From Groundbreaking to Groundwater: A Partnership Worth Writing About

In just one year, four regional partners delivered a $6.2 million water infrastructure project, complete with a seven-acre recharge basin, a new turnout and repurposed pipeline, bringing imported water to Calimesa for the first time. That’s what happens when you move at the “speed of trust.”

On October 14, I was proud to join the ribbon-cutting celebration alongside two clients I work closely with, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (San Bernardino Valley).

The County Line Road Recharge Basin and Turnout Project can replenish groundwater supplies with up to 479 million gallons annually, strengthening water reliability for approximately 18,000 residents.

SGPWA, San Bernardino Valley, South Mesa Water Company, and Riverside County Supervisor Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez accomplished this through the kind of regional collaboration I continually admire.

As a writer, I also get to see the conversations their work generates across regional and statewide media. As Metropolitan Water District Board Chair and CalMutuals Executive Director Adán Ortega Jr. noted at the celebration, these partners are setting an example for California.

I’m grateful to work alongside people who keep giving me meaningful stories to tell about the critical resources shaping the Inland Empire and beyond.