Desalination Plant Intake Upgrades Save Ratepayers $29 Million

Desalination Plant Intake Upgrades Save Ratepayers $29 Million

October 29, 2025

Newly completed project was mandated by state to increase environmental protections

San Diego County ratepayers saved $29 million on newly completed state-mandated upgrades at the Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, and some of the savings will lower the cost of water from the plant for years to come. The project benefited from $19 million in federal grant funds and more than $10 million in savings on construction.

"This project does three vital things - it protects our drought-proof water supply, it protects the environment, and it protects ratepayers," Water Authority Board Chair Nick Serrano said. "Every time we achieve savings like this, we're living up to our responsibility to deliver safe, reliable water in the most cost-effective way possible for San Diegans."

The multi-phase project included the installation of new water intake and discharge facilities in and adjacent to Agua Hedionda Lagoon to comply with the California Ocean Plan Amendment. The total project cost was approximately $286 million, and work completed with more than $10 million left in the account established at the beginning of the project to cover potential unforeseen conditions during construction.

This week, the project also received recognition from Engineering News-Record (ENR) West, a go-to publication for large-scale infrastructure. It was named the top water/environment project in this year's West Best Projects awards. ENR West noted the project was "completed within budget and on schedule … (and) the new intake and discharge facility's dual-flow screens improve sustainability, keep the lagoon productive and comply with the California Ocean Plan Amendment."

The Water Authority will apply project savings to reduce near-term water purchase costs and to reduce the price of water from the desal plant starting in July 2026. Since its completion in December 2015, the facility has produced more than 132 billion gallons of high-quality water and helped the region avoid water-use cutbacks during two major droughts.