge rate, but given the total estimated volume of
the aquifer, groundwater will continue to be a reliable source of water well into the future. In
addition, agencies are researching what appear to be highly effective groundwater recharge
methods utilizing portions of their contractual allotments of SWP and Colorado River water
supply. No significant issues regarding water supply and demand for individual agencies or for
the service review region were noted.
However, while the CVWD maintains information regarding the take from the groundwater
basins by private and/or mutual water companies, a means of ensuring that the data from
private and mutual agencies is readily and regularly available to the public and planning
organizations should be established. This exists in annual replenishment assessment reports
presented at public hearings by CVWD and DWA.
The City of Indio and the City of Coachella have both formed water authorities which use
revenue from fees and bonds based on water system assets to fund street repairs as well as
system improvements. Typically bond issuers will require substantial investments in
infrastructure to preserve the value of the assets. However, with multiple and increasing
demands on municipalities from state and federal programs, it is a potential concern that these
agencies continue to adequately fund water and wastewater infrastructure repair and
replacement.
No significant issues regarding infrastructure needs and deficiencies were noted for wastewater
service. In the Coachella Valley, the DWA, CVWD and MSWD all recycle and sell reclaimed
water; in addition the CVWD and DWA have replenishment assessments in the range of $30-80
per AF of groundwater pumped. Recycled water continues to represent a priority water
management practice in the Coachella Valley. As described in the Coachella Valley Final Water
Management Plan (CVWD, September 2002), use of recycled water will continue to increase as
growth occurs in the valley. Recycled programs will plan an important role in providing
supplemental water in the lower Coachella Valley.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-24
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
3.4 FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS
A series of questions was included in the service review questionnaire as a means of evaluating
financial constraints and opportunities in relation to existing and projected service needs.
Information collected addressed total revenues and expenditures as well as reserve levels.
Agencies were also asked to identify any financing constraints and opportunities that affect the
service provided and infrastructure needs. Beyond existing legislative, political and
governmental regulations, few agencies identified any financing constraints. Most agencies did
note that the cost of infrastructure replacement and upgrades, the cost of meeting increasing
federal and state regulatory requirements and the cost of insurance were a concern. Agencies
noted that their governing board examined rates annually to ensure a balance between rates
and capital needs. Maintaining reasonable rates for customers and to preserve agricultural
resources were cited as a self-imposed financing constraint.
The service review questionnaire asked agencies to provide total revenues, revenue sources,
CIP budget and reserves for the previous three fiscal years. That information is summarized for
each agency in Appendix C, Agency Financial Summaries. No significant issues were noted
for any of the agencies in relation to financing opportunities and constraints.
Figure 3.4.1, Agency Revenue Comparison, and Figure 3.4.2, Aggregate Sources of Agency
Revenue, compare total revenues for all agencies and aggregate sources of revenues. Data
from FY 2002-2003 was used to compare actual numbers. Generally revenues for all agencies
are proportional to their size and service area. For example, the Coachella Valley Water district,
whose revenues are nearly three times that of the next agency, has more than 3.5 times the
number of customers.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-25
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.4.1 - 2002-2003 AGENCY REVENUE COMPARISON
$87,119,112
$25,486,487
$8,902,693
$4,700,000 $5,735,385 $6,691,204
Desert Water Mission Springs City of Coachella City of Indio Valley Sanitary Coachella Valley
Agency WD District Water District
As enterprise activities, the primary revenue source for all water and wastewater agencies
comes from service charges and fees directly related to the provision of services. Other income
generally comes from interest earned on various funds. Figure 3.4.2, 2002-2003 Aggregate
Sources of Agency Revenue, shows that water and wastewater agencies, as enterprise funds,
derive a majority of their revenue from fees and charges.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-26
3002-2002
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Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.4.2
AGGREGATE SOURCES OF AGENCY REVENUE
FY 2002-2003
100%
90%
80%
70%
60% 55%
50%
40%
30% 25%
20% 15%
10%
3%
0% 0% 0% 1%
0%
Pr o p
erty T ax
es
S p eci
al T ax
es
S
ervic e
C h ar g
es
F e
es
Ass
ess m e
nts
St a
n d- by
C h ar g
es
Gr a
nts
Ot h
er
“Other” income, which represented 15% of the aggregate sources of income, includes interest,
miscellaneous water and wastewater charges, capacity fees and permit income and unspecified
income. The service review questionnaire did not include specific definitions of each revenue
source and it is assumed that some of the income reported as “Other” would be more properly
classified as “Fees” and/or “Assessments”. For example, the Valley Sanitary District reported
$272,948 in “Other” income but noted that it was derived from capacity charges/permits and the
Desert Water Agency reported $399,353 in miscellaneous water and wastewater charges.
The amount of property tax revenue each agency received during FY 2002-2003 is shown in
Table 3.4.1, 2002-2003 Property Tax Revenue. The Cities of Coachella and Indio both have
formed water authorities which lease the water system assets and issues bonds for street and
system repairs. Neither water authority reported receiving property taxes. The Coachella
Sanitary District, a dependent district of the City, received $36,000 in property tax revenue.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-27
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Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
TABLE 3.4.1
2002-2003 PROPERTY TAX REVENUE
AGENCY PROPERTY TAX REVENUE
City of Coachella (Coachella Sanitary District) $36,000
City of Indio (Indio Water Authority) 0
Coachella Valley Water District $13,238,175
Desert Water Agency $6,278,901
Mission Springs Water District $740,226
Valley Sanitary District $348,057
Funds of dependent districts are required by law to be maintained separately from the funds of
the city. However, municipalities can and almost universally charge water and wastewater
departments, dependent districts and special purpose agencies (such as a water authorities)
charges for administrative services (i.e. accounting, personnel administration, insurance etc).
