The Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) recently secured $126 million in funding from the California State Water Resources Control Board to construct a facility that will produce recycled water and offer additional community benefits. Through $119 million in low-interest loans and $6.7 million in grants for project design and construction, the SNRC will benefit more than 700,000 residents in the San Bernardino Valley. An estimated 800 temporary jobs will be created during construction, and indirectly contribute to 1,400 new positions around the community once the facility opens. SNRC will be supporting the statewide goal of creating more than one million acre-feet of recycled water by 2020, by recycling an estimated 10 million gallons daily.
“The Sterling Natural Resource Center is crucial to helping create a sustainable future for our community,” said East Valley Water District Chairman Chris Carrillo. “To receive these highly competitive funds reinforces the SNRC benefits, and moves us one step closer to beginning construction.”
The funding comes from the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) through a combination of Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Prop 1 Water Bond 2014 Funds. CWSRF provides low-interest loans to public agencies for planning, design, and construction of water recycling projects. Proposition 1 loans and grants are part of the $625 million recycled water project funding secured by voters in the 2014 Water Bond. To receive WRFP funding, projects must go through an extensive application and contribute to surface and groundwater storage, ecosystem restoration, or drinking water protection.
“This project will open the door for programs to enhance the quality of life for our community,” said John Mura, East Valley Water District General Manager/CEO. “The Sterling Natural Resource Center is a long-term investment will that create a new drought-proof water supply while also serving as a catalyst for new educational opportunities.”
The WRFP sets out to promote the beneficial use of water recycling in order to augment fresh water supplies for beneficial uses in California. The SNRC will recycle 3.65 billion gallons of water annually to be used for groundwater replenishment of the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin.
About Sterling Natural Resource Center
The Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) will be a state-of-the-art facility in Highland, Calif., that will provide a sustainable new water supply to boost the region’s water independence. Capable of treating up to 10 million gallons a day, the SNRC will recharge the local Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin and creates new opportunities for the surrounding community in the form of education and training, community space, neighborhood improvements, and a new habitat for the Santa Ana Sucker fish. Located on North Del Rosa Drive between East Fifth and East Sixth Streets.
About East Valley Water District East Valley Water District was formed in 1954 and provides water and wastewater collection services to more than 100,000 residents within the City of Highland and portions of both the City and County of San Bernardino. EVWD operates under the direction of a five-member elected Board.