$37M Wastewater Reclamation Project In Murrieta Completed

MURRIETA, CA — A celebration event held Wednesday commemorated the recent completion of a $37 million, three-year construction project at the Santa Rosa Water Reclamation Facility on Washington Avenue in Murrieta.

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Rancho California Water District, and Western Municipal Water District hosted the event. The three agencies are partners with the Santa Rosa Regional Resources Authority, which owns and manages the reclamation facility that serves portions of Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, and surrounding communities.

The reclamation plant's purchase and overhaul included building an entirely new solids-handling facility. Upgrades were made to the "sequential batch reactor," the system that cleans wastewater. Also, a new sodium hypochlorite storage facility was constructed, "which results in a safer, more efficient process for treating the wastewater with liquid bleach," according to officials.

“I am proud to say that, even during a pandemic and while construction projects everywhere were delayed or even abandoned, this project for the SRRRA was completed on time and under budget,” said John Rossi, board chair for SRRRA and senior vice president of the Rancho California Water District Board of Directors. “Not only that, but this multi-faceted project was completed all while our crews continued to operate a full-time wastewater treatment facility.”

Officials believe the plant's upgrades will bring another 30 years or more of life to the facility, and will lower operating costs due to increased efficiencies.

“Because of [our] collaboration, our customers are benefiting in major ways — we are saving them millions of dollars, providing unwavering wastewater service, and creating a facility that moves more than 1 billion gallons of wastewater annually,” said Western Municipal Water District's Board President Brenda Dennstedt. “In addition, the upgrades to the facility have resulted in huge energy savings — an outcome that is better for the environment and the community as our area faces constant strains on the energy grid. We have truly come together for the common good of the community.”

Reclaimed wastewater is used throughout the region to irrigate golf courses and other large landscaped areas like schools, parks and greenbelts.

Andy Morris, board director for Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, said the project was the result of "responsible financing."

"By working together, we have saved millions of taxpayer dollars and entered into cost-saving partnerships to benefit our communities," Morris said. "Recycled water plays a vital part in saving our natural resources and moving through this statewide drought. Our agencies are thankful to have this incredible facility that not only benefits our communities but California as a whole.”

More information can be found at srrra.jpa.org.