Hi-Desert Water District

What Hi-Desert Water District does

Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD) is a California special district providing water supply, wastewater treatment, and centralized sewer services to residential and commercial customers in Yucca Valley and the surrounding Morongo Basin of San Bernardino County. Established in 1976 following concerns about groundwater overdraft, the district was appointed by a 1977 San Bernardino County Superior Court judgment as the Watermaster for the Warren Valley Basin, granting it statutory authority to administer adjudicated groundwater rights and enforce the basin management plan. The district serves as a regulated monopoly utility within its franchise area, distributing water and sewer services directly to ratepayers under monthly recurring billing.

The district's core infrastructure includes the 71-mile Morongo Basin Pipeline (operational since 1995), which imports State Water Project water from the California Aqueduct near Hesperia to recharge the 27-square-mile Warren Valley Groundwater Basin via percolation ponds. Additional assets include the Ames Basin, a wastewater treatment and reclamation facility, booster stations, water mains, storage tanks, production wells, and pressure-regulating systems. The Capital Replacement Program, established in 1997, has replaced over 875,211 linear feet of aging steel pipeline (with 97,344 linear feet remaining as of December 2025), and the ongoing Phase 2 Sewer Project is replacing individual septic systems with centralized sewer service under a 2021 Basin Plan Amendment.

Revenue is generated through tiered monthly water service charges, monthly sewer service fees (including dedicated Phase 1 and Phase 2 sewer project surcharges), annual property tax assessments, and standby charges. Distribution is direct-to-consumer within the district's exclusive service territory, with customer care delivered through district offices, a CivicPlus-hosted website, email, social media (Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube), and community education programs including the World of Water Tour and school outreach. An affiliated nonprofit, the Improvement Corporation (formed 1980), provides financial assistance for facility acquisition and development. HDWD received a 2021 Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

Name

Hi-Desert Water District

Legal name

Hi-Desert Water District, CA

Website

https://hdwd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hi-Desert Water District is a California special district providing water supply, wastewater treatment, and centralized sewer services to residential and commercial customers in Yucca Valley and the Morongo Basin, and serves as the court-appointed Watermaster for the Warren Valley Basin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Dewatering & Groundwater Control (Wellpoints, Deep Wells, Cutoff Systems) (IMAFAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Detention, Retention & Storage Systems (Ponds, Tanks, Vaults) (EUANAEAD), Sewer Pump/Lift Stations & Wet Wells (EUANACAC), Groundwater Extraction, Treatment & Discharge (Pump-and-Treat, reinjection) (BPALAKAF)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Sewer infrastructure
• Groundwater management
• Water distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Yucca Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water Service Fees: Monthly water service charges based on usage tiers and district water rates
2. Sewer Service Fees: Monthly sewer service charges including Phase 1 and Phase 2 sewer project fees, monthly sewer maintenance fees
3. Property Tax Assessments: Annual property tax assessments as part of district financing
4. Standby Charges: Standby fees for water and sewer service availability
5. Capital Project Funding Administration: Grants and loans for capital project funding managed by Finance and Accounting Department

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hi-Desert Water District is a California special district that provides potable water supply, wastewater treatment, and centralized sewer collection services to residential and commercial customers in Yucca Valley and surrounding Morongo Basin communities. Core operations include importing State Water Project water via a 71-mile pipeline to recharge groundwater, operating a wastewater reclamation facility, and administering the court-appointed Warren Valley Basin Watermaster duties. The district also runs a Capital Replacement Program for pipeline renewal and ongoing Phase 2 Sewer Project to replace septic systems with centralized sewer service.

