San Diego – Rep. Scott Peters today applauded the passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 by the House of Representatives. The WRDA authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake major construction projects that will strengthen the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure. The bill lays out which local projects and priorities are eligible for this federal funding as well as the funding levels. Then, eligible funds must be appropriated by Congress through separate legislation. The 2024 WRDA authorized the following San Diego projects to be eligible for future appropriation:

1. $200 million for water and wastewater infrastructure in San Diego County. This funding can be used for fixes and upgrades at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant as Rep. Peters requested, and for other purposes, such as countywide wastewater treatment. 
2. Funding for a feasibility study in partnership with the Port of San Diego of flood risk management in San Diego Bay associated with sea level rise
3. Funding for a feasibility study of flood and coastal storm risk management and ecosystem restoration in San Diego and Orange counties

“While San Diego’s Congressional delegation has been successful in securing money to address the cross-border sewage crisis, fixing and upgrading the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant is a project that should have been completed yesterday. I’m committed to securing every eligible penny possible, as soon as possible, so that South Bay and Coronado residents, Customs and Border Patrol officers, and the Navy SEALS who train off Coronado no longer have to worry about the health risks posed by water polluted with untreated sewage. I will fight for as much of this potential funding as possible to be designated for fixing and upgrading the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant,” Rep. Peters said.

He continued: “The WRDA also includes funding for studies that will make San Diego more resilient and responsive to extreme weather events caused by climate change. I’ll continue to work to secure these investments for San Diegans.”