By Agencies
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The City of Ventura announced that after a national competitive solicitation process, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) awarded the City an additional $30 million under its WaterSMART large-scale water recyclingprogram to support the VenturaWaterPure project.
USBR Commissioner Camille Touton and Senator Alex Padilla announced this historic award in a formal ceremony alongside the Metropolitan Water District, Pure Water Southern California, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
These agencies received $159 million funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“The USBR funding is vital to the City’s long-term goal of drought-proofing our region. It offers much-needed support amidst inflation and rising costs. The assistance will contribute to our mission to deliver affordable, safe, and reliable water to our ratepayers while staying dedicated to environmental stewardship and ensuring a resilient water supply for all Ventura residents,” stated Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder.
VenturaWaterPure joins the many communities throughout California and globally in delivering purified recycled water, including San Diego, Monterey, Pismo Beach, and Orange County, which has operated a potable reuse facility for the last 40 years.
VenturaWaterPure is a multi-benefit program that will recover, treat, and reuse water currently discharged into the Santa Clara River Estuary.
This will create a new, local, drought-resilient water source that meets legal and regulatory requirements and is resilient to changing climate conditions.
“VenturaWaterPure is expected to deliver up to 20% of the City’s annual demand when fully operational,” said Ventura Water General Manager Gina Dorrington.
Federal support and financial backing continue to grow for VenturaWaterPure. In addition to the newly awarded $30 million grant, the program has received $18 million in funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and a $173 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These funds strengthen Ventura’s efforts to invest in locally developed water supply infrastructure.
“Grants like this are crucial in helping offset project costs, ensuring the successful implementation of VenturaWaterPure while minimizing the financial impact on local Ventura Water ratepayers,” said Ventura City Manager Bill Ayub. “The City remains committed to exploring all options, including pursuing outside funding and identifying cost-saving opportunities throughout the design and construction phases of the project.”
The history of the VenturaWaterPure Program began over two decades ago with a legal settlement with Heal the Bay and Ventura Coastkeeper – Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation in 2012.
VenturaWaterPure Program also supports compliance with federal and state regulations to divert wastewater discharges away from the Santa Clara River Estuary, restoring the area’s natural hydrology and environment, protecting endangered species by reintroducing natural habitats and preserving coastal ecosystems.
The VenturaWaterPure Program continues to move forward on critical components such as the ocean outfall, with the next step being to initiate the design of its Advanced Water Purification Facility. Meanwhile, Ventura Water is simultaneously preparing for critical structural upgrades to its reclamation facility through a membrane bioreactor project.
