Tag Archive for: recycled wastewater

Construction begins soon on the new East County AWP energy recovery system, which will provide up to 30% of the project’s energy needs, saving the operators and ratepayers money. Photo: East County AWP

East County AWP Reports Progress, Hosts Outreach Event Jan. 17

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Construction is progressing at the various project sites for the East County Advanced Water Purification Program. The past year saw a number of accomplishments, bringing the initiative one step closer to the finish line.

Watch the latest East County AWP video presentation.

The East County AWP Outreach team will kick off 2026 with a pop-up event for the public at Mission Trails Regional Park on Saturday, January 17, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Representatives will answer questions and share information about the pipeline work underway within Mission Trails Regional Park, including rehabilitation of an existing sewer pipeline, and installation of a new nine-mile residuals pipeline along Father Junipero Serra Trail within the park. Visit the project’s website for more details.

Work to install a temporary sewer bypass pipeline is complete, allowing work to continue during rainy months without risking a sewer spill and protecting wildlife and waterways.

Education Center Nears Completion

The lights are on at the East County AWP's Education Building, which also houses administrative offices and a new laboratory. Photo: East County AWP

The lights are on at the East County AWP’s Education Building, which also houses administrative offices and a new laboratory. Photo: East County AWP

The new Education Center building, which will also house the administrative offices and a brand-new laboratory, is now 90% complete. San Diego Gas and Electric finished its work on the new treatment facility’s main electrical room, and power is now available for its operations. With electricity in place, the team is gearing up for the next milestone: installing the East County AWP sign outside the building.

Each digester can store up to 1.4 million gallons, and stands 46 feet high and measures 75 feet in diameter. Photo: East County AWP

Each digester can store up to 1.4 million gallons, and stands 46 feet high and measures 75 feet in diameter. Photo: East County AWP

Next, construction will get underway on the energy recovery system. Located north of the Education Center, Anaergia is working on the final design, with construction scheduled this winter. The methane produced by three digesters will be captured and used to generate both heating and electricity. The energy recovery system will provide up to 30% of the project’s energy needs, saving the operators and ratepayers money.

Crews are preparing for the installation of the final 3,500 feet of 36-inch wastewater pipeline. Work is active at the East Mission Gorge Pump Station and just south of Lake One at Santee Lakes. This segment is set to be completed this summer.

The East County AWP successfully secured two critical water discharge permits from the San Diego Regional Water Control Board, a significant operational milestone.

Mast Boulevard Construction Progress 

Construction work is complete and Mast Boulevard from Fanita Parkway to Vomac Road is now restored. Photo: East County AWP

Construction work is complete and Mast Boulevard from Fanita Parkway to Vomac Road is now restored. Photo: East County AWP

Mast Boulevard from Fanita Parkway to Vomac Road is a whole lot smoother after completion of final paving and striping work.

Crews are continuing work on Mast Boulevard from Vomac Road to W. Hartland Circle and are expected to wrap up by mid-to-late February. There is a 24-hour temporary closure of the second westbound lane near the work area. Expect paving and striping after these repairs are complete.

Habitat Restoration Restores Native Plants

Native plants are being reintroduced after construction has been completed in several areas including at Lake Jennings. Photo: East County AWP

Native plants are being reintroduced after construction has been completed in several areas including at Lake Jennings. Photo: East County AWP

As part of ongoing restoration following the installation of purified and wastewater pipelines, new plantings were installed last month around Lake Jennings, the Historic Flume Trail, El Monte Road, Laurel Canyon Road, and the end of Mast Boulevard.

These plants are native to San Diego and the surrounding area. They include California sagebrush, San Diego County sunflower, bush sunflower, California buckwheat, laurel sumac, lemonade berry, and spiny redberry.

Planting is also being done north of Ganley Road, and hydroseeding near the East Mission Gorge Pump Station and along Fanita Parkway will bring a more vibrant landscape to East County for years to come.

Overnight Work Continues Through February

Overnight work on a wastewater pipeline continues along Fairmount Avenue between Twain Avenue and Mission Gorge Road in San Diego between 8:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday. Noise and bright lights, along with road and lane closures, may affect traffic and nearby residents and businesses. Home access will be maintained at all times. Work should be complete at the end of February.

Interactive Map Helps Residents Stay Updated On Program Progress

The East County Advanced Water Program made significant progress in 2025.

The East County Advanced Water Program made significant progress in 2025.

When completed, water from this project will provide potable water 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 offers a useful 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

 

 

 

Agencies in California are Recycling Wastewater into Drinking Water as Demand Grows

/in , /by /CBS News Chicago

Every day, 130 gallons of treated wastewater, normally draining into the Pacific Ocean, undergo a three-step purification process, including microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light.

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Wastewater Treatment Facility Will Provide 30% of The Drinkable Water in East County

/in , , /by /ABC 10 News San Diegoby Spencer Coicher

In the near future, recycled wastewater could account for 30% of the drinkable water in the East county. The water would go through several purification steps at a new facility being built in Santee.

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Opinion: You’re Already Drinking Dinosaur Pee. So Don’t Be Afraid of Recycled Wastewater

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Times Editorial Board

Perhaps the biggest development in water over the last three decades has been the change in attitude among consumers about their liquid assets. After repeated droughts punctuated by history-making deluges, Californians appear more open than ever to embracing reuse of stormwater, wastewater and seawater — as long as we can be certain that it is clean and safe to drink.

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California Seeks to Introduce Purified Wastewater to Drinking Supplies

/in , , /by /Spectrum News 1 by Jeremy Lindenfield

Earlier this summer, state water officials introduced draft regulations that, if passed, would allow purified wastewater to be directly introduced to drinking supplies.

Currently, purified wastewater has to be introduced to environmental buffers like groundwater aquifers before being added to drinking supplies, but the new regulations would allow treated water to bypass this step after undergoing additional purification processes.

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Treated Wastewater Can Be More Dependable and Less Toxic Than Common Tap Water Sources

/in , , /by /Phys.orgby Corey Binns

Recycled wastewater is not only as safe to drink as conventional potable water, it may even be less toxic than many sources of water we already drink daily, Stanford University engineers have discovered. “We expected that potable reuse waters would be cleaner, in some cases, than conventional drinking water due to the fact that much more extensive treatment is conducted for them,” said Stanford professor William Mitch, senior author of an Oct. 27 study in Nature Sustainability comparing conventional drinking water samples to wastewater purified as a drinking water, also known as potable reuse water.

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This City’s Recycled Wastewater is Too Pure to Actually Drink

/in , , /by /Mother Jonesby Matt Simon

On a dusty hilltop in San Diego, the drinking water of the future courses through a wildly complicated and very loud jumble of tanks, pipes, and cylinders. Here at the North City Water Reclamation Plant, very not-drinkable wastewater is turned into a liquid so pure it would actually wreak havoc on your body if you imbibed it without further treatment.

First the system hits the wastewater with ozone, which destroys bacteria and viruses. Then it pumps the water through filters packed with coal granules that trap organic solids.

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Opinion: Drink More Recycled Wastewater

/in , , /by /Natureby Cecilia Tortajada and Pierre van Rensburg Mentioned: City of San Diego

Drinkable water is becoming increasingly scarce. Population growth, pollution and climate change mean that more cities are being forced to search for unconventional water sources. In a growing number of places, drinking highly treated municipal wastewater, called ‘reused water’, has become the best option — and, in some cases, the only one (see ‘What is reused water?’).

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