April 30, 2012

In April 2012, construction crews complete installing 2.27 miles of recycled water pipe that will carry recycled water from the City of San Diego's North City Water Reclamation Facility to the Grand Del Mar Golf Club, the Palacio Del Mar Homeowner's Association, and future customers in the western-portion of Carmel Valley.

The $3.8-million recycled water pipeline installation project started in September 2010 and was completed ahead of schedule.

"We had anticipated completed construction later this year; however, staff and the contractor worked diligently together and completed the project two-months ahead of schedule," said City of San Diego Public Works Department Director Tony Heinrichs.

Comprised of purple pipe, from 4 to 12 inches in diameter, the new pipeline will increase the use of recycled water by 97.8 million gallons per day (mgd), offsetting the need to import the same amount of water from Northern California and the Colorado River.

"Imported water comes from hundreds of miles away. That's why it is more cost effective and reliable to maximize our use of local supplies, such as recycled water," said Councilmember Carl DeMaio.

Recycled water, also referred to as reclaimed water, is wastewater that has been treated to a level suitable for use in landscape irrigation, farming, commercial cooling towers and other industrial processes. With additional treatment, it can be used for drinking water and to recharge groundwater basins and augment water supplies.

The Carmel Valley Recycled Water Pipeline Project is part of a master plan originally developed in 2000 to increase recycled water use to 50 percent throughout the City. The plan was updated in 2005, which added a goal to use 12-mgd of recycled water from the North City Plant.

Stated DeMaio, "It's a win-win situation: The pipeline helps meet our 2005 Recycled Water Master Plan Update goal and the water supply needs of rapidly growing areas throughout northern parts of our City."