FPUD increases recycled capital budget

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Fallbrook Public Utility District’s 2022-23 recycled water capital budget has been increased.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote Aug. 25 amended the appropriation for FPUD’s Water Supply Reliability Project. The budgeted amount was increased from $105,000 to $456,000; the total capital budget was increased from $7,773,350 to $8,124,350, and FPUD’s total budget was increased from $41,552,368 to $41,903,368.

"This was to match the capital budget appropriations and put them in line with the revised budget, to make sure the way grant funds were allocated against the capital budget was represented accurately," said FPUD General Manager Jack Bebee. "This had no net revenue impact on the district's budget.”

The June 27 FPUD board meeting adopted the district’s 2022‑23 budget. The capital expenses included the water supply reliability project.

The November 2014 election included the passage of Proposition 1, which allocates $510 million for Integrated Regional Water Management projects including $37 million to the San Diego County portion of the San Diego hydrologic region. In April 2021, the state’s Department of Water Resources approved grant funding for half of the FPUD project’s costs, and the grant amount will cover all of the costs anticipated during fiscal year 2022-23.

FPUD’s capital budget should have based the amount on total expenditures, but the water supply reliability project budget subtracted the IRWM grant reimbursement. Without the change, FPUD’s 2022-23 capital expenditures would likely exceed the recycled water capital budget and, if all planned capital projects are completed, the expenses would also exceed the total capital appropriation prior to the amendment.