Wastewater System
Our Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility provides quality of life service to the community while helping to reduce the City’s carbon footprint and protecting the environment as demonstrated in this City of Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility PSA. We welcome you to a 2020 virtual tour of our facility led by our Operations staff:
You can also learn more about us in our latest edition of WWTF Neighborhood News(PDF, 2MB).
Our newest video reminds us to only flush The 3 "P"s (Las tres "P" en español)
Our short video provides an important reminder to help prevent unsanitary sewer overflows during the current pandemic and always:
In December 2023, the Regional Water Quality Control Board approved our Waste Discharge Requirements and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The new permit will take effect in February for a five-year term. They also approved the Waste Discharge and Water Reclamation Requirements (GRRP) for the Pure Water Soquel Groundwater Replenishment Reuse Project.
The Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility is proud that our staff has been recognized with five 2022-23 awards by the California Water Environment Association-Monterey Bay Section. Previous honors include 2020 Collection System of the Year (Small) from the California Wastewater Environment Association-Monterey Bay Section, 2013 Best in State Plant of the Year (Medium) and four 2017 California Water Environment Association-Monterey Bay Section awards: Overall Plant of the Year, Plant of the Year (Medium), Collections Person of the Year and Operator of the Year. We received second place for California Wastewater Environment Association 2017 Best in State Plant of the Year (Medium).
Santa Cruz Plant Honored as Best Wastewater Treatment Facility in California. This award honors exceptional California treatment plants and collection systems. It is based on a review of infrastructure, management practices and compliance records.
We have also been honored for our energy-saving achievements: EPA Recognizes Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility for Its Green Power Accomplishments(PDF, 249KB)
The history and processes of the Wastewater Treatment Facility and our use of recycled wastewater are outlined in this presentation(PDF, 3MB) by Public Works Director Mark Dettle.
Purpose and Functions
Organization chart(PDF, 414KB)
(37 Employees)
Wastewater Treatment Facility
Operates and maintains a regional wastewater treatment and disposal facility. Wastewater treatment and ocean outfall disposal are provided for the City of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District (includes Live Oak, Capitola, Soquel and Aptos). Ocean outfall disposal is provided for the City of Scotts Valley.
Wastewater Source Control
Provides inspection, sampling and monitoring of business and industrial establishments to limit discharge of harmful constituents into the sanitary sewer system and storm drain system. Issues wastewater discharge permits to industrial discharges. Issues citations and levies fines for code violations. This program is a requirement of the State of California and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The City of Santa Cruz has been treating sewage at the Wastewater Treatment Facility near Neary Lagoon and disposing of the effluent in the ocean since 1928. Treatment capacity has been expanded several times to accommodate the growth of the city and the addition of flows from the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District. The current rated design capacity is 17 MGD (millions of gallons per day) and with an average daily flow of less than 10 MGD. Design for wet weather flow is 81 MGD.
Pure Water Soquel Project
The City of Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility continues to expand its production and use of recycled water through a regional partnership which will provide source water to the Pure Water Soquel Project.
The project will provide a reliable supplemental water supply for the community and prevent seawater from contaminating groundwater. It includes the installation of about eight miles of pipeline under various streets between Santa Cruz and Aptos. These pipelines will carry recycled water from our regional Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility to the Chanticleer Water Purification Center (to be built) in the Live Oak area; and, will carry purified water from the new Center to three Seawater Intrusion Prevention (SWIP) wells where it will be pumped into the groundwater basin.
This project will also provide an increased capacity to produce Title 22 tertiary water at the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Major Accomplishments over the Last 5 Years
Resources
Water Pollution Control Facility Annual Reports
Pretreatment Program Annual Reports
California Integrated Water Quality System Reports
Additional Reports are filed online at the Electronic Self-Monitoring Report website of the California Integrated Water Quality System. You can find the reports that have been filed at this web link