What is That White Fenced Area at the Corner of Cherry Valley Blvd and Beaumont Ave in Beaumont, CA?

The Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District recycled water project that recycled itself? Once upon a time you could drive on Beaumont Avenue or Cherry Valley Boulevard and see beautiful newly-installed landscaping, the water basins starting to fill, the white picket fencing, and community signs calling for runners or the casual dog walker.

And then- complete disaster. Money for the project vaporized, pavement, rock and even landscaping (plants, bushes and ground cover) was repossessed! Rocks piled back in trucks, pavement plans scraped, and even the plants dug right out of the ground. And for over a year, there it stood, a few acres of blank white picket fence on the border of the cities of Beaumont and Cherry Valley, with empty holes resembling mass graves. WHAT HAPPENED?! Are we stuck with this useless eye sore?

Alas! THE RECYCLED WATER PROJECT BACK IS ON TRACT! As reported in the Record Gazette, the local newspaper for the Beaumont, Banning and Cherry Valley areas. Like everything else, our Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District recycled water project was another victim of the bad economy. Simply put Beaumont, California had NO MONEY! So is the money now- or in the famous words of the movie 'Jerry McQuire' "Show me the money!" The short answer is Government Stimulus!!! Yeehaa! The Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District is receiving $16.1 million in stimulus funds to finance the districts white fence water recycling project.

So what does this Recycled Water Project do? Well, it is extremely important to the community of Beaumont and Cherry Valley. It will provide recycled water for watering the abundance of golf courses we have, like the East Valley Golf Club, Oak Valley Golf Club, and even the Highland Springs Village Golf Course and Sun Lakes Country Club, instead of using our drinking water.

This does not go without a minor slap on the wrist of the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District. But the point of the bailout is to help the community, which is why it is being supported by the federal government. By the way, the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District lost it's original funding and $4.3 million in grants due to a grand jury report claiming misused public funds- Whoops!

Nonetheless, the recycled water project is an important attribute to this Beaumont and Cherry Valley community and should be continued and supported regardless of any individuals or office mis-conduct. The decision to allocate the stimulus funds was based on three major issues the California State water board is concerned with: First, the creation of jobs (much needed in a struggling economy), and two: Benefiting the Beaumont and Cherry Valley, California water supply (another plus since we are facing a drought) and Three: Our water quality!

Where does the project stand now? It has been divided into five phases and the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District has already began the first two by building a tank on the recharge ponds facility and installing pipe on Brookside Ave. In total they have $16 million to spend. Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District hope not to spend it all (hopefully they spend it where they are suppose to this time)! The deadline to pay it back is 21 years after the completion of the project. The civil grand jury had looked into the district operations and claimed there were problems in "management" prior and have since been worked out. In other words, someone had to take back their Prada purse!

All in all it is a happy ending here in Beaumont, California, and once again we should have a beautiful place to walk our dogs on the corner of Beaumont Ave and Cherry Valley Boulevard, and a place to thank every time we water our lawns!

Todd & Devona Garrigus / REALTOR
Certified Foreclosure Agent & Short Sale Specialists
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters Associates
951-490-3698 Direct for Todd
951-490-3683 Direct for Devona
GarrigusRealEstate@yahoo.com
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DRE License #'s - 01844441, 01844442