The Los Coches Dry Weather Diversion Pilot Project was designed to improve water quality in Los Coches Creek and the San Diego River downstream. Construction included installation of an underground trash capture device to remove pollutants found in storm water runoff (see conceptual rendering below).
It also included development of a pump system to divert dry weather runoff to the nearby sanitary sewer, further improving water quality during dry weather and enhancing local water supplies in the future. This pilot project was completed in July 2024 and the benefits/limitations will be evaluated to identify future implementation opportunities for similar systems.
Community: Lakeside
Drainage Area Treated: 192 acres
Pollutants Removed: Trash, sediment, debris, and bacteria.
Water Quality Improvements
Runoff conveyed by the storm drain system will be treated by a regional-scale trash capture device, which will remove trash, debris, and sediment before they are discharged into nearby Los Coches Creek or diverted to the sanitary sewer. This type of device has been successfully implemented in several drainage areas within the County to date.
Unique to this project, dry weather runoff treated by the trash capture device will be diverted to the nearby sanitary sewer. Elimination of dry weather flows will further improve water quality in Los Coches Creek and downstream. The graphic below shows the main components of the system with the dry weather diversion depicted.
Future Water Supply Benefits
This project also benefits the County’s efforts to enhance local water supplies. Beginning in 2025, a portion of the County’s wastewater flow will be directed to the East County Advanced Water Purification Project, which is a potable water reuse project that will use advanced treatment technologies to treat wastewater to drinking water standards. Since this project will be diverting dry weather runoff flows to the sanitary sewer, it will be contributing to local water supplies that could be treated and reused.
The project is estimated to contribute 1.3 million gallons per year to local water supplies.
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