Rep. Panetta Announces Over $31 million in Federal Grants for Local Water Projects

SALINAS, CA – Today, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced two federal grants for local water infrastructure projects funded through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Monterey One Water will receive $10,316,822 and Soquel Creek Water District will receive $20,925,000. Monterey One Water will use the funding for a Groundwater Replenishment Project and Soquel Creek Water District will use it for both a Groundwater Replenishment Project and Seawater Intrusion Prevention Project. The funding announced today is part of the $1 billion in WaterSMART Water Recycling and Reuse grants provided by the IIJA. During his work on and support for the bipartisan IIJA and the appropriations process, Rep. Panetta advocated for these types of grants specifically for our local water projects.

"As the Central Coast continues to feel the effects of the megadrought in the American West, the federal government can play it's part by ensuring the proper funding for agreed upon projects at the local level to save and secure more sources of precious water. An important part of the solution are our local water district projects that already recycle, reclaim, reuse, and replenish our water supply," said Rep. Panetta. "The more than $31 million in federal funding that we just got from the bipartisan IIJA for Monterey One Water and the Soquel Creek Water District will not only help bolster the productivity of those two projects, but it also demonstrates the will of the federal government to help us buoy our drought resiliency and water sustainability on the Central Coast."

"As a small agency addressing the urgent and costly task of protecting our groundwater supply from further seawater intrusion, we consider federal resources as vital to our success, allowing us to minimize the financial impact to our customers," said Dr. Tom LaHue, President, Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors. "We are pleased that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided this unique opportunity for us to accelerate financing for the Pure Water Soquel Project and are so grateful for the strong support of Congressman Panetta, who has been a champion for us from the inception of the project."

"We are grateful for being selected as a recipient of the WaterSMART Water Recycling and Reuse grants by the Bureau of Reclamation," said Paul Sciuto, General Manager of Monterey One Water. "This important funding will support the expansion of the Pure Water Monterey project. The Expansion will provide an additional 2,250 AF of much needed water supply to the residents and businesses of the Monterey Peninsula within the next two years."

Monterey One Water – $10,316,822
This grant will be used for a Groundwater Replenishment Project, which purifies reclaimed water to a quality that is better than bottled water and recharges the aquifer using that purified recycled water. The population served by Monterey One Water is around 250,000 residents and almost 7,000 business, and a significant amount of water supply is needed for food crop irrigation.

Soquel Creek Water District – $20,925,000
This grant will be used for both a Groundwater Replenishment Project and a Seawater Intrusion Prevention Project. The Soquel Creek Water District serves 40,600 residents in Aptos, La Selva Beach, Opal Cliffs, Rio Del Mar, Seascape, Soquel, and portions of the City of Capitola. The water supply is used for mostly residential purposes.