Jacobs-McCarthy JV Breaks Ground on $185M Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion
According to Construction Dive, a joint venture of Jacobs and McCarthy Building Cos. has broken ground on the $185 million Torrance Groundwater Desalter expansion project in Southern California, with substantial completion targeted for October 2028.
Market Impact
The Water Replenishment District of Southern California originally awarded the progressive design-build contract to the Jacobs-McCarthy JV in December 2024, valued at $160 million. The project scope has since grown to approximately $185 million, McCarthy confirmed to Construction Dive. When complete, the expanded Robert W. Goldsworthy Desalter facility will nearly double its drinking water production capacity, reaching up to 7,100 acre-feet, or roughly 2.3 billion gallons, annually. The project is WRD’s largest capital investment in its history, according to General Manager Stephan Tucker.
Funding is a mix of public and private sources. WRD has secured over $82 million in grants and low-interest loans, including contributions from the EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WIIN Act WaterSMART Desalination program, California’s Prop 1 Water Desalination Grant, and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Business for Water Stewardship Program. The facility is expected to be commissioned in 2029.
“This is how communities get ahead of water challenges,” said Tom Meinhart, executive vice president at Jacobs, in the release.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- A multi-year progressive design-build contract running through late 2028 means extended, steady work for specialty civil, mechanical, and process piping subcontractors in the Southern California market.
- Progressive design-build delivery means scope and subcontractor packages can evolve as design matures, so subs with water treatment or desalination experience should be positioning with the JV now rather than waiting for formal bid solicitations.
- With $185 million in contract value and over $82 million in secured public funding, payment risk is relatively low compared to purely private projects, making this an attractive target for firms tracking bonded public infrastructure work.
- The project’s focus on brackish groundwater reclamation and expanded storage signals broader regional investment in water resilience infrastructure, pointing to a pipeline of similar projects across Southern California as municipalities address imported water dependency.
