Water Authority Supports Regional Funding Programs
The Water Authority administers, supports and funds cost-effective programs related to natural resources, water-use efficiency, water recycling, potable reuse, water quality technologies, groundwater, stormwater, climate change response, flood management and water-related public engagement throughout the region.
Opportunities
San Diego Integrated Regional Water Management Program
The San Diego IRWM Program conducts regional planning that is compiled in the San Diego IRWM Plan and secures grant funding to achieve goals established in the Plan. Grant funding has been provided by the following three voter-approved bond measures and the state’s budget:
- Proposition 50 (2002)
- Proposition 84 (2006)
- Proposition 1 (2014)
- Budget Act of 2021
Grant funding awarded to the program is administered by the Water Authority on behalf of the Regional Water Management Group, which comprises the Water Authority, City of San Diego and County of San Diego. The management group is advised by a 32-member committee that represents the diversity of public, non-profit and tribal stakeholders involved in regional water management. The 78 projects that have received $116.8 million in IRWM grant funding have been or are being implemented by public agency, tribal and non-profit sponsors.
The IRWM Program anticipates receiving an additional $16 million from the second round of Proposition 1 grant funding by early 2023. The Program will continue to administer regional projects within the next five years and is committed to finding new funding opportunities to aid projects with multi-benefit impacts to the region.
Local Resources Program
Administered by the Water Authority and funded by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, this program underwrites local recycled water, groundwater recovery, and seawater desalination projects during the initial years of operation. The program provides incentives of up to $475 per acre-foot for qualified projects.