Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant

Carlsbad, California

Kiewit and joint venture partner, J.F. Shea Construction, engineered, procured and constructed the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. It is one of the largest desalination plants in the Western Hemisphere, treating 104 million gallons of seawater per day to produce up to 54 million gallons of potable drinking water per day.

From the seawater reverse osmosis facility with pumping station and produced water storage to the 10-mile 54-inch high-pressure welded steel conveyance pipeline, Kiewit managed the seamless integration of the 50-million-gallon-per-day plant to the distribution system that included over 900 existing utility crossings. The reverse osmosis treatment system provides a drought-proof core water supply that can serve up to 400,000 residents. The plant supplies approximately 10 percent of the region’s water needs, exceeding San Diego County Water Authority’s goal of 7 percent by 2020.