Mission Springs Water District Celebrates 70 Years

Mission Springs Water District Welcomes Community to free Public Event on Friday, Feb. 3

Mission Springs Water District is turning 70! To celebrate this platinum milestone, the District is inviting the public to a fun-filled community event featuring children’s activities and games, face painting, music, dancing, community partner booths, food trucks/vendors, and of course, MSWD’s award-winning water.

The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, from 4-7 p.m. at Mission Springs Park in Desert Hot Springs.

MSWD has one simple mission: provide, protect, and preserve our most valuable resource… water. Those words capture a complex and dynamic task.

While prospecting for water, early homesteaders in the desert discovered the hot springs that made the area famous. However, it was not until 1940 that the first subdivisions were established, and L. W. Coffee started the village he called Desert Hot Springs.

The critical need for freshwater led residents to form a mutual water company, which eventually proved unsatisfactory. Later, a privately-owned utility, called Desert Hot Springs Mutual Water Company, acquired its assets. But this failed, and widespread dissatisfaction led local citizens to form a publicly owned water district.

On Feb. 3, 1953, an election swept the new Desert Hot Springs County Water District into existence with a vote of 246 to 9. The new District began with 100,000 feet of pipelines, five water wells, and two reservoirs. It covered one square mile.

The District expanded rapidly. It absorbed parts of the Coachella Valley County Water District, the West Palm Springs Village, and San Gorgonio Mutual Water Company systems. Today, MSWD boasts more than 1.25 million feet of pipelines, 14 water wells, and 24 reservoirs, serving an area of 135 square miles.

For more information, please visit www.mswd.org/Turning70.