California Water News Daily Your Source For Water News in California
The board of directors for the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) recently approved plans to improve the San Ramon Valley Recycled Water Program’s treatment plant to treat more water to meet rising demand for irrigation water. The proposed improvements will increase the plant’s maximum production capacity by 70 percent, from 9.7 million gallons a day (MGD) to 16.2 MGD.
The $18.2 million improvement project at the Jeffrey G. Hansen Water Recycling Plant, adjacent to the Dublin San Ramon Services District wastewater treatment facility is planned to begin construction in January with a projected completion of fall 2018. The facilities are located in Pleasanton near the 580-680 interchange.
DSRSD and East Bay Municipal Utility District built the water recycling plant as a joint venture more than ten years ago. In addition to serving the Tri-Valley area –Danville, Dublin, Livermore and San Ramon – the plant now provides recycled water for irrigation the Pleasanton in anticipation of the facility’s expansion and agreements to share the water.
“Our investments in water recycling infrastructure continue to pay back huge dividends by reducing imports of drinking water from the State Water Project and exports of treated wastewater to the San Francisco Bay,” says D.L. (Pat) Howard, president of the DSRSD Board. “Recycled water is a sustainable water supply for irrigation.”
Construction that reduces the plant’s production capacity will be done when demand for irrigation water is low to minimize impacts on customers. Notifications of unavoidable interruptions in the recycled water supply will be provided to large irrigation customers so they can adjust irrigation schedules, as needed. The planned improvements will increase the plant’s production capacity to meet peak demand for irrigation water on hot summer days, which is expected to reach 16.1 MGD by 2020.
In order to begin the construction process the DSRSD board has approved contracts with three local businesses for construction, construction management and engineering services. The contracts include: $13.37 million to C. Overaa & Co. of Richmond, CA (construction); $1.07 million to The Covello Group, Walnut Creek, CA (construction management); and, $700,000 to Carollo Engineers of Walnut Creek (engineering services during construction).
Founded in 1953, the Dublin San Ramon Services District now serves 173,000 people. This includes providing potable and recycled water service to Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of San Ramon, wastewater collection and treatment to Dublin and south San Ramon, and wastewater treatment to Pleasanton.
The agencies distributing the recycled irrigation water will share in the cost. DSRSD operates the water recycling plant and the backbone distribution system on behalf of the partnership.
