Water truly is the jewel in our desert, and MSWD is dedicated to protecting and preserving the quality of our most valuable natural resource. The community made its equally strong desire to protect its precious water known when it passed by popular vote Assessment District 11, which was completed in February of 2006, and Assessment District 12, a project now underway and estimated for completion in 2014. These projects are a part of MSWD's Groundwater Quality Protection Project, whose goal is to eliminate individual wastewater disposal systems (septic tanks) and extend the municipal wastewater collection (sewer) system to over 6,600 properties in the Desert Hot Springs area.

In 1996, MSWD commissioned the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Michigan Technological University to conduct a study on the migration of wastewater discharged from septic tanks and the effects, or potential effects, the discharging had on regional groundwater resources. The study, "Transport of Contaminates from Wastewater Disposal Systems near Mission Creek Sub Basin, Desert Hot Springs, CA," identified thousands of individual septic systems that lie above the Mission Creek (cold water) and Desert Hot Springs (hot water) aquifers. The study concluded that wastewater discharged from individual septic systems poses a significant threat to the public groundwater resources found within the greater Desert Hot Springs area, and recommended the abatement of these individual wastewater disposal systems.

MSWD's Groundwater Quality Protection Project involves constructing municipal wastewater collection and treatment systems that will eliminate the individual septic systems that overlie the Mission Creek and Desert Hot Springs aquifers, protecting the quality of our water for the generations to come. Phase I of the project, Assessment District 11, was completed in 2006. Phase II of the project, Assessment District 12, requires building over 57 miles of wastewater pipelines over the next five to seven years and eliminating roughly 4,000 individual septic systems. Rapid growth in the area has brought with it an abundance of new individual septic systems and MSWD is working hard towards its goal of eliminating at least 600 individual septic systems annually.

MSWD has made significant entrepreneurial efforts in securing funding for the Groundwater Quality Protection Project. Through formation of AD12, local residents agreed to contribute $28 million toward the project, and MSWD diligently pursues funding from sources such as State Water Bonds, and regional and Federal grants. The project focuses on long-term water supply and groundwater quality issues within MSWD service areas, addressing water supply protection, water reclamation, entrepreneurial funding strategies and underground storage capacity protection.