The Morongo Band of Mission Indians Water Department under the direction of the Reservation Services Administrator's office has the responsibility to provide a safe, reliable, and potable water supply to the reservation residents and commercial Enterprises. Our department also provides non-potable water to areas of the reservation. The Tribe, under the direction of the US Environmental Protection Agency, conforms to the Safe Drinking Water Act and all regulatory rules and constraints. Also our department oversees the operations staff at the Tribal Wastewater reclamation facility and is instrumental in adopting a water conservation plan to help maintain and assure that our most precious natural resource is protected.

The Morongo Water Department is one of many departments serving the reservation area and Enterprise facilities. Currently the department has 5 full time water system operators, 1 field supervisor, and the department manager. The water system is controlled utilizing the most advanced SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) allowing operators to view and operate the system from any location.

Our water supply consists of groundwater production wells utilizing high efficient pumps and motors and exercising efficient pumping rates to off-set high peak demand time periods. The Tribal water infrastructure consists of over 30 miles of potable water mains, pressure reducing stations, and storage reservoirs. 

The Tribal water reclamation facility was designed to treat up to 750,000 gallons per day utilizing an OMNIFLO interchange sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system with a 900 mg/l biological oxygen demand load. Included in the design was the Cannibal Solids Reduction system. This system produces a low sludge yield of .05 to .25 lbs. of biological solids per pound of BOD. The operational flexibility and significant power cost savings of this facility has proven to be an industry leader compared to installing an aerobic digester and large sludge drying beds.