Alvarado Water Treatment Plant Upgrade and Expansion Project

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New flocculation and sedimentation basins unveiled at the plant on March 8, 2007, as part of Phase II of the project.

Project Description

The City of San Diego Water Department's Alvarado Water Treatment Plant (WTP) began operation in January 1951. Located adjacent to Lake Murray near the City's border with La Mesa, the Alvarado WTP has served as the "heart" of the City's drinking water system for more than fifty years. Plant capacity is currently at 120 million gallons per day (mgd) and will be increased to 200 mgd by completion of the Upgrade and Expansion Project.

Construction for the Alvarado project began in September 1994. This initial work occurred prior to the existing CIP and included replacing one of the existing Alvarado reservoirs with two 21 million gallon reservoirs. This work was completed in early 1998. Under the umbrella of the CIP, the Expansion and Improvement Project began in 1998, and involves constructing eight new filters, constructing sedimentation and flocculation basins, implementing ozone as an alternative disinfectant, upgrading the Lake Murray and College Ranch pump stations and remodeling the existing Operations building. These improvements will be implemented in six phases, over the next several years.

Construction Start: Winter 1998

Construction Complete:Winter 2013

Project Benefits

• Increased capacity and improved reliability to meet current and future water needs
• Meet or exceed new water quality regulations
• State-of-the-art facility will have useful life of 75 years

Project Need

Upgrades have become necessary for the following reasons:

• Recent changes in federal and state drinking water regulations require that the plant be upgraded to meet the new regulations
• In response to California Department of Health Services Compliance Order No. 04-14-96-022 (PDF: 8.95Mb) issued in 1997

Phases:

Phase I: Completed in 2003

• constructed eight new filters and rapid mix facility
• constructed finished water and raw water chemical facilities for treatment and disinfection
• rehabilitated the existing Lake Murray and College Ranch pumping stations
• constructed new emergency electrical generator
• remodeled and rehabilitated existing operations building
• rehabilitated existing filters
• demolished existing washwater tank
• constructed new washwater tank

Phase Ia: Completed in 2005

• replaced existing 35 million gallon Earl Thomas Reservoir
• installed piping to connect the Earl Thomas Reservoir with Phase I new filters and the two 20 million gallon reservoirs
• constructed new security and landscaping improvements

Phase II: Completed in 2007

• constructed additional flocculation and sedimentation basins

Phase III:

• rehabilitate existing flocculation and sedimentation basins

Phase IV:

• construct ozone contactors and ozone generation facilities

Phase V

• shoreline landscaping, back-up ozone generator and pump, and site improvements

For more information on this project or any CIP project, please contact us.