San Elijo Joint Powers Authority

What San Elijo Joint Powers Authority does

San Elijo Joint Powers Authority (SEJPA) is a California public joint powers agency established in 1986 that provides wastewater treatment, water reclamation, and recycled water services to approximately 40,000 residents across 19 square miles in the coastal San Diego County communities of Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and portions of Rancho Santa Fe. The agency operates the San Elijo Water Campus, a 5.25 MGD wastewater treatment facility in Cardiff-by-the-Sea using preliminary screening, primary settling, secondary biological treatment (activated sludge), anaerobic digestion, and tertiary filtration (2.5 MGD sand filtration, 1.4 MGD microfiltration, 0.5 MGD reverse osmosis). Treated effluent is distributed through a 20-mile purple pipe network for non-potable irrigation and industrial cooling, or discharged through the San Elijo Ocean Outfall co-owned with the City of Escondido. The agency produces 500+ million gallons of recycled water annually and recycled 70% of its influent wastewater in 2022, with treatment performance exceeding regulatory requirements (98.8% CBOD removal versus 85% required, 99.3% TSS removal versus 85% required).

SEJPA's revenue model is anchored in regulated utility rates charged through member agencies' sanitation funds, supplemented by recycled water sales to four regional water districts (San Dieguito, Santa Fe Irrigation District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, and City of Del Mar) and fees for outside laboratory and treatment services. The facility is governed by a four-member Board of Directors with two representatives each from the Encinitas and Solana Beach city councils, and operates with 25-50 employees under a General Manager and executive team. The agency has earned an AA credit rating from S&P Global (2023) and has received multiple industry awards including CWEA Plant of the Year in California (2021), reflecting operational and engineering excellence. The customer base is highly concentrated among member agencies and water district resellers, with the service area functioning as a natural monopoly bounded by geographic and regulatory constraints. Recent capital deployment of $20.6M in the Water Campus Improvement Project (2021) and an ongoing $5.7M Wanket Tank Project (2024-2026) demonstrate continued investment in capacity, energy efficiency (including a $2M solar system meeting up to 25% of facility electrical demand), and regional infrastructure resilience.

Name

San Elijo Joint Powers Authority

Legal name

San Elijo Joint Powers Authority

Website

https://sejpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

San Elijo Joint Powers Authority is a California public joint powers agency that provides wastewater treatment, water reclamation, and recycled water services to approximately 40,000 residents in Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe through the San Elijo Water Campus in Cardiff-by-the-Sea.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff By The Sea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Recycled Water Sales: Sale of recycled water to water districts (San Dieguito Water District, Santa Fe Irrigation District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, City of Del Mar) for resale to their customers. Produces 1,400-1,600 acre-feet annually for irrigation and industrial uses.
2. Member Agency Sanitation Funds: Revenue from member agencies' sanitation funds for wastewater treatment services provided to their residents and businesses
3. Outside Services: Fees for specialized laboratory and analytical services, and treatment services for other jurisdictions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

San Elijo Joint Powers Authority operates a publicly owned wastewater treatment and water reclamation facility (the San Elijo Water Campus) that collects, treats, and recycles wastewater for approximately 40,000 residents in Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, and Olivenhain. The agency produces more than 500 million gallons of recycled water annually through advanced treatment processes (sand filtration, microfiltration, reverse osmosis) and distributes it via a 20-mile purple pipe network to water districts, golf courses, parks, schools, and CalTrans for irrigation and industrial cooling. Treated wastewater is also discharged to the Pacific Ocean through a co-owned San Elijo Ocean Outfall extending 1.5 miles offshore.

Product overview

San Elijo Joint Powers Authority operates as a public water utility providing integrated wastewater treatment and recycled water services through the San Elijo Water Campus. The core offering consists of wastewater collection and treatment services (Preliminary, Primary, Secondary, Anaerobic Digestion, and Tertiary treatment), complemented by water reclamation producing over 500 million gallons of recycled water annually. Supporting infrastructure includes 20 miles of recycled water distribution pipelines, three storage reservoirs, nine lift stations, and a co-owned ocean outfall system. Additional services include laboratory monitoring, educational tours, and public amenities such as EV charging at the Water Campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• San Elijo Water Campus: The publicly owned wastewater treatment and water recycling facility located in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA, responsible for collecting, treating, and safely disposing of or recycling wastewater for residents and businesses in Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Olivenhain, and Cardiff communities.

