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City of Chowchilla presents Fairmead sewer consolidation plan; design to advance after securing $23.5M in awards
Summary
City of Chowchilla public works updated the board on the Fairmead (Bear Mead) sewer consolidation project: State Water Resources Control Board awarded $16 million; California High‑Speed Rail Authority reimbursed $7.5 million; design is underway with construction expected to be bid in early 2026 and a two‑year construction window projected.
City of Chowchilla officials briefed the board on the Fairmead sewer consolidation project (referred to in the agenda as the Bear Mead Sewer Consolidation Project), detailing funding, planned construction and a projected schedule.
Jason Rogers, director of public works for the City of Chowchilla, said the project began with a planning grant and that a construction funding application was first submitted in 2020. He reported the project received a $16 million award from the State Water Resources Control Board and a $7.5 million reimbursement agreement with the California High‑Speed Rail Authority, which helped close funding gaps.
Rogers described the work as installing a gravity collection system and lift stations in the Fairmead area, upsizing existing sewer mains, constructing a force main to the city’s industrial area and installing a 0.9‑million‑gallons‑per‑day package treatment plant and upgrades such as a new bar‑screen structure. He said topography and surveying were completed in June and that design work began in March; staff expects plans and specifications to be ready by late calendar year with bidding anticipated in February–March and construction starting in April–May of the following year. Estimated construction duration is about two years.
Rogers thanked local community partners and nonprofit outreach groups for assistance in securing rights‑of‑entry and community engagement required for state funding eligibility. Board members asked whether water infrastructure could be advanced during sewer construction; staff said prior feasibility work for delivering potable water from Chowchilla to Fairmead found the distance and pressure losses made direct connection infeasible and that additional local wells were previously recommended.
No board action was required; the presentation served as a public update to satisfy a grand jury request for information on the project’s status and interagency coordination.
