OCTA was honored earlier this month for its innovative program to improve water quality by the California Stormwater Quality Association, the state’s authority on stormwater management.
Given for Outstanding Stormwater Implementation Program in California, the award recognizes OCTA for best management practices.
OCTA’s Measure M2 Environmental Cleanup Program uses funds from Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, to clean transportation-related pollutants from the county’s waterways.
Through Measure M, OCTA has allocated more than $39 million countywide to improve water quality. Cities and the county compete for funds by submitting proposals to a 14-member committee that rates the proposals and makes recommendations to the OCTA Board for funding.
Water-quality projects have included a litter-removal project in Newport Beach, installation of catch basin screens in Tustin and a transportation-runoff-abatement project in Mission Viejo, among many others throughout the county.
OCTA is expected to award approximately $300 million for water-quality projects over the 30-year life of Measure M. Learn more.
