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City receives technical update on wastewater plant; officials explore spray fields, dechlorination and emergency fund use
Summary
Gonzales City officials heard a technical update on March 16 about the existing wastewater treatment plant and the new industrial plant. Director Hurtado reported average influent near 1.3 million gallons per day, progress on aeration and clarifying equipment, consideration of spray fields on roughly 40 acres, and that about $850,000 of a $1.5 million emergency allocation has been spent.
Director Hurtado told the Gonzales City Council on March 16 that the city’s wastewater system is operating near design capacity and staff are taking multiple steps to stabilize operations.
"So currently we’re averaging 1.3 MGD per day," Director Hurtado said, adding that the plant is rated at 1.3 MGD while the regional board has reduced the allowed flow to about 1.2 MGD. He said staff are monitoring major industrial users, testing for chlorine contamination and meeting with industrial permittees to reduce discharges that harm the plant’s biological processes.
Hurtado described short-term fixes and capital work underway: a clarifying system that routes flow from ponds seven and eight to a new pond D, increased aeration (nine aerators currently working with a 10th coming online), use of polymers to assist solids settling and a dechlorination unit taken from the new industrial plant to dose sewage when high chlorine levels are detected.
"Pond D is working very well," Hurtado said, describing percolation and evaporation management and an effort to move water among ponds to avoid overfilling any single basin. The industrial contractor Gateway has allowed use of its ponds temporarily while the city works to empty and scrub several ponds.
Officials also described a planning-level option to add spray fields as an additional treatment phase. Hurtado said a landowner north of the plant has signaled willingness to release or sell roughly 40 acres for spray fields, though the exact acreage and permitting remain under study and would require regional board approval. "The idea is not to pond the fields," he said, describing a rotating spray-and-dry approach.
Hurtado reported construction progress on the new industrial treatment plant at about the 30 percent mark and estimated a potential project completion around June 2027 if the schedule holds. He said the city has purchased equipment and is seeking full reimbursement under an agreed cost-sharing mechanism.
On finances, council members were reminded of a 2025 emergency declaration that authorized $1.5 million for plant response costs; Hurtado said about $850,000 has been expended so far and that a significant portion of ongoing expense is rental costs for temporary equipment. He said staff are reviewing invoices and seeking ways to reduce rental costs.
Council members asked follow-up questions about sludge handling and whether scraped material will be landfilled. Hurtado said the city will characterize material after ponds are drained and will seek to reuse on-site where possible to lower disposal costs.
Mayor Jose Rios closed the item by noting the report was informational and that no council action was required at this meeting. Staff said they will continue coordination with the regional board on permitting and return with updates as work progresses.
