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Palo Alto begins construction on horizontal levee pilot to reuse treated wastewater
Summary
City staff and the public works director announced construction has begun on a 500-foot horizontal levee adjacent to the regional water quality control plant; project expected to finish in early 2026 and will reuse treated wastewater for irrigation while providing habitat and sea-level resilience.
Palo Alto officials announced construction has begun on a horizontal levee pilot adjacent to the regional water quality control plant that will beneficially reuse treated wastewater for irrigation and add habitat and sea‑level rise adaptation features.
Public Works Director Brad Eggleston told the Climate Action & Sustainability Committee on Sept. 19 that the project started construction last week and is about 500 feet long. “After almost six years of effort by city staff and the San Francisco SRE partnership, we're very excited to announce that the Palo Alto horizontal levee pilot project ... began construction last week,” Eggleston said.
City staff said the design integrates treated effluent reuse for irrigation as part of a nature‑based levee. The project aims to provide three main benefits: added treatment of wastewater, habitat enhancement, and a measure of adaptation to sea‑level rise for the treatment plant site. A slide shown to the committee identified the levee location along Treatment Plant Road and illustrated early construction activity.
Staff estimated the work should take only a few months, with completion expected in early 2026. Eggleston directed interested residents to the city website for more information (www.paloalto.gov). The committee did not take a vote on the announcement.
The announcement followed general committee business and preceded two substantive action items on the agenda. Committee members thanked staff for the milestone; one member said they had seen construction activity firsthand while walking near the plant over the prior weekend.
The city described the project as the first nature‑based horizontal levee in the San Francisco Bay that will incorporate treated wastewater reuse for irrigation as part of the levee design. Staff characterized the pilot as an early, site‑specific test that could inform future regional or plant‑scale nature‑based shoreline adaptations.
Ending: The committee received the update without formal action; staff said the city will post additional project materials and updates online as the pilot proceeds and will return to the committee if follow‑up items or permitting details require committee attention.
