Water

Carlsbad Desalination Plant

Expanding public transport options to promote sustainability.

Carlsbad, CA

KEY PLAYERS

Local elected officials

Local community

Environmental groups

State water officials

Local business

Organized labor

CHALLENGE

When it was proposed, the Carlsbad Desalination Plant and Conveyance Pipeline Project was the largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient seawater desalination project in the western hemisphere. Set against the backdrop of California’s severe drought, the creation of a new locally-controlled, droughtproof water supply was a significant milestone for San Diego County and the entire state and presented an opportunity to further position the San Diego region as a trusted leader in supply reliability.

GOAL

Maintain community relations during pipeline construction. Launch facility with stakeholder celebration and media outreach.

SOLUTION

Southwest Strategies was hired to conduct construction outreach to potentially impacted parties near the plant and along the 10-mile pipeline route. Our team developed and distributed regular e-news updates and informational mailers to nearly 25,000 stakeholders. Additional materials included bilingual fact sheets, eblasts, construction maps, photos and social media. Throughout the process, we maintained a project website, conducted regular door-to-door walks and hosted a series of public workshops. We placed an onsite construction liaison in the field to ensure seamless communication and address potential challenges before they arose. The effort was capped by a stakeholder celebration branded “Now Serving: Pacific on Tap” – which reaffirmed the magnitude of the project with a nod to San Diego’s thriving craft beer culture.