By Karen Pearlman
March 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- Public water utility entity Helix Water District isn’t just about water – it’s also about energy, power and air.
On Tuesday, the district with roots dating back to 1885 got on board with the future, breaking ground at its El Cajon operations center as part of the district’s transition to a zero-emission vehicle fleet through electrification.
The $11 million electrification project will install nearly 90 high-speed vehicle chargers at the district’s operations center.
Helix Water District is transitioning 86 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and installing nearly six megawatts of charging infrastructure aligns with San Diego Gas & Electric’s mission to support public agencies and fleet operators in meeting California’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation and local climate action plan goals.
The estimated completion date is April 2026 – and the project is thought to be the first of its kind in California, Helix officials say.
Helix is collaborating with San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, SDG&E, a Disadvantaged Community EV Charger Rebate program and other crucial strategic allies for funding and expertise during the process of installing the electrical capacity and charging infrastructure needed for the transition.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District is the local government agency charged with improving the air quality in San Diego County to protect public health.
The district is electrifying its vehicle fleet to meet the state of California’s advanced clean fleet requirements. The district says it will be able to complete this project almost entirely without impacting water rates.
In 2024, the State of California’s advanced clean fleet regulation required that 50% of all new medium and heavy-duty vehicles purchased by public agencies be zero emission vehicles. That number increases to 100% in 2027.
With the regulation, public agencies will need to deploy charging infrastructure that will power their new fleets for both daily and emergency operations use.
The charging stations will not only serve the district’s fleet but will also be available to surrounding agencies to utilize during emergencies and as they work through challenges and costs to electrify their own fleets.
“As a local public agency, we must comply with state regulations and this project needs to move forward now to take advantage of financial incentives,” said Helix Water District Board Member Mark Gracyk.
“We’re not doing this reluctantly. (Helix has) already reduced our energy use by 15 percent and our carbon footprint by 40 percent. This project will be a model for other agencies working to electrify their fleets and help the cities we serve meet their climate action plan goals.”
The Helix operations center in El Cajon houses the majority of the district’s fleet, which transports crews responsible for the maintenance of 742 miles of pipeline, valves, hydrants and meters for its nearly 280,000 customers.
The project has been funded in part with nearly $9 million through grants and rebates, and supports neighboring public agencies as they work toward the electrification of their own vehicle fleets.
Helix received a $5.2 million grant from the SDCACPD, a $2.2 million grant from SDG&E’s “Power Your Drive for Fleets” program and an additional $1.5 million through the Disadvantaged Community Electric Vehicle Charger Rebate Program. The district will fund the remaining $2 million.