For Immediate Release
Contact: Mike Prinz, General Manager
Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District
(415) 472-1734

District Marks Major Construction Milestone: Completion of Phase 1
of the Secondary Treatment Plant Upgrade and Recycled Water Expansion Project

Expanded Recycled Water Treatment Facility Begins Delivery of Water

San Rafael, CA (March 17, 2021) — The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District is excited to announce a significant milestone in its multi-year, $64 million Secondary Treatment Plant Upgrade and Recycled Water Expansion Project. Phase 1 of the project has been completed as of this week.

A key element of Phase 1 is the expansion of the plant’s recycled water facility, to effectively quadruple its capacity to over 5 million gallons of water per day. With completion of Phase 1, recycled water delivery from the expanded facility is now underway.

Other Phase 1 work included:

• Rerouting of a force main pipeline
• Construction of aeration basins to expand secondary treatment capacity for flows up to 18 million gallons per day (MGD)
• Construction of a new primary effluent pump station
• Upgrades to the electrical systems at the plant and addition of a new standby generator
• Underground realignment of existing PG&E overhead power, installation of a new utility transformer; and more.

“The completion of Phase 1 of this major project is really cause for celebration,” said Crystal J. Yezman, President of the District’s Board of Directors. “This is a remarkable achievement in bringing a more drought tolerant water supply to Marin County, and helps position the District as a regional leader in wastewater recycling. We’re proud of achieving this milestone, and we’re looking forward to continuing our hard work to bring the rest of the treatment plant upgrade project to completion in the next couple of years.”

The expanded recycled water facility replaces the existing Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) facility on the District site, which reached the end of its useful life. The expansion improves efficiency, increases the water recycling capacity from the previous 1.4 MGD to 5.4 MGD, and lowers the cost-per-gallon to produce recycled water. A large portion of the District’s recycled water is distributed to MMWD and North Marin Water District, which then sell it for use in landscape irrigation, car washes, cooling towers, commercial laundries, and toilet flushing.

With completion of Phase 1 and expansion of the recycled water facility, some components of Phase 2 (of three phases) of the project are well underway. This includes many major elements that will ensure an enhanced, reliable, efficient water treatment facility, to serve the community today and in the future. Phase 2 includes:

• Realignment of a portion of the treatment plant’s perimeter road above sea level rise elevation
• Construction of two new secondary clarifiers
• Upgrading of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system
• Modifications to the existing disinfection system
• Other related work such as grading, fencing, pipelines, landscaping, and paving

The District’s Secondary Treatment Plant Upgrade and Recycled Water Expansion Project, the largest capital improvement project in the District’s history, got underway in early 2019 and is anticipated to continue through 2022.

The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary Sewer District serves 30,000 customers in the northern San Rafael area and manages approximately 105 miles of sewage collection pipelines. Current LGVSD plans call for increasing capacity in order to serve the present and future residents. In addition to the wastewater treatment plant, the District is also involved in producing recycled water, solar power generation, garbage collection, and a multi-faceted reclamation project which includes a freshwater marsh, irrigated pastures, storage ponds, and a saltwater marsh which provides habitat for wildlife. The reclamation project also provides opportunities for public access and recreation. The LGVSD also provides plant tours and site educational field trips (currently postponed due to the pandemic), and community outreach activities to raise awareness of pollution prevention, water quality, and water conservation. Learn more about the District at https://lgsdis.specialdistrict.org/