Grant will address groundwater concerns in underserved communities

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) awarded San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) $2 million in grant funds to address groundwater concerns for underserved communities in the Banning and Cabazon area. The check was presented as part of the state’s Go Golden Initiative at SGPWA’s Board meeting on Monday, January 8.

The funds will improve groundwater monitoring by installing four nested monitoring wells in the San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin, enhancing real-time data collection on basin levels and quality. Area water agencies will use the information to make critical groundwater decisions, advancing water quality and resiliency for the residents of disadvantaged communities, including the City of Banning, Banning Heights, Cabazon and the Morongo Indian Reservation.

“As stewards of our region’s water resources, we are proud to join forces with the Department of Water Resources on this project. Their investment in this technology demonstrates our shared commitment to proactive and innovative water solutions to ensure resources are available to the communities who need them most,” said SGPWA Board President Mickey Valdivia.

SGPWA is proud to be a Golden Partner with the state. The Go Golden Initiative highlights the partnership between the state and local organizations and water agencies to fund bold, innovative projects that strengthen California’s water infrastructure and community resilience.

“Climate change has caused uncertainty for California’s water supply in large urban areas as well as small, rural communities, and smaller agencies face big challenges upgrading costly infrastructure. In this case, that includes replacing water infrastructure destroyed by wildfire. Through this partnership, DWR grant funds will give local water experts access to the advanced technologies needed to create sustainable and equitable groundwater management practices in the Banning area for years to come,” said DWR Water Management Branch Manager Salomon Miranda.

Awarded as part of DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program, the project represents a joint effort by the San Gorgonio Pass Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SGPS GSA). Member agencies of the SGPS GSA include SGPWA, Banning Heights Mutual Water Company (BHMWC), Cabazon Water District (CWD), the City of Banning, Desert Water Agency (DWA), and Mission Springs Water District (MSWD). The agencies are collaborating to sustainably manage groundwater resources and to improve long-term water security for the region.

“The Morongo Band of Mission Indians commends the collaborative efforts of the California Department of Water Resources and the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency to better understand the state of our region’s natural resources. As guardians of our ancestral lands, Morongo actively manages our groundwater and we welcome steps that will help protect groundwater quality and reliability for local communities,” said Tribal Chairman Charles Martin of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

The project’s data will inform the SGPS GSA’s 2030 Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) update, required under the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). To learn more, visit www.sgpwa.com.