November 2014, Vol. 69, No. 11
Newsline
Santa Maria Gets Tech Assistance From EPA For Green Infrastructure, Water Quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is providing $67,000 in technical assistance to the city of Santa Maria, CA, to help it plan for water quality management.
EPA is providing similar assistance to four other communities nationwide to support integrated planning for municipal wastewater and stormwater management under the federal Clean Water Act.
“EPA is committed to helping communities protect their water quality, public health, their environment and their local economy,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Integrated planning is key for California cities to be able address water scarcity from drought and other challenges in the most efficient and effective way.”
The city of Santa Maria, CA, provides water, wastewater and stormwater services to more than 100,000 residents in Santa Barbara County. Faced with water quality challenges from urbanization, agriculture and natural pollution sources, the city proposes to develop a single integrated plan to tackle all of their water issues head-on. With technical planning assistance provided by the EPA, the city will prioritize its investment and green infrastructure decisions for environmental and public health benefits, while reducing costs to residents. The city will also develop a long-term funding strategy and a stakeholder involvement plan that addresses the community’s cultural challenges.
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