February 2026

San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant: Walls Are Going Up! If you’ve passed by the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant construction site lately, you may have noticed a lot of activity—though much of the biggest progress has been happening behind the scenes. Over the past several months, crews have been preparing for one of […]

January 2026

San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant Administration Facility: A Blend Function and Cultural Respect The Administration Facility serves as the primary public entry and operational hub for the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant. Developed in spring 2025 and refined with input from the Bureau of Reclamation, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, and other stakeholders throughout […]

December 2025

From Raw Water to Tap: The Complex Piping System Behind the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant (SJLWTP) Have you ever wondered how water moves through a treatment plant before it reaches your tap? An extensive network of piping is required at the SJLWTP, to move the various flow streams essential for producing drinking water. […]

November 2025

San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant – Jacobs’ Quality Assurance-Quality Control Program Jacobs’ Quality Assurance-Quality Control Program (QA-QC) is designed to comply with the project specifications for all construction activities. An open and collaborative three-phase (initial, preparatory, and follow-up) meeting approach allows the team to identify and resolve potential issues before work begins. Adjustments can […]

October 2025

Robert Kirk, Principal Hydrologist, with the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources, recently shared a personal story that underscores the significance of the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project for the Diné people. Robert’s story is a testament to resilience, tradition, and the enduring connection to homeland. “To me, Water is scared and water access has […]

January 2025

Early Works Package (EWP) #1 Construction Clearing, grubbing (vegetation removal), and rough earthwork will begin on April 1, 2025, to prepare the site for construction trailers, vehicles, and equipment, and to start excavation for the water treatment facility buildings. As shown on the map above, the SJLWTP is located south of N36 about 6.3 miles […]

February 2025

Early Works Package (EWP) #1 Construction Construction will begin April 1, 2025. The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is required to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the construction. The SJLWTP SWPPP is site-specific and identifies potential sources of stormwater pollution and best management practices (BMPs) that will be employed to […]

March 2025

SJLWTP Preconstruction Conference The US Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and Jacobs Design-Build Team met in Farmington on March 27 to prepare for the April 1, 2025, construction start. Attendees included representatives from Reclamation’s Four Corners Construction Office, Salt Lake Regional Office, and Western Colorado Area Office. The Jacobs Design-Build team included Jacobs, […]

April 2025

Blessing and Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Milestone for Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project A significant step towards bringing clean and reliable water to the Navajo communities in northwest New Mexico, Gallup, New Mexico, and Window Rock, Arizona, was celebrated on April 16, 2025, with a Navajo blessing ceremony and groundbreaking event for the San Juan Lateral […]

May 2025

Monthly Update The construction work at the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant shifted into a higher gear during May, as the earthwork portion of the project dominated the site. Western Constructors and Logistics (WCL), Archer Western’s earthwork subcontractor, was busy moving dirt around the site while excavating for several major structures. WCL has 10 […]