Santa Monica’s state of the art water recycling facility, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) marks two years in operation producing purified water from municipal wastewater and having captured over 50 million gallons of stormwater and urban runoff for reuse.
The SWIP was recognized nationally and internationally earlier this year as the National Water Environment Federation’s Project Excellence Award winner and the Global Water Award’s 2024 Distinction Award for Water Reuse Project of the Year.
“This award recognizes the top project in the United States for its excellence and innovation in the water sector. Congratulations to the Water Resources Division and thank you for all of your hard work moving the city closer to its water self sufficiency goals,” said David White, during the City Manager’s report in Monday’s City Council meeting.
Located beneath the Civic Center parking lot in Santa Monica, the SWIP is a first of its kind project that provides a new, sustainable and drought-resilient water supply for the city.
It opened on November 17, 2022 and was designed to become a key component of the city’s goal of increasing water resiliency by bolstering local supplies and reducing the city’s reliance on imported water. Three integral elements work together to produce up to 1,680 acre-feet per year, or roughly 10% of the city’s demand, of high-quality purified water.
Those three elements are:
1. Stormwater, dry weather urban runoff treatment and reuse
2. Stormwater and municipal wastewater treatment and potable reuse
3: Stormwater harvesting
“Santa Monica is on the forefront of implementing strategies for water resiliency,” Water Utilities Manager Sunny Wang said in a statement. “The SWIP is a prime example of how municipalities can take a holistic view of their water supply portfolio and develop innovative solutions to deliver a climate-resilient water supply for our community.”
This wasn’t the only award winner announced in the meeting as the city of Santa Monica’s
Safe Streets project for 17th Street and Michigan Avenue was commended by the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) in the transportation category of its BEST Project of the Year winners.
The APWA awards celebrate projects that advance Public Works in Southern California across areas such as building, facilities, storm water quality, and more. Fifty-three agencies submitted 97 entries this year, a record number of entries. The five projects that won in the transportation category advance the safety, connectivity and efficiency of our transportation networks.
Santa Monica’s Safe Streets for 17th St and Michigan Ave project was created in response to increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic on 17th Street stemming from the opening of the Metro E (Expo) Line in 2016.
To make the street safer for all users, the city added a protected bikeway, pedestrian scale lighting, curb extensions and upgraded ADA ramps, updated pedestrian and bike crosswalks and protected intersections between Wilshire and Pico boulevards. On Michigan Ave, the project included curb extensions, new and upgraded curb ramps and mini traffic circles.
“Santa Monica has been working hard to improve safety on 17th Street and Michigan Avenue for all community members, and it’s an honor to have this project recognized by APWA,” Director of Public Works Rick Valte said in a statement. “The Safe Streets project is just one of the many ways the city is working to promote a safer and more accessible urban environment for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike.”
This is the latest of several acknowledgements for the Safe Streets for 17th St and Michigan Ave project. It also received the 2024 Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Award from the League of California Cities and was named one of the best new US bike lanes built in 2023.
DEEP WATER: Construction of the SWIP under the Civic Center parking lot with the RAND Corporation building in the background
CREDIT: Courtesy image
