The metropolitan water district of southern california (MWD) will construct an intertie at the existing foothill pump station along the rialto pipeline in east highland, SAN bernardino county,…

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California received a $32,942,618 Project Grant award on April 14, 2025 from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief program (CFDA 15.514). The grant will fund the construction of an intertie at the existing Foothill Pump Station along the Rialto Pipeline in East Highland, California. This project will enable the Metropolitan Water District to provide water from the Colorado River Aqueduct and Diamond Valley Lake to three local water districts, improving drought resiliency for a population of approximately 2.25 million, including over 1.1 million residents of designated disadvantaged communities. The project will also increase water supply reliability, support hydroelectricity generation, and facilitate groundwater recharge efforts as part of the Metropolitan Water District's regional initiative to enhance water delivery and dependability.

The metropolitan water district of southern california (MWD) will construct an intertie at the existing foothill pump station along the rialto pipeline in east highland, SAN bernardino county, california. The project will enable MWD to provide water from the colorado river aqueduct (CRA) and colorado river water storage at diamond valley lake to the inland empire utilities agency, the three valleys municipal water district, and the upper SAN gabriel valley municipal water district. Supplementing the areas present supply with CRA water will improve drought resiliency for a population of approximately 2,249,737, of which approximately 1.1 million live in designated disadvantaged communities. The project will also increase water supply reliability in the event of interruptions (e.g., earthquakes), as well as support the generation of hydroelectricity at the SAN dimas hydroelectric power plant and groundwater recharge in the service areas. The project is a feature of mwds regional initiative to improve water delivery and dependability.