San Diego advances Pure Water commissioning, secures $12M for green stormwater infrastructure

San Diego advances Pure Water commissioning, secures $12M for green stormwater infrastructureThe City Council approved nearly $18.6 million in combined water and stormwater initiatives, securing technical support for its potable reuse program and funding major flood mitigation upgrades in the Chollas Creek watershed.

Trussell Technologies received a three-year, $6.65 million contract extension to provide post-construction commissioning services for the North City Pure Water Facility.

The city accepted $11.9 million from the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the Streamview Drive Green Infrastructure Project.

The stormwater project will install underground trash capture and detention vaults to treat runoff across a 258-acre watershed.

The San Diego City Council unanimously approved two significant water and stormwater infrastructure measures during its June 30, 2026, meeting as part of its consent agenda. To support its potable reuse initiatives, the council authorized a fifth amendment to its agreement with Trussell Technologies, Inc. for specialized technical support services at the North City Pure Water Facility and Demonstration Pure Water Facility. The amendment increases the contract's not-to-exceed amount by $6,650,000—bringing the total to $14,700,000—and extends the term by three years to February 25, 2031. Paid from the Water Utility Operating Fund, the extension aligns professional services with the current construction schedule and covers post-construction commissioning for the facility. During public comment, residents highlighted the North City Pure Water Facility's status as the first full-scale facility globally to use five advanced water treatment processes in sequence. However, some commenters expressed concerns regarding project cost overruns and the use of treatment chemicals. In a separate action, the council authorized the Stormwater Department to accept and appropriate $11,987,501 in grant funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development's 2024 Disaster Recovery Infrastructure/MIT-RIPP Fund. The revenue will be directed to the Streamview Drive Green Infrastructure Project. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera noted that the long-awaited project will deploy blue-green infrastructure to improve climate resilience for Redwood Village residents. The project is situated upstream of Chollas Creek, an urban waterway that experienced significant impacts during severe rainstorms in 2024. "This project will improve the capture and conveyance of urban runoff along Streamview Drive and install new stormwater treatment systems within the 258-acre watershed," Elo-Rivera said. The infrastructure includes an underground trash capture vault, an underground stormwater detention vault, and a multi-use treatment area vault. According to Elo-Rivera, the combined systems will reduce peak flows into the creek and filter out pollutants such as trash, sediment, and zinc.