For the FY 2002-2003, the Coachella Sanitary District transferred $413,000 and the Coachella
Water Authority transferred $371,000 to the City of Coachella General Fund. The Indio Water
Authority reported transferring no funds to the City of Indio’s General Fund. No information was
requested from the water authorities regarding lease payments from water assets.
A comparison of the capital improvement financial expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2002-2003 is
shown in Figure 3.4.3, 2002-2003 Agency CIP Comparisons. CIP expenditures were generally
consistent across agencies according to the size of their service area and customer base.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-28
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.4.3
2002-2003 AGENCY CIP COMPARISON
$469,653,000
$10,851,100 $4,770,111 $3,375,000 $1,608,765 $4,480,840
Desert Water Mission Springs City of Coachella City of Indio Valley Sanitary Coachella Valley
Agency WD District Water District
The issue of reserve levels was raised as a general statewide concern in the 2000 Little Hoover
Commission report on special districts. That report concluded that some agency reserves
appear unreasonably large, are not integrated into infrastructure planning and are obscure.
Data collected for this service review did not find that the agencies in the Coachella service
review area showed evidence of the concerns noted by the Little Hoover Commission for
agencies in other parts of California.
Setting specific levels of reserves for the diversity of agencies addressed in this service review
report is impracticable. The different services, service areas, customer bases, condition of
infrastructure, capital improvement programs and other issues require reserve levels specific to
each agency. Agencies with large reserves typically have major, long-term capital improvement
projects.
The service review questionnaire asked agencies to report reserves in the categories of
operating, capital, rate stabilization, restricted and other for the previous three fiscal years.
Figure 3.4.4, 2002-2003 Agency Reserve Comparison compares reserve amounts.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-29
3002-2002
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Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
All reserve levels reported by the agencies were clearly segregated into the uses for the
reserves—operating and rate stabilizations, restricted debt reserves and capital reserves funds.
The Coachella Valley Water District did not report reserves segregated by categories.
FIGURE 3.4.4
2002-2003 AGENCY RESERVES COMPARISON
$116,307,300
$50,972,200
$11,534,778 $11,753,000
$5,076,066 $4,510,549
Desert Water Mission Springs City of Coachella City of Indio Valley Sanitary Coachella Valley
Agency WD District Water District
Figure 3.4.5, Aggregate Reserves by Category, supports the link between capital improvement
projects and reserve levels. Almost 70% of the reserves were earmarked for capital reserve
funds. High capital reserve levels indicate an agency’s need to maintain adequate reserves for
planned infrastructure improvements/upgrades, meet expected demand and to comply with
stricter regulatory requirements.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-30
3002-2002
,sevreseR
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Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
FIGURE 3.4.5
AGGREGATE RESERVES BY CATEGORY
80%
70% 67%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
20%
12%
10%
1%
0%
Operating Reserves Capital Reserve Fund Restricted Debt Reserves Other Reserves
3.5 OPPORTUNITIES FOR RATE RESTRUCTURING
The service review questionnaire asked agencies to list current rates for water and wastewater
service, rates changes in the previous two years, anticipated rate changes and any difference in
rates charged to customers outside agency boundaries. The responses regarding the meter
and commodity charges are summarized in the “Agency Profiles” section of this chapter;
complete responses to the service review questionnaire can be found in Appendix B, Database
Reports.
All the agencies in the Coachella Valley service review area noted rate increases in the previous
two years except for the Coachella Water Authority. Both the Coachella Water Authority and
the Coachella Sanitary District reported that rates for water and sewer respectively would
increase in the next two years. All agencies noted that rates are reviewed annually.
Agencies were asked about the differences in rates charged for areas served outside their
boundaries; the intent was to identify areas where customers may want to consider annexation
to a service provider to reduce rates. Only two agencies reported rate differences between
customers inside and outside their agency boundaries. For a 5/8” meter the Coachella Water
Authority charges $7.83 for customers inside their boundaries and $22.10 for customers outside
their boundaries; CWA only serves 100 customers outside their boundaries. The Indio Water
February 2005 – Final Report 3-31
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Authority doubles their commodity rate of $0.63 to $1.26 HCF for customers outside their
boundaries; IWA reported serving 12,400 connections inside their service area and 1,634
connections outside.
The following Figure 3.4.6, Water Rate Comparison, compares water rates among the
Coachella Valley water agencies based on a 5/8-inch meter and 500 gallons of water per
month.
FIGURE 3.4.6
WATER RATE COMPARISON
(5/8” meter, water usage = 500 gallons per day)
$30
$28.50
Meter charge (fixed) Water Use Charge Total Monthly Charge
$25
$20.37
$20 $19.42
$18.01
$15
$13.83
$10
$5
$0
Desert Water Agency Mission Springs Water District City of Indio / Indio Water Coachella Water Authority (City of Coachella Valley Water District
Authority Coachella)
Wastewater agencies were asked to note if rates were flat or were tied to water usage and to
provide the residential rate. Those responses are shown in Figure 3.4.7, Wastewater User
Charge Comparison. In addition, the State Water Resources Control Board (WRCB) publishes
a wastewater users survey report, which includes information regarding connection fees for
wastewater agencies. Data from that publication was also used to develop Figure 3.4.8,
February 2005 – Final Report 3-32
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Wastewater Connection Fee Comparison, comparing connection fees of the wastewater
agencies in the Coachella Valley service review area.
