East County, California

An advanced water treatment program is under construction in east San Diego County to create a new, local, sustainable and drought-proof drinking water supply to purify East County’s recycled water. Using advanced technology, the Program will meet approximately 30 percent of east county’s current drinking water demands and reduce dependence on imported water. The Program is governed by the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) comprised of Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the City of El Cajon, County of San Diego and Helix Water District.

The Ardurra community relations team conducts community and construction relations and is contracted through the end of construction in 2025. Our team launched this program at a prior firm and has remained as the Program’s dedicated outreach consultants. We recently created a memorable June 2022 groundbreaking with community leaders to celebrate the start of this historic project.

Since 2014, Rebecca Cole, Rachel Kulis, Gabriela Dow, Susan Duffett and others from our community relations team created a multi-pronged, comprehensive approach to inform water customers, local leaders and regional communities about the East CountyAWP. Efforts have included research, branding, website and materials development, social media, a tour program, government relations, videos and special events. 

The team works in partnership with the JPA’s communications and engineering teams to implement strategic tactics to raise awareness and educate audiences about the purpose, need and benefits of the project, change public attitudes about recycled advanced purified water, and inform and mitigate impacts through construction which includes an 11-mile pipeline and advanced water purification facility. Learn more about the Program at www.EastCountyAWP.com.

The East County AWP’s education program has been awarded countless honors, including the Excellence in Public Information & Communication, the Community Outreach of the Year award and Recycled Water Agency of the Year by the California WateReuse Association. The California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) has bestowed three video, three special events, a graphic design and writing awards. The Public Relations Society of America San Diego/Imperial County Chapter awarded the project with the following awards: video (three awards), special events (three awards), creative tactics, editorial/op-ed column and best in show (for its Water Festival event). The program also won WateReuse Agency of the Year by the Water Reliability Coalition.