East County’s biggest infrastructure project, Advanced Water Purification, is officially costing more than $1 billion after the Joint Powers Authority that oversees it approved about $80 million in changes to its construction contract. AWP, planned since 2015 to provide water reliability to the region, was initially estimated to cost about $500 million to build, but by 2021, its former CEO Alan Carlisle told the Santee City Council the new estimate for the program was “north of $600 million.”
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00dguillenhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngdguillen2025-02-10 08:35:162025-02-10 08:35:16Advanced Water Purification Project Bursts Past $1 Billion
Progress on the East County Advanced Water Purification Program (East County AWP) continues on schedule at multiple East County locations, with an increasing number of milestones being reached as the project nears completion in 2025.
The East County Advanced Water Purification Program is an important water project for East San Diego County. When complete, it will deliver a clean, reliable, and local water source.
See a time-lapse video of 12 months of construction from January through December 2024.
Over the last 12 months, many milestones have been accomplished, including:
Completion of the purified water pipelines in Santee
Fanita Parkway has been repaved, curbs and sidewalks restored, and construction equipment removed
Completed 95% of concrete pouring required for the site
Completed 78% of all water pipeline construction
Installed the Lake Jennings inlet to allow purified water to flow into the lake before it is treated at the R.M. Levy Water Treatment Plant
The East County AWP achieved significant milestones in 2024, with more ahead in 2025.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2025 on a newly approved phase of the project that will include work within Mission Trails Regional Park. This phase includes the rehabilitation of the existing East Mission Gorge Force Main, which will help add capacity for increased sewer flows during rainy weather to the City of San Diego for treatment.
It also includes the construction of new pipelines in the East County to manage residuals, which are the organic residues removed from wastewater during the treatment process, sending them from the East County AWP Project around the City of San Diego’s Pure Water Program facilities as a regional solution to residuals management.
Tour the latest East County AWP construction progress in this video update.
Purified Water Pipeline Construction and Road Closures
Work on pipelines is ongoing in Lakeside at the following areas:
Riverside Drive from Riverford Road to Rio Camino
Channel Road from the bridge to Rio Camino
Channel Road from the bridge to Mapleview Street
Expect reduced travel lanes at these locations. Crews have completed purified water pipeline installation along Mast Boulevard, which is being followed by final roadway paving.
Final paving entails grinding and overlaying the existing roadway to be replaced with new asphalt. Crews use a remote-controlled trench roller to compact the top layer of material when paving the roadway.
Jack and bore excavation work is underway near State Route 67 and Mapleview Street in Lakeside ahead of purified water pipeline installation. Photo: East County AWP
Restoration Efforts Underway in Santee and Lakeside
As part of restoration efforts, residents may see hydroseeding, the spraying of a mulch-type mixture with seeds, and a binding agent to prevent erosion and protect the seeds.
Newly hydro-seeded areas along Fanita Parkway in Santee, where pipeline construction is complete. Photo: East County AWP
Hydroseeding work is nearly complete along Fanita Parkway in Santee, with final work to be completed this spring. In addition to newly installed plants, El Monte Road in Lakeside was also recently hydro-seeded.
Avoid walking, dog walking, biking, jogging, and driving in hydro-seeded areas. These activities prolong the revegetation efforts and the length of time these areas are closed to the public.
Protecting Bird Species During Construction
Compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and general wildlife protection within the project vicinity allows birds like this Bald Eagle to safely nest in the construction area during breeding season. Photo: East County AWP
The East County AWP project is committed to complying with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and protecting wildlife within the project areas.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects common, game, and special-status bird species across the United States. This protection includes nests, eggs, and young. With the spring bird breeding season now underway, larger birds such as hawks, owls, and crows build their nests early in the season. Smaller songbirds start nesting in early spring.
If additional vegetation clearing is required, biologists supervise clearance once the absence of nesting is confirmed.
Stay Updated On Program Progress With Interactive Map
When completed, water from this project will be provided to customers in Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Helix Water District, and Lakeside Water District service areas, and the northern portion of the Otay Water District.
