Diversification and
Operation

A major rehabilitation project on the region’s historic First Aqueduct was completed in North San Diego County in January 2021. The project began in early 2019 and was one of the most complicated pipeline retrofits in the Water Authority’s history. The upgrades included replacing 14,500 linear feet of lining on the steel pipe sections of Pipeline 1, removing 16 associated structures and retrofitting 46 structures. Pipeline 1 delivered the first imported water to the San Diego region in 1947 and remains a vital part of the regional water delivery system. The construction contract for the project was worth approximately $30 million.

The project required coordinated shutdowns over two years in collaboration with member agencies and communities to ensure minimum impact to water users. The timely rehabilitation of the First Aqueduct was part of the Water Authority’s proactive asset management program. A key element of providing safe and reliable water supplies is continually assessing the agency’s 310 miles of large-diameter pipeline and making the upgrades necessary to continue serving the region.