RESOLUTION 2026-96
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANNING, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
WHEREAS, the California Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 797 (Water Code Section 10610 et seq.), known as the Urban Water Management Planning Act, during the 1983-1984 Regular Session, and as amended subsequently, which mandates that every supplier providing water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acrefeet of water annually, prepare an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), the primary objective of which is to plan for the conservation and efficient use of water; and WHEREAS, the City of Banning (City) is an urban supplier of water providing water; and WHEREAS, the UWMP shall be periodically reviewed at least once every five years, and that the City shall make any amendments or changes to its plan which are indicated by the review; and
WHEREAS, the UWMP update is required to be adopted and submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) no later than July 1, 2026; and WHEREAS, the UWMP was prepared in accordance with DWR’s 2025 UWMP Guidebook and includes updated population and water demand projections through 2050, water supply reliability assessments, demand management measures, and an updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP). The key updates incorporated into the 2025 UWMP include: SBx7-7 conservation target reporting requirements; enhanced water loss audit and compliance reporting; additional demand management measures for suppliers exceeding their Urban Water Use Objective (UWUO); updated indoor residential water use standards; potable irrigation phase-out requirements for nonfunctional turf; new and revised water conservation and water use definitions; optional DWR planning and reporting tools to improve reliability and drought risk assessments; and
WHEREAS, the UWMP must be adopted after public review and hearing, and filed with the California Department of Water Resources within thirty days of adoption; and WHEREAS, the City has therefore prepared and circulated for public review a draft UWMP, and a properly noticed public hearing regarding said UWMP was held by the City Council on June 23, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the City Council shall have filed said UWMP with the California Department of Water Resources within 30 days of adoption.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Banning as follows:
SECTION 1. The City of Banning is in conformance with all applicable requirements of the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
SECTION 2. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to file the 2025 UWMP with the California Department of Water Resources within 30 days after adoption of this resolution on behalf of the City Council.
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Resolution 2026-96
SECTION 3. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to make necessary budget adjustments, appropriations, and transfers related to this resolution.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause a certified resolution to be filed in the book of original resolutions.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of June, 2026.
Richard Royce, Mayor
City of Banning
ATTEST:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
City of Banning
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
John Pinkney, City Attorney
Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney,
LLP
795
Resolution 2026-96
CERTIFICATION:
I, Sandra Calderone, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Banning, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution 2026-96, was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Banning, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 23 rd day of June, 2026 by the following vote,
to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
City of Banning, California
796
Resolution 2026-96
EXHIBIT A
2025 Urban Water Management Plan, City of Banning, California. 797
Resolution 2026-97
RESOLUTION 2026-97
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANNING, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE 2025 WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
WHEREAS, the California Water Code Section 10632 requires every urban water supplier shall prepare and adopt a Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) as part of its Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP); and
WHEREAS, the City of Banning is an urban supplier of water providing water; and
WHEREAS, the City of Banning has prepared and adopted a 2025 UWMP under separate Resolution No. 2026-96; and
WHEREAS, State Senate Bill 606 passed in 2018 has amended the Water Code related to the requirements of WSCPs to include six standard stages for water shortages up to and beyond 50 percent; and
WHEREAS, the City of Banning has updated its WSCP in accordance with these changes in the Water Code, and said WSCP is included as part of the UWMP; and WHEREAS, the conservation of water is critically important if the City of Banning is to sustain itself; and the effective and equitable management of limited water supplies during a water shortage minimizes the impact on the people and the economy of the City of Banning; and WHEREAS, the City of Banning is granted the authority by the State Water Code Section 350 and City municipal code Section 13.16.020 to declare a water supply shortage and to adopt by resolution regulations and restrictions on the delivery and consumption of water; and WHEREAS, the City of Banning has therefore, prepared and circulated for public review a draft UWMP, and a properly noticed public hearing regarding said UWMP, held by the City Council on June 8, 2021, wherein the WSCP was also presented in the public hearing, and WHEREAS, the City of Banning shall file said WSCP with the California Department of Water Resources within 30 days of adoption; and
WHEREAS, the City of Banning, an urban water supplier, shall make available the WSCP prepared pursuant to this article to its customers and any city or county within which it provides water supplies no later than 30 days after adoption of the WSCP.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Banning as follows:
SECTION 1. The City of Banning is in conformance with all applicable requirements of the Water Code.
SECTION 2. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to file the 2025 WSCP along with the 2025 UWMP with the California Department of Water Resources within 30 days after adoption of this resolution on behalf of the City Council. 798
Resolution 2026-97
SECTION 3. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to make necessary budget adjustments, appropriations, and transfers related to this resolution.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause a certified resolution to be filed in the book of original resolutions.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of June, 2026.
Richard Royce, Mayor
City of Banning
ATTEST:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
City of Banning
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
John Pinkney, City Attorney
Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney,
LLP
799
Resolution 2026-97
CERTIFICATION:
I, Sandra Calderone, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Banning, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution 2026-97, was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Banning, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 23 rd day of June, 2026 by the following vote,
to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
City of Banning, California
800
Resolution 2026-97
EXHIBIT A
2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan, City of Banning, California. 801
2025
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT
PLAN
City of Banning, CA
JOHN
ROBINSON
CONSULTING, INC. 802
2025
URBAN WATER
MANAGEMENT PLAN
City of Banning, CA
Public Works Department
99 East Ramsey Street Banning, CA 92220
(951) 922-3130
June 2026
Prepared by:
West & Associates Engineering, Inc.
78 Anacapa Ct.
Foothill Ranch, CA
(949) 716-7670
John Robinson Consulting, Inc.
1055 E. Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA
(626) 375-9389
[email protected]
803
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1 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN 2025
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction.....................................................13
1.1. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY ............................................................................................ 13
1.2. COORDINATION ............................................................................................................ 16
1.3. DWR UPDATES FOR THE 2025 UWMPS ........................................................................ 18
1.4. UPDATES TO THE CITY’S UWMP ................................................................................... 19
1.5. FORMAT OF THE 2025 UWMP...................................................................................... 20
1.6. LAY DESCRIPTION.......................................................................................................... 22 Section 2: Service Area Description..................................23
2.1. CITY AND WATER SYSTEM HISTORY.............................................................................. 23
2.1.1. Early Stages.......................................................................................................................23
2.2. CURRENT WATER SERVICE AREA .................................................................................. 24
2.3. LAND USE & ECONOMY ................................................................................................ 25
2.3.1. City Land Use & Economics...............................................................................................26
2.3.2. Development in City .........................................................................................................28
2.3.3. Recent Developments.......................................................................................................29
2.3.4. Planned Developments.....................................................................................................29
2.4. CLIMATE ........................................................................................................................ 30
2.4.1. Climate Change.................................................................................................................31
2.5. POPULATION................................................................................................................. 32
2.5.1. Population Projections......................................................................................................33
2.6. WATER SYSTEM............................................................................................................. 34
2.6.1. City Water System Overview ............................................................................................34
2.6.2. Imported Water................................................................................................................34
2.6.3. Groundwater.....................................................................................................................35
2.6.4. Distribution System...........................................................................................................36
2.6.5. Water Storage...................................................................................................................36
2.6.6. Booster Stations................................................................................................................36
2.6.7. PRV Stations......................................................................................................................37
2.6.8. Emergency Interconnections............................................................................................37 804
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Section 3: Water Sources and Supplies ............................43
3.1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 43
3.2. IMPORTED WATER SOURCES........................................................................................ 43
3.2.1. Bay Delta...........................................................................................................................43
3.2.2. Bay Delta Conveyance Project..........................................................................................45
3.2.3. State Water Project (Aqueduct) .......................................................................................46
3.3. IMPORTED WATER PURCHASES.................................................................................... 48
3.3.1. Projected Imported Water................................................................................................52
3.4. GROUNDWATER SOURCES............................................................................................ 53
3.4.1. San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin .............................................................................................53
3.4.2. Sustainable Groundwater Management Act....................................................................56
3.4.3. Beaumont Storage Unit (Beaumont Basin).......................................................................58
3.4.4. West Banning Storage Unit...............................................................................................61
3.4.5. Cabazon Storage Unit .......................................................................................................61
3.4.6. Banning Bench Storage Unit.............................................................................................62
3.4.7. Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit................................................................................62
3.5. GROUNDWATER PRODUCTION .................................................................................... 63
3.5.1. Projected Groundwater Supplies......................................................................................63
3.6. SURFACE WATER........................................................................................................... 65
3.7. ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES....................................................................................... 67
3.7.1. Greywater.........................................................................................................................67
3.8. TRANSFERS OR EXCHANGES ......................................................................................... 67
3.9. PLANNED SUPPLY PROJECTS......................................................................................... 68
3.10. ENERGY INTENSITY OF SUPPLY ................................................................................. 68 Section 4: Recycled Water Opportunities.........................71
4.1. OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................... 71
4.2. WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM............................................................................ 71
4.2.1. Wastewater Flows ............................................................................................................72
4.3. RECYCLED WATER ......................................................................................................... 75
4.3.1. Projected Recycled Water Use .........................................................................................76
4.3.2. Potential Recycled Water Use ..........................................................................................76 805
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4.3.3. Recycled Water Alternatives.............................................................................................78
4.4. ENCOURAGING AND OPTIMIZING RECYCLED WATER USE........................................... 79 Section 5: Water Quality ..................................................81
5.1. OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................... 81
5.2. WATER QUALITY STANDARDS....................................................................................... 81
5.2.1. Federal Regulations ..........................................................................................................81
5.2.2. State Regulations..............................................................................................................82
5.2.3. State Drinking Water Standards .......................................................................................82
5.2.4. Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6) .............................................................................................83
5.2.5. City Standards...................................................................................................................83
5.3. QUALITY OF WATER SOURCES ...................................................................................... 84
5.3.1. Groundwater.....................................................................................................................84
5.3.2. Imported Water................................................................................................................85
5.4. IMPACTS OF WATER QUALITY ...................................................................................... 85
5.4.1. Impacts of Abandoned Wells............................................................................................86
5.4.2. Groundwater Contamination Response ...........................................................................86
5.4.3. DDW Sanitary Surveys ......................................................................................................87
5.4.4. Impacts on Management & Reliability .............................................................................87 Section 6: Water Use........................................................89
6.1. OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................... 89
6.2. COVID PANDEMIC’S EFFECT ON THE WATER SYSTEM.................................................. 89
6.3. CURRENT CITY WATER NEEDS....................................................................................... 90
6.4. CLIMATE IMPACTS ON WATER USE .............................................................................. 91
6.4.1. California Water Plan Update 2023 ..................................................................................93
6.5. WATER USE ................................................................................................................... 93
6.6. WATER USE BY SECTOR................................................................................................. 94
6.6.1. Service Connections/Accounts .........................................................................................94
6.6.2. Recent Water Use by Sector.............................................................................................95
6.6.3. Distribution System Losses...............................................................................................97
6.6.4. Unbilled Unmetered .........................................................................................................97
6.6.5. 2028 Water Loss Standard................................................................................................97 806
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6.7. URBAN WATER USE OBJECTIVE .................................................................................... 98
6.7.1. Key Highlights from the Report ........................................................................................99
6.7.2. Objectives Calculated with Future Standards...................................................................99
6.8. WATER CONSERVATION ACT ...................................................................................... 100
6.8.1. Act Background (SBx7-7).................................................................................................100
6.8.2. Exempt Agencies.............................................................................................................103
6.8.3. SBx7-7 Baseline & Target................................................................................................103
6.8.4. SBx7-7 Target Compliance ..............................................................................................105
6.9. PROJECTED WATER DEMAND..................................................................................... 106
6.9.1. Passive Savings................................................................................................................106
6.9.2. Low-Income Water Demands.........................................................................................106
6.9.3. Projected Water Use by Sector.......................................................................................107 Section 7: Reliability Planning ........................................ 109
7.1. OVERVIEW................................................................................................................... 109
7.2. HISTORIC DROUGHTS.................................................................................................. 109
7.3. RECENT DROUGHT (2020-2022) ................................................................................. 110
7.4. STATE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY............................................................................. 112
7.4.1. State Water Project (SWP) Reliability.............................................................................112
7.5. COLORADO RIVER RELIABILITY.................................................................................... 117
7.5.1. Competition for Water Rights.........................................................................................117
7.6. CITY SUPPLY RELIABILITY............................................................................................. 120
7.6.1. Drought Risk Assessment................................................................................................120
7.6.2. Basis for Projected Demands..........................................................................................120
7.6.3. Basis for Projected Supplies............................................................................................121
7.6.4. Tabular Comparisons......................................................................................................121
7.7. ENSURING ADEQUATE SUPPLY ................................................................................... 132
7.8. WSCP SUPPLY AUGMENTATION ................................................................................. 132 Section 8: Contingency Planning .................................... 133
8.1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 133
8.2. NEED FOR CONTINGENCY PLANS................................................................................ 134
8.2.1. Recent California Water Code Amendments..................................................................134 807
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8.3. LEGAL AUTHORITY ...................................................................................................... 135
8.4. WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY ANALYSIS ....................................................................... 135
8.5. ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS .............................................................................................. 137
8.5.1. Decision Making Process ................................................................................................137
8.5.2. Key Data Inputs...............................................................................................................138
8.5.3. Current Forecast .............................................................................................................138
8.6. CONTINGENCY PLANS ................................................................................................. 139
8.6.1. City Contingency Plan .....................................................................................................139
8.6.2. Health & Safety (1st Priority)..........................................................................................140
8.6.3. Stages of Action ..............................................................................................................140
8.6.4. Communication Protocols ..............................................................................................141
8.6.5. Limitations/Prohibitions.................................................................................................142
8.6.6. Penalties for Non-Compliance ........................................................................................142
8.7. DISASTER MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 143
8.7.1. Seismic Risk and Emergency Backup ..............................................................................144
8.7.2. Emergency Water Supply................................................................................................148
8.7.3. Additional Aid .................................................................................................................148
8.8. WSCP ENFORCEMENT & EVALUATION....................................................................... 149
8.8.1. Monitoring ......................................................................................................................149
8.8.2. Enforcement ...................................................................................................................150
8.8.3. Reporting ........................................................................................................................150
8.9. FISCAL IMPACTS .......................................................................................................... 150
8.9.1. Impacts to Revenue ........................................................................................................150
8.9.2. Impacts to Reserve Funds...............................................................................................151
8.10. WSCP ADOPTION AND REFINEMENT...................................................................... 151
8.10.1. Council Resolution ..........................................................................................................151
8.10.2. WSCP Refinement Procedures........................................................................................151
8.10.3. Cyclical Updates..............................................................................................................151
8.10.4. Data-Driven Updates ......................................................................................................152
8.10.5. Externally-Driven Updates..............................................................................................152
8.10.6. WSCP Re-Adoption .........................................................................................................152 Section 9: Conservation Measure................................... 157 808
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9.1. OVERVIEW................................................................................................................... 157
9.2. DWR DMMs FOR 2025 UWMPs.................................................................................. 158
9.3. CalWEP BMPs.............................................................................................................. 158
9.4. CITY CONSERVATION MEASURES................................................................................ 158
9.4.1. DMM No. 1 Water Waste Prevention Ordinances .........................................................159
9.4.2. DMM No. 2: Metering.....................................................................................................159
9.4.3. DMM No. 3: Conservation Pricing ..................................................................................161
9.4.4. DMM No. 4: Public Education & Outreach .....................................................................161
9.4.5. DMM No. 5: Programs to Assess and Manage Distribution System Real Loss...............161
9.4.6. DMM No. 6: Water Conservation Program Coordination and Staffing Support............162
9.4.7. DMM No. 7: Other Demand Management Measures....................................................162
9.5. CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................. 163 List of Tables
Table 1.1 Coordination and Public Involvement........................................................................... 17 Table 2.1 Current Land Use & Economic Statistics for Riverside County and City of Banning..... 27 Table 2.2 Recent Developments in City of Banning (Since 2020 UWMP) .................................... 29 Table 2.3 Recent Climate Characteristics (2025).......................................................................... 31 Table 2.4 City of Banning Current Population .............................................................................. 33 Table 2.5 Population Projections.................................................................................................. 34 Table 3.1 Total SWP Deliveries to SGPWA (2015 to 2025)........................................................... 50 Table 3.2 Imported Water Supply for recharge of the Beaumont Basin...................................... 52 Table 3.3: Banning Annual Storage Consolidation - Beaumont Storage Unit .............................. 61 Table 3.4 Groundwater-Production.............................................................................................. 63 Table 3.5 Projected Water Supply Availability (AF)...................................................................... 64 Table 3.6 Annual Energy Costs to Run Well Motor in City ........................................................... 69 Table 3.7 Projected Energy Costs to Run Well Motor in City ....................................................... 69 Table 4.1 Wastewater Flows Collected in City.............................................................................. 72 Table 4.2 Projected Wastewater Flows Collected in City ............................................................. 75 Table 4.3 Recycled Water Produced and/or Used in City............................................................. 75 Table 4.4 Projected Recycled Water Availability .......................................................................... 76 Table 4.5: Potential Recycled Water Users................................................................................... 79 Table 6.1 City Recent Water Use .................................................................................................. 94 Table 6.2 Number of Service Connections (2025) ........................................................................ 94 Table 6.3 Recent Water Use by Sector (AF).................................................................................. 96 Table 6.4 Objectives Calculated with Future Standards............................................................... 99 Table 6.5 City of Banning Water Use (GPCPD)............................................................................ 105 809
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Table 6.6 City of Banning ............................................................................................................ 105 Table 6.7 Projected Water Demand by Sector ........................................................................... 108 Table 7.1 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Normal Water Year (AF).............................................................................................................................................. 124 Table 7.2 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Single Dry Year (AF) ..................................................................................................................................................... 125 Table 7.3 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2026-2030) (AF) ......................................................................................................................... 126 Table 7.4 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2031-2035) (AF) ......................................................................................................................... 127 Table 7.5 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2036-2040) (AF) ......................................................................................................................... 128 Table 7.6 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2041-2045) (AF) ......................................................................................................................... 129 Table 7.7 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2046-2050) (AF) ......................................................................................................................... 130 Table 8.1 Health & Safety Personal Use .................................................................................... 140 Table 8.2 Water Shortage Stages & Reduction Targets.............................................................. 141 Table 8.3 Wells with Emergency Generators and Backup Systems............................................ 146 Table 8.4 Available Emergency Reservoir Storage ..................................................................... 146 Table 8.5 City Code Prohibitions on Water Use During Water Shortages.................................. 154 Table 8.6 City Water Department Response Actions ................................................................. 155 Table 9.1 City of Banning Current Water Rates.......................................................................... 161 List of Figures
Figure 1.1 UWMPs are Governed by State Law............................................................................ 14 Figure 1.2 UWMP Act Establishment and Amendment ............................................................... 15 Figure 2.1 Atwell Development .................................................................................................... 29 Figure 2.2 City of Banning: Public Works Department Organization Chart (June 2026).............. 38 Figure 2.3 City of Banning Water Service Area............................................................................. 39 Figure 2.4 Riverside County General Plan Land Use Map (from Riverside County Official Website)........................................................................................................................................ 40 Figure 2.5 City of Banning Zoning Map......................................................................................... 41 Figure 2.6 City of Banning: Known Developments ....................................................................... 42 Figure 3.1 Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta ............................................................................. 44 Figure 3.2 Bay Delta ...................................................................................................................... 45 Figure 3.3 Aqueduct Systems in California ................................................................................... 47 Figure 3.4 State Water Project...................................................................................................... 48 Figure 3.5 SGPWA Service Area .................................................................................................... 49 Figure 3.6 Brookside Recharge Facility ......................................................................................... 51 Figure 3.7 San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin ........................................................................................ 54 810
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Figure 3.8 Groundwater Basins in the City (Subbasins of San Gorgonio Pass Basin)................... 57 Figure 3.9 Well Locations in the Beaumont Basin ........................................................................ 60 Figure 3.10 Spreading Grounds at WWTP .................................................................................... 60 Figure 3.11 San Gorgonio Flume System...................................................................................... 65 Figure 3.12 San Gorgonio Flume System...................................................................................... 66 Figure 3.13 Greywater System...................................................................................................... 67 Figure 4.1 City of Banning Wastewater Service Area (with Additional Shaded Planning Areas) . 73 Figure 4.2 Schematic of City’s Existing Wastewater Collection and Treatment System.............. 74 Figure 4.3 City of Banning WWTP and Percolation Ponds............................................................ 77 Figure 4.4 City of Banning Potential Recycled Water Customers................................................. 80 Figure 6.1 Banning Park ................................................................................................................ 91 Figure 6.2 Sun Lakes Country Club................................................................................................ 95 Figure 6.3 Current Water Demand by Sector (2025).................................................................... 96 Figure 6.4 California's 2020 Water Conservation Goals............................................................. 101 Figure 6.5 Colorado River Hydrologic Region ............................................................................. 102 Figure 6.6 Procedure for Determining Baseline Per Capita Water Use...................................... 104 Figure 6.7 Procedure for Determining Target Per Capita Water Use......................................... 104 Figure 6.8 Projected Water Demand by Sector (in 2050)........................................................... 108 Figure 7.1 Governor Newsom at Lake Mendocino in Ukiah on April 21, 2021 .......................... 111 Figure 7.2 Lake Oroville During Drought of 2020-2022 (October 4, 2022) ................................ 114 Figure 7.3 Lake Oroville After Drought (June 12, 2023) ............................................................. 114 Figure 7.4 California State Reservoir Levels (May 2026)............................................................ 115 Figure 7.5 SWP Table A Deliveries.............................................................................................. 116 Figure 7.6 Colorado River Basin.................................................................................................. 119 Figure 7.7 Suspended Pipe (San Gorgonio Flume System.......................................................... 120 Figure 7.8 River Along the Beaumont Basin ............................................................................... 122 Figure 7.9 Table 4-1 of the Geoscience Support Services, Inc. 2019 Technical Memorandum. 123 Figure 7.10 Projected Supply v. Demand Scenario: Normal Water Year 2050 .......................... 131 Figure 7.11 Whitewater River Near City of Banning................................................................... 132 Figure 8.1 Basic Overview of Water Quality Contamination Response for City Wells............... 136 Figure 8.2 City Council Can Declare Shortage Stages................................................................. 141 Figure 8.3 Fault Zones Near the City........................................................................................... 145 Figure 8.4 Pelton Wheel Pump ................................................................................................... 147 Figure 8.5 Potable Water Tank Trailer........................................................................................ 148 Figure 8.6 High Valleys Tank ....................................................................................................... 152 Figure 9.1 CUWCC became CalWEP in January 2018 ................................................................. 158 Figure 9.2 Water Waste .............................................................................................................. 159 Figure 9.3 AMI-Style Water Meter ............................................................................................. 160 811
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Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Appendix G
Appendix H
Appendix I
Appendix J
Appendix K
Appendix L
Appendix M
Appendix N
Appendix O
Appendix P
City Council Resolution Adopting 2025 UWMP
City Council Resolution Adopting 2025 WSCP
UWMP Act
Dept. of Water Resources UWMP Checklist
Dept. of Water Resources UWMP Data Tables
Dept. of Water Resources SBx7-7 Tables
UWMP Notices: 60-Day Notice, 2-Week and 1 Week Notices
Final Transmittals to County and State Library
Land Use and Planning Element – City General Plan
2013-2021 Housing Element – City General Plan
2024 Consumer Confidence Report (Water Quality Report)
Beaumont Basin Judgment
Riverside County Climate Action Plan Update 2025
City of Banning Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
City of Banning Development Impact Fee Study (2026)
SCAG Demographics & Growth Forecast Assessment (2024)
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ACRONYMS
AAC All-American Canal
AF Acre-Feet
AFY Acre-Feet per Year
AMI Automatic Metering Infrastructure
AP Allocation Plan
BCVWD Beaumont Cherry-Valley Water District
BDCP Bay-Delta Conservation Plan
BHMWC Banning Heights Mutual Water Company
BMP Best Management Practice
CDP Census Designated Place
CDPH California Department of Public Health
CFS Cubic Feet per Second
CII Commercial Industrial Institutional
CIMIS California Irrigation Management Information System City City of Banning
CRA Colorado River Aqueduct
CUWCC California Urban Water Conservation Council
CalWEP California Water Efficiency Partnership
CVP Central Valley Project
CDPH California Department of Public Health
DBPs Disinfection Byproducts
DDW Division of Drinking Water
DMM Demand Management Measure
DOE Department of Energy
DWSAP Drinking Water Source Assessment and Protection
DWR Department of Water Resources
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ETo Evapotranspiration
GPCD Gallons per Capita per Day
GPM Gallons per Minute
HEN High Efficiency Nozzle
HET High Efficiency Toilet
HEW High Efficiency Washer
IPR Indirect Potable Reuse
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IRP Integrated Resources Plan
MAF Million Acre-Feet
MBR Membrane Bioreactor
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
MCLG Maximum Contaminant Level Goal
MG Million Gallons
MGD Million Gallons per Day
mg/L Milligrams per Liter
μg/L Micrograms per Liter
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MWA Mohave Water Agency
MWD Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
ng/L Nanograms per Liter
NPDWR National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Units
PCA Possible Contaminating Activities
PHG Public Health Goal
PPCPs Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
QSA Quantification Settlement Agreement
RHNA Regional Housing Needs Assessment
SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
SCAG Southern California Association of Governments
SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act
SB Senate Bill
SBx7-7 Senate Bill x7-7
SGPWA San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
SWP State Water Project
SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board
TDS Total Dissolved Solid
TOC Total Organic Carbon
ULFT Ultra-Low-Flow Toilet
USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
UWMP Urban Water Management Plan
WSAP Water Supply Allocation Plan
WSDM Water Surplus & Drought Management Plan
WSS Watershed Sanitary Survey
WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant
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1 Section 1:
Introduction
1.1. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This is the 2025 Urban Water Management
Plan (“UWMP” or “Plan”) for the City of
Banning (hereinafter “City”). This Plan has
been prepared in compliance with the Urban
Water Management Planning Act (Act),
which was established in 1983 and has been
codified into the California Water Code
sections 10610 through 10657. A copy of the
Act can be found in Appendix C.
As part of the Act, the legislature declared
that waters of the state are a limited and
renewable resource subject to ever
increasing demands; that the conservation
and efficient use of urban water supplies are
of statewide concern; that successful
implementation of plans is best
accomplished at the local level; that
conservation and efficient use of water shall
be actively pursued to protect both the
people of the state and their water
resources; that conservation and efficient
use of urban water supplies shall be a
guiding criterion in public decisions; and that
urban water suppliers shall be required to
develop water management plans to
achieve conservation and efficient use.
The Act requires “every urban water supplier
providing water for municipal purposes to
more than 3,000 customers or supplying
more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually,
to prepare and adopt, in accordance with
prescribed requirements, an Urban Water
Management Plan.”
In accordance with
the Water Code, an
Urban Water
Management Plan is
required to be
updated every five
years.
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These plans must be filed with the California
Department of Water Resources (DWR)
every five (5) years, describing and
evaluating reasonable and practical efficient
water uses, reclamation, and conservation
activities. The Water Code mandates that
each water supplier shall update its plan at
least once every five years on or before July
1, in years ending in six and one.
Figure 1.1 UWMPs are Governed by State
Law
The Act has been amended multiple times
since its initial passage in 1983. A summary
of the amendments is provided in Figure 1.2.
The intent of the amendments was to
broaden the scope of the UWMPs,
encourage public participation, and add
financial incentives to the UWMPs. A
significant amendment to the Act was a 2009
amendment (Senate Bill SBx7-7) signed by
former Governor Schwarzenegger. The
Senate Bill, also known as the “Water
Conservation Act” required that per capita
water use within an urban water supplier's
service area decrease by 20 percent by the
year 2020 in order to receive grants or loans
administered by DWR or other state
agencies. Each urban retail water supplier
developed water use “targets” for 2015 and
for 2020. The “target”
date for 2020 passed on
December 31, 2020.
Urban water suppliers
whose 2020 actual water
use does not meet the
target requirements
established by this bill are not eligible for
State water grants or loans. This included,
but was not limited to, the following funding
sources:
• Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Primarily a source for funds to help
correct deficiencies.
• Proposition 1
Primarily a source for funds related
to supplies & infrastructure.
• Proposition 50
Primarily a source for funds related
to security & treatment technology.
• Proposition 84
Primarily a source for funds related
to protection from pollution.
Agencies that submit their UWMPs past the
July 2026 deadline are still technically
eligible for grants or loans, provided that the
UWMP addresses the requirements of the
Act. However, applications for such funds
are subject to legal challenges coming
Amendments to
the Act have
added financial
incentives to
UWMPs.
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Figure 1.2 UWMP Act Establishment and Amendment
Present: The UWMP guidebook was released on
November 17, 2025 with no UWMP Act Amendments.
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from competing agencies for the same
funding, if the competing agencies become
aware of the timeframe in which an UWMP
was submitted.
UWMPs are considered to be a foundation
document and a source of information for
Water Supply Assessments (Senate Bill 610)
and Written Verifications of Water Supply
(SB 221). In addition, an UWMP may serve as
a long-range planning document for water
supply, a source of data for development of
a regional water plan, and a source
document for cities and counties as they
prepare their General Plans. These planning
documents are linked, and their accuracy
and usefulness are interdependent.
One of the primary objectives of the Act is
the assessment of demands and supplies
over a 20-year or a 25-year planning horizon
under normal rainfall conditions, as well as
under various drought conditions. The Act
also requires water shortage contingency
planning and drought response actions be
included in an UWMP. In short, this Plan is a
management tool that provides a general,
long-term framework for action, rather than
a detailed blueprint for supply and demand
management. This Plan evaluates the City’s
supply and demand projections over a 25-
year planning horizon, and what mix of
programs should be explored for ensuring
that such water will be available. As part of
the City's past and current water
conservation policies, the City is currently
implementing many facets of this plan to
achieve its water conservation goals.
1.2. COORDINATION
The process of preparing and submitting an
UWMP is a transparent process that requires
opportunities for outside-agency and
general public involvement. In preparing this
2025 UWMP, the City has encouraged broad
community participation. The City notified
the agencies that the City interacts with
more than 60 days in advance of the City
Council’s adoption of
the 2025 UWMP. The
City has also made the
draft 2025 UWMP
available at City Hall
and on the City’s
website, leading up to
a public hearing on the
2025 UWMP. Notices of the public hearing
were published in the local press and on the
City’s website for a two-week period. On
June 23, 2026, the City held a noticed public
hearing to review and accept comments on
the 2025 UWMP. Following the public
hearing, the City officially adopted the 2025
UWMP through Council resolution. A copy of
the council resolution adopting this UWMP
is included in Appendix A.
The City's 2025
UWMP is a
collaborative effort
involving its own
staff, outside
agencies, and the
general public.
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Table 1.1 Coordination and Public Involvement
Agency
Participated
in Plan
Preparation
Sent 60-
Day
Notice
Commented
on Draft
Notified
of Public
Hearing
Attended
Public
Hearing
San Gorgonio Pass Water
Agency x x x
Beaumont Cherry Valley
Water District x x
Beaumont Basin
Watermaster x x
City of Beaumont x x
Yucaipa Valley Water District x x
High Valleys Water District x x
County of Riverside Planning
Department x x
Various Developers x x
Building Industry Association
of Southern California x x
Cabazon Water District x x
Morongo Band of Mission
Indians x x
Banning Heights Mutual
Water Company x x
South Mesa Water Company x x
General Public x
Notes:
1. “60-Day” notice letters were sent out to all agencies (except the City’s own) as required by CWC § 10621(b):
2. 2-week and 1-week notices were published in the local press.
3. Appendix G contains copies of the 60-day notice and the 2-week and 1-week notices. 820
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As required by the Act, the 2025 UWMP is
being prepared by the City and will be
submitted to DWR, the California State
Library, and any city or county within which
it provides water no later than 30 days after
adoption. The 2025 UWMP has been made
available to the public on the City’s website
and at City Hall during normal business hours
for 30 days prior to submitting the 2025
UWMP to DWR.
