Pure Water San Diego Program Achieves Major Water Delivery Milestone

The City of San Diego receives permit to add purified water to the Miramar Reservoir

The City of San Diego's $3B Pure Water San Diego Program has achieved a significant milestone on its path to providing one-third of San Diego's water supply locally by the end of 2035. A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit has been granted to the City by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board to add purified water to the Miramar Reservoir for Phase 1 of the Program.

The Pure Water San Diego Program is a phased, multi-year program that uses proven technology to produce a safe, reliable, and cost-effective water supply for the City. The Program will help the City overcome its water challenges by transforming the City’s existing water system into a complete water cycle that maximizes the use and reuse of its water supply and reduces ocean discharges. Phase 1 of the Program includes a series of facilities and pipelines to clean recycled water to produce 30 million gallons per day (MGD) of high-quality purified water, reducing the City’s dependence on imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River. The purified water will blend with the City’s imported and local water sources and be re-treated at the Miramar Water Treatment Plant before distribution to the public. Phase 1 projects include the Morena Pump Station and Pipelines, North City Water Reclamation Plant Expansion, North City Pure Water Facility, and North City Pure Water Pump Station and Pipeline.

Part of the Clean Water Act, NPDES permits contain discharge limits, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to address water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. The NPDES permit issued to the City is the first for a reservoir augmentation project in California and a major milestone for the Pure Water San Diego Program.

“Water supply is perhaps the most critical issue that San Diego must continue to address given its semi-arid climate and reliance on imported supplies,” according to San Diego Public Utilities Department Assistant Director John Stufflebean. “Pure Water San Diego is an essential component to ensure the long-term health and vibrancy of one of the world’s most desirable places to live.”

The Stantec/Brown and Caldwell team is providing program management services to support the City with Phase 1 of the Program from planning through implementation, including the integration of all services and facilities.

“Our team applauds the City of San Diego’s leadership team on this significant milestone for this important, high-profile program,” said Stantec Consultant Program Manager Doug Owen. “Pure Water San Diego and the City’s vision to create a new, sustainable water supply for generations to come is a foundational model for future potable reuse projects.”

Early site work construction activities at the North City Water Reclamation Plant and the future Pure Water Facility are currently underway as part of Phase 1 of the Program.

About Brown and Caldwell
Headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction firm with 52 offices and 1,700+ professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 70 years, our creative solutions have helped municipalities, private industry, and government agencies successfully overcome their most challenging water and environmental obstacles. As an employee-owned company, Brown and Caldwell is passionate about exceeding our clients’ expectations and making a difference for our employees, our communities, and our environment. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com

About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they're our communities too. We're designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. The Stantec community unites approximately 22,000 employees, working in over 350 locations across six continents. For more information, visit www.stantec.com.