$92 million in stimulus money to aid Inland water recycling projects
Janet Zimmerman
The Press Enterprise
06/01/2009
Water agencies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties will reap more than $130 million in federal stimulus money, primarily for water recycling projects that will create hundreds of construction jobs starting this summer.
The funding is part of $440 million awarded to the state for "shovel-ready" projects. A small percentage of the awards were grants, but most are no- or low-interest loans to be paid back starting a year after project completion. Districts have received preliminary notice of the awards but still must sign contracts making it official.
Many water agency officials said they were disappointed because far less money was dedicated to water infrastructure than what was trumpeted when the Obama administration unveiled plans for the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In light of the state's water crisis, much more is needed, said John Rossi, general manager of Western Municipal Water District in Riverside.
"It just wasn't the money fest that everyone thought it was going to be early on," he said. "There are easily $1 billion in (needed) infrastructure projects in the Inland Empire, but no funding."
More money is expected to become available in the fall because some of the projects awarded statewide won't go forward, Rossi said.
Rossi's district is expected to get $4 million for the Chino Desalter, which removes salts and nitrates from otherwise unusable groundwater and and is expected to create about 50 jobs. Western has applications pending for another $24 million.
Most of the stimulus projects will be used to save drinking water by improving or completing facilities that pump tens of millions of gallons of recycled water daily to irrigate parks, schools, street medians, golf courses and farms. Water recycled from sewage treatment plants is an important tool for water districts trying to cope with the ongoing drought and court-ordered restrictions on pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The largest local award -- a 1 percent loan for $38.4 million -- is expected to go to Eastern Municipal Water District in Perris to improve and expand the 1970s-era Moreno Valley Regional Water Reclamation Facility, which pumps 16 million gallons a day of treated sewer water. Eastern is the fourth-largest user of recycled water in the state.
The two-year project is expected to begin this summer, creating 115 construction jobs and one full-time operations job with the district, said Bonnie Wright, the district's grant and loan administrator. The project was awaiting loan funding from the state, at 3.05 percent interest, when the plan for stimulus funds was announced.
"We're pretty excited about it, because it saved us $8 million" in interest, Wright said.
A more than $16 million, zero-interest stimulus loan will help complete a 34-mile recycled water pipeline in Beaumont and create about 100 jobs, said Joe Reichenberger, engineer for the Beaumont Cherry Valley Water District.
Almost 3 million gallons a day of recycled water are discharged into Cooper's Creek on the city's south side. The new loop of pipeline will allow that water to be used in municipal settings and ultimately will reduce how much drinkable water the district has to import, he said.
The low-interest, $38 million stimulus loan earmarked for Inland Empire Utilities Agency in Chino will be used to complete recycled water pipelines in western Fontana, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga and ultimately will save money for customers.
