(December 8)  The city of Chino, Lewis Operating Company and Lennar Homes have agreed in principle to share the cost of building a water treatment plant that will accommodate more than 14,000 new homes.
Lennar and Standard Pacific Homes are developing the College Park subdivision within the city of Chino, which upon completion will entail a total of 2,200 residential units in the College Park Specific Plan area. Thus far, 851 of those residential units have been completed and granted occupancy permits by the city. Lewis Operating Company, the successor to Lewis Homes, has an entitlement to build a total of 11,976 residential units within The Preserve Specific Plan area. Thus far, the city has granted occupancies to approximately 1,946 completed units in that subdivision, known as The Preserve.
At its November 5 meeting, the Chino City Council voted 4-0 to approve a memorandum of understanding with Lewis Operating Company and LS College Park LLC for the completion of a 3,500-gallon-per-minute  water treatment plant in Ontario.
While there were initial reports that the city would put up $2 million toward the cost of the water treatment facility, according to Jesus Plasencia, Chino’s associate engineer,  “The financial contribution by each party, including the city, has not been determined as of yet because the agreement terms are still being negotiated by the three parties.”
While the treatment facility will be located across the city limits in Ontario, it will be devoted entirely to serving properties within Chino and the city of Ontario is not participating in the project.
“Ontario is not a party to the 3-party agreement between the City of Chino, Lewis Operating Company, and LSCP (Lennar/Standard Pacific),” Plasencia said. “The proposed facility will provide water to customers within the city of Chino’s water service area, which includes but is not limited to The Preserve and College Park.  The City of Chino owns the approximately 13-acre property, which is located at the southeast corner of Schaefer and Campus Avenue in Ontario. This property was purchased for $572,592.”
The facility will be built in phases to match the demand for its treatment capability.
“The first phase of facilities on the property will have 3,500 gallons per minute (gpm) of treatment capacity,” Plasencia said. “The ultimate estimated treatment capacity at the property is currently planned to be 7,000 gpm. The ultimate build-out capacity of the Eastside Water Treatment Facility is intended to meet the water demand from both College Park and The Preserve.”
Plasencia added, “The ultimate build-out date and cost for the Eastside Water Treatment Facility are unknown at this time. However, the first phase of the facilities is tentatively scheduled to be operational by Summer/Fall 2015.”