The region served by the Tuolumne-Stanislaus Integrated Regional Water Management will get a big boost in their water conservation efforts after the announcement that the Department of Water Resources has awarded stakeholders more than $3 million in grant funding.

“We’re very excited to get this program up and running,” said Kirk Ford, chairman of the Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District, which is the district that was awarded the grant and will oversee its implementation.

Read a summary of the program here: TCRCD Water Conservation Program Summary

For details on mandatory watering restrictions for all water purveyors in Calaveras County, click here.

Money from this grant can only be spent in the area within the T-Stan IRWM boundary, which is delineated by the Stanislaus & Tuolumne Rivers’ watersheds. In Calaveras County, this only includes the towns and cities along the Highway 4 Corridor from Dorrington to Copperopolis. It’s important to note that this grant money is not limited to public water supply customers only – those with private wells will benefit, too.

The first order of business to kick start the program is hiring a full time Water Conservation Coordinator who will facilitate the Regional Water Conservation Program. The application period is closed for this position, and the position is expected to be filled by late June or early July.

A brick & mortar headquarters will be set up in downtown Sonora, a website will be created for the program and a “media blitz” will blanket the region with information about this new program. Once the word is out, the Coordinator will work with stakeholders to facilitate the following:

• Water conservation workshops
• School water conservation outreach
• Free water conservation supply distribution
• Water conservation hotline
• Free water audits, fixtures & appliances for income qualified community members
• Extensive water conservation incentive rebate program for residential, commercial, industrial & government water users
• Hotel/motel conservation materials
• Restaurant conservation materials
• Vacation home program
• Rain water capture projects

For a detailed outline of the program, click here: TCRCD Water Conservation Program Outline