When will properties need to connect?
Property owners will receive a letter once the system is ready and will be given a minimum of six (6) months to connect. Property owners will be responsible for the costs of connecting to the sewer lateral at the property line and decommissioning the septic system. The average property connection is about $5,000, but the actual cost will vary depending on distance, improvements like driveways, block walls, or landscaping, and other circumstances.
Hi-Desert Water District is completing the western Joshua tree census and payment of permit fees, so property owners will not need to worry about that cost unless they deviate from the approved connection point on their property.
Property owners may contact licensed contractors to get estimates or complete the work themselves as long as they obtain the proper permits, complete the work to code, and pass the final inspections. Permits are issued by the Town of Yucca Valley, and inspections are conducted by the Town and a Hi-Desert Water District inspector.
Is there assistance for private property connections similar to Phase 1?
Phase 2 does not include the same financial assistance through an expanded use loan like Phase 1 did.
The USDA has limited funding for low-income property owners to receive a low-interest loan (1%, 20-year, or grant) for home repairs, which can include the sewer connection. We recommend property owners apply soon, as there is a waitlist, which is handled first-come, first-served. For information and to apply, visit the USDA Section 504 Home Repair Program https://go.usa.gov/xzcdM.
Other general social and financial assistance may be available to low-income customers by calling 211. This assistance can be used to offset other household expenses, which may help property owners pay to connect to the sewer system and abandon their septic system.
What happens if I do not connect within 6 months?
The Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) has adopted a septic tank prohibition for areas of Yucca Valley. Failure to abide will result in penalties up to and including property liens. The Regional Water Board may be able to work with property owners with extenuating special circumstances. For further information, please contact them at info7@waterboards.ca.gov or at (760) 346–7491.
In the six-month timeframe, private connections are automatically included in the western Joshua tree incidental take permit, saving the costs associated with a permit later. You may also benefit from lower contractor pricing as they are in your neighborhood, keeping your expenses down.
What if I cannot qualify for a loan and do not have the cash to connect?
Please let us know your circumstances so we can track the need and help find additional resources.
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