1.3. DWR UPDATES FOR THE 2025
UWMPS
There have been minor changes to the
Water Code affecting the 2025 UWMPs. The
changes include:
• Clarified Reporting Requirements for
SBx7-7: Agencies must provide a
description in the 2025 UWMP of how
their water use goals of the 20x2020
were met. An urban retail water
supplier’s failure to meet those goals will
be a violation of law and potentially
result in a state administrative or judicial
proceeding. If the agency did not achieve
its targeted reduction in 2020, the
agency must show in its 2025 UWMP
whether it met their 2020 Target in 2025
to be eligible for state funds. Currently,
the CWC does not set an end date for
reporting on a supplier’s progress in
meeting the 2020 Target. (CWC §
10608.40)
• Water Losses: Retail Suppliers must
indicate the quantity of water losses for
five years by reporting data from their
Validated Water Loss Audits, discuss
their progress toward compliance with
the 2028 Water Loss Standard, and show
whether they met the Water Loss
Performance Standard enacted by the
State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB). (CWC § 10631 (d) (3) (C), SB
1414, 2019). Suppliers can simply
provide a link to their water loss reports
submitted to DWR’s Water Loss Audit
Program.
• Updates to Demand Management
Measures (DMMs): Retail Suppliers with
an annual actual water use above their
Urban Water Use-Objective (UWUO)
must include a narrative describing
additional DMMs the supplier plans to
use to achieve its UWUO by January 1,
2027. (CWC § 10609.25, AB 1414, 2019)
• UWUO and Water Use Reporting: The
standard for indoor residential water use
from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2030
was lowered from 52 to 47 Gallons per
Capita per Day (gpcd). Until January 1,
2025, the standard was 55 gpcd.
Beginning January 1, 2030 the standard
was lowered from 50 to 42 gpcd. DWR, in
coordination with SWRCB, will conduct
an investigation to determine if the date
for the 2030 indoor residential use
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standard will be changed. The City will
not be subject to enforcement pursuant
to this chapter solely for failing to meet
the indoor residential use standard.
(CWC § 10609.4).
• Irrigation of Nonfunctional Turf:
”Functional turf” is ground cover surface
of turf located in a recreational use area
or community space. ”Nonfunctional
turf” means any turf that is not
functional turf, and includes turf located
within street rights-of-way and parking
lots. Turf enclosed by fencing or other
barriers to permanently preclude human
access for recreation or assembly is
Nonfunctional turf. The use of potable
water to irrigate nonfunctional turf is
wasteful and incompatible with state
policy relating to climate change, water
conservation, and
reduced reliance on
the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta
ecosystem (CWC §
110). The use of
potable water to
irrigate Nonfunctional turf on all
properties owned by urban retail water
suppliers are to be phased out by January
1, 2027. All other Commercial, Industrial,
and Institutional (CII) properties are to
be phased out by January 1, 2028. After
which it will be prohibited with a few
exceptions (CWC § 10618.14). The
website https://saveourwater.com/
provides information and resources on
converting nonfunctional turf to native
vegetation.
• Definitions: New definitions were added
or existing definitions were modified,
which include Nonfunctional Turf, CII
water use, Large landscape, Gross water
use, Potable reuse, Urban water use
objective, Affordable housing, and
Disadvantaged community to name a
few (CWC § 10608.12).
In addition, there are several optional or
voluntary categorical and data reporting
changes to the UWMP Act. These include an
optional Planning Tool that suppliers can use
to report and assess water use and supply in
order to better conduct the Reliability
Assessment and Drought Risk Assessment, a
Potable and Non-Potable Planning Tool,
Potable and Non-Potable Submittal Tables,
as well as various optional data reporting.
1.4. UPDATES TO THE CITY’S UWMP
In addition to the required updates
described in the previous section, the City’s
2025 UWMP has undergone some changes
from the 2020 UWMP. A summary of the key
changes to the UWMP are:
• DWR & Water Code: A listing of DWRrequired UWMP updates (see previous Section).
The use of
potable water to
irrigate
nonfunctional turf
is wasteful.
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• City Development Growth: An updated
review of development which took place
in the City since the 2020 UWMP.
• Water Sources and Supplies: A broader,
more in-depth discussion of water
sources and supplies.
• Recycled Water: An updated review of
recycled water opportunities in the City.
• Water Quality: An update to new
regulations and contaminants affecting
water quality and treatment.
• Water Use: Updated information on
recent water use quantities and a more
in-depth discussion on water use
parameters.
• Supply v Demand: Updated information
on projected supplies vs demands, and a
discussion on recent regional droughts
affecting the City. There is also an
expansion on the discussion of the City’s
source water reliability.
• Contingency Planning: Updated
information on the City's contingency
plans, including the City’s Ordinances.
• Conservation Measures: Updated
information on the City's conservation
measures, which reflect the previous
(2020) changes by DWR.
In addition to these changes, there are
multiple minor changes. The changes reflect
both those that are required by the Water
Code and those that are voluntarily included
for the benefit of the City.
1.5. FORMAT OF THE 2025 UWMP
The information contained in this 2025
UWMP corresponds to the items in the
UWMP Act and other amendments to the
Water Code. The sections of the UWMP are:
Section 1 - Introduction
This section describes the UWMP Act, the
UWMP preparation and adoption process,
updates to the UWMP, and a lay description
of this entire document.
Section 2 – Service Area Description
This section outlines the history and
development of the City and the City’s water
supply system, a description of its existing
service area, the local climate, population
served, and basic statistics on the City’s
water distribution system.
Section 3 – Water Sources & Supplies
This section describes the existing water
supplies available to the City, including local
groundwater extracted from the San
Gorgonio Pass Subbasin (SGP Subbasin) of
the Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin, and
its five (5) water storage units (also
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colloquially termed "basins"), and imported
water from the State Water Project (SWP)
obtained from the San Gorgonio Pass Water
Agency (SGPWA). In addition, this section
discusses potential future water supplies.
Section 4 – Recycled Water Opportunities
This section describes the City’s wastewater
collection and treatment at the City’s
wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and
the uses and benefits to implementing a
recycled water system. In addition, this
section discusses the future use of recycled
water in the City.
Section 5 – Water Quality
This section discusses the quality of the
City’s potable water supply sources,
including imported, surface, and
groundwater. This section also discusses
drinking water standards and the effect that
water quality has on management strategies
and supply reliability.
Section 6 – Water Use
This section describes past, current, and
projected water usage within the City’s
service area. This chapter also discusses the
requirement of the Water Conservation Act
(SBx7-7), including the 2020 Water Use
Targets.
Section 7 – Reliability Planning
This section presents a drought risk
assessment of the City’s water system which
compares projected future water demands
with expected available water supplies
under three different hydrologic conditions:
normal year; a single dry year; and multiple
dry years. This 2025 UWMP concludes that if
projected imported and local supplies are
developed as anticipated, no water
shortages are anticipated in the City’s
service area during the planning period.
Section 8 – Contingency Planning
This section describes the City’s response
plan to water shortages, as well as the
efforts that will be utilized in the event of
water supply interruptions, such as power
outages, earthquakes, or droughts. This
section also describes regional response
efforts to water supply interruptions.
Section 9 – Conservation Measures
This section addresses the City’s compliance
with water conservation measures that
correspond to the seven (7) Demand
Management Measures (DMMs) described
in the 2025 UWMP Guidebook, which were
previously the fourteen (14) DMMs listed in
the Act. The DMMs also correspond to the
current Best Management Practices (BMPs)
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from the California Water Efficiency
Partnership (CalWEP).
Appendices
The appendices contain references, specific
documents, and data used to prepare this
2025 UWMP.
1.6. LAY DESCRIPTION
To facilitate effective and efficient
management of water supplies, and in
compliance with the UWMP Act and the
Water Conservation Act of 2009, the City has
prepared this 2025 UWMP. This UWMP
includes background information regarding
the City’s history, water system, and water
supplies. This UWMP also analyzes recent
water demands and projects future water
supply capacity and water demands through
2050. The effects of water quality, drought,
and emergencies on the City’s water supply
reliability are also analyzed.
As indicated by Section 7, the City does not
expect to have a water supply shortage
through 2050. Furthermore, this UWMP
concludes that the City’s water supplies,
which are obtained entirely from local
groundwater basins, are resilient to
droughts. A basic overview of the City’s
water system can be found in Section 2.
Water quality does have an occasional
impact on the consistency of groundwater
supplies, but due to the recent ruling by the
State Water Resources Control Board on
Chromium-6, the City’s groundwater quality
is not expected to be affected.
This 2025 UWMP recommends that the City
implement water operation management
tools that maximize the use of local
groundwater production and decrease the
need for imported water. This 2025 UWMP
also recommends conservation tools that
will enable the City’s residents to conserve
water and maximize water use efficiency.
These are described in Section 9. These are
described in Section 5.
If water consumption rates in the City
decrease as this 2025 UWMP projects, the
City will have an adequate water supply
despite projected population growth over
the next 25 years. Finally, this 2025 UWMP
recommends that severe droughts or
sudden supply interruptions be addressed
by following the criteria of the Water
Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), as
described in Section 8.
Since UWMPs are due for revision every five
years, this UWMP will be in effect until the
year’s end of 2030. At that time, the City will
begin development and adoption of their
2030 UWMP.
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2 Section 2:
Service Area
Description
2.1. CITY AND WATER SYSTEM HISTORY
The City of Banning was incorporated on
February 6, 1913. Currently, the City is a
general-law City per the State of California
Govt Code § 34102. Per the US Census
Bureau, the City qualifies as an “urban area,”
but currently falls under the “urban cluster”
category which is a Census category for small
to mid-size cities. The City operates under a
City Council/City Manager form of
government. The City Council consists of five
(5) Council Members elected to four-year
terms, one of which is appointed mayor by
Council for a one-year term. The City
Manager, who serves on behalf of the City
Council, runs the day-to-day operations of
the City. Under the City Manager’s general
oversight, the City’s Director of Public Works
runs the Public Works Department, which
includes the City’s Water and Wastewater
Division. The City’s Water Division performs
all activities related to the water system.
2.1.1. Early Stages
Prior to the City’s incorporation, the Banning
Water Company, which was incorporated in
1884, provided delivery of domestic and
irrigation water to various local customers
within the area. In 1913, the Banning Water
Company began operating as a public utility,
and, in 1967, the City acquired the Banning
Water Company. In 1997, the City purchased
the Mountain Water Company, which
supplied water to its customers in an
unincorporated portion of the County of
Riverside from groundwater wells located
within the City.
The City's Water
Service Area
comprises 16,908
acres or 26.4 square
miles.
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2.2. CURRENT WATER SERVICE AREA
The City of Banning is located in the
northwestern portion of Riverside County,
approximately 25 miles east of downtown
Riverside and approximately 30 mile west of
the City of Palm Springs. The City is bounded
by the San Bernardino Mountains to the
north; Cherry Valley to the northwest; the
City of Beaumont to the west and
southwest; unincorporated County area to
the south; the San Jacinto Mountains to the
southeast; and the Morongo Band of
Mission Indians and unincorporated
community of Cabazon to the east. The City’s
total land area is 14,848 acres or 23.2 square
miles.
The City’s water service area comprises 100
percent of the population residing within the
City limits, and portions of unincorporated
Riverside County located southwesterly of
the City limits. The City's Water Service Area
comprises approximately 16,908 acres or
26.4 square miles.
The City is a retail agency and within the San
Gorgonio Pass Subbasin portion of the
Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin. The
City is a member of the San Gorgonio Pass
Regional Water Alliance (Alliance). The
Alliance was created to identify challenges in
water supply and water quality in the region
and to improve coordination and
communication among local, state, and
federal governments and water purveyors
and other water resource stakeholders in
the San Gorgonio Pass region.
Since the adoption of the 2015 UWMP, the
City has participated in the following two
additional agreements:
• San Gorgonio IRWM Regional Water
Management Group, which includes the
City of Banning, Banning Heights Mutual
Water Company, Cabazon Water District,
High Valleys Water District, RCFCWCD,
and the San Gorgonio Pass Water
Agency.
• San Timoteo Groundwater
Sustainability Agency, which includes
the City of Banning, Beaumont-Cherry
Valley Water District, City of Redlands,
Yucaipa Valley Water District, San
Gorgonio Pass Water Agency.
• San Gorgonio Pass Groundwater
Sustainability Agency, which includes
the City of Banning, Cabazon Water
District, Banning Heights Mutual Water
Company, San Gorgonio Pass Water
Agency. See Section 3.4.2 for the San
Gorgonio Pass Subbasin Groundwater
Sustainability Plan.
The City participates in the Beaumont
Management Zone (BMZ) Maximum
Benefits Program, which is under the
oversight of the Santa Ana Regional Water
Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and is
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intended to ensure the long-term
sustainability of water quality in the BMZ.
Yucaipa Valley Water District, BeaumontCherry Valley Water District, and City of Beaumont also participate in the program.
The City also meets bi-monthly with the
Beaumont Basin Watermaster, which is
comprised of a five-member Watermaster
Committee that consists of representatives
from each of the five appropriators, which
include the City of Banning, City of
Beaumont, Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water
District, South Mesa Water Company, and
Yucaipa Valley Water District. This panel
meets to discuss local issues with different
agencies and addresses adjudicated rights
within the Beaumont Basin.
The City's Public Works Department
Organization Chart is shown in Figure 2.2,
Water Division staff read water meters
monthly for billing purposes, change
damaged water meters in order to keep
accurate accounts of water consumed by
customers, and tracks water purchased from
the SGPWA to ensure proper delivery of
purchased water and related billing. The
City's Water Division staff are certified by the
State of California to operate, maintain, and
repair the water distribution system and the
City’s wells.
The Water Division’s key objectives can be
summarized as the following:
• Responding to all water quality
complaints
• Flushing mains
• Efficiently operate groundwater
facilities
• Maintaining and making repairs to all
components of the water
distribution system
• Complying with Division of Drinking
Water (DDW) regulations, including
laboratory testing
• Promoting water certification and
safety training
Another key objective of the Water Division
is to lead and/or assist in the planning,
design, and construction of the water
system. This objective involves duties that
occur on an infrequent, as-needed basis,
such as assisting with the preparation of
Master Plans and UWMPs.
2.3. LAND USE & ECONOMY
The City is one of twenty-eight (28)
incorporated cities located in Riverside
County. Riverside County encompasses an
area of 7,206 square miles or 4.6 million
acres, and is bordered on the west by
Orange County, on the north by San
Bernardino County, on the South by San
Diego and Imperial Counties, and on the east
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by the Colorado River. Roughly 4% of the
total acreage in unincorporated Riverside
County is irrigated for agricultural purposes,
most of which occurs in the area known as
the Palo Verde Valley. According to a County
Report, nearly 200,000 acres are used for
agriculture in Riverside County, including
acreage in both unincorporated and
incorporated County. Overall, Riverside
County’s agricultural
production consists of
more than 120 types of
commodities. In
addition, a number of
dairies located in the
County have significant
economic impact. In
fact, according to County Agricultural
Reports, milk accounts for the single highestranking value at over $150 million gross.
Total combined agricultural production in
Riverside County is just over $1 billion.
In addition to agricultural and livestock
production, the County has a substantial
manufacturing economy. According to
County estimates, total manufacturing
production in Riverside County is estimated
to be over $10 billion, of which over $1
billion consists of food shipments.
The Riverside County General Plan, updated
October 2017, identifies nineteen (19)
Specific Area Plans within Riverside County.
This includes a mixture of residential,
commercial, industrial, and public facility
development. No specific developments are
identified within the City in the current
version of the County’s Plan because the City
is governed by its own general plan.
2.3.1. City Land Use & Economics
The City includes a mixture of residential
uses and equestrian estates, combined with
more-recent planned residential housing
developments. The community focal point is
an extended commercial downtown
stretching along Ramsey Street. Ramsey
Street largely parallels Interstate 10; and
along Ramsey Street multiple City
businesses can be found such as restaurants,
banks, and service stations.
Table 2.1 provides basic statistics on current
land use and economy for Riverside County
and the City. Figure 2.4 shows the Riverside
County General Plan Land Use Map, which
includes the agricultural, open space, and
community areas.
Riverside County’s
agricultural
component has
aided the growth
of inland empire
communities.
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Table 2.1 Current Land Use & Economic Statistics for Riverside County and City of Banning Land: Total (sq. miles)
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Land Area (sq. miles) 7,206 sq. miles 23 sq. miles
Land Area (acres) 4,611,840 acres 14,720 acres
Land: Irrigated/Agriculture (acres)
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Agricultural Land 263,796 acres 1,200 acres
Land: Developed (acres)
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Developed Land 165,151 acres 428 acres
Population
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Population 2,470,546 31,949
Housing
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Housing Units 857,148 10,991
Median Home Price $350,100 $234,900
Owner Occupancy Rate 66.3% 65.9%
Economy
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Employed (16yrs +) 59.7% 44.5%
Median Household Income $67,005 $42,274
Percent in Poverty 11.3% 20.6%
Economic: Production/Revenue
Item Riverside County City of Banning
Manufacturing $15.1 Billion $72.8 Million
Agriculture/Crops $3.9 Billion N/A*
Retail & Wholesale Sales $43.8 Billion $248.7 Million
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2.3.2. Development in City
The current City General Plan was
completely updated by the twenty-eight (28)
member General Plan Advisory Committee
(GPAC), which was appointed by the Banning
City Council. The GPAC review process
began in March of 2003 and ended in
January of 2005. At the end of that process,
the GPAC recommended a draft document
to the Planning Commission and City
Council.
The Banning General Plan contains the
following elements, as mandated by
Government Code Section 65302: Land Use,
Traffic & Circulation, Housing, Conservation,
Open Space, Safety and Noise. In addition to
the mandated elements, optional elements
have been included in this General Plan,
including Economic Development and
Cultural Resources. The Banning Land Use
Element identifies six (6) main zones as
shown on Figure 2.4 including:
Residential
• Ranch/Agriculture
• Ranch/Agriculture Hillside
• Rural
• Rural Hillside
• Very Low, Low, Medium, and High
Density
• Single-Family
• Multi-Family
Commercial
• Downtown
• General
• Highway Serving
• Professional Office
Industrial
• Light and Medium Manufacturing
• Mini-Storage
• Auto storage and repair
• Business Park
• Mineral Resources
Public Facilities
• Airport
• Government
• Cemetery
• Fire Station
• Schools
• Hospital
• Railroad and Interstate
Open Space and Conservation
• Resources Preservation
• Parks
• Hillside Preservation
Other
• Indian jurisdiction
• Miscellaneous
The City’s Land Use Element is meant to
promote an orderly pattern of development
in the City, including the City’s ability to
provide water service to new developments.
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2.3.3. Recent Developments
The City has experienced very substantial
development in recent years. Recent or
planned developments are shown on Figure
2.6. Some of these developments are listed
in Table 2.2.
Table 2.2 Recent Developments in City of
Banning (Since 2020 UWMP)
No. Development
1 Banning Distribution Center*
2 Sunset Crossroads*
3 First Hathaway Logistics*
4 ESTES Trucking Terminal
5 West Coast Electric
6 Banning Commerce Center*
7 O'Reilly's Auto Parts
Total Seven (7) Developments
*Pending or Under Construction
2.3.4. Planned Developments
Currently, there are two (2) significant
developments planned within the City's
water service area. Final subdivision maps
prepared for the two projects will comply
with the provisions of CA Government Code
Section 66473.7.
Atwell (Formerly “Butterfield”)
The Atwell Specific Plan is a master planned
community project that encompasses 1,543
acres and includes approximately 4,900
residential dwelling units, two elementary
schools, two commercial sites, and
community parks and trails. The project will
be constructed in five phases over an
estimated period of 30 years. Figure 2.1
shows one of the developments currently
being constructed.
Figure 2.1 Atwell Development
A project-specific water supply assessment
(WSA), titled “Water Supply Assessment for
Atwell Specific Plan”, was issued June 2011
with the Draft EIR, then modified in
December 2011 by Section 4.1 of the Final
EIR, that was prepared to determine the
adequacy of existing and future water
supplies to serve the project.
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for
Atwell, which included an analysis of water
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supply supported by the project specific
WSA cited, has been approved by City
Council. A Water Supply Verification (WSV) is
further mandated by California Government
Code Section 66473.7 for any subdivisions
that include proposed residential
development of more than 500 dwelling
units.
Rancho San Gorgonio
The Rancho San Gorgonio Specific Plan
(Rancho San Gorgonio) is a master planned
community project that encompasses
approximately 831 acres and includes up to
3,385 residential dwelling units, almost 49
acres of neighborhood and community
parks, over 160 acres of paseos and open
space, and approximately 81 acres of rightof-way and utility easements. The project is anticipated to be constructed in six phases
over a period of 18 years. This period is likely
to be extended due to economic factors.
A project-specific WSA was prepared for
Rancho San Gorgonio, titled “Water Supply
Assessment Rancho San Gorgonio Specific
Plan”, by Madole & Associates, Inc. and
Encompass Associates, Inc., in 2015.
The EIR for Rancho San Gorgonio analyzes
water supply supported by the projectspecific WSA cited. Both the EIR and WSA have been completed and approved by the
City Council.
2.4. CLIMATE
The City is located within the San Gorgonio
Pass, which is a transitional zone where
coastal climates transition to desert,
resulting in significantly differing landscape
and geology. The climate can best be
characterized by hot, dry summers and
short, mild winters. The region receives an
average annual rainfall of approximately
15.3 inches, most of which takes place
between December and March.
Evapotranspiration (ETo) in the area ranges
from 8.80 inches in July to 2.14 inches in
December.
As the State of California and the Riverside
County region have undergone a severalyear drought, rainfall has been much lower in the City. Southern California is also
expected to transition of a weak La Nina into
El Nino by the end of 2026. Recent ETo and
rainfall for the City is listed in Table 2.3.
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Table 2.3 Recent Climate Characteristics
(2025)
CIMIS Station 239 (Hemet)
(cimis.water.ca.gov)
Month Rainfall (in) ETo (in)
Jan (2025) 0.40 2.16
Feb (2025) 1.70 3.03
Mar (2025) 2.49 4.40
Apr (2025) 0.16 5.69
May (2025) 0.18 6.61
Jun (2025) 0.70 8.22
Jul (2025) 0.00 8.80
Aug (2025) 0.19 8.36
Sep (2025) 0.68 6.28
Oct (2025) 0.34 4.79
Nov (2025) 1.67 3.09
Dec (2025) 1.48 2.14
Totals: 10.0 63.57
As shown in Table 2.3, rainfall totals for all
months are lower than the normal levels.
2.4.1. Climate Change
The DWR Guidebook requires water
suppliers to include a discussion of climate
change in their UWMPs, specifically with
regard to Drought Risk Assessments (DRA).
Section 7 provides an overview of droughts.
Riverside County has released the 2025 Draft
Climate Action Plan (CAP) Update for public
review and aims to refine the County's
efforts to meet greenhouse gas (GHG)
reduction strategies, specifically targeting
the years 2035 and 2050. This update built
on the previous 2019 CAP and included
measures to achieve significant reductions in
GHG emissions by addressing various
sectors, including energy efficiency, water
conservation, transportation, and waste
management.
Proposed 2025 CAP Update measures would
achieve reductions in GHG production by
addressing energy efficiency in existing and
new residential and non-residential
buildings, increasing water efficiency,
expanding transportation options,
electrifying fleets, reducing landfilled waste,
promoting clean energy use, electrification
of equipment and aviation, and promoting
best management practices in agricultural
activities.
The CAP update applies to all
unincorporated areas of Riverside County
and seeks to integrate the County’s past and
current efforts with its future efforts to grow
and thrive sustainably.
The California Natural Resources Agency
released a draft of the 2024 California
Climate Adaptation Strategy (Strategy),
which builds on the successes and lessons
learned since the first iteration in 2009 and
the California Adaptive Planning Guide
issued in 2012. It also integrates and
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connects key elements of the latest specific
State of California action plans, such as the
Extreme Heat Action Plan, Water Supply
Strategy, Climate Smart Lands Strategy,
Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan,
and Climate Action Plan for Transportation
Infrastructure. Key elements of the
approach:
01.Set updated, strategic direction and
identify outcome-based priorities:
The Strategy links the State’s existing,
planned, and resourced climate adaptation
efforts, showing how they fit together to
achieve broad climate resilience priorities.
The Strategy also specifies needed actions,
with timeframes and metrics, to drive
progress and enable accountability.
02.Unify efforts across all sectors and
regions:
The Strategy is organized around outcomebased priorities, rather than individual sectors, enabling a coordinated, integrated
approach to building climate resilience. This
approach recognizes how climate
adaptation is implemented on the ground,
and reflects our commitment to integrating
climate resilience into the work of all state
agencies. The priorities have been
developed based on input from Californians
across all regions of the state and in
consultation with California Native American
tribes.
03. Help all Californians understand and
contribute to California’s climate resilience:
The 2024 Strategy updated the interactive
website that serves as a hub for state climate
resilience action. This website will continue
to be updated to enable easier navigation, to
follow the state’s progress and to find
adaptation information and resources easily.
The County’s CAP lists seven (7) steps for
implementing the GHG emission-reduction
strategies. Among the 7 steps listed in the
CAP is water conservation. Due to the City’s
reliance on groundwater, the City is not
significantly impacted by temperature
changes or droughts compared to agencies
relying on surface water. Section 7 provides
greater detail of droughts and their impact
on the City’s supplies.
2.5. POPULATION
According to the most recent population
figures from the California Department of
Finance (DOF), the current 2025 resident
population of the City is approximately
31,949 persons. Approximately 77 service
connection meters exist outside the City
limits that are directly served by the City in
the unincorporated County. When
multiplied by the City’s average 2.79 persons
per household, this brings the population
served outside the City limits to 215. Since
the City's water service area comprises 100
percent of the population residing within the
City limits, and the small portion outside, the
total current resident population served by
the City’s water system is also approximately
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32,164 persons. This is approximately 1,039
persons more than the population total in
2020. The City is currently experiencing a
peak population, based on DOF estimates.
Table 2.4 lists the City’s recent and current
(2025) populations.
Table 2.4 City of Banning Current
Population
Year Service Area
Population
2021 30,569
2022 31,102
2023 31,789
2024 32,068
2025 32,164
Since the City is a commercial and
government-services center for the region,
daytime population estimates may be
somewhat higher than the City's resident
population.
2.5.1. Population Projections
The SCAG periodically forecasts population
growth for incorporated and unincorporated
areas within Southern California. In its latest
forecast prepared in 2024, SCAG forecasted
a 2035 and 2050 number of households for
the City at 12,300 and 13,200, respectively.
When multiplied by the City’s average 2.79
persons per connection, which reflects
typical single-family occupancy in the City
and is consistent with the 2026
Development Impact Fee Study (DIF), this
brings the City’s forecasted population for
2035 and 2050 to 34,317 and 36,828. Based
on the City’s 2025 population, this results in
a population growth rate of 320 persons per
year from 2025-2035 and 167 from 2035-
2050. Two (2) proposed developments,
Atwell and Rancho San Gorgonio (RSG), were
added to population projections in the 2020
UWMP based of the information available at
that time, which included Atwell with 1,543
acres and approximately 4,900 dwelling
units. Furthermore, based on the
developer’s recent data at the end of 2025
1,473 escrows had been closed with another
54 through 5/31/2026, bringing the total to
date to 1,527. Assuming conservatively that
none of the total 4,900 units are currently
occupied, and that this population is not
already reflected in the 2025 DOF figures,
the maximum Atwell units, along with RSG’s
3,385 dwelling units, can then be carried
forward in the projection years.
8,285 dwelling units multiplied by the City’s
average 2.79 persons per connection
equates to 23,115 persons that will be added
to the City’s population in 2050. This results
in a population growth rate of 925 persons
per year from 2025-2050. When combined
with the SCAG population growth rates, this
results in a population growth rate of 1,244
persons per year from 2025-2035 and 1,092
from 2035-2050. Population projections for
2050, and every five-year increment from
2025 until then are shown in Table 2.5.
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Table 2.5 Population Projections
Year Service Area
Population
2030 38,386
2035 44,608
2040 50,068
2045 55,528
2050 60,988
As the City continues to grow the City may
likely experience periodic spikes in the
number of daytime or short-term residents
due to schools or daytime commercial
employees.
2.6. WATER SYSTEM
A basic overview of the City’s water system
is provided in the following sections. More
information on the City’s water sources,
water treatment, and water demands can be
found in Sections 3 through 6. As this report
is a water-resource-management planning
document, it does not provide technical or
engineering details on water system
components.
2.6.1. City Water System Overview
The City’s water system consists of the
following components:
• Imported Water (used to recharge the
City's storage account in the
Beaumont Basin)
• Groundwater supply wells with onsite water treatment facilities • Water distribution pipeline network
• Water storage facilities
• Booster stations
• Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)
stations
• Emergency interconnections
2.6.2. Imported Water
The City purchases State Water Project
(SWP) non-potable water from the San
Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) a
State Water Contractor, which is used to
recharge the Beaumont Basin. The recharge
points have changed since the 2015 UWMP.
Some were located at Beaumont-Cherry
Valley Water District (BCVWD) owned
percolation ponds, but now City non-potable
purchases are being recharged entirely at
SGPWA recharge facilities.
Since the 2020 UWMP a new emergency
connection has been built along Meadowline
Way, referred to as the "Meadowline
Interconnect". Temporary construction
meter connections are currently being used.
This interconnect facility with BCVWD is
within the Atwell development and can
deliver 1200 gpm to the Foothill West
Reservoir. Design of another interconnect
called "Highland Springs Interconnect" is
currently underway and will be constructed
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within the next 2-3 years, delivering 2,200
gpm from the BCVWD co-owned wells. The
Highland Springs Interconnect will be
located at the northeast corner of Ramsey
and Highland Springs Road. These
interconnect facilities are for use of coowned wells, which are in the Beaumont Basin, but are not necessarily in the
“imported” water category. While there are
still appropriative rights available, the water
can be considered a mix of local
groundwater and imported water that was
recharged into the Beaumont Basin.
The City and BCVWD jointly own and operate
three groundwater wells, Wells 24, 25, and
26, in accordance with an agreement
between the two parties, dated December
23, 2003. These wells produce water from
the Beaumont Basin, and can collectively
supply roughly 3,400 gpm. This supply is
considered a groundwater supply rather
than an imported supply. The City does not
have any direct imported water connections.
2.6.3. Groundwater
The City’s potable water system is entirely
supplied by groundwater from nineteen (19)
drinking groundwater wells and one (1) nonpotable groundwater well with another under construction (Well NP-1). The City has
replaced Well M12 with M12A, which has
been redrilled and is currently being
equipped. Well M12A’s expected
operational capacity is approximately 450
gpm. Tri Pointe Homes, a land developer,
has dedicated land where the City is
currently equipping Well C8, and is expected
to have an operational capacity of
approximately 1,000 gpm. Construction of
these wells will increase the total number of
groundwater wells (potable and nonpotable, but not including co-owned wells) to twenty-four (24). The groundwater wells
are spread out throughout the City, in five (5)
basins (also referred to as "storage units"):
Beaumont, West Banning (formerly known
as the Banning Basin), Cabazon (formerly
known as the East Banning Basin), Banning
Bench, and the Banning Water Canyon.
These basins are described in Section 3.
Localized water treatment varies by well
site, but can include sand separation and
disinfection through chemical addition. The
water treatment facilities at the City’s
groundwater wells consists of the following:
• Well 1: Liquid hypochlorite system
• Well 3: Liquid hypochlorite system
• Well C-5: Liquid hypochlorite system
• Well C-6: Liquid hypochlorite system
• Wells M-3 and M-11: A sand
separator and liquid hypochlorite
system
Currently, all potable wells use 12.5% liquid
sodium hypochlorite, with sand separators
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only being used at wells M3, M10, M11,
M12A.
