Securing State and Federal Grants Keeps Projects and Water on Course
Just as the water that reaches Santa Ana faucets comes from miles away, ensuring its uninterrupted daily flow begins years in advance!
Not only are designing and engineering new Santa Ana Water infrastructure projects and rehabilitation programs years in the making, procuring the funding to construct, operate and maintain them requires advance planning too.
A few years ago the decision was made to ease the cost burden of having infrastructure enhancement coming solely from Santa Ana’s municipal budget, and seek support from State and Federal programs. We began by researching the funding programs available through California and U.S. agencies. Then, with the help of grant writing professionals, we drafted proposals, emphasizing how these projects were an essential investment in the long-term public health and safety of Santa Ana residents.
To date more than $6.5 million in direct support for water delivery systems and sustainability projects has been awarded to Santa Ana’s Public Works Agency. These State and Federal funds leave more of Santa Ana’s precious community assets available for other services and infrastructure needs.
Read this accompanying article for more information about these projects.
“The more successful we are at procuring this support from beyond our city limits,” said Water Resources Manager Cesar Barrera, “the better we’re able to keep water rates down within Santa Ana. It’s allowed us to keep the commitment we adopted with our last rate structuring. We pledged to prioritize long-term cost control by directing our energies to capital improvement and reinvestment in infrastructure.”
Below is an overview of current projects, and the sources and amounts of the funding received for them.
Current Water Projects and their Funding
- The AMI Project has received $4 million from the California Department of Natural Resources, and $1.5 million from the Federal Bureau of Reclamation.
- Another Federal Bureau of Reclamation grant, in the amount of $750,000, went to the Well 32 Rehabilitation Project.
- The Washington Well Project received $100,000 for engineering from Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority and $750,000 from the Federal Bureau of Reclamation for its construction.
- And, the SA-1 Federal Bureau of Reclamation is providing $300,000 to support Hydroelectric Improvements.