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Reclamation Invests $7M in Water Efficiency Projects

The Bureau of Reclamation has announced a $7 million investment for 82 small-scale water efficiency projects across the West.

The grants will support local community projects, including measuring water flow, automating water delivery, or lining canals. The funding is part of the WaterSMART program, which supports states, Tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and avoid potential water conflicts.

“Community-driven projects are at the heart of WaterSMART, and small investments can go a long way to support water supply and reliability,” says Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “These water efficiency improvements are small, but when combined throughout the West, the projects play an important role in communities becoming more resilient to drought.”

East San Diego’s Approach to Water Resiliency

Building a legacy of water innovation takes years of planning, determination, leadership, partnerships — and funding. These elements have coalesced in East San Diego County, Calif., for an innovative and collaborative water reuse project.

Scheduled to be complete in 2025, the East County Advanced Water Purification Program (East County AWP) will create a new, local, sustainable and drought-proof potable water supply using state-of-the-art technology to purify the area’s recycled water. The program will generate up to 11.5 million gallons per day (MGD) of new water — meeting approximately 30 percent of current drinking water demands for East San Diego County residents.