SAWPA General Information   951.354.4220

See Contact Staff for staff phone and email info

SAWPA is located in Riverside, California, approximately in the geographic center of the watershed. The population in the Santa Ana Watershed is one of the fastest-growing regions in the State.  Since its 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 that there is sufficient, high-quality water for the ever-growing population of the region. SAWPA works with planners, water experts, design and construction engineers, and other government agencies to identify issues and solutions, and then uses innovation to resolve many water-related problems.

SAWPA works with legislators to ensure that 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 meet the area's water needs.

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:

To provide a stable regional leadership through creative professionals, and balance the needs of diverse interests in the watershed to accomplish significant programs and projects.

• SAWPA's Mission is to:

-facilitate communication -identify emerging    opportunities -develop regional plans -secure funding -implement programs -build projects -operate and maintain   facilities

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 exemplifies leadership and involvement in a variety of water, wastewater, environmental, and regionally important initiatives, programs, projects, and regional groups.

SAWPA is a member of, and staff functions as administrator to, the Lake Elsinore & San Jacinto Watersheds Authority (LESJWA), a separate Joint Powers Authority created in 2000 to focus on concerns within 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 Website.

SAWPA is involved directly or indirectly in a wide variety of groups and functions. Many of these are described throughout the Website.