The East County Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Program has reached a key phase this spring, with most work at the project’s main construction site in Santee nearing completion, according to an update from the program.
Program leaders say crews are also continuing construction on a residuals pipeline and sewer-pipeline rehabilitation project across East County, including work in Mission Trails Regional Park and along Mission Gorge Road. The update said about 32,000 linear feet of pipeline have been installed so far, roughly a third of the alignment for this phase.
The program said the vehicle gate at the east end of Mission Trails near Bushy Hill Drive is temporarily closed through the end of the month to support pipeline installation, though pedestrians and cyclists can still pass through. A separate detour is also in place near the park’s west entrance due to road closures affecting access from Mission Gorge Road, the update said.
At Santee Lakes, crews are preparing to install what the program described as the final 3,500 feet of wastewater pipeline using horizontal directional drilling, a method intended to avoid extensive open-cut work near the San Diego River and other sensitive areas.
The program says the project is expected to provide potable water to customers in Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Helix Water District, and Lakeside Water District service areas, as well as the northern portion of the Otay Water District.
Source: Water News Network (East County AWP Program) — https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/east-county-awp-reaches-key-phase-project-spring-2026/