SCV Water has received a nearly $250,000 California Special Districts Association Public Safety Power Shutoff program allocation from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

The allocation will be used to help fund the installation of a permanent generator at the Earl Schmidt Filtration Plant (ESFP). The addition of this second generator brings the facility up to 100 percent operational capacity in the event of a power outage.

“We are thankful to receive this grant from Cal OES,” said SCV Water’s General Manager Matt Stone. “These funds will purchase a new, permanent generator to keep the Earl Schmidt Filtration Plant running at full capacity, which is crucial in times of emergency.”

SCV Water has experienced several Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) from Southern California Edison as well as other power outages since 2019. Outages occur due to any number of reasons, such as severe weather, PSPS events, and earthquakes.

The new generator will not only increase the emergency capacity to 100%, but it will do so with clean back-up power, rather than the current use of a portable diesel generator. The allocated funds will be used to install this secondary generator at the ESFP, keeping power running at full capacity during times of emergency and will ensure the uninterrupted delivery of clean, safe drinking water to our customers, as well as vital fire-fighting capabilities in the service area.

Installation of the new generator is scheduled to begin in Fall 2021. The ESFP is one of two critical treatment facilities for the Agency’s water distribution system, the other being the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant. These facilities have a combined capacity of 121 million gallons per day (MGD), treating imported State Water Project water that comes from northern California, through Castaic Lake. This provides about half the water used in a typical year in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“Seeking grants is one way in which we seek to offset costs and maintain a reliable water supply,”
said Stone. “Our team at SCV Water will continue to look for additional grants and opportunities to help responsibly manage our ratepayer funds.”

Cal OES administers about $807 million in funds for homeland security, emergency management, public safety and victim services programs. Most funds are distributed to local and regional entities to allow them to effectively handle emergency situations and ensure safety for the communities two they serve. Out of the more than 230 districts that applied, SCV Water was one of only 96 that were chosen to receive an award.

For more information, visit yourSCVwater.com.

About SCV Water:
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 74,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on January 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found at www.yourSCVwater.com.

For more information, contact Kathie Martin, SCV Water communications manager, at kmartin@scvwa.org.