Paradise Council shifts sewer plan toward membrane‑bioreactor and hybrid collection

Paradise Town Council on Thursday voted to revise the description of the town’s long‑debated sewer project, moving away from a pond‑based disposal scheme and toward a membrane‑bioreactor (MBR) treatment plant coupled with a hybrid gravity/low‑pressure collection network.

Council took the step after hearing months of engineering and environmental analysis showing that candidate sites near town have shallow bedrock, high groundwater and percolation rates incompatible with large percolation/evaporation ponds. Corollo Engineers’ technical review found a full low‑pressure, grinder‑pump system for the entire town would create prohibitive static pressures; a hybrid approach that uses gravity where possible and low‑pressure connections only in low‑lying pockets is technically feasible.

Why it matters: the revised Alternative 3—hybrid collection, MBR treatment and permitted surface‑water discharge—keeps open options for future reuse and a smaller footprint for the treatment plant. Council and staff said the MBR approach produces higher‑quality effluent, supports future reuse, and avoids pond siting challenges that stalled the earlier lagoon‑and‑percolation concept.

What the council approved: A resolution (2026‑38) amending the project description to advance environmental review, right‑of‑way engineering and design funding pursuits for the revised Alternative 3. The resolution expressly removed wording that suggested immediate ‘‘site acquisition,’’ and it called for required council consideration of major milestones and actions. The council approved the resolution by roll call vote.

Next steps: staff will prepare a subsequent programmatic environmental impact report that incorporates the town’s 2022 programmatic document and analyzes the revised collection, treatment and discharge approach. That environmental review will define the scope and public‑review schedule; staff said public review could occur this winter with a council certification hearing next summer. If and when the town secures additional state funding (estimates under negotiation range broadly), staff will return with the final service area, rate implications and any needed property actions.

What remains unresolved: the final treatment site and exact sewer service area for Phase 1 depend on permitting and available funding. Council members and members of the public pressed for clearer upfront estimates of how many parcels must connect for a given rate, and staff agreed to return with models tying design footprints to projected rates and to lay out contingencies if additional grants do not materialize.

Representative quote: “Percolation ponds are not feasible for Paradise,” a staff memo stated, pointing to shallow bedrock and high groundwater at candidate sites. Staff added the recommended MBR option “is scalable, permittable and fundable within the project goals.”

What’s next for residents: staff will hold public outreach as part of the environmental review and will return to council with a service‑area map once funding and permit options are clearer. Council emphasized that any rate or hookup policy decisions will require later public processes, including required Proposition 218 notice and votes for property‑related charges.