New state-funded surface water treatment facility will reduce dependence on groundwater for Turlock and Ceres

SACRAMENTO – The State Water Resources Control Board joined the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority (SRWA) today to celebrate the completion of the Regional Surface Water Supply Project, a facility that treats surface water from the Tuolumne River to produce 15 million gallons per day of drinking water for the cities of Ceres and Turlock, reducing the reliance on groundwater for about 121,000 people.

“This project is an example of how we can reduce stress on groundwater basins in the Central Valley by diversifying the sources available to meet drinking water needs,” said Dorene D’Adamo, vice chair of the State Water Board. “We at the board are proud to support projects that further the goals of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act by helping to bring our groundwater basins into balance.”

The board funded nearly $213 million of the project’s total cost of $230 million. This funding was drawn from a low-interest, $185 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and a nearly $28 million grant from the Groundwater Sustainability Funding Programs (Prop 68). The SRF low-interest loan saved the Water Authority at least $100 million it would have incurred through municipal bond financing.

“This is a major project that the board’s financial assistance put within reach for us,” said Christopher Fisher, General Manager for the authority. “Thanks to that support, we have been able to diversify our water sources and boost our region’s resilience while allowing our basin to recharge.”

Through collaborative partnership between the authority and the Turlock Irrigation District, the project diverts surface water from the Tuolumne River through an existing infiltration gallery, then pumps it through a new transmission pipeline to the new treatment plant. The raw water is treated at the plant and distributed to the regional partners.

As of today, the plant begins providing drinking water to residents in Turlock and Ceres comprised of both groundwater and surface water. Of the 15 million gallons of drinking water the plant can produce, 5 million is allocated to Ceres and 10 million is allocated to Turlock; this is the same amount of water that will no longer be drawn from the San Joaquin Valley groundwater basin to meet drinking water needs. The project is designed to facilitate future expansions, which could eventually generate up to 45 million gallons of water per day.

Inclusive of this project, the board has provided over $281 million in financial assistance to projects in Stanislaus County since 2019, including $247 million for drinking water,

$16 million for wastewater management, and $18 million for stormwater projects.

More information about the board’s Division of Financial Assistance can be found on its website.

The State Water Board’s mission is to preserve, enhance and restore the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment, public health, and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper resource allocation and efficient use for present and future generations.