Water agency outlines recycling and storage plan to bolster Montclair's supply

Officials from the Inland Empire Utilities Agency told the Montclair City Council on Monday that they are expanding recycled-water production and exploring a large groundwater-storage project to improve water reliability for Montclair and the surrounding Inland Empire.

"Sewage is not in fact a waste but something that can be recycled," said shazi Des desuka, who introduced the agency's presentation. He described a three-part emphasis on imported water, wastewater management, and recycled water storage, and invited council members to tour the agency's Chino-area treatment facilities.

The agency said imported water currently supplies about one-third of the region's needs and that partnerships with the Metropolitan Water District and the Chino Basin Watermaster help stretch limited supplies. Marco Tulle, the agency's board president, said the system now recycles "100% of the water that goes down the sewer systems in the region," though he added that capturing and beneficially using that recycled supply remains constrained by storage and treatment capacity.

Des desuka and Tulle highlighted the Chino Basin program as a potential solution. Des desuka said that different versions of the project could qualify for "over $200 million" in state investment if the agency can demonstrate compliance, increased recycled-water production and the ability to store that water in the basin for use during droughts.

Council members pressed staff on the financial and timing implications. Des desuka said IUA and its retail partners are conducting a five-year rate study to allocate costs across imported water, wastewater and recycled-water services and that the agency expects to have rate guidance before July 1, 2025. On state conservation mandates, council members noted the indoor-per-capita-use targets discussed by IUA and were told those triggers are expected in the early 2030s.

The presentation outlined near-term infrastructure work — including the RP5 expansion at the Chino treatment plant — and longer-term investments such as Metropolitan's projects to access stored supplies at Diamond Valley Lake. Tulle said the agency's expanded basin-management plan increases basin operational capacity and, together with storage projects, could improve regional reliability during drought-driven cutbacks.

The agency invited council members and staff to visit its facilities to see progress and learn more about rebate programs for drought-friendly landscaping and other conservation incentives available to Montclair residents. The presentation concluded with staff noting the ongoing need to reduce damaging items entering sewer lines and the region's outreach efforts to minimize maintenance costs tied to wipes and other nonflushables.

Next steps: the city and its retail water agency partners will continue to engage with IUA on the five-year rate study and the agency will pursue design, funding and regulatory approvals for Chino Basin storage options.