Jacobs Awarded New Contract to Advance Water Reuse and Resilience in California

Photo courtesy of City of Santa Monica

Jacobs was selected by the City of Santa Monica, California, to operate and maintain the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) — a 1-million-gallon-per-day underground advanced water treatment facility — under a new five-year contract.

The SWIP is designed to reduce the city’s reliance on imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River. The system treats municipal wastewater, stormwater and urban runoff through advanced water treatment processes, then distributes the purified water for indirect potable reuse through groundwater injection, landscape irrigation and other non-potable uses. 

Jacobs will oversee day-to-day operations, meeting regulatory compliance requirements and delivering transparent performance targets for long-term water reliability and resiliency. 

“As one of the most beloved coastal cities in Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is setting the standard for sustainable and locally sourced water,” says Jacobs Vice President of Operations Paul Rheault. “We look forward to working alongside the city and operating their advanced water treatment facility while supporting their efforts to have the plant become a direct potable reuse (DPR) facility.”

Santa Monica Water Utilities Manager Sunny Wang, P.E., underscores the project’s importance to the city’s broader water strategy: “The SWIP has been a cornerstone project in the city’s commitment to ensuring a reliable, climate-resilient water supply for our community. We are excited about our partnership with Jacobs to maintain reliable operations at SWIP and to further advanced shared goals around performance, innovation and operational excellence.”

A water source for the future

A key focus of the contract is advancing DPR — the process of purifying wastewater using a multi-barrier advanced water treatment approach and distributing it directly as safe, high-quality drinking water. The commitment to DPR will produce a climate-resilient water supply, enhance emergency preparedness, help protect Santa Monica Bay and improve livability for more than 90,000 residents.

As California’s most engaged firm in DPR implementation, Jacobs will draw on its extensive global and local teams to advance the city’s vision for the integrated water reuse system. 

Expanding Jacobs’ portfolio in California

Santa Monica joins a growing list of California communities turning to Jacobs for operations and maintenance services. Our portfolio includes work with the West Basin Municipal Water District,  Soquel Creek Water District, Lincoln-Sewer Management District 1 Wastewater Authority, San Diego County Water Authority, Woodland Davis Clean Water Agency, Turlock Irrigation District, and the cities of Red Bluff, Crescent City, Clovis, Auburn and Gilroy.