California Inland Empire Agencies Create JPA to Fund Water Infrastructure
San Bernardino County public water agencies formed a joint powers authority to expand capital access and keep water and energy costs affordable.
Public water agencies in San Bernardino County, California have established the San Bernardino Water & Power Authority, a new joint powers authority designed to finance expanded water supply infrastructure across the Inland Empire region, according to an announcement dated Oct. 19, 2026.
The newly formed JPA brings together multiple public agencies under a shared governance structure, a common mechanism in California municipal finance that allows member agencies to pool resources and access capital markets at more favorable terms than individual entities might secure on their own. The stated goals include broadening access to funding and keeping both water and energy costs manageable for ratepayers in the region.
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San Bernardino County, which anchors California's Inland Empire, faces long-term water supply pressures common to Southern California — including drought cycles, population growth, and aging distribution infrastructure. Joint powers authorities have historically allowed smaller or mid-sized agencies to undertake large-scale capital projects that would otherwise strain individual budgets.
The formation of the authority signals a coordinated regional approach to infrastructure investment at a time when water security has become an increasingly prominent policy and financial issue for Western states. By consolidating financing capacity, member agencies aim to pursue new supply projects while distributing cost and risk across the partnership.
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