City Of Sacramento Completes $165 Million Water Plant Renovation

The City of Sacramento has completed a $165 million renovation of one of its water treatment plants.

The Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant project increases its maximum capacity from 130 million gallons per day to 160 million gallons.

Bill Busath is Director of the Department of Utilities.

"In the scheme of things right now, they (residents) won't notice a difference. What it allows us to do right now is to have firm treatment capacity probably well into 2030 to 2035 where we won't need to add additional treatment capacity to be able to service the needs of our customers."

He says demand for water has decreased in recent years due to the drought, but it will increase eventually.

"Around 2030 or 2035 we would have been bumping up against our treatment capacity. The critical point there is that in order to increase our current treatment capacity, the planning horizon is 10 to 15 years."

The treatment plant was opened in 1924 and has been operating with some of the original parts.

The City says about 60 percent of a three-year rate increase for city residents went to pay for this project.