The City of Ripon won’t be pursuing further funding or grants for the South San Joaquin Irrigation District Surface Water Supply project.

The Ripon City Council recently requested that staff put a halt for now to the plan that would’ve supplemented the groundwater supply with treated surface water, in turn, extending the life of the existing groundwater supply wells while also providing a recharge to the current wells.

This pipeline, according to Engineering Civil Associate Elizabeth Quilici, would connect the city with SSJID, expanding SSJID’s treatment plant.

“Ripon (would) be able to utilize water in the winter months when the treatment plant is not operating at capacity,” she said at the Sept. 11 meeting in the Council Chambers.

Elected leaders weren’t comfortable with the costs attached to obtaining a water grant.

Staff reported the total investment to date at $40,000, which included work on the Urban Water Management Plan and work researching grant opportunities.

Another $60,000 investment was estimated to that cost consisting of a Feasibility Study, more Environmental Assessments along with grant submission.

“I can’t justify spending $100,000 to get $750,000,” Vice Mayor Leo Zuber said.

Staff was requesting the estimated $100,000 total investment – for the $750,000 grant – for continuing efforts to secure a grant for the SSJID Surface Water Supply Project.

This is the same project that Council approved for the One Voice trip to Washington D.C.

One Voice is the San Joaquin Council of Government’s regional advocacy effort that assembles a public-private delegation to visit Congressional and federal departmental representatives in the Nation’s Capital in effort to fund local and regional projects.

Staff, meanwhile, is preparing to present the SSJID Surface Water Supply Project for the 2019 One Voice trip.

To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.