San Diego International Airport Captures Stormwater Runoff for Reuse at Rental Car Center

The San Diego International Airport recently raised its lofty sustainability bar a few notches higher by adding a new, award-winning element to its stormwater management system. The $38 million project features a a 28-foot deep, 160-foot diameter concrete cistern, designed by Carollo, that collects runoff from the northside airfield. The water it captures will be treated and reused to wash rental cars—a science-driven approach that garnered a 2020 Environmental Excellence Award from the Industrial Environmental Association.