BCVWD Board Approves 2027 Water Order to Strengthen Local Water Supply Reliability

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Sylvia Molina
(951) 845-9581

September 10, 2026

Beaumont, CA — Planning for a reliable water supply means looking beyond what the community needs today and preparing for the years ahead. With that long-term approach in mind, the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District (BCVWD) Board of Directors has approved a 2027 water order totaling 14,000 acre-feet from the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA).

The approved order includes 11,200 acre-feet for direct replenishment of the Beaumont Basin and an additional 2,800 acre-feet to provide greater protection against future drought and other water supply challenges.

“Ensuring our community has a reliable water supply requires us to plan ahead and make thoughtful decisions when water is available,” said BCVWD Board President Lona Williams. “By continuing to invest in groundwater storage, we are preparing not only for the needs of our customers today, but also for the droughts, changing conditions, and water supply challenges our community may face in the future.”

An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land one foot deep, or approximately 326,000 gallons, enough to supply about two average Beaumont households for one year.

BCVWD uses a conjunctive-use water supply strategy that combines local groundwater with imported State Water Project water purchased through SGPWA. Imported water is delivered to local recharge facilities, where it slowly percolates underground into the Beaumont Basin for future use.

In simple terms, when imported water is available, BCVWD can purchase and store it underground, creating a reserve that can be called upon when conditions are less favorable. This approach provides the District with greater flexibility during droughts, periods of reduced State Water Project allocations, and other potential water supply challenges.

The value of that planning became especially clear during the recent drought. BCVWD withdrew approximately 7,619 acre-feet from storage in 2021 and another 8,888 acre-feet in 2022 to help meet community water needs. Since then, the District has continued working to rebuild those reserves and prepare for future dry years.

“Our community has already seen the benefit of having water stored and available when conditions change,” said BCVWD Director John Covington. “During the recent drought, those stored supplies helped us continue meeting the community’s water needs when other supplies were limited. Replenishing the Basin when water is available is an investment in our community’s long-term water security and helps ensure that we are better prepared for the next drought or other unexpected water supply challenges.”

To put the 2027 water order into perspective, BCVWD’s recently adopted 2025 Regional Urban Water Management Plan identifies approximately 11,669 acre-feet of potable customer water use and 1,258 acre-feet of non-potable use in 2025, for approximately 12,927 acre-feet of customer demand before distribution-system losses.

Water needs also change significantly throughout the year. In 2025, potable customer demand ranged from approximately 668 acre-feet in April to nearly 1,400 acre-feet in September as warmer temperatures increased outdoor irrigation needs.

BCVWD’s groundwater production reflects the amount of water needed to serve the community. Over the past 20 years, the District has produced an average of approximately 10,800 acre-feet per year from the Beaumont Basin, including 10,996 acre-feet in 2025.

The 14,000-acre-foot water order does not mean all of that water will be immediately pumped and used by customers. A significant purpose of the order is to replenish the Beaumont Basin and preserve water underground for future use. Maintaining a healthy groundwater storage account gives BCVWD greater flexibility when State Water Project allocations decline, drought conditions return, or other water supply challenges arise.

Since beginning imported-water recharge operations in 2006, BCVWD has recharged approximately 161,336 acre-feet of State Water Project supplies into the Beaumont Basin. The District is permitted to maintain up to 80,000 acre-feet in its Beaumont Basin storage account.

Purchasing and storing water during periods when supplies are available is an important part of BCVWD’s long-term approach to drought preparedness and reliable service. By continuing to replenish the Beaumont Basin and maintain water in storage, the 2027 water order reflects the Board’s continued commitment to planning ahead for the community’s water needs while maintaining a reliable and resilient local water supply. For more information about Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District, visit https://bcvwd.gov.

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Founded in 1919, Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District is an independent special district governed by a publicly elected five-member Board of Directors. The District provides safe, reliable water service to more than 66,800 residents through more than 22,000 service connections across a 23-square-mile service area. BCVWD is committed to responsible fiscal stewardship, exceptional customer service, transparency, and long-term water reliability.

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