FIGURE 3.4.7
WASTEWATER USER CHARGE COMPARISON
$25.00
$20.00
$15.00
$10.00
$5.00
$0.00
City of Coachella Coachella Valley Desert Water Agency Mission Springs Valley Sanitary
Water District Water District District
FIGURE 3.4.8
WASTEWATER CONNECTION FEE COMPARISON
February 2005 – Final Report 3-33
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SOURCE: CALIFORNIA, STATE OF. STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD AND CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. 2002. WASTEWATER USER CHARGE SURVEY REPORT FY
2001-02: A SUMMARY AND LISTING OF DATA FROM THE OCTOBER 2001-APRIL 2002 SURVEY OF CALIFORNIA WASTEWATER AGENCIES.
p
$3,500
$3,000
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
City of Coachella Coachella Valley Desert Water Mission Springs Valley Sanitary
Water District Agency Water District District
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SOURCE: CALIFORNIA, STATE OF. STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD AND CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. 2002. WASTEWATER USER CHARGE SURVEY REPORT FY
2001-02: A SUMMARY AND LISTING OF DATA FROM THE OCTOBER 2001-APRIL 2002 SURVEY OF CALIFORNIA WASTEWATER AGENCIES.
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
3.6 OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED FACILITIES AND COST
AVOIDANCE
In evaluating both shared facilities and cost avoidance opportunities, the service review noticed
numerous areas of overlap between the two determinations and the analysis for both
determinations have been combined into this section.
The Riverside LAFCO service review process examined current practices used by the agencies
to reduce or avoid costs including the use of outside vendors and contractors. Overlapping or
inefficient service boundaries were also examined as a means that the Riverside LAFCO can
use to encourage efficiently provided water and wastewater services, increase opportunities for
shared facilities and avoid costs. Some boundary issues have been addressed in Section 3.7 -
Government Structure Options. However, it should be noted that the lack of digitized maps and
an in-house GIS system is a deterrent to the ability of the Riverside LAFCO staff to ensure that
boundaries of the agencies and their SOIs are efficient.
As part of the service review questionnaire, agencies were asked to identify ways that they
currently cooperate with other agencies to maximize opportunities for sharing facilities.
Agencies were asked to list current joint activities with other agencies, which are shown in Table
3.6.1, Joint Service Agreements. The agencies within the Coachella Valley service review area
noted joint activities which increase opportunities for shared facilities.
TABLE 3.6.1
JOINT SERVICE AGREEMENTS
AGENCY JOINT AGREEMENTS NOTED
Joint Powers Authority (JPA) between the City of Coachella and the Coachella
City of Coachella Redevelopment Agency for financing; Coachella Valley Association of Governments
(CVAG)
Recharge agreement with the Department of Water Resources; emergency inter-tie with
Coachella Valley Water District
Mission Springs Water District; City of Indio service agreement and inter-tie
Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) JPIA for insurance; State Water
Desert Water Agency
Contractors (State Water project)
City of Indio CVWD service agreement and inter-tie
Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) JPIA for insurance; emergency inter-
Mission Springs Water District
ties with the CVWD
California Sanitation Risk Management Association (CSRMA) for worker’s compensation
Valley Sanitary District
insurance; service agreement with the CVWD for La Quinta development
February 2005 – Final Report 3-34
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
The Coachella Valley Water District, Desert Water Agency and Mission Springs Water District
noted that their agencies make excess capacity, facilities and/or staff available on an
emergency basis to other agencies.
The Coachella Valley Water District also noted that there may be potential opportunities for
shared facilities with the Cities of Coachella and Indio as well as the Myoma Dunes Water
Company (a mutual water company) due to areas where existing and planned infrastructure
overlaps. The CVWD also has agreements with the Desert Water Agency, the Imperial irrigation
District, Metropolitan, the Bureau of Reclamation and various cities.
The Mission Springs Water District noted a potential opportunity to share a GIS system with the
City of Desert Hot Springs. Finally the Valley Sanitary District uses private contractors for
engineering, janitorial, grounds and maintenance work and noted that they currently have
excess capacity, however the current treatment capacity is less than what would be ultimately
needed at build-out.
The City of Coachella, City of Indio and CVWD all operate independent water distribution
systems adjacent to each other. Potential interconnections with neighboring systems could be
mutually beneficial, providing a more reliable water supply.
3.7 GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OPTIONS
The service review becomes a tool to examine existing and future service provision and to
evaluate governmental structure options that can ensure that services are provided efficiently
and concurrent with need. The service review does not require the Riverside LAFCO to initiate
changes of organization but to list options which the LAFCO Commission, service review
agencies and the public can use as a starting point for changes in service provision, in agencies
or in SOIs.
Changes in government structure of agencies are proposed for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes the governing board, an external agency, such as a Grand Jury, or the public
identifies benefits that might result or a problem that might be “fixed” by a consolidation with
another agency. Advantages that might accrue from the reorganization of agencies include:
• Simplification of boundaries – If there are too many agencies that provide similar
services in a limited area, there could be overlapping service areas and confusion
among the customers.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-35
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
• Improved service delivery – An agency might be reorganized if the provision of service
would be improved. For example, a small agency might reorganize with a larger one to
increase staff expertise and depth or to increase the agency’s capacity to provide
services. An agency may find itself better able to serve its constituency after
reorganization or a sphere amendment adds or deletes territory.
• Reduction in costs or fees – The cost of providing service may vary among agencies and
reorganization may be seen as a means of lowering rates and/or reducing costs. If an
agency is very small, reorganization with another agency might achieve economies of
scale.
• Increase in local accountability and “home rule” – If citizens believe that an agency is
unresponsive to their needs, a reorganization might be proposed to allow closer
interaction between a governing board and residents.
• Correction of problems – Occasionally governing board members may be perceived by
the public as ineffectual or service provision as inefficient and reorganizations are
proposed to “fix” the problem.
