State Water Board funds more than $100 million for stormwater capture projects throughout the state

“We are delighted to help some of California’s most innovative communities address their critical water supply needs and protect water quality at the same time,” said State Water Resources Control Board Chair Felicia Marcus. Marcus recently announced the awarding of more than $100 million in grants to municipalities and special districts statewide for stormwater capture projects from the Proposition 1 Storm Water Implementation Grant funds.

With local matching dollars, the total value of the stormwater capture projects supported by the state grant funds is nearly $300 million. Twenty-seven projects will benefit from the grants, ranging from major infrastructure to capture stormwater that recharges depleted groundwater supplies, to neighborhood projects that infiltrate stormwater and remove pollutants while creating greenspace. The 27 projects are located in 12 counties throughout the state.

“Necessity being the mother of invention, these communities have seen that the stormwater running down the gutter is a waste of a potential resource and are coming up with creative ways to capture it and put it to good use,” said Marcus. “Using stormwater to recharge our depleted groundwater aquifers or replace precious drinking water to irrigate our green spaces are examples of how we can tackle water scarcity and increase resiliency to climate change. We will learn a lot from these projects, which will benefit communities throughout California.”

Proposition 1 –The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 — was approved by California voters during the Nov. 4, 2014, general election. Proposition 1 provided $200 million for matching grants for multi-benefit stormwater management projects. A second solicitation for an additional $95 million in Proposition 1 Stormwater Grant Program (SWGP) funding is anticipated in 2018. The State Water Board adopted the SWGP Funding Guidelines for administering SWGP Proposition 1 funds in December 2015. Additionally, any grant funds left from previous bonds passed by the voters are also being used to support these projects.

The current drought has highlighted the need for innovative and high priority implementation projects to help local agencies maximize their use of local water resources and reduce dependence on water imports. The funding of these projects complements the goals of the State Water Board’s Storm Water Strategy, as well as California’s Water Action Plan, the state’s roadmap to sustainable water management.

The largest grant fund amount of $10 million will be awarded to three counties.  San Mateo County will use their $10 million for the Vista Grande Drainage Basin Improvement Project. Monterey County will implement the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency and City of Salinas Storm Water Collection, Conveyance, Treatment and Reuse Project for the Salinas Region. The Chino Basin Regional Financing Authority in San Bernardino County will utilize the grant funds for Storm Water Management Facilities: Wineville Jurupa and RP-3 Basins Improvements and Pumping and Conveyance System Project.

Los Angeles County will receive the most in grant funds totaling more than $40,000,000 for nine separate projects. That amount includes the smallest grant funding amount authorized by the state in the Round 1 grants of $450,000 for the city of Torrance’s Walnut Storm Water Capture and Groundwater Replenishment Basin Project.

To see a list of the projects receiving funding, see the stormwater webpage at: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/swgp/docs/prop1/prop1_swgp_imp_r1_funding_list_approval.pdf.