New way to turn sewage into drinking water could transform San Diego’s Pure Water behemoth – San Diego Union-Tribune

Report on San Diego’s Pure Water Project and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The City of San Diego is re-evaluating Phase Two of its Pure Water sewage recycling initiative, a critical infrastructure project aimed at enhancing water security and sustainability. A potential shift to a more efficient purification method, Direct Potable Reuse (DPR), is under consideration. This strategic review aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning clean water, sustainable communities, and responsible consumption.

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The project directly addresses the need for sustainable water management and safe sanitation by creating a locally controlled, purified water supply from recycled wastewater.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): By exploring cost-saving measures, the city aims to ensure water affordability for its residents, a key component of inclusive and sustainable urban development.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The initiative embodies circular economy principles by transforming wastewater into a valuable resource, promoting responsible water consumption and production patterns.

Project Re-evaluation and Technological Innovation (SDG 9)

The re-evaluation of Phase Two is driven by several factors that necessitate an innovative and adaptive approach to infrastructure development, reflecting the principles of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

1. Regulatory Advancements: California has recently approved regulations for DPR, allowing purified water to be introduced directly into the public water system. This innovation eliminates the need for expensive pipelines to reservoirs, offering significant cost savings.
2. Economic Pressures: Soaring construction costs and the potential for unaffordable water and sewer bills have prompted a search for more economically viable solutions. The DPR method could save billions of dollars, making the project more financially sustainable.
3. Changing Consumption Patterns: Successful water conservation efforts have lowered local demand, allowing the city to reconsider the originally planned capacity of Phase Two, ensuring the infrastructure is not overbuilt and resources are used efficiently.

Advancing SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The Pure Water project is a cornerstone of San Diego’s strategy to achieve SDG 6. The proposed shift to DPR technology could accelerate progress toward these goals.

• Water Security: The project will create a reliable, drought-proof local water supply, reducing dependence on expensive imported water and enhancing resilience to climate change impacts, a core target of SDG 6.
• Wastewater Management: Pure Water was conceived to address the non-compliance of the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant with the federal Clean Water Act. By diverting and treating sewage, the project improves sanitation infrastructure and protects marine ecosystems.
• Efficiency Gains: The DPR method could also optimize the nearly complete Phase One by reducing the mandated storage time in reservoirs, potentially increasing its daily output and further contributing to a sustainable water supply.

Fostering SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The project’s re-evaluation is fundamentally linked to making San Diego a more sustainable and equitable city, in line with SDG 11.

• Affordability: A primary goal is to prevent steep increases in utility bills. By adopting a more cost-effective purification method, the city can provide essential water services that remain affordable for all residents.
• Resilient Infrastructure: Investing in a local water source strengthens the city’s resilience against external shocks like droughts and rising costs of imported water.
• Regional Impact: The benefits of a more efficient and affordable system extend beyond San Diego, impacting numerous surrounding municipalities that utilize the city’s water and sewer systems.

Challenges and Considerations

The transition to DPR presents several challenges that require careful management.

• Public Acceptance: Overcoming the “ick factor” associated with direct reuse requires transparent public engagement and education to build trust in the scientific purification process.
• Operational Demands: DPR requires more rigorous treatment standards and infrastructure to manage seasonal variations in water demand, including the need for storage solutions during low-demand winter months.
• Regulatory Framework: As San Diego is the first agency in California to explore the new method, it is navigating an evolving regulatory landscape with state officials.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  This is the most central SDG addressed. The article focuses on San Diego’s “Pure Water” project, which is a sewage recycling system designed to create a safe, reliable, and affordable local water supply. It directly tackles issues of wastewater treatment, water quality, water scarcity, and the affordability of water and sewer services.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article discusses the development of large-scale, resilient water infrastructure, including purification plants and pipelines. It highlights the adoption of innovative and more efficient technology, specifically the shift to “direct potable reuse” (DPR), to make the infrastructure more sustainable and cost-effective.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The project aims to make San Diego more sustainable and resilient. By creating a local water source, it reduces the city’s vulnerability to droughts and disruptions in imported water supplies. It is also a major initiative in municipal waste management, addressing the environmental impact of the city’s wastewater.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The core concept of the “Pure Water” project is to create a circular economy for water. By recycling wastewater, the city is promoting the sustainable management and efficient use of a critical natural resource, moving away from a linear model of water use and disposal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  • Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. The article explicitly discusses the project’s financial implications, noting that the new method could “save billions of dollars, preventing steep jumps in local sewer and water bills.” It also mentions concerns about residents facing “water bills they can’t afford,” directly linking the project to water affordability.
  • Target 6.3: Improve water quality by… halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. The project was initiated because the Point Loma plant “doesn’t comply with the federal Clean Water Act.” The “Pure Water” system is a direct effort to improve wastewater treatment and substantially increase water recycling and safe reuse, turning sewage into potable water.
  • Target 6.4: Substantially increase water-use efficiency… and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The project’s goal is to make San Diego “less reliant on expensive imported water by providing a reliable local supply,” which directly addresses water scarcity. The re-evaluation of the project’s size due to “conservation has depressed local water demand” also points to an increase in water-use efficiency.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all. The article describes the construction and re-evaluation of a massive water infrastructure project (“purification plant,” “pipelines,” “storage”). The goal is to create a “reliable local supply,” making the city’s water system more resilient.
  • Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure… with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. The potential shift to “direct potable reuse” (DPR) is described as a “more efficient purification method.” This represents an upgrade of infrastructure with a more advanced and efficient technology compared to the older “indirect potable reuse” method.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to… municipal and other waste management. The project is a solution to the problem of the Point Loma plant’s non-compliance with the Clean Water Act. By diverting and treating sewage, it reduces the environmental impact of the city’s wastewater management.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 6:

  • Volume of safely treated and reused wastewater: The article specifies the planned output of the project: “30 million gallons per day from Phase One and 53 million gallons per day from Phase Two, for a total of 83 million gallons per day.” This is a direct indicator for Target 6.3.
  • Cost of water and sanitation services: The article mentions specific figures related to affordability, such as proposed rate hikes (“raising water rates more than 60% over four years and sewer rates more than 30%”) and potential savings (“billions of dollars”). These are indicators for Target 6.1.
  • Reliance on external water sources: The project’s goal to make San Diego “less reliant on expensive imported water” implies that the proportion of locally sourced water versus imported water is a key indicator of progress towards Target 6.4.

• For SDG 9:

  • Investment in sustainable infrastructure: The article provides cost estimates for the project, stating that Phase Two would cost “about $4 billion,” while the alternative of upgrading the old plant would cost “more than $5 billion.” These figures serve as indicators of financial investment in infrastructure.
  • Adoption of new technologies: The city’s exploration and potential adoption of the “direct potable reuse” (DPR) method is a qualitative indicator of progress in adopting more efficient and environmentally sound technologies.

• For SDG 11:

  • Proportion of wastewater safely treated: The project’s primary function of treating sewage that would otherwise not meet federal standards is a direct measure. The initial problem—the Point Loma plant’s inability to perform “secondary treatment”—serves as a baseline indicator for improving municipal waste management.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: sandiegouniontribune.com