City Council Agenda Report
August 18, 2026
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Albert Mendoza, P.E., Director of Public Services/City Engineer Jacqueline Koontz, P.E., Senior Civil Engineer
Fabian Lucarelli, EIT, Assistant Engineer
Patricia Santana, Assistant Engineer
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF 2025 WATER SYSTEM MASTER PLAN
Background:
The City of Norwalk encompasses approximately 9.8 square miles and is a well-balanced community with residential, commercial, and industrial land uses. Incorporated in 1957, the City is home to approximately 98,100 residents and is located 17 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles within the Greater Los Angeles area.
The City owns and operates the Norwalk Municipal Water System (NMWS), a municipal water enterprise that serves portions of the Cities of Norwalk and Artesia and a small, unincorporated area of Los Angeles County located within the City of Cerritos. The NMWS infrastructure consists of approximately 58.8 miles of water mains ranging from 4 to 16 inches, approximately 5,541 water service connections, and three groundwater wells in the Central Groundwater Basin.
The City’s previous Water Master Plan (WMP) was completed and adopted by the City Council in 2015. WMPs are typically updated every five to ten years, depending on operational needs, infrastructure conditions, regulatory requirements and economic factors.
On April 16, 2024, City Council awarded a contract to Stetson Engineers, Inc. (Stetson Engineers) to provide professional engineering services for the preparation of the City’s 2025 Water System Master Plan. Since then, Stetson has worked closely with staff to evaluate the NMWS’s operations and infrastructure needs and identify improvements to enhance system efficiency and reliability.
City Council August 18, 2026
Acceptance of 2025 Water System Master Plan Page No. 2
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The scope of work for the project consisted of the following phases:
Phase I:
• WMP Research & Assessment
• Hydraulic Analysis
• Water System Improvement Program
• Draft 2025 Water System Master Plan
• Final 2025 Water System Master Plan
Phase II:
• Water Service Study Workshops
• Draft Preliminary Financial Plan
• Water Rate Study Workshops
• Draft Water Rate Study
• Final Recommendations for Water Rates
• Combined 2025 Water System Master Plan and Rate Study Report With the completion of the study under Phase I, Stetson Engineers submitted the final 2025 WMP to the City for review and acceptance. Staff have determined that the Plan provides a comprehensive evaluation of the City’s water system, identifies capital improvements necessary to maintain reliable service, and establishes a framework for future planning.
Additionally, the system mapping data generated by this Plan will be uploaded and utilized for the citywide Geographic Information System (GIS) system, allowing for timely and accurate access to information which will facilitate and coordinate both future capital improvement projects as well as private developments.
The Water Rate Study under Phase II is currently ongoing and will be presented to City Council for consideration at a future meeting.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Citizens Advised:
N/A
City Council August 18, 2026
Acceptance of 2025 Water System Master Plan Page No. 3
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Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s Strategic Plan Goal 2: Work in Partnership with Our Community to Achieve Safe and Livable Neighborhoods, Objective 1, Reinvest in existing and aging infrastructure.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council accept the 2025 Water System Master Plan prepared by Stetson Engineers, Inc. as complete.
Attachments:
Link to the Plan: https://link.norwalkca.gov/4gi