Product overview

Hi-Desert Water District is a public water utility district providing water supply, wastewater treatment, and sewer collection services to the Yucca Valley area in San Bernardino County, California. The district operates as a single unified utility with interconnected services including: imported water supply via the Morongo Basin Pipeline from the State Water Project, wastewater treatment and reclamation, sewer infrastructure projects (Phase 1 completed, Phase 2 in progress), and water conservation programs. Additional services include the Capital Replacement Program for pipeline infrastructure maintenance, Warren Valley Basin Watermaster duties, and community education programs including the World of Water Tour and school outreach. The district serves residential, commercial, and institutional customers through its distribution systems and wastewater collection network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Supply Services Imports water from the State Water Project through the Morongo Basin Pipeline to recharge groundwater in Yucca Valley. Supplies water from two basins: Warren Valley Basin and Ames Basin to residential and commercial customers.
• Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Operates a wastewater treatment and reclamation facility that processes sewage from the Yucca Valley service area.
• Phase 2 Sewer Project Multi-phase infrastructure project to expand centralized sewer collection system in the Yucca Valley area, replacing individual septic systems with municipal sewer service.
• Phase 1 Sewer Project Initial phase of centralized sewer collection system construction in the Yucca Valley area, completed to replace individual septic systems with municipal sewer service.
• Water Conservation Programs Includes desert landscaping guidance, smart home water monitor rebates (FLUME), leak detection services, water use restrictions, and conservation education for customers.
• Water Quality Services Provides annual water quality reports, groundwater monitoring, and water quality protection for the Warren Valley Basin service area.
• Warren Valley Basin Watermaster Services Court-appointed watermaster services including groundwater monitoring, basin management, water rights administration, and annual reporting for the Warren Valley Basin.
• Customer Care Services Bill payment processing, service start/stop requests, leak reporting, emergency preparedness information, and payment assistance programs for district customers.
• Capital Replacement Program Ongoing pipeline replacement program established in 1997 to replace aging steel water mains with larger pipes for improved water quality, fire flow protection, and service reliability. As of December 2025, over 875,211 linear feet of pipeline have been replaced with 97,344 linear feet remaining.
• Water Education Programs Grade-appropriate curriculum and tours for local schools, including the annual Water Education Festival at La Contenta Middle School with partner agencies Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency and Joshua Basin Water District.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.9 billion gallons of clean drinking water added to California's supply through statewide water projects (Hi-Desert contributes through its infrastructure)

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mojave Water AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1977Mojave Water Agency serves as the regional State Water Contractor, purchasing water from the State Water Project and providing it to HDWD through the Morongo Basin Pipeline. The agency developed the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan covering the Morongo Basin and Victor Valley area.
• Colorado River Basin Water BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regulatory body that adopted the Basin Plan Amendment to revise septic tank prohibition for Town of Yucca Valley, allowing HDWD's sewer project phases to proceed with extended deadlines and combined phases.
• State Water ProjectcoreTechnology or IntegrationCalifornia state water system providing imported water supply to HDWD through the Morongo Basin Pipeline, helping to address groundwater overdraft in Warren Valley Basin.
• Mojave Environmental Education Consortium (MEEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEEC provides the EnviroBus Buck Transportation Grant Program which HDWD encourages teachers to use for field trip transportation grants for water education.
• Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency and Joshua Basin Water DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agencies in the Annual Water Education Festival at La Contenta Middle School, providing interactive water and wastewater educational activities to 8th graders.
• The Groundwater FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit providing motivational and inspirational education and community-based action programs for groundwater conservation and protection. HDWD participates in Groundwater Awareness Week activities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Imperial Irrigation District: One of California's largest water districts, providing water and power across Imperial Valley. Comparable desert climate utility with extensive irrigation, water rights administration, and integrated infrastructure operations.
• Liberty Utilities: Multi-jurisdiction regulated water and wastewater utility operating across several U.S. states including California. Comparable water-sewer utility operator at scale, though investor-owned rather than a special district.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Wholesale water agency supplying SWP and Colorado River water throughout Southern California. HDWD's imported water ultimately traces through MWD's distribution system, making it the regional backbone counterpart to HDWD's local operations.
• California Water Service Company: Investor-owned California water utility serving over 2 million customers across 100+ service areas. Comparable regulated water utility model though privately held and significantly larger than HDWD.

Direct peers

• Joshua Basin Water District: Adjacent small California special district serving Joshua Tree and surrounding areas of the Morongo Basin. Direct partner in HDWD's Water Education Festival and operates comparable water supply, wastewater, and groundwater management services.
• Las Virgenes Municipal Water District: Small-to-mid California special district providing water, wastewater, and recycled water services in western Los Angeles County. Operates a comparable single-district integrated utility model with capital replacement and conservation programs.
• Coachella Valley Water District: Large California special district providing water, wastewater, and irrigation services across the Coachella Valley. Operates a similar desert utility model with imported SWP water, groundwater management, and active capital replacement programs.
• Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency: Neighboring California water agency serving adjacent portions of the Morongo Basin. Named as a direct partner in HDWD's Annual Water Education Festival and operates in the same geographic region with similar small-scale desert water utility economics.
• Mojave Water Agency: Regional State Water Contractor for the Morongo Basin and Victor Valley. HDWD's named strategic partner, supplying imported SWP water through the Morongo Basin Pipeline and developing the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan covering HDWD's service area.

Regional players

• San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District: Conservation-focused water district in San Bernardino County managing groundwater recharge and spreading grounds. Directly comparable to HDWD's groundwater recharge function via the Morongo Basin Pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/HiDesertH2O
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCC26uHAP_GDeqTYovU3wRkQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/hideserth2o
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hidesertwaterdistrict

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hi-Desert Water District