Projects
Stanislaus Regional Surface Water Supply Project, California
Jacobs provided design-build services for a $195 million water treatment and conveyance project that reduces groundwater dependence and creates a more sustainable and resilient water supply.
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The cities of Turlock and Ceres in California have historically relied on groundwater as their sole source of drinking water. Both cities, however, are in an area where groundwater levels have declined due to past over-pumping – creating challenges for long-term water security.
To develop a more sustainable and resilient water supply, the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority (SRWA) – a joint powers authority of the cities of Turlock and Ceres – partnered with the Turlock Irrigation District on a $195 million regional surface water supply project. Jacobs was contracted to provide design-build services for the project, which diverts and treats surface water from the Tuolumne River to supplement existing groundwater supplies.
“SRWA has completed a multi-benefit project that reduces groundwater dependence, diversifies regional drinking water supplies and provides environmental benefits. The design-build approach supported close collaboration with the client as we worked to manage COVID-related schedule and cost impacts while maintaining a high level of site safety.”
The project consists of a new 15 million gallons per day (mgd) water treatment plant and raw water pump station, two finished water pump stations and 13 miles of raw and finished water pipelines.
The new diversified water supply portfolio reduces groundwater pumping within the over-drafted groundwater basin, helping to meet the requirements of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and allowing for replenishment and storage of groundwater for use during emergencies and droughts. In the future, the Turlock Irrigation District will also be able to deliver irrigation water to its agricultural customers through the raw water facilities – a collaborative approach that reduces the need for separate projects.
In addition to water supply diversification, the project provides environmental benefits for the Tuolumne River. More water is now being released from the San Pedro Dam into the upper stretch of the river, which is prime spawning and rearing habitat for local fish species.
As the design-build contractor, Jacobs was responsible for the design, permitting and construction of the $195 million project. We leveraged Building Information Modelling (BIM) and our Digital OneWater solution Replica to optimize project design. The water treatment facility includes design features that simplify and streamline operations and maintenance. Together with a layout that relies on gravity flow through the plant, operational staffing and power requirements are optimized, providing high-quality drinking water treatment at a low life-cycle cost.
The project began in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jacobs team worked closely with SRWA to develop engineering and construction solutions that would reduce cost and schedule impacts due to supply chain disruptions. Safety was also a top priority. Completed in 2023, the project had a Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) of 0.93 and a Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR) of 0.31 – 63% and 69%, respectively, below the national averages for this type of construction work.
In 2024, the project was awarded the Design-Build Institute of America’s (DBIA) National Award of Merit in the Water/Wastewater category.
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$ 195 m
Cost of the Stanislaus Regional Surface Water Supply Project
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15
Million gallons per day: Treatment capacity of the new water treatment plant, which is expandable to 20 mgd in the future
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13
Miles of raw and finished water pipelines