Report 2017-118 Recommendation 14 Responses

Report 2017-118: State and Regional Water Boards: They Must Do More to Ensure That Local Jurisdictions' Costs to Reduce Storm Water Pollution Are Necessary and Appropriate (Release Date: March 2018)

Recommendation #14 To: Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board

To ensure that information regarding funding options available to local jurisdictions is consistent and current, the State Water Board and regional boards should work together to provide accurate information on their websites that is readily accessible, and the State Water Board and regional boards should remove outdated information by May 2018.

1-Year Agency Response

See https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/. As reported in the 60-day response in April 2018, the Los Angeles Water Board redesigned and fully updated its financial assistance webpage in late 2016, prior to the audit. A remnant, outdated webpage was identified and removed during the course of the audit. The Los Angeles Water Board ensures consistency with funding information provided on the State Board's website by employing hyperlinks to pertinent webpages, including that of the Division of Financial Assistance. The Los Angeles Water Board has also further improved accessibility to its financial assistance page by adding it to the "Featured Topics" banner at the bottom of its home page in addition to its previous placement under "Quick Links" and "Programs." The Los Angeles Water Board also includes significant upcoming opportunities to learn about or apply for funding under "Announcements" on its home page. See https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

See https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/. As reported in the 60-day response in April 2018, the Los Angeles Water Board redesigned and fully updated its financial assistance webpage in late 2016, prior to the audit. A remnant, outdated webpage was identified and removed during the course of the audit. The Los Angeles Water Board ensures consistency with funding information provided on the State Board's website by employing hyperlinks to pertinent webpages, including that of the Division of Financial Assistance. The Los Angeles Water Board has also further improved accessibility to its financial assistance page by adding it to the "Featured Topics" banner at the bottom of its home page in addition to its previous placement under "Quick Links" and "Programs." The Los Angeles Water Board also includes significant upcoming opportunities to learn about or apply for funding under "Announcements" on its home page. See https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/. The Los Angeles Water Board also routinely updates its financial assistance webpage and did so most recently on 7/30/18.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

Although the Los Angeles Water Board states that it removed all outdated information from its website, the State Water Board indicated in recommendation 12 that it is currently working with the regional water boards to ensure that information is consistent among the regional boards' websites.

60-Day Agency Response

The Los Angeles Regional Water Board redesigned and fully updated its financial assistance webpage in late 2016, prior to the audit. A remnant, outdated webpage was identified and removed during the course of the audit. In early April 2018, Los Angeles Regional Water Board staff re-checked the financial assistance webpage information, including all links to funding programs and resources, to ensure its currency and accuracy. See https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/. The Los Angeles Regional Water Board ensures consistency with funding information provided on the State Water Board's website by employing hyperlinks to pertinent webpages, including that of the Division of Financial Assistance. The Los Angeles Regional Water Board has also further improved accessibility to its financial assistance page by adding it to the "Featured Topics" banner at the bottom of its home page in addition to its previous placement under "Quick Links" and "Programs." The Los Angeles Regional Water Board also includes significant upcoming opportunities to learn about or apply for funding under "Announcements" on its home page. See https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

The Los Angeles Regional Water Board has removed outdated information from its website. However, the State Water Board has yet to ensure that the website contains consistent information, as it indicates in its response to Recommendation 12.

All Recommendations in 2017-118

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.