• Realignment – An agency may find itself better able to serve its constituency after an
incorporation or sphere amendment adds or deletes territory.
Disadvantages or neutral effects from a change in governmental boundaries can include:
• No actual or limited costs savings – Reorganizations must assess and calculate all cost
inputs such as the cost of reorganization, merging staffs, retirement obligations or
upgrades to systems, etc. Sometimes the actual savings as a result of reorganization
are modest enough that it is not cost-efficient to pursue.
• Little improvement in service efficiency – If agencies considering a reorganization are
run efficiently, there may be little improvement in services.
• Local autonomy – A small agency providing services may offer benefits of community
cohesion and local “ownership” which might be lost in a reorganization with a larger
agency.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-36
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
• Political opposition – Pursuing reorganization without the support of residents or the
governing board typically increases the time and effort involved.
3.7.1 Services Outside of Agency Boundaries/Sphere of Influence
Updates
Government Code Section §56133 states that a city or district may provide services by contract
or agreement outside its jurisdictional boundaries only through approval by LAFCO. This
requirement, which was enacted in 2000, exempts agreements between two public agencies for
the transfer of untreated surplus water to agricultural lands and other instances.
Several agencies including the Mission Springs Water District, the Coachella Valley Water
District, the Coachella Sanitary District, the Coachella Water Authority, City of Indio and the
Valley Sanitary District all noted water and/or wastewater connections outside their jurisdictional
boundaries. Most of the service areas of the Cities of Indio and Coachella are within the CVWD
and some out-of-boundary service agreements may reflect this. While many of these service
agreements may be exempted, it may be worthwhile for the Riverside LAFCO to list and map
service agreements that are not exempt before updating spheres. This might simplify the
sphere review process.
(cid:153) CITY OF INDIO (INDIO WATER AUTHORITY) / COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
In April of 2003, the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) and the City of Indio (Indio Water
Authority) negotiated a settlement to an on-going service area dispute. It was agreed that the
CVWD would provide domestic water service to all current CVWD constituents within Indio’s city
limits, to all current water district constituents within Indio’s sphere of influence, to the Desert
Sands Unified School District sites within the city/its sphere of influence, to Andreas Ranch, to
the “North Indio” area, generally identified as land north of Interstate 10, west of Madison Street
and to existing customers within the CVWD’s existing SOI as well as to new customers within
the city where CVWD already provides service.
The CVWD agreed to pay the City of Indio 5.2¢ per 100 cubic-feet of water sold within the city
limits or city’s sphere of influence but the fee will not be assessed on CVWD’s existing
customers in the sphere until they are annexed into the city. The CVWD also agreed to collect
the City of Indio’s 5% utility tax. The CVWD also agreed to buy city-owned domestic water
facilities in North Indio, including transmission lines, wells and reservoirs, $370,180.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-37
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
The settlement also included other provisions designed to increase cooperation between the
two agencies as well as settled previous litigation regarding water to an elementary and middle
school at the southeast corner of Miles Avenue and Dune Palms Road that was going to be
build by the school district.
Riverside LAFCO should consider updating the SOIs of both agencies to reflect the current
negotiated agreement. Both agencies have areas where existing and/or planned infrastructure
may be duplicated and the Coachella Valley Water District has noted that the general area east
of I-10 may need to be analyzed for changes in existing spheres to facilitate efficient services.
3.7.2 Other Governmental Structure Options
The service review process examined a full range of governmental structure options. Some
government structure options had been previously examined by the Riverside LAFCO (or other
groups such as the Grand Jury) were not pursued due to opposition, existing agreements,
modest savings or increases in efficiency. These options are not included in the discussion in
this section but should be periodically revisited by the Riverside LAFCO.
In the Coachella Valley service review area, the Grand Jury had previously examined the
reorganization of the CVWD and the Desert WA. This reorganization was not pursued due to
differences in service areas, systems, rates and customer bases. Other options which have
been discussed and could be periodically revisited include the reorganization of the Valley
Sanitary District and the Cities of Indio and/or Coachella and the Mission Springs Water District
and the Desert Water Agency.
(cid:153) CITY OF COACHELLA / COACHELLA SANITARY DISTRICT
The Coachella Sanitary District is a dependent district of the City of Coachella. The Sanitary
District currently serves areas outside its boundaries which are not within its SOI. Riverside
LAFCO should consider not only a sphere update for the Sanitary District but also discuss with
the City of Coachella the possible reorganization of the district with the City to determine if
service provision could be improved and/or costs avoided.
3.8 EVALUATION OF MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCIES
Reviewing management efficiencies is generally an internal function of a public agency with
limited oversight by other agencies such as the state and federal government or grand juries.
The OPR service review guidelines suggested twenty factors that could be used when
evaluating management efficiencies but some of those factors assess internal practices which
February 2005 – Final Report 3-38
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
are difficult to measure or whose correction is outside the purview of LAFCO authority. These
factors were not included in the service review questionnaire.
Further complicating the process is the variety of water and wastewater agencies in Riverside
County. Managerial efficiencies can vary widely among the water and wastewater agencies and
can be affected by size, organizational culture, politics, past agency actions and other
explanatory factors. In order to try to assess the relative effectiveness of the agencies while still
accounting for the explanatory factors unique to the agencies, the Riverside LAFCO service
review collected data that indicated compliance with some federal/state requirements and data
that could be used as a general indicator of managerial efficiencies. Agencies were asked to
provide the number and classification of employees, employee training, the presence of master
plans and other long-range planning documents and audits. GIS capabilities and the
administrative costs expressed as a percent of total revenues were collected to serve as
indicators of managerial efficiencies. Agencies that did not meet requirements or whose
response was significantly different from other agencies were contacted individually to
determine what explanatory factors, if any, existed.
