Paso Robles secures grants for new recycled water system
PASO ROBLES, Calif. – The City of Paso Robles has received a $9,730,000 grant to construct a new recycled water distribution system.
The grant is funded by California's Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and a low-interest loan.
The project includes:
- A new major pump station at the Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Plant near the Salinas River
- Four-and-a-half miles of large diameter water pipeline
- A 900,000-gallon concrete tank near Barney Schwartz Park
“This recycled water infrastructure is very important for the future of Paso Robles. Recycled water will further diversify the City’s water supplies, help restore balance to our groundwater basin, and support continued economic prosperity," explained Paso Robles' Recycled Water Manager Matt Thompson. "Much like today’s City leaders look back at previous leaders and are grateful for their bold efforts to complete the Nacimiento Water Pipeline, I believe future generations will look back and be grateful our leaders had the foresight to complete this recycled water system.”
With financing in place, the next steps for the projects are completing plans for construction and securing easements. Paso Robles plans for the bidding process to be completed and construction started by the end of 2023.
In addition to improving the balance of the area groundwater basin, the city intends to sell the recycled water for irrigation. Those sales will cover the cost of maintenance and be used to pay back the construction loan, the city details.
San Luis Obispo County Director of Groundwater Sustainability Blaine Reely said, “This project represents the first significant source of supplemental water that irrigators can use to reduce their reliance on groundwater and allow us to move forward aggressively to bring the Paso Basin into a sustainable condition.”
