The San Elijo Water Campus is a publicly owned wastewater treatment and water recycling facility responsible for collecting, treating and safely disposing of, or recycling wastewater and its residuals for residents and businesses in the Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Olivenhain and Cardiff communities. The plant is located in the Cardiff area, within the City of Encinitas, off Manchester Avenue.

Service Area: 
Approximately 19 square miles including the City of Solana Beach, portions of the City of Encinitas and Rancho Santa Fe.

Population Served: 
Approximately 40,000

Wastewater Treatment Capacity:
5.25 Million Gallons Per Day

Reclamation

The San San Elijo JPA owns and operates the San Elijo Water Campus, 20 miles of recycled water distribution pipelines, two recycled water reservoirs, and operates and maintains nine wastewater lift stations.

The San Elijo Water Campus handles mostly domestic waste and is permitted to discharge up to 2.48 million gallons per day (MGD) of tertiary treated wastewater to recycled water users and up to 5.25 MGD of secondary treated wastewater to the Pacific Ocean through the San Elijo Ocean Outfall, 1.5 miles offshore.

Laboratory

A highly specialized laboratory monitors the effectiveness of our treatment process and evaluates wastewater samples for compliance. Analytical services available include chemical, biological, and microbiological testing. The chemists employ a combination of physical and chemical techniques to provide assessments of the inorganic and organic chemicals, bacteria and toxicity in the incoming wastewater, outgoing effluent and reclaimed water.

Educational Offerings

San Elijo JPA staff can provide educational materials, tours or lectures for your class or event. Call 760.753.6203 for details.

Facilities

The San Elijo JPA owns and operates the San Elijo Water Campus, which consists of wastewater treatment and water reclamation. Wastewater facilities include the 5.25 MGD treatment plant located in Cardiff by the Sea, eight wastewater lift stations, and the 25.5 MGD San Elijo Ocean Outfall. Recycled water facilities include 2.5 MGD of sand filtration, 1.4 MGD of micro filtration, and 0.5 MGD of reverse osmosis, as well as 20 miles of recycled water distribution pipelines, and three recycled water reservoirs.

Ocean Outfall

The San Elijo Ocean Outfall is co-owned with the City of Escondido. The ocean Outfall is comprised of 30-inch and 48-inch diameter reinforced concrete pipe that extends 1.5 miles into the ocean.

Recycled Water

Approximately 1,400 to 1,600 acre-feet is produced annually for local use by parks, schools, churches, golf courses, freeway and street landscaping, businesses, and homeowners associations for landscape irrigation, and industrial cooling tower use.

Reservoirs

Three recycled water reservoirs, one underground, and two above, with storage capacity ranging from 750,000 to 1,000,000 gallons, provide operational storage for the recycled water program.

History

Historically, wastewater generated in Solana Beach and Cardiff was collected in private septic tanks or privately discharged into the surf. In 1950, Solana Beach and Cardiff collection systems were constructed, but due to the mounting water quality concerns in the San Elijo Lagoon, the San Elijo Water Pollution Control Facility (now the San Elijo Water Campus) was constructed in 1965.

The original San Elijo Water Pollution Control Facility was placed in service in 1966 with a capacity of 2 million gallons per day (MGD) and was operated by the County of San Diego. As flows increased and the Clean Water Act loomed, the plant converted to advanced primary treatment in 1981, increasing capacity to 2.87 MGD.

In 1986, the Cities of Solana Beach and Encinitas were incorporated and ownership of the facility was transferred from the County to the San Elijo JPA.

Major facility improvements were completed in 1992, which included secondary treatment facilities and other upgrades that increased the treatment capacity to 5.25 MGD.

In 2000, the agency completed the construction of its recycled water utility. This system creates locally produced drought resistent, water for irrigation and industrial uses in the Cities of Encinitas, Solana Beach, and Del Mar. The recycled water utility includes treatment (both traditional sand filtration and micro filtration/reverse osmosis), disinfection, distribution, and storage. The treatment capacity is 3.02 MGD and the distribution system includes approximately 20 miles of piping and 3 storage reservoirs. The agency sells the recycled water to San Dieguito Water District, Santa Fe Irrigation District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, and the City of Del Mar for resale to their customers.

The San Elijo JPA governs the operations of the San Elijo Water Campus. It is similar to public utilities that supply drinking water, natural gas or electricity. Operation and maintenance revenues come from member agencies sanitation funds, outside services and the sale of recycled water.

Industry Awards

CWEA - California Water Environment Association, San Diego Section
2018 Plant of the Year Award, Medium
2018 Engineering Achievement Award
2018 Electrical Instrumentation Person of the Year - Casey Larsen
2018 Mechanical Technician of the Year - Jose Garcia
2016 Plant of the Year, Greater than 5MGD and less than 20MGD
2016 Administrative Support Person of the Year - Carrie Cook
2015 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2015 Electrical/Instrumentation Person of the Year - Casey Larsen
2015 Operator of the Year - Michael Dietrich
2015 Laboratory Person of the Year - Susie Arredondo
2014 Plant of the Year, Greater than 5MGD and less than 20MGD
2012 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2011 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
2011 Operator of the Year - Aaron Simonson
2010 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2010 Instrument Technician Person of the Year - Casey Larsen
2009 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
2009 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2008 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
2008 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2008 Laboratory Person of the Year - Ravy Chea
2008 Mechanical Technician of the Year - Joe M. Hernandez
2007 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2007 Supervisor of the Year - Ken Regnier
2007 Engineering Achievement Award, Collaborating Partner for the Solana Beach Pump Station Force Main Replacement
2006 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
2004 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
1997 Small Plant of the Year

CWEA -Statewide
2015 Electrical/Instrumentation Person of the Year - Casey Larsen
2013 Water Environment Federation - CWEA George W. Burke Jr. Facility Safety Award
2012 Small Plant Safety Award
2011 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
2010 Instrument Technician Person of the Year - Casey Larsen
2009 Safety Award, 1-25 Employees
2006 Plant of the Year, Less than 5MGD
1997 Small Plant of the Year

CSRMA - California Sanitation Risk Management Authority
2017 - 2018 Workers' Compensation Excellence Award
2011 - 2012 Workers' Compensation Excellence - Small Agency Category
2009 - 2010 Safety Superstar
2007 - 2008 Safety Superstar / Special Workers Compensation Program Honors (3 consecutive Years with no Workers Compensation claims)
2006 - 2007 Safety Superstar
2005 - 2006 Safety Superstar

ASCE - American Society of Civil Engineers
2010 Award of Excellence for the Performance Optimization of the Activated Sludge System
2006 Honorable Mention for Civil Engineer in Public Sector - Michael Thornton, P.E.
2003 Award of Merit for the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority Escondido Outfall Connection Pipeline, with PBS

CASA - California Association of Sanitation Agencies
2003 Technical Achievement for the Microturbine Project

San Diego County Engineering Council
2018 Outstanding Engineering Project Recognizing San Elijo Land Outfall Replacement Project

Southwest Membrane Operators Association
2017 Outstanding Plant Operator Award - Todd Hutchinson
2013 Membrane Plant of the Year

WateReuse, California Section
2016 Agency of the Year - Medium