Emergency Funding will Deliver Clean Drinking Water to Central Coast Communities

Two underrepresented California communities will receive $17 million from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to support consolidation of 10 water systems and address water quality issues.

The funding, from the Urban Community Drought Relief Program, will benefit communities in San Benito and Monterey Counties who rely almost solely on groundwater for their drinking water supply. The County of San Benito will receive $13.2 million to support the consolidation of four failing small water systems with the local urban water supplier, Sunnyslope Water District. In neighboring Monterey County, California Water Service will receive $4.2 million to consolidate six failing small water systems. All of the small water systems that will benefit from this funding are currently facing critical emergencies due to contaminated groundwater wells and groundwater supplies depleted by successive years of drought.

“We are committed to protecting our customers’ health and safety, but not all communities have access to a clean, reliable water supply,” said Cal Water President and CEO Marty Kropelnicki. “We thank the Department of Water Resources for providing the funding to connect the struggling systems around Middlefield Road to our Cal Water Salinas system and make this important project a reality. We look forward to providing them the safe, reliable, affordable water supply everyone should have.”

“Water security is crucial to the success of or our rural communities. Sunnyslope Water District is committed to community partnerships that promote public health and water conservation. We are excited to be part of this effort to consolidate our neighboring community of Tres Pinos and the residents of Stonegate, to ensure safe, affordable drinking water can be sustained,” said Sunnyslope Water District General Manager Drew Lander.

The program is one of several financial assistance programs under DWR’s “Go Golden” initiative, which is a statewide effort designed to help organizations, water agencies and communities build long-term water conservation and water resilience planning.