Item Number: 22
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: November 4, 2025
Submitted By:
Keith C. Metzler, City Manager
Subject:
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA), the City of Hesperia, and the City of Victorville Recommendation:
Any action is at the discretion of the Honorable City Council.
Fiscal Impact:
None
Strategic Plan Goal:
While there is no specific goal currently identified, approval of this item will create a path towards the investment in infrastructure that will provide for a more cost-effective means in disposing of our surplus reclaimed water.
Background:
Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that was originally founded in 1977 and includes a current membership among the Town of Apple Valley, the Cities of Hesperia and Victorville, along with County Service Areas (CSA) #42 and #64. VVWRA serves to provide regional wastewater treatment services for its member agencies and currently provides treatment services at a regional plant in Victorville and two subregional treatment facilities, one in Apple Valley and another in Hesperia. VVWRA provides these services pursuant to a Services Agreement dated November 1976. On April 6, 2016, the City of Victorville issued a Notice of Termination to VVWRA, of the Services Agreement. The Notice of Termination provides a 30-year time period before the services agreement ends. On November 28, 2022, the City of Hesperia issued a similar Notice of Termination. 4 4
0 3
Discussion:
On September 2, 2025, at its regularly scheduled Closed Session meeting, the City Council approved a term sheet that is intended to serve as a framework that would lead to the development of a new Joint Powers Agreement and a recission by the cities of Victorville and Hesperia of their respective Notices of Termination. The framework also includes a real estate negotiation that will allow Victorville to discharge its surplus reclaimed water to VVWRA's existing outfall to the Mojave River and allowing for Victorville to ultimately construct its own outfall to the Mojave River on property currently owned by VVWRA.
Since that time, the term sheet has been incorporated into the attached MOU which was recently approved by the VVWRA board on October 16, 2025. The attached MOU has been drafted to include specific points that the parties expect to see in a new JPA. Among those points, it has been Victorville’s approach to use this as an opportunity to correct issues that have contributed to disputes in the past. It has also been Victorville’s approach to use this as an opportunity to increase VVWRA’s accountability and transparency to the Members it serves. The MOU has also been drafted as a performance-based contract, meaning that once all of the agreed upon points in the MOU have been achieved, a new JPA can then be approved by the Member Agencies, and the Notices of Termination can be rescinded. Finally, upon execution of this MOU, VVWRA will begin discounting, by 60%, the cost to treat any of Victorville’s surplus reclaimed water sent through the head- works of the main regional plant.
Staff remains available for any questions or comments you may have.
Prepared By:
Savanna J. Petty, Assistant City Clerk
Attachments: A. Memorandum of Understanding By and Among the City of Victorville, the City of Hesperia, and the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority