The City of Ripon is part of the South San Joaquin Groundwater Sustainable Agency.
According to City Administrator Kevin Werner, the City is participating in this endeavor along with the South San Joaquin Irrigation District and the City of Escalon, complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is a three-bill package that was enacted and signed by Gov. Brown in September 2014.
The purpose here is to ensure better local and regional management of groundwater use while seeking to have a sustainable groundwater management in California by 2042.
Last year, SSJID offered to pay all operating expenses of the SSJGSA.
“For 2018, SSJID staff has prepared a budget along with the methodology to be used to allocate those expense,” Werner said at the February Ripon Council meeting.
He noted that the total budgeted operating expenses for this year is $223,264. This includes consulting, legal support, and share of the basin-wide Groundwater Sustainability Plan, assuming the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Authority receive a grant to offset the cost to prepare this plan, Werner added.
SSJID, meanwhile, is proposing the budgeted expenses be allocated to the three participating agencies.
Based on this methodology, Ripon’s share is $22,326 for 2018, with the City Water Operating Fund taking care of the expense.
Mayor Michael Restuccia calls it a smart financial move.
“By joining SSJGSA along with SSJID and Escalon, it will keep costs down,” he said.