2.6.4. Distribution System
The City distributes water to residential,
commercial, and other customers through
13,038 service connections using a 191-mile
network of distribution mains averaging 8
inches in diameter. The majority of the City’s
distribution pipelines were installed
between 1981 to 1990. The water system
consists of six (6) pressure zones that
provide modified pressure to customers. The
water service area is shown in Figure 2.3.
2.6.5. Water Storage
For water storage, the City maintains ten
(10) operating reservoirs with a combined
storage capacity of 23.73 million gallons
(MG). These reservoirs are shown in Table
8.4 and include:
• San Gorgonio Reservoirs 1, 2 and 3:
Three (3) welded steel storage tanks, a
below-grade valve vault, and the
Foothill East PRV station within a
security fence
• Sunset Reservoirs: Two (2) welded
steel storage tanks
• Foothill West Reservoir: One (1)
welded steel storage tank is part of the
infrastructure improvements for the
Atwell Development with a storage
capacity of 3.78 MG. Located at the
southeast corner of Highland Springs
and Meadowline Road, it receives
water from the "Meadowline
Interconnect"
• Mountain Reservoir & Booster: One (1)
welded steel tank, three (3) booster
pumps, and three (3) hydropneumatics
tanks
• Southwest Reservoir: One (1)
prestressed concrete tank that is
partially buried, an irrigation pump,
and several electrical boxes. It is
located inside the Sun Lakes Country
Club. The tank was installed around
2003
• High Valley Reservoir: One (1)
galvanized bolted steel tank within a
security fence
• Brinton Reservoir: The largest of the
City’s tanks with an above-ground
storage capacity of 8 MG
2.6.6. Booster Stations
The City of Banning maintains and operates
two (2) booster stations throughout its
service area. The first Booster station is
located at Well C2. The second is located at
the Mountain Reservoir.
The City is currently constructing two (2)
non-potable booster stations along Charles
and Lincoln Streets, both of which will be fed
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from Well NP-1. Once Title 22 RW is made
available via the new WWTP upgrade, then
they'll be converted to RW system boosters.
2.6.7. PRV Stations
The City maintains and operates six (6)
Pressure Reducing Valve Stations
throughout its service area. These PRV
stations include:
• Sun Lakes PRV station: From the
Foothill West Zone to the Main Zone
• Foothill East PRV station: From the
Canyon Wells Zone to the Foothill East
Zone
• Well 1 PRV: From the Canyon Wells
Zone to the Main Zone
• Mountain South PRV: From the Main
Zone to the Mountain South Zone
• San Gorgonio & Lincoln PRV: From the
Main Zone to the Lower I Zone
• Hargrave & John St PRV station: From
the Main Zone to the Lower I Zone
2.6.8. Emergency Interconnections
The City’s water system includes two (2)
emergency connections. One is a 12-inch
emergency interconnection with BCVWD, at
the western boundary of the City's service
area, at the intersection of Sun Lakes Blvd
and Highland Springs Ave. The interconnect
was used in the summer of 2020 to meet
demands with a comfortable margin. Before
2020 the interconnect had not been used
since 2008. During the summer of 2020 four
(4) City wells were offline for rehab, and one
was offline due to brushfires. The
interconnect was used to supplement the
loss from these wells. Three (3) of the four
(4) wells are back online, and the City has
replaced Well M12 with M12A, which has
been redrilled and is currently being
equipped. Another has been built along
Meadowline Way, as described in Section
2.6.2. 840
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Figure 2.2 City of Banning: Public Works Department Organization Chart (June 2026) 841
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Figure 2.3 City of Banning Water Service Area
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Figure 2.4 Riverside County General Plan Land Use Map
(from Riverside County Official Website)
Note: The City of Banning is within
The Pass Area Plan Boundary.
City of Banning
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Figure 2.5 City of Banning Zoning Map
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Figure 2.6 City of Banning: Known Developments
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3 Section 3:
Water Sources
and Supplies
3.1. INTRODUCTION
This section describes the current and
projected potable water resources available
to the City over a 25-year period (from 2030
through 2050). This Section also provides
background information on the overall
water supplies available to the region. The
City currently uses potable water and nonpotable water to meet the water needs of its service area. The City’s water is obtained
entirely from local groundwater basins
through nineteen (19) potable groundwater
wells, one (1) non-potable groundwater
well, and three (3) co-owned wells with the
Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District
(BCVWD), for a total of twenty-three (23)
wells. As described in Section 2.6.3,
construction is underway for other wellsthat
will increase the total number of
groundwater wells (potable and nonpotable) to twenty-seven (27). The City also has access to imported water from the San
Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) and
surface water from the Whitewater River.
Both imported water and surface water are
used to recharge the groundwater aquifers.
3.2. IMPORTED WATER SOURCES
3.2.1. Bay Delta
The City has access to imported water from
the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in
Northern California through SGPWA. The
The City's water
supply consists of
local groundwater
sources and
imported water
used to recharge
such sources.
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Figure 3.1 Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta
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Bay Delta water system provides Southern
California agencies with over 1 million acrefeet (MAF) of water annually. The “Delta” is located at the confluence of the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Rivers east of the San
Francisco Bay and is the West Coast's largest
estuary. The Delta supplies Southern
California with over 1 MAF of water
annually, which has been significantly
reduced in recent years.
Figure 3.2 Bay Delta
The Delta is often considered the nexus of
California's statewide water system.
Approximately half the total river flow in the
State passes through this region, from which
water is exported to the San Joaquin Valley,
Southern California, and portions of the Bay
Area to supply 1,130,000 acres of farmland
and 23 million people in central and
Southern California. The Delta provides an
estimated 7 million acre-feet (MAF) of water
per year, of which approximately 100,000 AF
is exported to the San Francisco Bay Area,
1.7 MAF is used locally, and more than 5
MAF is exported to the San Joaquin Valley,
coastal Central and Southern California via
the State Water Project.
3.2.2. Bay Delta Conveyance Project
The Delta Conveyance Project is a
modernization effort proposed by the State
of California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) to change how water is
moved through the Sacramento–San
Joaquin Delta for the State Water Project
(SWP). The Delta Conveyance Project
centers around constructing a new,
single‑tunnel conveyance facility that would
divert a portion of
Sacramento River
flows through new
intakes in the North
Delta and deliver that
water to the existing
SWP pumping facilities
in the South Delta. The
goal is not to increase water exports, but to
improve the system’s ability to capture
water during periods of high availability and
maintain water reliability during future
droughts.
The Delta Conveyance Project is currently in
the final stages of regulatory review and
permitting, following the DWR’s approval of
the project and certification of the Final
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in late
2023. During 2024–2025, DWR secured
several major environmental permits,
including the California Endangered Species
Act Incidental Take Permit, and advanced
The Project’s
received DWR’s
approval,
certification of EIR,
and permit from
CEQA.
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federal permitting through the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and NOAA Fisheries. The
project continues to move forward but has
not received final approval to begin
construction.
3.2.3. State Water Project (Aqueduct)
The California State Water Project is a water
storage and delivery system of reservoirs,
aqueducts, power and pumping plants. Its
main purpose is to store water and distribute
it to twenty-nine (29) urban and agricultural
water suppliers in Northern California, San
Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley,
Central Coast, and Southern California. Of
the contracted water supply, 70 percent is
delivered to urban users and 30 percent is
delivered to agricultural users.
In 1947, the California State Legislature
funded a water resources investigation that
led to the development of the SWP. This
investigation resulted in the publication of
the California Water Plan. The California
Water Plan presented preliminary plans to
meet the State’s ultimate water needs,
including those facility works required for
transferring surplus water from Northern
California to Southern California. Financing
for the construction of SWP facilities was
authorized in 1959, when the State
Legislature enacted the California Water
Resources Development Act (known as the
Burns-Porter Act). The Burns-Porter Act,
formally known as the California Water
Resources Development Bond Act, was placed
on the November 1960 ballot and approved
by voters. Also known as Proposition One,
the initial water projects included Oroville
Dam and Lake Oroville, B.F. Sisk Dam (also
known as San Luis Dam), San Luis Reservoir,
South Bay Aqueduct, North Bay Aqueduct,
and the California Aqueduct. Construction
on the Oroville site began before the
passage of the Burns-Porter Act. A $25
million emergency
appropriation was
passed in 1957 after a
record late 1955 to
early 1956 flood, which
devastated Northern
and Central California.
Statewide, 64 deaths
were recorded due to
the flooding, mostly in Sutter County and
Yuba City, and more than $200 million of
property damage.
The first SWP water deliveries were made in
1962, two years after construction began,
DWR and MWD signed the first water supply
contract in 1960. Today twenty-nine (29)
agencies have long-term water supply
contracts with DWR. The service areas of
those long-term water supply contractors
vary widely in size, location, climate, and
population. The contractors’ uses for SWP
water also differ. SWP water is used
primarily for agriculture in the San Joaquin
Valley, and urban and industrial needs in
Southern California.
The State Water
Project or "SWP" is
a result of decades
of planning and
construction
dating back to the
1940s.
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Figure 3.3 Aqueduct Systems in California
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Figure 3.4 State Water Project
Today, the SWP includes thirty-four (34)
storage facilities, reservoirs, and lakes;
twenty (20) pumping plants; four (4)
pumping-generating plants; five (5)
hydroelectric power plants; and
approximately 701 miles of open canals and
pipelines. The SWP is owned and managed
by DWR.
3.3. IMPORTED WATER PURCHASES
In the early 1960s, DWR began entering into
individual SWP Water Supply Contracts with
urban and agricultural public water supply
agencies located throughout Northern,
Central, and Southern California for SWP
water supplies. The San Gorgonio Pass Water
Agency (SGPWA) is one of agencies in the
State that have a SWP Water Supply
Contract with DWR. SGPWA receives an
allocation from the SWP each year. SGPWA
also acquires water supplies through
contracts with other agencies and annual
water transfers and exchanges. SGPWA
annually acquires Yuba Accord water as well
as water under the Nickel Agreement.
SGPWA may also acquire water through an
agreement with SBVMWD as well as annual
transfers and exchanges with other SWP
contractors.
Currently, as a wholesale agency, SGPWA
distributes imported SWP water to three (3)
member agencies: City of Banning, BCVWD,
and Yucaipa Valley Water District.
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Figure 3.5 SGPWA Service Area
Nine retail purveyors, including the three
listed, provide water service to residents and
businesses within the SGPWA service area
from local groundwater. Banning Heights is
the only agency that does not provide water
from local groundwater; their primary
source is surface water. Groundwater from
the City’s wells is provided to Banning
Heights when surface water is not available
to them. The SGPWA Service Area Boundary
is shown in Figure 3.6. The remaining retail
purveyors include the following:
• South Mesa Water Company
• Cabazon Water District
• Banning Heights Mutual Water
• High Valleys Water District
• Mission Springs Water District
• Morongo Band of Mission Indians
SGPWA delivers its SWP supplies through
the East Branch to use within the local
groundwater basins. Efforts to increase the
conveyance capacity of the East Branch
extension to 48 cubic feet per second (CFS)
were completed in 2017. Past total SWP
deliveries to SGPWA are shown in Table 3.1.
City of Banning
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Table 3.1 Total SWP Deliveries to SGPWA
(2015 to 2025)
Year Purchases (AF)
2015 3,460
2016 10,380
2017 14,705
2018 6,055
2019 12,975
2020 3,460
2021 865
2022 865
2023 17,300
2024 6,920
2025 8,650
Average: 7,785
2008 – 2014
Average: 7,661
Source: SWP Final Allocation percentage for each year
multiplied by SGPWA’s maximum Table A delivery
amounts. Percentages taken from 2010-2026 Notices
To State Water Project Contractors (Figure 7.5).
SWP supplies delivered to the SGPWA
service area are not treated prior to reaching
the recharge facilities, except for water
delivered to YVWD. The imported water
YVWD receives is treated at the Yucaipa
Valley Regional Water Filtration Facility
(YVRWFF), with a capacity of 12 million
gallons per day (MGD).
As stated in Section 2, the recharge points
into the Beaumont Basin have changed since
the 2015 UWMP. Previously, quantities of
SWP water purchased were recharged to the
Beaumont Basin at BCVWD's Noble Creek
spreading facility, which is located in the
vicinity of Beaumont Avenue and Cherry
Valley Boulevard. The SWP water is now
recharged at the SGPWA owned and
operated Brookside
Recharge Facility,
which was completed
in 2017, and enables
SGPWA to import
more water in wet
years, when available,
and to store it in the
local groundwater basin. The new facility
consists of five (5) large ponds, a pipeline
connecting the ponds to the East Branch
Extension of the SWP as well as a new
connection to the East Branch Extension.
The new facility, shown in Figure 3.6, is
located adjacent to the existing Noble Creek
spreading facility, at Beaumont Avenue and
Brookside Avenue. The concrete lined Noble
Creek separates the two facilities.
Table 3.2 presents the City's historic
imported water purchases from SGPWA for
years 2015 to 2025 and compares them to
years 2008 to 2014.
DWR allocates
water to 29 SWP
contractors on an
annual basis,
including the San
Gorgonio Pass
Water Agency.
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Figure 3.6 Brookside Recharge Facility
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Table 3.2 Imported Water Supply for
recharge of the Beaumont Basin
(City’s Purchases of SWP water from SGPWA)
Year Purchases (AF)
2015 694
2016 1,477
2017 1,350
2018 500
2019 250
2020 250
2021 0
2022 35
2023 1,000
2024 1,500
2025 1,750
Average: 801
2008 – 2014
Average: 1,346
Source: Beaumont Basin Watermaster Consolidated
Annual Report for 2025.
Although the City purchases imported water,
this water is used solely for recharge of the
Beaumont Basin. None of the water
purchased is supplied directly to the City’s
customers. The amount of imported water
available to the City for groundwater
recharge is dependent on SGPWA’s available
supply from the SWP. According to the water
supply contract between DWR and the
SGPWA, SGPWA’s maximum annual
entitlement from the SWP is 17,300 AFY.
Under shortage conditions, SGPWA could
limit volumes by implementing SGPWA’s
Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP).
The SGPWA also has a financial plan in place
to obtain additional supplies necessary to
meet projected demands within its service
area. Sources include the dry-year water
purchase program, exchanges with the
Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency
(CLAWA), and other supplemental water as
available. The SGPWA has purchased
additional supplies since 2020 to meet
demands, as shown in Table 3.2.
3.3.1. Projected Imported Water
Although the City may expect variable
reliability in availability of SWP water, SWP
water is not its primary source of water, as it
is used exclusively for recharge. Previous
short-term declines in SWP water availability
have been, and will continue to be, offset by
the City's substantial reserves of stored
groundwater and would not affect the City’s
water supply. Due to the easing of drought
conditions, the City received delivery of
100% of the 2023 order, when compared to
0% in 2021. Table 3.5 shows the City’s
projected water supplies and available
volumes, including the years in which the
City’s amount of imported water will
increase. Beginning in 2030 at 1,250 AF, it
will increase in 2035 to 1,500 AF, then to
2,000 AF in 2040, and finally 2,500 AF in 2045
where it will remain through 2050. These
quantities are based on the City’s internal
projections, and have increased due to past
SGPWA contracts with Ventura that will
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bring in additional water supply for Banning
and Yucaipa.
3.4. GROUNDWATER SOURCES
The City is within the boundaries of the
Coachella Valley Hydrologic Unit, which
encompasses several groundwater basins,
including the Coachella Valley Groundwater
Basin (Basin), within which the City is
located. The Basin is underlain by several
large subbasins, the boundaries of which are
generally defined by fault lines that restrict
the lateral flow of water. The Basin extends
from Banning easterly to the Salton Sea.
3.4.1. San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin
The City is underlain by the San Gorgonio
Pass Subbasin (SGP Subbasin) portion of the
overall Basin per Figure 3.7. The SGP
Subbasin is further divided into water
storage units (also termed "basins") which
are not completely independent from each
other, as depicted in Figure 3.8. The City
extracts groundwater from the following five
(5) storage units, as shown in DWR
Submittal Table 6-1 in Appendix E.
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Figure 3.7 San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin
City Boundaries
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• Beaumont Storage Unit (Beaumont
Basin)
• West Banning Storage Unit (formerly
known as the Banning Storage Unit)
• Cabazon Storage Unit (formerly
known as the East Banning Storage
Unit)
• Banning Bench Storage Unit
• Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit,
The storage unit boundaries were defined in
a 2006 USGS report on “Groundwater
Hydrology in the San Gorgonio Pass Area”
(Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5026),
prepared by USGS in cooperation with the
SGPWA. Since this report was completed,
DWR, SGPWA, and the City have refined the
details of these storage units. The San
Gorgonio Pass is a low-relief highland
bordered on the north by the San
Bernardino Mountains, on the southeast by
the San Jacinto Mountains, and on the west
by the San Timoteo Badlands.
Groundwater recharge in the area results
from precipitation infiltrating into the
ground within surface water catchments and
in the canyons north of the City. An
additional source of recharge is subsurface
inflow (also referred to as underflow) from
storage unit to storage unit, infiltration of
Whitewater River diversions in the Banning
Water Canyon, and from percolation of
treated wastewater into the Cabazon
Storage Unit. The Banning Water Canyon
area receives water from the percolation of
canyon flows through the gravel soils of the
canyon bottom. The San Gorgonio River
running southerly through the Banning
Water Canyon provides intake areas for
distributing water to spreading ditches that
interconnect with spreading ponds located
approximately one mile north of the Banning
Bench to enhance percolation.
A hydrogeological study was conducted by
Geoscience to determine the maximum
perennial yield of the groundwater storage
units in the vicinity and to determine the
anticipated future available water supply
from the Beaumont Storage Unit, West
Banning Storage Unit, Banning Bench
Storage Unit, Cabazon Storage Unit, and
Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit. The
findings of the study were contained in the
Geoscience report, titled “Maximum
Perennial Yield Estimates for the Banning
and Cabazon Storage Unit, and Available
Water Supply from the Beaumont Basin”,
dated March 29, 2011 (referred to as the
Geoscience Report). The individual basin
safe yields and projected groundwater
production (from each basin) are included in
Table 3.5 of this Section and in Appendix E
as DWR Submittal Table 6-9 (Projected
Water Supplies).
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The Maximum Perennial Yield Estimates
were recalculated by Geoscience in July,
2019. The recommendation in the analysis
was to continue to use the 2011 estimates:
"Overall, the maximum perennial yield
estimates are similar, but the values derived
from using an extended base period
including the years 2009 through 2018 result
in slightly lower maximum perennial yield
values. We recommend using the values
previously provided in our 2011 report
because the range of years used to calculate
the maximum perennial yield represent a
hydrology that includes a closer balance of
wet and dry years. The maximum perennial
yield should be revisited if, and when, future
wet years have been added to the hydrologic
record."
3.4.2. Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act
The Sustainable Groundwater Management
Act (SGMA), passed by the California
Legislature in 2014, was an effort to regulate
the use of groundwater in the state so that it
is sustainable into the future. The Act
requires all medium basins like the SGP
Subbasin, and high priority basins to develop
a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by
January 2022. The 2022 SGP Subbasin GSP
was submitted to DWR on 2/7/2022 and
approved on 10/26/2023. The SGP Subbasin
Groundwater Sustainability Agency has
made the 2022 GSP publicly available on its
website:
www.sgpgsas.org/
An update is required every 5 years, with the
next update due on 1/1/2027. The 2027 GSP
update is currently underway, and the effort
is led by SGPWA. The 2027 GSP is also
addressing the "corrective action items" that
DWR had noted from the 2022 GSP. The
contents of this plan are prescriptive and
well defined by Act. Major components of
each plan are a water budget for the
subbasin, a hydrogeological conceptual
model of the subbasin, and a stakeholder
outreach plan. Specifically, if a proposed
development/project and/or subdivision will
obtain water from a basin that is designated
as medium- or high-priority under Act, the
following must be included in any Water
Supply Assessments/Verifications:
• Information as to whether DWR has
identified the subbasin as being
subject to critical conditions of
overdraft; and
• A copy of the Groundwater
Sustainability Plan or alternative plan
if a Groundwater Sustainability
Agency has adopted such a plan.
According to DWR, the SGP Subbasin is not
identified as being subject to conditions of
critical overdraft. The SGP Subbasin has
three (3) Groundwater Sustainability
Agencies and all three worked together to
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Figure 3.8 Groundwater Basins in the City (Subbasins of San Gorgonio Pass Basin) City Boundaries
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produce a GSP. The various water agencies
that overlie the subbasin include the Desert
Water Agency, Mission Springs Water
District, Cabazon Water District, the City of
Banning, the Banning Heights Mutual Water
Company, and the San Gorgonio Pass Water
Agency.
3.4.3. Beaumont Storage Unit (Beaumont
Basin)
The Beaumont Storage Unit (also referred to
as the Beaumont Basin) is located primarily
in the City of Beaumont, with some portions
located within Banning, Calimesa, and
Cherry Valley, as depicted in Figure 3.8. The
Beaumont Storage Unit covers
approximately 12,480 acres (19.5 square
miles). Surface sediment in the Beaumont
Basin and the lowlands consist of
unconsolidated and semi-consolidated
Quaternary alluvium. Surrounding the
alluvial sediments are
semi-consolidated
rocks of the San
Timoteo Formation
and igneous and
metamorphic rocks of
the San Jacinto and San
Bernardino Mountains.
The unconsolidated Quaternary alluvium
and upper portion of the underlying San
Timoteo Formation constitute the waterbearing aquifer. The boundaries of the Beaumont Basin are based on faults that
form barriers to subsurface flow. Major
faults in the area include the Banning and
Cherry Valley faults, which form the
northern boundary of the Beaumont Basin.
Groundwater occurs at depth in the
Quaternary alluvium and the San Timoteo
Formation. The Beaumont Basin is
replenished by infiltration of precipitation,
subsurface flow across faults, return flow
from irrigation and septic, and artificial
recharge. The basin discharges via
groundwater production, subsurface flow
across faults, rising water in San Timoteo
Creek, and evapotranspiration.
The City operates four (4) groundwater
production wells, designated Wells C2, C3,
C4, and M3, within the Beaumont Basin. The
City also maintains an additional, nonoperating well in the Beaumont Basin (Well M9). The four (4) active wells have a
combined nominal capacity of 4,650 gallons
per minute (gpm). The City also co-owns
with BCVWD three (3) additional
groundwater production wells (Wells 24, 25,
and 26), with a combined nominal capacity
of 6,800 gpm, of which half is allotted to the
City. Therefore, the City's total nominal
pumping capacity in the Beaumont Basin is
8,050 gpm. As described in Section 2.6.3,
new Well C8’s expected operational capacity
is approximately 1,000 gpm, which once
online will bring the City's total nominal
pumping capacity in the Beaumont Basin to
The Beaumont
Basin is the only
adjudicated
storage unit within
the San Gorgonio
Pass Basin.
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9,050 gpm. The forementioned Wells in the
Beaumont Basin are shown in Figure 3.9.
The Beaumont Basin is an adjudicated basin
pursuant to the Stipulation for Entry of
Judgment Adjudicating Groundwater Rights
in the Beaumont Basin (the Judgment), a
copy is included in Appendix L. Pursuant to
the Judgment, the Court appointed a five (5)
member Watermaster Committee,
consisting of representatives from each of
the five (5) appropriators, which include City
of Banning, City of Beaumont, BeaumontCherry Valley Water District, South Mesa Water Company, and Yucaipa Valley Water
District.
The safe yield of the Beaumont Basin was
initially established at 8,650 AF/yr, to be
distributed among the appropriators. The
safe yield is to be reevaluated at least once
every ten years. Based on the Final 2023
Reevaluation of the Beaumont Basin Safe
Yield Report, the Beaumont Basin Safe Yield
of the basin was reevaluated in 2024. The
Beaumont Basin Watermaster Committee
re-determined the Safe Yield of the
Beaumont Basin to be 7,100 AF/YR.
Based on a description of the Judgment, a
controlled overdraft (also referred to as
temporary surplus) was created to allow the
appropriators to extract from the Beaumont
Basin, during the first ten years after
adoption of the Judgment, a maximum of
16,000 AF/yr. The temporary surplus was
divided among the appropriators, with the
City of Banning receiving 31.43 percent (or
5,029 AF/yr).
After the first 10 years of operation ended in
2014, appropriators no longer received the
temporary surplus and were permitted to
extract only the amount each had in storage
or credited to them. At the end of calendar
year 2025, the City had approximately
50,007 AF in its storage account, based on
the 2025 Watermaster Report. Table 3.3
indicates the City of Banning’s storage in the
basin for the past 10-years according to the
Beaumont Basin Watermaster Consolidated
Annual Reports 2016 through 2025. The City
is permitted to store up to 80,000 AF in the
Beaumont Basin.
On an annual basis, the Watermaster
determines the amount of groundwater to
which each producer is entitled from the
Beaumont Basin without incurring a
replenishment obligation. The City of
Banning is entitled to 31.43% of the unused
production in the Beaumont Basin.
Quantities to which the City is entitled but
does not pump can be credited to the City's
storage account.
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Figure 3.9 Well Locations in the Beaumont Basin
Figure 3.10 Spreading Grounds at WWTP
New Well C8
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Table 3.3: Banning Annual Storage Consolidation - Beaumont Storage Unit Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Storage in AFY 49,991 51,960 52,273 51,737 50,889 48,778 46,751 47,832 49,358 50,007 Source: Beaumont Basin Watermaster Consolidated Annual Reports
3.4.4. West Banning Storage Unit
The West Banning Storage Unit lies south of
the Banning Bench Storage Unit and east of
the Beaumont Storage Unit, as is depicted on
Figure 3.8. The total surface area of the West
Banning Storage Unit is approximately 2,489
acres (3.9 square miles). The area is
underlain by alluvial sediments, with
bedrock occurring to the north in the San
Bernardino Mountains. The City currently
operates four (4) groundwater production
wells within the West Banning Storage Unit,
designated C5, M7, M10, and M11 with a
combined nominal pumping capacity of 2,650
gpm. The City lost Well M12 due to a collapse,
and has since replaced Well M12 with M12A,
which has been redrilled and is currently
being equipped. Well M12A’s expected
operational capacity is approximately 450
gpm.
3.4.5. Cabazon Storage Unit
The Cabazon Storage Unit is located near the
eastern boundary of the City, southeast of
the West Banning Storage Unit and the
Banning Bench Storage Unit, as depicted on
Figure 3.8. The Cabazon Storage Unit
encompasses a surface area of
approximately 17,215 acres (26.9 square
miles). The average thickness is 350 feet, the
estimate storage is 1,000,000 AF, and the
safe yield is 5,265 AFY. The City currently
operates one (1) groundwater production
well in the Cabazon Storage Unit, designated
Well C6, with a nominal pumping capacity of
900 gpm.
Additional groundwater can be produced
from the Cabazon Storage Unit. A water
balance prepared for the Cabazon Storage
Unit, as described in the Geoscience Report,
determined that a positive change in storage
has occurred as a result of inflow and
outflow factors, including effluent from the
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)
percolated from the adjacent spreading
grounds (Figure 3.10). Therefore, future
projections of available water from the
Cabazon Storage Unit assume that all inflow
and outflow values remain the same, with
the exception of treated wastewater applied
to the basin.
For purposes of projecting Cabazon water
supplies into the future, inflow of recycled
water increases due to increases in
wastewater generated by population
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growth, and this recycled water will be
percolated into the Cabazon Storage Unit.
Once the Phase I expansion of the WWTP is
completed, approximately 1,680 AF/yr of
recycled water will be available for irrigation
purposes, although if demands are less than
what’s available, as will most likely be the
case in the winter months, remaining
produced recycled water will be applied to
the Cabazon Storage Unit for direct
percolation. Full allocation of demands
won’t occur immediately, but rather
progress over time as the demand increases
and as the City builds out it's recycled water
delivery system.
Non-potable Well NP-1 (designated R1) is
near the City’s WWTP. It was constructed
more than 20 years ago, but only recently
been equipped to produce groundwater. It is
expected to be in service in 2026 once the
non-potable distribution system is complete,
prior to the completion of the WWTP
expansion. Once the Title 22 improvements
at the WWTP are completed, Well NP-1 will
serve as a backup and will be used when
needed to help the City meet peak irrigation
demands.
3.4.6. Banning Bench Storage Unit
The Banning Bench Storage Unit is located to
the north of the West Banning Storage Unit,
as shown in Figure 3.8. The total surface area
of the Banning Bench Storage Unit is
approximately 3,573 acres (5.9 square
miles). The area is underlain by alluvial
sediments, with bedrock occurring to the
north in the San Bernardino Mountains. The
safe yield is 1,130 AFY, the average thickness
is 600 feet, and the estimated capacity is
240,000 AF. The City currently operates
three (3) groundwater production wells
within the Banning Bench Storage Unit,
designated Wells 1, 2, and 3, with a
combined nominal pumping capacity of
3,650 gpm.
3.4.7. Banning Water Canyon Storage
Unit
The Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit is
located north of the Banning Bench Storage
Unit, as depicted in Figure 3.8. The total
surface area of the Banning Water Canyon
Storage Unit is approximately 1,058 acres
(1.7 square miles). The canyon bottom
comprises alluvium, and the canyon sides
are bedrock. The safe yield is 4,070 AFY, the
average thickness is 161 feet, and the
estimated capacity is 13,500 AF. The City
currently operates eight (8) groundwater
production wells within the Banning Water
Canyon Storage Unit, designated Wells 4, 5,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, with a combined
nominal pumping capacity of 8,600 gpm.
Additional recharge occurs in the Banning
Water Canyon Storage Unit through the
diversion of Whitewater River drainage into
Banning Water Canyon. The diverted water
flows along steep mountain slopes for
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approximately 14 miles in a primarily
concrete lined conveyance system known as
the San Gorgonio Flume. The San Gorgonio
Flume is described in more detail in Section
3.6. 3.5. GROUNDWATER PRODUCTION
All wells within the City’s service area are
equipped with flowmetersto measure water
production. Water production is recorded
monthly by City water staff and reported
annually to DWR. Over the past five years of
operation, groundwater extraction has
averaged 7,933 AFY. Table 3.4 shows the
City's groundwater supplies for years 2021
to 2025.
Table 3.4 Groundwater-Production
Year Production (AF)
2021 8,096
2022 7,843
2023 7,301
2024 8,111
2025 8,313
Average 7,933
2015-2020 Avg.
(2020 UWMP) 7,826
This data was reported in the City of
Banning’s Groundwater Extraction Annual
Reports from 2021 through 2025. It Includes
water received from BCVWD, through three
(3) Co-Owned Wells with the City, that
directly pump from the Beaumont Basin.
Due to the City's increase in population since
2020, the severe drought of 2020-2022, and
the rebounding effects of the mandatory
Level 2 shortage response actions,
groundwater pumping has increased.
3.5.1. Projected Groundwater Supplies
Currently, the City does not utilize the entire
capacity of its storage units (subbasins). The
maximum annual amount pumped by the
City in the past 10 years is under 9,000 AF.
