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SAN DIEGO (CNS) – San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer Friday announced the city is seeking construction bids for the North City Pure Water Facility as the first of several bids for the Pure Water Program.

The program is expected to deliver more than 1,000 green jobs aiding in the regional economic recovery effort. Bids for the project are due by Oct. 1.

“With the first bid for construction out, the city will soon be putting shovels in the ground to embark on what will be the most important infrastructure project in San Diego’s history,” Faulconer said. “Pure Water not only helps us leave a cleaner, greener city behind for our grandchildren but also helps ensure our water independence and economic security far into the future.”

The milestone marks the beginning of Pure Water San Diego’s phased, multi-year approach using proven technology to clean recycled water to produce 30 million gallons of safe, high-quality water a day. With the completion of Phase 1, the Pure Water program is expected to provide one-third of San Diego’s water supply by 2035, a critical component of Faulconer’s Climate Action Plan.

San Diego’s existing water system recycles just 8% of the wastewater leaving homes and businesses, the rest is treated and discharged into the ocean. The Pure Water program and the North City Pure Water facility will treat the recycled water produced at the North City Water Reclamation Plant — currently used for irrigation — to purified water standards, suitable as a potable water source.

The new facility will be constructed north of Eastgate Mall near the existing water reclamation plant and will feature a five-step treatment process.

“We’re excited to begin construction on the first phase of projects for the Pure Water program,” said Johnnie Perkins, the city’s deputy COO of public utilities. “The project will provide substantial construction jobs and benefits to the local economy. The North City Pure Water facility is a key part of the infrastructure that will increase San Diego’s water supply.”

Once operational, the new plant will have a production capacity of up to 30 million gallons per day. The purified water will be sent via pipeline to the Miramar Reservoir, where it will be combined with imported and local water, then piped to the Miramar Water Treatment Facility for additional treatment prior to distribution.

In the coming months, the city will announce bids for other components to the Pure Water Phase 1 project, including a Pure Water facility and pump station, pipeline, de-chlorination facility and a Miramar Reservoir pump station, among others.