The Orange County Transportation Authority board approved nearly $3.4 million to improve water quality throughout Orange County in cities from San Clemente to La Habra.The funds come from Measure M, the half-cent sales tax Orange County voters approved for transportation improvements. Measure M, also known as OC Go, includes funding for an environmental cleanup program that awards funding on a competitive basis to cities and the County of Orange for projects with a transportation nexus that reduce impacts to water quality.
“While OCTA is focused on improving transportation to keep the people of Orange County moving safely and efficiently, these water-quality projects also show how we can take the lead on protecting our natural resources in the process,” said OCTA Chairman Gene Hernandez, also the mayor of Yorba Linda. “I’m proud of OCTA’s commitment to both goals.”
The OCTA Board of Directors approved nearly $3.4 million for 10 projects focused on removing litter and debris from roads before reaching waterways and the ocean. These projects include purchasing or upgrading screens, filters and inserts for catch basins, as well as other devices designed to remove pollutants.
The cities and funding amounts for each project include:
| Anaheim | $500,000 |
| Costa Mesa | $500,000 |
| County of Orange | $500,000 |
| Huntington Beach | $500,000 |
| Orange | $436,000 |
| San Clemente | $328,000 |
| Laguna Hills | $200,000 |
| Mission Viejo | $180,000 |
| La Habra | $174,000 |
| Newport Beach | $56,000 |
The OCTA board has approved funding for 222 projects since the inception of this program in 2011, totaling more than $36 million. It is estimated that more than 60 million gallons of trash has been captured as a result of the installation of these devices.
For more information on the Measure M water quality program, visit octa.net/water.