Reported Late Wednesday April 12, California Water Service Receives $4,274,800 Grant From Department Of Water Resources To Connect Struggling, Disadvantaged Water Systems To Its Salinas System

California Water Service (Cal Water) announced today that it has received a $4,274,800 grant from the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to connect several disadvantaged communities' systems near Middlefield Road in the Salinas Valley with Cal Water's Salinas District system.
 

"We are committed to protecting our customers' health and safety, but not all communities have access to a clean, reliable water supply," said Marty Kropelnicki, Cal Water President and CEO. "We thank the Department of Water Resources for providing the funding to connect the struggling systems around Middlefield Road to our Cal Water Salinas system and make this important project a reality. We look forward to the opportunity to provide them the safe, reliable, affordable water supply everyone should have."

The grant, part of DWR's Small Community Drought Relief Program, will be used to consolidate 195 customer connections in Gabilan, Lagunita, Trihorn, Livingston, Morris, and Martin with the Cal Water system. Grant funding will go toward engineering, design, environmental mitigation, construction, and other related costs to install about 7,300 feet of water main and extend water service to the communities.

Cal Water also partnered with the Rural Community Assistance Corps, which worked on behalf of the communities through the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program, to secure the grant. Cal Water expects to complete the project by the second quarter of 2025.