Oceanside Unveils Water Recycling Virtual Reality Tour

OCEANSIDE, CA — The City of Oceanside unveiled a new virtual reality video tour to celebrate “Water Awareness Month” and highlight the value of water. The announcement was made the same day as Gov. Newsom expanded a drought emergency declaration for 41 counties.

The San Diego County Water Authority said the region was well positioned to outlast drought conditions for the next year or two. Beyond that climate change will increase the importance of water management for our region.

The new virtual reality tour from the City of Oceanside shows the water recycling process that prepares water for Pure Water Oceanside, an advanced water purification project that will create a new local source of high-quality drinking water.

Residents, business owners and other stakeholders can experience an immersive tour of the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility, where water for Pure Water Oceanside will be sourced. The virtual 360-degree video allows audiences to engage and look around by simply using a computer mouse or touch screen or moving their phones in order to see all around. Viewers who have a virtual headset for cell phones can take it one step further by “stepping into” the video much like a simulation. In June, the City will begin scheduling opportunities for schools and scouts to view the video using virtual reality goggles.

“As we enter into another dry summer, Water Awareness Month provides a reason to reflect on how valuable Oceanside’s investments in water supply reliability and water use efficiency are,” said Cari Dale, Water Utilities Director, City of Oceanside. “The 360-degree video is an educational video resource for the community to have a better understanding of the City’s efforts to create local sources of water including recycled and advanced purified water, which will provide up to 50% of the City’s water supply. Pure Water Oceanside and recycled water expansion projects are examples of how the City works efficiently to provide safe, local and sustainable water resources while keeping water rates among the lowest in the county for residents and businesses,” continued Dale.

The combination of Pure Water Oceanside with the City’s recycled water expansion project exemplifies the value the City of Oceanside places on water. The project will safeguard against drought, provide a local and sustainable source of water, and reduce the City’s dependence on increasingly expensive imported water from the Sacramento Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
Scheduled to be complete in 2022, Pure Water Oceanside will be the first operating advanced water purification facility in San Diego County. The $71 million project will use advanced technology to replicate and accelerate the natural recycling process to provide 3 to 5 million gallons per day to the City of Oceanside.

You can watch the 360-degree virtual reality tour below and learn more about the project by visiting the City’s website: www.PureWaterOceanside.org.

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