San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District Launches Strategic Vision and New Brand to Support Regional Water Supply Needs

Today, the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (San Bernardino Valley) launches a new strategic vision and brand identity representing a renewed direction built off of a strategic plan that reinforces the organization’s values for those it serves and its priorities for the region.

Achieving a diverse, equitable, and resilient water supply in the upper Santa Ana River (Upper SAR) watershed is critical to San Bernardino Valley’s communities, businesses, economy, environment, and overall quality of life both for people today and future generations. San Bernardino Valley’s new vision supports its first ever strategic plan and rebranding effort, which is key to ensuring the organization is equipped to tackle priority issues like improved water quality, adequate and reliable water supply, and a comprehensive program to conserve, reuse, and recycle water to meet the region’s needs. With this also comes the responsibility to maintain the health of local ecosystems and to protect the quality of life for people and the shared environment.

A New Direction and Enhanced Vision Brings Benefits to the Entire Region

Since 1954, San Bernardino Valley has been a critical steward of the upper Santa Ana River, generally seen as the area from the San Bernardino Mountains to Prado Dam in Corona. San Bernardino Valley serves more than 244,000 households and over 6,000 businesses across more than 350 square miles. As a regional wholesale water agency and State Water Contractor, the organization’s solutions-oriented, collaborative, and adaptive vision will strengthen ongoing efforts to achieve long-term and comprehensive water security. With the help of partners and collaborators, San Bernardino Valley will deliver resilient, restorative, science based, cost-effective, and integrated solutions. Through this approach there are already several new regional projects underway that will deliver on the promises of San Bernardino Valley’s new vision, including:

1. Regional Recycled Water System providing up to 2.9 billion gallons per year of drought-proof water supply
2. Enhanced Recharge Stormwater Capture Project saving up to 26 billion gallons per year of local stormwater
3. Upper Santa Ana River Habitat Conservation Program protecting 22 endangered or threatened species while providing environmental permits for over 100 water supply projects on behalf of 11 water agencies
4. Watershed Connect Regional Funding Program securing over $400 million in financial resources to construct more than 20 local water and energy infrastructure projects
5. Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) Viability Assessment for Seven Oaks Dam to provide a flexible water management approach using data from improved weather forecasting to increase local water supply and resilience to droughts and flood
6. Headwaters Resilience Partnership program bringing together local and regional stakeholders to strategically invest in forest management and protection efforts to prevent catastrophic wildfire in our headwaters and impacts to water supplies
7. Hydropower facilities generating 3,950 MW/hours of renewable energy annually while
   increasing energy grid resilience for the region
8. Sites Reservoir providing 4 billion gallons new imported water supply to our region
   “San Bernardino Valley is excited to share with the region our new vision, building upon decades of success since 1954. With a focus on being a trusted partner and collaborator, solutions oriented, and adaptive, our new direction is driven by our first ever strategic plan, and signifies our continued commitment to the people that we serve,” said Heather Dyer, Chief Executive Officer/General Manager of San Bernardino Valley. “The importance of being able to provide a sustainable and reliable water supply to support the changing needs of the people, businesses, and environment remains at the forefront of our commitment to the region and the entire watershed.”

Long-term and Comprehensive Water Security

As California continues to face water supply challenges across the State as a result of climate change, a growing population, a global economy, and antiquated infrastructure, it’s critical that water agencies start implementing collaborative strategies to diversify water supply portfolios to create a more dependable and sustainable water supply; and achieve long-term and comprehensive water security. The path forward for San Bernardino Valley uniquely positions the organization to execute and deliver on the needs of the region today, tomorrow, and into the future as the State continues to tackle solutions to comprehensively address our ongoing water supply deficiencies.

“Even in the wake of recent storms that have provided some drought relief in various communities across the State, it remains critically important that we are able to provide long-term water security both statewide and locally to meet the needs of all uses,” said Senator Rosilice Ochoa Bogh, CA State Senate District 23. “San Bernardino Valley’s new strategic vision underscores the importance of how regional water suppliers can come together for the greater good – to better ensure our communities, businesses, and the environment have a reliable and sustainable long-term water supply that can continue to serve our growing population and economy.”

Aligned with regional and statewide water reliability efforts, San Bernardino Valley will continue to work with local retail water agencies and other stakeholders in Southern California leading efforts statewide to seek immediate change in public policy to make bold and necessary investments in the future of California’s water supply infrastructure system.