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Beaumont directs staff to pursue hybrid recycled-water reuse with regional partners
Summary
City Council asked staff to pursue a hybrid approach that would use the Beaumont Cherry Valley nonpotable distribution system and targeted groundwater recharge, and asked staff to explore an MOU, siting study and a two‑tier pricing model to support partnerships with neighboring agencies.
Beaumont City Council on July 15 gave staff direction to pursue a hybrid strategy for using recycled water that mixes direct nonpotable reuse with targeted groundwater recharge, aiming to maximize the value of the city’s wastewater treatment investment while addressing regional regulatory and infrastructure constraints.
The council’s direction follows a whiteboarding session among Beaumont, Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District and the Pass Area Water Agency. Steven Depoja of consulting firm Depoja & Wells, who led the briefing, told the council the hybrid approach “takes into account all of the advantages and challenges that each agency has” and that areas north and northwest of the city wastewater treatment plant show “potential promise because of their location in the Beaumont Basin and because of the availability of open land for recharge basins.”
Why it matters: Beaumont has already invested heavily in recycled‑water production. Council members and regional managers said getting beneficial use in place will improve local water resilience and support regional demands for reuse, while avoiding costly new conveyance construction by using existing nonpotable mains where feasible.
What council asked staff to do: staff was directed to pursue a memorandum of understanding with the Pass Area Water Agency and Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District to fund and study potential recharge siting, prepare cost estimates for cost‑sharing, and develop a two‑tier recycled‑water price proposal — one price for direct nonpotable delivery through BCHVWD’s system and a different price, set below the Pass Area’s recharge withdrawal price, for water used for groundwater recharge. Depoja described the two‑tier proposal as a way “to index reuse pricing to regional water economics and make recharge economically viable.”
Public comment and regional reaction: Lance Eckhart, general manager of the Pass Area agency, and Dan Jaggers (board representative) both told council they support the hybrid concept and urged continued staff coordination. "We're fairly accurately captured here on the slides," Eckhart said, while Jaggers said his board will need to ratify any agreement but is supportive of moving the project forward.
Next steps: staff will reach back to regional partners about an MOU, scope and cost‑share for a recharge siting study and prepare draft pricing language for council review. Council members stressed the need to coordinate outreach and bring elected officials from the three agencies into subsequent negotiations.
Ending: The direction does not obligate the city to construction or contracts; it authorizes further study and interagency talks to develop siting, permitting and pricing options.
