Blythe must have a new Hidden Beaches filtration system operating by November 30, 2027, with a state grant supporting the new water infrastructure. For owners and buyers in the area, the first property check is to ask which water system serves the address.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
What is the order, and when is the deadline?
The State Water Resources Control Board issued Blythe a compliance order in August 2023 over the manganese secondary maximum contaminant level, and the city must have a new filtration system operational by November 30, 2027.
Those facts appear in the city’s September 8, 2026 agenda packet. The deadline is an operating deadline for the new filtration system. It isn’t a stated construction start date.
The report does not establish that construction has started or that the system is already running.
What did the council approve in September?
On September 8, 2026, the Blythe City Council approved a Pureflow brand specification finding and designated authorized representatives for the Hidden Beaches project grant.
The meeting minutes record approval of the consent calendar, which included these items, with a unanimous aye vote. The supporting reports explain the purpose of each action.
The Pureflow finding falls under California Public Contract Code section 3400(c). It specifies the manganese and iron removal filtration system to match products used at the city’s Water Treatment Plant, where the city has operated a Pureflow system since 2005. Staff said specifying Pureflow does not increase the approved project budget.
Resolution No. 2026-031 authorizes the City Manager, Interim City Manager or Acting City Manager to represent the city for the grant. That action concerns administration of the grant.
What will the project build, and how is it funded?
The Hidden Beaches Water System Treatment, Filtration, and Storage Project includes a new filtration system, booster pump station, drinking water well, and water storage tank, supported by a $4,617,600 state grant.
The State Water Board awarded the city a Drinking Water Construction Grant. Resolution No. 2026-031 identifies Agreement No. D2502052 and Project No. 3301630-001C. Those identifiers give you a specific reference when asking the city about the grant or project.
The September staff report says the plans and specifications use Pureflow filtration technology and have State Water Board approval. At that point, the city was preparing to solicit bids.
The report does not name a selected contractor. To follow subsequent council records, use the city’s Agenda Center and look for the full project name.
What does a manganese secondary standard mean?
In EPA’s federal description, secondary drinking water standards are guidelines for aesthetic considerations such as taste, color and odor.
EPA’s Secondary Drinking Water Standards guidance lists manganese at 0.05 mg/L. Its table associates manganese with black to brown color, black staining and a bitter metallic taste.
That is the federal description of the standard. The local project record separately states that the State Water Board issued Blythe a compliance order and set the filtration system’s operating deadline.
For information about the system serving your property, ask Public Works for the latest water quality information for that system. The September project report is a record of the planned work and council action; it does not provide current manganese test results.
Is Birch Street the same project?
The Birch Street Manganese Treatment Project is a separate project with a different funding status in the September report.
Resolution No. 2026-030 concerns Birch Street. Staff said the city had received Technical Assistance Funding and was still submitting an application for funding. The report does not establish a construction funding award or a timeline for Birch Street.
The $4,617,600 construction grant and November 30, 2027 operating deadline belong to the Hidden Beaches project described in this guide.
For another desert-area water topic, see the Banning water and groundwater guide.
Say a buyer reads about the Hidden Beaches construction grant while reviewing a property near Birch Street. The buyer would ask the city which water system serves the address before connecting the property to either project. In reviewing the staff report, the buyer would distinguish the Hidden Beaches construction grant and filtration operating deadline from Birch Street’s separate funding application status. The buyer would also request the latest water quality information from Public Works for the serving system, since the project report does not provide current manganese test results.
What should you check for a specific property?
Start by asking the city which water system serves the address, then ask Public Works for the latest water quality information for that system.
An area’s name alone does not establish service to a particular property. Use the address in your question and the full Hidden Beaches project name when asking about this work. You can also read the filtration specification report on packet pages 93 to 94 and the authorized representative reports and resolutions on pages 104 to 109.
Say a buyer is reviewing a River Estates property and reads about the Hidden Beaches filtration deadline. The buyer would ask the city which water system serves the address, then request the latest water quality information from Public Works for that system. Separately, the buyer would open the city’s tract map, identify the tract and lot, and retrieve the matching building pad elevation certification. The project report and the lot certification answer different questions, so the buyer would keep both with the property records without treating either as proof of water service.
The city’s River Estates at Hidden Beaches page provides the final map for Tracts 28758 and 28758-1 and an engineer’s building pad elevation certification for each lot. Its instructions are specific:
- Find the address on the tract map.
- Use the map legend to identify the tract.
- Find the lot number handwritten in red.
- Open the matching certification.
Pulling that document does not establish water service or interpret elevation or flood risk. For related transaction reading, see the California seller disclosure guide and the guide to NHD reports.
The short version
Blythe’s Hidden Beaches project has a $4,617,600 construction grant and a November 30, 2027 deadline for an operational filtration system.
The September council actions addressed the filtration brand specification and grant representatives. For your property, confirm the serving water system, request its latest water quality information, and pull the matching building pad elevation certification if you’re reviewing a River Estates lot.
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Common questions
When must the Hidden Beaches filtration system be operational?
The September 8, 2026 city staff report says the new water filtration system must be operational by November 30, 2027.
What does the Hidden Beaches water project include?
The project includes a new water filtration system, booster pump station, drinking water well, and water storage tank.
How is the Hidden Beaches project funded?
The State Water Resources Control Board awarded Blythe a Drinking Water Construction Grant of $4,617,600 for the project.
Is the Birch Street project part of the same construction grant?
Birch Street is a separate manganese treatment project. The September 8, 2026 staff report says it received Technical Assistance Funding and was still in the funding application phase.
Where can a River Estates buyer find a building pad elevation certification?
The city's River Estates at Hidden Beaches planning page provides tract maps and matching building pad elevation certifications for lots in Tracts 28758 and 28758-1.
