The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Wednesday a $30 million loan to the city of Carlsbad to expand its water recycling facility.
The 1 percent federal loan will be coupled with $7 million from other funding sources to pay for the project, which will nearly double the plant's capacity to generate water for non-potable uses like irrigation and industrial uses.
The expansion project will involve the installation of 18 miles of pipe, as well as a new storage tank and 156 recycled water meters.
Once completed, Carlsbad will recycle and use all of its wastewater during the summer months, meeting nearly 33 percent of its water district's annual water needs, according to the EPA.
The loan was part of $182 million in funding the EPA announced for projects in California.
"This substantial investment at the federal level helps communities like Carlsbad provide sustainable sources of water in the face of California's historic drought," said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA regional administrator. "EPA is committed to protecting the state's water resources so critical to our environment, public health and economy."
He said the money will be used for water quality projects to reduce water pollution, improve municipal drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, make projects more sustainable by increasing water and energy efficiency, and provide technical assistance to communities.
