The U.S. Department of State granted a presidential permit to allow the Otay Water District to build a nearly four-mile potable water pipeline that begins at the U.S.-Mexico border.

This permit authorizes the Otay Water District to construct, connect, operate, and maintain cross-border water pipeline facilities for the importation of desalinated seawater at the International Boundary between the United States and Mexico in San Diego County.

The plan is to purchase and transport water from a proposed $421 million desalination plant in Rosarito, Mexico, as a component of the District’s water supply diversification efforts.

The Rosarito plant could potentially produce water to meet up to two-thirds of the District’s projected water use by 2024.

In light of the growing need for new potable water supplies in Mexico and San Diego County, the proposed Rosarito plant and the District’s $30 million Otay Mesa Conveyance and Disinfection System Project would provide a new drought-proof water supply to its customers.

The Otay Water District currently provides water service to a population of more than 223,000 people, which is expected to increase to more than 308,000 by 2050.
The Rosarito facility would produce up to 100-million gallons of water daily in two phases.

The first phase, expected to be operational by late 2019 or early 2020, would make 50-million gallons or more of desalinated water available daily to the Tijuana/Rosarito region.

The second phase, expected to be completed by 2024, would deliver up to an additional 50-million gallons daily, with 10 to 30 percent of that water available to the Otay Water District.

“Until we know how much the water will cost, we don’t know if [the project on the U.S. side] is going to be economically feasible to build, but we suspect it will,” Otay Water District Board President Mark Robak explained to La Prensa San Diego. “Once we agree on a price, we will know if it’s going to be worthwhile to construct the pipeline.”

The water price negotiations are expected to be done before the second phase of the proposed Rosarito plant begins. Construction of the pipeline on the U.S. side is estimated to be completed in 18 months.

The Otay Mesa Conveyance and Disinfection System Project will be the first cross-border project of its kind to import water to the U.S. from Mexico.

“Although there are still several hurdles to overcome, receiving the presidential permit for this project is a giant leap for the District and its customers so we have more control over our local water supply,” said Mark Watton, Otay Water District general manager. “Desalinated water from Rosarito would be a closer and highly reliable source water.”

The Otay Water District currently maintains the only two existing presidential permits for water crossings along the U.S.-Mexico Border. The District’s other cross-border pipeline allows Mexico to transport and import Mexican Colorado River apportionment water through the U.S. facility to Tijuana.