The service review questionnaire asked agencies to provide data on the total number of
employees for each agency, the staff providing direct provision of water and wastewater and the
number of employees in water and wastewater with certification. The presence of employees
with certification indicates both meeting legal requirements as well as some support within the
agency for improved knowledge and training opportunities for employees. In California,
operators of drinking water treatment and distribution facilities must possess a water treatment
and/or a distribution certificate. Certification is also required in order to work as an operator in a
wastewater treatment plant. The results are shown in the following Table 3.8.1. In some
instances, the number of employees with certification exceeds the total number of operational
employees. This is usually a result of employees holding multiple certificates.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-39
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
TABLE 3.8.1
EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
# of
# Operational # of Operational # of
Total
Agency Employees-- Certifications Employees-- Certifications
Employees
Water Service held by Staff Wastewater held by Staff
Service
City of Coachella 9 7 6 9 8
Coachella Valley Water 63 NP NP NP NP
District
Desert Water Agency 60 38 27 NA NA
City of Indio 28 25 14 NA NA
Mission Springs Water District 39 26 26 13 8
Valley Sanitary District 20 NA NA 20 15
NP – not provided; NA – not applicable
The Riverside LAFCO service review questionnaire also used the presence and/or frequency of
Capital Improvement Programs (CIP), master plans, Urban Water Management Plans,
Emergency Response Plans and audits as a means of assessing an agency’s management
efficiencies. All urban water suppliers with more than 3,000 customers or delivering more than
3,000 AF are required to prepare urban water management plans (UWMP) and update them
every five years. Most Riverside County agencies completed their UWMP in 2000 and will be
required to prepare an update in 2005. Audits and CIPs are generally prepared annually. While
there are no established standards for the frequency of preparation, typically master plans for
water and wastewater agencies are prepared every 5-10 years. The type of service area (i.e.,
level of development, rate of growth or presence of growth control initiatives) can also affect the
frequency of preparation. The presence of audits, CIPs, UWMPs and Emergency Response
Plans can indicate that the agency’s management structure is efficient in meeting basic
reporting requirements as well as long range planning.
Table 3.8.2, Long Range Planning, depicts information regarding master plans and other long
range planning documents.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-40
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
TABLE 3.8.2
LONG RANGE PLANNING
Water Urban Water Emergency Date of
Master Wastewater Management Response last
Plan Master Plan CIP Plan* Plan Audit
City of Coachella Yes Yes Yes Yes NP 2002
Coachella Valley Water District Yes No Yes Yes Yes 2003
Desert Water Agency Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 2003
City of Indio Yes NA Yes Yes NP 2002
Mission Springs Water District Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 2003
Valley Sanitary District NA Yes Yes NA NA 2003
**Water agencies under 3,000 customers are not required to prepare an Urban Water management Plan
Comparing an agency’s total administrative expenses as a percent of total operating revenue
can provide a rough measure of an agency’s overhead costs relative to its size. Table 3.8.3
shows the resulting percentages of this comparison. However, since the service review
questionnaire did not include specific instructions for calculating administrative costs, the data
provided by the agencies could not be verified to ensure a consistent methodology. The results
for each fiscal year, where reported by the agencies, are included in Appendix C, Financial
Summaries and are summarized in the following chart.
The fluctuations in the responses provided by the agencies are mostly likely the result of
differing methods of defining administrative expenses or in the method of calculation. It is
suggested that future service review questionnaires either provide detailed instructions for
calculating the administrative expenses or that another indicator of management efficiencies be
used.
Note: The calculation method was not defined so results vary by how each agency classifies
administrative costs.
TABLE 3.8.3
FY 2002-2003 ADMINSTRATIVE COSTS AS A PERCENT OF OPERATING REVENUE
WATER AGENCIES WASTEWATER AGENCIES
City of Coachella 14% 16%
Coachella Valley Water District 37% NP
Desert Water Agency 20% 5%
City of Indio 44%* NA
Mission Springs Water District 26% 43%
Valley Sanitary District NA 5%
*FY 2001-2002 figures; FY 2002-2003 figures not available.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-41
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
The American Water Works Association Research Foundation recommends that water and
wastewater utilities consider using the number of customer accounts per full-time employee as
one of several performance indicators for organizational best practices. Agencies were asked
as part of the service review questionnaire to provide the total number of employees and total
number of service connections as shown in Table 3.8.4
TABLE 3.8.4
WASTEWATER INFORMATION
Total
Total Number of Water Total Total Wastewater
Number of Water Connections Number of Number of Connections
Water Service per Wastewater Wastewater per
Employees Connections Employee employees Connections Employee
City of Coachella 7 4,120 589 9 4,065 452
Coachella Valley Water
NP 89,926 NP NP 81,012 NP
District
Desert Water Agency 38 19,694 518 NA 361 NA
City of Indio 25 12,400 5 NA NA NA
Mission Springs Water
26 8,230 317 13 3,553 273
District
Valley Sanitary District NA NA NA 20 22,869 1,143
NP – not provided; NA – not applicable
It should be noted that the City of Indio reported a total of 12,400 water connections within its
boundaries with 355 water connections within its SOI but outside the agency’s boundaries and
1,279 water connections outside both its boundaries and SOI. To ensure consistency, the
service review questionnaire only used the number of connections in all agencies’ boundaries.
No significant issues regarding the evaluation of management efficiencies were noted.
