Massive New Project Will Help San Diego Cut Reliance On Imported Water 50%
By Rebekah Gonzalez
August 24, 2021
On Friday, August 20, Mayor Todd Gloria and state and federal leaders officially kicked off the construction of Phase 1 of San Diego's Pure Water program.
According to the Times of San Diego, the program is intended to provide nearly 50% of the city's drinking water by 2035 and reduce the need for imported water.
“Today, we celebrated the launch of the largest, most ambitious infrastructure project in San Diego’s history,” said Gloria. “The Pure Water program will guarantee us a local water resource that allows San Diego to be drought-resilient and environmentally sustainable. This is a key part of how we will provide clean drinking water to our residents for generations to come.”
The Pure Water facility will utilize purification technology to clean recycled water and produce safe and high-quality drinking water.
“Sweeping drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, population growth, and historical over-drafting of water resources, have made meeting our water needs an enduring challenge,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “Just this week, U.S. officials declared the first-ever water shortage on the Colorado River, a critical water source for Southern Californians."
Phase 1 of the project includes 11 construction projects and other projects include pump stations and pipelines.