AVEK awarded over $1.23 million in grants to improve water supply reliability and quality

PALMDALE – Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency (AVEK) received notice from the California Department of Water Resources that AVEK was awarded $1,231,208 in Proposition 1 grant funding for two of the Agency’s proposed projects.

An award in the amount of $881,208 was received for AVEK’s South-North Intertie Pipeline Phase II Project (SNIP PH II) from a proposal submitted by Antelope Valley State Water Contractors Association (AVSWCA) on behalf of the Antelope Valley Regional Water Management (IRWM) group. AVSWCA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) which includes AVEK, Palmdale Water District (PWD), and Littlerock Creek Irrigation District (LCID).

The funding award for SNIP PH II, which requires AVEK to contribute matching funds, will support the construction of a major potable water pipeline intertie between the Agency’s newly constructed Westside Water Bank and the Quartz Hill Water Treatment Plant. The primary purpose of this intertie, which includes the construction of a 6.5-mile transmission pipeline and a high lift pump station, is water supply reliability. At project completion, the intertie will close a major infrastructure gap, providing a critical link that will allow the Agency to move water stored at the Westside Water Bank to other points within the Agency’s service area as well as move water from the Agency’s largest capacity treatment plant to the northern water transmission system.

Completion of SNIP PH II will increase resiliency against drought, State Water Project supply shortages or interruptions, major disasters such as earthquakes, and climate change impacts, through increased efficiency of banking programs. Additional benefits include reduced reliance on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, improved water quality and supporting the local economy through affordable housing and economic development.

Total project costs for SNIP PH II are estimated at $26,000,000. The Prop 1 grant award will be used for preliminary costs such as design and the Agency will continue to pursue grant funding to bring the project to completion.

An award in the amount of $350,000 was received for a proposal submitted by AVEK on behalf of the Fremont Valley IRWM for the completion of the Blending Intertie at Rosamond Water Treatment Plant. The project will significantly improve water quality in disadvantaged communities. For this reason, fund matching obligations for the Agency were waived and grant funds are estimated to cover nearly all project costs.

The project will enable the Rosamond Water Treatment Plant water to be blended with water recovered from the Westside Water Bank to reduce trihalomethanes (THM’s) and increase operational flexibility. THM’s are chemical compounds that commonly form as disinfection byproducts. Blended water will then be delivered to communities such as Boron, California City, Mojave and North Edwards, through AVEK’s North Feeder. The North Feeder also serves Edwards Air Force Base.

“Our Board has supported the aggressive pursuit of grant funding to advance on AVEK’s Strategic Plan goals, said AVEK’s General Manager, Dwayne Chisam. “This funding will enable us to increase the utility of our water storage and infrastructure systems, improving water supply reliability and quality while continuing to keep water rates affordable for our customers.”

Funds come from the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 to assist in financing projects that are included in or implemented in an adopted Integrated Regional Water Management Plan as specified in the State Water Code regarding Regional Water Security, Climate and Drought Preparedness.

[Information via news release from the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency.]

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