AVRWC acquires more rights (January 8, 2014)
APPLE VALLEY& middot; Apple Valley Ranchos Water Co. has acquired 280 acre-feet of water rights for approximately $1.3 million, according to a news release from the company.
Our responsibility is to assure that we are able to provide our customers with a safe and reliable water supply and service,
Scott Weldy, Ranchos vice president and general manager, said in the release.
Ranchos currently supplies customers in Apple Valley with more than 12,000 acre-feet of water annually, with one acre-foot of water equaling about 326,000 gallons.
On average, one acre-foot of water can supply two households, with about three to four people in each residence, for an entire year, according to Ranchos.
Weldy said investing in water rights means less dependence on the leased water market and less exposure to likely future increases in the cost of leased water rights.
Ranchos has more than 13,600 acre-feet of water rights, but due to limitations established under the Mojave Basin Adjudicat ion, which is designed to prevent over-pumping the basin, Ranchos can only pump 60 percent of these water rights — about 8,000 acre-feet.
Ranchos is required to lease amounts pumped in excess of that from other owners of water rights.
The people who live in Apple Valley are mindful of desert living and limited water resources,
Weldy said. They do a great job of conserving water because of this. The bottom line is that the majority of our customers embrace a sustainable approach to water consumption.
Apple Valley Ranchos Water Co., a subsidiary of Park Water Co. based in Los Angeles County, delivers water to about 63,000 people in the town of Apple Valley and parts of San Bernardino County.
Source: Daily Press