Soledad council approves CEQA clearance and construction and oversight contracts for recycled‑water network

Soledad City Council adopted environmental findings and approved construction and construction‑management contracts for the city’s recycled‑water conveyance project, moving the $16.66 million state‑grant‑funded program from design to procurement and award.

Don Wilcox, Soledad's public works director, told the council the project will pipe tertiary‑treated recycled water from the city’s water reclamation facility to parks and schools across the city. Wilcox said the grant awarded in January 2023 provided $16,663,021 for planning, design and construction; that design and the CEQA review are complete; and that the grant requires the system to reduce groundwater pumping by at least 54,000,000 gallons per year. “If we construct this project utilizing reclaimed water, we'll pump 54,000,000 gallons less per year out of the ground,” Wilcox said.

Council approv…