State officially awards grant for Ducor water tank
The State Department of Water Resources officially allocated a grant of more than $1.6 million for a a new water tank for the Ducor Community Services District.
The department announced on Thursday the first phase of awards to 20 projects across the state to be funded through the Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program. A total of $53 million was awarded in the first round of grants. The grants are being provided to communities to help them deal with the impacts of drought conditions.
There have been $200 million set aside in the Multibenefitt Drought Relief Grant Program in this year’s state budget. The grants are for communities facing the loss or contamination of water. Ducor was one of 20 applicants out of 147 in the first phase to receive a grant. Fourteen of the 20 projects selected were for disadvantaged communities and Tribes.
“As we develop long-term strategies to address California’s changing climate and future dry conditions, we must take action now to assist local and regional agencies in managing through another historic drought,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “We remain committed to investing in our communities today to ensure a future built on safe and reliable water supplies and a healthy environment.”
DWR will continue to accept applications for the next phase of awards until midnight January 14. Due to high demand, applicants are encouraged to submit applications that satisfy all completeness, eligibility and technical review criteria, and are as responsive as possible to one or more of the three funding priorities.
Funding is currently available for public agencies, public utilities, Tribes, special districts, non-profit organizations, mutual water companies colleges, and regional water management groups. To date, the department has
received $850 million in project funding requests.
The program is one of several drought funding programs available through the state. For information about other DWR and state drought response efforts and funding programs visit: drought.ca.gov.
For questions about the Urban and Multi-benefit Drought Relief Grant Program, contact DWR at urbandrought@water.ca.gov.
The Ducor Community Services District will use its grant to replace its North Tank. The district stores its water in two tanks and the tank that will replace the North Tank will store 210,000 gallons of water.
The district looked at repairing the North Tank, but repairs needed were extensive, including replacing the flooring, re-coating the interior, improving the exterior surfaces and side shell and the tank also needed to be seismically retrofitted. The cost to repair the North Tank would be more than a new tank.
The new tank will help maintain water reliability, improve water storage and operation and meet customer needs more efficiently. The Ducor Community Services District also can’t meet the community’s needs with just one tank.
Officials have stated the new tank is urgently needed to meet the district’s customers’ needs, especially during times of drought.
The new tank will also help in firefighting efforts.
The grant is needed as the district doesn’t have funding for the project. The option of raising water rates also isn’t possible as residents are challenged with paying existing water bills.