Harvest Water is California’s newest and largest agricultural water recycling project
Reclamation leadership at Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District with Regional Sanitation District staff
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Reclamation recently awarded the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District $29.9 million to help fund Harvest Water. The recycled water program will provide a safe and reliable supply of tertiary-treated water to agriculture and habitat lands in southern Sacramento County, while also reducing the reliance on groundwater pumping and resulting in increased groundwater levels.
In August 2022, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton announced the allocation of $309.8 million in funding from the President’s Investing in America agenda for the planning, design and construction of water reuse projects across the country. Approximately $24.1 million from this contract comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with the remaining funding from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act.
Through BIL, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including water purification and reuse, water storage and conveyance, desalination, and dam safety.
The announcement comes on the heels of a visit from Reclamation leadership to Sacramento, California this week. Senior Advisor to the Commissioner Roque Sanchez and Assistant Deputy Commissioner Mat Maucieri toured Regional San’s EchoWater Facility and visited other Reclamation infrastructure that is slated for BIL-funded improvements.
“We are pleased to make this investment from Reclamation’s Title XVI Program for this important water reuse program for the Sacramento region to help diversify their water supply in a changing climate,” said Reclamation Senior Advisor Roque Sanchez.
Harvest Water represents one of the largest agricultural water reuse projects in the United States. Once complete, it will provide up to 50,000 acre-feet per year of drought resistant water to irrigate up to 16,000 acres of permanent agriculture and habitat conservation lands near the Cosumnes River Preserve and Stones Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Sacramento County.
“Being awarded these funds helps Regional San in our efforts to increase recycled water use in the Sacramento region,” said Regional San’s General Manager, Christoph Dobson. “Recycled water provides a safe and sustainable water supply for agriculture, irrigation, and habitat improvements. It also reduces the need for groundwater pumping, a critical need in California’s current climate.”
Learn more about Harvest Water at www.regionalsan.com/harvestwater.
