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Rep. Zoe Lofgren has secured seven provisions relating to local water issues, which could bring as much as $15 million to San Benito County to pay for the San Juan Bautista Water and Hollister Downtown Water Line Replacement Projects. The projects are included in the biannual authorization of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program as the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024.
The bill, expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden by the end of the month, was passed in a 97-1 vote in the Senate and a 399-18 vote in the House of Representatives. However, Congress must still appropriate the money to pay for the projects.
A press release from Lofgren’s office quotes her as saying: “Proper water infrastructure—that prevents contamination, allows for clean drinking water, and reduces flood risk—is a basic need in communities. I will continue advancing measures essential for California’s 18th Congressional District.”
Four of the seven provisions specify funding for projects in the district:
- The Watsonville Wastewater Treatment and Downtown Pipes Projects—$28 million
- The Salinas Industrial Wastewater Treatment Project—$20 million
- The San Juan Bautista Water Supply Project—$10 million
- The Hollister Downtown Water Line Replacement Project—$5 million
The other three provisions relate to studies of critical water issues in the district:
- San Benito’s Soap Lake Storage Improvements Feasibility Study
- Salinas River Flood Risk Management Study
- San Francisco Bay Area Comprehensive Sea Level Rise Study
The press release detailed the projects within San Benito County:
San Juan Bautista Water Supply The city of San Juan Bautista has struggled to provide safe drinking water because there is excessive groundwater salt content. The city will use the federal funding on a cost-effective solution that connects its water system to the nearby San Benito County Water District. The import of water will dilute the City’s groundwater to have acceptable salt content levels.
Hollister Downtown Water Line Replacement The downtown area of the city of Hollister is currently served by old, brittle cast iron water pipes. These pipes have experienced frequent water main breaks, in part due to seismic activity from the nearby Calaveras fault. Additionally, the current water supply system does not meet fire code flow regulations. The federal funding will allow the City to replace the cast iron lines with modern PVC pipes to substantially improve the City’s water distribution system.
San Benito’s Soap Lake Storage Improvements San Felipe (Soap) Lake in San Benito County is a seasonally-intermittent lake in the upper Pajaro River watershed. The lake, which fills during times of high rain, serves to regulate flows released into the Pajaro River. The Pajaro River has repeatedly flooded, most recently during the March 2023 atmospheric river storms. The study will examine the feasibility of increasing the detention and/or retention volume within Soap Lake for flood risk reduction downstream of the lake.
More money coming to SBC
Lofgren told BenitoLink that she has earmarked another $3 million for the San Juan Bautista Drinking Water Supply Regionalization project as one of the 15 Community Project Funding requests members of Congress are allowed each year.
Other requests include:
- $15 million for the Council of San Benito County Governments’ State Route 25 Expressway Conversion Project
- $2.5 million for Hollister’s Community Accessibility and Pavement Rehabilitation Project
- $10 million for Hollister Municipal Airport Improvements
- $14 million for the repaving of Cienega Road
- $2 million for San Benito County Radio Infrastructure Communications
Lofgren stressed that funding these projects would require passing an appropriations bill, a process she said was “a complete mess” at the moment.
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