San Diego approves construction of city’s most important infrastructure project

San Diego City Council has voted to approve the first phase of construction of the city’s Pure Water program.

The vote authorizes Mayor Kevin Faulconer to award construction contracts to the lowest responsible and reliable bidders for the various projects in Phase 1, including the future North City Pure Water Facility. Construction is scheduled to start this spring.

The Pure Water San Diego program is the city’s phased, multi-year program that will provide one-third of San Diego’s water supply locally by 2035. The program will use water purification technology to clean recycled water to produce safe, high-quality drinking water.

“This will be one of the most important infrastructure projects in city history and puts San Diego on the path to water independence for the first time,” Faulconer said in a prepared statement. “Pure Water will deliver a safe, reliable and sustainable source of water for all San Diegans for generations to come. It’s just the latest example of how we’re leaving a cleaner San Diego than the one we inherited.”

Under the initial phase, the North City Pure Water facility will be built on a city-owned parcel east of Interstate 805 and north of Eastgate Mall – across from the existing North City Water Reclamation Plant. The phase also includes construction of new pump stations and pipelines, as well as upgrades to existing facilities.