City of Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City of Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment plant simultaneously installed Title 22 for irrigation tertiary treatment technologies and a phosphorus nutrient harvest system. The new facilities provide a source of sustainable water, reduce nuisance struvite build-up throughout plant piping and equipment, and provide value to the community. The tertiary treatment facilities and nutrient harvest system are models of sustainable innovation on the California Central Coast. They were designed technically to protect the community’s long-term water quality and water supply needs. They also were implemented cost-effectively. Existing facilities were repurposed and a grant and low-interest funding were secured, which helped the City reduce project costs. In addition, solutions were selected that saved energy and minimized chemical use, reducing operating costs. Viewed together, these projects completed in 2019 reflect the city’s water resilience, its ability to withstand, adapt to and readily recover from evolving, even unexpected, conditions.