The East County Advanced Water Purification Program (East County AWP) is making progress on construction in an effort that will bring purified water to East San Diego County.
The East County AWP is expected to create a local, clean safe and drought-proof drinking water supply. This will be accomplished by water technology to purify East San Diego County’s recycled water.
According to a press release, it will produce up to 30 percent of East County’s drinking water supply. The program is expected to go online in 2026.
The construction includes building the water treatment facilities, purified water pipelines and wastewater pipelines. The main facilities are located just north of Santee Lake, where treatment facilities are being built. 60% of the concrete work here is said to be complete.
After water is purified at this new facility it will travel 10 miles to Lake Jennings, taking approximately 2.3 hours to arrive at the lake.
The purified water pipeline is said to be more than 30% complete, with work in Santee and Lakeside
Three miles of wastewater pipeline is also under construction and is said to be nearly 60% complete.
The East County AWP will also be creating its own power by harnessing the gas created while treating wastewater. The press release states that the program is expected to generate three megawatts of energy per year—providing approximately 60% of the energy for the treatment facilities on site.
The program has secured over $169 million in grant funding and $766 million in low interest loans, according to the press release. The East County AWP is a collaborative effort between Padre Dam, the City of El Cajon, County of San Diego and Helix Water District. The overall cost for the work currently in construction is said to be approximately $950 million.
The collaborative effort, between the East County AWP and the City of San Diego, is also creating a 17-mile pipeline for regional brine and wastewater. The pipeline is scheduled to begin construction in 2025.
