OCTA invests $3.1M for cleaner Orange County water

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority board has approved investing nearly $3.1 million to improve water quality throughout Orange County in cities from San Juan Capistrano to Stanton.
The funds come from Measure M, the half-cent sales tax renewed by Orange County voters in 2006 for transportation improvements. Measure M, also known as OC Go, includes funding for an environmental cleanup program that awards funding on a competitive basis to cities and the County of Orange for projects with a transportation nexus that reduce impacts to water quality.

“These projects are one way that OCTA can take the lead on protecting Orange County’s natural resources while improving and maintaining our transportation network,” said OCTA Chairman Mark A. Murphy, also the Mayor of Orange. “This funding demonstrates OCTA’s commitment to investing in both of those goals.”

The OCTA Board of Directors approved $3.1 million for 13 projects focused on removing litter and debris from roads before reaching waterways and the ocean. These projects include purchasing or upgrading screens, filters and inserts for catch basins, as well as other devices designed to remove pollutants.

The cities that received funding include: Laguna Hills, Stanton, Mission Viejo, Seal Beach, Anaheim, Fullerton, San Juan Capistrano, Orange, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Westminster, Laguna Niguel, and Irvine.

The OCTA board has approved funding for 212 projects since the inception of this program in 2011, totaling more than $33 million. It is estimated that more than 45 million gallons of trash has since been captured as a result of the installation of these devices.

For more information on the Measure M water quality program, visit octa.net/water.

About OCTA: The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation. To sign up for more OCTA news, visit octa.net/GetConnected.