History

The City broke ground on the first new water supply in 40 years at 10 am on Wednesday, August 28, 2003 at the Water Reclamation Facility, 35 Prado Road. Council members and Utilities Director lifted their purple shovels to memorialize the event and the laying of purple pipe. From left to right in the above photo: Councilmember John Ewan, Councilmember Ken Schwartz, Utilities Director John Moss, Vice-Mayor Christine Mulholland and Mayor Dave Romero.

As part of the ceremony, Mayor Dave Romero and Vice-Mayor Christine Mulholland spoke to crowd of about 60 people and applauded the new environmentally-sensitive water supply project to be used for irrigating parks and landscaping.

Each location irrigating with recycled water will no longer need to use limited drinking water supplies for that purpose. Ultimately, this project at full build-out could extend City drinking water supplies by an additional 1,000 acre feet due to the offset of drinking water by recycled water for irrigation purposes.

Press Release dated April 12, 2007

San Luis Obispo to Celebrate Water Reuse and Energy Management Innovations April 18

SAN LUIS OBISPO − The City of San Luis Obispo has completed the Water Reuse Project and Energy Management Project and invites the public to a celebration Wednesday, April 18, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., at the Damon Garcia Sports Fields. The public may also tour the Water Reuse facility 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 35 Prado Rd. 

These innovative projects stem from a City Council directive to explore new ways to conserve energy and demonstrate the city’s commitment to environmentally sensitive resource management.

The Water Reuse Project creates the first new source of water for the city in over 60 years.  Planned since 1988, the project provides recycled water for drought-resistant irrigation citywide. The recycled water is highly treated wastewater approved by the California Department of Health Services for a variety of applications, including irrigation and construction dust control.

The recycled water program provides residents with free training and information about recycled water treatment, characteristics and approved uses. The program’s goal is to offset demand for drinking water and enhance the city’s water resources. At full capacity, the project will provide approximately 10 percent of the city’s water demand.

Construction of the Water Reuse Project began in 2003, the first phase was completed in 2006, and recycled water delivery began in January 2007. It has initially served the Damon-Garcia Sports Fields, Los Osos Valley Road landscaped medians and the new Calle Joaquin landscaped parkway.

Customers will be added to the system as developments and retrofit projects are completed. Additional sites to be served soon are French Park, Islay Park, Laguna Lake Park, Laguna Hills Park, Laguna Middle School, Marigold Center, Laguna Lake Golf Course, and Froom Ranch Road shopping centers, including Costco and Home Depot. 

City facilities also have a long history in energy efficiency. From upgrading interior and exterior lighting to heating and air conditioning systems, the city is committed to responsible energy use.  

To that end, the Energy Management Project adds the use of methane gas as a renewable resource, as well as pump and motor upgrades at the Water Reclamation facility and many other innovative elements, to conserve energy. The Energy Management Project is estimated to save the city more than $300,000 per year.

Press Release - August 4, 2003

Construction of San Luis Obispo’s newest water supply will begin on August 11, 2003, the culmination of years of planning, engineering, and extensive environmental and technical studies. By late 2004, high quality recycled water will irrigate City parks and landscaped medians.

The delivery of 1000 acre feet per year of recycled water to customers to meet their irrigation needs means that the City’s limited drinking water supplies have been extended by an additional 1000 acre feet-important and exciting news for the water supply picture for this community.

The project has two components and will cost $10,465,000. Pacific Mechanical Corporation will construct the necessary improvements at the City’s Water Reclamation Facility. J. Fletcher Creamer and Son, Incorporated, will build the new pipeline system.

Modifications at the Water Reclamation Facility include an additional separate chlorination channel, pumps to distribute the recycled water, and a 600,000 gallon below ground recycled water storage tank. The installation of the recycled water purple pipe will begin along Los Osos Valley Road and continue for about seven and half miles, extending along South Higuera and Broad Street, all the way to the new Damon Garcia sports fields. A map of the route is shown below.

The City’s first new water supply in forty years is possible with small or no water rate increases. The State awarded the City a total of $11,752,700 in grant and low interest loan funds for the design and construction of this project. The supply itself is owned by the City as it comes from high-quality water produced at the Reclamation Facility. The high level of treatment, called disinfected tertiary, was the result of plant improvements in the early 1990’s to meet state requirements for water entering into the San Luis Creek.

Press Release - March 25, 2003

Bids within Engineer's estimates opened on both phases of the Water Reuse Project, the plant improvements at the Reclamation Facility and the construction of the distribution system, on March 25, 2003. For more information, contact Dave Pierce, Water Projects Manager, 805-781-7239.

Press Release dated June 20, 2002

City Receives $8.41 Million Low-Interest Loan for Water Reuse Project

On June 20, 2002, the State Water Resources Control Board approved a low-interest State Revolving Loan in the amount of $8.41 million for the construction of the City of San Luis Obispo’s Water Reuse Project. This completes the financing required for the project. Last February, the State Water Resources Control Board approved a $3.39 million Water Recycling Construction Program Grant for this project.

When fully developed, the Water Reuse Project will serve up to 1,200 acre-feet per year of recycled water to customers within the southern portion of the City. Initially, 138 acre-feet per year will be delivered to identified customers. A groundwater exchange program is being developed to exchange approximately 400 acre-feet of recycled water for groundwater that is currently being used by farmers adjacent to the City. An additional 475 acre-feet will be used to irrigate landscaping within areas that are expected to develop as the City grows at an anticipated rate of one percent per year until the population reaches 56,000.