Improving Water infrastructure

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act makes the largest investment in clean drinking water in American history. The law is providing communities with the means to repair water infrastructure, improve water storage, and ensure access to safe, clean drinking water. Now, we are seeing shovels on the ground and federal dollars being disbursed to repair our aging water infrastructure.

Breakdown of Funding for Water Projects that is benefitting California's 21st Congressional District

Water Storage	$297,481,583
Aging Water Infrastructure	$1,093,832,795
Clean Drinking Water	$16,100,694
Groundwater Recharge	$65,290,783
Total Funding	$1,472,705,855

Water Storage and Drought Resiliency

The Infrastructure Law provides $8.3 billion for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure projects over five years to advance drought resilience and expand access to clean water for families, farmers, and wildlife.

B.F. Sisk Dam

B.F. Sisk Dam, also known as San Luis Dam, is a 380-foot-high zoned compacted earth-fill embankment located on the west side of Los Banos, California. The dam is more than 3.5 miles long and impounds San Luis Reservoir which has a total capacity of more than 2 million acre-feet.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we secured $100 million for the modification of B.F. Sisk Dam to add stability berms and other dam safety features, which will reduce downstream public safety concerns and reduce the likelihood of overtopping if slumping during a seismic event. To build on these efforts, we secured $25 million to pursue the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project, which will develop approximately 130,000 acre-feet of additional water storage.

In addition, $42.53 million was awarded through the Infrastructure Law to refurbish the San Luis Unit 8 motor generator, turbine, and butterfly valve as part of the Gianelli Power Plant a pumped-storage hydroelectric plant that is at the base of B.F. Sisk Dam. Since 2021, Costa secured $213 million to raise B.F. Sisk Dam.

San Joaquin Valley Canals

$15 million to install solar panels over the Delta-Mendota Canal as part of a larger initiative that would provide nearly 63 billion gallons of water could be saved by covering California’s 4,000 miles of canals with solar panels that could also generate 13 gigawatts of power.
$22.2 million for the Friant-Kern Canal to correct capacity constraints due to subsidence in Belmont Reach and below Orange Cove.
$25 million for the Delta-Mendota Canal to complete a required feasibility study, which is used for permitting and design costs after the competition.
$25 million for the planning, design, and implementation of the Delta-Mendota Canal Jones Pumping Plant Excitation Cabinet and Control Panel Refurbishment

Additional Projects:

$82 million for the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Phase II project to efficiently integrate approximately 115,000 acre-feet of additional storage through new conveyance facilities with existing facilities to allow Delta water supplies to be safely diverted, stored, and delivered to beneficiaries.
$30 million to help pursue the Sites Reservoir Project, which would be a 1.5 million acre-foot off-stream surface storage reservoir in the Sacramento River system located in the Coast Range mountains west of Maxwell, California. The reservoir would utilize new and existing facilities to move water into and out of the reservoir, with ultimate release to the Sacramento River system via existing canals, a new pipeline near Dunnigan, and the Colusa Basin Drain.
$4.7 Million for Groundwater Banking Joint Powers Authority’s Phase 1 of the Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project, which acquires 350 acres in Kern County for the construction and operation of recharge basins, recovery wells, and conveyance infrastructure. The storage capacity is nearly 28,000 acre-feet with an estimated average annual yield of 2,482 acre-feet.
$1 Million for Del Puerto Water District’s Orestimba Creek Recharge and Recovery Project, a small groundwater storage project in which water will be stored in a local aquifer in wet years and then used in dry years to provide agricultural water supply. The projected average annual yield is 1,485 acre-feet.

Clean Drinking Water

Nearly 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and childcare centers don't meet the standards to be considered clean and safe drinking water. By eliminating the nation's lead service lines and pipes, it will ensure that clean, drinking water is a right in all communities.

In 2023 so far, we have secured $391 million for the state of California for essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). This funding will be administered by the California Water Resources Board and help meet Californian's drinking water and wastewater needs.

The San Joaquin Valley will benefit from this essential funding, as the CWRB has identified and selected several communities to benefit from this funding for Fiscal Year 2023 including:

$14 million for the City of Parlier to pursue itsTrichloropropane (TCP) Removal Treatment Systems project.
$25 million for the City of Wasco to pursue its Water System Improvement & Treatment project.
$12 million for the City of Livingston to pursue its Trichloropropane (TCP) Removal Treatment Systems project.
$3 million for Arvin Community Services District to pursue its Trichloropropane (TCP) Treatment for Wells projects.

WaterSMART Grants

Through WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency grants, the Bureau of Reclamation provides a 50/50 cost share of funding to irrigation and water districts for projects to help conserve and use water efficiently. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have secured:

$2 million for the Fresno Irrigation District to pursue the Carter-Bybee Recharge Basin project.
$2 million for the Pixley Irrigation District to pursue Phase 1 of its Lateral #4 Expansion project.
$460,891 for the Porterville Irrigation District to pursue the Northwest Service Area Conjunctive Use Groundwater Recharge project.

Learn more about the Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART program and funding opportunities that local water districts and other entities may be eligible to apply.

Federal Grants & Funding Opportunities:

Addressing Drought Portal, an interactive platform that highlights Reclamation’s efforts and investments to mitigate drought impacts, increase drought resiliency, reduce reliance on declining water sources, and increase the efficiency of water deliveries.
WaterSMART Grants provide 50/50 cost-share funding to irrigation and water districts, tribes, states, and other entities with water or power delivery authority.
Find resources and information related to water infrastructure.