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ABOUT THE AGENCY:
SAWPA was first formed in 1968 as a planning agency, and reformed in
1972 with a mission to plan and build facilities to protect the water
quality of the Santa Ana River Watershed. SAWPA is a Joint Powers
Authority, classified as a Special District (government agency) in which
SAWPA carries out functions useful to our member agencies (click on the
"Members" link above for more information on SAWPA's member agencies).
The agreements formalizing the current agency were signed in 1974 and
went into effect in 1975.
SAWPA is located in
Riverside, California, approximately in the geographic center of the
watershed. |
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The population in the Santa
Ana Watershed is one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. Since
our formation, SAWPA has grown in capability to become one of
California's leading regional water agencies. The watershed, and
the state as a whole, are facing many challenges in ensuring there is
sufficient, high-quality water for the ever-growing population of the
region. SAWPA works with planners, water experts, design and
construction engineers, other government agencies to identify issues and
solutions, and then use innovation to resolve many water-related
problems. |
SAWPA works with legislators on
ensuring there are useful laws on water resources, with funding sources to
ensure that necessary projects can be completed, with planners to ensure
that there is enough water in the future, with regulators to ensure that the
water is safe and clean, and with all other stakeholders (including the
concerned public) to build collaborative, regional solutions to the area's
water needs.
Click on the "Departments"
button on the left to learn more about the specific organization and
content of SAWPA and its staff. Follow the "Projects" link to learn
more about specific contracts, programs, initiatives, and facilitation being
performed by SAWPA.
SAWPA's vision of the
watershed is that:
A sustainable Santa Ana River Watershed supports economic and environmental
vitality, and an enhanced quality of life. Our regional leadership
provides a model of collaboration and cooperation utilizing integrated
solutions.
SAWPA's role in accomplishing
the vision is:
SAWPA provides stable regional leadership through creative professionals
balancing the needs of diverse interests in the Watershed to accomplish
significant programs and projects.
SAWPA's mission
is to:
SAWPA's Enterprise
includes ownership and operations of the Santa Ana Regional Interceptor
(SARI) line, a buried pipeline that captures Desalter Brine and other
industrial/private waste waters and sends them to wastewater treatment
facilities in Orange County before they can degrade the water quality in the
watershed.
SAWPA's leadership/involvement
in a variety of water, wastewater, environmental, and regionally important
initiatives, programs, projects, and regional groups.
SAWPA is a member of, and SAWPA staff function as
administrator to, the Lake Elsinore/San Jacinto Watersheds Authority
(LESJWA), a separate Joint Powers Authority created to focus on concerns of
this portion of the Santa Ana River Watershed. Click
here for more information on SAWPA's role in LESJWA, or click
here to access
LESJWA's web site.
SAWPA is involved directly or
indirectly in a wide variety of groups and functions. Many of these
are described throughout the web site.
Click here for the Joint
Powers Authority agreement (and subsequent amendments) that formed SAWPA.
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