In Santa Monica, California, a state-of-the-art water recycling facility, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP), marks two years in operation producing purified water from municipal wastewater.
The project has captured over 50 million gallons of stormwater and urban runoff for reuse.
The SWIP was recognized nationally and internationally earlier in 2024 as the National Water Environment Federation’s Project Excellence Award winner and the Global Water Award’s 2024 Distinction Award for water reuse project of the year.
SWIP was opened on November 17, 2022, and is a key component of the city’s goal of increasing water resiliency by bolstering local water supplies and reducing the city’s reliance on imported water.
The integral elements work together to produce up to 1,680 acre-feet per year, or roughly 10% of the city’s demand, of high-quality purified water.
The SWIP is located beneath the Civic Center parking lot in Santa Monica and marks a first-of-its-kind project that provides a new, sustainable and drought-resilient water supply for the city.
“Santa Monica is on the forefront of implementing strategies for water resiliency,” said Water Utilities Manager Sunny Wang in a press release. “The SWIP is a prime example of how municipalities can take a holistic view of their water supply portfolio and develop innovative solutions to deliver a climate-resilient water supply for our community.”
