INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District joined the City of Inglewood June 13 to officially sign a project agreement that will strengthen the city's emergency water storage capacity and spotlight more than two decades of interagency collaboration.

The agreement, supported by federal funding through Section 219 of the Water Resources Development Act, will assist in the design and construction of the Morningside Reservoir - the first and highest-priority of four planned water infrastructure projects. The overall program is expected to support up to $20 million in improvements across Inglewood's aging water system.

"This is a very important project that will assure reliability, emergency and fire storage to the city's water distribution system," said Col. Andrew Baker, commander of the Los Angeles District, during his remarks at the ceremony. "We wouldn't be here without the hard work, dedication and strong partnership with the City of Inglewood - one that has continued to flourish for more than 20 years."

Hosted at Inglewood City Hall and moderated by Mayor James Butts Jr., the event brought together city leadership and USACE officials for a formal signing, followed by a group photo and tour of the Morningside Reservoir site.

In his remarks, Butts emphasized the city's long-standing investment in water infrastructure and the importance of restoring capacity lost with the 2009 decommissioning of the original Morningside Reservoir. Built in 1954, the former 16-million-gallon reservoir was taken out of service after structural deterioration led to recurring roof leaks, floor cracks and compromised water quality. A 2015 water master plan called for a modern, smaller replacement reservoir designed to better match current water needs and improve circulation.

The new reservoir, which will be constructed below grade on the existing site, is designed to hold about 4 million gallons of water. It will mix groundwater from Inglewood's treatment plant with supply from the Metropolitan Water District and distribute it citywide. Plans also call for a new 8,000-square-foot pump station housing four pumps and about 3,000 feet of new connecting pipelines.

"We're excited to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and move forward on the Morningside Reservoir and other critical water infrastructure projects that will serve Inglewood for decades to come," Butts said.

Baker also took the opportunity to highlight the broader mission of USACE and its historic legacy.

"This year, our organization celebrates its 250th birthday on June 16, so we've got a history of shaping the nation through vital public engineering, environmental stewardship and disaster response," he said. "Our priorities are delivering today, innovating for tomorrow and people always."

Under the Section 219 authority, the federal government will fund 75 percent of the Morningside Reservoir project's cost, with the city contributing the remaining 25 percent. The project has already received $2.3 million in federal funding, including allocations under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in both 2022 and 2024.

"This program sets the stage for critical projects like this to proceed," Baker said. "With the federal government providing 75 percent of the total project cost, the city's 25 percent cost share will go a lot further."

The signing ceremony solidified USACE's ongoing commitment to delivering responsive, reliable infrastructure support to communities throughout Southern California, which is a mission that aligns closely with Inglewood's own efforts to invest in long-term public resilience.

Source: U.S.Army