California Attorney General Opinion 24-102

BACKGROUND

A regional water management group is an entity defined and created by the Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act (the Water Planning Act). 2 The California Legislature originally passed the Water Planning Act in 2002 to create a mechanism by which different water agencies in a particular region can work together to 1 Gov. Code, § 54950 et seq. 2 Wat. Code, § 10530 et seq.

1 24-102 address common water issues. 3 The Legislature said this was necessary because, while water agencies are “typically separate entities with clearly defined service areas within which they have exclusive authority to deliver water,” “most water agencies receive their water supplies from a source that is shared with other water agencies.” 4 Thus, different agencies may develop conflicting projects and plans for the same source of water. 5 The Water Planning Act was an effort to reduce those conflicts.

As a general matter, a “regional water management group” is composed of “three or more local agencies, at least two of which have statutory authority over water supply or water management,” who agree to participate by a joint powers agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other…