Borrego Sun - Since 1949

The Borrego Water District (District) Board will be discussing two important Agreements at its October 11 Meeting: A Grant Agreement with the California Department of Water Resources (“DWR”) to assist in financing projects associated with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program (“Program”) on a reimbursable basis. As well as a Sub-grantee Agreement with Local Projector Sponsors, including the Watermaster, to assist in reimbursement of their projects in the Borrego Springs Sub Basin associated with this Program.

In 2018, California voters approved Proposition 68, the Groundwater Treatment and Remediate Grant Program, which administered $75 million from Chapter 11.1 for grants for treatment and remediation activities that prevent or reduce the contamination of groundwater that serves as a source of drinking water. DWR is administering the Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation using funds authorized by Proposition 68 and the California Budget Act of 2021 for projects that encourage sustainable management of groundwater resources that support SGMA and/or invest in groundwater recharge projects with surface water, stormwater, recycled water, and other conjunctive use projects.

On the table is a $6,115,833 million dollar Grant from DWR for Proposition 68 funding of eight project components: 1) BWD – Grant Administration ($250,000); 2) BWD – Advanced Meter Infrastructure ($1,300,000); 3) BWD – Waste Water Treatment Plant Monitoring Wells ($206,500); 4) BS School District – Education Project ($384,000); 5) Borrego Valley Stewardship Council - Resiliency Strategy ($200,000); 6) BS Water Master – Biological Restoration of Fallowed Lands ($755,340); 7) Water Master - Monitoring, Reporting and Groundwater Management Plan Update ($1,983,250); and 8) UCI – Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem Identification, Assessment, & Monitoring ($1,036,743).

To accomplish the above, the District will enter into Sub Grantee Agreements with Local Project Sponsors to comply with the terms of the BWD-DWR grant agreement and meeting a variety of other obligations, including preparing required reports, timely submitting invoices, and indemnifying the District. The District will not be obligated to perform under the subgrantee agreement if DWR does not provide funding through the Grant Agreement. If the Local Project Sponsor fails to comply with any terms of the Sub Grantee Agreement or the Grant Agreement, the District, after proper notice and opportunity to cure within 10 days, may cease distribution of funding and terminate the sub-grantee agreement.

In addition, the Local Project Sponsors is responsible for the maintenance and operation of facilities and structures constructed or improved as part of their project; thus, neither the District nor DWR are liable for any cost of maintenance, management, or operation during any point of their project’s life. Accordingly, the District will incur no or very limited responsibility for the Local Project Sponsor and their projects. Final approval of the various Agreements is expected in November and the funds must be expended by March 2025.