SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s long-awaited Pure Water project, a sewage recycling system that would boost the city’s water independence, is facing legal challenges that could last longer and cost more than city officials previously anticipated.
City of Oceanside officials and regional water industry leaders gathered today to break ground on Pure Water Oceanside, the first advanced water purification facility in San Diego County. The $67 million project – scheduled to be completed in 2021 – will purify recycled water sourced from the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility.
“Today, we put Pure Water Oceanside on the map and are one step closer to achieving the goal of greater water-independence for our city, residents and businesses,” said Cari Dale, Oceanside’s water utilities director. “This future-focused project will provide multiple benefits by reusing our water resources to their full potential.”
Ramona Municipal Water District board members unanimously approved April 11 to schedule a public hearing to consider raising untreated water pumping rates despite expressed reservations about another RMWD rate increase.
The vote to schedule the Proposition 218 public hearing for 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, was approved 4-0-1, with Secretary Jeff Lawler absent. The scheduled meeting will be held at the Ramona Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane.
Proposition 218, the “Right to Vote on Taxes Act,” requires local government agencies to hold a public hearing when rate increases are proposed to be able to consider protests to those rates affected by Proposition 218. The notice for the public hearing with the proposed increases is required to be sent to affected property owners at least 45 days before the public hearing.
OCEANSIDE — Oceanside celebrated the start of construction Wednesday on a project that could make it the first city in San Diego County to be drinking recycled water by 2022.
At least two other cities or water districts are close behind on similar projects, and several more agencies are considering plans to make potable recycled water a significant portion of their supply.
“We are one step closer to completing a project that will supply 30 percent of Oceanside’s water,” said Cari Dale, the city’s water utilities director, to guests at the city’s San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox unveiled new initiatives on mental health and at-risk youth Wednesday during the annual State of the County speech, part of an ambitious agenda that also includes giving young people a greater voice on policy and advancing more clean energy projects.
The County’s Planning & Development Services is preparing to release draft documents for public review this week related to the project called Water Efficiency Updates to the Landscape Ordinance.
This project will update the County’s Landscape Ordinance to codify requirements set forth by the County’s Climate Action Plan Measures W-1.2 and A-2.1. PDS began implementing these requirements upon approval of the CAP in 2018 through the CAP Development Checklist and existing landscape review process within PDS.
One result of the ordinance will be to reduce outdoor water use in new and existing residential and non-residential landscaping 40% from 2014 levels.
OCEANSIDE (KUSI) – Oceanside officials broke ground Wednesday on Pure Water Oceanside, a recycled-water purification plant billed as the first of its kind in the county.
The $67 million project will take water from Oceanside’s San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility and purify it to drinking water standards in a way project proponents describe as “clean, safe, drought-proof and environmentally sound.”
The site’s technology will be used to replicate and accelerate the natural recycling process to provide 3 million to 5 million gallons of fresh water a day, more than 32% of Oceanside’s water supply.
The city of Oceanside broke ground Wednesday on a water recycling facility that it says will eventually provide 32%, or one-third, the city’s drinkable water supply.
City and state leaders were at the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility to unveil the plan and discuss the benefits for the city. Oceanside says it needs this facility because the cost of importing water from hundreds of miles away is too expensive. Also, a local aquifer is running out of water.
Oceanside is the first municipality in San Diego County to bring a pure water facility on line.
The city’s utility director Cari Dale officially broke ground the $71 million facility on Wednesday saying the plant will bolster the city’s drinking water supply.
City worker Sara Davis says the plant takes in recycled water, which is clean enough for lawns but not clean enough to drink.
Oceanside officially broke ground Wednesday on an innovative water recycling plant that will provide 32% of the city’s water supply in future years.
Although San Diego is working on a similar and larger project, Pure Water Oceanside will be the first operating advanced purification facility in the county.
The plan will use microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light to purify wastewater from the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility, reducing the city’s reliance on water imported from the Colorado River and Sacramento Bay Delta.