With construction in multiple locations throughout East County, the Program’s interactive map continues to be a valuable tool for residents and businesses to track where work is happening. The map is updated regularly and accessible 24/7 through the EastCountyAWP.com website. Information is also available via social media at @eastcountyawp
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/east-county-awp-jan-roadside.jpg7161080Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2025-02-06 13:57:282025-02-07 08:24:32East County AWP Updates Construction Progress for 2025
Progress on the East County Advanced Water Purification Program (East County AWP) continues on schedule at multiple East County locations with significant milestones in recent months. Project construction is scheduled through 2025.
The main project site at the purification treatment facility is busy, with roughly 280 workers working on completion. Nearly 90% of the concrete is poured, and facility components are arriving from as far away as Japan and Canada.
The East County Advanced Water Purification Program is an important water project for East San Diego County. When complete, the Program will deliver a clean, reliable, and local water source.
See a video update on the progress of the East County Advanced Water Project here.
Roof Rising on the East County AWP Purification Treatment Facility
The building housing the advanced water purification treatment facility is taking shape as the roof is being added.
Raising the roof at the main treatment facility. Photo: East County Advanced Water Purification Program
Construction on the 23,000-square-foot Visitor’s Center will be complete at the end of 2025. It will house administrative offices, the operation control center, a testing laboratory, and a community room. Steel beam installation, including 66 columns and 100 beams, will use 350,000 pounds of U.S. steel. The roof has also been installed.
There are four water purification steps, including membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, advanced oxidation using ultraviolet light, and free chlorine disinfection. The advanced water purification facility will treat up to 11.5 million gallons daily for 50,000 households.
Water from this project will be provided to customers in Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Helix Water District, and Lakeside Water District service areas, and the northern portion of the Otay Water District.
Overnight Construction Underway Into November
Work is underway on Fanita Drive in Santee. Photo: East County Advanced Water Purification Program
More than 70% of the purified water and wastewater pipelines are installed throughout Santee and Lakeside. In addition, an 18-inch diameter wastewater pipeline was pulled under the San Diego River and a nearby golf course. At 3,500 feet long, it is one of the longest horizontal directional drill operations ever in San Diego County.
Overnight work began in late October near and at the intersection of Mast Boulevard and Cuyamaca Street in Santee. Work hours are from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday. This night work will allow crews to install a purified water pipeline when the roads are less busy, minimizing impacts to the public.
For residents who live in the immediate area, information was mailed to affected households describing the work and providing contact information. Construction in this area is expected to last through the second week of November.
Interactive Map Helps Residents Stay Updated On Progress
With construction in multiple locations throughout East County, the Program’s interactive map continues to be a valuable tool for residents and businesses to track where work is happening. The map is updated regularly and accessible 24/7 through the EastCountyAWP.com website. Information is also available via social media at @eastcountyawp on Instagram and Facebook.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ECAWP-Nov-Repurification-Pipes.jpg7201080Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2024-11-12 08:27:232024-11-12 08:27:23East County Advanced Water Project Fall Progress Report
Construction on the new East County Advanced Water Purification facility is well underway. When completed, it will turn 15 million gallons of wastewater into purified water for people in Lakeside, Santee, El Cajon and the surrounding areas.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Maddie Simmonshttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMaddie Simmons2024-03-18 09:21:122024-03-18 09:21:12Turning Wastewater Into Tap Water for East County Residents
As Arizona faces historical water consumption and continued drought, being able to treat wastewater to be reused has become an attractive option to maintain water security.
Thursday, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) released proposed plans on how to safely turn wastewater into reliable, purified water.
The plan introduces the Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Program, which ADEQ hopes will allow stakeholders and the public to better understand and establish clear communication throughout the process.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Kristiene Gonghttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKristiene Gong2023-11-03 10:14:352023-11-03 10:20:03Here’s How Arizona Plans to Make Wastewater Into Purified Water
The East County Advanced Water Purification project is progressing, with construction underway at multiple East San Diego County locations.
The project will create a new, local, sustainable, and drought-proof water supply using state-of-the-art technology to purify East San Diego County’s recycled water. Construction for the East County AWP is expected to be completed in 2025, and water production will begin in 2026. When completed, the project is expected to provide approximately 30% of current drinking water demands for East San Diego County residents and businesses.
