Construction on the City of Poway’s clearwell replacement is anticipated to begin this fall following the award of contract to Gateway Pacific Contractors, Inc. The contract was awarded at the Sept. 19 Poway City Council meeting.
The clearwell is Poway’s major storage reservoir for water treated at the water treatment plant, prior to being distributed to Poway water customers.
Construction on the City of Poway’s clearwell replacement is anticipated to begin this fall following the award of contract to Gateway Pacific Contractors, Inc. The contract was awarded at the Sept. 19 Poway City Council meeting.
The clearwell is Poway’s major storage reservoir for water treated at the water treatment plant, prior to being distributed to Poway water customers.
Replacing the aging clearwell, built in 1964, is the second phase of the Water Infrastructure Improvement Program. This program is the largest capital improvement program (CIP) in the city’s 43-year history. The first phase of the program built the infrastructure necessary to bypass the clearwell. The improvements to Poway’s water system will increase the reliability of drinking water for water customers now and for generations to come.
The two tanks that will be built as part of the clearwell replacement project, will provide Poway’s water system with redundancy and operational flexibility in that one tank can be taken offline for maintenance and repairs without interrupting service. Gatweway Pacific was the lowest responsible bidder for the project, with a bid amount of approximately $31.6 million.
The targeted construction start date is Fall 2023 and will include the restoration of the ballfield at Lake Poway once the new tanks are operational. The project is expected to be completed in Fall 2026.
Water Projects Overview
Lake Poway’s water level is lower today, but it isn’t due to the current heatwave. The lake is being temporarily reduced to complete a planned maintenance project to replace a transducer.
Lake Poway serves as the City of Poway’s main water storage reservoir, with a capacity to hold more than one billion gallons of water. A transducer measures the lake’s water level and remotely sends data to the city.
Lake Poway’s water level is lower today, but it isn’t due to the current heatwave. The lake is being temporarily reduced to complete a planned maintenance project to replace a transducer.
Lake Poway serves as the City of Poway’s main water storage reservoir, with a capacity to hold more than one billion gallons of water. A transducer measures the lake’s water level and remotely sends data to the city.
The city typically takes advantage of lower summer lake levels every year as part of a process to maintain the water quality and for maintenance. Water drawn down from Lake Poway is sent to the Lester J. Berglund Water Treatment Plant for treatment. Replacement water is added back in from supplies the city purchases from the San Diego County Water Authority.
Drinking water is not being discarded. Instead, the City of Poway is moving drinking water into the delivery system for treatment, and holding back on replenishing the lake until the maintenance project is complete.
The work creates a bonus for San Diego County’s avid fishing fans.
“It’s not unusual for the water level to be down in the lake this time of year,” said Allie Margie, Recreation Supervisor at Lake Poway. “Our night fishing and catfish restocking schedule aren’t affected – and with less water and more fish in the lake, your chances of making a catch might be better than ever.”
Lake Poway treats three billion gallons of drinking water annually. Photo: City of Poway
Poway operates a modern water treatment and distribution system. Lake Poway serves as a storage reservoir for imported water from both the Colorado River and Northern California.
Water flows through the Berglund Water Treatment Plant, where approximately three billion gallons of drinking water are treated every year for the citizens of Poway. Once treated, the drinking water enters a system of pipes, pump stations, reservoirs for delivery to customer’s homes and businesses.
Did you know?
Poway City Council members voted 4-1 Tuesday night to give most city water customers small credits on an upcoming bill due to last year’s six-day boil water advisory.
The average customer will see a one-time credit of about $28.72 in March or April, depending on which bimonthly billing cycle the customer is on. This includes a $5.29 credit on the fixed rate and $23.43 for commodity equal to 1/8th of the bimonthly bill. Seventy-seven percent of all water customers will have a commodity credit of between $10 and $50, depending on how much water they typically use.
Poway water customers may be in line for small credits on an upcoming bill because the recent six-day boil-water advisory late last year.
Pending the council’s likely approval, the typical residential customer will see a one-time credit of about $28.72 in either March or April, depending on which bimonthly billing cycle the customer is on.
Restaurants in Poway reopened Saturday morning after six days of darkness, with owners and employees happy to be back at work, but upset about the costly interruption to their businesses and lives.
A week ago, restaurants, bars and other businesses that handled food — about 190 in all — were ordered to close by the county’s health department after the state issued a boil-water advisory for the entire city.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
