Rep. Susan Davis Announces $5.2 Million to Expand Sweetwater Drinking Water Facility

WASHINGTON – July 21, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D-San Diego) announced a $5.2 million federal grant for the Sweetwater Authority to expand a desalination facility. The grant from the Department of the Interior will go toward increasing the desalination capabilities of the Richard A. Reynolds Desalination Facility from 3,600 acre-feet per year (AFY) of water to 8,000 AFY.

“Increasing sources of reliable drinking water and our region’s water independence must be a priority,” said Davis. “California is in the grips of a historic drought and improving our water infrastructure will be key to surviving this drought and any future water shortages.”

The water produced by the facility provides drinking water to residents of Bonita, Chula Vista and National City. The City of San Diego is partnering with the Sweetwater Authority in the expansion and will receive half of the water produced.

In March, Davis led a letter also signed by Reps. Duncan Hunter, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas to the Department of the Interior urging the federal grant funding for Sweetwater.