The City of Coachella, along with its Coachella Water Authority (CWA), is preparing to celebrate the construction of the Mesquite Mutual Water Company Water Consolidation (MMWC) Project. The event is set for Tuesday, October 29th, at 10 a.m. near the project site. This initiative aims to merge MMWC with CWA's public water system to deliver a dependable and high-quality water supply to the local community.
The celebration will take place at the Christian Church of Coachella Valley, located at 50100 Jackson Street in Indio. The City of Coachella will host this event.
The MMWC Project has been years in the making, involving collaboration among CWA, the State of California, and Riverside County. During this period, these entities worked together on planning, designing, permitting, and securing grants for the project. The Mesquite Mutual Water Company serves an area southeast of Avenue 50 and Jackson Street intersection with 17 residential water connections. Due to issues with Hexavalent Chromium contamination in their private well before July 2015, MMWC could no longer provide adequate potable water.
To address this issue temporarily, CWA supplied emergency water through a fire hydrant meter and hose setup. In 2017, funding was secured for planning and design from the Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Program funded by Proposition 1. The City's dedication resulted in a $1.6 million grant from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund / Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Program by the California State Water Resources Control Board for construction.
This consolidation project ensures residents receive safe drinking water swiftly through SAFER funds aimed at communities lacking access to clean water.