In a crucial stride towards fortifying Poway's drinking water infrastructure, the city council recently awarded a contract to Gateway Pacific Contractors, Inc.; tasked with undertaking the vital clearwell replacement project. Slated to begin this season, this significant endeavor entails the construction of two tanks to positively impact Poway's water system and ensure reliability for current and future generations. According to the City of Poway's announcement, the project is expected to wrap up in Fall 2026.
Established in 1964, the aging clearwell acts as Poway's major storage reservoir, holding treated water prior to distribution to customers across the city. The project marks the second phase of the Water Infrastructure Improvement Program, the city's largest capital improvement program (CIP) in its 43-year history. The first phase focused on constructing the necessary bypass infrastructure around the clearwell. By adding these improvements to Poway's water system, the city aims to significantly ramp up the dependability of drinking water for generations.
Crucial to this undertaking are the proposed twin tanks comprising the clearwell replacement project. They will provide Poway's water system with redundancy and operational flexibility, to the extent that a single tank can be taken offline for maintenance or repairs without any disruption in service. Gateway Pacific emerged as the lowest responsible bidder, with a bid amount in the ballpark of $31.6 million.
The construction timeline, set to begin in Fall 2023, includes the restoration of the ballfield at Lake Poway as soon as the new tanks are operational. With an advantageous impact on service reliability, the completion of the clearwell replacement project in 2026 serves to enhance the water system for both current residents and future generations that will inherit it.
According to the city's announcement, the successful implementation of the clearwell replacement project is expected to foster a more resilient, adaptable, and self-sufficient water system in Poway. This will not only aid current populations relying on these resources but also future generations that will inherit the city's legacy.
