Salud Carbajal

11/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/19/2024 14:24

Congressman Carbajal Announces Massive New $60,000,000 Investment in Ventura Water Project from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Today, Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) announced a new $60,400,000 grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the City of Ventura's large scale water recycling program VenturaWaterPure.

The grant is the largest in a $125 million round of investments rolled out this week by the Biden-Harris Administration to support large-scale water recycling projects.

"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is protecting the Central Coast's access to clean water for generations to come through investments like the ones announced this week. I'm proud of my work delivering this landmark law for communities like Ventura, and I am grateful for the dedication of the Biden-Harris Administration to continue rolling out these overdue investments in our infrastructure," said Rep. Carbajal. "I will keep working in Congress to protect this law's programs in the next Administration."

"We are deeply grateful to the United States Bureau of Reclamation for awarding a $60.5 million grant through the Large-Scale Water Recycling Program. This critical investment in the VenturaWaterPure project reflects a shared commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions that will strengthen our community's water security and resilience for generations to come. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Congressmember Carbajal for his unwavering support and advocacy, which played a key role in securing this funding. Collaborative partnerships like these are key to building a sustainable future for Ventura," said Bill Ayub, City Manager for the City of Ventura.

Rep. Carbajal and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited the construction on VenturaWaterPure last year. With today's announcement, the large-scale recycling project in Ventura has seen more than $75 million in federal investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

VenturaWaterPure is estimated to produce 3,600 acre-feet of recycled water annually.

"The President's Investing in America agenda is making transformational investments in climate resilience in communities across America," said Secretary Deb Haaland. "Through the Large-Scale Water Recycling program, the Department is ensuring that communities in the West have the resources they need to safeguard water supplies and ensure this precious resource is available for generations to come."

"This effort to diversify our tools by taking previously unusable water sources and turning them into new supplies will be instrumental in managing through drought," said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. "These historic investments are allowing these communities to build and expand infrastructure to recycle large amounts of water to meet growing needs."

Since its passage in 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has delivered more than $1 billion in funding to projects up and down the Central Coast of California. This summer, Rep. Carbajal toured some of those projects while touting the nine-figure milestone.

Rep. Carbajal helped write and pass the landmark law, the largest infrastructure investment in nearly a century, with the Biden-Harris Administration through his role as a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.