REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 9, 2024
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
DON DAY, Director, Project and Facilities Management Department
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding with West Valley Water District for the Construction of a Permanent Emergency Interconnection for the Glen Helen Water System
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial Memorandum of Understanding with West Valley Water District for the Waterline Interconnection Project, establishing the responsibilities and obligations regarding the design and constructing of an emergency water system interconnection for the Glen Helen Water System.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Although the Waterline Interconnection Project (Project) costs of $1,750,000 will be funded with the County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding (as approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on April 11, 2023 (Item No. 54)), this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is non-financial in nature and establishes the responsibilities and obligations regarding the design, construction, and funding of the Project between the County and West Valley Water District (WVWD). No additional financial impact will arise from this MOU. A future MOU between the County and WVWD to establish rates in the event water needs to be imported will be presented to the Board for approval at a later date. Sufficient appropriation is included in the Department of Public Works - Special District’s 2023-24 ARPA Capital Improvement Program Fund budget and will be included in future recommended budgets, as needed.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This item will approve an MOU between the County and WVWD to augment the water supply to the Glen Helen Water System (GHWS) in the event of declining water levels. County is maintaining public safety by ensuring water is available for the GHWS and working with other governmental agencies by developing an MOU to ensure adequate water levels are maintained. GHWS is currently experiencing a decline in the amount of water produced by wells in the area due to drought conditions affecting California.
The County is responsible for providing water system operations, maintenance, and management services to the County-owned GHWS, which serves the following facilities: Glen Helen Regional Park, Sheriff’s Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, Sheriff’s Regional Training Center, Sheriff’s Emergency Vehicle Operation Center, and the Glen Helen Raceway. WVWD boundaries border the GHWS at Glen Helen Parkway. WVWD currently has five treatment plants, 360 miles of pipeline, 25 reservoirs and 23 wells under their service area.
County Service Area (CSA) 70 has sufficient available staff with the appropriate licensing in water distribution and treatment issued by the California Water Resources Control Board, and has extensive experience in the operation, maintenance, and management of public water systems. On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 115), the Board approved a five-year MOU between the Real Estate Services Department (Facilities Management Division) and CSA 70 for the operations, maintenance and management of the GHWS due to the experience held within CSA 70. As part of the operation and management of the GHWS, the Department of Public Works - Special Districts recommends approval of this MOU to secure a secondary water source for GHWS.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 19, 2024; Finance (Jessical Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on March 20, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on March 24, 2024.