When completed, the water recycling facility can treat 16 million gallons of water per day (MGD). The advanced water purification facility will be able to process 11.5 MGD. Photo: East County AWP
Water treatment facilities are under construction north of Santee Lakes. Concrete work is underway on the water recycling and solids handling facilities. About 24,000 cubic yards of concrete have been poured, marking nearly 50% of the total concrete used at this site. Once complete, there will be enough concrete to fill 16 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Crews at the East County AWP construction site in Santee found this friendly tarantula. More tarantulas emerge from hiding as mating season is in full swing across San Diego County. Photo East County AWP
The advanced water purification facility and visitors center are also taking shape with the installation of underground piping and conduits.
When completed, the water recycling facility can treat 16 million gallons of water per day (MGD). The advanced water purification facility will be able to process 11.5 MGD.
Time lapse video of the project
Our crews have installed several cameras throughout the AWP worksite to show the progress of the project. This timelapse footage shows construction of the Water Recycling Facility from December 2022 through September 2023. #Santee#EastCountyAWPpic.twitter.com/RbF1akfrEX
Pipeline construction continues on Fanita Parkway north of Ganley in Santee. Biking and hiking access to the trails north of Ganley are temporarily located at the end of Strathmore to provide a safe space for construction.
Pipeline construction along Fanita Parkway north of Santee Lakes. Photo: East County AWP
The purified water pipeline will travel east through Santee and Lakeside, ending at Lake Jennings. Two additional pipelines will be constructed south of the new facilities past Carlton Oaks Drive to a pump station just south of the Carlton Oaks Golf Course.
Most pipeline work will be trenched, placed, and covered, while the remainder will be installed using trenchless technologies and methods. There may be some impacts from construction, including road travel delays. Construction hours vary depending on the project elements being completed.
The purified water pipeline running from the advanced water purification facility north of Santee Lakes to Lake Jennings is 10.2 miles long.
Interactive construction map
An interactive construction map tracks project construction sites and work progress. Photo: East County AWP
An interactive map allows viewers to zoom in and click on project areas to find active construction zones, schedules, work hours, and other information. Communication will include mailers, email updates, road signs, interactive maps, webpage updates, and presentations to community groups throughout the project area.
Groundbreaking ceremony in 2022
The East County Advanced Water Purification Program broke ground on June 1, 2022, marking an important milestone for the recycled water project in San Diego County. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
The June 2022 groundbreaking followed the approval of project construction on May 19, 2022, by the East County AWP Joint Powers Authority that owns and operates the Program. The Joint Powers Authority is a collaborative partnership between four agencies: Padre Dam, the City of El Cajon, the County of San Diego and Helix Water District. The project is estimated to create 2,500 jobs in the region.
East County Advanced Water Purification Program
The East County Advanced Water Purification Program will create a new, local, sustainable and drought-proof drinking water supply by using state-of-the-art technology to purify East San Diego County’s recycled water to produce up to 30% of East County’s drinking water supply. Graphic: East County AWP
(Editor’s note: The Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the Helix Water District are two of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/East-County-AWP-Solids-Plant-1-845X450.jpg450845Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2023-09-26 15:48:492023-09-26 15:48:49East County Advanced Water Purification Project Progressing
The city of Phoenix announced its plans Wednesday to recycle wastewater for drinking purposes in the near future as Arizona is on the heels of even more cuts due to the shrinking Colorado River.
The plan is set to be implemented within the Valley by 2030.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2023-04-13 10:20:142023-04-13 10:26:47Phoenix to Recycle Wastewater Into Drinking Water
National Recycling Day on November 15 celebrates and promotes recycling practices to reduce waste and decrease energy demands, ultimately preventing pollution and fighting climate change. This year, the Water Authority partnered with the Southern California Water Coalition to promote water recycling.
National Recycling Day brings new video series
The Water Authority and other SCWC members, worked through the Coalition’s Recycled Water Task Force, along with other water districts and agencies in Southern California to create a new video series. The informative video series was created to educate the public on the use of recycled water in Southern California. The three-part video series shares a simple message – Water: Too Precious to Use Just Once.
The short videos explain the basics of water recycling and its importance as part of a diverse set of solutions employed by water agencies and local governments to stretch limited water resources. The series describes what water recycling is, how it is safe, and how it is used and will be used in the future.
“This new video series is the result of many water agencies and experts working in partnership to promote inclusive educational outreach about the safety and importance of water recycling in our communities,” said Lesley Dobalian, principal water resources specialist for the Water Authority and a member of the Recycled Water Task Force.
