In California, the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) announced that it is providing gap funding to help the Cabazon Water District maintain a dependable supply of drinking water for its 2,270 residents.
The gap funding will help the district pay for grant-funded system improvements up front while it waits for the state to reimburse its work. The district was awarded two grants through various state funding programs for two drinking water improvement projects. The grants aim to help modernize the water delivery system of a disadvantaged community, and support the area’s regional efficiency, supply management, and future groundwater production.
“The district was grateful to the state for the grant support but was struggling to pay the upfront costs for the work,” says Michael Pollack Cabazon Water District’s general manager.
Without backing from SGPWA, the district was at risk of losing the grants, which cover 100 percent of the cost of the following projects:
- Isolation Valve Improvement Project – A $1.2 million project to replace and install 105 valves on existing water distribution pipelines. The valves will improve system reliability and decrease water usage during maintenance activities.
- Well Improvements Project – A $499,000 grant for groundwater well improvements, including well testing, well refurbishment design, and transmission line design for future projects.
Gap funding allows agencies to advance necessary project funds while waiting for state reimbursement. It is not uncommon for small water systems to not have the cash reserves to cover project costs during the state’s reimbursement “gap” period, putting the grant awards at risk. As such, gap funding is often a critical element in getting grant monies to disadvantaged communities. SGPWA will provide up to $800,000 per reimbursement cycle to the district, which will later be repaid to the Agency.
Cabazon Water District and SGPWA are collaborating with other local partners on regional water issues and solutions. The agencies are members of the San Gorgonio Pass Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and helped develop the San Gorgonio Pass Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). The district’s projects support the efforts of the GSA to maintain healthy groundwater basins and meet the objectives of the IRWMP.
“One of the region’s most vulnerable water systems was in a position to lose hard-earned grant funding from the state,” says Kevin Walton, SGPWA’s director. “We need to support each other where we can, when we can.”
