Zone 7 applies for $500,000 grant from state

In order to better plan for safeguarding and preserving the Livermore-Amador Valley water supply, Zone 7 Water Agency is turning to the state and applying for a $500,000 grant that would help achieve their goals.

Zone 7 is the sole Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the Livermore Valley Groundwater Basin, which it has overseen for more than 45 years.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) signed off on Zone 7’s Alternative Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) earlier this year — “a significant recognition of the Agency’s proactive policies of managing groundwater,” according to Zone 7. The agency is only one of nine in the state with alternative plans accepted under criteria established by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

To continue maintaining and managing the Alternative GSP, Zone 7 must issue an update on their five-year plan by January 2022, which is estimated to cost around $625,000.

Funding assistance from the state for agencies with approved Alternative GSPs was recently announced, and Zone 7 staff immediately jumped on the opportunity. The grant provides $200,000 to $500,000, with a mandatory 25% in-kind match from the chosen agencies. Zone 7 has sought the entire $500,000, and is contributing about $125,000 on their end.

Ratepayers could see “sizeable savings” if Zone 7 is awarded the grant, the agency said. The draft list of grant awardees is expected to be posted in January and be finalized by March.

To learn more about the groundwater basin managed by Zone 7, SGMA and the Alternative GSP, visit https://sgma.water.ca.gov/portal/alternative/print/2.