Regional Recharge and Recovery Project - Mojave Water Agency

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Regional Recharge and Recovery Project

The Regional Recharge and Recovery Project, known as “R-Cubed,” is a conjunctive use project that stores State Water Project (SWP) water underground in the local aquifer and later recover and distribute the water to local retail water purveyors. R-Cubed is part of a comprehensive solution developed by the MWA and the region’s stakeholders to ensure a sustainable water supply for the region. The project delivers SWP water from the California Aqueduct in Hesperia to recharge sites in the floodplain aquifer along the Mojave River in Hesperia and southern Apple Valley. MWA-owned production wells on either side of the Mojave River located immediately downstream of the recharge area will then recover and deliver the stored water through pipelines directly to retail water agencies.

This project transports State Water Project water from groundwater recharge sites along the Mojave River to retail water purveyors in the Mojave Basin, and offsets their need to continue excessive pumping within the declining regional aquifer system. Water providers that potentially benefit from the R-Cubed Project include Liberty Utilities in Apple Valley, City of Adelanto, City of Hesperia, Golden State Water Company, San Bernardino County Service Area 64 and the Victorville Water District. Phase 1 of the project (15,000 acre-feet per year of supply) was completed in 2013.

R-Cubed Facilities Map
Diagram of the facilities and pipelines engineered for the project

Consumer Confidence Reports

In May 2013, MWA began delivering high quality drinking water to the High Desert through the R3 facilities, and is pleased to report that all safe drinking water standards, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California State Water Resources Control Board - Division of Drinking Water, have been met.