Encinitas Wastewater Agencies Earn State Honors

Three wastewater agencies that serve Encinitas recently earned top state-wide honors from the California Water Environment Association (CWEA), a professional organization of their peers.

The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority, the Leucadia Wastewater District, and the Encina Wastewater Authority (EWA) were all recognized during CWEA’s annual conference, which took place in Sacramento April 17 to 20.

Cardiff-by-the-Sea’s Joint Powers Authority and the Encina Wastewater Authority were each named Plant of the Year in their respective size divisions. These facilities were recognized for their accomplishments in compliance, innovative practices, cost effectiveness and superior plant operation. The Leucadia Wastewater Authority earned the Collection System of the Year award, a recognition that gives intensive focus to every aspect of a district’s wastewater collection system. 

 More information about each facility can be found below: 

• The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority (SEJPA) protects public health, the coastal environment and the ocean water quality by treating and disposing of wastewater for the Solana Beach, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Olivenhain and Rancho Santa Fe communities. SEJPA owns and operates San Elijo Water Reclamation Facility in Cardiff-by-the-Sea which treats up to 5 million gallons per day of wastewater and is able to produce 2.5 million gallons per day of recycled water. In 2011, the SEJPA recycled more than 345 million gallons which was used to irrigate local landscape, golf courses, school athletic fields, parks and the iconic Del Mar Fairgrounds. Creating sustainable practices and cost effective operations are core principles of the SEJPA.
• Established in 1959, Leucadia Wastewater District collects, transports, treats and disposes of wastewater for approximately 60,000 customers in a 16-square-mile area that includes La Costa, Leucadia and the Village Park area of Encinitas. The District disposes of nearly 4 million gallons of treated wastewater and produces nearly 1 million gallons of recycled water daily. District operations maintain a highly technical system of equipment, pump stations and pipelines used to safely transport wastewater to ensure protection of our local wetlands and beaches and the public’s health and safety.
• The Encina Wastewater Authority (EWA) is a joint powers authority owned by six member agencies: the Cities of Carlsbad, Vista, and Encinitas, and the Leucadia Wastewater District, the Vallecitos Water District and the Buena Sanitation District. EWA owns and operates the Encina Water Pollution Control Facility (EWPCF), which provides wastewater treatment services to approximately 350,000 residential customers, as well as numerous industries, in an approximately 125 square mile service area in North San Diego County. Beyond its primary goal of protecting the Pacific Ocean, EWA strives to operate in a fiscally responsible manner while maximizing the use of alternative and renewable resources.