LARC Pipeline Project
LARC Pipeline Project
LARC Ranch and Lily of the Valley
Pipeline Project, Schedule and Map
Anticipated to begin in March 2024, SCV Water will construct a 1.8-mile pipeline along Bouquet Canyon Road that will connect LARC Ranch and Lily of the Valley (LOV) to the public water system with master meters. The anticipated completion is fall 2025 (about one year).
While grant funding from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) paid for the cost of an 8-inch pipeline, (the minimum size needed to serve LARC and LOV), SCV Water opted to pay for an upsize of the line from 8-inch to 12-inch so that other existing property owners adjacent to the project route, that rely on private wells, may connect now or in the future. There is no obligation for anyone, (residential or commercial/institutional) to connect to the pipeline.
Project Schedule
The anticipated project schedule is as follows:
- Bid process – May/June 2024
- Submit final budget to State to appropriate grant funding – June/July 2024
- SCV Water Board approval and construction contract award – August/September 2024
- Pipeline construction start – October 2024
- Construction completion – Fall 2025
Virtual Community Meeting Recap: Sept. 20, 2023
In case you missed our virtual Community Meeting on September 20, 2023, the meeting recording is below.
Connect to the SCV Water Public System
SCV Water is offering existing property owners along the pipeline route the opportunity to connect to the new public water system.
Required Conditions
- Meters will be located on the public right of way, typically offset from the driveway entrance.
- Must install a backflow preventor on the customer side of the meter.
- Private wells can be kept for irrigation use, but domestic and irrigation water lines must be kept separate.
Cost to Connect
Residential and commercial applicants will be required to pay for the cost of installing a new service line and meter, including capacity fees.
However, the State may offer additional grant funds to cover the costs to install meters for residential property owners along the pipeline route who meet certain financial criteria.
Eligibility for Grant Funding - Residents
To determine if the customer is eligible for grant funds, residential applicants must submit a household income certification form for consideration. Criteria include:
- Active residential use and occupied as such.
- Income bracket (< 150% of the State’s Median Household Income (MHI) - $126,145 in Calendar Year 2023)
Applications received after Friday, September 29, 2023, will not qualify for grant funding.
The timeline for approval may be two to three months.
Estimated Costs
There are two cost components to connect to the SCV Water public water system. (1) Facility Capacity Fees, and (2) the service line, meter box, and meter.
Typically a residential meter is up to 1" in size, while a commercial meter typically ranges between 1" - 2" in size.
1. Facility Capacity Fees (FCFs). The philosophy is that the costs of providing water service should be paid for by those that benefit from the service. To achieve this, new connectors will typically pay for a share of expanded and existing facilities based on the proportion of the new connection(s), providing equity with existing customers.
The anticipated pipeline along Bouquet Canyon Road is in our Regional West Valley Water Service Area and within the Santa Clarita Water Retail Division.
The estimated capacity fees are based on current 2023 FCF rates.
| Residential Meter (up to 1") | Commercial Meter (1" to 2") |
|---|---|
| Approximately $15,224 | Approximately. $15,224 - $48,621 |
For more information on FCFs and their effective dates please visit: yourSCVwater.com/fcf
2. Service line, meter box, and meter. A service line, meter box, and meter are required to connect to SCV Water's public water system. SCV Water will seek bids for the installation part as part of the pipeline construction. The applicant will pay for actual costs associated with the installation of the service line, box and meter.
| Residential Meter (up to 1") | Commercial Meter (1" to 2") |
|---|---|
|
Total Estimated Cost Approximately $5,000 |
Total Estimated Cost Approximately $5,000 - $7,500 |
Total Current Estimated Cost to Connect
The total current estimated cost to connect to SCV Water's public water system is listed below.
The total cost is based on the current 2023 rates for facility capacity fees and meters.
Please note that these rates change each fiscal year, starting July 1.
In addition, please note that the applicants are also responsible
for any costs associated with the improvements on the other side of the meter, including a backflow preventor.
| Residential Meter (up to 1") | Commercial Meter (1" to 2") |
|---|---|
| Approximately $20,000 | Approximately $20,000 - $57,000 |
For more information on FCFs and their effective dates please visit: yourSCVwater.com/fcf
Application Information: Process, Deadline, and How to Apply
Existing residential and commercial property owners interested in this opportunity must complete:
| Residential | Commercial |
|---|---|
|
All applications and certification forms (if applicable) are due to SCV Water by Friday, September 29, 2023.
|
All applications are due to SCV Water by Friday, September 29, 2023.
|
By completing these forms, you are providing SCV Water with sufficient information so that we can accommodate new meter connections as part of pipeline construction.
There is no obligation for anyone to connect to the pipeline now or in the future. Existing property owners that do not initially request a meter are not precluded from requesting a meter in the future. However, residents that may qualify for grant funds from the State would not be eligible for grant funds (if applicable) if they do not request a meter at this time.
Application Submission
Applications can be submitted in the following ways:
1. Email.
Please email all required documentation to SCV Water at larcpipeline@scvwa.org
Subject: LARC Pipeline New Connection
2. By mail at:
ATTN: LARC Pipeline New Connection
SCV Water
26521 Summit Circle
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
3. In person, at the address listed, during business hours:
- M-Th 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Alternating Fridays 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
Connections: Is it feasible to receive service?