3.9 LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERANCE
No significant issues regarding local accountability and governance were noted for any of the
agencies within the Coachella Valley service review area. The governing boards of the
agencies appear to be locally accountable through adherence to applicable government code
sections, open and accessible meetings, and dissemination of information and encouragement
of participation in their election process. However, only four of the six agencies have websites
which is an important means of increasing public accountability and access. The following
Table 3.8.5 shows the results of survey information for each agency.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-42
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
TABLE 3.8.5
LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE
# of Board Members Running Unqualified
Website Time of Meetings Unopposed in November 2002 Election Audit
City of Coachella Yes 6:00 pm None Yes
Coachella Valley Water
Yes 9:00 am None Yes
District
Desert Water Agency Yes 8:00 am None Yes
City of Indio Yes 5:30 pm None Yes
Mission Springs Water
No 3:00 pm None Yes
District
Valley Sanitary District No 12:30 pm None Yes
The service review questionnaire asked each agency to provide current information about the
governing board and the expiration date of each member’s term; that information is contained in
Appendix A, Database Reports. This information was entered into the database and will be
used by the Riverside LAFCO staff to maintain current and accurate information.
Public access was evaluated by regularly scheduled meetings and locations, the presence of
websites and the use of legally required notices. A majority of the agencies in the Coachella
Valley service review area hold meetings during normal working hours; this may limit public
accessibility. All agencies reported compliance with the legal requirements for posting of
meetings.
3.10 COACHELLA VALLEY SERVICE REVIEW AREA
DETERMINATIONS
• Infrastructure needs or deficiencies
1. The water supply in the Coachella Valley will continue to come primarily from
groundwater. While the agencies have established recharge/monitoring
programs and have secured a firm supply of water for these programs, the
underground aquifers are currently being over-drafted.
2. The water service providers within the Coachella Valley service review area
whose water supply is solely from groundwater should investigate programs to
diversify their sources of water.
3. It appears that the agencies in the Coachella Valley service review region have
adequate water to meet future needs based on expected supplies and on
information provided for this service review.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-43
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Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
4. Wastewater providers have planned to meet future wastewater needs by
upgrading existing facilities and constructing new facilities.
5. The agencies adequately address infrastructure needs and deficiencies through
master plans, CIP, Urban Water Management Plans and other long range
planning documents.
• Growth and population projections for the affected area
1. The variations in growth and population projections among the agencies could be
addressed through a regional system to provide population projections for special
districts.
2. Projections of growth provided by agencies indicate that growth is expected to
increase in the region by approximately 75%.
• Financing constraints and opportunities
1. The agencies prepare comprehensive annual budgets, maintain annual Capital
Improvement Plans (CIP) and maintain adequate and appropriate reserves.
2. The agencies, as enterprise activities, derive approximately 55% of their
aggregate sources of revenues from fees and charges and approximately 25%
from property taxes.
3. For most of the agencies within the Coachella Valley service review area, the
amount of reserves held is matched to CIP and other infrastructure
improvements.
4. All agencies reported unqualified audits prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting standards.
• Cost avoidance opportunities
1. The agencies use their annual budget process to identify cost avoidance
opportunities and use outside vendors and contractors for services when shown
to be cost effective.
2. Wastewater agencies in the lower Coachella Valley should examine the
relationship between the cost of potable water and increasing the financial
incentives for water recycling.
3. Establishing clear service boundaries through the sphere of influence process
may assist agencies in avoiding costs for duplicative planning and litigation.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-44
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
• Opportunities for rate restructuring
1. The agencies set rates and fees through an annual public process to ensure fair
and equitable rates.
2. Agencies noted rate changes in the previous two years and provided information
regarding the differences in rates charged to customers inside and outside
agency boundaries, if any.
• Opportunities for shared facilities
1. The agencies collaborate as appropriate and as deemed efficient.
2. Excess capacity, facilities and staff are made available by agencies whenever
possible.
3. The agencies increase opportunities for shared facilities through joint powers
agreements, inter-ties, service agreements and industry groups.
• Government structure options, including advantages and disadvantages of the
consolidation or reorganization of service providers
1. Riverside LAFCO should list existing, non-exempt service agreements as part of
the agency SOI update process.
2. Riverside LAFCO should examine the revision of spheres of influence of
agencies with overlapping service boundaries.
3. The City of Coachella should examine potential costs savings from
reorganization of the Coachella Sanitary District.
• Evaluation of management efficiencies
1. The agencies maintain current management, interdepartmental and inter-agency
practices and procedures appropriate to and efficient for their service.
2. The number of employees per water or wastewater connections varies according
to the size and service area of the agency.
• Local accountability and governance
1. The governing bodies of the agencies are locally accountable through adherence
to applicable government code sections, open and accessible meetings, and
dissemination of information.
2. The Mission Springs Water District and the Valley Sanitary District should
consider developing websites to increase public awareness of their agencies.
3. Participation in agency elections appears high; no board members ran
unopposed in the previous election.
February 2005 – Final Report 3-45
Coachella Valley Agency Profiles
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
City of Coachella
ADDRESS: 1515 Sixth Street, Coachella, CA 92236
EMAIL/WEBSITE: jsantillan@coachella.org, www.coachella.org
TYPES OF SERVICES: Water (Coachella Water Authority) and Wastewater (Coachella Sanitary
District)
POPULATION SERVED: 26,700
SIZE OF SERVICE AREA: 13,172 acres
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Revenues: Expenses: Reserves: CIP
(FY 2002-2003): $2,200,000 $1,600,000 $3,500,000 $3,000,000 (Water
Authority)
$2,500,000 $2,100,000 $3,500,000 $3,000,000 (Sanitary
Ditrict)
WATER
Connections:
WASTEWATER
Domestic: 3,955 Connections:
Irrigation: NP Domestic: 5,100
M&I: 165 Commercial: 1,300
Reclaimed: NP Industrial: 80
Other: NP Other: 0
Supply (AF): Number of Treatment Plants: One
Wholesale: NP
State Water Project: NP Total System Size: 59 miles
Surface: NP Miles Gravity Sewer: NP
Wells: 25.8 Miles Force Main: NP
Reclaimed: NP
Rates:
Water Service Capacity: Billing Period: Monthly
Total Capacity (AF): NP Flat Rates: Yes
Total Demand. (AF): NP Tied to Water Usage: No
Peak Capacity (mgd): 8.4 Estimated Monthly Bill: $18.00
Peak Demand (mgd): 4.8
Storage Capacity (mg): NP
Current Capacity Treatment Level
Rates: 2.4mgd Secondary
Billing Period: NP
Meter/Service Charge:
Size Residential Irrigation Ind/Com.
