Engineers present $53 million-plus maintenance and upgrade plan for Soledad Water Reclamation Facility
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Summary
Black & Veatch engineers told the City Council that Soledad’s Water Reclamation Facility needs a program of repairs and upgrades—headworks, overflow storage, secondary-process and solids-handling work—estimated roughly at $53–54 million, and recommended phasing and funding options.
Public works staff and engineering consultant Black & Veatch presented the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) assessment and recommendations for capital projects to improve reliability, regulatory compliance, safety and energy efficiency. Don Wilcox, Public Works director, outlined the purpose: to identify capital needs, support a rate study, and help the city plan projects necessary to maintain Title 22 effluent quality and support the city’s recycled-water conveyance project.
Ashu and Phil from Black & Veatch summarized findings: the plant’s mechanical equipment—installed roughly 15 years ago—faces end-of-life and corrosive-environment wear; many mechanical assets have a typical useful life of about 10–15 years. The assessment identified four high-priority project groups: headworks improvements (addressing corrosive environment and safety), an overflow storage basin to address permit compliance, secondary-process improvements (aeration basins and energy-efficiency upgrades), and solids-handling/dewatering upgrades to address emerging biosolids regulations and aging dewatering equipment.
Black & Veatch provided a preliminary total cost estimate of roughly $53–54 million for the recommended package. The firm recommended packaging high-priority projects together for economy of scale, but acknowledged funding constraints may require phasing. The consultants flagged potential funding sources such as the State Revolving Fund (low-interest loans) and targeted grants for energy-efficiency projects; they noted grant funding for rehabilitation projects is limited and that federal/state financing processes add time.
Council members asked about timeline, financing and phasing. Consultants estimated planning, environmental review and design could take about 2–3 years and construction another ~2 years—so roughly a five-year timeline if work began promptly. Staff confirmed that some urgent recommendations already are being incorporated into the FY 2025–26 work program, and the city has initiated a rate-study request for proposals to quantify rate impacts. Staff said about $8 million per year in capital was projected in a prior rate study and that the wastewater fund currently holds reserves that could contribute (staff estimated roughly $10 million in wastewater reserves available to apply toward projects, but that number will be refined during planning).
No formal action was required; council received the assessment and directed staff to continue project planning, pursue funding opportunities and incorporate the assessment into the rate-study process.
