1964 – A group of local landowners forms SMWD to provide water for their ranching operations.

1965 – SMWD’s first Board of Directors meets to lay out the blueprint for what will one day become the second-largest water district in Orange County.

1970 – SMWD creates a strategy for supplying water to several new planned communities in its service area.

1974 – The District serves more than 800 connections, including the new communities of Mission Viejo and Coto de Caza.

1981 – SMWD constructs the O’Neill Reservoir. At 6 million gallons, it becomes the District’s largest water storage facility.

1985 - SMWD breaks ground on the Chiquita Water Reclamation Plant, a facility to provide sewage treatment for Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza and a small portion of the Trabuco Canyon Water District.

1990 – SMWD takes the lead on construction of the South County Pipeline, a 22-mile conduit transporting water from Lake Forest to San Clemente to meet the growing water demands of the region.

1993 – The South County Pipeline is complete, becoming the District’s primary source of water.

2000 - For the seventh time in three years, SMWD offers its customers a rate decrease.

2001 – The expansion of the Chiquita Water Reclamation Plant results in an additional 2 million gallons of recycled water a day.

2005 – SMWD begins construction on two subterranean reservoirs which will supply Ladera Ranch with nearly 5 million gallons of water. The underground design allows for an acre of park space to be developed above.