Due to the new planned developments, the
City expects pumping to increase by 25%
within 10 years and over 50% by the end of
this UWMP planning period (2050). The
pumping capacity of the City’s twenty-three
(23) wells, including the City’s co-owned
wells with BCVWD, is approximately 14,000
AFY. However, this pumping capacity is
limited to the safe yields and/or the
adjudicated rights of the subbasins. As
noted, in some of the storage units, the City
does not maximize groundwater resources
(i.e., Cabazon Unit). Therefore, the City will
be establishing new groundwater resources
to meet projected demands. In the interim,
the City will need to supplement their
current allowable pumping capacity by using
water from their Beaumont Basin storage
account while the City locates and drills new
wells. This will create new resources or
establish redundancy in existing resources in
order to meet water demands under buildout conditions. Table 3.5 shows the City’s projected water supplies and available
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Table 3.5 Projected Water Supply Availability (AF)
Year 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Basin Projected
(Available)
Projected
(Available)
Projected
(Available)
Projected
(Available)
Projected
(Available)
Beaumont Basin
1,460 1,241 1,055 897 762
(7,100) (7,100) (7,100) (7,100) (7,100)
West Banning Basin
1,405 1,430 1,430 1,430 1,430
(1,430) (1,430) (1,430) (1,430) (1,430)
Cabazon Basin
665 723 761 794 822
--- --- --- --- ---
Banning Bench
302 329 346 361 374
(1,330) (1,330) (1,330) (1,330) (1,330)
Banning Water Canyon
3,730 3,730 3,730 3,730 3,730
(3,730) (3,730) (3,730) (3,730) (3,730)
Imported Recharge 1,250 1,500 2,000 2,500 2,500
WWTP Recharge
(Recycled Water) 929 1,245 2,144 2,307 2,307
Additional Supply from
Storage 1,286 2,169 2,812 3,362 3,828
Total Available Supply 68,860 68,681 65,338 62,469 58,160 Total Net Storage 49,828 49,649 46,306 42,248 37,939
Note: See notes under Table 7.1 and notes under DWR Submittal Table 6.9 in Appendix E for a detailed explanation of the volumes above.
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volumes. These values are also reflected in
DWR Submittal Table 6.9 in Appendix E.
The imported water data will be moved to
projected use (DWR Submittal Table 4-2)
after various working group meetings with
DWR and City staff to avoid double counting.
Total Right or Safe Yield of the Beaumont
Basin Storage Account accounts for
additions from Imported Water and
subtractions of Supply from Storage for prior
years.
To offset dependency on the groundwater
supplies listed, the City intends to begin
using recycled water within the next 10
years, as described in Section 4:.
The City will also continue to benefit
indirectly from regional conservation efforts
and also through SGPWA’s efforts to
augment its supplies and improve reservoir
storage capacities. Section 7 discusses
reliability issues and compares the City's
projected water supply availability to
projected demands for normal, dry, and
multiple dry years through 2050.
3.6. SURFACE WATER
The San Gorgonio Flume was built to provide
water and power to the City and Banning
Heights Mutual Water Company (BHWMC).
BHWMC utilizes approximately 1,000 AF/yr
of the Whitewater River diversions in the
Flume (Figure 3.11 and Figure 3.12), and the
remainder of the diverted water flows into
the San Gorgonio River below the Banning
Heights Mutual Water Company (BHMWC)
extraction point. A portion of the natural
runoff and the Whitewater River diversions
are diverted into spreading ponds located
approximately one mile north of the Banning
Bench in order to increase groundwater
recharge.
Since 1913, surface water from the
Whitewater River has been diverted into the
Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit, with an
average of 1,500 AF/yr diverted into Banning
Water Canyon since 1961. The water flowed
within the San Gorgonio Flume (mentioned
in Section 3.4.7), and then through two
hydroelectric power plants.
Figure 3.11 San Gorgonio Flume System
Due to damage along sections of the San
Gorgonio Flume, surface flow diverted into
Burnt Canyon to the north, and then back to
the San Gorgonio Flume upstream of
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Powerhouse No. 1, where it continued
downstream through Powerhouse No. 2 to
an above ground reservoir operated by
Banning Heights Mutual Water Company
(BHMWC). The remaining water flowed to
the San Gorgonio River, where it recharged
the Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit.
In June of 2010, Southern California Edison
(SCE), the City of Banning, BHMWC and the
SGPWA entered into an “Agreement for
Transfer of San Gorgonio Hydroelectric
Project No. 344 Water Conveyance Facilities”
which determined that SCE would restore
and repair the facilities and transfer
ownership to the City and BHMWC.
Figure 3.12 San Gorgonio Flume System
In average years, the Whitewater Flume
provides direct water use to the Banning
Heights Mutual Water Company, and the
rest goes to recharging the Banning Water
Canyon, which the City can then pump from
as groundwater. A lot of recharged water is
received during the Spring.
The Apple Fire of 2020 encompassed the
entire Whitewater Flume structure that
diverted water to be recharged into the
Banning Water Canyon. In December of
2022 water diversion was restored to the
Banning Water Canyon, but the system
remains damaged and unable to deliver
surface water to BHMWC; therefore,
BHMWC's water demands are met by water
deliveries from the City of Banning. SCE,
BHMWC, and the City are working together
to put the system back into operation as
quickly as possible. Southern California
Edison currently owns the Whitewater
Flume system.
The City of Banning preserved water stored
in the Banning Water Canyon to serve
BHMWC by pumping more from the
Beaumont Basin Storage Account instead.
This was apparent in the amount in storage
for years 2021 and 2022 in Table 3.3. After
the diversion was restored in 2022,
additional water was delivered and
recharged in the Banning Water Canyon to
allow the City to begin pumping from the
Banning Water Canyon instead of the
Beaumont Basin Storage Account.
The City of Banning plans to conserve
stormwater flows from tributary creeks
within its service area by allowing water to
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percolate into the ground. A preliminary
evaluation by the City indicated that a
portion of stormwater flows from creeks in
the area could be conserved as "new" water
to meet future needs. The Atwell
Development (previously known as
Butterfield) includes design featuresthat are
estimated to capture and recharge
approximately 1,370 AF/yr of stormwater
flows from Smith Creek. The Rancho San
Gorgonio Specific Plan includes design
features that are estimated to capture and
recharge approximately 199 AF/yr of
stormwater at full buildout.
3.7. ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES
This section provides an overview of
alternative water sources (non-potable
supplemental supplies) and their potential
uses. Alternative water sources include
recycled water or greywater. A more
detailed look into recycled stormwater is
found in Section 4:.
3.7.1. Greywater
Greywater systems have been used in
California to provide a source of water
supply for subsurface irrigation and also as a
means to reduce overall water use.
Greywater consists of water discharged from
sinks, bathtubs, dishwashers, and washing
machines. Greywater systems consist of an
underground tank and pumping system.
Greywater is currently legal for subsurface
irrigation in the State of California; however,
strict regulations and high installation costs
have impeded installation of professional
greywater systems and have the unintended
consequence of undocumented and
noncompliant use of greywater. An example
of a Greywater System is shown in Figure
3.13. Figure 3.13 Greywater System
The City does not currently have a formal
program in place to support greywater use.
However, the promotion of greywater
systems as a means to reduce the City's
overall water use is not recommended since
the use of greywater is currently limited to
subsurface irrigation and therefore the
overall service area-wide reduction in water
use (in AF) would be minimal. Additionally,
any water diverted to greywater systems
would no longer be available for treatment
into recycled water.
3.8. TRANSFERS OR EXCHANGES
The City’s rights to annual groundwater
extraction are shown on DWR Submittal
Table 6-9 of Appendix E. In light of pending
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housing growth, this table indicates that
preservation of the City’s groundwater
supplies is imperative. Therefore, the leasing
of groundwater rights is not feasible for the
City. Other than the sale of water to High
Valleys Water District, and occasionally to
BHMWC, the City is not planning to enter
into any groundwater transfer or exchange
opportunities with other agencies.
The City’s water system includes two (2)
emergency connections, as described in
Section 2.6.8.
3.9. PLANNED SUPPLY PROJECTS
The City continually reviews practices that
will provide its customers with adequate and
reliable supplies. Trained staff continues to
ensure the water quality is safe and the
water supply will meet present and future
needs in an environmentally and
economically responsible manner. The City
coordinates its long-term water shortage
planning with SGPWA and other local
agencies through the development of their
respective UWMPs. The City also meets bimonthly with the San Gorgonio Pass Regional Water Alliance, which is comprised
of thirteen (13) local water purveyors, to
discuss local issues with different agencies.
Any new City water supply projects will be to
add, replace, or upgrade wells to support
population growth and new development.
The projects that have been identified to
improve the City’s water supply reliability
and enhance the operations of the City's
facilities include replacement of water
meters, fire hydrants, valves, and pipelines.
Future recycled water deliveries will also be
able to supplement some potable water
demands.
To accommodate the proposed
developments in the City (including the
Atwell Project), the City is planning to redrill
or add new well(s), including Well M7, Well
M12A, and a new well (Well C8) within the
overall Atwell Project (or within Phases 3B
and 4A-1 of the Atwell Project). The existing
and future/potential wells are shown in
Figure 3.9.
Since any new wells would be located in the
Beaumont Storage Unit (Basin), which is an
adjudicated basin, the City would need to
consider operation of the wells such that the
combined pumping volume of all wells in the
Beaumont Basin does not exceed the City’s
adjudicated limits (Section 3.4.3).
3.10. ENERGY INTENSITY OF SUPPLY
According to the City’s groundwater
production figures shown in Table 3.4, the
City pumped an average of 5,154 gpm in
2025. With a total nominal pumping capacity
of the combined wells of 23,850 gpm, this
means that on average each wells motor ran
for a cumulative of 5.2 hours each day. With
an average horsepower of 80 HP per well,
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the City uses approximately 360 kilowatts
hours (kWh) per day per operating well, or
approximately 130,000 kWh each year. The
current industrial energy cost in the City is
$0.1438 per kWh (as of 11/01/2025). The
typical annual energy cost to run one of the
City’s groundwater well motors (one motor)
is shown in Table 3.6:
Table 3.6 Annual Energy Costs to Run Well
Motor in City
Kilowatt-Hours
(kWh)
Cost ($)
per kWh
Total Cost
($)
130,000 $0.1438 $18,694
The cost shown in Table 3.6 only includesthe
energy cost to run the motor of the well. The
cost do not include smaller miscellaneous
costs such as lighting, control valves, and
instrumentation. However, since the motor
is the most significant component of the
total energy costs, the cost shown in Table
3.6 provides an annual estimate of the
power cost required to operate the City’s
groundwater wells.
These costs are expected to increase over
the next five (5) years as shown in Table 3.7.
Table 3.7 Projected Energy Costs to Run
Well Motor in City
Year
(as of 11/01)
Cost ($) per
kWh
Rate Increase
(%)
2026 $0.1697 18%
2027 $0.1952 15%
2028 $0.2147 10%
2029 $0.2362 10%
Since the City relies on groundwater for their
water supply, the City cannot offset the
energy costs required to run the City’s water
system. In addition, the cost of imported
water from a wholesaler are significantly
greater than the total production costs of
groundwater, which include not only the
energy cost shown above, but also additional
costs of treatment and distribution. For any
water agency that can produce water locally,
it is more economical to produce local water
than to purchase imported water. Therefore,
the City intends to continue to pump
groundwater.
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4 Section 4:
Recycled Water
Opportunities
4.1. OVERVIEW
"Recycled" or "reclaimed" water is defined
as wastewater purified through primary,
secondary, and tertiary treatment. Recycled
water is acceptable for irrigation and some
industrial processes. The Southern California
region discharges nearly 2 billion gallons of
treated wastewater per day. The treated
wastewater is discharged either to the ocean
or to permitted areas such as percolation
ponds. Recycled water is considered a
reliable and drought-proof water source that
reduces reliance on imported water.
Recycled water will continue to be a critical
part of the California water picture because
of the likelihood of droughts. As
technological advancements continue to
reduce treatment costs and as legislation
expands the use of recycled water, more
reuse opportunities should develop.
This Section describes the City’s existing
wastewater collection and treatment
system, and identifies existing and future
recycled water use opportunities in the City.
The section also includes estimates of
recycled water supply through 2050.
4.2. WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM
The City of Banning provides sewer service
within City limits and to unincorporated
areas of Riverside County that surround the
southeast portion of the City, as shown in
Recycled water has
increased overall
water supply
reliability for
agencies that have
implemented water
reclamation projects.
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Figure 4.1. The City of Banning is responsible
for the collection, conveyance, treatment,
and disposal of wastewater generated
within its service area, as depicted in Figure
4.2. Municipal wastewater in the City’s
service area is generated from residential,
commercial, and institutional sewer
discharges. The City does not currently have
any major industrial sewer discharges (i.e.,
brine). However, there are some cannabis
cultivation facilities that will be operational
within the next two years, which will need to
be monitored and regulated.
The City’s wastewater collection system
drains primarily from west to east. The
wastewater discharged from the City is
collected from a network of 112 miles of
gravity sewer mains. The local collector
sewers discharge into larger sewer trunk
mains along Westward Avenue and Porter
Street. The trunk mains then carry the
wastewater to the Banning Wastewater
Treatment Plant (WWTP), located in the
southeast corner of the City (see Figure 4.3).
The WWTP has a current capacity of 3.6
MGD and is designed to treat wastewater to
secondary standards. Primary and secondary
treatment consists of the following
processes: headworks, screening, grit
removal, primary clarification, filtration, and
secondary clarification. The secondarytreated wastewater is discharged to percolation ponds which recharge the
Cabazon Groundwater Basin (Storage Unit).
This recharge is provided only through
surface percolation, and no injection wells
are used by the City.
4.2.1. Wastewater Flows
The quantities of wastewater generated are
proportional to the City’ population and the
water used by its residents. The wastewater
flows are metered at the effluent point to
the WWTP, before being discharged to the
percolation ponds. However, these values
were not available during this UWMP
preparation, and an average ratio of 34%
based on 2016-2020 values was applied to
the recent water use shown in Table 6.3.
Total wastewater collected in the City over
the past five (5) years is shown in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1 Wastewater Flows Collected in
City
Year Wastewater
(AF)
Wastewater
(MG)
2021 2,511 818
2022 2,526 823
2023 2,267 739
2024 2,485 810
2025 2,692 877
Avg: 2,496 813
Due to projected housing developments
within the City’s service area, wastewater
flows are expected to significantly change
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Figure 4.1 City of Banning Wastewater Service Area (with Additional Shaded Planning Areas) City WWTP
See Figure 4.3
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Figure 4.2 Schematic of City’s Existing Wastewater Collection and Treatment System Sewer Laterals
Serving individual properties, the
sewer laterals collect the flows from
internal plumbing.
Collector Sewers
Collector sewers or sewer main lines,
collect the flows from the sewer
laterals and carry the flows by gravity
to downstream trunk sewers.
"Trunk" Sewers
Larger sewers collect all of the sewer
flows from different parts of the City
and convey it to the Wastewater
Treatment Plant (WWTP).
Treatment
The WWTP provides primary and
secondary biological treatment. The
resulting removed solids (sludge) are
removed and dried for use in various
applications.
Discharge to Percolation
Ponds
Treated secondary wastewater is
discharged to percolation ponds.
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over this UWMP planning period (2050). The
City anticipates that future wastewater
flows can be estimated using the projected
demands shown in Section 6 multiplied by
an increasing return rate from 35 percent
(0.35) from 2030 through 2035 to 50 percent
(0.50) from 2040 through 2050. Table 4.2
shows the projected wastewater flows.
Table 4.2 Projected Wastewater Flows
Collected in City
Year Flows (AF) Flows (MG)
2030 3,096 1,009
2035 3,367 1,097
2040 5,067 1,651
2045 5,287 1,723
2050 5,473 1,783
The estimated 35 percent return rate was
based on the observation that the existing
City’s low-density residential customer base
uses a large portion of their daily water
demand for outdoor irrigation. Typical
higher density urban areas have return rates
ranging from 75 percent to 90 percent. The
projected 50 percent return rate by 2040 is
higher than the City’s current return rate
since newer developments described in
Section 2 should have higher return rates. As
the City’s population is expected to increase
through these developments, the higher
return rates from the newer developments
should offset the lower return rates from the
existing developments.
Also, as mentioned in Section 1.3, the use of
potable water to irrigate Nonfunctional turf
on all properties owned by the City is
required to be phased out by January 1,
2027. A combination of this requirement and
new development will result in an estimated
aggregate return rate of 0.50 by 2040.
4.3. RECYCLED WATER
The Banning WWTP is the only wastewater
treatment facility for the City. The WWTP
currently provides only secondary
treatment, and the treated wastewater does
not meet Title 22 Standards. In addition, the
City does not use any recycled water
produced by any other neighboring
agencies. As a result, no wastewater has
been “recycled” (re-used) within the City’s
service area over the past five years, as
shown in Table 4.3.
Table 4.3 Recycled Water Produced and/or
Used in City
Year Recycled Water
Produced or Used (AF)
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0
2025 0
The amounts indicated in Table 4.3 do not
coincide with the projections in the City’s
2020 UWMP. The 2020 UWMP projected
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recycled water use beginning in the year
2025.
4.3.1. Projected Recycled Water Use
According to the City’s 2018 IMP, the 2006
Recycled Water Master Plan, and the 2020
UWMP, the City anticipated implementing
upgrades by 2025 to the City’s wastewater
treatment plant that would allow the WWTP
to meet tertiary treatment standards to
supply recycled water for irrigation and
other allowable uses. Tertiary treatment
would be in the form of cloth filters in the
near-term (2030) and construction of a
recycled water distribution system. Facilities
to be constructed would also include
recycled water pipelines to transport
recycled water to the recycled water
customers.
The City now anticipates that the
wastewater treatment plant improvements
will be completed by late 2028 to early 2029.
Upon completion of the upgrades,
approximately 2,700 AFY of recycled water
would be available to recycled water
customers. However, usage of the recycled
water within the Beaumont Basin may be
limited since it requires salt and nutrient
removal which will require the installation of
a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system and brine
evaporation ponds, which are currently not
in the City's budget to upgrade the WWTP.
Projected recycled water availability would
be as shown in Table 4.4:
Table 4.4 Projected Recycled Water
Availability
Year Recycled Water
Production (AF)
2030 2,700
2035 2,700
2040 2,700
2045 3,892
2050 3,892
The projected quantities shown in Table 4.4
are based on a “Phase I” capacity expansion
to the WWTP. The 2018 IMP projected up to
5,760 AFY of recycled water production
capacity by 2040. However, the 2018 IMP
identified only 2,530 AFY of recycled water
demand (including the proposed housing
developments). Therefore, for conservative
planning purposes, the projected recycled
water production for this UWMP through
the year 2040 is 2,700 AFY and from 2045-
2050 is 3,892 AFY. The 2018 IMP described
the City’s potential recycled water
customers and service area in Figure 4.4.
4.3.2. Potential Recycled Water Use
There are no physical barriers or constraints
which make construction of recycled water
facilities unfeasible. The City is relatively flat
within the vicinity of potential recycled
water customers. The City currently serves
one customer (Sun Lakes Golf Course) with
non‐potable water from Well M7.
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Figure 4.3 City of Banning WWTP and Percolation Ponds
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Typical annual demand for the Sun Lakes
Golf Course is 850 AFY or 0.8 MGD. Since the
Sun Lakes Golf Course is located on the
westerly end of the City, once the City
constructs recycled
water pipelines to
reach the Sun Lakes
Golf Course, other
potential customers
would be within
proximity to receive
recycled water. Therefore, construction of
recycled water facilities would prove feasible
if the funding for an agreement was in place
for the use of recycled water.
The City’s previous 2006 Recycled Water
Master Plan identified potential customers
north of the Interstate 10 Freeway.
However, the 2018 IMP indicated that these
potential customers were not feasible, due
to the difficulty with crossing the 10 Freeway
and the railroad tracks, and since there are
other potential customers south of the 10
Freeway. The potential recycled water
customers are listed in Table 4.5. As noted
by Table 4.5, the exception to maintaining
only recycled water users below the 10
Freeway would be the Atwell Development
(previously known as Butterfield), since this
is a relatively large development. In addition,
it would be within 1-mile from the Sun Lakes
Golf Course. Assuming the Sun Lakes Golf
Course is provided recycled water service
prior to completion of the Atwell
Development, the pipeline could be
extended to feed the Atwell Development. A
recycled water line to the Atwell
development may be constructed in the
future, but the City does not currently have
plans to fund or construct such a project, as
reflected in the 2018 Integrated Master Plan.
4.3.3. Recycled Water Alternatives
For the Atwell Development, the City had
considered construction of a satellite
wastewater treatment facility, but has since
moved away from this concept. Instead,
Atwell will send all of its sewer flows to the
City's WWTP. However, the City is exploring
the option of using excess recycled water
(amount not used for irrigation) to recharge
the West Banning Basin. This would allow
the City to make full use of its upgraded
treatment capacity.
Other potential
users can “tap in”
to the proposed
recycled water
pipeline.
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Table 4.5: Potential Recycled Water Users
Customer Recycled Water
Demand (AF)
Conversion Year
(Begin Usage of Recycled
Water)
Existing Developments
Sun Lakes Golf Course 850 2030
Banning High School 175 2035
Dysart Park 87 2035
Lions Park 79 2030
Total 1,191 2035
Projected Developments
Atwell Project 864 20401
Rancho San Gorgonio
Development 217 2045
2 Neighborhood Park 35 2040
Total 1,116 2045
Combined Total
(Existing & Projected) 2,307 2045
(1) City does not currently have a connection planned from the Recycled Water Main to the Atwell project at this time. They are plumbing for recycled water, but it is not planned for construction yet.
(2) By 2035 25% of the Rancho San Gorgonio Development will have converted the desired potable water piping to recycled water.
4.4. ENCOURAGING AND OPTIMIZING
RECYCLED WATER USE
Currently, there are no plans in place to
encourage the use of recycled water since
recycled water infrastructure has not yet
been constructed. Once the City has the
ability to provide recycle water, then they
could consider outreach activities and
incentives to encourage and optimize
recycled water use. These may include:
• Outreach to general public
• Outreach to potential recycled water
customers
• Monitoring, enforcement, and
training for recycled water use
• Temporary financial incentives, such
as free service for the first month
The exact methods will be developed as the
City’s recycled water system expands. If the
City applies for outside funding to construct
recycled water infrastructure, the City will
need to also secure funding specifically for
the purpose of actively promoting recycled
water use.
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Figure 4.4 City of Banning Potential Recycled Water Customers Sunset Crossroads
Development
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5 Section 5:
Water Quality
5.1. OVERVIEW
The quality of a natural body of water varies
over time and location, and these variables
must be recognized by water agencies.
During periods of intense rainfall,
contaminants can be washed into receiving
waters, although dilution of existing
contaminants may also occur. Conversely,
during a drought, the concentration of
existing contaminants may increase without
additional incoming flows. These principles
apply to both surface water and
groundwater. As groundwater levels
fluctuate, groundwater passes through
different layers of rock and sediment and
receives substances native to those strata.
Also, groundwater wells that have not been
used over long periods of time can have
water quality issues resulting from stagnant
water. For these reasons, the City of Banning
(City) monitors its wells for water quality as
required by State and Federal regulations.
This Section provides a general description
of the City’s water sources, water quality
monitoring and reporting, and water
treatment. Groundwater, local surface
water, and imported (recharge) water are
discussed in this Section. A discussion of
potential water quality impacts on the
reliability of supplies is also provided.
5.2. WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
5.2.1. Federal Regulations
In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA) in order to protect public
health by regulating the nation's municipal
The San Gorgonio
Flume (pictured)
collects surface
water for
groundwater
recharge.
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drinking water supply. As part of the SDWA,
powers were given to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate drinking
water. The 1996 amendment to the SDWA
required monitoring of
new types of
contaminants. Since
the 1996 amendment
to the SDWA, the EPA
has identified over
ninety (90)
contaminants in its
National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) or
“primary standards”). The main categories
the EPA has identified include: biological
microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection
byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic
chemicals, and radionuclides. As required by
the SDWA, water agencies must provide
annual Water Quality Reports to its
customers.
5.2.2. State Regulations
Water quality regulations have changed
since the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974.
Several state, regional and county agencies
have jurisdiction and responsibility for
monitoring water quality. The actual
regulations on water quality have also
changed over the years. This is the result of
the discovery of new contaminants,
changing understanding of the health effects
of previously known as well as new
contaminants, development of new
analytical technology, and the introduction
of new treatment technology. All water
purveyors are subject to drinking water
standards set by the EPA and the State
Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
The California Department of Public Health
(CDPH) previously
oversaw the water
quality of the State's
drinking water
program and the
environmental lab
accreditation program.
As of July 2014, those
programs were
transferred to the
SWRCB. Under the SWRCB, the Division of
Drinking Water (DDW) regulates public
drinking water systems, including setting the
maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and
regulating the operation of water systems. In
addition to the SWRCB, several regional and
county agencies have jurisdiction and
responsibility for monitoring water quality
and contaminant sites.
5.2.3. State Drinking Water Standards
The State of California has established two
(2) main types of drinking water standards:
1. Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
2. Public Health Goal (PHG)
MCLs are the drinking water standards to be
met by public water systems. The levels set
As part of Federal
EPA standards,
water agencies are
required to
prepare annual
water quality
reports.
In 2014, the
State’s drinking
water program
was transferred
from the Health
Department to the
State Water
Resources Control
Board.
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by the State consider a contaminant’s health
risk, detectability, treatability, and costs of
treatment. MCLs are further broken down
into two (2) types:
1. Primary MCL – Health Related
2. Secondary MCL – Taste & Odor
Secondary MCLs are not federally
enforceable according to the most recent
SDWA amendments. However, they are
regulated by the State of California. DDW
publishes a list of Secondary MCLs, which
include copper, iron, and zinc.
PHGs are established by the Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
(OEHHA). They are concentrations of
drinking water contaminants that pose no
significant health risk if consumed for a
lifetime, provided risk levels are not
exceeded. Public water systems often use
PHGs to provide information regarding
drinking water contaminants in their annual
water quality reports. PHGs are not
regulatory standards. However, state law
requires the SWRCB to set drinking water
standards for chemical contaminants as
close to the corresponding PHG as is
economically and technologically feasible.
5.2.4. Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6)
Hexavalent chromium (Cr6) is a heavy metal
that has been used in industrial applications
and found naturally occurring throughout
the environment. While chromium can exist
in a nontoxic, trivalent form, the hexavalent
form has been shown to be carcinogenic and
toxic to the liver
(OEHHA, 2011).
Hexavalent chromium
is among the chemicals
known to the state to
cause cancer (Title 27,
California Code of
Regulations, Section
27001), pursuant to California's Safe
Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act
of 1986 ("Proposition 65"). The hexavalent
chromium Maximum Contaminant Level
(MCL) is 0.010 mg/L, 10 µg/L, or 10 parts per
billion (ppb) became effective on October 1,
2024 and water systems with 10,000 or
greater service connections such as the City
are required to comply by with this standard
October 1, 2026.
Prior to 2024, hexavalent chromium was
regulated under California's total chromium
MCL of 50-ppb. The Federal Standard is
currently set at 100-ppb. The SWRCB is
currently evaluating treatment technologies
and cost estimates for Chromium-6 removal.
5.2.5. City Standards
The City's main water supply sources, as
described in Section 3, are groundwater
pumped from one of five (5) subbasins of the
Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin, and
surface water (for groundwater recharge)
In 2024, the
SWRCB lowered
the MCL for
hexavalent
chromium to 10
ppb.
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from the State Water Project (SWP) through
the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency. The
City provides on-site “wellhead” treatment
and tests samples of water in its wells on a
regular basis.
To ensure the quality of its water, the City
monitors for a number of threats to drinking
water, including: microbial contaminants,
inorganic contaminants, pesticides and
herbicides, organic chemical contaminants,
and other contaminants. The City’s Annual
Water Quality Report (also known as
“Consumer Confidence Report”) filed with
the DDW identifies regulated substances
(Primary MCLs), secondary substances
(Secondary MCLs), and unregulated
substances (PHGs). The City identifies all
detected constituents and the
concentrations of contaminants when
preparing the report.
5.3. QUALITY OF WATER SOURCES
5.3.1. Groundwater
Groundwater underlying the City's water
service area has historically been high
quality. According to DWR’s Groundwater
Bulletin 118 (California’s Groundwater),
water quality in the Coachella Valley basin is
characterized as predominantly calciumsodium bicarbonate type (DWR 1987). Total dissolved solids (TDS) content for selected
samples from municipal wells ranged from
100 to 200 mg/L. In the City’s most recent
Annual Water Quality Report (2024), the
average level of TDS detected in the City's
drinking water 191.6 mg/L. The secondary
maximum contaminant level (MCL) range for
TDS concentrations in drinking water is
1,000 mg/L.
The City recently tested all of its twenty-one
(21) groundwater wells for hexavalent
chromium. Ten (10) wells, including Wells
C2A, C3, C4, C5, C6, C8, M3, M10, M11, and
M12A tested near or above the new MCL.
Subsequently, the City prepared and
submitted a revised
Chromium-6
Compliance Plan on
1/7/2026 to DDW for
their review and
approval. The main
objective of this
Compliance Plan is for the City to come into
compliance with the established MCL via
Reduction-Coagulation-Filtration (RCF)
treatment or non-treatment options (e.g.,
existing well screen modifications, blending,
re-purposing potable wells to non-potable,
or drilling new wells). Prior to doing so, the
City plans to achieve the following
milestones:
1. Develop a well profile to determine well
screen modification opportunities for
reducing levels of hexavalent chromium
below the MCL;
2. Hire an owner’s advisor (consultant) to
evaluate and design treatment and nonThe City’s
Chromium-6
Compliance Plan is
pending approval
by the DDW.
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treatment options, prepare plans,
specifications, capital and annual
operations, and maintenance costs;
3. Raise capital via grants, rate increases,
loans, bond issuance, etc., to implement
the City’s compliance strategy; and
4. Construct the identified water system
improvements to comply with the MCL.
Currently, Wells C2A, C3, C6, M10, and M11
have exceeded the Running Annual Average
(RAA) MCL of 10 ppb for hexavalent
chromium. Although the City’s Chromium-6
Compliance Plan is pending approval by the
DDW, the City recognizes that operational
restrictions may be required if these
exceedances persist. In the event the City is
directed by DDW to shut down or reduce
pumping from these wells, or any additional
wells that may exceed the Chromium-6 RAA
MCL, the resulting production loss could
impact available water supply. Depending on
the magnitude of the reduction, the City
would implement the Water Shortage
Response Actions identified in the 2025
WSCP. As outlined in Table 8.6, a Stage 2
Water Shortage (10–20% shortage) includes
measures such as suspending the issuance of
new temporary or permanent water meters
until supply conditions stabilize.
5.3.2. Imported Water
SWP water imported from SGPWA originates
from the Bay Delta and some additional
downstream California regions. The SWP
contains specific contaminants which are
characteristic of those areas. Although SWP
water meets or exceeds applicable
standards, there is concern that some
constituents are approaching threshold
levels. Some
constituents of
concern over recent
years have been total
organic carbon (TOC),
bromide, nutrients,
and arsenic. These
constituents have not been detected at high
levels by the City, but they are constituents
to be monitored. This will help the City
prepare for future intakes from SGPWA
should SWP water quality begin to influence
the City’s groundwater quality to a greater
degree.
5.4. IMPACTS OF WATER QUALITY
The quality of water dictates the
management strategies a water supplier will
implement, including, but not limited to, the
selection of water sources, treatment
alternatives, blending options, and
modifications to existing treatment facilities.
A direct result of the degradation of a water
source, including groundwater, is the need
to install wellhead treatment before
consumption. The poorer quality of the
source water, the greater the need (and
cost) for treatment. This can also decrease
water supply reliability.
TOC constituents
have not been
detected at high
levels by the City.
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5.4.1. Impacts of Abandoned Wells
The presence of abandoned groundwater
wells represents a potential hazard to the
quality of groundwater aquifers. Abandoned
and improperly destroyed wells can act as
conduits for contaminants to reach drinking
water supplies. It is vital for the long-term
protection of the basin that abandoned wells
be located and destroyed. While it is the
landowner’s responsibility to destroy an
abandoned well, local water agencies should
be proactive about making sure that
abandoned wells are in fact destroyed. The
destruction of abandoned groundwater
wells should be performed in accordance
with state standards. California Water Code
Section 13750.5 requires that those
responsible for the
destruction of water
wells possess a C-57
Water Well
Contractor’s License.
Whenever a water well
is destroyed, a report
of completion must be
filed with the California DWR within 60 days
of the completion of the work. DDW and
Riverside County (County) are responsible
for permitting and inspecting construction
and destruction of wells.
