California concerns over new $2.7B reservoir

how do they ever get anything done? SMH

California concerns over new $2.7B reservoir


California state officials voiced mounting concern this week over long-standing delays and cost overruns in the proposed Pacheco Reservoir expansion, a multibillion-dollar project that has yet to secure critical permits or water rights, years after initial funding was promised, according to a report by The Mercury News.

Why It Matters
The Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project, a joint effort by Valley Water, the San Benito County Water District, and the Pacheco Pass Water District, represents a long-term strategy to strengthen the reliability of safe, clean drinking water supplies amid the challenges of climate change.

But the project's escalating costs—now estimated at $2.7 billion, nearly triple the original $969 million estimate—and its failure to secure much-needed permits attracted scrutiny, according to the report.

Newsweek reached out to the California Water Commission and Valley Water via email for comment.

What To Know
Members of the California Water Commission, an agency appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom, expressed dissatisfaction Wednesday with a lack of progress and shifting timelines.

The commission had committed $504 million in state bond funding to the project seven years ago, but signaled that funding may be reconsidered if progress stalls further.

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