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Catalina Water Pipeline Project
Background
Since 1962, Southern California Edison (SCE) has been providing water service to Catalina Island, including 4,100-year-round residents and one million annual visitors to the island.
The water utility system includes a series of groundwater wells, desalination facilities, reservoirs, treatment facilities, storage tanks, and pipelines. The company is committed to ensuring the safety of drinking water to customers as well as providing important updates regarding water system upgrades.
Catalina Water Pipeline Project
SCE is planning infrastructure replacement and an associated remediation effort for the Two Harbors Pipeline. The pipeline has been in place since the late 1960s and was built to industry standards. This included using materials that in later years were identified as containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at concentrations that are no longer allowed by regulation due to potential health risks.
Since the discovery of these materials in some infrastructure elements, SCE has routinely tested for the presence of PCBs and PAHs in the drinking water system, including the Two Harbors Pipeline. SCE has not found PCBs or PAHs at regulatory thresholds.
In 2023, SCE completed a comprehensive, system-wide assessment of the water infrastructure. As a result of this assessment, and to address the aging system and regulatory requirements, SCE is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, and other local and regional agencies to evaluate options and obtain approvals for the removal, remediation, and replacement of the Two Harbors pipeline. This effort will be completed in a multi-phase process.
As follow up to a comprehensive system-wide assessment, SCE will also work with the agencies to address any other water infrastructure containing PCB and PAH materials, including structures that had been previously removed from service.
More Information
- Register to attend DTSC's community update on June 05, 2024 to learn more about this project
- Read our Catalina Water Pipeline Project Fact Sheet
- Read our Catalina Water Pipeline Project Frequently Asked Questions
- Read our Presentation from our July 27, 2023 Community Informational Meeting
- Read about SCE’s 60th Anniversary of Providing Electricity, Gas and Water to Catalina
- Learn more at the CA Department of Toxic Substances Control website for this project
Still Have Questions?
For inquiries, please email catalinawaterpipeline@sce.com or call our Catalina Island dedicated customer support at 1‐800‐367‐8851, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.