Products and services

• Wastewater Treatment Services Comprehensive wastewater collection and treatment for approximately 40,000 residents in Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, and Olivenhain, including preliminary treatment (screening, grit removal), primary treatment (settling), secondary treatment (biological aeration using activated sludge), anaerobic digestion, and tertiary treatment (sand filtration, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, disinfection). Treatment capacity is 5.25 MGD with disposal to the Pacific Ocean via the San Elijo Ocean Outfall.
• Recycled Water Locally produced, drought-resistant recycled water sold to wholesale water districts (San Dieguito Water District, Santa Fe Irrigation District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, City of Del Mar) for resale and to direct-use customers such as golf courses, parks, schools, HOAs, and CalTrans for landscape irrigation, freeway landscaping, and industrial cooling. More than 500 million gallons distributed annually through a 20-mile purple pipe network.
• Recycled Water Distribution System Service Operation and maintenance of a 20-mile purple pipe recycled water distribution network including three storage reservoirs (one underground, two above ground with 750,000–1,000,000 gallon capacity each) and nine wastewater lift stations, delivering recycled water from the San Elijo Water Campus to wholesale and direct-use customers.
• Laboratory and Analytical Services Specialized laboratory services monitoring treatment effectiveness and evaluating wastewater samples for compliance. Includes chemical, biological, and microbiological testing of inorganic and organic chemicals, bacteria, and toxicity assessments. Also available as outside services to other jurisdictions.
• San Elijo Ocean Outfall Service Discharge of treated wastewater to the Pacific Ocean through the San Elijo Ocean Outfall—a 30-inch and 48-inch reinforced concrete pipeline extending 1.5 miles offshore, with 25.5 MGD capacity, co-owned with the City of Escondido. Includes co-operation on the 14-mile Escondido Land Outfall that conveys HARRF flows to the ocean outfall.
• Water Campus Educational Tours Educational tours of the San Elijo Water Campus for schools, community groups, and industry professionals showcasing the wastewater treatment and recycling processes, laboratory operations, computer software systems, pumps, and filtration systems, supporting STEM engagement and community education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500 million gallons of recycled water produced annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• City of EscondidocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Co-owner of San Elijo Ocean Outfall (30-inch and 48-inch reinforced concrete pipe extending 1.5 miles offshore). City of Escondido's Hale Avenue Resource Recovery Facility flows combined with SEJPA flows through the outfall. Coordinated on Escondido Land Outfall repairs in 2024.
• Olivenhain Municipal Water DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on Wanket Tank Project adding 3 million gallons of recycled water storage adjacent to Encinitas Ranch Golf Course. Jointly secured $2 million in State and Federal grant funding. Partnership expands regional recycled water infrastructure and storage capacity.
• San Dieguito Water DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner agency in Wanket Tank Project for recycled water storage expansion. Major customer purchasing recycled water for resale to customers in the region.
• San Diego State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Collaboration with SDSU Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering for student tours and capstone senior design projects. SEJPA sponsored student teams to design pump station upgrades and pipeline projects.
• CaltransmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Caltrans contributed $5.4 million for multi-use path and Manchester Avenue improvements as part of Water Campus Improvement Project. Partnership connects bike paths and pedestrian routes through the campus area.
• California Department of Water ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Funded $300,000 for stormwater capture and reuse as part of Water Campus improvements. Supports state goals for water recycling and reliability.
• Nature CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Environmental partner for San Elijo Lagoon restoration work. Coordination on land outfall repair restoration in the lagoon area.
• CDM SmithmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction Manager for Wanket Tank Project. Provides construction management services for regional infrastructure projects.
• ArdurramajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering firm for Wanket Tank Project. Provides professional engineering services for recycled water infrastructure.
• Ahrens MechanicalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for Wanket Tank Project construction.
• J.R. FilancminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for Wanket Tank Project construction.
• San Dieguito Water DistrictcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPurchases recycled water from SEJPA for resale to their customers in the district service area.
• Santa Fe Irrigation DistrictcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPurchases recycled water from SEJPA for resale to their customers.
• City of Del MarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPurchases recycled water from SEJPA for resale to their customers.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Olivenhain Municipal Water District: Wholesale water district serving northern San Diego County that purchases recycled water from SEJPA and co-partnered on the Wanket Tank Project. Directly comparable as a San Diego region water utility with overlapping customer base and infrastructure.
• San Dieguito Water District: Water district serving Del Mar and surrounding coastal communities that purchases recycled water from SEJPA for resale. Comparable as a regional water utility within SEJPA's service area with established commercial relationships.
• City of Escondido Hale Avenue Resource Recovery Facility: Wastewater treatment facility co-owning the San Elijo Ocean Outfall with SEJPA. Direct operational peer with shared infrastructure and similar tertiary treatment capabilities including membrane filtration and reverse osmosis.
• Santa Fe Irrigation District: Irrigation district in San Diego County that is a major purchaser of SEJPA recycled water. Comparable as a regional water utility serving similar coastal North County communities with overlapping recycled water demand.

Regional players

• Carlsbad Municipal Water District: North San Diego County coastal water district operating in adjacent geography. Comparable as a regional water utility with similar customer demographics and water supply challenges in coastal San Diego County.
• Padre Dam Municipal Water District: East San Diego County water and wastewater district providing similar integrated wastewater treatment and recycled water services. Comparable as a regional water/wastewater utility in the same San Diego market though not in direct service overlap.
• Vallecitos Water District: San Diego County water district providing wastewater collection, treatment, and recycled water services. Comparable as a similarly sized California water utility with recycled water operations and similar regulatory environment.
• Sweetwater Authority: Joint powers authority providing water and wastewater services in southern San Diego County. Direct structural comparable as a California JPA operating water and wastewater utilities with similar governance model.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Massive regional water wholesaler supplying imported water across Southern California. Indirectly comparable as a large-scale water utility whose supply constraints drive demand for SEJPA's locally produced recycled water.
• San Diego County Water Authority: Regional water wholesaler serving San Diego County. Indirectly comparable as a larger water utility whose supply portfolio includes recycled water and shapes the regional water market in which SEJPA operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-elijo-joint-powers-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Elijo Joint Powers Authority