IRVINE—Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA), U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, and other state and local leaders today announced new efforts to provide Orange County families with sustainable clean water. The Irvine Ranch Water District, which serves 447,000 Orange County residents, will receive $12.2 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for its Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project, which will expand the agency’s recycled water storage capacity.

“Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law knowing that the longer we wait to take action, the harder—and more expensive—it will become to solve both the water crisis and climate change,” said Porter. “I’m proud to have helped bring federal resources back to Orange County that will better protect the water supply so many in our community depend on.”

The Irvine Ranch Water District’s Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project will increase storage capacity at the Syphon Reservoir from 188.3 million gallons of recycled water to 1.6 billion gallons. Porter, Haaland, and Touton announced new federal funding for the project following a tour of Irvine Ranch Water District facilities.

“Water is essential to everything we do and it will take all of us, working together, to address the significant drought impacts we are seeing across the West. As the climate crisis drives severe drought conditions and historically low water allocations, President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making historic investments to address water and drought challenges and invest in our nation’s western water and power infrastructure,” said Haaland.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $8.3 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure projects to repair aging water delivery systems, secure dams, and protect aquatic ecosystems. The funding announced today is part of the $1 billion in WaterSMART Water Recycling and Reuse grants provided by the law.

Porter has consistently championed climate action throughout her time in Congress. The House recently passed her legislation to extend a key federal program for water conservation efforts and streamline research on natural disasters, including droughts. She’s also repeatedly urged her colleagues to better protect Americans from worsening natural disasters by taking bold action against the climate crisis.