Santa Barbara County officials will hold the first in a series of meetings on Dec. 6 in Buellton to discuss the county’s Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and the disbursal of $3.6 million worth of grants from the California Department of Water Resources.
This new funding will augment the $25 million already awarded to the county through several water bonds approved by voters since 2007.
A $555,000 planning grant will go toward updating the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, originally drafted in 2006.
County Water Agency spokesperson Matt Naftaly said the plan was updated once in 2008, but recent changes to government water management requirements call for another update. Water agency officials, along with a coalition of local organizations and individuals, plan to re-evaluate strategies outlined in the plan to address concerns about the environment and water supply and quality. They are seeking comments from the public.
The second grant, totaling $3.1 million, will help implement seven water-related projects throughout the county, including leak detection programs in Lompoc and Santa Maria, a Central Coast Water Authority infrastructure improvement project, a study analyzing the feasibility of using recycled water in Guadalupe, and more.
A full copy of the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan can be found online at countyofsb.org/pwd/pwwater.aspx?id=16852.
For more information about the plan and the Dec. 6 meeting, contact Naftaly at 568-3542.
News Briefs is compiled by Sun writers from staff reporting and local and national media. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Dec 1-8, 2011.