Equinox Center Endorses City of San Diego's Pure Water Project

Pure Water San Diego will be environmentally and economically beneficial to the City of San Diego
SAN DIEGO - Equinox Center's Board of Directors has unanimously voted to endorse the City of San Diego’s Pure Water Project.

“The Pure Water San Diego Project will positively impact our environment, our economy and our communities,” said Ray Ellis, Equinox Center’s Board Chair. “Equinox is in complete agreement that this plan is one of the most beneficial solutions to the City’s long-term water supply needs.”
Pure Water San Diego is a 20-year plan that will create a safe and reliable water supply by recycling what is here already.

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According to the City of San Diego’s Public Utilities Department, Pure Water San Diego will provide a safe and more secure water future thanks to local water control, is more economical, and provides environmental benefits. When fully implemented, demand projections show Pure Water San Diego can provide a third of the City’s water supply by 2050.

The City of San Diego currently relies on the Colorado River and the Bay Delta for 85 percent of its water supply. This is problematic in many ways, including the fact that it puts San Diego at an environmental and economic disadvantage.

In the last decade, the cost of importing water has more than doubled, and imported water costs are expected to continue to increase. Conversely, the City of San Diego estimates Pure Water San Diego is expected to save hundreds of millions of dollars by 2035 if San Diego can locally purify water, rather that relying on the ever-increasing cost of importing from Northern California and the Colorado River.

Pure Water San Diego includes the implementation of a full-scale water purification plant and continued water conservation efforts, creating a constant, reliable water source and minimizing the amount of highly-treated wastewater entering the Pacific Ocean.

“This is important work the City is doing, and what’s most impressive about it is the positive impact it will have on our region’s quality of life,” said Stephen Heverly, Equinox Center’s Managing Director. “Creating a safe, reliable, sustainable and locally-controlled water supply will help position our region for future success on several fronts.”

Contact: Tony Manolatos

About Equinox Center: Equinox is a nonprofit, non-partisan, independent regional research group that advances innovative solutions to balance regional growth with our finite natural resources. Our mission is to ensure a healthy environment, strong economy and civic engagement for the San Diego region. Equinox Center turns research into action to help the San Diego region achieve a more prosperous economy, healthy environment and outstanding quality of life for all its residents as it grows. To learn more, visit www.equinoxcenter.org. Connect with Equinox Center on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @equinoxcenter

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