From California Water News Daily – The September-approved study aims to provide vital data on the most cost efficient and cost-effective methods to capture and use stormwater runoff. As opposed to the new $5 million pilot program the September-approved study focuses on direct-use projects which capture stormwater in cisterns or underground collection systems and use it on-site for nonpotable purposes like irrigation. The new $7.5 million will fund the construction of new stormwater projects and the installation of monitoring equipment on existing ones. The program will also gather data on the amount of water produced by projects that capture local rainfall and stormwater runoff and use it to recharge groundwater basins in the region. (more)