Pinole, Hercules Wastewater Committee to Look at Alternative Plan

A private company is pitching a new approach to a planned upgrade for the plant that treats Pinole and Hercules wastewater, promising that it will cost the city and ratepayers far less than a current proposal.

Perc Water, which made a presentation at the Pinole City Council meeting April 17, will provide information. The company told council members it would design, build and finance a new facility that could recycle water.

The company has built 22 recycling facilities, including six in California.

The existing plant at the end of Tennent Avenue needs improvements to handle heavy rainy weather flows to meet with water quality regulations. During heavy flows some untreated water ends up in San Pablo Bay, subjecting the two cities to fines.

The new recycling plant would reduce wasewater discharge, Perc Water officials say. That flow could be sold to East Bay Municipal Utility Water District, which could sell it to the ConocoPhillips for use at its oil refinery in Rodeo, according to the proposal. The result would be that the communities could reduce ratepayers' sewer rates and avoid planned rate increases needed to upgrade the existing plant. The new facility would be built on refinery property.

During the council meeting last week, Pinole Director of Public Works Dean Allison raised several questions about the technical feasiblity and the time and expense for environmental approvals for the proposed project. Some council members also had concerns about the details of financing for the engineering costs, the coordination with the other parties and the timeline.

Representatives from EBMUD and the refinery will provide information and answer questions at the Wednesday meeting.

Plans to upgrade the plant have been delayed because the Hercules City Council had been considering severing its joint operation of the plant for an alternative to send Hercules water to the West County Wastewater District. In August the council dropped that idea and its agreement with Pinole.

The plant is under pressure to expand the plant to comply with discharge permits. City officials have been in discussions with water quality officials about a possible extension so that the plant is not out of compliance.

Also on Wednesday's agenda is a status report on discussions with the Reqional Water Quality Control Board about the status of the plant's permit for discharging water into San Pablo Bay. The committee also will consider additional costs with an engineering consultant's contract to provide services during the permitting process.

The meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Community Room at Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear St. It will not be televised.