West County advances $30m FY26 CIP with digester launch and $15m sewer mandate in sight

West County advances $30m FY26 CIP with digester launch and $15m sewer mandate in sightThe California utility is preparing to bring new digesters online this month under its Clean & Green program, while ramping up design work to meet a 2029 state deadline for sanitary sewer upgrades.

The district's FY26 capital budget totals $30 million, with the Clean & Green project accounting for over $20 million of the planned spend.

New digesters are expected to be seeded and brought online by the end of March following the completion of demolition and aeration blower upgrades.

Staff are prioritizing the design of gravity sewer projects to meet a state requirement to invest $15 million in sanitary sewer improvements by July 31, 2029.

The La Honda force main replacement faces delays due to a nearby slope failure, prompting a reassessment of the project's design.

West County Wastewater District's Infrastructure, Operations & Environment Committee has recommended its mid-year FY26 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) update to the full board, highlighting progress on a $30 million annual capital budget dominated by the district's Clean & Green initiative. Director of Infrastructure and Planning Angela Andrews told the committee on March 10 that the district anticipates spending between $4.5 million and $5 million by the end of the fiscal year. The bulk of the FY26 budget—over $20 million—is front-loaded for the Clean & Green project, a sweeping portfolio of facility upgrades. Demolition of the district's existing digesters and the replacement of an aeration blower are 100% complete. Staff expect to seed the new digesters and bring them online by the end of March, a milestone that will allow contractor Synagro to transition to other project phases. Alongside the Clean & Green upgrades, the district is ramping up design and planning efforts for its gravity sewer network to meet a strict regulatory deadline. Under a state mandate, West County must invest a minimum of $15 million in sanitary sewer improvement projects by July 31, 2029. While major construction on these sewer replacements will pick up in future years, current efforts are focused on design and planning, alongside an interim spot repair program handled by collection system operators. The CIP update also detailed mixed progress across the district's force main network. The Carriage Hills force main replacement is fully complete, and staff have secured a new consultant to conduct force main condition assessments without needing to store water. However, the La Honda force main replacement has been delayed after a nearby slope failure prompted the contractor to request a design reassessment to ensure the targeted area is not impacted. In the plant process program, funds are currently being directed toward the design of a secondary sedimentation basin. Andrews noted that sea-level rise protection remains a critical priority for the district to mitigate impacts to infrastructure and protect the heavy investments being made through the Clean & Green program.