Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Vice President Explains Interest in Potter Valley Project
Managing the water and selling it locally can be a viable strategy, she says
The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District is exploring a potential purchase of the Potter Valley Project in alignment with the district’s long-term strategy to secure water reliability, according to Darcy Burke, a district vice president and host of the We Grow California podcast.
Burke made her remarks in an April 23 interview with writer Keely Covello, who publishes the America Unwon Substack.
Burke said the district’s interest is driven by an effort to identify new water sources and invest in infrastructure that could broadly benefit California. “We wanted to explore new water sources and go big and bold,” she said, referencing the district’s strategic plan.
She pointed to the high cost of alternative supplies, including ocean desalination, which she said could cost about $8,300 per acre-foot to deliver to the Inland Empire. By comparison, she said the district currently pays between $1,700 and $1,800 per acre-foot for treated water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Burke also cited the district’s history of acquiring water systems outside its service area in Southwestern Riverside County. She noted that the district holds a controlling interest in the Meeks and Daley Water Company, a groundwater system outside district boundaries, where water is managed locally and sold to nearby users, generating revenue that can help offset rates for customers.
Burke suggested that acquisition could illustrate a broader strategy that could be applied to the Potter Valley Project, with water continuing to serve local users rather than being exported.
She emphasized the economic pressures facing agriculture, saying high water costs can make farming unsustainable. She noted that vineyard operators in the Temecula area pay between $1,300 and $1,400 per acre-foot for water.
In addition to water supply, Burke said the district is evaluating potential energy benefits, noting that water and wastewater operations are among utilities’ largest power users. Adding generation capacity could reduce costs for customers, she said.
The powerhouse in Power Valley once had the capacity to generate 9.4 megawatts of electricity. It was shut down in 2021 after a transformer failed, and PG&E decided to decommission the facility.
Burke rejected the idea that the district’s interest amounts to a “water grab,” describing it instead as part of a broader approach to water security. “In California, getting water supply anywhere is like a tide that lifts all boats,” she said.
Read our previous coverage:
Federal Officials Cite Potential Buyer for Potter Valley Project as Local Stakeholders Raise Questions (April 23, 2026)
USDA Steps Into Potter Valley Decommissioning Fight (December 22, 2025)
Dam is saved, but watch the water rates skyrocket.
So would the Potter Valley water users be asked to pay the district market rate prices for the water?