Section 78673 Of Article 3. Water Conservation And Groundwater Recharge From California Water Code >> Division 24. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 3.
78673
. (a) Any loan contract concerning an eligible project for
groundwater recharge shall be supported by, or shall include, all of
the following:
(1) A finding by the department that the agency has the ability to
repay the requested loan, that the project is economically
justified, and that the project is feasible from an engineering and
hydrogeologic viewpoint.
(2) An estimate of the reasonable cost and benefit of the project,
including a feasibility report which shall set forth the economic
justification and the engineering, hydrogeologic, and financial
feasibility of the project, and shall include explanations of the
proposed facilities and their relation to other water-related
facilities in the basin or region.
(3) An agreement by the agency to proceed expeditiously to
complete the project in conformance with the approved plans and
specifications and the feasibility report and to operate and maintain
the project properly upon completion throughout the repayment
period.
(4) A provision that there shall be no moratorium or deferment on
payment of principal or interest.
(5) A loan period of not more than 20 years with an interest rate
set at a rate equal to 50 percent of the interest rate paid by the
state on the most recent sale of state general obligation bonds, to
be computed according to the true interest cost method. If the
interest rate so determined is not a multiple of one-tenth of 1
percent, the interest rate shall be set at the next higher multiple
of one-tenth of 1 percent. The interest rate set for each contract
shall be applied throughout the repayment period of the contract.
There shall be a level annual repayment of principal and interest on
the loans.
(6) A provision that the project shall not receive more than five
million dollars ($5,000,000) in loan proceeds from the department.
(b) The department shall give preference under this section to
projects for groundwater recharge that are located in overdrafted
groundwater basins and those projects of critical need, to projects
whose feasibility studies show the greatest economic justification
and the greatest engineering and hydrogeologic feasibility as
determined by the department, and to projects located in areas which
have existing water management programs.