Metropolitan breaks ground on Sepulveda Feeder pump station to boost west side reliability

Metropolitan breaks ground on Sepulveda Feeder pump station to boost west side reliabilityThe three-year project will allow the district to move Colorado River and Diamond Valley Lake water into areas historically reliant on state supplies.

Groundbreaking held for Sepulveda Feeder pump station to address imported water access challenges.

Project will enable flow reversals to move Colorado River and Diamond Valley Lake water to the west side.

Construction is expected to take approximately three years with potential for future expansion.

Final EIR for Pure Water Southern California released, with certification vote expected in February.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) has broken ground on the Sepulveda Feeder pump station, a strategic infrastructure investment designed to improve supply equity for member agencies on the west side of its service area. During the Executive Committee meeting on January 27, 2026, the General Manager reported that the project officially commenced earlier in the week. The facility is a direct response to challenges member agencies have faced regarding access to imported water, particularly those heavily dependent on the State Water Project. The new pump station will allow Metropolitan to "reverse flows" within its distribution system. This operational change will enable the movement of water from the Colorado River and Diamond Valley Lake into these State Water Project-dependent areas. The initiative builds on a legacy of infrastructure adaptation dating back to the district's establishment in 1928, leveraging assets like the Diamond Valley Lake reservoir—constructed following the 1987-1992 drought—to ensure equitable wholesale allocations across its 26 member agencies. The project duration is estimated at approximately three years. Management noted that the facility has also been designed so that it can be "expanded if necessary" in the future. In other planning developments, the General Manager confirmed that the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Pure Water Southern California program was released two weeks prior. The document, which reflects over four years of work, is set to go before the Board for certification consideration in February. Additionally, the first budget workshop for the upcoming biennium budget is scheduled for the Finance and Asset Management Committee on February 10.