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Six Basins groundwater has been an important source of agricultural and municipal water supply since the early 20th century. The Six Basins and its "Watermaster" were officially created by a court judgment in December 1998. It was initiated by a "friendly" lawsuit filed by the Southern California Water Company against the other major groundwater producers in the area. The "Judgment" followed several years of negotiation amongst the parties and resulted in a clarification and protection of groundwater rights. The Watermaster is essentially a committee (Board) comprised of one representative of each party to the Judgement. The powers and duties of Watermaster are defined by the Judgment. The Board makes all determinations required by the Judgment and votes on all important actions relevant to groundwater management issues in the Six Basins. The Watermaster currently has two standing Committees an Engineering/Technical Committee and an Administrative/Finance Committee to review relevant issues in more detail for recommendations to the Watermaster Board. Watermaster contracts for all administrative and technical staff services have been performed by Three Valleys Municipal Water District since 1999.