Project Overview

The Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant is one of the largest desalination plants in San Diego County, California. It produces up to 54 MGD (Million Gallons per day). The Carlsbad desal plant meets about 10% of the region’s water demand, this accounts to one third of the desalinated water produced in the country. 

This desalination plant in Carlsbad includes a pumping station and product water storage with a 10-mile large diameter pipeline. The pipeline will supply desalinated water from the plant to Water Authority’s Second Aqueduct in San Marcos.

It offers recapture energy from the desalination process, developing extensive wetlands to promote fish populations along the San Diego County coastline. The water from Carlsbad plant is purchased by Carlsbad water agencies and later is supplied through SDCWA (San Diego County Water Authority) a regional water supplier. This desalination plant in Carlsbad supplies fresh water to about 300,000 people. 

Project Background

California has experienced several droughts and fulfills its water needs from California SWP (State Water Project). However, about 90% of the water is imported from the Colorado River. In 2007, this desalination plant project was awarded to the joint venture of Kiewit Infrastructure West and J.F. Shea Construction Inc to design and construct the desalination plant and pipeline.

This project was initiated in the 1990s to overcome severe drought conditions and growing population in the San Diego region. In 2010, Water Authority and Poseidon involved in several negotiations on commercial and financial terms about the purchase of the desalinated ocean water. A survey was conducted in 2012, and 82% of the respondents voted in support of the desalination plant calling it a reliable source of water supply.  

Through this project, California SWP aimed to reduce the dependence on imported water sources from the Colorado river and to secure clean drinking water for the people of San Diego County. Currently, the Carlsbad seawater desalination project produces 204,412 cubic meters per day that fulfills the potable water needs of about 300,000 people.

Project Location

The Carlsbad desal plant is widespread in 6 acres near the NRG's Encina Power Station on Agua Hedionda Lagoon in the region Carlsbad, California. Due to its location it is named Carlsbad ocean water desalination plant. It is wide-spread across 5.5 acres. 

Project Cost

The total project cost for this desalination plant is USD 1 billion. The 10 Mile pipeline that delivers desalinated water from plant to Water Authority valued USD 159 Million. The upgrades made to the desalination plant by the Water Authority over the years cost about USD 80 Million.

According to Poseidon an estimate of USD 45 Million is spent as direct annual spending for plant operations throughout the year.

Project Timeline

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Technical Specifications

Carlsbad facility includes a pumping station and product water storage with a 10-mile large diameter pipeline. The pipeline will supply desalinated water from the plant to Water Authority’s Second Aqueduct in San Marcos.

The 10-mile pipeline was constructed in spring 2013 in San Marcos, which later was integrated with the city of Vista. The Second Aqueduct conveys desalinated water with regional water in the Water Authority's Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant in the north of San Marcos.

To fully integrate regional water and desalinated water from the plant, Water Authority introduced several upgrades to the existing conveyance system and the Twin Oaks plant. 

Pipeline 3, a five mile section (part of Second Aqueduct) was added to increase the water pressures, such that the desalinated water conveys to the uphill treatment plant.  The Twin Oaks plant was upgraded to store desalinated water and store desalinated water.

Contractors & Stakeholders

Poseidon Water is the project developer for the Carlsbad desalination plant. It was awarded to the joint venture of Kiewit and J.F. Shea Construction under an EPC contract (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) to design, build and construct the desalination plant including the 10-mile-large-diameter pipeline. The IDE Technologies was awarded the EPC contract to deliver desalination technology and related plant equipment. It was awarded the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) contract for 30 years from the year of commercial operation in 2015.

Investors

The plant was originally developed by Poseidon Water - a private investor owned company in partnership with SDWA (San DIego County Water Authority). The plant was later acquired by Stonepark Infrastructure partners. In November 2019, Aberdeen Standard Investments acquired the plant and has been supporting the ongoing management activities. 

About USD 530 Million was allocated by the California Debt Limitation Allocation Committee in January 2010. The financing for this project was closed in December 2012. Additionally, Water Authority 

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Water Purchase Agreement (WPA)

The Water Purchase Agreement (WPA) was agreed with Poseidon Water on November 29th, 2012 for the purchase of between 48,000 and 56,000 acre-feet of desalinated seawater per year for a term of 30 years. Thus producing high quality drinking water to 400,000 people every year.

Under this agreement the risks associated with design, construction, operation of the seawater desalination plant and the pipeline is transferred from the Water Authority to Poseidon Water and its investors. 

Water Purchase Price

Depending on the estimated electricity cost, the price of water was set as USD 2,513 to USD 2,796 per acre-foot in the fiscal year of 2020 under the Water Purchase Agreement. The cost breakdown includes the cost to convey desalinated water from the desalination plant to the Water Authority. 

The first 15,640,866,240 gallons of desalinated water purchased every year was set to recover the fixed costs and variable costs of the project.

Project Benefits

The Carlsbad desalination plant infused about 2,500 jobs during the time of construction. From the time of operation, the desalination plant provided 36 full-time jobs and 124 indirect jobs. This desalination plant in Carlsbad was estimated to infuse USD 350 Million into the local economy. Apart from its role to boost the local economy, Claude bud lewis carlsbad desalination plant helped conserve Colorado River water. Additional benefits are reducing carbon emissions and safeguarding the fish populations along the San Diego Coastline. 

Environmental Benefits

The Carlsbad desal plant meets the environmental standards set by the California Coastal Commission, and state level local agencies such as the environmental protection agency. The desalination plant is environmentally friendly through the use of advanced desalination technology designed by IDE Technologies that ensures to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions. 

Conserving the Colorado River, the Carlsbad desalination plant enhances the coastal habitat. Poseidon Water - the project developer is restoring about 66 acres of wetlands in San Diego Bay. It includes excavating and grading a former salt production pond to recreate a coastal habitat for birds, fishes and other coastal species.  Additionally, 437 acres of wetland habitat is restored in Agua Hedionda Lagoon.   

Poseidon Water aims to achieve its Climate Action Plan of achieving net carbon neutrality over 30 years by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. The Carlsbad desalination project is the first major California Infrastructure project to eliminate its carbon footprint. It achieved this through purchase of carbon offsets (Compensating the carbon emissions produced by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions) and energy recovery technology. 

The energy recovery devices in the Carlsbad desal plant are saving an estimated USD 116 Million kilowatt-hours of energy per year. Henceforth, reducing CO2 emissions by 42,000 metric tons annually which is equal to the greenhouse gas emissions from 9,000 passenger vehicles.

Conclusion 

Carlsbad desal plant produces 54 MGD helping minimize the San Diego County region meeting the water quality standards, reducing vulnerability and safeguarding it from drought conditions. Built in northern California advanced reverse osmosis desalination technology integrated with energy recovery devices, this desalination plant in Carlsbad is environmentally friendly, known as the first California’s Infrastructure project to eliminate its carbon footprint. It meets about 10% of the regional water demand that is 1/3rd of the water generated in San Diego county. 

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