Memorandum
Date: February 24, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Benjamin Rickelman, Deputy County Administrative Officer
Subject: 10:00 A.M. - Public Hearing Regarding Community Development Block Grant Funding For the Business Assistance Loan Program and Sewer Line Testing of the Southeast Regional Wastewater System.
Executive Summary:
The Community Development and Economic Development Allocations of the CDBG program publish a combined Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) each program year. Eligible Cities and Counties may submit up to three sub applications not to exceed $3,600,000.
At the January 13, 2026, Board of Supervisors meeting staff recommended returning to the Board of Supervisors at a later date with a revised CDBG application to include funding for the assessment, cleaning and CCTV (videoing) the Southeast Wastewater collection system (SE). The SE is part of the Lake County Sanitation District (LACOSAN) which serves the City of Clearlake, the community of Lower Lake and the surrounding unincorporated area. On January 11, 2026, a force main sewer line broke on the northern section of Robin Lane. The resulting sanitary sewer spill discharged 1.3 million gallons of raw sewage and 3,900 gallons migrated into Burns Valley Creek which flows into Clear Lake. The SRWS contains approximately 5,600 connections primarily consisting of single-family dwelling units. Approximately 85% of these connections flow through the collection system to Pump Station #1 and onto the treatment plant.
To improve the reliability of the collection system, funds are needed to test all gravity sewer lines. This will identify sections of pipes in need of repair to reduce infiltration/inflow into the system and identify needed system improvements. This CDBG application requests $2,100,000 for the gravity sewer lines cleaning and CCTV of the entire 90 miles gravity system and portions of the 10-mile force main system, collectively called the collection system.
Alongside the SE gravity line project is the $1,500,000 Economic Development program funding request for a small business assistance loan program and a façade improvement program as an activity within the small business assistance loan program.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
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Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☒ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Offer the resolution.