Confluence Regional
Partnership Program
This distinctive grant program uses non-rate, non-fee revenues to fund community programs that expand the Sacramento region’s environmental, educational, and economic vitality. Program funding helps the community while advancing our mission, vision, and values. In 2024, the Confluence Program obligated more than $4 million for various efforts. Here’s a look at some of the projects and programs in several categories we funded this year.
Sewer Lifeline Rate Assistance: Provided financial assistance to more than 9,800 sewage collection and 10,800 treatment and resource recovery residential customers.
American River Parkway: American River Parkway Homeless Encampment Clean-Up Equipment: Awarded $250,000 to the Sacramento County Regional Parks for needed equipment and resources.
Watershed Management: Awarded nearly $14,000 in grant funding to the Sacramento Area Creeks Council to purchase equipment needed to remove trash and debris.
Septic Tank Conversion: Provided one individual property grant for design and construction costs to connect to SacSewer’s collection system. Funding from this category will be used to fill any funding gaps related to the community-wide Septic-to-Sewer Conversion projects, which you can learn more about in our Environmental Sustainability section.
Regional Economic Development: Provided 32 grants totaling nearly $975,500 that support regional economic vitality and helped businesses create 495 jobs.
Public Education: Provided more than $240,000 in funding for programs that educated the public on SacSewer’s critical work, advanced customers’ knowledge of how to be sewer stewards at home and communicated the diverse career paths in our industry.
5,000 Miles
Of Sewer Pipe
Keeping Our
Sewers Flowing
Proactively managing our sewage collection, treatment, and resource recovery infrastructure is how we keep our environment clean and our customers happy. Our protocols, systems, and tools play important roles in safe and effective system management, but it’s the people who make it work—24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hundreds of highly trained staff working on dozens of specialized teams keep our system flowing smoothly.
Collection System Operations
Pipeline
Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Managers Craig Hill and Paul Sutphin worked with their teams to closely monitor the condition of our main line pipes and carried out 118,642 work orders for proactive maintenance and repairs.
Emergency Response
M&O Managers Bruce O’Roak and Dave Alaskin oversaw the completion of more than 6,320 response/emergency work orders and ensured our lower lateral pipes continued to operate optimally.
Planning and Scheduling
M&O Planner Scheduler Manager Todd Coleman oversaw the coordination of maintenance and repairs for pump stations, electrical equipment, and thousands of miles of pipe.
Facility Maintenance
M&O Facilities Manager Mike Dunbar worked with his team to closely monitor the condition of our 117 pump station facilities and implement proactive maintenance and repairs.
Contracted Maintenance and Operations Work Group
Assistant Engineers Lamont Bufford, Jose Campos, and Katie Nham and Principal Engineering Technician Chris Nicolls oversaw the completion of 7,598 work orders for ongoing television video inspection and repair, replacement, cleaning, crown spraying, and cured-in-place pipe lining of SacSewer assets.
Lower Lateral TVI Review Group
Managed by Supervising Engineering Technician George Nordgreen, the team reviewed 17,386 lower lateral inspections, generating 6,657 work orders to address identified issues.
Main Line TVI Review Group
Led by Supervising Engineering Technician Joanna Poulter, this group reviewed 6,896 main line and 4,755 manhole inspections, which generated 3,922 work orders.
Operations and Engineering Support Group
Associate Civil Engineer Jason Bailey oversaw 67 dye tests to check for public sewer connections, 1,936 business case evaluations that generated 1,400 work orders to investigate and address identified issues, 499 inflow and infiltration inspections, 91 creek crossing scheduled inspections, and 55 post-storm inspections as part of the Creek Crossing Inspections program.
Pump Station and Interceptor Section
Managed by Salam Khan, Associate Civil Engineer, and Jarome Rabang, Assistant Engineer, this team led our ongoing Pump Station Condition Assessment Project, which helps keep our pump station assets in working order.
EchoWater Operations
Shift Operations
Led by Chief Plant Operator/O&M Manager I Jason Haddix, a group of more than 65 state-certified wastewater treatment plant operators operated the EchoWater Facility 24/7, ensuring the treatment process and compliance with state and local permits.
