SCV Water announced Monday that the agency has been granted $10.5 million in Proposition 1 grant funding from the California Department of Water Resources Integrated Regional Water Management Program.

The funds will go towards five local projects that focus on increasing the use of recycled water, managing stormwater and groundwater recharge, implementing water quality improvements, and enhancing the health of our local river ecosystem.

This is part of $37 million in grant awards released by DWR for water resilience projects in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. The program funds projects to help address California’s critical water needs and build regional self-reliance in the face of a changing climate.

“Every Californian has the right to clean and reliable water,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth in a recent press release. “We are proud to support these projects as they demonstrate our continued effort in advancing the human right to water.”

A Team Effort: The Grant Application Process

DWR’s IRWM grant process is a collaborative effort to identify and implement water management solutions on a regional scale. Working across jurisdictional boundaries, communities benefit from a regional approach.
To apply for grant funding on behalf of our watershed, SCV Water partnered with the City of Santa Clarita, L.A. County Department of Public Works, L.A. County Sanitation Districts and the Santa Clara River Conservancy.

“From grant application to award, this process took over a year of close coordination and communication with our partners to make sure we got everything right” said Principal Water Resources Planner Rick Viergutz. “This was a highly competitive process and we are excited to receive funds for these five projects that will benefit various aspects of our local water supplies
across the region.”

SCV Water’s Proposition 1 IRWM Grant Projects

DWR awarded grant funding for five projects seeking to improve water self-reliance and adapt to climate change in the region.

– SCV Water Recycled Water Project (Phase 2C) – $3 million

The project will add one more phase to the existing recycled water system, which provides recycled water for irrigation needs to reduce using potable water.

– Valencia Water Reclamation Plant Advanced Water Treatment Facility Enhanced Membrane System – $3 million
Partner: SCV Sanitation District of Los Angeles County

The project will construct advanced treatment facilities to meet regulatory water quality objectives (i.e. for chloride) and protect downstream reaches of the Santa Clara River and underlying groundwater basins.

– Los Angeles County Hasley Canyon Park Stormwater Capture Project- $1 million
Partner: Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

The project will construct stormwater capture facilities to divert and treat dry and wet weather flows for groundwater recharge and conservation.

– Mapping and Managing Invasive Weeds in the Santa Clara River Watershed – $365,840
Partners: City of Santa Clarita and Santa Clarita River Conservancy

The project will remove Arundo, an invasive plant, from the Santa Clara River watershed resulting in improved water supply through groundwater recharge. It will also increase water quality, improve the ability to manage wildfires and improve the local habitat and ecosystem.

– Newhall Memorial Park Stormwater Retrofit Project – $3 million
Partner: City of Santa Clarita

The project will install a large-scale regional infiltration facility for stormwater recharge underneath the park to treat and infiltrate stormwater for groundwater recharge. An additional $216,800 was awarded to SCV Water for multi-year grant administration, which includes coordination between SCV Water, project owners and the Department of Water Resources for submission of progress reports and required documentation, project and grant completion reports, and periodic invoicing required to draw down grant funding.

“We’ve worked really hard to get to this point,” said Viergutz. “And we’re just getting started. We’re looking ahead to implement these projects and improve the overall sustainability of our local water resources, now and for the future.”

Click here to view the final awards list for the Round 1 Integrated Regional Water Management Implementation Grant Solicitation.