Riverside County Priorities Included in Final Water Legislation

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) announced the bipartisan agreement on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, S. 1811, included local Riverside County priorities. The bill is expected to be approved by the House and Senate this month.

"The Riverside County priorities I advocated for in WRDA, including the expansion of the South Perris Desalter project, will enhance our local water supply," said Rep. Calvert. "Our residents and our economy depend upon a safe and reliable water supply. The South Perris Desalter project already reduces our reliance on more costly sources of imported water. By expanding the project we will be able to shrink that reliance even further. I am also pleased the final bill includes a reauthorization of the Section 1043 program, which gives Riverside County flood control agencies the ability to move critical projects forward without costly delays."

South Perris Desalter

The project will increase potable water production of Eastern Municipal Water District's groundwater desalination system by constructing an advanced brine management facility. The facility will expand brine treatment and recovery capacity by using a state-of-the art reverse osmosis purification technology. The project also includes installing a transmission line system and development of a brackish well. Once constructed, the facility will provide an additional 6,000 acre feet per year of potable water.

Section 1043 Program

The Section 1043 Pilot Program authorized in 2014 was a major step toward enhancing local control of critical flood control projects. Unfortunately, this authority was allowed to expire in 2019, before most projects had an opportunity to take advantage of the program. The Army Corps of Engineers maintains a significant construction backlog across the country and federal requirements and bureaucratic delays lead to increased costs and uncertainty for communities in need of flood control infrastructure. Local leaders and non-federal sponsors understand their community's needs best and often can complete these projects faster and at a lower cost than the federal government. WRDA 2020 reauthorizes this important program that empowers local communities and will accelerate infrastructure development across the nation.