Our Mission

  • Building a future of water security for the Ukiah Valley
  • RESTORing Water Reliability & Sustainability for the Ukiah Valley
  • Modernizing our Region’s Water Supply  


Welcome to the official website of the Ukiah Valley Water Authority (UVWA). As a newly consolidated water management organization, we are committed to providing efficient and reliable water services to residents and businesses within the greater Ukiah Valley. The formation of this joint powers authority unifies the formerly independent water agencies: the City of Ukiah, Millview County Water District, Redwood Valley County Water District, and Willow County Water District, creating coordination that aims to optimize our region’s water resources. Our commitment is to modernize water infrastructure and governance while maximizing water access and resilience throughout our region.


The Ukiah Valley Water Authority will RESTORE our region’s water reliability and sustainability by providing:

Reliability Efficiency Sustainability Transparency Oversight Representation Equality

Communications

Board Members


City of Ukiah

  • Mr. Douglas Crane
  • Mr. Juan Orozco


Millview County Water District

  • Mr. Jerry Cardoza
  • Mr. Tim Prince


Redwood Valley County Water District

  • Mr. Adam Gaska
  • Mr. Tom Schoeneman

 

Willow County Water District

  • Gary Nevil
  • Devin Gordon

Our Governance

The JPA is governed by a Board of Directors, with two representatives from each of our member entities: the City of Ukiah, Millview County Water District, and Redwood Valley County Water District. Each board member brings a unique perspective and valuable experience, contributing to a diverse and inclusive representation of our community.

The Board of Directors holds regular public meetings to make important decisions about the management of the Upper Ukiah resources. The board’s primary focus is on ensuring the long-term sustainability of our water supply, while considering the diverse needs of our community members, local businesses, and environment.

In every decision we make, we strive for transparency and accountability. Our meetings are open to the public and we publish our meeting minutes and reports regularly. We also encourage public engagement and believe in the power of community involvement in shaping our water future.

The day-to-day operations of the JPA are managed by City of Ukiah employees, a team of experienced water management professionals who are dedicated to serving our community. With the consolidation, the former staff members of the Millview and Redwood Valley County water districts have transitioned into the City of Ukiah employment structure.

Our commitment to fiscal responsibility ensures that every dollar is invested wisely to meet the water needs of our community today and in the future. The UVWA will apply for $40-50 million in grants made available through the State Water Board’s “Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience” (SAFER) Program. The program, as part of its mission to provide every Californian with safe drinking water, encourages the consolidation of rural and small water systems, which are typically unable to afford infrastructure upgrades or the costs associated with consolidation.

We comply with all local, state, and federal regulations related to water supply, quality, and infrastructure to protect the health of our community and our natural resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Ukiah Valley Water Authority is a Joint Powers Authority that will combine the City of Ukiah’s water agency with Millview County Water District, Redwood Valley County Water District, and Willow County Water District for the purpose of improving water supply reliability throughout the Ukiah Valley.

Access to reliable, affordable water is not always equally distributed between communities. In an effort to reduce these disparities, the State of California created its Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience” (SAFER) Program. UVWA will be working closely with the SAFER program and its members to modernize old infrastructure and pool existing resources for the greater good. Consolidation will improve operational efficiency and will expand the area in which the member’s water rights and other assets may be used. These water assets will provide much greater stability for communities that have suffered from diminished supplies and curtailment during drought years. Consolidation is the clear solution to change how water is managed for the broader benefit of the greater Ukiah Valley region. Without this kind of significant action, the State Water Board could implement provisions under Senate Bill 88 that allows it to intervene when districts fail to ensure adequate water supplies.

The employees of Willow, Millview, and Redwood Valley will transition to the City of Ukiah January 1, 2025. City of Ukiah will also begin operation of Willow, Millview and Redwood on the same date. Certain aspects of Willow, such as billing, will occur several months later as billing systems are integrated.

The Ukiah Valley Water Authority will be governed by an eight-member board of directors, two directors representing each of the three agencies. If you are a resident in the City, Willow, Redwood Valley, or Millview, you are still represented by your respective Board or Council, each of which will appoint two of their members to represent the District or the City on the JPA Board.

Administratively, the operations for each of the agencies must be brought together. Physically, construction of new infrastructure, including pipelines and interties, storage tanks, booster stations, and two new wells, will connect the agencies’ systems.

The UVWA has retained an engineering firm to help develop a plan for the best way to integrate the infrastructure of thee formerly separate entities. Implementation of this plan will likely cost between $40-50 million dollars. The UVWA will work with SAFER to secure grants for the needed infrastructure improvements. The SAFER program, as part of its mission to provide every Californian with safe drinking water, encourages the consolidation of rural and small water systems that are typically unable to afford infrastructure upgrades or the costs associated with consolidation.

Any disruptions due to the infrastructure improvements would be short and isolated, and anyone who may be affected will be notified far in advance.

While the Ukiah Valley Water Authority is expected to improve efficiencies across its footprint; providing greater reliability of water is its primary purpose. While increases are not expected initially, any change in water rates will be determined by the JPA Board and will be based upon the cost of service.

Staff for the new entity will be comprised of a combination of employees from the City of Ukiah and Willow County Water District. Teams from both agencies have been cross-training for the last several months to ensure a smooth and orderly transition.

This consolidation process is not the same as annexation. However, the formation of the JPA will help facilitate future annexations. Any future annexations will require the approval of he Mendocino County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), the State Water Board, and other local and regional authorities.

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