Process Teams
Led by an O&M Manager I, Jeff Brewi (retired), the HyChem, Biological, Tertiary Treatment Facility, Solids, and Mechanical Support teams maintained each area of the EchoWater Facility to ensure all critical equipment was operational and available every day of the year.
Controls and Electrical Systems Group
Led by Controls and Electrical Systems Manager, Helen Hu the Control Shop, Electric Shop, and Plant Computer Control System Support teams maintained instruments, network of control and electrical systems, substations, and various other communication networks to ensure operators can seamlessly run our treatment processes.
Facilities Maintenance Group
Led by Facilities Manager Matthew McKimmy, stationary engineers operated our boilers and heating ventilation and air conditioning systems throughout the EchoWater Facility. The Building Maintenance team provided support such as building new office space, painting our process equipment to prevent corrosion, and setting up numerous events.
Process Support Group
Led by Senior Civil Engineer Jeremy Boyce, the group improved and optimized EchoWater Facility process control, streamlined existing facility operations, supported process-related projects, managed 5,296 key EchoWater Facility process data points, and managed agency-wide odors.
Regulatory Compliance Group
Led by Senior Civil Engineer Anna Johnson, the group oversaw compliance activities and reports for EchoWater Facility’s effluent discharger, interceptor system management, solids storage and disposal, and 49 air permits. The group is also responsible for incident investigations (e.g., toxicity, permit violations, spills), compliance data management, related projects oversight, including required studies, reports, and sampling programs.
Change Management Group
Led by Senior Civil Engineer Josh Nurmi, the group addressed changes and assisted staff through the administrative process for change management. The group completed more than 150 change management packages, addressed procedures, equipment, drawings, operational strategy, maintenance, and logistics changes.
Information Management Group
Led by Senior Civil Engineer Thea Durbin, the group oversaw the business systems and related business processes to support regulatory compliance, daily operations, and maintenance of the EchoWater Facility. The group ensured data accuracy, recommended business system improvements, and included subgroups for Computerized Maintenance Management System and Data Migration, Documentation, Geographic Information System, and Central Planning. In 2024, 703 support requests for SacSewer and external agencies were completed.
Recycled Water Group
Led by Senior Civil Engineer John Nurmi, the Recycled Water Group develops and implements an O&M program, ensures regulatory compliance, prepares permit reports, and supports capital improvement projects for recycled water. SacSewer delivers recycled water to urban users, and the Harvest Water project will expand its availability to agricultural users. This year, 502 million gallons of recycled water were distributed.
Our Major Projects
Harvest Water, California’s largest agricultural water recycling project, will provide reliable, high-quality recycled water to agricultural lands and existing habitats in southern Sacramento County.
When operational in 2027, Harvest Water will supply up to 50,000 acre-feet, which is roughly 16 billion gallons, of drought-resistant recycled water each year and bring other lasting benefits to the region.
With Environmental Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Manager Jofil Borja, Senior Civil Engineer Heidi Oriol, and Deputy Director of EchoWater Operations Mike Crooks leading the project, here are key accomplishments the team achieved this year:
- Construction groundbreaking: In winter 2024, pipeline construction began, and outreach staff worked diligently to provide proactive notifications on traffic, road, and other impacts. To view the latest construction updates, click here.
- Recycled water service agreements: Working with stakeholders, SacSewer finalized the recycled water service agreements and recycled water pricing. Outreach with landowners continued throughout 2024 and will extend into 2025.
- Ecosystem benefit tracking: During 2024, SacSewer developed baseline ecosystem monitoring and a groundwater monitoring plan for Harvest Water. These monitoring tools are essential for tracking benefit implementation throughout the life of the program.
- Funding: In addition to approximately $322 million in combined funding from the California Water Commission and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Harvest Water staff received preliminary awards for $1 million through congressionally directed funding under the USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Grant Program and $3 million through the State Water Resources Control Board’s Water Recycling Funding Program.
