Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) has received a state grant for $300,000 that will allow the District to install an emergency backup generator on a well that serves nearly 25,000 residents in the East Valley.
CVWD’s award comes from a 2020-21 Community Power Resiliency program funded by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). The program aims to help special districts prepare for power outages in disadvantaged communities.
The well is located in Thermal and provides domestic water service and fire protection to the communities of Thermal, Mecca, Desert Shores, Salton Sea Beach, and Salton City.
Currently, if there were a power failure, a temporary backup generator must be transported to the site and connected by a CVWD crew to restore well operations.
The total cost to purchase and install the generator is estimated at $500,000, which means CVWD will also contribute funds to complete the project.
“The grant funds will help CVWD purchase a much-needed reliable backup generator to ensure we can continue to provide water to the local community in the event of a power outage,” said Engineering Manager Dan Ruiz. “This is a great example of the District saving ratepayer dollars by applying for state funding.”
More than 230 special districts applied for an award from the $20 million Cal OES grant program. Requests were limited to $300,000. CVWD was one of 96 districts that received an award.