The City’s policy for all functional and
abandoned wells is to establish a “well site
control zone,” the area immediately
surrounding the well alternatively referred
to as the “wellhead.” The purpose of this
zone is to provide protection from
vandalism, tampering, or other threats at
the well site. The well site control zone
should be managed to reduce the possibility
of surface flows reaching the wellhead and
traveling down the unprotected casing.
SWRCB-DDW regulations recommend a
minimum radius of 50 feet for well site
control zones for all public water systems in
the state. The requirement applies to
abandoned wells as well as functional
activities that could potentially lead to
“source water contamination” according to
EPA regulations. (IWRP, 2007).
5.4.2. Groundwater Contamination
Response
Currently, the City has a Water Shortage
Contingency Plan (WSCP), Hazard Mitigation
Plan (HMP), and an Emergency Operations
Plan (EOP) in place to deal with the effects of
potential groundwater contamination that
reduces supplies and mitigate disasters such
as sudden water shortages. This information
is provided in Section 8.
The WSCP can provide guidance for dealing
with the effects of a water shortage, which
may be due to groundwater contamination.
The City also has emergency response
policies in place to respond to emergencies.
Two recent tests of the City’s emergency
response network were seen in the year
2020, when the District responded to the
Abandoned
private wells can
pose a water
quality concern if
left unaddressed.
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Covid-19 pandemic, and in 2021, when
Governor Newsom issued a State of
Emergency due to drought that required
Statewide compliance with Level 2 of
agency’s WSCP. In the event of a
groundwater contamination shortage, the
City will work in conjunction with SGPWA
and the County of Riverside’s Emergency
Operations Center to deal with the effects of
potential water shortages.
5.4.3. DDW Sanitary Surveys
A Watershed Sanitary Survey examines the
potential sources of contaminants in a
watershed and includes recommendations
for managing these
effects. Per DDW
guidelines, the
Watershed Sanitary
Surveys must be
updated every five
years. Since the City
does not use any
surface water directly, the City does not
prepare Watershed Sanitary Surveys.
However, the City is still subject to periodic
inspections by DDW staff every three years.
The Sanitary Survey Inspection conducted by
DDW includes evaluation of the following:
1. Water Sources
2. Treatment
3. Distribution System
4. Finished Water Storage
5. Pumping Facilities
6. Monitoring & Reporting
7. System Management/Operation
8. Operator Compliance
The City’s previous Sanitary Survey
Inspection occurred in February, 2024.
5.4.4. Impacts on Management &
Reliability
As a result of the City’s water quality policies,
the City has not experienced any water
quality issues that would affect water
supplies. Groundwater in the basin has been
of high quality. The City’s 2024 Annual Water
Quality Report is provided in Appendix K.
The City does not anticipate any significant
impacts to water supply reliability due to
water quality issues.
The City will work
with SGPWA and
the County’s
Emergency
Operations Center.
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6 Section 6:
Water Use
6.1. OVERVIEW
As a developing City, water consumption is
subject to significant change from year to
year. Further, water use within the City’s
service area is also variable over the course
of a given month or due to climate
conditions. This section explores the water
usage trends within the City and quantifies
total water usage per customer type. In
addition, the provisions of Senate Bill x7-7
(Water Conservation Act) are explored in
detail.
6.2. COVID PANDEMIC’S EFFECT ON THE
WATER SYSTEM
As a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19) Pandemic, Commercial and
Institutional water use had declined. On
March 19, 2020, an Executive Order and
Public Health Order directed all Californians
to stay home, except to go to an essential job
or to shop for essential needs. It was then
modified on May 4, 2020. The Regional Stay
Home Order, announced December 3, 2020,
triggered additional restrictions after the
region was announced to have less than 15%
ICU availability. It prohibited private
gatherings of any size, closed sector
operations except for critical infrastructure
and retail, and required 100% masking (with
certain exceptions as indicated in guidance
for use of face coverings) and physical
distancing. The Regional Stay Home Order
was lifted January 25, 2021. During his 2021
State of the State Address Governor, Gavin
Newsom reported that California had
administered nearly eleven (11) million
Water use within
the City’s service
area includes
residential indoor
use, commercial
use, and landscape
irrigation use.
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doses of the vaccine, and that the State was
well on its way to seeing an end to this
pandemic.
The DDW has stated that the PWS
operations are designated as essential
functions and staff and suppliers are not
restricted by any current orders. This has
allowed water system operators and
maintenance workers to keep the PWS
providing safe and clean drinking water to its
customers.
The COVID‑19 pandemic temporarily altered
water‑use patterns and utility operations
across California. Stay‑at‑home orders in
2020 and 2021 led to higher residential
water use, while
commercial, industrial,
and institutional
demand declined due
to widespread facility
closures. Many
agencies observed
shifts in peak‑hour
demand and changes
in spatial distribution, with more water used
in neighborhoods and less in business
districts. Although these patterns gradually
normalized as restrictions eased, the
pandemic highlighted how quickly demand
can shift during major disruptions.
Water utilities also experienced operational
and financial impacts during the pandemic.
Many households faced economic hardship,
leading to increases in delinquent customer
payments and reduced revenue stability for
some agencies. Utilities also had to deal with
staffing shortages, supply‑chain delays, and
the need for enhanced safety protocols to
maintain essential services. While most
systems remained resilient, the pandemic
underscored the importance of emergency
planning, financial reserves, and operational
flexibility for maintaining reliable water
service during large‑scale disruptions.
6.3. CURRENT CITY WATER NEEDS
Prior to incorporation, the City of Banning
served as a stagecoach and railroad stop
between the Arizona territories and Los
Angeles. In 1913 when the City was
incorporated, the City's population was
under 10,000 persons. In recent decades,
City has grown at an average of
approximately 400 persons per year.
From 2015 through 2020, the City's
population had increased by approximately
120 persons annually. However, as noted in
Section 2.5, the City’s projected growth rate
is expected to be much higher, especially
when considering the several new
developments. By 2045, the City will be
approaching ultimate "build-out" conditions
with remaining expected future water
demands primarily attributable to possible
land use changes in residential densities and
in-fill land development projects. As a result
The Covid-19
Pandemic has
impacted water
use in the
residential and
commercial
sectors.
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of the City’s local groundwater sources and
imported recharge capacity from SGPWA,
the City is in a position to provide a reliable
source of quality water for the build-out
conditions.
The City's annual water use over the past 10
years has been increasing and recent total
water consumption reported for calendar
year 2025 is nearly 1,000 AF more than that
reported for 2020. Since the City is zoned
mainly for residential use and most of the
residential water consumption in the City is
used for non-personal purposes (i.e.,
irrigation, car washing, etc.), the City has a
significant number of residential lots which
require irrigation to maintain landscaping.
Of the water used for personal purposes,
most of the water consumed is attributable
to personal hygiene and clothes washing.
In the commercial and institutional sectors,
water needs vary as customers range from
restaurants to offices and from retail stores
to schools. Office buildings and retail stores
require significantly less water than
restaurants and schools and are not usually
the key focus of water conservation efforts.
To maintain civic pride and a sense of
community, City parks (Figure 6.1) and other
City right of ways (medians, etc.) require
consistent irrigation. To prevent water
waste, the City follows an irrigation schedule
that limits the length of irrigation to avoid
overspray runoff and evapotranspiration
from daytime watering.
Figure 6.1 Banning Park
Overall water use characteristics within the
City's water service area reflect slightly
higher than average regional water use
characteristics within Southern California. As
a result of the City’s water needs, the City
has passed a conservation ordinance similar
to other agencies which limits or restricts
non-personal water use during periods of
drought. This will help conserve water use
for the more important health and safety
needs of its customers. The City's
Conservation Ordinance is discussed in
greater detail in Section 8.
6.4. CLIMATE IMPACTS ON WATER USE
California faces changes in water use habits
due to a variety of issues including
population growth, regulatory restrictions,
and climate change (including the severe
drought of 2020-2022). More specifically,
weather unpredictability (more extreme
drought and flood events) poses additional
challenges to water agencies, not only due to
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impacts on water supplies but also due to
impacts on water demands.
Since the preparation of the 2020 UWMP,
there have been local and statewide
influences on water use in the City. California
experienced a multi-year drought from 2020
through 2022, with precipitation
consistently below average and record-high
temperatures which exacerbated water
scarcity. Water year 2022, covering October
2021 to September 2022, ended with 77% of
average precipitation, following an even
drier 2021, making the
three-year stretch
drier than the previous
record dry period of
2013–2015.
Snowpack, a critical
water source, fell to
35% of average by April 1, 2022, despite a
strong start in December. Drought severity
varied regionally, with the Central Valley and
northern basins experiencing the most
extreme conditions.
Environmental Impacts: The drought led to
dry soils, reduced water availability, and
increased wildfire risk. Wildfire activity
fluctuated, with 4.3 million acres burned in
2020, decreasing to 2.57 million acres in
2021 and 362,455 acres in 2022, reflecting
both drought intensity and mitigation
efforts. Reduced snowpack and low
precipitation stressed rivers, reservoirs, and
groundwater systems, affecting ecosystems
and water supply reliability.
Agricultural and Economic Impacts:
Agriculture was heavily affected, particularly
the Sacramento Valley’s rice-producing
counties. In 2022, 750,000 acres of farmland
were idled, more than half in the
Sacramento area. Direct economic losses to
farm activity were estimated at $1.2 billion
in 2022, up from $810 million in 2021, with
additional losses of $845 million in food
processing industries, totaling $2 billion in
value-added losses and 19,420 jobs lost.
Increased evapotranspiration due to higher
temperatures further stressed crops,
requiring more irrigation to maintain
productivity.
Regional and Temporal Variability: Drought
intensity varied across the state and over
time. In 2020, drought conditions were less
severe, while 2021 and 2022 saw
widespread and more intense drought,
particularly in the Central Valley. Northern
California basins faced early water
curtailments, and the Sacramento Valley
experienced unprecedented climatological
stress due to limited groundwater pumping
capacity. Despite these challenges,
mitigation measures such as land idling,
water trading, and increased groundwater
pumping helped reduce potential losses.
Changes in water usage habits have a special
Snowpack, a
critical water
source, fell to 35%
of average by
April 1, 2022.
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concern for the State due to the interdependence of many agencies for the transfer and use of water. For example,
some agencies are unable to produce water
locally and are entirely dependent on
imported water sources, while others are
able to produce all water locally (i.e.,
groundwater). Also, some agencies are able
to reduce demands
with minimal economic
impacts (only water
sales revenues), while
other agencies will
suffer economically
(i.e., agricultural &
industrial users) if
required by State or
local agencies to reduce water consumption.
Therefore, the State will likely face
challenges in the near future to find the
correct balance of water supply allocations
to meet demands under various weather
conditions. For State Water Project (SWP)
water rights holders, this is an extremely
critical issue.
6.4.1. California Water Plan Update 2023
DWR’s California Water Plan Update 2023
emphasizes the urgency of climate change
impacts, the need for watershed resilience,
and the importance of equity in water
management. It is designed to ensure that all
Californians benefit from water resources
that are sustainable and resilient to climate
change. There are three themes including:
Addressing Climate Urgency: The plan
recognizes the increasing variability in
California's hydrology due to climate change
and promotes adaptive infrastructure and
emergency planning to enhance resilience.
Strengthening Watershed Resilience: It
encourages coordinated efforts at the
watershed level to integrate engineered
systems with natural processes, to achieve
multiple benefits across water, agriculture,
and ecology.
Achieving Equity: For the first time, the
update includes a dedicated chapter on the
challenges and resources of California Native
American Tribes, ensuring that Indigenous
knowledge and priorities are integrated into
statewide planning.
6.5. WATER USE
Due to increases in water use efficiency and
the lingering effects of the mandatory
declaration period, overall water use within
the City’s service area in recent years has
decreased mildly. Annual water
consumption from 2021 to 2025 listed in
Table 6.1 ranged from a high of 8,023 AF in
2025 to a low of 6,756 AF in 2023, with an
average of 7,439 AF. Due to the recent
trends in development, demand has been
slightly increasing for the past 5 years.
The State will
likely face
challenges in the
near future to find
the correct
balance of water
supply allocations.
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Table 6.1 City Recent Water Use
Year
Total
Consumption
(AF)
Per Capita
(GPCD)
2021 7,482 238
2022 7,529 234
2023 6,756 204
2024 7,407 217
2025 8,023 238
Average
(last 5 years): 7,439 227
Average
(last 10 years): 7,028 223
2020 Water Use Target: 252
As indicated by Table 6.1, the City has
already reached its 2020 water use
reduction target. Table 6.3 shows that the
City’s water use in recent years has been low
due to water conservation. Total
Consumption shown in Table 6.3 does not
include water losses, but water losses are
included in the determination of per capita
consumption.
6.6. WATER USE BY SECTOR
6.6.1. Service Connections/Accounts
The City maintains records of water
consumption and bills its customers on a
monthly basis for water service. The City
maintains approximately 13,000 service
accounts with a mixture of residential,
commercial, and institutional customers.
Although the City does not maintain any
industrial service accounts, the 2020 UWMP
reflected some in order to fulfill state water
reporting requirements. The City includes
both single-family and multi-family accounts
under a residential sector; however, for
billing purposes, the City does separate
water use by single-family and multi-family.
As of 2025, the current breakdown of
accounts is shown in Table 6.2.
Table 6.2 Number of Service Connections
(2025)
Sector Service
Accounts
Single-family Residential 12,184
Multi-family Residential: 29
Commercial/
Institutional 690
Landscape Irrigation 130
Agricultural Irrigation 5
Total Connections: 13,038
Approximately ninety-three percent (93%)
of the total service connections are
residential (single or multi- family.
Commercial and institutional accounts
comprise approximately six percent (6%) of
the total accounts. Landscape and
Agricultural Irrigation accounts comprise
approximately one percent (1%) percent of
the City's metered connections.
The total number of accounts does not
represent the total number of actual service
connections tapped into the
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Figure 6.2 Sun Lakes Country Club
City's distribution mains. The total number
of accounts varies on a monthly basis based
on occupancy of a dwelling unit or
commercial property.
In addition to the customer types listed in
Table 6.2, the City also provides water to
two (2) agencies, including the High Valleys
Water District and the Sun Lakes Country
Club (shown in Figure 6.2). The total
combined water use of these two agencies
has been approximately 900 AF/year.
However, the City does not account for these
two agencies in their demand data since
water is considered to be an inter-agency
transfer. Also, the water used by Sun Lakes
Country Club is considered non-potable and
therefore not counted in this section of the
UWMP.
6.6.2. Recent Water Use by Sector
The City records water use only per service
connection and bills customers based on a
single water rate structure. Water sales data
is compiled by City water staff and recorded
on DWR’s Form No. 38 (Public Water System
Statistics) and submitted to DWR annually,
as well as part of the SAFER Clearinghouse
Drought Report submitted to SWRCB
monthly (since 2022). The total water
consumption by customer
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Table 6.3 Recent Water Use by Sector (AF)
Sector 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Single-Family Residential 4,1132 4,1332 3,718 4,004 4,188 Multi-Family Residential 0
2 432 94 106 122
Commercial 2,377 1,613 872 893 1,184
Institutional/Governmental 39 410 1,013 1,140 1,011
Landscape Irrigation
(Potable) 953 1,004 885 1,102 1,417
Landscape Irrigation
(Non-Potable) 0 326 175 163 101
Total Water Sales: 7,482 7,529 6,756 7,407 8,023
Water Losses 672 622 515 399 5521
Unbilled Unmetered 19.6 17.2 52 67.8 60.21
Total Water Consumption
(Total Supply into System): 8,174 8,168 7,323 7,874 8,635 (1) Estimated value used since the City has not yet Validated its 2025 Water Loss Audit. (2) Billing records from 1/1/2021 through 6/1/2022 did not separate Residential users by Multi- and Single-Family. Single-Family values shown are combined total.
Figure 6.3 Current Water Demand by Sector (2025)
Single Family
48.5%
Multi-Family
1.4%
Commercial
13.7%
Institutional/Governmental
11.7%
Landscape Irrigation
(Potable)
16.4%
Landscape Irrigation
(Non-Potable)
1.2% Water
Losses
6.4%
Unbilled Unmetered
0.7%
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type since 2021 is shown on Table 6.3. As
identified in Table 6.3, Single-Family
Residential accounts are the highest
consuming sector in the City since most of
the City is zoned for single-family accounts
(with higher densities for multi-family
accounts). Figure 6.3 also shows the Current
Water Demand by Sector (2025).
6.6.3. Distribution System Losses
As indicated in Table 6.3, the City's water
losses ranged from 399 to 672 AF, which on
average is approximately six percent (6%) of
the total water supply into the City's
distribution system. Water Loss is
determined as the sum of apparent loss and
real loss, as determined in each years
Validated Water Loss Audit. Examples of
water loss consist of routine flushing,
unmetered use, and main breaks, to name a
few. Although water losses have cost
impacts on water agencies, they cannot be
prevented entirely.
Instead, effort is directed at controlling the
quantity of water losses (to a cost-effective
extent) in order to reduce the cost impact of
water losses on water operations. For this
reason, the City’s Staff prepares annual
Water Loss Audits using AWWA software.
The 2024 Audit shows that the City’s Leakage
Index (the ratio of real loss to unavoidable
loss) was 0.8, which is below the 10th
percentile of Water Purveyors. The City’s
Validated Water Loss Audits can be found on
DWR’s WUE Portal:
wuedata.water.ca.gov/awwa_plans
Since the City has not yet validated its 2025
Water Loss Audit (due January 1, 2027), the
Water Loss and Unbilled Unmetered values
for 2025 were estimated from City averages
from 2023-2025.
6.6.4. Unbilled Unmetered
Unbilled unmetered use includes losses
through 4W, which is an emergency
pressure relief valve for the Banning Water
Canyon transmission main, which discharges
water into the Water Canyon where it
percolates into the shallow aquifer as
recharge. Other use in this category is
tracked sewer maintenance (volumetric),
flushing (not consistently metered),
dewatering pipelines for leak repairs, and
fire-fighting efforts and testing of
commercial fire sprinklers. However, fire use
values have not been provided to the City as
outside agencies handle this information.
6.6.5. 2028 Water Loss Standard
California Water Code (CWC) Section
10608.34 requires SWRCB to develop water
loss performance standards for urban retail
water suppliers. Executive Orders B-37-16
and B-40-17 direct SWRCB and DWR to
minimize water waste through system leaks.
Water loss performance standards became
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effective in 2023. As part of a proposed
water conservation regulation, urban retail
water suppliers (not individual households
or businesses) will be held to "urban water
use objectives." An urban water use
objective is the sum of standard-based
budgets for a subset of water uses, such as
residential outdoor use, as further described
in Section 6.7.
Retail Suppliers must meet water loss
standards by January 1, 2028, calculated on
a system level. Ongoing compliance will be
on a three-year average basis. The baseline
period for the 2028 Water Loss Standard is
2017-2020. Real losses and apparent losses
used to calculate the standard are the
average real losses and apparent losses in
the baseline period. SWRCB staff can initiate
an adjustment process for any system that
has significant changes in data compared to
the baseline if at least three (3) compliance
assessments have passed. Suppliers can
request an adjustment to the baseline
period data if significant data improvements
have been made.
Suppliers must either meet their apparent
loss standard (equivalent to their baseline
period (2017-2020) apparent losses) or
submit an inventory of all apparent losses.
Meeting the apparent loss standard is not
required as long as an inventory of apparent
losses is submitted.
The City’s Baseline Real Loss is 70.1 gallons
per service connection per day (GPSCD) and
Real Loss Standard is 43.8 gpscd, resulting in
a Required Real Loss Reduction from
Baseline of 38%. Apparent Loss Standard is
13.3 gpscd.
6.7. URBAN WATER USE OBJECTIVE
The “Making Conservation a California Way
of Life” regulation went into effect on
January 1, 2025 and established unique
efficiency goals for each urban retail water
supplier in California and provides those
suppliers flexibility to implement locally appropriate solutions. The regulation seeks to cultivate long-term practices that help
communities adapt to California’s ongoing
water challenges. The regulation requires
suppliers to:
• Annually calculate urban water use
objectives for a subset of urban water
uses: residential indoor water use,
residential outdoor water use, real
water loss, and commercial, industrial,
and institutional (CII) landscapes with
dedicated irrigation meters (DIMs).
• Carry out performance measures for
CII water us.
• Annually report to SWRCB.
The City’s Compliance Summary Report,
prepared by SWRCB staff on March 4, 2026,
summarizes the supplier’s compliance with
annual reporting requirements under the
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“Making Conservation a California Way of
Life” regulation for the state fiscal year 2024-
2025. This report was due on January 1,
2026.
6.7.1. Key Highlights from the Report
The following points are a summary of
Sections 3 through 7 of the City’s Compliance
Summary Report:
• The report was submitted on time, on
December 29, 2025
• The supplier has met its calculated
objective for fiscal year 2024-2025
• The supplier has no approved
variances or temporary provisions for
fiscal year 2024-2025
• The report contains two (2) data
quality flags: One or more water
systems associated with the supplier
did not have a full count of reports with
non-zero potable deliveries and the
responses to the following BMPs were
duplicated:CII_USERS_97.5PCT_OPER
ATIONAL_BMP
6.7.2. Objectives Calculated with Future
Standards
The water use objectives will become
progressively lower as standards change
through 2040. Table 6.4 compares the
current water use objective and reported
water use to future efficiency requirements;
the full summary can be found in Section 8
of the City’s Compliance Summary Report.
While this table does not capture how future
water use objectives will be influenced by
changes in local climatology, service area
population, square footage of irrigated
landscapes, and other data that will factor
into future water use efficiency objectives, it
is provided as a tool for local planning
purposes.
Table 6.4 Objectives Calculated with Future Standards
Fiscal Year FY 24-25 Use
(AF)
Calculated/Projected Objective
(AF) Current use lower than objective?
24-25 1,387.2 1,592.5 Yes
25-26 1,387.2 1,545.9 Yes
30-31 1,387.2 1,488.0 Yes
35-36 1,387.2 1,462.3 Yes
40-41 1,387.2 1,398.8 Yes
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As Table 6.4 shows, the District has met its
calculated objective for fiscal year 2024-
2025. The City’s Compliance Summary
Report can be located on DWR’s WUE Portal:
wuedata.water.ca.gov/uwuo_plans
6.8. WATER CONSERVATION ACT
6.8.1. Act Background (SBx7-7)
Due to reductions of water in the San
Joaquin Delta, the California State
Legislature drafted the Water Conservation
Act of 2009 (SBx7-7) to protect statewide
water sources. The legislation called for a
twenty percent (20%) reduction in water use
in California by the year 2020. The legislation
amended the water code to call for 2020 and
2015 water use targets in the 2010 UWMPs,
updates or revisions to these targets in the
2015 UWMPs and allows the Department of
Water Resources (DWR) to enforce
compliance to the new water use standards.
Beginning in 2016, failure to comply with
interim and final targets will make the City
ineligible for grants and loans from the State
needed to attain water self-sufficiency by
2020.
In addition to an overall statewide twenty
percent (20%) water use reduction, the
objective of SBx7-7 was to reduce water use
within each hydrologic region in accordance
with the agricultural and urban water needs
of each region. Currently, the Department of
Water Resources (DWR) recognizes ten (10)
separate hydrologic regions in California as
shown in Figure 6.4. Each hydrologic region
was established for planning purposes and
corresponds to the State's major drainage
areas. The City of Banning is in the Colorado
River Hydrologic Region (HR), which includes
most of Riverside County, San Bernardino
County. The Colorado River HR is shown in
Figure 6.5.
This region is characterized by its arid
climate, with an average annual
precipitation of 5.5 inches. It includes 71
state-recognized alluvial groundwater basins
and subbasins, highlighting the region's
importance in California's water
management and conservation efforts.
The region's topography consists of flat
plains, hills, and mountain ranges, with the
San Andreas fault traversing portions of the
Coachella and Imperial Valleys. The climate
is predominantly subtropical desert, with
winter snows generally falling above 5,000
feet, and snow depths reaching several feet
at the highest levels during winter.
Per capita water use, measured in gallons
per capita per day (GPCD), in the Colorado
River HR varies between different water
agencies depending on the geographic and
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Figure 6.4 California's 2020 Water Conservation Goals
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Figure 6.5 Colorado River Hydrologic Region
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economic conditions of the agency’s service
area. The Colorado River HR has an overall
baseline per capita water use of 346 GPCD
and DWR has established a regional target of
211 GPCD for the region as a compliance
target to satisfy SBx7-7 legislation.
The Methodologies guidebook made
provisions that allowed a water supplier to
meet the target requirements by achieving
one of four (4) different targets, provided
that the water supplier's baseline water use
was low enough relative to the region within
which it supplies water. For most agencies,
the two most common options are 1) 20%
reduction, or 2) 5% reduction, from the
Hydrologic Region.
6.8.2. Exempt Agencies
If an agency has a baseline per capita water
use of 100 GPCD or less, the agency will not
have to adhere to any reduction targets as
the agency is already considered water
efficient. In such a case, the agency must
document in subsequent UWMPs that its
water usage is still under 100 GPCD.
6.8.3. SBx7-7 Baseline & Target
In the 2015 and 2020 UWMPs, the City's
baseline water use and targets were
determined based on the procedures shown
in Figure 6.6 and Figure 6.7.
If an agency's 10-year baseline is slightly
higher than the Hydrologic Region's target,
that agency still must achieve a five percent
(5%) reduction from its 5-year baseline. If an
agency has a per capita water use of 100
GPCD or less, that agency will not have to
adhere to any reduction targets as that
agency is already considered water efficient.
Since the City does not use recycled water, a
10-year instead of a 15-year rolling average
baseline was previously calculated. The
City’s baseline water use is 315 GPCD, which
was calculated from the 10-year period
January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2010.
Table 6.5 shows historic (2001 to 2010)
water use and provides the base period
annual water use used to calculate the
baseline water use for the City. The data was
used to calculate the 10-year and 5-year
baselines. Regardless of the compliance
method adopted by the City, it will need to
meet the minimum water use target of five
percent (5%) reduction from a 5-year
baseline as calculated.
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Figure 6.6 Procedure for Determining Baseline Per Capita Water Use Figure 6.7 Procedure for Determining Target Per Capita Water Use 4 Compile
Water Use
Rates over 10
Years
3 Water Use /
Population
= Rate
2 Potable
Water Use
1 Service Area
Population
5 Select
Target
4 ...Calculate
95%
Reduction
Target
3 If < 95%
Hydrologic
Region...
2 Compare to
95%
Hydrologic
Region
1 Set 80%
Reduction
Target
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Table 6.5 City of Banning Water Use
(GPCPD)
Year
Total
Water Use
(AF)
Population
Per
Capita
(GPCD)
2010 8,485 29,603 256
2009 9,259 28,751 287
2008 9,606 28,551 300
2007 10,245 28,193 324
2006 10,245 28,234 324
2005 9,427 28,250 298
2004 10,424 28,055 332
2003 10,043 27,608 324
2002 9,808 25,662 341
2001 10,032 24,639 363
10-yr. Baseline (2001-2010)
(SB7: 10608.20) 315
5-yr. Baseline (2006-2010)
(SB7: 10608.22) 298
Colorado River HR Baseline: 346
Colorado River HR Target: 211
As shown in Table 6.5, the City's 10-yr and 5-
yr baselines were determined to be 315
GPCD and 298 GPCD, respectively.
The City's baseline water use was then
compared to the regional compliance target
to determine the applicable reduction
amounts per the SBx7-7 additions to the
water code. The legal stipulations applicable
to the City and the required target to be
enforced by DWR are shown in Table 6.6.
Table 6.6 City of Banning
SBx7-7 2025 Water Use Targets (GPCD)
Min.
Reduction
Requirement
(10608.22)
20% Target
(10608.20)
(b)(1)
5% Reduction
from Regional
Target
(10608.20)
(b)(3)
283 252 200
2020 Per Capita Target: 252
Interim (2015) Target: 284
The selected SBx7-7 target is 252 GPCD
[twenty percent (20%) from its 10-year
baseline] because this amount is greater
than 200 GPCD [five percent (5%) reduction
from the Colorado River HR's target]. Since
the City's minimum reduction requirement
of 283 GPCD is greater than the regional
target of 211 GPCD, the City must select
Method 1 (252 GPCD) as its 2020 water use
target. Therefore, the City's compliance
target for 2020 per capita water
consumption was 252 GPCD in accordance
with Section 10608.22 of the Code.
6.8.4. SBx7-7 Target Compliance
Although the requirements of SBx7-7 were
stringent, the City has seen an increase in
water efficiency since the baseline years of
2001 to 2010. This is due in part to State
legislation, stricter conservation measures,
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saturation of water-saving plumbing
fixtures, and overall water conservation
awareness. As indicated by Table 6.1, the
City’s consumption rate for 2025 is 238
GPCD. The City can maintain its consumption
rates below the SBx7-7 target by continuing
to focus on water conservation.
6.9. PROJECTED WATER DEMAND
Future water use projections must consider
significant factors which will affect water
demand, such as development and/or
redevelopment, and climate patterns.
Although redevelopment is expected to be
an ongoing process, it is not expected to
significantly impact water use since the City
will experience significant development over
the next 25 years. Climate conditions will
continue to be a major influence on demand
as it will lead to more frequent and severe
drought conditions, that will increase
demand at times when these supplies are
limited.
6.9.1. Passive Savings
The City should experience modest increases
in its water consumption in spite of
significant population increases through
2050. This is due to “passive savings.”
Passive savings would be realized by more
homes being equipped with water-saving
fixtures and landscapes. As a result of
ongoing water conservation programs to
educate the City’s water customers, water
customers will become more aware of water
conservation and City-specific policies such
as limitations on landscape irrigation and car
washing. These “passive savings” will assist
in offsetting a portion of new water
demands from anticipated population
growth in the City.
For future water demand projections in this
UWMP, these “passive savings” were
calculated by analyzing the declines in water
consumption rates. Beginning with a
consumption rate of 234 GPCD (average of
the past 10 years), the rate of decline in
GPCD is projected to be one percent (1%)
annually. It is assumed that water use
efficiency will continue to increase through
water code changes over the next twentyfive years.
6.9.2. Low-Income Water Demands
Senate Bill 1087 and Water Code Section
10631.1 require that the water use
projections of a UWMP include the
projected water use for single-family and
multi-family residential housing for lower
income households as identified in the
housing element of any city, county, or city
and county in the service area of the
supplier. The City has the responsibility to
provide for the water-related health and
safety of the community. One of the City's
objectives is to provide its customers with an
adequate and reliable supply of high-quality
water to meet present and future needs in
an environmentally and economically
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responsible manner. Water use priority does
not differ based on income level, but is
classified by the type of use.
The residential sector projections include
projected low-income housing in accordance
with the City’s Housing Element
(banning.ca.us/428/Housing-Element).
construction of a total of 1,163 additional
low-income housing units to meet the City’s
Housing Needs Assessment. With an
estimated 2.5 persons per unit (or
approximately 0.6 AFY per unit), the City will
need an additional 717 AF of water per year
to supply water to these projected lower
income housing units. These low-income
housing water demands are included in
future projections for single family and
multi-family homes listed in Table 6.7.
6.9.3. Projected Water Use by Sector
For planning purposes, the City's projected
water use for 2030-2050 is broken down by
sector in Table 6.7. The estimates per sector
are based on the ratios of the sectors shown
in Table 6.3, the population projections
shown in Table 2.5, and a “passive savings”
of one percent (1%). Figure 6.8 also shows
the Projected Water Demand by Sector in
2050.
Since the City has not yet Validated its 2025
Water Loss Audit (due January 1, 2027), the
Water Loss and Unbilled Unmetered values
for 2025 were estimated from City averages
from 2023-2025. However, these values
cannot be verified until validation of 2025
Water Loss Audit and have therefore been
excluded from the ratios.
Some projected potable landscape irrigation
demands may be switched to the “nonpotable” category when recycled water becomes available.
