East Valley Water District (EVWD, District) is not just building infrastructure, it is shaping the future of sustainable water. That vision was nationally recognized at the 2025 Design-Build Conference & Expo, where the Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) wastewater treatment and community facility earned three of the Design-Build Institute of America’s (DBIA) highest honors, distinguishing it as a model of design excellence, innovation, and community-centered engineering. These awards reflect the District’s unwavering commitment to delivering a state-of-the-art facility that sets a new standard for responsible water management and sustainable infrastructure.
Awards Earned:
• Design-Build National Best in Design – Engineering
• 2025 Design-Build National Award of Merit – Water/Wastewater
• 2025 Design-Build National Award of Excellence – Water/Wastewater
Photo Caption: Design-Build Institute of America’s (DBIA) awards presented to the SNRC.
A Model of Sustainability and Innovation
Located in San Bernardino, California, the SNRC is a 20-acre facility built to serve and strengthen the East Valley Water District community. The SNRC was created with a vision to enhance quality of life, improve services for residents and businesses, maximize local resources, and ensure a reliable, drought-proof water supply.
The SNRC helps close the water cycle loop by taking used water and cleaning it through a rigorous, multi-step treatment process to produce recycled water. Treated water is conveyed to a local groundwater recharge facility, where it naturally soaks into the ground to replenish the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin, a critical water source that supports more than 600,000 residents across our region.
Before the SNRC was built, the community’s wastewater
was treated by a contracted agency and conveyed outside of the region for reuse by other water districts. Today, East Valley Water District is able to recycle up to 8 million gallons of water every day, keeping this valuable resource within the community. By turning wastewater into a sustainable supply, the SNRC strengthens local water resiliency and provides a dependable source of water for future generations.
Transforming Wastewater and Energy
The SNRC was engineered to be the first facility of its kind in California to integrate advanced wastewater treatment and renewable energy generation within a single operation. Using an innovative co-digestion process, the facility combines wastewater sludge with regional liquid food waste to produce up to 3 megawatts of renewable energy, powering a portion of the plant with surplus energy contributing to the local grid. This process reduces give food waste a new purpose, minimizes carbon emissions, and converts byproducts into fertilizer, showcasing a circular model for future infrastructure.
Photo Caption: Sterling Natural Resource Center treatment facility.
Community Benefits Beyond the Water Resiliency
Beyond water recycling and energy generation, the SNRC has redefined how a public infrastructure serves the community. The SNRC’s Administrative Center, located on the western portion of the parcel, features a Customer Service Center, special events banquet hall, conference rooms, and a demonstration garden walking paths, picnic areas, and educational displays that highlight sustainability and the community’s water sources. This new community space was incorporated into the facility’s design in direct response to community feedback about what residents wanted from the project. Benefiting residents beyond its walls, the project included enhancements to the local community in the form of new sidewalks, storm drains, crosswalks, and streetlights.
Photo Caption: SNRC Administrative Center and demonstration garden.
Award-Winning Excellence
The Sterling Natural Resource Center’s excellence has been recognized by multiple prestigious organizations:
A special thank you to East Valley Water District project partners Arcadis, Balfour Beatty US, WSP, Ruhnau Clarke Architects, and Anaergia. Their partnership played a pivotal role in the successful construction of the Sterling Natural Resource Center and the development of a sustainable new water source for the community.
Learn more about the SNRC and its innovative operations at eastvalleywater.gov/SNRC.