History
Serrano Water District (SWD) was established in 1876 and provides potable water to the City of Villa Park and a small portion of the City of Orange. SWD receives its water supply from groundwater two wells equipped with PFAS filtration, imported water from Metrolitan Water District, and local surface water which is stored in Irvine Lake.
The District provides approxiamtely 2900 acre feet of water for a population of 6,500 annually covering approximately 4.7 square miles, serving primarily large lot single family homes and one shopping center. The District's service area is largely built out with an opportunity for a small amount of infill. Although a small district geographically, SWD has 43 miles of pipe, two wells, and two reservoirs.
SWD employs 5 full time employees and the General Manager.
For over 92 years Serrano Water District owned 25% of Irvine Lake . On January 15, 2025, Serrano Water District transfered it's ownership of the Lake and Dam to Irvine Ranch Water District.
Historical Summary of Serrano Water District Sourced From The UCI Archives
Abstract:
This collection documents the history of the Serrano Irrigation District of Orange County California, now known as the Serrano Water District. It includes records from the various water associations and companies that served the Villa Park region and led to the establishment of the Serrano Irrigation District. Organizations represented include the Serrano Water Association, Lotspeich Water Association, Gray Tract Water Company, Gray Tract Well Association, Santiago Well Company, Cerro Villa Mutual Water Company, and the Villa Park Mutual Water Company.
Preferred citation:
Serrano Irrigation District Records. MS-R079. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Background
Scope and content:
This collection documents the history of the Serrano Irrigation District of Orange County California, now known as the Serrano Water District. It includes records from the various water associations and companies that served the Villa Park region and led to the establishment of the Serrano Irrigation District. Organizations represented include the Serrano Water Association, Lotspeich Water Association, Gray Tract Water Company, Gray Tract Well Association, Santiago Well Company, Cerro Villa Mutual Water Company, and the Villa Park Mutual Water Company. The records include annual statements, by-laws, articles of association, ledgers, ballots and voting results, check registers, correspondence, agreements, stock certificates, water studies, photographs, and deeds.
Biographical / historical:
The Serrano Irrigation District in Orange County, California developed out of a consolidation of several water companies and associations established as early as the 1870s. These mutual irrigation organizations were privately owned by ranchers and farmers in the Villa Park, California area. In 1927 the Serrano Water Association, the John T. Carpenter Water Company, and the Irvine Company agreed to form the Serrano Irrigation District as a public corporation under the Irrigation Districts Act of the State of California. This enabled the district to hold elections to establish bonds to finance their share of the construction of the Santiago Dam. At this time, the assets of the Serrano Water Association, which included landowners from both the Gray Tract and Lotspeich Tract, were assigned to the Serrano Irrigation District.
In 1928 the Villa Park Mutual Water Company absorbed the consolidated Gray Tract Well Company, Cerro Villa Mutual Water Company, and the Santiago Well Company. Beginning in 1956, the Serrano Irrigation District agreed to carry out all of the functions of the Villa Park Mutual Water Company. In 1963 the Villa Park Mutual Water Company was officially dissolved, and the Serrano Irrigation District agreed to continue furnishing water to the shareholders of the Villa Park Mutual Water Company. As irrigation decreased and urbanization increased in the 1960s, the Serrano Irrigation District built a filtering plant and additional reservoirs to facilitate the use of water received from the Irvine Lake.
The Serrano Irrigation District is now called the Serrano Water District and is an independent governmental body serving the city of Villa Park and a small portion of the city of Orange.
Chronology
DateEvent
1870s
Serrano Water Association began operations.
1907
Gray Tract Water Company was established.
1910
Serrano Water Association adopted articles of association specifying that it was an "association" rather than a corporation.
1912
Gray Tract Well Company was established.
1914
Serrano Water Association members signed petition to oppose becoming a corporation.
1915
Lotspeich Water Association was established.
1918
Santiago Well Company was established.
1927 July 25
Serrano Irrigation District was incorporated.
1928
Villa Park Mutual Water Company absorbed the consolidated Gray Tract Well Company, Cerro Villa Mutual Water Company, and the Santiago Well Company.
1931
First domestic water system of Villa Park was funded in 1931 after the residents approved a bond issue to provide water service to one house on each ten acres.
Santiago Dam and Reservoir (Irvine Lake) was completed.
1956
Serrano Irrigation District agreed to assume all the functions of the Villa Park Mutual Water Company.
1963
Villa Park Mutual Water Company was dissolved. Serrano Irrigation District agreed to continue furnishing water to the Villa Park Mutual Water Company shareholders.
Acquisition information:
Gift of the Serrano Water District via Betty Collins Nichols, 1999.
Custodial history:
in this collection are in the handwriting of F. H. Collins and F. D. Collins, and company checks bear their signatures. Water company meetings were held at the Collins' family ranch in Villa Park even after the company became the Serrano Irrigation District and moved its offices to Lincoln Street in Villa Park, California. The Serrano Irrigation District, now called the Serrano Water District, left the records in the care and custody of the Collins family.
Processing information:
Processed Cyndi Shein, 2007.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in six series.
- Series 1. Serrano Irrigation District records, 1871-1973. 2.7 linear feet
- Series 2. Serrano Water Association records,1890-1931. 1 linear foot
- Series 3. Gray Tract Water Association records, 1907-1923. 0.4 linear feet
- Series 4. Gray Tract Well Company records, 1912-1931. 1.5 linear feet
- Series 5. Lotspeich Water Association records, 1915-1929. 0.6 linear feet
- Series 6. Santiago Well Company records, 1918-1937. 0.8 linear feet
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Related resources
Separated material:
Several government publications were removed from this collection and cataloged separately in Special Collections and Archives.
Indexed terms
Subjects:
Water supply -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources
Water districts -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources.
Santiago Dam (Calif.) -- History.
Maps -- California -- Irvine -- 20th century.
Photographic prints -- California -- Orange County -- 20th century.
Account books -- 20th century.
Account books -- 19th century.
Names:
Villa Park Mutual Water Company (Calif.) -- Archives
Serrano Water District (Calif.) -- History
Cerro Villa Mutual Water Company (Calif.) -- Archives
Gray Tract Water Association (Calif.) -- Archives
Serrano Irrigation District (Calif.) -- Archives
Santiago Well Company (Calif.) -- Archives
Lotspeich Water Association (Calif.) -- Archives
Places:
Villa Park (Calif.) -- History
Access and use
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Terms of access:
Property rights reside with the University of California. Intellectual property rights for materials not yet in the public domain are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred citation:
Serrano Irrigation District Records. MS-R079. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Location of this collection:
UC Irvine, Orange County Regional History Collection
P.O. Box 19557
Irvine, CA , US
Contact:
(949) 824-3947