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Harvest Water report: pipelines largely complete, on‑farm signups grow and funding gap remains
Summary
At the March 11, 2026 Sacramento Area Sewer District meeting, staff reported major pipeline work is nearly complete, one pump‑station contractor recovered schedule, Phase 1 has 56 on‑farm connection sites (about 15–20 underground completed), contracted demand reached ~29,500 acre‑feet/year, and the program faces an estimated funding gap of roughly $180.9 million despite awards of about $365 million.
Staff updated the Sacramento Area Sewer District Board on the Harvest Water capital program and on‑farm enrollment during the March 11 meeting, reporting construction progress, enrollment metrics and outstanding funding needs.
Mike Crooks, Harvest Water capital program manager, said seven active construction contracts remain — five pipeline contracts are largely complete and are in various stages of contract closeout, with final paving and striping scheduled as weather permits. Crooks showed photos of pump station work (control/electrical building and pump cans) and said an earlier delayed contractor schedule has improved, moving a projected September 2027 completion to an updated April of the next year on that contract.
On on‑farm connections, staff said Phase 1 includes 56 sites (equivalent to about 21,500 acre‑feet per year). Construction on 15–20 of those sites is complete below grade (roughly 15–20% complete overall). Borja reported that, since the last board update, staff secured an additional three agreements bringing the program to 81 OFCAs (on‑farm connection agreements), which represents about 29,500 acre‑feet per year of contracted demand and places delivery estimates between roughly 76% and 91% depending on the metric used. Staff said there could be a waiting list if demand outpaces deliverable capacity when the system turns on.
On finances, Crooks and Borja said the program construction budget is $320 million, with approximately $234 million spent and about $94 million remaining; projected change orders equal about 6.8% of construction costs. Program funding to date was reported at just over $365 million; staff said they are pursuing additional grants, including a federal recycled water grant near $30 million, potential Prop 1/4 inflationary adjustments (conceivably yielding $25–50M), a State WRFP phase 2 application (estimated $5–15M), and a Wildlife Conservation Board application up to $5.7M. Despite those efforts, staff estimated a remaining program funding gap of about $180.9 million.
Board members asked whether enrolled parcels fall under Williamson Act contracts and whether additional water would change crop choices. Staff said many enrolled parcels intersect conservation easements and that the district maintains frequent contact with growers to align demand estimates, irrigation system sizing and seasonal needs. Staff also described ongoing groundwater monitoring (12 wells with new transducer installations and plans for additional wells mid‑2026) and coordination with regional partners.
Staff identified next steps: continued community engagement, grant applications, and periodic board updates on both enrollment and funding opportunities.
