SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today certified the Pure Water Southern California project using the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) judicial streamlining process, marking a major milestone for a significant water-reuse infrastructure project in the state. The certification underscores California’s commitment to accelerating climate-resilient infrastructure and jobs, while balancing environmental and community protections.
Developed through a partnership between the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, the Pure Water Southern California project will create a new, drought-resistant water supply system capable of producing up to 150 million gallons of purified water daily—enough to meet the needs of more than 500,000 homes across the region and generate nearly 50,000 new jobs.
“Pure Water Southern California is a model for how we advance critical infrastructure while centering equity—improving groundwater reliability, protecting public health and delivering tangible environmental benefits in communities that have historically borne the brunt of climate impacts,” said Samuel Assefa, director of the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI). “This certification reflects California’s commitment to pairing speed with stewardship.”
About the Project
Pure Water Southern California is located in the city of Carson, in Los Angeles County and will extend underground pipelines north to the city of Azusa and east to the city of La Verne. This new infrastructure will help reduce the area’s dependence on imported water, strengthen local water security, and advance the state’s climate resilience and adaptation goals by transforming recycled water into high-quality, sustainable drinking water for close to 19 million people. Agencies behind the project are also committed to implementing robust mitigation measures to ensure direct benefits to disadvantaged and underserved communities within the area. Once the program is fully operational, purified water will be transported up to 60 miles through a network of pipelines to groundwater basins, industrial facilities and potentially to two of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s water treatment plants.
Key community and environmental benefits include:
- Water Quality and Reliability Improvements: By replenishing local groundwater basins, the project enhances water reliability and quality for communities that rely heavily on groundwater for drinking water.
- Workforce Development and Local Business Opportunities: According to a study by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Pure Water Southern California would be constructed under a Project Labor Agreement, which would ensure fair wages, robust training programs, and prioritize hiring local and transitional workers. In addition, Metropolitan and the Sanitation Districts plan to establish a workforce training center in Carson, offering career pathways related to Pure Water Southern California as well as opportunities across the broader water supply, wastewater management and treatment sectors.
- Environmental Enhancements: The partnership is exploring green infrastructure and community improvements such as capturing polluted urban runoff, remediating old oil wells, planting trees to reduce heat-island effects, and installing electric vehicle charging stations in underserved areas.
What Certification Means
Gov. Newsom’s certification under CEQA’s judicial streamlining process means the Pure Water Southern California project will benefit from expedited judicial review should its Environmental Impact Report face legal challenges, ensuring that this key infrastructure initiative can move forward swiftly while adhering to robust environmental standards.
The Pure Water Southern California project reflects California’s broader commitment to climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure and equitable community investment—goals championed by the Newsom administration, LCI, and its partners across state and local government.
“Metropolitan greatly appreciates the Governor's certification of Pure Water Southern California under SB 149,” said John Bednarski, assistant general manager of water resources and technical services at Metropolitan. “With the SB 149 certification, Metropolitan is assured Pure Water Southern California would benefit from unique infrastructure streamlining provisions while preserving important environmental protections and opportunities for public engagement.”