Pismo Beach and Morro Bay allotted $23 million in federal infrastructure funds

August 19, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

The federal goverment announced Thursday the allocation of more than $23 million in infrastructure funding for recycled water projects in Pismo Beach and Morro Bay, according to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $8.3 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure projects. Of that, $309.8 million is slated to be used for the planning, design and construction of water reuse projects.

The plan is to increase water availability and combat drought.

The federal government has allocated $14,124,000 for Pismo Beach’s Central Coast Blue. The state is in line to provide an additional $7 to $8 million for the project expected to cost $55 million.

After years of negotiations, the cities of Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach agreed on plans for a recycled water project to bring an additional annual 1,000 acre feet of water to the South County cities, even during droughts. Another benefit would be the injection of recycled water into the basin, which could help protect against seawater intrusion.

On Thursday, Haaland also announced a $9,310,095 allotment for Morro Bay.

Morro Bay’s water reclamation facility is slated to provide a safe and reliable water source for the city’s homes and businesses. In addition to creating a drought buffer, the facility is expected to provide up to 80% of the city’s future water needs.

“Water is essential to everything we do and it will take all of us, working together, to address the significant drought impacts we are seeing across the West,” Haaland said. “As the climate crisis drives severe drought conditions and historically low water allocations, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making historic investments to address water and drought challenges and invest in our nation’s western water and power infrastructure.”