Chino Hills moves forward with $20 million 1,2,3‑TCP water treatment plant; city amends design and construction management contracts

City staff told the Chino Hills City Council on April 8 that the city’s first full-scale drinking-water treatment facility — the 1,2,3‑trichloropropane (1,2,3‑TCP) treatment plant — is nearing operation but has experienced months of delay due to regional Water Board compliance requirements.

A staff presenter described the facility as the city’s ‘‘first true water plant’’ and said it is designed to remove 1,2,3‑TCP, a contaminant that forced the closure of several municipal wells beginning around 2015–2016. The presenter said the project’s construction budget is about $20 million.

The staff report on the consent calendar included an amendment to existing contracts with the plant design team and construction management team to cover additional design work required by the Water Board, including the installation of a metering station to blend water sources and meet regulatory limits. The presenter said the plant can operate temporarily without the metering station but that the station is intended as a permanent compliance solution.

Councilmember Marquez asked whether other jurisdictions were dealing with the same contaminant; the staff presenter said multiple area cities have built similar plants. Councilmember Rogers noted the plant also has capacity to treat other contaminants such as PFAS once fully commissioned.

Council approved the contract amendments by motion on the consent calendar. A roll-call-style statement on the dais recorded that the motion passed unanimously with Mayor Bennett absent.

City staff said they expect to complete remaining design work and to begin testing; if tests meet Water Board standards the plant should be able to operate in the coming weeks. Staff emphasized the timeline remains contingent on successful testing and Water Board sign-off.