5/8” $ 7.83 $ 7.83 $7.83
¾” $ 7.83 $ 7.83 $7.83
1’ $ 10.48 $ 10.48 $10.48 CIP = capital improvement program
FY = fiscal year
NA = not applicable
Water Rates (HCF):
NP = information not provided
Residential Irrigation Ind/Com
M & I = manufacturing and industry
$0.57 $0.57 (treated) $0.57 HCF = hndrd cubic ft
$ NP $0.57 (reclaimed) $0.57 AF = acre-feet
mgd = million gallons/day
February 2005 – Final Report 3-46
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
CCOOAACCHHEELLLLAA MMAAPP
February 2005 – Final Report 3-47
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
City of Indio (Indio Water Authority)
ADDRESS: 100 Civic Center Mall, Indio, CA 92201
EMAIL/WEBSITE: jcorella@indio.org, www.Indio.org
TYPES OF SERVICES: Water only
POPULATION SERVED: 54,500
SIZE OF SERVICE AREA: 16,000 acres
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Revenues: Expenses: Reserves: CIP:
(FY 2002-2003): $5,735,385 $5,085,238 $5,076,066 $1,608,765
WATER
Connections:
Domestic: 12,400
Irrigation: 0
M&I: 0
Reclaimed: 0
Other: 0
Supply (AF):
Wholesale: 0
State Water Project: 0
Surface: 0
Wells: 18,000
Reclaimed: 0
Water Service Capacity:
Total Capacity (AF): 20,000
Total Demand. (AF): 18,000
Peak Capacity (mgd): 22
Peak Demand (mgd): 22
Storage Capacity (mg): 0
Rates:
Billing Period: Monthly
Meter/Service Charge: NP
Size Residential Irrigation Ind/Com.
5/8” $ 7.56 $ 7.56 $7.56
¾” $ 7.56 $ 7.56 $7.56
1’ $ 11.34 $ 11.34 $11.34
Water Rates (HCF):
Residential Irrigation Ind/Com
CIP = capital improvement program
$0.63 $0.63 (treated) $0.63 FY = fiscal year
NA = not applicable
NP = information not provided
M & I = manufacturing and industry
HCF = hndrd cubic ft
AF = acre-feet
mgd = million gallons/day
February 2005 – Final Report 3-48
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
CCIITTYY OOFF IINNDDIIOO MMAAPP
February 2005 – Final Report 3-49
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Coachella Valley Water District
ADDRESS: 85-995 Avenue 52, Coachella, CA 92236
EMAIL/WEBSITE: srobbins@cvwd.org, www.cvwd.org
TYPES OF SERVICES: Water and Wastewater
POPULATION SERVED: 219,800
SIZE OF SERVICE AREA: 639,857 acres
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Revenues: Expenses: Reserves: CIP:
(FY 2002-2003): $87,119,112 $86,076,980 $116,307,300 $469,653,000
WATER WASTEWATER
Connections: Connections: 81,012
Domestic: 81,843 Domestic: NP
Irrigation: 3,881 Commercial: NP
M&I: 2,837 Industrial: NP
Reclaimed: NP Other:
Other: 1,365
Total System Size: 104 (miles)
Supply (AF): Miles Gravity Sewer: 1,003
Wholesale: NP Miles Force Main: 37
State Water Project: 33,000
Surface: NP Rates:
Wells: 257,000 Billing Period: Monthly
Reclaimed: 8,100 Flat Rates: yes
Tied to Water Usage: no
Water Service Capacity: Estimated Monthly Bill: $18.80
Total Capacity (AF): 257,000
Total Demand. (AF): 129,000 Number of Treatment Plants: 6
Peak Capacity (mgd): 230
Peak Demand (mgd): 200 Current Capacity Treatment Level
Storage Capacity (mg): NP 0.15 mgd Advanced Secondary
0.03 mgd Advanced Secondary
Rates: 2.37 mgd Advanced Secondary
Billing Period: Monthly 2.5 mgd Advanced Secondary
0.4 mgd Advanced Secondary
Meter/Service Charge: 18.5 mgd Advanced Secondary
Size Residential Irrigation Ind/Com. Total 23.95 mgd
5/8” $ 5 $ 5 $5
¾” $ 5 $ 5 $5
1’ $ 5 $ 5 $5
Water Rates (HCF):
Residential Irrigation Ind/Com
$0.64 $0.64 (treated) $0.64 CIP = capital improvement program
$NP $0.24 (reclaimed) $0.24 FY = fiscal year
NA = not applicable
NP = information not provided
M & I = manufacturing and industry
HCF = hndrd cubic ft
AF = acre-feet
mgd = million gallons/day
February 2005 – Final Report 3-50
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
CCOOAACCHHEELLLLAA VVAALLLLEEYY MMAAPP
February 2005 – Final Report 3-51
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Desert Water Agency
ADDRESS: 1200 South Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA 92264
EMAIL/WEBSITE: NP, www.dwa.org
TYPES OF SERVICES: Water and Wastewater
POPULATION SERVED: 65,119
SIZE OF SERVICE AREA: 208,000 acres
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Revenues: Expenses: Reserves: CIP:
(FY 2002-2003): $25,486,487 $19,843,332 $50,972,200 $10,851,100
WATER WASTEWATER
Connections: 361
Connections: Domestic: 305
Domestic: 16,792 Commercial: 56
Irrigation: 0 Industrial: 0
M&I: 2,622 Other: 0
Reclaimed: 11
Other: 280 Number of Treatment Plants: 0
Supply (AF): Total System Size: 6.68 (miles)
Wholesale: Miles Gravity Sewer: 6.43
State Water Project: 50,000 Miles Force Main: 0.25
Surface: 2,000
Wells: 40,000 Rates:
Reclaimed: 2,880 Billing Period: Monthly
Flat Rates: Yes
Water Service Capacity: Tied to Water Usage: No
Total Capacity (AF): 85,115 Estimated Monthly Bill: $20.60/edu
Total Demand. (AF): 42,260
Peak Capacity (mgd): 59.63
Peak Demand (mgd): 67 Current Capacity Treatment Level
Storage Capacity (mg): 54.2 NA NA
Rates:
Billing Period: Monthly
Meter/Service Charge:
Size Residential Irrigation Ind/Com.