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Table 6.7 Projected Water Demand by Sector
Sector 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Water Service Area Population 38,386 44,608 50,068 55,528 60,988 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1.0% Annual Passive Savings 212 201 191 182 173 Demands
Single Family Residential 4,565 5,044 5,384 5,679 5,932 Multi-Family Residential 123 136 145 153 160
Commercial 1,130 1,249 1,333 1,406 1,469
Institutional/Governmental 1,212 1,340 1,430 1,509 1,576 Landscape Irrigation (Potable) 1,304 1,441 1,539 1,623 1,695 Landscape Irrigation (Non-Potable) 168 186 198 209 218
Total Water Sales: 8,503 9,397 10,030 10,579 11,050
Water Losses 526 581 620 654 683
Unbilled Unmetered 69 76 82 86 90
Total Water Consumption
(Total Supply into System): 9,098 10,054 10,732 11,319 11,823 Figure 6.8 Projected Water Demand by Sector (in 2050)
Single-Family
5,932 AF
Multi-Family
160 AF
Commercial
1,469 AF
Institutional/
Governmental
1,576 AF
Landscape
Irrigation
(Potable)
1,695 AF
Landscape Irrigation
(Non -Potable)
218 AF
Water
Losses
683 AF
Unbilled Metered
90 AF
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7 Section 7:
Reliability
Planning
7.1. OVERVIEW
Drought conditions continue to be a critical
issue for Southern California's water supply.
The drought of 2020-2022 impacted
deliveries of imported water to Southern
California cities. The documented deliveries
of water from the State Water Project (SWP)
for Water Year 2022 (October 1st, 2022, to
September 30, 2023) indicate that the
volume of water delivered to SWP
Contractors was the lowest since Water Year
2020. Therefore, it is important that
agencies manage water consumption and
reduce reliance on imported water through
local groundwater and surface water
supplies. Water agencies should prepare for
prolonged droughts for up to five (5) years to
ensure a reliable supply of water.
This Section discusses historic and recent
droughts in the State and in the region. This
Section also compares projected supply to
projected demand over a 25-year planning
period (through 2050) for various climate
scenarios. Demand and supply projections
are provided in Tables 7.1 - 7.7.
7.2. HISTORIC DROUGHTS
Climate data has been recorded in California
since 1858. Since then, California has
experienced several periods of severe
drought, including: 1928-34, 1976-77 and
1987-91, 2007-2009, 2011-2017 and most
recently in 2020-2022. In addition to these,
California has also experienced several
periods of less severe drought. Among the
previously listed droughts, the year 1977 is
The City’s three San
Gorgonio tanks
(pictured) store up to
5.6 MG (14 AF) of
water for the City.
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still considered to be the driest year of
record in the Four Rivers Basin by DWR
(these rivers flow into the Sacramento Delta
and are the source of water for the State
Water Project) which had an all-time low of
15 million acre-feet of average annual
runoff.
In 1983, as a result of previous droughts, the
State legislature enacted the UWMP Act,
which requires the preparation of an UWMP.
Several subsequent amendments have been
made to the Act to include such elements as
public coordination, recycled water, and
contingency response plans are included in
UWMPs.
In 1991, as a result of the 1987-1991
drought, over one hundred water agencies
and environmental groups came together to
form the California Urban Water
Conservation Council (CUWCC) to manage
the impacts of drought and promote water
conservation. In January 2018, the CUWCC
became the California Water Efficiency
Partnership (CalWEP), and consists of over
two hundred water agencies and private
companies. CalWEP assists its member
agencies with public policy, research, and
education tools.
As a result of the drought of 2007-2009,
Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Water
Conservation Act of 2009 (SBx7-7), requiring
mandatory water conservation up to twenty
percent (20%) by 2020.
In January of 2014, Governor Brown
declared a state of emergency and directed
state officials to take all necessary actions to
prepare for water shortages. As the drought
continued into Water Year 2015, Governor
Brown issued an executive order in April
2015, which mandated a statewide twentyfive percent (25%) reduction in water use, with each agency assigned specific target
reductions.
At the local level, water agencies have
enacted their own ordinances to deal with
the impacts of droughts. Section 13.16 of
the City’s Municipal Code deals with Water
Conservation. Since then, the City has
applied the water use prohibitions of the
City’s code in response to the recent drought
of 2011-2017 and 2020-2022. Additional
information regarding the City’s code and
ordinances are contained in Section 8.
7.3. RECENT DROUGHT (2020-2022)
California experienced a significant and
prolonged drought in 2020-2022. The
drought depleted reservoir levels across the
state, as reflected by Figure 7.1. On July 8,
2021, Governor Newsom declared a state of
emergency and issued an Executive Order
calling for a statewide voluntarily reduction
of fifteen percent (15%) from consumer’s
2020 levels in order to preserve the State's
surface and groundwater supplies, better
prepare for the potential for continued dry
conditions next year, and to join existing
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efforts by agricultural water users, public
water systems, and governmental agencies
to respond to water shortages. On October
19, 2021, Governor Newsom issued an
Executive Order declaring a statewide
drought emergency.
Figure 7.1 Governor Newsom at Lake
Mendocino in Ukiah on April 21, 2021
In May 2022, Governor Newsom ordered the
SWRCB to evaluate the adoption of
regulations banning irrigation of “nonfunctional” turf (or grass), such as decorative grass adjacent to large industrial and
commercial buildings. The ban would not
include residential lawns or grass used for
recreation, such as school fields, sports
fields, and parks. The DWR estimated this
ban alone would result in potential water
savings of several hundred thousand acrefeet. An acre-foot of water serves the needs of approximately three households for a
year.
In March 2024 DWR finalized the 2024 State
Water Project Long-Term Drought Plan. The
2024 State Water Project Long-Term Drought
Plan consolidates information and actions
taken during past droughts along with
descriptions of the actions taken by the SWP
to plan for and prepare for future droughts.
The scope of the SWP’s drought planning
activities is driven by the role the SWP plays
within California’s water management
system during times of drought. The SWP’s
planning is specific to its role as a wholesale
water provider. The SWP’s drought planning
is different from the planning by other water
managers that are responsible for providing
water directly to end-use customers. For
these water managers, drought planning
generally includes identifying a portfolio of
different water supplies
and demand
management actions
that ensure a minimum
amount of water can be
provided with a set
degree of certainty.
Retail water suppliers
have a “duty to serve”
water demand within their service areas and
must have detailed contingency plans for
meeting demand during drought conditions.
Although the recent droughts have more
significantly impacted northern and centralvalley agencies that use SWP water for agriculture, the City is indirectly impacted by
the recent drought conditions on Northern
California Waters since this water source is
2024 SWP
Drought Plan
consolidates
information and
actions taken
during past
droughts.
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the majority source of water imported from
the SGPWA.
7.4. STATE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY
As a result of continued drought challenges
to the State’s water supplies, SWP
Contractors understand the unpredictability
of imported water allocations from the SWP.
With participation of the SWP Contractors,
DWR strives to meet the water needs of
Southern California by developing new
projects to increase the capacity of its
supplies while encouraging its member
agencies to develop local supply projects to
meet the needs of its customers. Also, DWR
is committed to developing and maintaining
high-capacity storage reservoirs, including
both DWR-owned and Contractor-owned
(such as Diamond Valley Lake, an MWDowned reservoir, the largest in Southern California), to meet the needs during times
of drought and emergency.
The large reservoirs help to avoid the
repercussions of reduced supplies not only
from the SWP but also the Colorado River
Aqueduct (CRA). Throughout the Southern
California Region, a total of three (3) DWRowned reservoirs, nine (9) MWD-owned reservoirs, and twenty-four (24) SDCWA
reservoirs contain up to 2.2 million acre-feet
(MAF) of water storage.
One of the State’s largest reservoirs, Lake
Oroville in Butte County, experienced low
water conditions at Enterprise Bridge (Figure
7.2). On this date (October 4, 2022), the
water storage was 1.22 MAF, thirty-five
percent (35%) of the total capacity.
Figure 7.3 shows an aerial view of highwater conditions at Enterprise Bridge. On this date (June 12, 2023), the water storage
was 3.52 MAF, one hundred percent (100%)
of the total capacity. Rainfall in 2025 was
also below average, with a total recorded
rainfall at the nearest CIMIS Station to the
City recording 10.0 inches.
7.4.1. State Water Project (SWP)
Reliability
As a SWP contractor, SGPWA has a “Table A”
allocation of up to 17,300 acre-feet per year
(AFY). Since SGPWA began receiving SWP
water, however, the average amount of
water received each
year was roughly 58%
of the full Table A
amount. On an annual
basis, each of the
twenty-nine (29) SWP
Contractors request
amounts of SWP water
based on their anticipated yearly demand.
Each SWP contractor’s Water Supply
Contract contains a “Table A” amount that
identifies the maximum amount of water
that a contractor may request. However, the
SWP supplies are
typically less than
the maximum
“Table A” amounts
requested by the
Contractors each
year.
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amount of SWP water actually allocated to
contractors each year is dependent on a
number of factors that can vary significantly
from year to year. The availability of SWP
supplies is generally less than their full Table
A amounts in many years and can be
significantly less in very dry years. After
receiving the requests, DWR assesses the
amount of water supply available based on
precipitation, snow pack on Northern
California watersheds, volume of water in
storage, projected carry over storage, and
Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta
regulatory requirements. For example,
according to the State Water Project
Delivery Reliability Report (2023), the total
SWP annual delivery of water to contractors
ranged from a low of 278 thousand acre-feet
(TAF) in 2022 to a high of 3,094 TAF in 2017.
Due to the uncertainty in water supply,
contractors are not typically guaranteed
their full Table A amount, but instead receive
a percentage of that amount based on
available supply. For instance, the current
DWR Notice to Contractors 26-01 (January
2026) indicated that the initial allocation is
set at thirty percent (30%), which higher
than the ten percent (10%) per initial
allocation. For SGPWA, the current
allocation based on the Notice to
Contractors for this year is set at 5,190 AF.
The reliability of the SWP impacts the
Contractors ability to plan for future growth
and supply. SWP Contractors can seek out
other local supply sources or transfer
agreements (such as transfers with Colorado
River rights holders). Although not directly
important for the City, matters involving the
SWP do impact the City indirectly.
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Figure 7.2 Lake Oroville During Drought of 2020-2022 (October 4, 2022) Figure 7.3 Lake Oroville After Drought (June 12, 2023)
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Figure 7.4 California State Reservoir Levels (May 2026) 918
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Figure 7.5 SWP Table A Deliveries
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7.5. COLORADO RIVER RELIABILITY
Since 2020, the Colorado River has been
under severe stress due to more than two
decades of drought and very low runoff.
Water levels in Lakes Mead and Powell
dropped to historic lows in 2021 and 2022,
which forced the United States Department
of the Interior - Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) to take emergency actions to
keep the system functioning. These actions
included releasing extra water from
upstream reservoirs to help stabilize Lake
Powell and declaring the first-ever Tier 1
shortage in 2022.
From 2023 through 2025, conditions
improved slightly after a strong winter, but
long‑term challenges remained. The federal
government and the seven (7) Basin States
began working on new operating rules to
replace the current
guidelines that expire
in 2026. During this
period, the Lower
Basin states—
California, Arizona,
and Nevada—agreed
to conserve up to 3
MAF of water through 2026, supported by
federal funding. These conservation efforts
helped slow the decline of Lake Mead but
did not solve the long‑term supply and
demand imbalance in the river.
Negotiations for new post‑2026 operating
guidelines have become the main focus.
Modeling has shown that without major
changes, the risk of critically low reservoir
levels will continue to increase. The new
rules, expected to take effect in 2027, will
likely reshape how shortages are shared and
how the major reservoirs are operated. For
California water agencies, these
developments highlight the increasing
uncertainty of Colorado River supplies and
the need to plan for continued conservation,
efficiency, and diversified water sources
Over the past six‑months, Lake Mead has
stayed at approximately thirty-one to thirtytwo percent (31–32%) of capacity, with storage measured at approximately 8.3 MAF
out of 26.1 MAF as of April 2026.
Month‑to‑month changes have been small,
showing a system that is no longer in freefall
but still far from recovery. Snowpack feeding
the Colorado River has been well below
normal, with a snow water equivalent at
approximately twenty-one (21%) of median
in April 2026, limiting the potential for
significant inflows. Reclamation’s 24‑Month
Study continues to project Tier 1 shortage
operations through 2026, meaning
mandatory reductions will remain in effect.
7.5.1. Competition for Water Rights
For Colorado River rights holders, the “Law
of the River” is essentially a compilation of
numerous compacts, state and federal laws,
California, Arizona,
and Nevada
agreed to conserve
up to 3 MAF of
water through
2026.
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court decisions and decrees, contracts, and
regulatory guidelines which define rights to
water from the Colorado River. These
documents apportion the water and
regulate the use and management of the
Colorado River among the seven basin states
and Mexico. A brief listing of these compacts
and acts include:
• Colorado River Compact (1922)
• Boulder-Canyon Project Act (1928)
• CA Seven Party Agreement (1931)
• Arizona v. California (1964)
• CO River Basin Project Act (1968)
• Arizona v. California (1979)
• Quantification Settlement
Agreement (2003)
Per the 2003 Quantification Settlement
Agreement (QSA), California's allocation has
been confirmed at 4.4 MAF per year, with
MWD maintaining just over 1 MAF in rights.
Likewise, the Coachella Valley Water District
(CVWD) holds rights to the CRA. As SWP
contractors, MWD’s and CVWD’s extractions
from the CRA impact their annual requests
for SWP Table A amounts.
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Figure 7.6 Colorado River Basin
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7.6. CITY SUPPLY RELIABILITY
Since the City imports State Water Project
(SWP) water to replenish groundwater
supplies, reliability of the SWP has a direct
impact on the City. The reliability of water
from the CRA has a lesser, indirect impact on
the City, not only due to the annual Table A
allocations, but also resulting from potential
transfer and exchange agreements between
SWP contractors (including SGPWA). During
droughts in the Colorado River basin, SWP
contractors that also use water from the
Colorado River may rely more on the SWP.
Figure 7.7 Suspended Pipe (San Gorgonio
Flume System
The City's groundwater is not subject to
short-term water shortages resulting from
temporary dry weather conditions. Further,
as part of the Beaumont Basin adjudication,
the City has the option of storing up to
80,000 acre-feet of water in the Beaumont
Basin. At the end of calendar year 2025, the
City of Banning had approximately 50,007 AF
of groundwater available in the Beaumont
Basin Storage Account, which is utilized as a
buffer to make up for dry weather conditions
and will be used in future years to meet
demands that exceed local safe yields.
7.6.1. Drought Risk Assessment
The drought risk assessment is an
assessment of the reliability of the City’s
water supplies by comparing projected
future water demands with expected
available water supplies under three
different hydrologic conditions: normal year;
a single dry year; and multiple dry years.
Future supply and demand conditions can be
determined from the following data:
• Population forecasts
• Water supply capacity
• Recent water use trends
The data listed has been provided in the
previous sections of this UWMP.
7.6.2. Basis for Projected Demands
To project future demands, it was assumed
that total demand will change annually
based on changes in population multiplied
by the individual demand per-person (also
known as the “per-capita” consumption rate
-see Section 6). The per-capita rates used in
the future projections were based on actual
water use data from the last ten (10) years.
The City’s averages for the last ten (10) years
were used as the basis to project demands
through the year 2050. To project demands
and supplies, the following was assumed:
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• Starting consumption rate of 222.5
gallons per capita per day (GPCD). This
is based on the average consumption of
the City in the last 10 years
• Decreasing consumption rate from 2026
onward with a passive savings of one
percent (1.0%) annually (i.e., 220.3
GPCD in 2026).
Although a constant consumption rate
provides a more conservative approach, the
decreasing consumption rate scenario
provides a more realistic picture for planning
purposes since it considers gradual
improvements in water-use efficiency. In the
past 25 yearsthe City has seen a 1.4% annual
decrease in consumption rates (5 gpcd per
year). For drought-period demands, it is
expected that there will be a small degree of
increase due to the lack of rainfall on
landscapes. To project demands during
single and multiple (five) year drought
periods, the following increase factors were
assumed:
• Dry Year: Five percent (5%)
• Multiple Dry Years: Five percent
(5%), eight percent (8%) and two
percent (2%)
7.6.3. Basis for Projected Supplies
To project future supplies, the City can
expect groundwater supplies to be based on
the combined capacity of its groundwater
wells, with a maximum safe yield for each
subbasin. The City’s groundwater basins
have a combined safe yield capacity of
approximately 13,590 AFY, excluding the
Cabazon Basin. Further, as part of the
Beaumont Basin adjudication, the City has
the option of storing up to 80,000 AF of
water in the Beaumont Basin.
Although the City can pump up to the safe
yield limits, for conservative planning
purposes, projected groundwater supplies
will be based off the average (proportion) of
supplies used by the City (water demands) in
the past 10 years. Due to the recent trends
in development, demands have been slightly
increasing for the past 5 years. As demands
increase, the City's production will increase
up to the City's safe yield. This will also be
limited to actual production capacity. During
times when local safe yields are exceeded,
the City will pump from its storage account
in the Beaumont Basin, which will be
recharged by various sources. This will allow
the City to continually rely on groundwater
pumping to meet increased demands.
7.6.4. Tabular Comparisons
Table 7.1 to Table 7.7, provide an analysis of
the City’s supply and demand projections to
the year 2050. Figure 7.9 shows a visual piechart for the Normal Water Year 2050. The data compiled in these Tables reflects the
data presented in DWR Submittal Table 6-9
of Appendix E.
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Figure 7.8 River Along the Beaumont Basin
“Reasonably Available Volume Per Basin” is
calculated as the total projected water use in
Acre-Feet (AF) multiplied by average
percentage of total production over last ten
years. The City of Banning will pull the
differential amounts between the Projected
reasonably available volume and safe yield
from the Beaumont Basin Storage Account.
For example, it is projected that the City will
pull 3,885 AF from the Banning Water
Canyon in 2030, but the Safe Yield is only
3,730 AF. Therefore, the City will only pull
3,730 AF from the Banning Water Canyon,
and will rely on pulling the remaining 155 AF
(3,885- 3,730 AF) from the Beaumont Basin
Storage Account.
Water recharged (e.g., imported water,
storm water, return flows, etc.) in the
Beaumont Basin will also be credited in the
City’s storage account, allowing for the
Reasonably Available Volume to increase.
The City also anticipates that it would
recharge more water during wet years. Per
the Final 2023 Reevaluation of the
Beaumont Basin Safe Yield Report, the
Beaumont Basin Safe Yield of the basin was
reevaluated in 2024. The Beaumont Basin
Watermaster Committee re-determined the
Safe Yield of the Beaumont Basin to be 7,100
(AF/YR).
The amount of unused safe yield not
produced in the Beaumont Basin by the
Overlying Water Right holders is allocated to
the retail agencies, with the City of Banning
receiving 31.43% of the unused safe yield.
1,460 AF was used as the safe yield value in
2030, because this is the amount of Unused
Overlying Water from
the Beaumont Basin
that will be allocated
to the City of Banning
in 2030 (2025
Beaumont
Watermaster Annual
Report) and is
projected to decrease by fifteen percent
(15%) every five years from then on.
For the Banning Bench Basin and Banning
Water Canyon Basin it is assumed to be the
most conservative safe yield value from
Table 4-1 of the Geoscience Support
Services, Inc. 2019 Technical Memorandum
(shown in Figure 7.8). The West Banning
Basin safe yield value was determined from
the same table, but the 2019 updated value
determined by the Zero Net Draft was used
Water recharged
in the Beaumont
Basin is credited in
the City’s storage
account.
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because it was closer to the actual operating
amount for the City.
Historically, large storm events have
significantly recharged the Cabazon Basin.
Current water levels within the Cabazon
Basin are declining, and only by assuming
that a future large storm event will occur can
any safe yield be determined. The Cabazon
Basin's steady declining water levels are not
a result of anthropogenic actions but the
natural process of draining and filling of the
basin, which is on a multi-decade cycle.
Based on the data in these tables, the City
can expect to meet future demands for all
climate conditions through 2050. The
surplus in available supply for the City
indicates that the City can focus its efforts
more on water conservation as opposed to
new water supply projects.
Figure 7.9 Table 4-1 of the Geoscience Support Services, Inc. 2019 Technical Memorandum The following is noted in DWR Submittal Table 6-9 of Appendix E, and repeated here for clarity:
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Table 7.1 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Normal Water Year (AF)
Water Sources 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Population
Water Service Area Population 38,386 44,608 50,068 55,528 60,988 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings
212 201 191 182 173
Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,812 7,886 7,920 7,957 7,995 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account2 1,286 2,169 2,812 3,362 3,828
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 9,098 10,054 10,732 11,319 11,823 Total Available Supply3 59,529 59,448 56,818 52,764 48,321 Demand
Total Estimated Demand1 9,098 10,054 10,732 11,319 11,823 Compare to Avg. Demand for
Previous 10 Yrs. (7,028 AF) 129% 143% 153% 161% 168%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference) 0 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 50,432 49,393 46,086 41,445 36,498 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Demand = Consumption Rate x Population.
a. Average consumption rate of last 10 years = 222.5 gallons per capita per day. b. Consumption rate in 2001: 363 gpcd.
c. Consumption rate in 2025: 238 gpcd.
d. Approximate “passive” savings over past 25 years: 5 gpcd per year. e. Projected “passive” savings: 1 gpcd per year = 173 gpcd by 2050.
2. The Beaumont Basin Storage Account currently (at end of 2025) contains approximately 50,007 AF of groundwater.
3. Total Available Supply = [Safe Yield for each Basin (Beaumont Basin’s reasonably available volume for that year; Cabazon Basin’s maximum reasonably available volume, which takes place in 2050) + Beaumont Basin Storage Account].
a. Imported water purchased from SGPWA is recharged into the Beaumont Basin, and will be credited to the City in their storage account, allowing for the Reasonably Available Volume to increase. The projections for Imported water purchased is based on the City’s recent purchases from SGPWA:
i. 2030: 1,250 AF
ii. 2035: 1,500 AF
iii. 2040: 2,000 AF
iv. 2045: 2,500 AF
v. 2050: 2,500 AF
4. The data compiled in these Tables reflects the data presented in DWR Submittal Table 6-9 of Appendix E. 927
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Table 7.2 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Single Dry Year (AF)
Water Sources 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Population
Water Service Area Population 38,386 44,608 50,068 55,528 60,988 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings
212 201 191 182 173
Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,812 7,886 7,920 7,957 7,995 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account3 1,741 2,671 3,348 3,928 4,419
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 9,553 10,557 11,268 11,885 12,414 Total Available Supply4 58,515 58,184 55,054 50,500 46,057 Normal Year Supply 9,098 10,054 10,732 11,319 11,823
% of Normal Year 105% 105% 105% 105% 105%
Demand
Total Dry Demand1 9,553 10,557 11,268 11,885 12,414
Normal Year Demand 9,098 10,054 10,732 11,319 11,823
% of Normal Year 105% 105% 105% 105% 105%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference)5 0 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 48,963 47,627 43,785 38,615 33,643 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Dry Demand = Consumption Rate x Population x Single Dry Year Increase of 105%.
4. Imported water purchased from SGPWA and recharged into the Beaumont Basin during a Single Dry Year will be 236 AF.
5. A net-zero Supply-Demand (Difference) reveals that an additional amount of groundwater will be taken out of the Beaumont Basin Storage Account to meet the Total Dry Demand, on top of the Normal Water Year amount.
A positive difference will be added to the Available Leftover Supply Capacity (Total Available Supply - Total Dry Demand + Difference) of subsequent years, as a surplus of water that was not pumped due to a low Total Dry Demand. For all cases there is more than enough in storage, as shown by the Available Leftover Supply Capacity.
6. All other items derived in similitude to Table 7.1.
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Table 7.3 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2026-2030) (AF)
Water Sources 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Population
Water Service Area Population 33,408 34,653 35,897 37,142 38,386 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings 220 218 216 214 212 Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,812 7,812 7,812 7,812 7,812 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account3 1,286 1,330 1,042 1,258 1,468
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 9,098 9,141 8,854 9,070 9,280
Total Available Supply4 49,971 50,338 49,245 48,439 48,126 Normal Year Supply 9,098 9,098 9,098 10,054 10,054
% of Normal Year 100% 100% 97% 90% 92%
Demand
Total Dry Demand1 8,655 9,141 8,854 9,070 9,280
Normal Year Demand 8,243 8,464 8,681 8,892 9,098
% of Normal Year 105% 108% 102% 102% 102%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference)5 443 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 105% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 41,316 41,640 40,391 39,369 38,846 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Dry Demand = Consumption Rate x Population x Multiple Dry Year Increases of 105%, 108%, and 102%.
4. Imported water purchased from SGPWA and recharged into the Beaumont Basin during Multiple Dry Years will be as follows:
a. Dry Year 1: 1,653 AF
b. Dry Year 2: 236 AF
c. Dry Year 3: 236 AF
d. Dry Year 4: 945 AF
e. Dry Year 5: 1,653 AF
5. A net-zero Supply-Demand (Difference) reveals that an additional amount of groundwater will be taken out of the Beaumont Basin Storage Account to meet the Total Dry Demand, on top of the Normal Water Year amount.
A positive difference will be added to the Available Leftover Supply Capacity (Total Available Supply - Total Dry Demand + Difference) of subsequent years, as a surplus of water that was not pumped due to a low Total Dry Demand. For all cases there is more than enough in storage, as shown by the Available Leftover Supply Capacity.
6. All other items derived in similitude to Table 7.1.
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Table 7.4 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2031-2035) (AF)
Water Sources 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035
Population
Water Service Area Population 39,630 40,875 42,119 43,364 44,608 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings 209 207 205 203 201 Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,812 7,812 7,812 7,812 7,886 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account3 1,952 2,442 2,068 2,258 2,370
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 9,764 10,254 9,880 10,070 10,255 Total Available Supply4 49,792 49,493 47,287 45,455 44,142 Normal Year Supply 10,054 10,054 10,732 10,732 10,732
% of Normal Year 97% 102% 92% 94% 96%
Demand
Total Dry Demand1 9,764 10,254 9,880 10,070 10,255
Normal Year Demand 9,299 9,495 9,686 9,873 10,054
% of Normal Year 105% 108% 102% 102% 102%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference)5 0 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 40,029 39,239 37,407 35,385 33,887 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Dry Demand = Consumption Rate x Population x Multiple Dry Year Increases of 105%, 108%, and 102%
4. Imported water purchased from SGPWA and recharged into the Beaumont Basin during Multiple Dry Years will be as follows:
a. Dry Year 1: 1,653 AF
b. Dry Year 2: 236 AF
c. Dry Year 3: 236 AF
d. Dry Year 4: 945 AF
e. Dry Year 5: 1,653 AF
5. A net-zero Supply-Demand (Difference) reveals that an additional amount of groundwater will be taken out of the Beaumont Basin Storage Account to meet the Total Dry Demand, on top of the Normal Water Year amount.
A positive difference will be added to the Available Leftover Supply Capacity (Total Available Supply - Total Dry Demand + Difference) of subsequent years, as a surplus of water that was not pumped due to a low Total Dry Demand. For all cases there is more than enough in storage, as shown by the Available Leftover Supply Capacity.
6. All other items derived in similitude to Table 7.1.
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Table 7.5 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2036-2040) (AF)
Water Sources 2036 2037 2038 2039 2040
Population
Water Service Area Population 45,700 46,792 47,884 48,976 50,068 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings 199 197 195 193 191 Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,886 7,886 7,886 7,886 7,920 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account3 2,822 3,278 2,796 2,930 3,026
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 10,707 11,164 10,682 10,816 10,946 Total Available Supply4 48,980 47,812 44,770 42,210 40,225 Normal Year Supply 10,732 10,732 11,319 11,319 11,319
% of Normal Year 100% 104% 94% 96% 97%
Demand
Total Dry Demand1 10,707 11,164 10,682 10,816 10,946
Normal Year Demand 10,197 10,337 10,472 10,604 10,732
% of Normal Year 105% 108% 102% 102% 102%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference)5 0 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 38,273 36,648 34,089 31,394 29,279 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Dry Demand = Consumption Rate x Population x Multiple Dry Year Increases of 105%, 108%, and 102%.
4. Imported water purchased from SGPWA and recharged into the Beaumont Basin during Multiple Dry Years will be as follows:
a. Dry Year 1: 1,653 AF
b. Dry Year 2: 236 AF
c. Dry Year 3: 236 AF
d. Dry Year 4: 945 AF
e. Dry Year 5: 1,653 AF
5. A net-zero Supply-Demand (Difference) reveals that an additional amount of groundwater will be taken out of the Beaumont Basin Storage Account to meet the Total Dry Demand, on top of the Normal Water Year amount.
A positive difference will be added to the Available Leftover Supply Capacity (Total Available Supply - Total Dry Demand + Difference) of subsequent years, as a surplus of water that was not pumped due to a low Total Dry Demand. For all cases there is more than enough in storage, as shown by the Available Leftover Supply Capacity.
6. All other items derived in similitude to Table 7.1.
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Table 7.6 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2041-2045) (AF)
Water Sources 2041 2042 2043 2044 2045
Population
Water Service Area Population 51,160 52,252 53,344 54,436 55,528 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings 189 188 186 184 182 Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,920 7,920 7,920 7,920 7,957 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account3 3,479 3,935 3,396 3,512 3,588
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 11,399 11,855 11,316 11,433 11,545 Total Available Supply4 45,495 43,669 39,969 36,809 34,242 Normal Year Supply 11,319 11,319 11,823 11,823 11,823
% of Normal Year 101% 105% 96% 97% 98%
Demand
Total Dry Demand1 11,399 11,855 11,316 11,433 11,545
Normal Year Demand 10,856 10,977 11,094 11,208 11,319
% of Normal Year 105% 108% 102% 102% 102%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference)5 0 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 34,096 31,813 28,653 25,377 22,697 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Dry Demand = Consumption Rate x Population x Multiple Dry Year Increases of 105%, 108%, and 102%.
4. Imported water purchased from SGPWA and recharged into the Beaumont Basin during Multiple Dry Years will be as follows:
a. Dry Year 1: 1,653 AF
b. Dry Year 2: 236 AF
c. Dry Year 3: 236 AF
d. Dry Year 4: 945 AF
e. Dry Year 5: 1,653 AF
5. A net-zero Supply-Demand (Difference) reveals that an additional amount of groundwater will be taken out of the Beaumont Basin Storage Account to meet the Total Dry Demand, on top of the Normal Water Year amount.
A positive difference will be added to the Available Leftover Supply Capacity (Total Available Supply - Total Dry Demand + Difference) of subsequent years, as a surplus of water that was not pumped due to a low Total Dry Demand. For all cases there is more than enough in storage, as shown by the Available Leftover Supply Capacity.
6. All other items derived in similitude to Table 7.1.
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Table 7.7 City of Banning Water Supply Availability & Demand Projections Multiple Dry Years (2046-2050) (AF)
Water Sources 2046 2047 2048 2049 2050
Population
Water Service Area Population 56,620 57,712 58,804 59,896 60,988 Consumption Rate (GPCD)
Including 1% Annual Passive Savings 180 178 177 175 173 Supply
Groundwater Pumped (Total) 7,957 7,957 7,957 7,957 7,995 Pumped from Beaumont Basin Storage
Account3 4,040 4,495 3,906 4,006 4,064
Total Anticipated Use of Supplies
(Estimated Production) 11,997 12,452 11,863 11,963 12,059 Total Available Supply4 41,386 38,999 34,739 31,069 28,009 Normal Year Supply 11,823 11,823 11,823 11,823 11,823
% of Normal Year 101% 105% 100% 101% 102%
Demand
Total Dry Demand1 11,997 12,452 11,863 11,963 12,059
Normal Year Demand 11,426 11,530 11,631 11,728 11,823
% of Normal Year 105% 108% 102% 102% 102%
Supply/Demand Comparison
Supply-Demand (Difference)5 0 0 0 0 0
Supply/Demand (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Available Leftover Supply Capacity 29,389 26,546 22,876 19,107 15,950 Footnotes (see number references in table above):
1. Total Dry Demand = Consumption Rate x Population x Multiple Dry Year Increases of 105%, 108%, and 102%.
4. Imported water purchased from SGPWA and recharged into the Beaumont Basin during Multiple Dry Years will be as follows:
a. Dry Year 1: 1,653 AF
b. Dry Year 2: 236 AF
c. Dry Year 3: 236 AF
d. Dry Year 4: 945 AF
e. Dry Year 5: 1,653 AF
5. A net-zero Supply-Demand (Difference) reveals that an additional amount of groundwater will be taken out of the Beaumont Basin Storage Account to meet the Total Dry Demand, on top of the Normal Water Year amount.
