Sukut’s Pure Water Pipeline Project Earns 2026 ENR West Award of Merit

Sukut Construction is honored to share that the Pure Water Pipeline – Morena Conveyance South and Middle Pipeline Project has received a 2026 Engineering News-Record West Award of Merit in the Water/Environment category.

An independent panel of architecture, engineering, and construction professionals evaluated 131 projects from across California and Hawaii. Projects were judged on how successfully their teams overcame challenges, contributed to the industry and community, maintained safety, and achieved excellence in design and construction quality.

As the project’s general contractor, Sukut installed approximately 13.6 miles of large-diameter pipeline along a nearly seven-mile alignment through heavily developed areas of San Diego. The work included parallel 48-inch wastewater force main and 30-inch brine pipelines installed 14 to 20 feet below active roadways.

Construction required crews to navigate congested utility corridors, deep excavations below the water table, confined work areas, and several critical infrastructure crossings. One of the most complex involved protecting an existing 230-kV electrical duct bank while excavation and pipeline installation continued nearby.

Much of the work was performed at night to reduce impacts on the surrounding community. Each shift required dewatering, engineered shoring, utility exposure, pipe installation, backfilling, steel plating, and traffic-control restoration before roadways could be safely reopened to the public. Throughout construction, the team maintained access for residents, businesses, emergency services, and daily commuters.

The team used extensive potholing and GPS technology to create a digital record of existing utilities along the alignment, helping crews identify potential conflicts before excavation. Through May 2026, Sukut and 32 subcontractors completed 365,100 work hours without an OSHA recordable incident or lost-time accident. The project was also completed on schedule and within budget.

The pipelines are a critical component of the City of San Diego’s Pure Water Program, which is expected to produce up to 30 million gallons of purified recycled water per day and provide nearly half of the city’s drinking water supply by 2035. The project also delivered above-ground community improvements, including Class II buffered bike lanes, bicycle loops, sharrows, roadway restoration, and updated signage.

This recognition reflects the commitment and collaboration of the entire project team, including the City of San Diego, AECOM, Jacobs, utility partners, subcontractors, inspectors, and the Sukut team, whose planning, technical expertise, and dedication made this complex project possible.

The project team will be recognized at the ENR West Southern California Best Projects awards event Nov. 11 in Los Angeles.