Conservation is the key to minimizing monthly bills and preserving local water supplies during droughts [Opinion]

Extended droughts broken up by rainy years are part of a natural cycle here in California. Our state is once again in another dry period with areas of Northern California already experiencing a significant impact. It is not a question of if, but when the Coachella Valley faces a similar fate. Thanks to decades of targeted projects and careful planning, Mission Springs Water District will have enough water to serve our 40,000 customers across 135 square miles in and around Desert Hot Springs.

MSWD relies on groundwater for 100% of our award-winning water supply. Protecting this treasured resource is vital for multiple reasons. Not only does the Mission Creek Subbasin serve our customers, it also sits at the headwaters of the entire Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin, which provides drinking water for 400,000 people in all nine desert cities and surrounding unincorporated areas.

For more than 25 years, MSWD has demonstrated its commitment to water quality through active participation in the Groundwater Guardian program. As one of the earliest members of this organization, we have teamed up to actively engage with our customers to better educate them about the importance of protecting this resource. By promoting conservation, we can leave more water in the ground to meet future needs.

Our wastewater treatment system also plays an important role in protecting and preserving our aquifer, which contains our local groundwater supply. Each day, the Alan L. Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant cleans more than 2 million gallons of water. Once treated, the water fills eight percolation ponds, where it begins a natural process of recharging the aquifer.

Since 1995, our Groundwater Quality Protection Program has been working to convert septic systems into sewer connections across our 135-square-mile service area, and to date we have converted more than 6,000 systems. To better meet the growing demand for wastewater treatment, we are building a new Regional Water Reclamation Facility to treat an additional 1.5 million gallons per day. This treated water will initially add to groundwater recharge but could later support recycled water production for irrigation. Additional investments include new sewer lines and converting more than 400 additional septic tanks to sewer service.

To minimize the financial impact of construction for our customers, MSWD has pursued and secured state and federal grants, along with low-interest financing, which will greatly reduce customer costs. The district is using this approach to fund the new Regional Water Reclamation Facility, which will expand our service area and provide wastewater treatment to homes and businesses currently unable to receive service. This is essential to protect our valuable groundwater supply.

These investments will help us meet the governor’s call to voluntarily reduce water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels. While this will take effort, we know it is possible. During the last drought in 2015, mandatory restrictions designed to cut water consumption by 25% contributed to significant reductions statewide. Here in the Coachella Valley, more than 60 billion gallons of water have been saved since then, thanks to the collective efforts of consumers across the region.

Mission Springs Water District is committed to empowering customers to do their part in conserving. We offer rebates for turf conversions and high-efficiency toilets. Our LivingWise program teaches children water-saving habits, and we have a wealth of conservation tips on our website, www.mswd.org. We also participate in CV Water Counts, a regional group that educates the local community about conservation.

Working together, we can all continue to sustain our water supply now and for future generations. While it will take some effort, MSWD customers have demonstrated we can overcome this challenge. Thank you for conserving.

 

Image Sources

  • Alan L. Horton Wastewater Treatment Plant: MSWD director