ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District launched its first solar power generating project this week, it announced Thursday.
The project generates 40 kilowatts of solar power at the district’s Rockhoff pump station, which supplies water to 800 customers, Rincon Water said.
The system consists of 159 solar panels which are meant to operate the pump station during the day, and it will also provide enough power to continue operations overnight when there is no sunlight available.
According to the district’s general manager, Clint Baze, the Rockhoff pump station uses more than $150,000 of electricity each year and is currently the biggest consumer of power in the water system. The hope is that the new project will lower power consumption and create a more efficient system for water distribution.
The district said it plans to expand its use of solar power including at the Harmony Grove Water Reclamation Facility, which is designed to treat and recycle over 540,000 gallons of wastewater daily.
Rincon Water provides potable and recycled water to about 32,000 people across San Diego’s North County including the cities of Escondido, San Marcos and unincorporated areas. Its service area lies within the San Dieguito and Carlsbad watersheds as well as the Escondido Valley Ground Water Basin.
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