Metropolitan advances project to help communities vulnerable in state droughts

Construction will soon begin on a project to bring additional sources of water to Southern California communities hit particularly hard by the state’s last drought, following a vote by Metropolitan’s board of directors this week.

The board voted Tuesday (July 8) to authorize an additional $54 million to complete design and begin construction of the Sepulveda Feeder Pump Stations Project, which will push Colorado River water and stored supplies from Diamond Valley Lake – Southern California’s largest reservoir – into communities that currently have limited access to these resources. These communities rely almost exclusively on water from the northern Sierra, delivered through the State Water Project

“Two years ago, when State Water Project deliveries were severely curtailed because of the record-breaking drought stressing our state, these communities – home to nearly 7 million people – did not have the water they needed to meet demands. Residents and businesses were required to dramatically reduce their water use. In response, our board committed to take immediate action to avoid such water supply shortages in the future,” Metropolitan board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. said. “Through yesterday’s vote, we are fulfilling that commitment, moving quickly to address this problem.”

The project consists of building two new pump stations that, when needed, can push DVL and Colorado River water into northern Los Angeles and southern Ventura counties, reversing normal flows in the existing Sepulveda Feeder pipeline. Construction on the first of the pump stations is expected to begin later this year. Completion of the approximately $280 million project is expected in early 2029. The pump stations are being constructed in a manner that will allow them to be readily expanded in the future depending on water supply conditions and future board approvals.

The Sepulveda Feeder Pump Stations project is being expedited through the use of the progressive design-build method for construction, which allows Metropolitan to use a single firm for both design and construction. It is Metropolitan’s first project using the progressive design-build method since the state legislature granted the agency the authority to use such alternative methods to expedite completion of construction projects.

“We have made significant progress on this project in just two years, thanks to the support of our board and state lawmakers providing us the ability to use progressive design-build,” Metropolitan General Manager Deven Upadhyay said. “Together with our investments in water-use efficiency, storage and other climate resiliency projects, we will be far better prepared when the next multi-year drought hits our state. 

Metropolitan is also in the process of building four projects that together will allow additional water from Diamond Valley Lake and the Colorado River to be delivered to communities in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley that are also currently dependent on the State Water Project and were under mandatory restrictions during the last drought. That series of projects is expected to be completed in 2027.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.