Public meeting and hearing on groundwater charge rates scheduled for April 2026.

Date: February 27, 2026
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING AND HEARING RE GROUNDWATER CHARGE RATESTO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN GROUNDWATER PRODUCTION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT:
The San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District (“District”) has completed the 2026 Engineering Investigation (EI) of the Bunker Hill Basin. The Draft EI was presented to the Board at its February 11th Board Meeting and will be presented to the Board for approval at its March 11th Board of Directors meeting to be held at the District Office at 1:30 p.m. This report is completed in connection with the Board of Directors’ consideration of a groundwater charge on groundwater production within the Conservation District’s boundaries. Article 1, Section 75560 of the California Water Code, requires that a water conservation district that proposes to levy or continue a groundwater extraction fee “…shall annually cause to be made an engineering investigation and report upon groundwater conditions of the District.” All interested parties are invited to view a copy of the Conservation District’s 2026 EI report, available for review online at the District’s website at https://sbvwcd.org/document-repository/reports-and-data/engineering-investigation/ investigation or at the District’s office at 1630 West Redlands Blvd., Suite A, Redlands, CA. This notice is provided to advise all interested parties that District staff has recommended a rate increase of 5% for the upcoming water year in the base groundwater charge. The District’s Board of Directors has approved this rate for noticing. The staff proposed unitary groundwater charge for 2026-2027 of $19.62 per acre-foot (af) for all groundwater production. The rates proposed pertain to groundwater production from July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027. The groundwater charge is not imposed on a property basis, but rather is a per acre-foot charge, which relates directly to the amount of groundwater produced from wells overlying the groundwater basin within the Conservation District’s boundaries. Consequently, the ultimate amount of groundwater charge to be paid by individual operators cannot be precisely identified now, because it will depend directly upon the amount of groundwater produced in the basin from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The estimated total amount of revenues from the groundwater charge is approximately$1,652,309, based on estimated production of 84,196 acre feet for the 2026-27 water year. The groundwater charge is collected on a semi-annual basis, based on production statements operators submit for their groundwater production. The District uses the proceeds of the groundwater charge to fund ongoing groundwater replenishment of the basin, including direct water recharge, facility operations repairs and maintenance, and related costs. A public meeting and public hearing on the proposed groundwater charge will be held in the Conservation District’s Board Room located at 1630 West Redlands Blvd., Suite A, Redlands, CA 92373. The date and time for the public meeting will be April 8, 2026, at 1:30 pm. The date and time of the public hearing will be held on April 22, 2026, at 1:30 pm. The District will also be asked on April 22, 2026 to make a finding that the imposition of the groundwater charge is exempt from CEQA, under title 14, C.C.R. Sections 15273, 15301, and 15306. You are invited to attend the public meeting and public hearing, and may submit any objection or protest you may have to the charge, or any evidence concerning groundwater conditions, water supplies of the Conservation District, rates, the CEQA exemption findings, or any matter relating to the proposed groundwater charge. You may also submit such matters to the District in writing any time at or before the 1:30 pm scheduled time of the Public Hearing on April 22, 2025, by providing such written communication to the District’s Administrative Specialist, Allison Zecher, at the address given above, for hard copies, or for digital transmissions, to azecher@sbvwcd.org. Late submissions will not be considered. Please be advised that in any later judicial or other action challenging the groundwater charge, you may be limited to those grounds raised either in writing or in person prior to the close of the public hearing, and the administrative record of the proceedings on the consideration of the charge. Please also be advised that pursuant to California Government Code section 53759 and other provisions of law, there is a 120-day statute of limitations for challenging any new, increased, or extended fee or charge, including the District’s proposed groundwater charge covered in this notice. Further inquiries regarding the report or the groundwater charge, or requests for further documents or information, may be directed to Betsy Miller at 1630 West Redlands Blvd., Suite A, Redlands, CA 92373, or by telephone at (909) 793-2503.The Sun (San Bernardino)Published: 2/27, 3/6, 3/13/26