Indian Wells Valley Water District targets non compliant pumpers with final notice letters

The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (IWV GSA) held a meeting on February 21, 2019, to discuss ongoing issues related to non-compliant pumpers in the region. The primary focus of the meeting was to report on actions taken to notify these pumpers regarding well registration and delinquent pump fees.

Jim Worth, a staff member, provided an update on the situation. He explained that following a directive from the Board in January, staff had been authorized to send final notice letters to two identified non-compliant pumpers. Despite previous notifications, many pumpers had still not registered their wells or paid the required fees. To address this, staff conducted an independent investigation using Google Maps to identify additional non-compliant pumpers.

Worth noted that the process of compiling a comprehensive list of these pumpers had taken longer than anticipated. However, he expected to have the necessary information ready by early next week. The upcoming letters will grant pumpers an additional 30 days to comply with registration and payment requirements, extending the deadline beyond the March Board meeting.

In light of the ongoing non-compliance, Worth requested Board authorization to begin pursuing legal remedies against those who fail to comply after the 30-day notice period. He emphasized the importance of this step to enforce the ordinance enacted by the Board in July.

The meeting concluded with an invitation for Board members to ask questions, but no inquiries were raised at that time. The discussions highlighted the challenges faced by the IWV GSA in ensuring compliance among local pumpers and the potential legal actions that may follow if compliance is not achieved.