West County Wastewater holds $86.7m Clean & Green project within budget

West County Wastewater holds $86.7m Clean & Green project within budgetWest County Wastewater expects to complete its major energy, solids-handling and treatment upgrade within the board-authorised $86.74 million, with most works due by the end of 2026. The utility has separately identified total 20-year project costs of $135.03 million, including financing and delay-related operating costs.

The Clean & Green project is expected to remain within its $86,737,269 authorised budget; staff said no additional spending authority is anticipated.

Most of the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2026, while headworks works are expected to extend into May or June 2027.

West County Wastewater estimates $48.30 million in 20-year project-impact costs, including $36.57 million in net financing costs, $3.70 million for biosolids handling and $3.55 million for electricity.

The project includes digesters, solids dewatering and thermal drying, cogeneration, solar generation, battery storage, a microgrid and an additional equalisation basin.

The board also approved a new maintenance technician post, taking authorised staffing from 76 to 77 FTE, to support operation and maintenance of the new equipment.

West County Wastewater District expects to deliver its Clean & Green upgrade programme within the board-authorised project budget of $86.74 million, despite a delayed completion date and additional operational costs associated with the programme. At its 16 September meeting, the California utility received an update on the project, which is upgrading the Water Quality and Resource Recovery Plant with treatment-process improvements, an additional equalisation basin for wet-weather storage, solids treatment and thermal drying equipment, cogeneration, solar photovoltaic generation, a battery energy storage system and a microgrid. Capital Program Supervisor Keith Reynolds told the board that the district expected to complete the full authorised scope, including the battery energy storage system, within the $86,737,269 spending authority approved in April 2023. The budget includes the energy services contract, construction, permitting, consulting services and contingency. OPTERRA Energy Services has assumed the role of energy services company from ENGIE North America. The original completion date was 1 September 2024. Reynolds said most of the work—about 90%—was expected to be complete by the end of calendar year 2026, but headworks work was expected to continue into May or June 2027. He attributed delays in large part to air-permitting issues, rather than construction activity. Staff presented a broader 20-year cost estimate of $135.03 million. This includes the $86.74 million project budget plus $48.30 million in project-impact costs. The latter comprises an estimated $36.57 million net financing cost, $3.70 million for Synagro biosolids handling, $3.55 million in PG&E electricity costs, $4 million for the additional maintenance technician over 20 years, $275,000 for HDR staff training and $200,000 in additional staff costs. The district said Synagro costs were incurred after the delayed 2024 completion date. From December 2025, OPTERRA took responsibility for those costs. The utility financed the works through bonds at a 2.6% rate. Against the total 20-year cost estimate, the district cited $5.5 million in grant funds and $76.83 million in guaranteed savings under the energy services contract. It presented an adjusted total project cost of $52.70 million after those items. Reynolds said the savings figure reflected the project assumptions at the time of contract formation. The programme is also changing the utility's operating requirements. The board unanimously approved an amendment to the fiscal year 2027 position-control list, adding one maintenance technician and increasing authorised staffing from 76 to 77 full-time equivalent positions. The post, budgeted at approximately $162,000, is intended to support the new plant equipment and biosolids-handling systems as the project moves from construction to operation. Staff said revenue from the biosolids operating agreement with the City of Richmond will help offset the position's cost. General Manager Andrew Clough said the project had also enabled changes to the district's existing assets. Some lagoons no longer needed for sludge processing are being used to accumulate sediment that could be used for the proposed North Richmond Living Levee. The district is receiving sediment from Wildcat Creek work in Lagoon 3. A ribbon-cutting event is scheduled for 7 October 2026 to mark significant completion and beneficial use of much of the new equipment.