Starting this week, construction crews will begin installing new pipelines at the intersection of Clairemont Drive and Balboa Avenue in the Clairemont neighborhood as part of Pure Water San Diego. This multi-year program aims to provide nearly half of San Diego’s local water supply by 2035, according to a report from NBC 7 San Diego. To minimize traffic disruptions, crews will work overnight between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. through July 17th. One lane of traffic in each direction on Clairemont Drive will be maintained, while eastbound and westbound traffic on Balboa Avenue will be detoured. After 5 a.m., all lanes will reopen.
Upon completion of the intersection project, crews will install an additional pipeline northbound on Clairemont Drive, according to the report. Phase 1 of Pure Water San Diego is expected to produce an average of 30 million gallons of purified water per day, with Phase 2 in planning to add another 53 million gallons daily.
Pure Water San Diego is the City of San Diego’s phased, multi-year program that will provide nearly half of San Diego’s water supply locally by the end of 2035, according to the City’s website. The Pure Water San Diego Program will use proven water purification technology to clean recycled water to produce safe, high-quality drinking water. The Program is designed to offer a cost-effective investment for San Diego’s water needs as well as provide a reliable and sustainable water supply.
The program was started in response to the increasing costs of the City’s imported water. San Diego relies on importing 85 percent of its water supply from the Colorado River and Northern California Bay Delta, according to information from the city. The cost of this imported water has tripled in the last 15 years and continues to rise. Limited local control over its water supply leaves the City of San Diego more vulnerable to droughts, climate change and natural disasters.
