Poway says $87 million water program is on schedule and under budget

Poway city officials on Feb. 3 told the council that the city’s largest capital project — a three‑phase water infrastructure program totaling roughly $87 million — is on schedule and running under budget.

The update, delivered by Robert Webber, principal civil engineer for utilities, laid out progress on three components: the clear well bypass (completed and operating since November 2022), the clear well replacement (two new 4,000,000‑gallon prestressed concrete tanks, currently about 95% complete), and the treated water facilities project (in design).

Why it matters: the work is intended to provide redundancy and resiliency so the Berglund Water Treatment Plant can be taken offline for maintenance and rehabilitation without jeopardizing supply. The program also includes emergency interconnections with the City of San Diego and could enable sales of treated water to Ramona under future agreements.

Webber told the council, "The project is roughly 95% complete," and described remaining tasks as installing inlet/outlet piping, accessories and moving into testing and commissioning in the spring. He said the clear well replacement includes rerouting storm drains, new control valves, and restoration work at Lake Poway, including the softball field.

Mayor Voss framed the update as a rare example of large‑scale, effective public works: "This is the largest public works project in the city's 45 year history, nearly $87,000,000. Thus far, it's on schedule and under budget by millions," he said, crediting staff for meeting state requirements while keeping the system operating during construction.

Council Member Peter echoed that praise and noted budget performance: "On phase 1 and 2, it's about $3,000,000 under budget," he said, and raised questions about the Ramona interconnect and potential future sales. Webber responded that the new 30‑inch pipeline to be installed on Spola Road will be bidirectional and can support flows greater than the current 3,000,000 gallons per day Ramona interconnect; he said staff will negotiate purchase and sales terms with Ramona in the coming months.

On funding, Webber reported the projected total cost for the treated water facilities project includes expected contributions from partners and noted the city has been notified of a $1,000,000 federal grant it is in line to receive. He outlined a 12‑month schedule that includes commissioning the clear well replacement in 2026, decommissioning the bypass, and bidding and design milestones for the treated water facilities with a planned return to council in early 2027 to award a construction contract.

The presentation was informational only and required no council action. The next procedural steps listed by staff include testing and commissioning the new clear wells in late spring 2026 and advertising for construction of the treated water facilities by the end of 2026.