May 15, 2007

Construction starts on much-anticipated water project

Workers bury a 54-inch pipe in the Whitewater River. The pipe will eventually carry Colorado River water from the Coachella Canal to the Wastewater Reclamation Plant on Cook Street, where it will be blended with recycled water and delivered to up to 50 golf courses for irrigation.
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Construction has started on the much-anticipated $70 million Mid-Valley Pipeline, an innovative project that will help the district reduce demand on the groundwater supply.

This pipeline will deliver water from the Coachella Canal to CVWD's Wastewater Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Palm Desert. There, it will be blended with recycled water and eventually sent to approximately 50 golf courses in Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells for irrigation. Without this project, the WRP lacks the water supply and infrastructure to expand beyond the existing 12 golf courses.

All the drinking water in the valley comes from the underground aquifer, a supply of high quality, good tasting water. Currently, the Coachella Valley uses more of this water than we are able to put back through natural and artificial recharge, a condition referred to as “overdraft.”

“We know that the best way to preserve the aquifer is a three-prong approach of promoting conservation, importing water from other areas and providing an alternative source of water for those who use groundwater for anything other than drinking,” said General Manager-Chief Engineer Steve Robbins. “With the average golf course using 1,000 acre-feet of water per year, this project will significantly reduce the amount of water taken from the aquifer and get us one step closer to our long-term goal of eliminating overdraft,” Robbins said.

The project is divided into three construction phases. Phase I, which broke ground last week, consists of constructing a booster station, pipeline and receiving reservoir with the capacity to deliver at least 35,000 acre-feet of water to the Wastewater Reclamation Plant in Palm Desert. Construction of the booster station is starting at the Coachella Canal. The pipeline will be located on CVWD property adjacent to the stormwater channels, thereby minimizing any disruption to the public.

Phase II consists of expanding the pipeline distribution system within the recycled water service area; Phase III consists of constructing an additional booster station and distribution piping to expand the system beyond the recycled water service area. Phase II is scheduled to start in 2009.

The district has been working closely with golf course professionals to address any concerns. Fifteen golf courses adjacent to the Coachella Canal already use its water for irrigation.

This project has been in the works for about five years. Start-up costs came from the district's reserve fund, but the source for additional funding is still being evaluated.

CVWD is a public agency, governed by a five-member board of directors, that provides domestic and irrigation water, agricultural drainage, wastewater treatment and reclamation services, regional stormwater protection, groundwater management and water conservation across 1,000 square miles, primarily in Riverside County but also in portions of Imperial and San Diego counties.