Why does SGVMWD Exist?

When more water is consumed than nature replaces, we act.

Looking North, 6th St and Azusa

California's beauty lies in its landscape, weather and resources. Unfortunately the early settlers of our State got things upside down and grew our population centers in the arid southern parts of the State while the critical natural resource, water, was most abundant to the north. This situation was further complicated by the absence of a natural flow of the water from the north to the south.

As Southern California population grew rapidly following World War II the demands for water began to exceed the natural supply and it became clear that something needed to happen to replenish the aquifer underlying our communities. Thoughtful planning and engineering resulted in a State Water Project that now brings water from the north to the south and SGVMWD exists to replenish the water our area uses and nature can't replace.