California receives $76 million WIFIA loan to increase Monterey County’s water system’s climate resiliency
(UI) – On Oct. 23, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox joined City of Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson and other local officials to announce a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to Monterey One Water. This $76 million loan will expand existing water reuse capacity from 5 million gallons per day to 7.6 million gallons per day while ensuring residents and businesses in the surrounding areas have a climate resilient water supply.
Since its creation, EPA’s WIFIA program has announced $19 billion in financing to support 113 projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure and creating tens of thousands of jobs.
“This project will provide vital drinking water and strengthen nearby water resources—including the Carmel River and the Seaside Groundwater Basin—while creating family-supporting jobs,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “With EPA’s WIFIA loan, additional funding from President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and investments by the State of California, this project exemplifies how federal, state, and local partnership can benefit communities.”
EPA’s WIFIA loan will save Monterey One Water approximately $15 million, while construction and operation are estimated to create 650 jobs. Additionally, Monterey One Water and Monterey Peninsula Water Management District have secured a combined $42 million in state and federal grants, including over $10 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which they estimate represents all construction-related costs for this project.
“Our water sources across our 19th Congressional District are very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and droughts,” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19). “Through this sizable federal loan to Monterey One Water, we are ensuring that the federal government plays its part by investing in our local infrastructure to bolster our water supply and enhance our sustainability efforts.”
“The board is complementing the WIFIA loan with a $15 million water recycling infrastructure grant for this project, illustrating how our combined efforts are keeping up the momentum we’ve built in the state to achieve our statewide recycling goals by 2030,” said E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board.
With this funding, Monterey One Water will increase production capacity at its Advanced Water Purification Facility and groundwater injection well site with additional treatment technology and infrastructure. Together, these upgrades will ensure a drought-proof supply of potable water and help protect the local aquifer from saltwater intrusion.
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program’s aim is to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.
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