House Approves Funding for Local Water Projects

May 24, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, voted tonight to approve legislation containing critical funding for the San Gabriel Basin Water Restoration Fund and the Inland Empire Regional Recycling Initiative. The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, H.R. 2419, was approved with strong bipartisan support 416-13.

"This additional funding will help continue the importation work of the San Gabriel Fund," Dreier said. "The Fund is a fantastic example of all levels of government working together for the good of the citizenry. I’m very pleased we were able to secure this additional funding and look forward to working with the Senate to keep it in the final version of the bill."

The legislation approved today contains an additional $10 million in new funding for the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund. To date, Congress has provided $59.5 million to the Fund. The San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund, which was created by legislation sponsored by Dreier in 1999, is administered cooperatively by the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Federal and non-federal monies contributed to the Fund are being used to design, construct, operate and maintain water projects to contain and treat the groundwater contamination in the San Gabriel and Central Groundwater Basins. The San Gabriel Groundwater Basin covers more than 160 square miles in Los Angeles County and is the primary source of drinking water for over 1.2 million people.

Additionally, the bill provides $1 million to two new water recycling projects in the Inland Empire. The projects will produce approximately 100,000 acre-feet of new water annually in one of the most rapidly growing regions in the United States. The Inland Empire Water Recycling Initiative, H.R. 802, Dreier legislation authorizing these two projects, was approved by the House earlier this month.

"These innovative recycling projects are paving the way for better water management," Dreier said. "They are implementing cutting edge technology to recycle our water and reduce our dependence on expensive, imported water. This is the first time these projects are receiving federal funding, and I believe they are worthy of the support."