Date: March 30, 2004

Grants available for local community
watershed-protection efforts

SAN JOSE — The Santa Clara Valley Water District is providing up to $300,000 in grant awards for local non-profit groups working to protect Santa Clara County’s watersheds.

The district begins accepting applications today from organizations working to enhance ecosystem health, improve water quality or ensure a continued supply of drinking water in Santa Clara County. Eligible applicants can receive awards of up to $25,000 each from the Watershed Stewardship Grant Program.

Some organizations awarded last year for their watershed stewardship projects include the Children’s Discovery Museum, United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County, and the San Jose Conservation Corps.

“We exist to make sure the community always has a reliable supply of clean drinking water, and to create an enhanced quality of life in the county through the protection of our watersheds,” said Joe Judge, chairman of the Santa Clara Valley Water District board of directors.

“This grant money is intended for local non-profit groups whose work complements what we do at the district and moves us closer to our goals.”

Application workshops will be held April 30 and May 1, 10 a.m.-noon, in the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s headquarters building, 5700 Almaden Expressway (one block south of Blossom Hill Road), San Jose.

Grants applications are available online by visiting the district Web site, www.valleywater.org, or by contacting Karna Carlson at (408) 265-2607, ext.2944 (kcarlson@valleywater.org). Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, 2004. Postmarks are not accepted.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages Santa Clara County's wholesale drinking water resources, coordinates flood protection for its 1.7 million residents and provides stewardship for the county's 10 reservoirs and more than 800 miles of streams.