2 SLO County water projects get more than $23 million total from Biden administration
Two San Luis Obispo County water recycling projects are getting big boosts in funding from the federal government.
Morro Bay’s water reclamation facility project was allocated more than $9.3 million and Pismo Beach was allocated $14.1 million for the Central Coast Blue project from the U.S. Department of the Interior on Thursday.
The funds come from a total allocation of $309.8 million from President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, which he signed into law in November. The project selected for funding are expected to aid communities drought resiliency by supplying additional clean water for residents.
“Water is essential to everything we do and it will take all of us, working together, to address the significant drought impacts we are seeing across the West,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in a prepared statement on Thursday. “As the climate crisis drives severe drought conditions and historically low water allocations, President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making historic investments to address water and drought challenges and invest in our nation’s western water and power infrastructure.”
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton echoed Haaland’s sentiments and praised the federal allocation of funds.
“This has tangible impacts and can help feed families, grow crops, sustain wildlife and the environment and help more families access safe, clean, reliable water,” she said in a prepared statement on Thursday. “These projects will provide flexibility for communities and help them stretch their current drinking supplies as they will be treating wastewater that continues to be available.”
Two SLO County projects to supply recycled water to residents
The two projects in San Luis Obispo County have been in the works for years and are in different stages of completion.
The new Morro Bay water treatment facility is expected to be operational by early 2023, according to Scott Collins, city manager. By 2025, the project’s potable water component as well as the wells that will inject recycled water into the groundwater basin should be online, Collins added.
“We are grateful to receive this $9.3 million grant funding as we complete construction of key components of the City’s largest-ever infrastructure project,” Collins said in a written statement. “Receiving this additional federal funding for the WRF Program was a team effort by the Mayor, City Council, City staff, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Salud Carbajal that will help bring an additional water source to our community at a critical time.”
The Morro Bay water reclamation facility is expected to supply about 825 acre-feet of water each year to the city — or enough for up to 80% of its needs.
The Central Coast Blue project, which received about $14.1 million in federal funds, is in the early design phase and expected to come online by 2025. The water treatment project will likely provide 900 to 1,000 acre-feet per year of fresh water for Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Oceano and the county.
“Without this money, this project would still be a dream,” said Jim Lewis, the city manager for Pismo Beach, adding that it will fund about 20% of the project’s projected cost.
Water recycling projects vital for drought resiliency
The projects in Morro Bay and in southern San Luis Obispo County are vital due to the ongoing drought’s detrimental impacts on state and local water supplies.
The Morro Bay water reclamation facility will give the city another needed water source. Currently, the city of about 10,500 gets water from a few groundwater wells and the State Water Project, which has allocated only 5% of the amount requested by water purveyors due to dwindling reservoirs.
The city is in a “severely restricted” water supply condition and has imposed mandatory water conservation measures due to the lack of supply. Among other restrictions, residents of Morro Bay cannot use sprinklers to water landscapes between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and can water on only two days of the week.
The Central Coast Blue project will help bolster supply and stave off sea water intrusion in the Santa Maria River Valley groundwater basin — which has seen declining levels due to a lack of rainfall — by injecting treated wastewater into the ground over the basin.
South County cities rely on a mix of groundwater, Lopez Lake and State Water Project for their water needs.
Lopez Lake was at about 25% capacity on Friday, down from 30% capacity at the beginning of this year. The reservoir is expected to hit 10,000 acre-feet in storage by later this fall — which would slash deliveries to municipalities by 20%, up from the 10% cuts currently imposed on the purveyors.
Cities in the South County region have imposed mandatory water restrictions on residents due to the drought.
Drought conditions are expected to continue throughout the fall, according to the National Weather Service. San Luis Obispo County is in “extreme” or “severe” drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
This story was originally published August 20, 2022 at 11:00 AM.