A positive difference will be added to the Available Leftover Supply Capacity (Total Available Supply - Total Dry Demand + Difference) of subsequent years, as a surplus of water that was not pumped due to a low Total Dry Demand. For all cases there is more than enough in storage, as shown by the Available Leftover Supply Capacity.
6. All other items derived in similitude to Table 7.1.
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Groundwater
Pumped (Total)
(7,995 AF)
Pumped from
Beaumont Basin
Storage Account
(3,828 AF)
Total Demand
(11,823 AF)
SAN GORGONIO TANK
WELL C6
WATER DEMANDS GROUNDWATER STORAGE
Figure 7.10 Projected Supply v. Demand Scenario: Normal Water Year 2050 934
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Figure 7.11 Whitewater River Near City of Banning
7.7. ENSURING ADEQUATE SUPPLY
As indicated by Table 7.1 to Table 7.7, the
City does not expect to have a water supply
shortage through 2050. Furthermore, the
City’s subbasin safe yield and storage
account volumes are not expected to be
affected during droughts lasting up to five
years. Finally, droughts will be addressed by
following the criteria of the City's Water
Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) along
with implementation of the regional
contingency plans. These programs are
discussed in Section 8. For these reasons,
the City is confident that water supplies are
adequate to meet demands for all weather
conditions through 2050.
7.8. WSCP SUPPLY AUGMENTATION
Although the City does not expect to have a
water supply shortage through 2050, as
indicated by Table 7.1 to Table 7.7, severe
and extent droughts may cause the WSCP to
be enacted. The City will rely on the
implementation of the WSCP to augment the
City’s reduced supply during consecutively
dry years. The WSCP supply augmentation
benefits during a five-year drought are
shown in DWR Submittal Table 7-5 in
Appendix E.
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8 Section 8:
Contingency
Planning
8.1. INTRODUCTION
In addition to prolonged droughts that can
gradually decrease water supplies, water
supplies may be interrupted in a number of
sudden, catastrophic ways. Sudden
catastrophes may include earthquakes,
power outages, pumping equipment
failures, or spikes in groundwater
contaminants that cannot be remedied
quickly. Water shortages can also be a result
of intentional or accidental manmade
catastrophes, such as acts of terrorism or
chemical spills into nearby canals or
groundwater spreading grounds. It is
important that the City has a plan in place to
manage its water system during short or
long-term water shortages. Long term,
water shortages can be addressed through
conservation and supply augmentation.
Short-term water shortages are best
handled though a “Contingency Plan.” A
Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is
a required component of the City’s UWMP,
which provides guidance on stages of action
to be undertaken by the City in response to
water supply shortages. A WSCP is an
independent document that is incorporated
into the City’s UWMP.
This Section serves as the City’s WSCP. The
City's response to water shortages will be a
coordinated effort between City staff and
other local and regional water agencies.
During a water shortage emergency, the City
will activate this WSCP, which coincides with
Diesel-powered
pumps provide
emergency water
supplies during
sudden
catastrophes.
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Section 13.16.020 of the City’s Municipal
Code. The intent of the plan is to reduce the
effect of shortages on the City’s customers.
In compliance with the Water Code
requirements, this plan imposes a maximum
fifty percent (50%) reduction in the total
water supply on the City’s customers.
Further Response Actions for the City’s
Water Department are to be carried out past
fifty percent (50%).
8.2. NEED FOR CONTINGENCY PLANS
The recent drought of 2020-2022
significantly depleted the State’s supply of
water and posed a challenge to many
agencies throughout the State. Following the
drought, the State experienced a wet winter
in 2022. Climate-driven weather extremes,
long-term water supply uncertainty, and
aging infrastructure are stressing a system
built for a different era. The modernized
California Water Plan 2028 is allowing the
state’s opportunity to respond with a clear,
actionable, and durable approach to
statewide water planning.
The modernization of the California Water
Plan 2028 is being directed by Senate Bill 72
(SB 72). This legislation provides a clear
directive: move statewide water planning
from description to direction. The Water
Plan will be modernized to:
• Identify and evaluate effective water
management strategies, informed by
economic considerations
• Quantify beneficial uses of water at a
watershed scale throughout California
• Expand engagement across all sectors as
DWR develops the Water Plan
• Establish clear water supply targets that
help align state, regional, and local
actions
8.2.1. Recent California Water Code
Amendments
There have been minor changes to the
Water Code affecting the 2025 UWMPs, with
only some affecting WSCPs. The changes are
described in Section 1.3. In addition, the
following measures were taken in recent
years that affect WSCPs:
Starting January 1, 2025, major water
suppliers were required to significantly
reduce water delivery by 2040 to build
drought resilience into everyday life.
The 2025 update to Title 24 (including the
forthcoming enforcement beginning January
1, 2026 for many permit-applications)
introduces a number of changes targeting
reducing water consumption and improving
system efficiency. Among the most
important provisions:
• Lower maximum flow-rates for toilets,
showerheads, and faucets (for example,
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toilets continue to be capped at
approximately 1.28 gallons per flush in
many cases).
• Requirements to reduce pipe sizing and
hot-water wait times to reflect lowervolume fixtures and shorter delivery distances.
• Enhanced documentation and
compliance measures: designers must
show that plumbing layouts meet both
water efficiency and energy criteria
under Title 24 Part 6 and CALGreen (Title
24, Part 11).
• Greater emphasis on seismic bracing of
plumbing and efficient plumbing system
design, reflecting California’s dual
challenges of drought and quake-risk.
The SWRCB has adopted emergency
regulations to encourage Californians to use
water wisely and make conservation a way
of life.
8.3. LEGAL AUTHORITY
As indicated by Sections 8.1 and 8.2, the City
has the legal obligation to prepare and
implement a WSCP during times of drought
or sudden supply interruptions. Response to
water shortages is also codified into City
Municipal Code (Section 13.16, “Water
Conservation”). Section 8.6.5 and Tables 8.8
and 8.9 of the WSCP include a listing of
shortage response actions per CWC § 10632
(a)(3)(A), including the means by which the
City will declare a water shortage and
authorize response actions. The remaining
Sections of the WSCP describe the City’s
response actions in greater detail.
8.4. WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY
ANALYSIS
Groundwater is considered a droughtresistant source of supply. The City also maintains a current storage of 50,000 AF in
the Beaumont Basin. For this reason, the
City’s UWMP does not anticipate a water
supply shortage due to drought conditions
through 2050. To mitigate loss of storage,
the City can implement the provisions of the
WSCP. The results of the City’s Drought Risk
Assessment (DRA) are shown in Table 7.1 to
Table 7.7, (also Appendix E, Table 7-5).
Due to the number of groundwater wells in
the City’s water system, the City has
redundancy in the event of water quality
impairments with a particular well. Figure
8.2 shows a general procedure that the City
can take if any wells are discovered to have
water quality concerns. If necessary, the City
has the ability to increase pumping from
other wells to account for loss of production.
The City may also construct additional wells
over the course of this UWMP planning
period (2050), to improve operational
flexibility and redundancy. Therefore, the
City does not anticipate any significant
impacts to water supply reliability as a result
of water quality.
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Routine
Water Quality Test
Wellhead Sampling
Detection of Constituents
Above MCL
Determine Type of Constituent and
Identify Source
Temporarily
Shut Down Well
Short-Term Duration
(Days or Weeks)
Flush & Test Well
Determine if Flushing is Sufficient or
if Aquifer Zones Need to be Isolated
Determine if Well Needs
Rehab or
Well-Head Treatment
OR Determine if Depth of Well Pump
Intake Needs to be Adjusted to Avoid
Aquifer Zones of High Concentration
No
Flusing in Previous Step
Was Sufficient.
Water Quality is Good.
Return Well to Service
Yes
Keep Well Shut-Down
While Improvements
are Constructed
(Typically Months-Long)
Construct
Improvements
Or Remove Well Pump
and Adjust Depth of
Pump Intake
Re-Active Well
Once Construction
is Complete
End Result is
Fully
Operational
System
Increase Pumping
from Other Wells in the Interim
Until Well is Restored to Service Figure 8.1 Basic Overview of Water Quality Contamination
Response for City Wells
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Other events which may create a water
shortage condition are discussed in Section
8.7 of the WSCP. These events may include,
but not be limited to:
• Regional Power Outage
• Earthquake
• Terrorism Incident
If any of the above events occur, the City will
work in conjunction with the County of
Riverside (County) and the neighboring
agencies listed in Section 8.7 (Page 8-15) to
address the effects of potential water
shortages. Section 8.7 of the WSCP provides
a brief overview of the City’s response
actions to these types of emergencies.
Regional response actions are also outlined
in Regional Planning documents on the
County’s website, and as referenced in this
WSCP.
8.5. ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS
Agencies typically prepare Water Supply
Assessments (WSAs) when housing
developments are proposed by developers.
WSAs provide an estimate of available
supplies for a proposed development in
order to confirm the ability to serve water to
a specific development. Within the planning
period of this UWMP the City’s water service
area population will nearly double due to
housing development. As a result, the City
will need to refine its procedure for
developing WSAs and for assessing water
demands in its service area.
Similar to a development-driven WSA, a
system-wide assessment of supplies and
demands will be required of all water
agencies in the State. According to CWC §
10632 (a)(2), the City will be required to
prepare an “Annual Assessment” of supplies
and demands, including an Annual Water
Shortage Assessment Report, by July 1st of
each year. At this time, DWR requires the
City to include guidelines for the preparation
of an Annual Assessment in the WSCP.
8.5.1. Decision Making Process
The City’s Annual Assessment will be based
on metered data from active wells and from
customer meters. These figures are available
to the City on a monthly basis, or more
frequently if the City desires. The City can
also rely on quarterly or annual reports. With
AMI technology, the City can adjust to
changing conditions (such as rainfall) and
can adjust its reporting leading up to the
submittal of the Annual Assessments. As of
2022, City staff has reviewed water
production data and water consumption
data starting in January of that year, with the
intent to prepare an Annual Water Shortage
Assessment Report to the City Council by
May each year. The Final Report can then be
submitted to DWR by July 1 of each year,
which are shown on DWR’s WUE Portal:
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wuedata.water.ca.gov/wsda_plans
8.5.2. Key Data Inputs
The Annual Assessment will be based on the
forecasted demands and estimated water
supply availability, including any known
infrastructure constraints. The Annual
Assessment will also consider weather,
population growth, and other influencing
factors, such as state or local policies that
will impact water demands, or regulations
affecting water supplies.
The following data are typically available to
City staff and can be relied on when
preparing the Annual Assessments:
• Estimated dry-year demand without any
conservation measures. Dry-year
demands will be determined by adding an
increase factor of five percent (5%) to
normal demands.
• Estimated total water supply availability
under dry-year scenarios. The water
supply available will be based on what is
available to the City, regardless of
pumping capacity. Groundwater supplies
can be estimated from annual WRD Basin
Reports prepared under the 2014
Sustainable Groundwater Management
Act (SGMA) and from local groundwater
level monitoring by WRD.
• Estimated capacity of water production
infrastructure. Any known or forecasted
issues affecting the City’s water
production infrastructure can be
considered, such as:
o Mechanical or electrical issues
with groundwater well pumps
o Possible power outages for
operation and maintenance
o New construction and repairs
The potential constraints on supply capacity
listed under Item 3 are subject to change
from year to year. Therefore, the City should
inspect its water system review the
condition of its groundwater wells before
making a determination on potential
restrictions in groundwater supplies. In
addition, the City should coordinate with the
San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA)
and/or DWR to determine the projected
imported water allocations from the State
Water Project (SWP). This is an important
step in the preparation of a water supply
assessment since imported water provides
recharge to local groundwater spreading
grounds in the Beaumont Basin.
8.5.3. Current Forecast
In general, the total available water supply
for the City will be based on either the
capacity of its wells or pumping rights (safe
yields), whichever is more restrictive. At this
time (2026), the total groundwater pumping
safe yield is roughly 9,000 AFY. This is based
on the most-recent reports prepared on the
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City’s groundwater basins. The actual supply
into the City’s water system will be based on
the projected demands. Table 7.1 provides
the projected supply capacity volumes along
with the projected water demands. The
projected supplies in other years shown in.
Table 7.1 also exceed the City’s total safe
yield. To compensate for exceeding the safe
yield(s) of the individual basins, the City
anticipates using groundwater from its
storage account in the Beaumont Basin, and
passively or actively recharging the basin(s)
during wet years. This is described in further
detail in Sections 3 and 7 of the UWMP.
8.6. CONTINGENCY PLANS
Currently the City relies entirely on local
groundwater to meet its demand. The City’s
purchase of imported water (i.e., State
SWP), private contracts, Yuba Water) from
SGPWA is used only to recharge the City's
storage account in the Beaumont Basin. In
the short term, the City's groundwater
supplies can be pumped as needed, within
the safe yields, to meet demands. In the long
term, the supply from SGPWA can be used as
a supplementary source if demands exceed
local supplies. Therefore, only in the longterm shortage scenario will the reliability of the City’s water supply be affected by (i.e.,
contingent upon) the actions of the SWP
Contractors.
8.6.1. City Contingency Plan
Since the drought period of the early 1990s,
the City has implemented a water
conservation plan to reduce water use
during shortages. The “Water Conservation
Plan” was originally adopted as Section
13.16 of the City’s Municipal Code. The Plan
is currently being updated to provide the
City with the authority and guidance to
implement a phased approach depending on
the severity of a water shortage. In the event
of a water shortage, the City Council will
implement the appropriate water
conservation phase by resolution. The
objectives of the response plan are to:
1. Prioritize essential uses of water
2. Maximize local municipal water supplies
3. Eliminate water waste city-wide
4. Minimize adverse financial effects
Regarding Objective No. 1, priorities for use
of available potable water during shortages
are based partly on California Water Code,
Sections 350-358. Water allocations are
established for all customers according to
the following ranking system:
1. First Priority: Minimum health and
safety allocations for interior residential
needs
2. Second Priority: Commercial, industrial,
institutional/governmental operations
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3. Third Priority: Existing landscaping
4. Fourth Priority: New customers,
proposed projects, etc.
Regarding the 1st Priority specified, as noted
in Section 6.6.1, approximately ninety three
percent (93%) of the City’s water service
connections consist of residential accounts.
As a result, the City can use its population
estimates to assess water use needs during
a shortage.
8.6.2. Health & Safety (1st Priority)
In 2018, the State adopted Assembly Bill
1668, which amends Section 10608.20 of the
Water Code to stipulate an indoor water use
standard of 55 gallons per capita per day
(GPCD). However, as reported in Section 1.3
this value has changed, and will decrease
over time. The City is obligated to determine
the minimum health and safety water needs
for its residents. To assess the minimum
amount of water that should be available (1st
Priority Level), the amount of personal
hygiene household water use must be
quantified. Based on common indoor
residential water use in the United States,
health and safety water use is estimated to
be as shown in Table 8.1:
Table 8.1 Health & Safety Personal Use
Item Regular
(gal/day)
Voluntary
Conservation
(gal/day)
Toilet 14 10.5
Shower 15 12
Washer 12 11
Kitchen 4 3
Other 4 4
Total 49 40.5
Since the City has a population of
approximately 32,000 residents, at a rate of
40 GPCD, the City will need up to 3.9 AF (1.3
MG) per day to provide for the health and
safety of its residents (if conservation is
voluntary). Based off the City’s aboveground total storage capacity, as shown in Section 2.6.5, the City can provide for two
(2) weeks of water supply to its residents.
However, the ability to meet the most basic
water needs of its residents during a severe
shortage may be difficult unless the City’s
citizens are aware of the water supply
shortage. Therefore, public outreach must
be a top priority for the City during a water
shortage.
8.6.3. Stages of Action
The City’s Annual Assessments prepared
under Section 8.5 can be used to predict
shortages. The City’s WSCP imposes six (6)
stages of response actions based on the
severity of the City’s water supply shortage.
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The stages are based on DWR’s established
criteria as shown in Table 8.2:
Table 8.2 Water Shortage Stages &
Reduction Targets
Shortage
Stage
Restriction
Type
Water Supply
Reduction
Target
I Mandatory 10%
II Mandatory 20%
III Mandatory 30%
IV Mandatory 40%
V Mandatory 50%
VI Mandatory >50%
To lessen confusion on City customers, the
first four stages (Stages 1 to 4) regulate
customer responses to shortages, while the
latter two stages (Stages 5 to 6) regulate City
water staff response efforts. The Banning
City Council will formally declare the stage of
the water shortage, following a public
hearing, upon determination from City
water staff that a water shortage exists and
the WSCP should be implemented. Following
Council declaration of a shortage stage, the
WSCP will become effective no sooner than
the first billing period on or after the date of
publication of the Council Resolution.
Figure 8.2 City Council Can Declare
Shortage Stages
The WSCP will remain in effect until Council
declares the water shortage emergency has
ended. Alternatively, Council may also
change the water shortage stage as
appropriate. However, Council will not
impose mandatory measures without first
conducting a duly-noticed public hearing
pursuant to CWC § 350 or § 375.
8.6.4. Communication Protocols
A common understanding of the water
supply situation is essential for the WSCP to
be effective. During a water shortage, the
City must allocate staffing and resources to
inform its customers of the Council-declared
water shortage. Specifically, the City must
inform its water service customers of the
following:
• Water Shortage Stage
• Water Use Prohibitions
• City Water Staff Response Actions
The communication protocol will be in place
prior to formal declaration of a water supply
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shortage. The frequency and extent of
coordination will be based on the shortage
severity. The City will use the following
resources to communicate with its
customers:
• City Website
• Social Media (i.e., Twitter/Facebook)
• Bill Inserts/Postcard Notices
• Billboard or Digital Message Boards
• Advertisements (Radio & Print)
The goal of the communication efforts will
be to raise awareness of the drought and to
motivate customers to conserve water. The
City should also prepare customers for
possible increases in water shortage severity.
Finally, as mentioned under Priority 1 in
Section 8.6, the key goal of communication
is to promote available water resources,
provide specialized outreach for impacted
industries, including instructions on how to
receive bottled water, and how to
participate in public hearings with City staff.
8.6.5. Limitations/Prohibitions
Per Section 13.16 of the City’s Municipal
Code, prohibitions on water use, include, but
are not limited to, the following:
1. Irrigation runoff
2. Landscape irrigation for more than 15
minutes (except drip irrigation)
3. Irrigation on rainy days or within
specified hours of a rain event
4. Failure to repair leaks in a timely manner
5. Washing of automobiles without a
bucket or hand-held hose equipped with
a positive shutoff nozzle
6. Restaurants serving water to their
customers, except when specifically
requested by their customers
7. Operating a decorative water fountain
without re-circulated water
8. Operating a commercial car wash
without re-circulated water
9. Hotels, motels, and other commercial
lodging establishments shall not launder
towels and linens daily, except when
specifically requested by their customer
Additional prohibitions may also be
enforced, depending on the declared stage
shown in Table 8.1. Moreover, the
prohibitions listed may also be adjusted
depending on the severity of the declared
stage, or until the shortage is rescinded by
City Council.
8.6.6. Penalties for Non-Compliance
Per City Code 13.16.020:
“Civil proceedings for violation. In addition to
criminal penalties, violators of the
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mandatory provisions of this section shall be
subject to civil action initiated by the City”
1. First violation. For a first violation, the
city shall issue a written notice of
violation to the water user violating
the provisions of this chapter
2. Second violation: Twenty-five percent
(25%) surcharge
3. Third violation: Fifty percent (50%)
surcharge; installation of flow
restrictor
4. Subsequent violations:
Discontinuance of service
The penalties listed may be waived if a
customer completes an application for an
exception permit. Hardship, safety, or health
conditions are among the reasons that could
justify granting an exception.
8.7. DISASTER MANAGEMENT
During a water shortage, the City has the
following tools available to restrict water use
to health and safety uses only:
• Expanding public outreach
• More frequent meter readings
• Fines and penalties
• Flow-restriction devices
• Moratorium on service connections
The City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
(LHMP) in Appendix N, prepared in May of
2017, addressed the planned response to
extraordinary emergencies associated with
natural disasters, including seismic risks.
Other City planning tools, such as the City’s
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), updated
in 2012, provides for the most effective and
economical allocation
of resources for the
maximum benefit and
protection of life,
property, and the
environment during an
emergency. The EOP
supersedes the City’s prior Multi-Hazard
Functional Planning Guidance document
that was prepared in 1996. These
documents provide the City with: 1) An
Emergency Plan; 2) Functional Annexes that
describe the emergency response
organization; and 3) Listing of operational
data such as resources, key personnel, and
essential facilities and contacts. During a
disaster, the City’s water department staff
will maintain water operations as follows:
• All on-duty personnel will remain on
duty until relieved of duty
• Off-duty personnel will be expected
to return to work or be “on-call”
The City’s LHMP &
EOP provide
guidance for the
City in dealing
with local
disasters.
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• While in a disaster mode, working
shifts will be 12 hours
In the event that any portions of the City’s
water system are without water, the City’s
water department staff will act as a “field
response unit” under the City’s EOP in order
to begin “Response Phase” and “Recovery
Phase” activities, including:
• Assess impact of incident
• Communication with adjacent water
agencies
• Identify need for and prioritize
locations for water distribution
• Provide for water quality assurance or
prepare notices for water quality
• Evaluate, plan, and implement actions
to acquire and distribute water
• Determine the need to staff a water
task group and to secure resources
• Provide informational status to nearby
water agencies, including:
o SGPWA
o BCVWD
o Cabazon Water District
o Yucaipa Valley Water District
o Morongo Band of Mission Indians
o Banning Heights Mutual Water
o High Valleys Water District
• Provide information to media as
appropriate
This WSCP provides a general guide of City
response actions to catastrophes. Other
planning documents, including the City’s
LHMP, provide additional details which
supplement this UWMP.
8.7.1. Seismic Risk and Emergency Backup
According to the maps provided on the
California Office of Emergency Services’
online planning tool (My Plan) and the
California Geological Survey’s online
earthquake hazards zone application (EQ
Zapp), several faults, including the Banning
Fault and portions of the San Gorgonio Fault
Zone, are present within the City's sphere of
influence. The known fault lines are shown
in Figure 8.4.
An earthquake has the potential to damage
to drinking water and wastewater utilities.
Impacts to the City’s water system may
include, but not be limited to:
• Damage to wells/well houses
• Water tank damage or collapse
• Damage to water distribution system
Damage to distribution lines due to shifting
ground and soil liquefaction can result in
potential water loss, water service
interruptions, low pressure, contamination
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and sinkholes and/or large pools of water
throughout the service area. For these
reasons, earthquakes can potentially restrict
water supplies for a longer period of time
than a power outage or man-made
catastrophe. In the event that an earthquake
damages portions of the City’s pumping or
distribution system, the City can provide
temporary drinking water to customers
through potable water trucks as noted in
Section 8.7.2.
Even if an earthquake does not result in
damage to water production or distribution
facilities, an earthquake could result in a
power outage or damage to the water
system facilities. The City’s water operations
staff will be on standby alert during an
emergency to respond promptly to water
supply interruptions. The City’s water
operations staff will work with SCE to restore
power to water supply facilities.
In the interim, the City’s Wells 8, 9, 10, C-2,
and C-4 have an emergency power source
available to continue to operate when the
power fails. Wells 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not have
an emergency power supply, but they have
the ability to provide water during an
emergency. Table 8.3 summarizes the City's
wells with an emergency power source and
anticipated capacity during auxiliary backup.
The total water available from the use of
these nine wells is 7,110 gpm (31.4 AF/day),
Figure 8.3 Fault Zones Near the City
Active Faults
City of Banning
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based on City of Banning dry-year capacities,
City of Banning Public Works (2011). These
quantities would be sufficient to meet the
maximum day demand of approximately 30
AF/day. If however additional water supply
capacity is needed, portable generators can
be obtained to operate other remaining
wells and booster stations.
It should be noted that the backup systems
for Wells 8, 9, and 10 require manual turn
on. Additionally, Wells 1 and 3 are equipped
with both electric pumps and Pelton wheels,
and Wells 4 and 5 are equipped with only a
Pelton wheel pump (see Figure 8.5), which
also allows these wells to provide water in
the event of an emergency. Pelton wheel
pumps allow these wells to be operated by a
hydraulic-driven pump using existing water
under pressure in the distribution system.
Table 8.3 Wells with Emergency Generators and Backup Systems Well Location
Total Capacity
Remarks
GPM AF/Day
1 Banning Bench Storage Unit 950 4.2 Pelton Wheel
3 Banning Bench Storage Unit 660 2.9 Pelton Wheel
4 Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit 600 2.7 Pelton Wheel 5 Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit 550 2.4 Pelton Wheel 8 Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit 1,000 4.4 Backup Portable Generator 9 Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit 1,000 4.4 Backup Portable Generator 10 Banning Water Canyon Storage Unit 600 2.7 Diesel Engine Drive C-2 Beaumont Basin 650 2.9 Generator, Manual Switch
Overs, Not ATS Equipped
C-4 Beaumont Basin 1,100 4.9 Generator, Manual Switch
Overs, Not ATS Equipped
C-8 West Banning Storage Unit ATS and Diesel Generator
M-12A West Banning Storage Unit ATS and Diesel Generator Total (Active Wells) 7,110 31.4 -
Note: City is currently equipping Wells M-12A and C-8.
Table 8.4 Available Emergency Reservoir Storage
Available Reservoirs Total Aboveground Storage
(MG)
Total Aboveground Storage
(AF)
Brinton Reservoir 8.0 24.6
C2 Tank 0.22 0.7
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C3 Tank 0.06 0.2
C4 Tank 0.05 0.2
C5 Tank 0.05 0.2
Mountain Tank 0.25 0.77
Well 1 Receiving 0.024 0.1
San Gorgonio Reservoir No. 1 2.60 8.0
San Gorgonio Reservoir No. 2 2.00 6.1
San Gorgonio Reservoir No. 3 1.00 3.1
Southwest Reservoir 1.50 4.5
Sunset Reservoir No. 1 2.1 6.4
Sunset Reservoir No. 2 2.1 6.4
Foothill West Reservoir 3.78 11.6
Total 23.73 72.8
Figure 8.4 Pelton Wheel Pump
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8.7.2. Emergency Water Supply
If necessary, additional water is available in
the City’s storage tanks, as listed in
Note: City is currently equipping Wells M-12A
and C-8.
Table 8.4 on the preceding page. The total
water storage capacity is approximately 61.2
AF. Combined with a total backup pumping
capacity of 31.4 AF/day (Table 8.3 wells with
emergency power), the combined
emergency supply from production wells
and aboveground storage reservoirs/tanks is
approximately 93 AF.
In addition to the City’s own sources, the City
has a 12-inch emergency interconnection with
the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District
(BCVWD) at the western boundary of the
City's service area, located at the
intersection of Highland Springs Avenue and
Sun Lakes Boulevard. In the event of damage
to any of the City’s wells, water could be
supplied from BCVWD until the well(s) are
back online.
If an earthquake renders the adjacent
agencies unable to provide emergency water
to the City, the City can obtain emergency
water through portable means. This would
involve vehicles equipped with potable
water tanks. The City would have to obtain
potable water trucks from nearby suppliers.
The California Department of Public Health
maintains a list of Licensed Water Haulers
that includes Riverside County. According to
the most recent data provided by the State,
the closest supplier of potable water tanks
and trucks in Riverside County is Mack’s
Water Trucks® of Temecula, located
approximately 45 miles from the City. In San
Bernardino County, there is T&B Water
Trucks® of Rialto, located approximately 35
miles from the City.
Figure 8.5 Potable Water Tank Trailer
The City can also consider purchasing large
tanks (500 gallons or more), and securing
them to the back of City trucks. This will
allow the City to distribute water to
customers during an emergency.
8.7.3. Additional Aid
Additional emergency services in the State of
California include the Master Mutual Aid
Agreement and the California Water Agency
Response Network (CalWARN). The Master
Mutual Aid Agreement includes all public
agencies that have signed the agreement
and is planned out of the California Office of
Emergency Services. CalWARN includes all
public agencies that have signed the
agreement to WARN and provides mutual
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aid assistance. CalWARN provides member
utilities with:
• Mutual assistance agreement and
process for sharing emergency
resources
• Resources to respond and recover
more quickly from a disaster
• Mutual assistance program
consistent with other statewide
mutual aid programs and the
Standardized Emergency
Management System (SEMS) and
the National Incident Management
System (NIMS)
In addition to CalWARN, the City of Banning
also has a mutual aid agreement in place
with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians,
who own and operate their own water
system and Fire Department.
8.8. WSCP ENFORCEMENT & EVALUATION
To properly assess the effectiveness of this
WSCP, the City will need to monitor metered
consumption and production. The City will
also need to track its billing system to see if
fines for violations of water-use prohibitions
have been issued.
8.8.1. Monitoring
Using the City’s water billing records, the
City will be able to identify not only the
conserved volumes, but also the customers
which are in violation of the provisions of
this chapter. In particular, the City can
review data from the following sources:
• Production Meters: Provides an
account of daily water production
• Customer Meters: Provides an
account of monthly consumption
With AMI/AMR meter technology, if the City
desires to determine irrigation violations,
the City can monitor meters which will allow
the City to view consumption on a daily or
hourly basis.
In addition to monitoring customer use, the
City also has the ability to monitor
production volumes to determine if the well
supplies have been reduced. Under normal
conditions, potable water production figures
are recorded daily. Weekly and monthly
reports are prepared and monitored. This
data will be used as a baseline to measure
the effectiveness of any water shortage
contingency stage that may be
implemented.
During rationing conditions, the water
budget will be monitored on a weekly, daily,
or hourly basis depending on the severity of
the drought. During a disaster shortage,
production figures will be monitored on an
ongoing basis. The City’s Supervisory Control
and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system will
warn of any critical conditions instantly. In
addition, manual meter readings will be
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performed more frequently than the normal
monthly schedule.
8.8.2. Enforcement
During shortage conditions, the City can
implement water-waste patrols, or increase
the frequency of existing water waste
patrols. If City staff are unable to conduct
additional water waste patrols, the City can
contract with outside support to conduct
water waste patrols. However, contracting
with an outside firm would incur additional
costs at a time when revenue is impacted. If
violations are observed, fines/penalties per
Section 8.6.6 can be applied.
8.8.3. Reporting
During a declared water shortage, City water
staff will report water production and
consumption figures to City Council on a
monthly basis. Pending regulations from the
SWRCB will also require the City to report
data to SWRCB on a monthly basis.
Therefore, during a declared shortage of the
WSCP, City staff will report water production
and consumption figures to both City Council
and the SWRCB on a monthly basis.
8.9. FISCAL IMPACTS
8.9.1. Impacts to Revenue
Based on the City's total water revenue and
operating expenses, demand reductions will
potentially result in negative net cash flow
from operating activities. Table 9.1 lists the
current residential water rates per hundredcubic foot (HCF).
