Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program – NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!
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Implementation Update October 2024

The Safe, Clean Water Program funds stormwater initiatives that improve water quality, increase our local water supply, and provide community benefits, like green spaces and parks. The program cultivates regional and community partnerships and prioritizes historically underserved communities.

This newsletter provides important updates on the Regional, Municipal, and District Programs, designed to help our community stay informed and engaged. For further information on regional proposals, including those that are funded and under consideration, please visit our projects webpage.

We look forward to our ongoing collaboration as we remain dedicated to implementing and refining the Safe, Clean Water Program. Your input and feedback are crucial to us, and we appreciate your valuable opinions. Feel free to share any comments or questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Key Dates to Know

Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program – NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

The LA County Flood Control District is partnering with the Water Foundation to administer the Safe, Clean Water Public Education and Community Engagement Grants Program. The program will support education and community engagement efforts related to stormwater and urban runoff capture within the LA County Flood Control District. Applicants may submit proposals from now until May 31, 2025. Proposals will be evaluated and awarded on a rolling basis.

Water Foundation will host an informational Zoom session on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 from 2pm to 3pm, where prospective grantees can learn more about the program and ask questions. This session will be recorded and posted on the Water Foundation’s website for those unable to attend. REGISTER HERE.

Additionally, the Water Foundation will host two informal office hour sessions where you can drop in to ask questions about the program or your proposal. These calls are scheduled for:

  • Friday, October 4 from 11am to 12pm
  • Wednesday, October 9 from 12pm to 1pm

Registration in advance is not required for office hours. For more information and to submit an application, visit the Water Foundation’s website.  We encourage all eligible parties to apply for funding!

Project Highlight

Ladera Park Stormwater Capture Project, located in Central Santa Monica Bay
Watershed Area, includes new stormwater infrastructure to capture and treat
stormwater to improve water quality. This Project can infiltrate up to 13
million gallons of stormwater and urban runoff annually and can provide an
average of 149,000 gallons of irrigation water each year, increasing local
water supply. Additionally, the Project provides educational opportunities for
the community through a demonstration garden featuring native and
drought-tolerant landscaping, and educational signage located throughout the
Project site.

Adaptive Management

Watershed Planning

The SCW Program Watershed Planning Team heard valuable perspectives from members of all nine Watershed Area Steering Committees (WASCs) during the first round of Watershed Planning Workshops. Their compiled feedback, along with information from previously funded SCW Program projects and other key planning efforts, will shape the development of Watershed Area specific opportunity areas and priorities that will be reflected in the Initial Watershed Plans (to be completed in May 2025). In the coming months, the Watershed Planning discussions will continue during additional Workshops with WASCs and through engagement with other interested parties. Please refer to the WASC weblinks on the SCW Program website for upcoming meeting dates where you can learn more about Watershed Planning progress to date. For questions regarding the ongoing Watershed Planning efforts, please email watershedplanning@pw.lacounty.gov.             

Regional Program

Request for Statement of Qualifications for On-Call Safe, Clean Water Program – Watershed Coordinator Services

Public Works has released a Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) for the On-Call Safe, Clean Water Program – Watershed Coordinator Services (BRC0000529).  This program will award a total of 12 contracts, each with a maximum term of 5 years, consisting of an initial 1-year term and up to four 1-year renewals. Each contract’s annual amount is limited to $200,000, while North Santa Monica Bay Watershed Area is limited to $100,000. 

For more information, including contract specifications, forms, submission instructions, and informational updates, please visit the website HERE.  The deadline to submit the Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is Thursday, October 31, 2024, at 5:30 pm. 

Regional Oversight Committee

The ROC conducts regular meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The next meeting will occur on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 1:00PM and will discuss Municipal Program efforts.  All are welcome to join virtually or in-person. Additional meeting details will be posted ROC events webpage as they become available.

The ROC has reviewed and recommended approval of each SIP to the Board of Supervisors. You may review the SIPs HERE along with the executive summaries for the Infrastructure Program Projects.

The ROC members are looking to host their meetings at various locations across Los Angeles County. If your agency or municipality is interested in hosting a meeting, please contact the Regional Oversight Committee Executive Clerk at SCWP_ROC_ExecClerk@pw.lacounty.gov to discuss the logistics.

Funding Report

The Q1 Funding Report has been posted to the SCW Program website under the Resources tab. In support of Public Works, the Regional Coordination team prepares quarterly funding reports that include a high-level overview of recent funding policy highlights and a funding matrix that shares currently active and upcoming funding opportunities that may be relevant to SCW Program projects. You may view the funding report HERE.

Municipal Program

Renewal of Municipal Transfer Agreements

The SCW Program recently updated the Reporting Module to streamline the renewal process for Municipal Transfer Agreements (TAs). SCW Program payments were generally available for disbursement by Tuesday, December 31, based on the timing of revenues collected by the program. As a result, any minor delays in renewing the Transfer Agreements are not anticipated to affect eligibility or the disbursement schedule for funds.

District Program

Credit Trading Program

The SCWP continues to work towards launching the Credit Trading Program. This Credit Trading Program will allow eligible parcels to generate/sell or purchase credits to be used towards the purchasing parcel’s Safe Clean Water assessment. The Procedures and Guidelines document will be available for a 30-Day Public Comment period in October 2024.  A stakeholder workshop on WebEx scheduled for Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 10:00 am will accompany the public comment period.

Interested in tracking the Safe, Clean Water Program Watershed Coordination events happening in your community? Check out the new website calendar feature to find events near you.