Region secures $15 million in state IRWM grants

The San Diego region in November was awarded more than $15 million in fast-tracked funding by the California Department of Water Resources for a variety of projects aimed at increasing local water supplies and decreasing demands. The projects will produce or save more than 12,000 acre-feet of water annually.

The state grant from voter-approved Proposition 84 (2006) provided funds for projects identified in the San Diego Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. The selected local projects will expand groundwater desalination and water recycling, improve water quality, and enhance water conservation initiatives such as the regional WaterSmart Turf Replacement Program.

All $15,074,938 identified for the San Diego region was set aside for the Water Authority or its member agencies – Carlsbad Municipal Water District, Fallbrook Public Utility District, Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, the City of San Diego and Sweetwater Authority.

Between 2007 and late 2014, the San Diego IRWM Program’s [1] regional planning process identified 44 water-related projects that were selected for state grants of $59 million from two voter-approved state water bonds. The region also received a $1 million state grant to help pay for updating the IRWM Plan to comply with new state guidelines and requirements.

Almost $41 million of the funding is directed to seven projects sponsored by the Water Authority and 18 by Water Authority member agencies. The 44 projects included expanding the distribution system for recycled water, fostering conservation, acquiring lands for watershed habitat protection and reducing the amount of polluted runoff into local streams.