IID procures more than $20 million in disaster relief funds

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) - One of the utilities serving the Coachella Valley and neighboring locations procured more than $20 million in state disaster relief funding that will ensure repairs to energy infrastructure damaged during storms in the previous year, officials said.

"This is exactly why we pursue every available funding opportunity at the state level,'' Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors Chairwoman Karin Eugenio said Thursday. "Our goal is to ensure our customers are not left carrying the full cost of storm damage. By working closely with our partners and securing these funds, we are protecting critical infrastructure and the communities we serve."

To date, IID, which has service areas that encompass most of the eastern Coachella Valley, including Indio and La Quinta, has received a total $22 million in California Disaster Assistance Act grants from the California Office of Emergency Services, according to the agency.

The funds can be applied to projects that address flood-, wind- and related damage stemming from monsoon storms and other weather impacts that occurred in 2025, officials said.

Power poles, transmission lines and support infrastructure sustained damage.

"Severe storm events ... can significantly impact water and energy infrastructure,'' according to an agency statement. "By pursuing disaster assistance funding and maintaining strong partnerships with government agencies, IID is reinforcing system resilience and helping ensure reliable service for homes, farms and businesses throughout the region."