The South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) is expanding its existing wastewater treatment plant near Gilroy, Calif.. The expansion will feature the design of a new membrane bioreactor facility by Stantec, a global engineering, architecture, and design firm that announced the work in a press release.
The new facility will add additional capacity of 2.5 million gallons per day (MGD) to the existing plant’s 8.5 MGD wastewater treatment, allowing for long-term growth in the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill.
The SCRWA is a joint powers authority established to manage wastewater treatment and water reclamation for the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. The facility receives and treats wastewater from domestic, commercial, and industrial users, and has a successful water recycling program.
The expansion project will increase treatment capacity and provide more recycled water.
Using cutting-edge membrane technology for nutrient removal will provide the plant with higher quality effluent for beneficial reuse, including industrial use and municipal irrigation. The $62 million project will feature a new headworks and screenings facility, bioreactors, membrane basins, blowers, a chemical feed and storage facility, and a solids handling facility.
“Adding a membrane bioreactor to SCRWA’s wastewater plant offers more reliability and redundancy to the facility, while also improving sustainability,” said Billy Wong, Stantec project manager based in Walnut Creek. “We are excited to support SCRWA as it continues to improve this critical infrastructure and prepare for the next 15 years of growth.”
Stantec has worked with SCRWA for more than a decade, planning the wastewater treatment plant expansion. The firm is providing design and engineering services during construction on the project, which is expected to be complete in 2024.
