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Transparency
Hi-Desert Water District’s ("HDWD" or "the District") website is committed to creating greater awareness of the District’s activities and being open and accessible to the community. The Hi-Desert Water District Code consists of all regulatory, penalty, and administrative ordinances and resolutions of the Hi-Desert Water District, California. Get access to the full code.
Additional Public Records
If you are looking for public information that’s not listed on the website, you may submit a Public Records Request Form in writing to:
Codi Mix
55439 29 Palms Highway
Yucca Valley, CA 92284
Email Codi Mix
Newsletters, Media Alerts & Public Service Announcements
View prior HDWD newsletters, media alerts, and public service announcements. If you would like to be added to our email distribution list for newsletters, traffic updates, public service announcements, and media alerts sign up on our Notify Me list. You can also follow HDWD on Facebook and Twitter.
- Awards
- District Structure & Leadership
- Mission Statement
- District Services
- Required Training
- Conflict of Interest for Board Members & Employees
- Compliance with the Brown Act
- Policy Related to Handling Public Records Requests
- Financial Information
- Adoption of Reimbursement Policy of Actual & Necessary Expenses
- Enterprise System Catalog
Hi-Desert Water District has received awards in recognition of:
- Financial Reporting
- Fiscal Management Responsibility
- Governmental Accounting
- Sound Practices
- Transparency
Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF)
The Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) launched the biennial District Transparency Certificate of Excellence program in 2013. HDWD has received the award for all three periods that the program has been offered.
As soon as HDWD learned of the District of Distinction program, HDWD began applying for the accreditation in 2016 and has received two consecutive accreditations.
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
HDWD has received twelve Certificates of Financial Excellence for financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).
The Hi-Desert Water District is an independent special district, which operates under the authority of Division 12 of the California Water Code. The District was formed in 1962 and is governed by a five-member Board of Directors elected at-large from within the District’s service area. The Board of Directors convenes for regularly scheduled meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. These meetings are publicly noticed and citizens are encouraged to attend.
The General Manager administers the day-to-day operations of the District in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors. View HDWD’s organization chart.
- View information about the history of Hi-Desert Water District.
- View information on the Board of Directors.
- View meeting agendas.
- View board meeting videos.
Additional Information
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 1.20 Role of the Board of Directors can be found under Title 1: Board of Directors.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 1.55 Board Policy Violations can be found under Title 1: Board of Directors.
Our Mission is to provide a safe, reliable water supply and Wastewater Reclamation System for the customers of the Hi-Desert Water District in an efficient and financially responsible manner.
HDWD provides water service to approximately 10,400 connections within its fifty-seven square mile service area located in the eastern desert area of San Bernardino County which encompasses the Town of Yucca Valley in its entirety and portions of unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County, California. Residential customers represent approximately 95% of the District's customer base and consume approximately 82% of the water produced annually by the District. The District currently has a total of 12 groundwater wells with a maximum production capacity of 7,000 gallons per minute and over 300 miles of water distribution and transmission pipelines.
HDWD employees and Board of Directors are bound by policies and requirements to ensure transparency and ethical behavior. The policies comply with the specific requirements of the Fair Political Practices Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act and statutory requirements for biennial ethics and sexual harassment prevention training, among others.
AB 1234 requires that specified agency officials receive at least two hours training in ethics every two years. To satisfy the legal mandate, the training must cover both public service ethics laws and ethics principles and the content must be in compliance with regulations of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) and the California State Attorney General’s Office.
AB 1825 requires two hours of training and education that includes information and practical guidance regarding the federal and state statutory provisions concerning the prohibition against, and the prevention and correction of, sexual harassment, and the remedies available to victims of sexual harassment, as well as examples aimed at instructing local agency officials in the prevention of discrimination and retaliation.
AB 1234 provides that, if a local agency gives any type of compensation, salary, or stipend to, or reimburses the expenses of a member of its 'legislative body' (as that term is defined in California Government Code Section 54952), that local agency's officials must receive training in ethics.
Ethics Training Certificates
Ethics Training Certificates
Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training Certificates
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 1.45 Board Conflict of Interest Policy can be found under Title 1: Board of Directors.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 3.105 Conflict of Interest Code can be found under Title 3: Employees.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 1.25.050 Compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Section 54950 et seq.) can be found under Title 1: Board of Directors, Chapter 1.25: Meetings and Rules of Order.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 2.05 Public Access to Records can be found under Title 2: Administration.
The District Board of Directors annually adopts an operating and capital budget prior to the new fiscal year. The budget authorizes and provides the basis for reporting and control of financial operations and accountability for the District's enterprise operations and capital projects. The budget and reporting treatment applied to the District is consistent with the accrual basis of accounting and the financial statement basis.
- Hi-Desert Water District Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (Government Code Section 26909 and 2410.6) for fiscal years 2007 to 2008 through 2016 to 2017
- Annual Disclosure of Board Member or Employee Reimbursements over $100 (Government Code Section 53065.5) for fiscal years 2015 to 2016 through 2017 to 2018
- State Controller's Special Districts Financial Transactions Report
- Employee/Director Compensation
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 4.15 Reserve Fund Policy can be found under Title 4: Revenue and Finance
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 3.100 Travel and Expense Policy can be found under Title 3: Employees.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 3.47.010 Boot Allowance can be found under Title 3: Employees, Chapter 3.47: Boots, Uniforms and Personal Appearance.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 3.45.170 Tuition Reimbursement can be found under Title 3: Employees, Chapter 3.45: Employee Benefits.
- Hi-Desert Water District Code 3.45.190 Certification Compensation can be found under Title 3: Employees, Chapter 3.45: Employee Benefits.
Enterprise System Catalog
SB 272 Compliance
The California Public Records Act. Section 6270.5 was added to the Government Code and required all local agencies create and publish a Catalog of Enterprise Systems by July 1, 2016. In addition, it is mandated that the Catalog be updated on an annual basis.
An Enterprise System is a software application or computer system that collects, stores, exchanges and analyzes information that the agency uses that is defined as:
Software application or a computer system that collects and analyzes information that the agency uses that is both of the following:
- A multi-departmental system that contains information collected about the public;
- A “system of record” defined as a system that serves as an original source of data within an agency;
An Enterprise System does not include any of the following:
- Information technology security systems including firewalls and cyber security systems;
- Physical access control systems, employee identification management systems, video monitoring and other physical control systems;
- Infrastructure and mechanical control systems, include those that control or manage street lights, electrical, natural gas or water or sewer functions;
- Systems related to 911 dispatch of emergency services.