LAFCO authorizes EVWD to treat wastewater at the future Sterling Natural Resource Center

East Valley Water District has received approval from the San Bernardino County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) for the activation of its wastewater treatment authority. This decision allows East Valley Water District to treat wastewater within its service area at the future Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC), a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility designed to create a sustainable water supply for nearly 700,000 people.

“The activation of the District’s wastewater treatment authority enhances our ability to serve our community,” said Chris Carrillo, East Valley Water District Chairman. “East Valley Water District looks forward to the new opportunities ahead of us to be a part of the regional effort to create recycled water for the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin.”

The SNRC will be constructed on a 14-acre parcel of land in Highland, on Del Rosa Drive between East 5^th and 6^th Streets. The facility will benefit the community through educational opportunities for local students and residents in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs while providing cost-effective wastewater recycling.

“This major milestone in the District’s history provides us with an opportunity to improve the water supply reliability not only for our residents, but for our region,” said John Mura, General Manager/CEO.

With an injection of $126 million into the local economy, the SNRC will kickstart temporary construction jobs and new, permanent positions in and throughout the community. The facility also will result in much-needed infrastructure improvements for the local neighborhood.

In addition to receiving board approval to apply to LAFCO, the SNRC has celebrated a series of project milestones. Most recently, the project secured $126 million in state funding and is in the final stages of selecting a progressive design-build firm to lead construction.

The Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) is a state-of-the-art facility in Highland, Calif., that will provide a sustainable new water supply to boost the region’s water independence. Capable of treating up to 10 million gallons a day, the SNRC recharges the local Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin and creates new opportunities for the surrounding community in the form of education and training, community space, neighborhood improvements, and new habitat for the Santa Ana Sucker fish. Located on North Del Rosa Drive between East Fifth and East Sixth Streets, SNRC is a project of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and treats wastewater generated within East Valley Water District’s service area. For more information visitwww.sterlingnrc.com and follow the project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.