Based on the rates shown, a fifty percent
(50%) decrease in residential use
(approximately 2,200 AF or 960,000 HCF)
would result in:
• $272,200 in lost revenue per month
• $3.27 million annual lost revenue
The City has fixed base charges currently in
the rate structure that generates some
revenue even if no water is used. These rates
range from $33.64 per month for a 5/8-inch
meter to $1,237.34 per month for an 8-inch
meter. Most residential customers use a 3/4-
inch meter, which has a rate of $33.64 per
month. The base rates allow the City to avoid
being impacted by revenue losses during
water shortages. The following actions could
take place under such circumstances:
• Implement a conservation surcharge
• Delay capital improvement projects
• Consider temporary increase of water
rates to meet operation and maintenance
costs
A combination of the measures outlined may
be used to offset or diminish the effects of
lost revenues. However, any increases in the
City’s water rates would require a Prop 218
process to implement the rates. For this
reason, the City has included the
implementation of temporary rate increases
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(and temporary fees & surcharges) in its rate
studies.
8.9.2. Impacts to Reserve Funds
The City carries reserves in the water system
accounts, to fund for needed improvements
to its water system. The balance of reserves
for the City is maintained primarily for
facility repair and replacement. Under a
shortage crisis, some flexibility would exist
to use these reserves to help offset loss of
revenue.
8.10. WSCP ADOPTION AND REFINEMENT
8.10.1. Council Resolution
On June 23, 2026, the City Council adopted
Resolution No. 2026-## (included in
Appendix B) approving this WSCP. The City
will be updating Section 13.16 of the City’s
municipal code in the following weeks to
coincide with this WSCP. Table 8.5 & Table
8.6 provide a summary of the prohibitions
and City response actions to the water
shortage stages listed in Table 8.2.
8.10.2. WSCP Refinement Procedures
The City intends to update and refine this
WSCP, as necessary. The WSCP can be
updated in one of the following ways:
• Cyclical Updates
• Data-Driven Updates
• Externally-Driven Updates
The following is a guideline for how the City
will update this WSCP.
8.10.3. Cyclical Updates
The cyclical updates will be handled by City
staff internally with the assistance of an
outside engineering consultant. Once the
WSCP is implemented, the City will
document the effectiveness of the customer
water use prohibitions listed in Table 8.5 and
the City water staff response actions listed in
Table 8.6. The effectiveness will be
evaluated using the methodologies
described in Section 8.8. The WSCP
effectiveness will be documented over the
course of five (5) years, until the next UWMP
update. It is the City’s intent to update the
WSCP every five (5) years, along with the
City’s UWMP. The City will conduct an
internal review of the WSCP prior to
releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for
the UWMP and WSCP. The RFP process will
provide the City with an opportunity to
revise the WSCP as-needed.
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Figure 8.6 High Valleys Tank
8.10.4. Data-Driven Updates
Data-driven updates to the WSCP will occur
mid-cycle or at some point between the 5-
year cycle. The data-driven updates can be
prepared entirely by City staff (internally)
due to the urgency of such updates. For
example, if the City finds that the
fines/penalties covered under Section 8.6.6
are not effective at reducing overall demand,
the City may increase the fines through an
amendment to Section 13.16 of the City
Municipal Code, and revise Section 8.6.6
(Code Section 13.16.020) to reflect the new
fines. Other items of this WSCP can be
updated in a similar manner.
Highlighted response actions listed in Table
8.5 and Table 8.6 actions show changes from
the previously adopted WSCP.
8.10.5. Externally-Driven Updates
Conversely, if the fines are found by the
City’s customers to be too punitive, and
Council is petitioned to reduce the fines, the
City can adjust Section 13.16 of the City
Municipal Code, and revise Section 8.6.6
herein to reflect the new fines. Other items
of this WSCP can be updated in like manner.
8.10.6. WSCP Re-Adoption
Once the WSCP is revised, the City Council
will be required to re-adopt the revised
WSCP. This will require a public hearing to
receive public comments on the WSCP. The
revised WSCP will replace the former WSCP,
and will then remain effective until the City
elects to update the WSCP
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A WSCP previously submitted in 2020 or
later may be reused; however, it must first
be reviewed, and if no updates are needed,
it can be readopted as is. It must be indicated
in the UWMP that a review was conducted
and that a previous WSCP is being
readopted. Even when no changes are made,
the WSCP must undergo a new review and
adoption process as part of the 2025 UWMP
document. Section 7 of the 2025 UWMP
may be used as a reference to the readopted WSCP.
Perhaps the most critical task in the City’s
response to shutdowns in water is the
distribution of water to customers. As noted
in the caption to the cover of this Section,
portable pumps and water trucks can be
used to distribute water to customers. Due
to the time and planning involved in
procuring these types of vehicles, this task is
identified only in the most severe type of
shortage (Stage VI).
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Table 8.5 City Code Prohibitions on Water Use During Water Shortages Stage Prohibition/Restriction Penalty
Stage 1
(<10%)
• No Irrigation between 10 am to 8 pm
• No Person Shall Operate a Decorative Water Feature (Fountains, Ponds, etc.) that Does Not have a Recirculating System
• All Landscape Irrigation Limited to No More than Three (3) Days per Week • All Landscape Irrigation Limited to No More than 15 minutes per Station per Watering Day
• Repair or Isolate Leaks within 72 Hours of Notification by the City • No Washing Sidewalks and Driveways with Water
• Car Washing Only with Bucket or a Hose with Shutoff Valve or Nozzle • Excess Irrigation Runoff is Prohibited
• No Landscape Irrigation During or Within 48 hours of a Rain Event • Restaurants to Serve Water Only Upon Request
• Restaurants to Wash Kitchen and Dining Room with Bucket or Specialized Water Broom Only
• Hotels/Motels to Provide Customer Option of Daily Laundry • Automobile Wash Business Must Use Water Recycling Systems Yes
Stage 2
(10% to 20%)
• All Landscape Irrigation Limited to No More than Two (2) Days per Week from June 1 to October 31 and No More than Once per Week from Nov 1 to May 31 • All Landscape Irrigation Limited to No More than 10 Minutes per Station per Watering Day
• No Filling or Refilling of Ornamental Lakes or Ponds, Except to Sustain Aquatic Life • Repair or Isolate Leaks within 48 Hours of Notification by the City • Pools or Spas to have a Cover to Prevent Evaporation
• Cease all Operation of Decorative Water Features (Fountains, Ponds, etc.) • No Landscape Irrigation during or within 72 Hours of a Rain Event • Commercial Nurseries Shall Use Water during the Hours from Midnight to 6am • Commercial Landowners to Allow Tenants the Option of Replacing Lawns & Landscapes
Yes
Stage 3
(20% to 30%)
• All Landscape Irrigation Limited to No More than 2 Days per Week from June 1 to Oct 31 and No More than Once per Week from Nov 2 to May 31 • All Landscape Irrigation Limited to No More than 10 minutes per Station per Watering Day
• Repair or Isolate Leaks within 24 Hours of Notification by the City • Car Washing Limited to Only Automobile Washes that use Water Recycling Systems • No Landscape Irrigation during or within 1 Week of a Rain Event • Restaurants to Wash Dining Room Once Daily (After Close of Business) and Only with Bucket or Specialized Water Broom
• Restaurants to Pre-Soak Dishes
• Restaurants to Install Solenoid Valve for Sinks with Garbage Disposals • No Commercial Window Washing
Yes
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Stage Prohibition/Restriction Penalty
Stage 3
(20% to 30%)
• Apartment Buildings to Certify Low-Flow Fixtures (Showerheads and Faucets) are Installed Prior to Leasing Apartments
• Commercial Buildings and Restaurants to Replace/Install Waterless Urinals • Commercial Buildings and restaurants to Replace/Install Low-Flow Toilets • Hotels/Motels to Wash Laundry Only after Change of Customer Yes
Stage 4
(30% to 40%)
• Cease all Irrigation Except by Reclaimed Water or Except for Crops or Horticulture (Nurseries) for Fire or Erosion Maintenance • No Refilling of Pools or Spas
• Commercial Landscape to be Replaced with CA-Friendly Landscape Yes
Stages 5 & 6
(50% or more)
• N/A (Same Requirements as Stages 1 to 4 Above)
• This Stage Involves Only Operational/Management Response Actions Yes Table 8.6 City Water Department Response Actions
Stage City Water Department Response Action Additional Info Stage 1
(<10%)
• Begin an Enhanced Public Awareness Campaign Increased Expense for City Use Financial Reserve Funds
Stage 2
(10% to 20%)
• No Filling or Refilling of Municipal Ornamental Lakes or Ponds, Except as Necessary to Sustain Aquatic Life
• Reduced Flushing Frequency
• Notify Customers Immediately of Suspected Leaks in
their Plumbing
Increased Expense for City
Use Financial Reserve Funds
Stage 3
(20% to 30%)
• Increase Groundwater Pumping
• No New Temporary Meters or Permanent Meters
• No Statements of Immediate Ability to Serve or
Provide Potable Water Service
• Establish a Water Allocation for Certain Properties
within the City’s Jurisdiction
• Repair or Isolate Water Main Leaks within 24 Hours
• Provide Letters to Certain Properties for Allocations Established in this Stage Informing Reduction of 10% in Allocation of Tiered Rate
• Elimination of Specific Municipal Uses such as Hydrant Flushing, Street Cleaning, and Water-Based Recreation
Increased Expense for City
Use Financial Reserve Funds
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Stage City Water Department Response Action Additional Info Stage 4
(30% to 40%)
• Rate Increase Study to Mitigate Loss of Revenue
• Prop 218 process to implement rates increases
• Increase Frequency of Meter Readings to Twice
Monthly in Order to Allow Staff and Customers to
Track Progress
• Implement Water Waste Patrols (Once Monthly)
• Coordinate with Adjacent Agencies to Receive
Emergency Water via Emergency Interconnections
• Defer Flushing of Mains Until Maximum Allowable
Time for Quality/Safety
• Coordinate with Manufacturers and/or Governing
Agencies to Receive Fleet of Potable Water Trucks
Increased Expense for City
Use Financial Reserve Funds
Defer Capital Projects
Stage 5
(40% to 50%))
• Systemwide Rate Increase to Achieve Necessary
Reduction and to Mitigate Loss of Revenue
• Notices on Government Access Channel (TV)
• Hand-Post Drought Notices on all Customer Properties
(Residential Homes & Commercial Buildings)
Increased Expense for City
Use Financial Reserve Funds
Defer Capital Projects
Stage 6
(>50%)
• Mobilize Potable Water Trucks
• Decrease Pressure in Water Mains
Increased Expense for City
Use Financial Reserve Funds
Defer Capital Projects
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9 Section 9:
Conservation
Measure
9.1. OVERVIEW
As a result of seasonal droughts and
continued urban development, water
conservation is important to California’s
sustainability. To help conserve California's
water resources, several public water
agencies came together to form the
California Urban Water Conservation Council
(CUWCC). The CUWCC was officially formed
in 1991 when the agencies signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on
urban water conservation. In January 2018,
the CUWCC became the California Water
Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP). Currently,
over two hundred (200) water agencies are
members of CalWEP. The main focus of
CalWEP is to assist its member agencies with
public policy, research, and education tools.
Regarding the UWMPs, CalWEP works with
DWR in order to help form BMP/DMM
policies contained in the UWMPs.
The CUWCC MOU established fourteen (14)
Best Management Practices (BMPs) which
were defined roughly as policies, programs,
practices, rules, regulations, or ordinances
that resulted in a more efficient use or
conservation of water. The BMPs were
equivalent to the fourteen (14) Demand
Management Measures (DMMs) defined in
the UWMP Act, until 2015. As of the 2015
UWMPs, the Department of Water
Resources (DWR) streamlined the 14 DMMs
into six (6) generalized categories, with an
additional seventh (7th) optional category.
The 2025 UWMP Guidebook contains the
same DMM categories for the 2025 UWMPs.
Conservation
measures are an
essential part of the
City's policies.
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The City acknowledges that efficient water
use is the foundation of its current and
future water planning and operations
policies. The City implements water
conservation through a combination of
programs, resources, and policies.
9.2. DWR DMMs FOR 2025 UWMPs
The DMMs are intended to reduce long-term
urban demands from what they would have
been without their implementation. The
DMMs are in addition to programs which
may be instituted during occasional water
supply shortages.
i. Water Waste Prevention Ordinances
ii. Metering
iii. Conservation Pricing
iv. Public Education & Outreach
v. Programs to Assess and Manage
Distribution System Real Loss
vi. Water Conservation Program
Coordination and Staffing Support
vii. Other Demand Management
Measures that have a significant
impact on water use
As with previous UWMPs, agencies that are
members of CalWEP can submit the BMP
annual reports in lieu of providing a
description of each DMM in the UWMP.
9.3. CalWEP BMPs
An active member of the CalWEP has signed
the MOU and implements the water
conservation measures stipulated by the
CalWEP (Figure 9.1). According to CalWEP,
an agency “implements” a conservation
measure by achieving and maintaining the
level of activity called for in each BMP's
definition, as described in the MOU. This
requires a minimum level of staffing and
funding efforts. To document the
implementation of a BMP, an agency is
required to submit annual BMP reports to
CalWEP that document the implementation
of each BMP.
Figure 9.1 CUWCC became CalWEP in
January 2018
The City is not currently a member of
CalWEP. However, the City is implementing
the same conservation measures as
described in the previous sub-section.
9.4. CITY CONSERVATION MEASURES
The City of Banning (City) is committed to
implementing water conservation programs
and encourages its customers to conserve
water whenever possible. The CalWEP BMPs
are broad measures aimed at reducing water
use either directly (rebates and fixture
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URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN 2025
changes), or indirectly (through awareness).
As a smaller, low-density community
surrounded by significant open space, the
City is unique compared to many of the
other urban, “built-out” member agencies.
As such, the City’s conservation efforts are
tailored to address the characteristics of
their specific community. Over the past
several years, the City has focused primarily
on public information efforts, irrigation, and
landscape limitations, and reducing water
losses/waste. The City has focused less on
rebates and retrofits as water efficient
appliance and fixtures have saturated the
market over the past few decades.
Nevertheless, the City is committed to using
“good faith effort” to implement all of the
BMPs as described in this section.
9.4.1. DMM No. 1 Water Waste
Prevention Ordinances
City Ordinance No. 1039 was adopted by the
City Council in 1991, prohibiting the waste of
water. Ordinance No. 1039 describes
actions that are considered a waste of water
and the subsequent penalties if a violation
were to occur. In 1998, this Ordinance was
incorporated into City Ordinance No. 1231.
In 2006, Assembly Bill No. 1881 was passed,
requiring local agencies, beginning January
1, 2010, to adopt a model water efficiency
landscape ordinance that is at least as
effective as the State's model water
efficiency landscape ordinance. The City
Council adopted Resolution No. 2010-06 on
January 26, 2010 to meet this requirement.
Figure 9.2 Water Waste
Most recently, the City adopted Ordinance
No. 1489 pertaining to drought water
conservation. This ordinance sets forth
mandatory prohibitions and additional
restrictions on water use during drought
conditions to comply with the executive
orders issued by former Gov. Brown related
to the declared drought emergency and with
the emergency water conservation
regulations promulgated by the State Water
Resources Control Board. This resolution
was codified into Section 13.16 of the City’s
Municipal Code. That section of the
Municipal Code with Section 8: establishes a
“Water Shortage Contingency Plan” which
stipulates specific prohibition on water use,
with penalties for non-compliance.
9.4.2. DMM No. 2: Metering
All of the City's water service connections,
for all customer sectors, are metered. The
City has investigated the feasibility of
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separately metering each of the multi-family
dwelling units in its Water Service Area;
however, it was determined that doing so
was not feasible. The City has also installed
dedicated landscape irrigation meters for
Sun Lakes Country Club, Caltrans, the City
park system, and City school district
facilities. New non-residential developments
are also now required to have a separate
water meter dedicated for landscape use.
The City will continue to meter all new water
service connections.
The City previously debated transitioning to
either a fixed base or drive-by Automatic
Meter Read (AMR) system that allows the
City to monitor each individual customer
account for water conservation. The fixed
base system, often referred to as Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI), involves
placing antennas throughout the City that
collect data from the water meters at set
intervals. The data is then transferred to a
desktop computer. The data is used for
individual users for billing purposes or for
alerting the City if a set water use threshold
has been exceeded, signaling a possible leak
on the property. If this condition arises, the
owner of the property would be notified by
either email or a phone call.
Figure 9.3 AMI-Style Water Meter
The drive-by system is similar to the fixed
base system, but instead of using a network
of antennas, meter readings are picked up by
driving by the meters with specially
equipped vehicles and then downloading the
readings after returning to the office. This
delays the ability to collect the information
immediately and be able to alert the
customer of possible leaks within the
shortest amount of time. The
implementation of either AMR system
would facilitate the review of water records
and evaluation of the effectiveness of
conservation programs.
The City’s AMI program was completed in
2022. This included installing new “Zenner”
brand Stealth AMI meters. Meters smaller
than 4-inches are the “multi-jet” design.
Meters 4-inches and larger are ultrasonic
meters. All work was done in-house, with the
exception of software programming to
integrate the AMI and Billing Systems.
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9.4.3. DMM No. 3: Conservation Pricing
The City has a three-tiered increasing rate
structure that applies to all customers. The
City’s current water rates per hundred-cubic
feet (HCF) as of July 2026 are shown in Table
9.1:
Table 9.1 City of Banning Current Water
Rates
Tier Pricing (per HCF)
Tier 1 (0-7 HCF) $3.48
Tier 2 (8-15 HCF) $3.72
Tier 3 (16+ HCF) $4.31
The measure of effectiveness of the rate
structure, in terms of acting as a catalyst for
water conservation, will be assessed based
on decreases in the total amount of
consumption, since the charges are based on
total consumption rates.
9.4.4. DMM No. 4: Public Education &
Outreach
The City has initiated several water
conservation programs to educate its water
service customers regarding various
approaches to conserve water. At City Hall,
water conservation pamphlets are displayed
year-round as well as at public City-wide
events. Public Works Department staff plan
to visit school classrooms and make
presentations on water conservation and
distribute brochures with additional
conservation information. The Public Works
Superintendent is in continuous contact with
the staff of Sun Lakes Country Club golf
course to manage water more efficiently.
The City will continue to expand public
education on water resources.
Additionally, the City makes an effort to have
Public Works staff visit local schools to make
presentations on water conditions in the San
Gorgonio Pass area, emphasizing the value
of water and water conservation.
Educational brochures are also made
available to the students.
9.4.5. DMM No. 5: Programs to Assess
and Manage Distribution System
Real Loss
The City’s surveillance of its water system to
detect leaks is an on-going operation. The
City recognizes the urgency of repairing
leaks and responds to any leak in an
expedient manner. Field employees are
trained in detecting leaks and signs of
unauthorized uses of water. In addition, the
customer billing system flags high or unusual
water bills, which are then investigated for
possible leaks in customer’s piping. When a
leak is first noticed, the pipeline is inspected
and promptly repaired.
The City has prepared water audits since the
2015 UWMP. The audits were prepared in
accordance with CWC Section 10631(e)(3),
using methods and a worksheet developed
by the American Water Works Association
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(AWWA). The AWWA audit worksheets
require a detailed approach to separate
apparent water losses from overall water
loss totals to reveal the actual “Real Losses”
as well as the “Non-Revenue Water.” The
AWWA audit defines the following:
• Water Losses: Water supplied minus
authorized (metered) consumption
• Apparent Losses: Unauthorized or unmetered consumption and inaccuracies or errors
• Real Losses: Water losses minus
apparent losses, equaling the actual
volume of water lost through leaks,
breaks, etc.
• Non-Revenue Water: Real water
losses plus apparent losses plus
unbilled metered and unbilled
unmetered consumption
Based on the results of the 2021-2024 water
audits, as described in Section 6.6.3, the
City's water system losses are shown in
Table 6.3. The results of recent audits
indicate that the City has made
improvements on testing, repairs, and
record keeping. In addition, the City has
recently replaced older, leaking water mains
and purchased a meter test bench to enable
the City to test meters in-house. In-situ flow
testing is being completed annually for
several of its meters.
9.4.6. DMM No. 6: Water Conservation
Program Coordination and Staffing
Support
The City's Superintendent of Water &
Wastewater serves as a part-time water
conservation coordinator. The City's Public
Works staff also assists with coordinating
conservation efforts and providing public
information about water conservation.
Should the need arise, the City will designate
the following full-time positions: water
conservation coordinator, additional staff
support, or both.
9.4.7. DMM No. 7: Other Demand
Management Measures
In addition to the DMMs described, the City
posts water conservation tips and other
information on its website,
www.banningca.gov. Although the website
page may be updated, the following URL
currently provides water conservation tips
and other information:
Making Water Conversation a Way of Life |
Banning, CA - Official Website
(www.ci.banning.ca.us/451/Water-Conservation)
The City provides additional conservation
information and answers questions from its
customers upon request. The City has
developed a hotline for customer use in
reporting leaks, overwatering, and other
misuses of water.
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9.5. CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION
As described in Section 6.8.4, the City's per
capita water use in 2025 was 238 GPCD,
which demonstrates that the City continues
to meet its 2020 urban water use target of
252 GPCD. Although the City has met its
target year water use, the City plans to
continue its conservation efforts described
herein for at least the next five (5) years. The
City will continue to track all program
activities. Program effectiveness and per
capita water use will be monitored through
the billing system. For example, the City can
measure impacts of infrastructure, repairs,
and replacements, including leaking mains,
by comparing apparent water losses from
the previous month. For this reason, the City
will continue to develop its AMI system as a
tool to measure effectiveness of all the
DMMs.
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JOHN
ROBINSON
CONSULTING, INC. 967
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FILER
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[email protected]
(951) 922-3121
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Banning, California 92220
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Invoice Text: Notice of Public Hearing For 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan Availability of Draft Plan for Review The City of Banning hereby releases its Draft 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) for public review. The UWMP and WSCP will be available through June 23, 2026 at the City’s Council Chambers (located at 99 East Street, Banning, CA 92220). An electronic (PDF) copy can also be obtained by contacting the City and requesting a PDF copy. A Public Hearing will be held as an agenda item of the City’s regularly scheduled Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 to consider comments on the Draft 2025 UWMP and WSCP, and to formally adopt the UWMP and WSCP by separate resolutions. The Council Meetings are held at the City’s Council Chambers. The time of the Public Hearing will be posted on the Council Agenda which will be released a few days prior to the June 23, 2026 Council meeting. The City encourages the active involvement of its citizens. If you have any questions concerning the 2025 UWMP and WSCP, please contact: Art Vela, Director of Public Works by email at [email protected].
2025 Urban Water Management Plan and 2025 Wat - Page 1 of 1 977
The Press-Enterprise
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Banning, California 92220
Publication: The Press-Enterprise
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2025 Urban Water Management Plan and 2025 Wat - Page 1 of 1 978
CITY OF BANNING
STAFF REPORT
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Elizabeth Gibbs, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Jennifer Terry, Finance Director
Elizabeth Gibbs, City Manager
MEETING DATE: June 23, 2026
SUBJECT: Consideration of Resolution No. 2026-102, Declaring a Fiscal Emergency Due to Extraordinary Financial Circumstances Threatening the City's Ability to Maintain Essential Municipal Services
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Resolution No. 2026-102 declaring a Fiscal Emergency, which publicly explains the City's fiscal predicament, acknowledges the severity of the crisis, and directs the City Manager to pursue a defined set of actions to immediately stabilize the City's financial condition.
BACKGROUND:
The City's financial challenges have been developing over a number of years. Over the past six fiscal years, the City adopted budgets that were not structurally balanced, relying on one-time revenues to offset ongoing expenditures. As a result, the General Fund balance declined from a $13.1 million beginning balance in FY 2019/2020 to a projected negative $12.8 million by June 30, 2026. The adopted FY 2024/2025 and FY 2025/2026 operating budgets included unrealistic revenue assumptions and continued reliance on non-recurring resources, further exacerbating the City’s financial position.
While staff was aware that the City’s finances were in a distressed state, specifics were difficult to pin down due to wholesale turnover in the Finance Department and the lack of current accounting records.
This context informed the phased approach now underway.
On February 24, 2026, the City Council adopted a Strategic Plan that included the top priority Strategic Initiative 4a — Banning’s Workout Plan to Sustainability.
On May 14, 2026, the City Council conducted a budget workshop titled “Banning’s Workout Plan to Sustainability,” during which staff presented detailed General Fund and Internal Service Fund projections, including a 10-year fiscal forecast. Staff estimated that the current fiscal year will end with a General Fund negative fund balance of approximately $12.8 million. Without immediate corrective action, that deficit is projected to grow to approximately negative $26 million in FY 2026/2027. The magnitude of the structural deficit — approximately $14 million relative to a $37 million General Fund budget — requires immediate and decisive action.
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The Workout Plan to Sustainability is structured in phases. Phase 1 focuses on stabilizing the General Fund through immediate budget reductions and other corrective measures — the equivalent of “stopping the bleeding.” All options are on the table. However, Banning’s economy is not robust enough to resolve this deficit through revenue increases alone. The ultimate solution is three-fold: (1) some tax and fee increases, (2) cost reductions, and (3) assertive actions to grow the local economy.
PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION:
Declaring a fiscal emergency formally acknowledges the severity of the City’s financial condition and establishes a framework for implementing the necessary fiscal recovery strategies. The proposed Resolution serves two purposes.
First, it ensures transparency with Banning residents about a fiscal problem that has festered without clear public communication for six or more years. Residents deserve to understand what has happened, why difficult actions are necessary, and how they will be affected.
Second, it provides City Council’s explicit direction to the City Manager to pursue a defined set of corrective actions. It is important for residents to hear directly from their elected officials that the City Council and City Manager are aligned and moving in the same direction. The fiscal recovery measures authorized under the Resolution include:
Development of a structurally balanced FY 2026/2027 General Fund budget Multi-year financial planning to eliminate negative fund balances Expenditure reductions and cost containment measures
Evaluation of staffing levels and organizational restructuring Identification of new revenue opportunities and cost recovery strategies Pursuit of economic development initiatives
Deferral or reprioritization of capital projects and non-essential spending Collaboration with labor groups in compliance with applicable laws Pursuit of grants and external funding sources
JUSTIFICATION:
The City is experiencing a severe structural deficit that threatens its ability to maintain essential municipal services and protect public health, safety, and welfare. Declaring a fiscal emergency is necessary to acknowledge the urgency of the situation, to communicate transparently with the public, and to establish the formal authority needed to implement immediate corrective actions. The Resolution is a foundational step in the FY 2026/2027 budget process and the first phase of Banning’s path to longterm fiscal sustainability.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Adoption of this resolution does not, by itself, have a direct fiscal impact. However, it authorizes and directs the implementation of fiscal recovery measures necessary to stabilize the City’s financial 980
condition and prevent further deterioration of the General Fund.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 2026-102_Declaraction of Fiscal Emergency 06.23.2026.pdf
2. Banning Revised_Fiscal_Policies_May 14 2026.pdf
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RESOLUTION NO. 2026-102
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANNING, CALIFORNIA,
DECLARING A FISCAL EMERGENCY DUE TO EXTRAORDINARY FINANCIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES THREATENING THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
WHEREAS, the City of Banning is committed to maintaining essential municipal services for the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare of its residents; and WHEREAS, the City Council recently conducted a May 14, 2026, Workshop--Banning’s Workout Plan to Sustainability, where it received financial information demonstrating significant fiscal challenges affecting the City’s General Fund and overall financial condition; and WHEREAS, the City has been operating with annual General Fund budgets that were not structurally balanced for the last six years, which resulted in a reduction of a healthy FY 19-20 $13.1 million Beginning Fund Balance (savings account) to what we expect to be a negative $12.8 million by June 30, 2026, a dramatic $25.9 million reduction; and WHEREAS, in the past, the City relied on one-time resources, which made it inaccurately appear the annual budgets were structurally balanced (ongoing revenues cover ongoing expenses), thus avoiding the very conversations that we are having today; and WHEREAS, the one-time resources have simply disappeared this fiscal year, and with unrealistic revenue projections in a budget that was adopted back in June 2024, resulting in an untenable General Fund--Fund Balance estimate of negative $12.8 million at June 30, 2026, and if no dramatic action is taken now this deficit will likely more than double to negative $26 million through Fiscal Year 26-27; and
WHEREAS, the previous annual budgets lacked the appropriate level of transparency on the finances of the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council discussed a comprehensive new Budgetary and Fiscal Policy at their May 14th Workshop that would reduce the likelihood of repeating the past; and WHEREAS, the City Manager has provided City Council with a Workout Plan to Sustainability with a Phase 1, which would include immediate but difficult budget reductions and other measures to “stop the fiscal bleeding” and eliminate the FY 26-27 General Fund budget operating deficit; and
WHEREAS, given the size of this inherited operating deficit, $14 million as a percentage of the current General Fund budget ($37 million), this will be a very difficult process leading to unprecedented budget reductions to stabilize the City’s General Fund; and WHEREAS, the City Manager is working with City staff and consultants to develop a FY 26-27 Annual Operating Budget; and
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WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the preservation of essential governmental services and the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare constitute important public purposes requiring immediate but very difficult action; and
WHEREAS, it is very apparent that Banning’s current economy cannot sustain an appropriate level of City services, and it produces a higher unemployment rate and lower per household income for its residents when compared statewide or regionally; and WHEREAS, the City cannot solely tax its way out of this predicament; and WHEREAS, this Council further finds that extraordinary measures are necessary to stabilize the City’s finances, preserve essential public services, improve long-term fiscal sustainability for our children, and protect the interests of the residents of the City of Banning; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to formally recognize the severity of the City’s financial condition and establish a framework for evaluating and implementing appropriate fiscal recovery measures; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is directing the City Manager to initiate decisions, proposals, and conversations that will be difficult and controversial; and NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Banning does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. RECITALS. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF FISCAL EMERGENCY. Based upon the foregoing recitals, the City Council hereby finds and declares that a fiscal emergency exists within the City of Banning due to extraordinary financial circumstances that threaten the City’s fiscal stability and its ability to provide essential municipal services and protect the public health, safety, and welfare.
SECTION 3. PERIODIC REVIEW. The City Council directs the City Manager to continue providing periodic reports regarding the City’s financial condition and the status of efforts undertaken to address the fiscal emergency.
SECTION 4. FISCAL RECOVERY MEASURES. The City Council directs the City Manager and City staff to evaluate, develop, and implement lawful measures necessary to address the fiscal emergency, including but not limited to:
a. Proposing a FY 26-27 General Fund budget that is structurally balanced, i.e., ongoing expenditures are covered by ongoing revenues and conforms with the attached Draft Budgetary and Fiscal Policy.
b. Proposing additional multi-year strategies that will result in eliminating negative Fund Balances and pivoting to appropriate positive amounts.
c. Seek immediate economic development opportunities that contribute to Banning’s economy and resources to the City.
d. Expenditure reductions and cost-containment measures. 983
e. Seek partnerships with our labor representatives and comply with State law, e.g., Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA).
f. Operational efficiencies and organizational restructuring. g. Review of staffing levels, vacancies, and personnel expenditures. h. Deferral, modification, or reprioritization of capital projects and non-essential expenditures.
i. Identification of new revenue opportunities and cost-recovery measures. j. Pursue grants, outside funding sources, and other financial assistance; and k. Any other lawful actions deemed necessary or beneficial to preserve essential municipal services and improve the City's financial condition.
SECTION 5. CONTINUING EFFECT. This declaration shall remain in effect until terminated by resolution of the City Council upon a determination that the fiscal emergency no longer exists.
SECTION 6. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Resolution, including the application of its provisions to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect.
SECTION 7. EFFECTIVE DATE OF RESOLUTION. That this Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
SECTION 8. CERTIFICATION. That the City Clerk shall certify the passage of this Resolution and shall cause the same to be published according to law. [SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
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PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of June, 2026.
Richard Royce, Mayor
City of Banning
ATTEST:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
City of Banning
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
John Pinkney, City Attorney
Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy &
Pinkney, LLP
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CERTIFICATION:
I, Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Banning, California, do hereby certify that Resolution 2026-102 was duly introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Banning, held on the 23rd day of June, 2026, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of said City Council on the 23rd day of June 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
City of Banning, California
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