Water Supply Assessments & Verifications
When a new development or project is approved, the public may have questions regarding who approved what, how, and why. Read the Frequently Asked Questions regarding CVWD’s role in land use planning within its service area.
Water Supply Assessments (WSA) and Water Supply Verifications (WSV) were first required in 2002 due to the passage by the California State Legislature of Senate Bill SB 610 and SB 221. Water supply assessments are intended to tie land use planning and water supply reliability.
Water Supply Assessments. Under SB 610, determine water supply sufficiency for a 20-year projection in addition to the demand of existing and other planned future uses. They are required for any project that is subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and proposes (1) residential development of more than 500 dwelling units; (2) commercial development of more than 250,000 square feet of floor space; (3) a retail center with more than 500,000 square feet of floor space; (4) a hotel or motel having more than 500 rooms; (5) an industrial, manufacturing, or processing plant, or industrial park planned to house more than 1,000 persons, occupying more than 40 acres of land, or having more than 650,000 square feet of floor area; (6) a mixed-use project that includes one or more of the projects specified above; or (7) a project that will demand an amount of water equal to, or greater than, the amount of water required by 500 dwelling units.
Water Supply Verifications. Under SB 221, approval by a city or county of residential subdivisions of 500 dwelling units or more requires a written verification of sufficient water supply from the water supplier. The verification is prepared prior to the adoption of the final subdivision map and ensures that the sufficient water supply is available to serve a new subdivision before construction begins.
To request a WSA from CVWD, the following information will need to be provided:
- Written request from the lead agency (city or county) including the project name, project description, and contact information for the lead agency planner and developer
- Completed WSA/WSV questionnaire (provided by CVWD)
- Project site plan or land use map
- Project vicinity map
- Project water demand calculation tables (provided by CVWD)
- Completed WSA/WSV report template (provided by CVWD)
- Water Supply Assessment Review Fee of $812.00
The CVWD Board of Directors must approve all WSAs/WSVs. The applicant should expect the process to take up to 90 days from the time that all the required information is received.
To request a WSV from CVWD or for more information on WSAs or WSVs, contact Zoe Rodriguez del Rey, Water Resources Manager, at zrodriguezdelrey@cvwd.org or at (760) 398-2661 x2389.