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U.S. EPA gives $1.3 Million to city of Arcadia; Funds will reinforce water infrastructure in earthquake fault areas

Release Date: 10/15/2003
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, U.S. EPA, (415) 947-4304

     SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded the city of Arcadia, Calif., a Los Angeles-area community, $1.3 million to pay for earthquake retrofitting of local pumping stations and a reservoir.

     "No one in California can dispute the importance of clean, safe, and abundant water availability.  With this grant, the EPA is proud to help a growing community prepare for unexpected emergencies," said Alexis Strauss, director of the EPA's Water Division in San Francisco.

     The EPA $1.3 million grant will be used to rebuild the following water-related infrastructure in Arcadia and the community of Sierra Madre, which shares a water system:
          The funding will pay for the design and reconstruction of the existing Orange Grove Booster Pump Station.  A recent U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' study, the current pumping station is vulnerable to damage by a  major earthquake over 6.4 on the Richter Scale.  The city of Arcadia is also planning to build a larger pumping station, which will provide increased fire protection.

          EPA funds will be used to rebuild the Baldwin Reservoir.  In an effort to provide a more reliable water system, the city of Arcadia plans to reinforce the structure, add earthquake valves, flexible pipe lines and other repairs in order to make their aging Baldwin Reservoir more earthquake proof.  
                                                                     
          Grant funding will also be used for the redesign and rehabilitation of the Mira Monte Reservoir No. 2 and Booster Pump Station.  As determined by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' study, the site of 1.1 million gallon reservoir and pump station is within the active Sierra Madre Fault.  The city of Arcadia hopes to reinforce and double the size of the reservoir to approximately 2 million gallons.

     The cities of Arcadia and Sierra Madre have received approximately $6.5 million in grants from the U.S. EPA for water infrastructure projects distributed over the last three fiscal years.