Water Too Precious to Use Just Once
Water recycling is the process of taking water that has already been used and treating it to levels safe for further beneficial use. Recycled water is highly regulated, and its use must comply with strict environmental and safety rules and requirements.
Thanks to advancements in water treatment technologies, reycled water is used to water landscapes, for commercial and industrial processes, and to recharge underground aquifers. Recycled water is also tapped for potable reuse through reservoir augmentation.
Water recycling is key to the region’s future
Recycled water is one more tool in the San Diego region’s water portfolio approach to provide a resilient water supply in the face of a changing climate. The Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have increased the region’s water supply reliability through diversified and innovative technologies like water recycling.
The Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have promoted the advancement of water recycling and potable reuse in San Diego County by developing educational resources such as potablereuse.sdcwa.org and obtaining outside funding from the Metropolitan Water District’s local resource program, and local, state, and federal grant and loan opportunities. Over the last year the Water Authority Board supported local potable reuse projects such as Pure Water San Diego, the East County Advanced Water Purification Program, and Pure Water Oceanside.
The video series was made possible through funding provided by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the work of members of SCWC’s Water Recycling Task Force video subcommittee, comprised of representatives from the San Diego County Water Authority and other agencies throughout Southern California.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Recycled-Water-For-Our-Future-Photo.jpg450845Kimberlyn Velasquezhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngKimberlyn Velasquez2020-11-15 06:45:402020-11-15 10:10:24New Water Recycling Videos on National Recycling Day
The City of Oceanside is joining the City of San Diego and East San Diego County in adding advanced purified water to its drinking water supply. The Pure Water Oceanside project is expected to break ground next spring and begin producing advanced purified water in 2022.
The Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Helix Water District and the City of San Diego, are among the water agencies in San Diego County that are developing or expanding water recycling to increase the local water supply.
People can try filtering water as part of Pure Water Oceanside tour activities. Photo: City of Oceanside
The Oceanside project launched in March with a “World of Water” community open house attended by more than 400 people. Building on the interest generated at the event, the city opened its doors for the public, schools and scouts to experience Pure Water Oceanside on October 15. The next community event is scheduled for November 9.
“The incredible interest, success and feedback from the community event demonstrated a true thirst for water knowledge and a strong desire to see, first-hand, water facilities located in the community,” said Cari Dale, water utilities director for the City of Oceanside. “Pure Water Oceanside is an important and smart investment and we find tremendous value in educating the public about the importance of diversifying the city’s water supply.”
Technology used to recycle and purify water on display
Water membranes like the ones that will be used as part of the Pure Water Oceanside project are on display during public tours. Photo: City of Oceanside
The tours offer a behind-the-scenes look of the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation and Mission Basin Groundwater Purification Facilities, where guests can take a hands-on approach and learn about the technology used to recycle and purify water.
Pure Water Oceanside will purify recycled water to create a new local source of high-quality drinking water that is clean, safe, drought-proof and environmentally sound. The project will produce enough water to provide 32% of the city’s water supply, or between 3 and 5 million gallons of water per day.
In addition to tours, Oceanside has developed a comprehensive public education program for the water purification project, including a video, fact sheet, FAQ and community group presentations. To experience Pure Water Oceanside and sign up for an upcoming tour, go to: www.PureWaterOceanside.org.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Oceanside-Pure-Water-Tour-WWC_150-845X450.jpg450845Gayle Falkenthalhttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngGayle Falkenthal2019-10-15 16:20:232019-10-15 16:41:22Pure Water Oceanside Project Construction Slated For 2020
Like many communities throughout California, Carpinteria faces sustained and historic drought conditions. By 2030, the Carpinteria Valley Water District estimates that dry years will come with a water deficit that could be as high as 1,550 acre feet—approximately 505 million gallons of water—enough to fill 775 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or serve the average daily use of 6,200 local households.
In response to the shortfall, CVWD proposes a $25 million project to take wastewater that has been cleaned, purify it and then inject it into the groundwater basin to be used for various needs, including potable drinking water.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.png00Mike Leehttps://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WNN-Horizontal-White-Blue2.pngMike Lee2019-07-31 11:44:332019-08-02 11:46:42With Water Supply Dwindling, Water District Plans Advanced Purification Project
