OCWD secures $2.2m Senate WRDA authorization and federal PFAS grants

OCWD secures $2.2m Senate WRDA authorization and federal PFAS grantsThe California utility is positioning itself for future project planning and continued PFAS mitigation following key inclusions in pending federal spending bills.

The Senate WRDA bill includes a $2.22 million authorization for OCWD environmental infrastructure, enabling future planning with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

OCWD secured approximately $1.45 million in EPA Community Project Funding grants from Representatives Young Kim and Lou Correa for PFAS cleanup.

The utility continues to advocate for a water sector exemption from CERCLA liability in upcoming lame-duck session negotiations.

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) is advancing its federal funding strategy after securing a $2.2 million authorization in the Senate’s Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill, alongside nearly $1.45 million in federal grants targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) cleanup. During the August 6 meeting of the district's Communications and Legislative Liaison Committee, federal advocate Eric Sapirstein confirmed the inclusion of $2,222,000 for OCWD environmental infrastructure in the Senate WRDA text. The authorization covers water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, including water supply and groundwater recharge. Sapirstein noted that while the figure serves as initial seed funding, it provides OCWD with the flexibility to initiate planning and design work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for upcoming initiatives, potentially including sediment removal activities. The Senate inclusion positions the district favorably for upcoming conference committee negotiations with the House, whose version of the WRDA bill currently lacks a corresponding environmental infrastructure authorization for OCWD. In addition to the WRDA progress, the district has secured Community Project Funding grants to support its ongoing PFAS mitigation efforts. The funding includes $700,000 championed by Representative Young Kim and $746,868 from Representative Lou Correa, channeled through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). The Senate WRDA bill also explicitly makes PFAS treatment needs eligible for SRF funding assistance, a move that aligns with the district's extensive treatment program. Looking ahead to the post-election lame-duck session, OCWD is closely monitoring negotiations surrounding PFAS liability. The district is advocating for a statutory exemption for water and wastewater systems from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Sapirstein indicated that an amendment introduced by Senator Pete Ricketts to protect passive receivers from third-party litigation remains pending, as bipartisan negotiations continue in an effort to reach a compromise that shields water agencies from cleanup liabilities.