This agreement provides funding to the east orange county water district to implement its project to install and implement advanced metering infrastructure and equipment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 awarded East Orange County Water District (EOCWD) a $1.25 million Cooperative Agreement under the Congressionally Mandated Projects program (CFDA 66.202) on October 1, 2025, to implement advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and equipment for its water utility operations. The funding, authorized through the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, will enable the installation and deployment of real-time water use monitoring systems and customer leak detection capabilities across EOCWD's 1,211 retail water customers, benefiting approximately 3,200 total service users in Orange, California.

The primary deliverables under this agreement include vendor selection activities (RFP and vendor contract), completion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) categorical exclusion and state clearinghouse filings, meter replacement and software upgrade confirmation, and demonstration of compliance with applicable federal cross-cutting regulations including Section 106 historic preservation requirements where warranted. Expected outcomes include increased water availability through reduction of unmetered water losses, enhanced customer awareness and satisfaction through real-time consumption data, and improved operational efficiency in meter reading and staff utilization. The project will be completed by September 30, 2026, with quarterly progress reports submitted to EPA documenting vendor selection, implementation, and project management activities.

This project will give eocwd's 1,211 retail water customers the ability to have full implementation of real-time monitoring of all retail water use and to provide customer leak detection as directed in the 2024 consolidated appropriations act. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $1,00,000. See terms and conditions. Activities:the activities to be performed include the execution and implementation of advanced metering infrastructure and equipment. Workplan activities consist of, vendor selection, project implementation, and project management and controls. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include for vendor selection deliverables for this task include a vendor solicitation RFP and a vendor contract. Progress and completion of the deliverables will be documented in quarterly project reports submitted to EPA. For project implementation, deliverables for this task include completed categorical exclusion (nepa), notice of exemption filed with the state of california's governor's office of planning and research state clearinghouse, confirmation of completed meter replacement and software upgrades, and evidence of compliance with any other relevant federal cross-cutting regulations, e.g. section 106 state historic preservation officer concurrence letter, if warranted. Progress and completion of these deliverables will be documented in quarterly project reports submitted to EPA. The expected outcomes include increased water available for consumption due to unmetered water loss and leak detection/water conservation. Increased customer awareness and satisfaction. Lastly, increased efficiency of meter reading, better staff utilization. The intended beneficiaries include approximately 3,200 customers to have additional annual volume of water available for consumption. The east orange county water district will have reduced district staff time spent reading meters, monthly labor hours reduced.