State provides funds to Coalinga for emergency water purchase

In response to a plea for help, the Department of Water Resources awarded a $1.2 million Urban Community Drought Relief grant to the City of Coalinga for an emergency water transfer to supply it’s needs through the winter months.

The city had previously notified the Bureau of Reclamation that it could run out of water by December without additional supplies. The funding will allow Coalinga to purchase 600 acre-feet of water from the Patterson Irrigation District.

“Funding from DWR’s drought relief grant programs is available for this exact purpose, to ensure that no one goes without water during this extended and extreme drought. The City of Coalinga will receive immediate relief from this program for its residents,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “The State will continue to work with the city and other communities throughout the Central Valley and California to provide available grant funding opportunities for long-term water resilience projects as we adapt to a hotter, drier future.”

This funding will eliminate the financial strain on the city and provide water for the community through February 2023, when further allocations from Reclamation will be available.

“The City of Coalinga appreciates the funding support from DWR and the coordination of all our local, state, and federal partners in ensuring that our community continues to have access to a safe, clean water supply during this extreme drought,” said Marissa Trejo, City Manager for the City of Coalinga.