PCL Construction will lead design and construction for the rehabilitation and expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) in San Diego, partnering with Stantec for the project’s design using a progressive design-build delivery model.
The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) awarded the $600 million contract for the project located at the U.S.-Mexico border, the SBIWTP is vital for wastewater treatment in both San Diego and Tijuana.
Work includes rehabilitating existing infrastructure and doubling the plant’s treatment capacity to 50 million gallons per day, with a peak hydraulic flow capacity of 75 million gallons per day.
The plant will remain operational throughout the design and construction phases.
“With decades of experience in wastewater construction, we understand the complexities involved in projects of this scale,” said Ankur Talwar, district manager for PCL’s civil infrastructure division. “We are committed to delivering a successful project that enhances essential infrastructure to provide clean water to San Diego and Tijuana.”
The first phase of the project, costing approximately $42.4 million, will focus on Stantec’s comprehensive design for the expansion and rehabilitation of the plant, expected to be completed within 20 months.
Following the design phase, construction is anticipated to take about five years.
“This work is critical to addressing aging infrastructure and increasing wastewater treatment capacity in the region,” said Mike Watson, senior vice president and director of design-build at Stantec. “We look forward to collaborating with PCL again in San Diego to implement improvements that will enhance local water quality.”
The project is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Implementation Act.
