State Water Board contractors outline high-level method to estimate costs and solutions for inadequate wastewater facilities and on-site systems

Contractors leading the State Water Resources Control Board's wastewater needs assessment presented a methods framework for identifying technical solutions and developing statewide cost estimates for facilities judged "inadequate" by the Board's risk analysis, and for locating opportunities to replace on-site wastewater treatment systems (OTS) through sewer connections or community cluster systems.

UCLA Laskin Center project manager Ariana Hernandez opened the meeting saying the purpose was "to present, review, and seek input on methodologies for developing and selecting solutions for inadequate wastewater facilities and on-site wastewater treatment systems, OTs, as well as assessing groundwater impacts." The team emphasized that the assessment is intended as a statewide, high-level budgeting tool and not a substitute for local engineering studies.

Maureen Koerner, research engineer with Sacramento State's Office of Water Programs (OWP), and Dr. John Johnston of Sacramento State described the method the contractor team will use to translate the list of inadequate facilities into probable solutions and unit costs. Johnston said the assessment will produce a "high level estimate of the cost. This is the 30,000-foot estimate for a statewide, for statewide budgeting, actually," and that costs will combine capital and 20-year operations-and-maintenance…