Jacobs Engineering Group and McCarthy Building Companies Joint Venture Breaks Ground on $185 Million California Water Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - A joint venture between Jacobs and McCarthy Building Cos. has broken ground on the expansion of the Torrance Groundwater Desalter in California.

In December 2024, the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) selected the joint venture of Jacobs and McCarthy Building Cos. to deliver the $160 million water infrastructure project under a progressive design-build contract. McCarthy confirmed to Construction Dive that the project value has since risen to approximately $185 million.

McCarthy stated that construction is underway, and Torrance Mayor George Chen noted that this will nearly double the facility's drinking water production capacity.

Upon completion, the facility will be capable of producing up to 7,100 acre-feet (approximately 2.3 billion gallons) of drinking water annually. McCarthy Vice President of Operations Sagrado Sparks said this will significantly reduce South Los Angeles County's reliance on imported water.

"As a progressive design-build partner, we are excited to bring this solution to the Torrance community, strengthening the region's clean drinking water supply and advancing water resilience efforts in Southern California," Sparks said.

To date, WRD has secured over $82 million in grants and low-interest loans to fund the project. Key investments come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Other sources include:

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) WaterSMART Desalination Projects.

The California Department of Water Resources' Prop 1 Water Desalination Grant.

The Bonneville Environmental Foundation's Business for Water Stewardship Program.

The expansion project is part of WRD's Brackish Groundwater Reclamation Program and will also add additional groundwater storage capacity within the West Coast Basin.

"This is how communities get ahead of water challenges," said Tom Meinhart, Executive Vice President at Jacobs.

Groundwater agency General Manager Stephan Tucker stated that this project is the largest capital project in WRD's history. The Jacobs and McCarthy team expects substantial completion by October 2028, with operations commencing in 2029.

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