California’s water crisis is ringing alarm bells. Man-made and ecological changes are the cause. These include groundwater depletion, the Colorado River drought, and faster-melting snowpack in the Sierre Nevada mountain range. 

Desalination has emerged as one of the solutions to address this pressing issue.

On June 11, the groundbreaking took place for the $187 million Torrance Groundwater Desalter expansion project. Jacobs Solution Inc. is the lead designer, while McCarthy Building Cos. is the primary builder. 

The City of Torrance and Water Replenishment District (WRD) launched this project to increase the treatment capacity to produce 7,100 acre-feet (approximately 2.3 billion gallons) of potable water annually. The WRD of Southern California has secured $82 million in grants and low-interest financing. 

The Torrance Groundwater Desalter expansion project is part of the larger Brackish Groundwater Reclamation Program within the West Coast Basin. Funding for the project has been obtained from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program. The funds have been administered through the California State Water Resources Control Board, the US Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART desalination program, California Proposition 1 water desalination, and support from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. 

A feasibility study was conducted by WRD in 2021, which was followed by Phase 1 of the project, completed in 2024. It involved evaluating aquifer water movement and quality and piloting various treatment systems. 

The current expansion project is part of Phase 2 and involves the construction of four new production wells, additional treatment capacity at the existing facility, and feed water pipelines. 

The current Robert Goldsworthy Groundwater Desalter Plant was opened in 2001 and removes salt from groundwater using reverse osmosis. Once the expansion project is completed, the state will be able to reduce its reliance on water imports while meeting the water needs of 15,000 single-family homes.

California municipal agencies are continuing to invest in groundwater recovery, desalination, recycled water, and treatment infrastructure. 

The design-build joint venture between Jacobs and McCarthy underscores the importance of collaborative construction, especially in complex water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

The project is expected to be completed by 2029.