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FPUD applies for grant to add recycled water to Conjunctive Use Project

The Santa Margarita Conjunctive Use Project will utilize Santa Margarita River basin supply to provide water to the Fallbrook Public Utility District and U.S. Marine Base Camp Pendleton, and it may be possible to utilize recycled water from FPUD’s reclamation plant as part of the project.

FPUD will be seeking a grant from the state Water Resources Control Board for a water recycling pilot project. A 5-0 FPUD board vote, Dec. 10, approved the resolution for a grant application and authorized FPUD general manager Jack Bebee to execute the financial assistance agreement should the state agency award a grant to FPUD.

“We’re looking at opportunities to increase the yield of the Santa Margarita Conjunctive Use Project using recycled water,” Bebee said.

The Santa Margarita Conjunctive Use Project being pursued by FPUD, Camp Pendleton and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will enhance groundwater recharge and recovery capability within the lower Santa Margarita River basin and develop a program which will increase available water supplies for FPUD and Camp Pendleton. Facilities within the lower basin will be constructed to capture additional surface runoff, which currently flows to the Pacific Ocean, during high stream flow periods. The surface water will be recharged through existing groundwater ponds and stored in groundwater basins during wet years while being “banked” for water rights statistics.

The water will be used to augment supplies during dry years, which will reduce the reliance on imported water provided from San Diego County Water Authority sources.

The Conjunctive Use Project will include improvements to the diversion works, increased capacity to the headgate and the O'Neill Ditch, improvements to seven existing recharge ponds, installation of new groundwater production wells and gallery wells, water treatment at either an existing or an expanded or new water treatment plant and a bidirectional pipeline which could deliver water to FPUD while also providing the Marine Corps with an off-base water supply should conditions warrant.

The potential recycled water project would begin with a pilot project to determine the feasibility for indirect potable reuse of the reclamation plant effluent through the Lower Santa Margarita River Basin percolation ponds. Assuming that the project is found to be

feasible treated effluent would be conveyed to the percolation ponds, infiltrated to the groundwater basin and then pumped back through the Conjunctive Use Project facilities to provide an additional source of potable water.

“It would be a groundwater recharge project,” Bebee said. “This is an effort we’re doing in cooperation with Camp Pendleton.”

The estimated cost of the pilot project is $1,300,000. The state Water Resources Control Board grant application is for $385,000. FPUD staff submitted the application Nov. 16, although the board resolution was necessary for the grant to be considered. The state

grants will likely be awarded in February 2019.

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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