The approval marks an important milestone in improving regional water reliability and sustainability
LAKEWOOD, CA., November 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Water Replenishment District (WRD) Board of Directors has approved $146 million to build the Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion Project to combat climate change and future droughts by improving sustainable local water supplies.
The board's unanimous approval advances the project to the next major phase of development and underscores WRD's commitment to delivering one of the most impactful water infrastructure projects in southern Los Angeles County.
The funding will support the construction of four new groundwater recovery wells and the expansion of the Robert W. Goldsworthy Desalter Facility in the City of Torrance. The vote approved WRD's agreement with McCarthy-Jacobs, increasing the current project value to $166.5 million – one of the most significant investments in WRD's history.
“This approval represents a turning point for the Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion Project, moving us from planning to full-scale construction,” said Joy Langford, WRD board chair. “It is a testament to WRD’s vision, financial strength and the power of public-private collaboration.”
“This project has been years in the making, and today’s approval brings us one step closer to restoring the basin’s brackish groundwater into a usable resource,” said WRD Director Rob Katherman. “It also provides long-term price stability for our residents and reduces our reliance on increasingly expensive imported water.”
The Torrance Groundwater Desalination Project, part of WRD's brackish water reclamation program, will:
- Clean up the 14-square-mile brackish groundwater plume created by seawater intrusion prior to construction of the South Bay Seawater Barrier System.
- Create a new locally sustainable drinking water supply to reduce the need for imported water.
- Provide more groundwater storage in the basin to support regional water reclamation projects.
- Allow groundwater pumpers to maximize their water pumping rights.
“This is a milestone for WRD,” said Stephan Tucker, General Manager of WRD. “It reflects our commitment to securing a sustainable, local water future and underscores our strong partnership with our stakeholders. Working together, we are delivering a project that will transform the way our region meets its water needs.”
Once completed, the expanded facility will treat up to 7 million gallons of brackish groundwater per day, converting it into a safe, high-quality drinking water source for the City of Torrance.
“The expansion of the Torrance groundwater desalination plant reflects the innovation and teamwork that drive today’s most impactful water infrastructure projects,” said Sagrado Sparks, vice president of operations for the McCarthy Building Companies’ National Water Group. “Together with our design-build partner Jacobs, we are advancing proven treatment technologies that strengthen local water reliability and provide lasting benefits to the communities we live in and serve.”
The project will be funded through the WRD's Capital Improvement Program, state and federal grants, a low-interest state loan, and a 2027 bond issuance under the WRD's Brackish Groundwater Reclamation Program, scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2025 and completion is expected in 2029. With this approval, WRD will be able to continue to fulfill its commitment to sustainable groundwater management and local water reliability for generations to come. To learn more about WRD's Brackish Groundwater Reclamation Program, visit www.wrd.org/brackish-groundwater-reclamation-program.
The Water Replenishment District is the regional groundwater management agency that protects and maintains the quantity and quality of groundwater for two of the most widely used urban basins in the State of California. In the service area, over ten percent of California's population lives in 43 cities in southern Los Angeles County. WRD is governed by a publicly elected board of directors including Joy Langford, Rob Katherman, John DS Allen, Sergio Calderon and Vera Robles-DeWitt.
Contact: Angelina Mancillas
[email protected]
(562) 275-4231
SOURCE Southern California Water Replenishment District
