Chino Basin Program Receives $103.7 Million in Conditional Funding by Inland Empire Utilities Agency Oct 22, 2026 Member Submitted News SACRAMENTO – The California Water Commission (CWC/Commission) convened on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and conditionally approved a supplemental funding determination that provides a $103.7 million increase for the Chino Basin Program (CBP/Program), a Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) project. Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) Board President Steve Elie and General Manager Kevin Alexander were in attendance to support the increase in funding, which will utilize uncommitted WSIP funds for inflationary increases as well as other costs associated with providing the Program’s ecosystem benefit. “We need investments that serve multiple purposes, connect regions, and give the State flexibility to respond as conditions change. The Chino Basin Program does exactly that while helping create a new local water supply,” stated Elie. The CBP will develop an advanced water purification facility, aquifer replenishing wells, and groundwater production wells that will treat, store, and produce purified wastewater in the Chino Basin. The Program will provide ecosystem improvements by delivering State Water Project water for pulse flows from Lake Oroville for salmon in the Feather River through an exchange agreement with Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Program will also provide local water quality and emergency response benefits. The addition of a $103.7 million supplemental funding determination would bring the total amount of funding available to the Program to approximately $372 million. Elie remains enthusiastic about the progress the Program continues to make, calling it a model for how local initiatives and State investments can work together. “The CWC’s continued investment in local projects like the Chino Basin Program helps both our region’s and the State’s water resilience and environmental future. This is a win-win for our constituents and all Californians,” continued Elie. For more information on the Chino Basin Program, visit chinobasinprogram.org.
