New Pass Cities Water Agreement to be Released

A proposed water-sharing agreement aimed at giving seven Banning Pass-area water agencies their fair share of state imports will be unveiled Thursday during a public forum.

Representatives from the city of Banning, Banning Heights Mutual Water
Company, Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District, Cabazon Water District, High
Valley Water District, South Mesa Mutual Water Company and Yucaipa Valley Water District will be on hand to discuss the proposed master agreement.

According to officials, the agencies have hammered details of how to
more equitably distribute supplies received from the State Water Project.
Currently, the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency is entitled to purchase up
to 17,300 acre-feet of State Water Project supply annually and resell the
water to the seven member agencies. Officials note, however, that because of
droughts and pumping restrictions in the San Joaquin Delta stemming from
federal protection of endangered fish, the State Water Project distributions
routinely fall short.

Local agencies that rely on the imported water supplement state supplies
by tapping local aquifers and wells. But with only so much to go around, the
State Water Project imports are critical -- and so is an agreement that ensures
each jurisdiction receives what it's due, according to the agencies.

On Thursday, officials will hold a 4 p.m. public workshop at Banning
City Hall to detail what's on the table. The formula hammered out following
months of talks recommends the following State Water Project allocations:
-- City of Banning, 27.3 percent;
-- Banning Heights Mutual Water Company, 1.2 percent;
-- Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District, 27.3 percent;
-- Cabazon Water District, 11.1 percent;
-- High Valley Water District, 7.4 percent;
-- South Mesa Mutual Water Company, 1.4 percent; and
-- Yucaipa Valley Water District, 24.2 percent.

Officials said the allocations are based on demand in each district.

"This agreement gives us a framework to better manage our imported
water resources in a fair and equitable manner,'' said Joseph Zoba, general
manager of Yucaipa Valley Water District.

Under the proposed agreement, the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency would
be prohibited from slashing its water imports without the consent of
constituent agencies.

If the agreement is approved by the agencies, it would go into effect on
Jan. 1.