5/8” $ 4.00 $ 4.00 $4.00
¾” $ NA $ NP $ NP
1’ $ 4.50 $ 4.50 $4.50
Water Rates (HCF): CIP = capital improvement
Residential Irrigation Ind/Com program
FY = fiscal year
$0.68 $0.68 (treated) $0.68
NA = not applicable
$ NP $0.34 (reclaimed) $ NP
NP = information not provided
M & I = manufacturing and industry
HCF = hndrd cubic ft
AF = acre-feet
mgd = million gallons/day
February 2005 – Final Report 3-52
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
DDEESSEERRTT WWAATTEERR AAGGEENNCCYY MMAAPP
February 2005 – Final Report 3-53
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Mission Springs Water District
ADDRESS: 66575 Second Street, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
EMAIL/WEBSITE: bcarr@mswd.org, NA
TYPES OF SERVICES: Water and Wastewater
POPULATION SERVED: 24,252
SIZE OF SERVICE AREA: 86,400 acres
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Revenues: Expenses: Reserves: CIP:
(FY 2002-2003): $8,902,693 $5,610,101 $11,534,778 $4,770,111
WATER WASTEWATER
Connections: 3,553
Connections: Domestic: 3,310
Domestic: 7,842 Commercial: 243
Irrigation: 92 Industrial: NP
M&I: 296 Other: NP
Reclaimed: 0
Other: 0 Number of Treatment Plants: 2
Supply (AF): Total System Size: 51 (miles)
Wholesale: NP Miles Gravity Sewer: 50.5
State Water Project: NP Miles Force Main: .05
Surface: NP
Wells: 8,267 Rates:
Reclaimed: NP Billing Period: Bi-Monthly
Flat Rates: Yes
Water Service Capacity: Tied to Water Usage: No
Total Capacity (AF): 20,159 Estimated Monthly Bill: $24.41
Total Demand. (AF): 5,597
Peak Capacity (mgd): 18.247
Peak Demand (mgd): 9.878 Current Capacity Treatment Level
Storage Capacity (mg): NP 2.5 mgd Secondary
0.64 mgd Secondary
Rates:
Billing Period: Bimonthly
Meter/Service Charge:
Size Residential Irrigation Ind/Com.
5/8” $ 10 $ 10 $10
¾” $ 10 $ 10 $10
1’ $ 11.14 $ 11.14 $11.14
Water Rates (HCF):
Residential Irrigation Ind/Com CIP = capital improvement program
$0.91 $1.22 (treated) $0.91 FY = fiscal year
NA = not applicable
$ NP $ NP (reclaimed) $ NP
NP = information not provided
M & I = manufacturing and industry
HCF = hndrd cubic ft
AF = acre-feet
mgd = million gallons/day
February 2005 – Final Report 3-54
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
MMIISSSSIIOONN SSPPRRIINNGGSS MMAAPP
February 2005 – Final Report 3-55
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
Valley Sanitary District
ADDRESS: 45-500 Van Buren Street, Indio, CA 92201
EMAIL/WEBSITE: vsdrex@uia.net, NP
TYPES OF SERVICES: Wastewater only
POPULATION SERVED: 51,400
SIZE OF SERVICE AREA: 12,870 acres
FINANCIAL INFORMATION Revenues: Expenses: Reserves: CIP:
(FY 2002-2003): $6,691,204 $2,933,510 $417,435 $4,480,840
WASTEWATER
Connections: 21,963
Domestic: 18,158
Commercial: 4,710
Industrial: 1
Other: NA
Number of Treatment Plants: 1
Total System Size:
Miles Gravity Sewer: 160
Miles Force Main: 0.24
Rates:
Billing Period: Monthly
Flat Rates: Yes
Tied to Water Usage: No
Estimated Monthly Bill: $12.00
Current Capacity Treatment Level
8.5 mgd Secondary
CIP = capital improvement program
FY = fiscal year
NA = not applicable
NP = information not provided
M & I = manufacturing and industry
HCF = hndrd cubic ft
AF = acre-feet
mgd = million gallons/day
February 2005 – Final Report 3-56
Riverside LAFCO
Water & Wastewater Municipal Service Review
VVAALLLLEEYY SSAANNIITTAARRYY MMAAPP
February 2005 – Final Report 3-57