OCEANSIDE, CA, APRIL 25, 2017 -- The City of Oceanside was honored for its leadership in Aquifer Augmentation and Indirect Potable Reuse and was awarded "2016 Agency of the Year" by the Water Reliability Coalition (WRC). The award was delivered at the WRC annual Spring Reception on Thursday, April 20, 2017, in San Diego.
Matt O'Malley, executive director of San Diego Coast Keeper delivered the award saying, "We are excited to see North County San Diego opening up its doors to potable reuse and aquifer augmentation with the City of Oceanside completing its Feasibility Study and Pathogen Removal Study last year."
The City's Aquifer Augmentation (Indirect Potable Reuse) Project is currently in preliminary design and undergoing permitting, environmental documentation and construction of exploratory borings.
"This recognition underscores the City of Oceanside's dedication and diligence as we work to implement the Council's vision to achieve a 50 percent local water supply by 2030," said Cari Dale, Water Utilities Director for the City of Oceanside, who accepted the award on behalf of the City.
"The City of Oceanside imports 87 percent of our water, and basin levels are decreasing," continued Dale. "The Aquifer Augmentation and Indirect Potable Reuse project will achieve many benefits once completed, including increasing our local water supplies by increasing groundwater basin levels, decreasing the need for imported water and improving overall groundwater basin quality."
The City plans to reuse a total of six million gallons per day (MGD) of highly purified water through this project. The advanced water treatment methods for this program will consist of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light and advanced oxidation.
Near-term construction will enable 3,360 acre-feet per year to be injected via three wells into the Mission Basin aquifer. An acre-foot of water is generally the amount a family of four uses in a year.
Complimentary projects include construction of Title 22 recycled water treatment, which includes 3 MGD of water to be operational by the summer of 2018 and 3 MGD of low TDS recycled water designated for agricultural uses in the Morro Hills area in Oceanside.
Project partners include RMC/Woodard & Curran and Trussell Technologies, who were also applauded at the Water Reliability Coalition event.
About the Water Reliability Coalition
The Water Reliability Coalition is a broad-based affiliation of environmental, consumer, business, labor and technical organizations that have come together to advance water reuse in the San Diego region as a strategy to develop a safe, reliable, sustainable and cost-effective local water supply.
About the City of Oceanside
The City of Oceanside is located in northern San Diego County with a population of approximately 175,000. Oceanside's vibrant coastal community includes Mira Costa Community College, Camp Pendleton and the world-renowned 1,601-foot fishing pier and 1,000-slip public marina. Oceanside is located 83 miles south of the City of Los Angeles and just 35 miles north of the City of San Diego. The City of Oceanside offers outstanding public amenities such as 30 city parks, four community recreation centers, two municipal swim centers, two senior centers, two city-owned golf courses, and 3.5 miles of public beaches. More than 6,000 businesses operate within the City of Oceanside, including Genentech Pharmaceuticals, Te Connectivity, Hydranautics, Nitto Denko, Gilead Sciences, Hobie Cat, and Tri-City Medical Center, as well as emerging craft and entrepreneurial ventures. For more information, visit www.ci.oceanside.ca.us
