City of San Jose, CA

05/16/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/16/2022 12:49

Media Advisory: Milestone Dewatering Project Breaks Ground at San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility, Enhancing City’s Sustainability

CONTACT
Jennie Loft, Public Information Manager, Environmental Services
408-250-2974 (cell); [email protected]
Details:
What: San José -Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility Capital Improvement Program: Digested Sludge Dewatering Facility Project Groundbreaking
When: Tuesday, May 17, 2022
11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: 4245 Zanker Road, San José

The groundbreaking ceremony will be held across from the Environmental Services Building.

Follow signs to the event.
Who:
  • Kathy Watanabe, Santa Clara Councilmember and Treatment Plant Advisory Committee (TPAC) Vice-Chair
  • David Cohen, San José Councilmember and Treatment Plant Advisory Committee (TPAC) Member
  • Kerrie Romanow, San José Chief Sustainability Officer and Environmental Services Department Director
  • Kyle Jones, Walsh - Business Group Leader for California Water
Background: The Digested Sludge Dewatering Facility will free up 750 acres of San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility (RWF) land for alternative uses, reduce odors in the community and comply with new organic waste regulations. The $164 million project is expected to come online in 2025 and will transition the facility from open-air drying beds and lagoons to an enclosed mechanical dewatering process.

The Dewatering Facility is part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) with $1.4 billion over 10 years of improvements to the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. The CIP aims to modernize and rebuild infrastructure that has served the community uninterrupted for over 65 years.

The RWF has been operating nonstop since 1956 to protect public health and the environment and support Silicon Valley businesses.

The wastewater facility treats over 100 million gallons of wastewater daily from the toilets, sinks, showers, and drains from 1.4 million residents and over 17,000 businesses. The wastewater facility helps keep the Bay clean and supports a diverse ecosystem of birds, fish, and wetland habitat.

The San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility comprises over 2,500 acres, including a 175-acre operational area, located in North San José along the shore of the southern San Francisco Bay. Wetlands, open space, and commercial property are adjacent to the facility.

The RWF is jointly owned by the cities of San José and Santa Clara with the San José Environmental Services Department serving as the operator and administrator. It serves eight Silicon Valley cities including San José, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Saratoga, and Monte Sereno.

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