OCTA Cleaning Up Aliso Viejo Water

Aliso Viejo was recently granted more than $93,000 through Orange County Transportation Authority's (OCTA) Measure M2 environmental program for projects improving the quality of waterways, and the city is matching those funds with nearly $40,000 of its own.

As part of the M2 program, 2 percent of the half-cent sales tax will be used to protect Orange County waterways and beaches from transportation-generated pollution with an estimated amount of more than $300 million during the next 30 years to help minimize urban runoff.

Every day, more than 70 million gallons of pollution washes off of streets, roads and freeways into Orange County waterways and beaches, according to an OCTA press release. Orange County has seen an increase in the number of closures and environmental hazards along the coast in recent years. The water quality program in M2 aims to address some of those concerns.

“As we continue to meet the transportation needs of our county, we have to remember how critical it is to protect and preserve our environment from the impacts of our projects,” said OCTA Chair Patricia Bates, also the 5th District county supervisor. “Orange County voters approved using a percentage of M2 to keep our oceans clean, which will make a long-lasting, positive impact on our quality of life and economy.”

Funding will be used to eliminate litter and debris from storm drains in Aliso Viejo. A total of 40 catch-basin screens will be installed to prevent trash and small debris from entering drainage systems.

Projects were selected through a competitive process using a predetermined set of criteria, and Aliso Viejo’s application was one of the 34 out of 47 projects that received money under this first award of M2 water-quality funds.

M2 was approved by 70 percent of voters in 2006. Sales tax collection began April 1 and is expected to bring in approximately $15 billion during the next 30 years. For more information, visit octa.net/water.