The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has unanimously certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Pure Water Southern California, concluding more than five years of technical studies, public outreach and environmental analysis for the proposed large-scale water reuse initiative.
Certification of the EIR completes the project’s review under the California Environmental Quality Act and allows Metropolitan to move ahead with future deliberations on potential implementation. These upcoming decisions are expected to address issues such as project phasing, funding strategies, design and construction timelines, and will be considered as part of Metropolitan’s Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water evaluation process and its biennial budget review.
The program would capture cleaned wastewater currently discharged to the ocean from the A.K. Warren Water Resource Facility in Carson and subject it to advanced purification
Pure Water Southern California is being developed in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. The program would capture cleaned wastewater currently discharged to the ocean from the A.K. Warren Water Resource Facility in Carson and subject it to advanced purification. The proposed multi-barrier treatment process combines membrane bioreactors, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with advanced oxidation to remove pathogens, trace contaminants and salts, producing water that meets or exceeds all applicable drinking water quality standards.
At full capacity, the system could generate up to 150 million gallons of purified water per day, enough to supply the annual needs of roughly 500,000 homes and benefit the 19 million people served within Metropolitan’s service area. The water would be used primarily for groundwater replenishment, industrial purposes and as a new supply for regional drinking water treatment plants, helping reduce reliance on imported sources from the Colorado River and Northern California.
“Recognizing that climate change presents serious challenges to our imported water supply, Metropolitan began development of Pure Water Southern California more than a decade ago as a drought-resistant sustainable local supply of water,” said Vice Chair Nancy Sutley. “Completion of the environmental review is a major milestone that will allow our board to evaluate next steps to advance the program.”
Metropolitan noted that the Final EIR incorporates responses to public comments received on the Draft EIR, released last spring, and identifies mitigation measures for potential construction and operational impacts associated with new purification facilities and up to 60 miles of conveyance infrastructure across the region.
