SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Water Commission (CWC/Commission) convened on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, and approved a funding recommendation that provides a critical Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for several Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) projects, including the Chino Basin Program (CBP). Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) Board Member Steve Elie and General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh, as well as Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD) Board President Randall Reed, were in attendance to support the increase in funding.
“Having served as the Chair of the regional CBP Ad Hoc Committee since this project began, I am enthusiastic about the progress we have made with the State and our local partners to continue developing this Program that provides investment by the State in the development of additional local water supplies,” stated IEUA Board Member Steve Elie. “IEUA’s Board and our local and regional partners, including CVWD, Fontana Water Company (FWC), and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, remain committed to continuing to advance the CBP which provides both local and statewide benefits. While there is more work to be done, with this additional funding, the CBP and its component parts can become a reality in the near future. We thank the Commission for their continued investment and support of visionary projects like CBP.”
The CWC staff recommended the COLA increase as part of a broader effort to reallocate more than $525 million in newly available WSIP funds which became available following the withdrawal of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project as well as the passage of Proposition 4 by the voters in 2024.
“The facilities built through the CBP will reduce our dependence on imported water from northern California while giving our agency more operational flexibility and reliability during droughts and emergencies,” stated CVWD Board President Randall Reed. “This project exemplifies the type of innovative, multi-benefit infrastructure that California needs, and I greatly appreciate the collaboration from the Commission in advancing this program.”
The CBP is a series of innovative infrastructure enhancements designed to improve regional water reliability by capturing, treating, storing, and delivering high-quality water back into the Chino Basin, enhancing water supply reliability and local control. With the construction of an Advanced Water Purification Facility, aquifer replenishing wells, conveyance, supplemental water supplies, and extraction facilities, 15,000 acre feet per year of new, highly treated water supplies will be developed and stored for local use. The financial commitment from the Commission will allow the CBP partners, CVWD and FWC, to leverage the increase in local supplies in lieu of imported water which has the added benefit of supporting healthy ecosystems in the Delta.
FWC Vice President Marty Zvirbulis shared, “The CBP represents many years of dedicated planning and development, with countless hours invested by our teams and partners to bring this critical infrastructure project to fruition. This long-term commitment demonstrates the strategic importance of this program for California’s water future. I’d like to not only thank the CWC for its continued investment but especially IEUA for their innovation and resolve to do what’s right for our region.”
For additional information on the Chino Basin Program, visit chinobasinprogram.org.