Western Municipal Water District wins grant to improve California infrastructure

The California Department of Health has awarded a $51m state grant to the Western Municipal Water District (WMWD) to enable an increase in pumping capacity from desalinisation plants that supply water to Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California, US.

Funds are being provided under the Southern California Projects programme, put forward to reduce the water demand on the Colorado River.

Western board member and Chino Basin Desalter Authority representative Charles Field said, "Receiving a grant of this size shows how critical water supply stability is to our region’s future."

"We’re grateful for the Department of Public Health’s analysis and historic support of this project; it’s a significant contribution toward a secure local water supply," added Field.

Funds secured by the WMWD will be used for the expansion of the Chino I and Chino II desalter facilities, which currently pump 24m gallons of drinking water daily.

The plants remove salt, dissolved minerals and other deposits from groundwater to make it potable.

A multi-stage expansion initiative, worth $103m, is currently underway and the new grant will help provide an additional ten million gallons of water every day.

Most of the water in this region is currently supplied from California Bay-Delta or the Colorado River, which in recent times has become less reliable as a long-term solution to its water needs.

This project and other future ventures will help the region become self-sustainable and reduce its dependence on imported water.