Sacramento’s wastewater treatment plant is 30 years old.
The plant discharges treated sewage into the Sacramento River which then flows into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
It’s now facing stricter standards to treat the wastewater to remove pathogens, nitrogen and ammonia.
“We are embarking on a project here that is going to provide a greater level of environmental protection," says Stan Dean, the district’s engineer. "But it’s also going to have quite a bit of cost to the region too and it’s a significant cost to the region.”
The needed upgrades will make the wastewater treatment plant one of the most advanced in California.
It will also double customer rates by the end of construction in 2023.