- I live just past the proposed project, north of LARC Ranch, and I want to connect to the system too. How can I connect?
-
Unfortunately, the new pipeline construction will end at the southern end of the LARC Ranch property.
Due to service limitations, the pipeline cannot be extended beyond the southern end of the LARC Ranch property. These limitations include:
- Insufficient water pressure (too low). If the water pressure is too low, your fixtures and appliances may not work properly.
- In order to address the deficiency in service pressure, SCV Water would need to construct a booster pump station and tank(s) (at elevated location) which would require land acquisition, in addition to extending the pipeline in Bouquet Canyon Road. Costs for this additional infrastructure could be several million dollars depending on location and size of the pump station and tank(s).
- I live (or own a commercial property) along Bouquet Canyon Road where the new pipeline will be constructed; however, I am quite a way off the main road. How can I connect to the new pipeline?
-
SCV Water's policy is to set our meter within the public right of way, typically offset from the driveway entrance. This provides ready access by SCV Water for meter readings and maintenance.
If you want to connect to SCV Water’s public water system, it is your responsibility to apply for a meter and to pay all costs associated with the service line, meter box and meter; please note commercial meters are not eligible for grant funds. It is also your responsibility to provide and pay for any additional onsite piping after the meter; this would include a backflow preventor, piping from the meter to the building (home or commercial business), and any booster pumps that might be needed.
- Why will some people connect to the new public water system while others won’t?
-
SCV Water is providing all existing property owners along the pipeline route between Lily of the Valley and LARC Ranch with an opportunity to connect into the SCV Water public water system. The goal is to provide existing residents with a reliable water supply, and some will use that opportunity to connect, while others will continue to rely on their private wells for water.
There is no obligation for anyone to connect to the pipeline now or in the future. Existing property owners that do not initially request a meter are not precluded from requesting a meter in the future. However, future requests for connections will not be eligible for grant funds from the State.
Connections: Do you want to receive service?
- What if I don't want to receive service now?
-
There is no obligation for anyone to connect to the pipeline now or in the future. Existing property owners that do not initially request a meter are not precluded from requesting a meter in the future. However, residents that may qualify for grant funds from the State now would not be eligible for grant funds (if applicable) if they do not request a meter at this time.
- Can I still use my private well?
-
Yes. Private wells can be kept for irrigation use, but domestic and irrigation water lines must be kept separate. The resident would be required to install a backflow preventor on the customer side of the meter, and to make any piping modifications on their property that may be required. This work must be done prior to SCV Water activating the meter.
Financing: How do you pay for it?
- Why will some people have to pay to connect while other peole won't have to pay to connect?
-
The State offers grant funds for water supply to disadvantaged communities. The LARC Pipeline Project was initiated in collaboration with the State to provide reliable water service to LARC Ranch and Lily of the Valley which are considered severely disadvantaged and disadvantaged communities, respectively, as defined by the State. SCV Water decided to upsize the pipeline so that it has sufficient capacity to provide service to existing property owners along the pipeline route. The State has agreed to consider offering grant funds to existing residents if they meet certain criteria and will be determined by the State on a case-by-case basis. Nearly half of the properties along the anticipated pipeline are existing residential which may qualify, while others are vacant residential or commercial and would not qualify for grant funds.
- What are the criteria for grant funding?
-
SCV Water is working with the State to provide grant funding for those existing residential properties that qualify. Criteria for grant funds include:
- Active residential use and occupied as such
- Income bracket (<150% of the State’s Median Household Income (MHI) - $126,145 in Calendar Year 2023
- Will SCV Water help finance my connection to the new pipeline?
-
No, SCV Water will not help finance a new connection to the pipeline. SCV Water is working with the State to provide grant funding for those existing residential properties that qualify.
Criteria for grant funds include:- Active residential use and occupied as such
- Income bracket (<150% of the State’s Median Household Income (MHI) - $126,145 in Calendar Year 2023
- When are payments due?
-
For property owners that want to connect to the pipeline at this time, payment will be due in March 2024, so we have the funds at the start of pipeline construction.
Other Questions
- Will this pipeline project take the place of pursuing the restoration of Bouquet Creek providing for the removal of the limitation on releases?
-
No. The pipeline will provide a sustainable water supply from SCV Water’s water supply portfolio for the residents along Bouquet Canyon Road from Lily of the Valley to LARC. However, we also understand the benefits that the restoration of Bouquet Creek offers to local residents and are partnering with other stakeholders in support of the Bouquet Creek restoration.
History of LARC Ranch
After more than a five-year grant application process, in December 2021, SCV Water secured a $3.93 million grant from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to construct a permanent water supply for Los Angeles Residential Community (LARC) and Lily of the Valley (LOV) Mobile Village.
LARC and LOV operate community water systems for their residents, including wells, water storage tanks and onsite-piping networks. Due to extended drought conditions and the lack of groundwater recharge in the Bouquet Canyon Creek area, LARC had been unable to operate their wells since 2015 and forced to haul water to meet the needs of their residents. LOV relies on a single well that has been threatened by drought.
In addition to serving LARC and LOV, SCV Water is hoping to increase drought resiliency and reliability in this part of its service area for existing developments
