Tired, Old Water Treatment Plant To Get Facelift

PALO ALTO, CA --The city has chosen Brown and Caldwell, a Walnut Creek environmental engineering and construction firm, to provide design services for secondary treatment upgrades at Palo Alto's Regional Water Quality Control Plant. The $31 million project is expected to take four years .

The aging water plant has operated since 1934 and needs upgrades, serving the communities of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto including Stanford University, along with the East Palo Alto Sanitary District.

The plant funnels 39 million gallons of water per day, treating wastewater before it is recycled or discharged to the San Francisco Bay. Having undergone several expansions and improvements, primarily occurring in the 1970s and 1980s, many assets are now in need of rehabilitation and replacement.

“This is another critical project that we are undertaking to upgrade this facility to meet anticipated nutrient limitations, while also replacing equipment, that in some cases, is beyond its useful life,” Palo Alto Public Works Project Manager Tom Kapushinski said.

Brown and Caldwell will provide engineering services during all phases of the project such as design and engineering services before, during and post construction, WaterOnline reported.

“We’re at a crossroads with aging infrastructure challenges, population growth, and anticipated nutrient regulations. Embarking on this project is a critical step for us to proactively and cost-effectively address these issues for our community and continue our mission to protect San Francisco Bay,” plant manager Jamie Allen said.

“Our rich history of proven treatment solutions puts the city in an excellent position to adapt and thrive as it updates its infrastructure to serve a growing population,” Brown and Caldwell vice president Jeff Kivet said. “We look forward to a collaborative partnership with the city to achieve their financial, environmental, and public health objectives.”

After an 18-month design phase, construction activities are expected to begin in 2020, with the upgraded facility fully operational by spring 2022.

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