The Highlands Sewer Relief Project enhanced essential sewer infrastructure in SacSewer’s northwest service area. In 2024, SacSewer successfully completed the replacement and upgrade of one pump station and the decommissioning of another—achieving full project completion. This critical project, supported by Assistant Civil Engineer Francis Villar, increased sewer system capacity and performance in the North Highlands sewer shed. SacSewer continued to coordinate with nearby homes, businesses, and others, resulting in minimal concerns from the community.
In 2024, the Creek Crossing Project was completed. Supported by Assistant Civil Engineer Dave Aebersold, this project realigned, replaced, or rehabilitated sewer mainline segments crossing creeks at a dozen sites in Citrus Heights, Carmichael, and Fair Oaks. Most of these sites are within residential areas and public parks, requiring careful coordination with property owners and park personnel regarding impacts an
The future BioGeneration Facility will utilize biogas (methane), a byproduct of the solids treatment process, to produce renewable electricity and heat for the EchoWater Facility. The BioGeneration Facility will have major connections to existing EchoWater Facility systems including biogas management, digester heating, electrical power distribution, and plant controls.
In February 2024, SacSewer entered a $140 million contract with Ameresco, Inc. to develop and construct the BioGeneration Facility. Site improvements started in October 2024 and the contractor began driving foundation piles in early December.
Significant federal funding is being sought from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which could amount to approximately 40% of project costs if requirements are met. The BioGeneration Facility is IRA eligible as a combined heat and power project but must meet prevailing wage and apprenticeship, and domestic content requirements.
With Senior Civil Engineer Guillermo Robles serving as project manager, the benefits of the BioGeneration Facility will soon be realized. These benefits include the following:
- Once operational in July 2026, the EchoWater Facility will meet approximately half of its energy needs with renewable resources, significantly reducing our reliance on other sources
- Expands SacSewer’s green energy portfolio and moves the EchoWater Facility closer to energy neutrality
- Allows SacSewer to expand its gas generation capacity through organic waste digestion
As SacSewer’s EchoWater Facility is one of the largest producers of biosolids in California, our Biosolids Management Program—led by Senior Civil Engineer Jeremy Boyce—is a critical process to ensure we’re recovering the valuable resources from sewage.
Each year, SacSewer’s facility processes about 38,000 dry tons of biosolids, making the program one of the largest producers of biosolids in California. Approximately 75 percent of those biosolids are treated and then injected into on-site, lined land disposal units, while roughly 25% or 8,500 dry tons are beneficially recycled at our Biosolids Recycling Facility, owned and operated by SacSewer’s partner Synagro.
In 2023, the EchoWater Facility encountered new challenges with excess biosolids as a result of the upgraded treatment process. Staff worked on a multi-phased approach to address the situation.
- Phases I and II: Completed in 2024, SacSewer responded quickly and removed 12,100 dry tons of excess biosolids from the treatment process under the General Manager’s emergency declaration.
- Phases III and IV: In the coming years, SacSewer will establish a multi-year contract to remove up to 14,000 dry tons of biosolids annually, which will mainly be disposed of onsite, with a smaller portion to be land-applied offsite for beneficial reuse.
- An evaluation to determine the most cost-effective means of meeting the new biosolids disposal needs long term is in progress and expected to be completed by July 2025.
In late 2024, the SacSewer Board of Directors approved a 10-year contract extension with Synagro, as the original contract was set to expire in December 2024. Additionally, $12.4 million was approved for rehabilitation work on the facility to address safety compliance and aging infrastructure.
In addition to onsite management, the Biosolids Management Program conducts outreach to educate the public, farmers, and community leaders about the significant benefits of biosolids recycling. Through programs like this, SacSewer continues to uphold its core value of environmental stewardship, demonstrating our commitment to contributing to a sustainable environment for future generations
SacSewer always exceeds customer service expectations—consistent, dependable, thorough, and competent. Our community is lucky to have such a professional public service. Thank you!
Environmental
Sustainability
The EchoWater Facility includes an expansive 2,150-acre buffer between our facility operations and our nearest neighbors.
In 2024, two research efforts involved our Bufferlands:
- A team of researchers from the University of California, Davis Global Ecology and Sustainability Lab began a multi-disciplinary research project centered around the EchoWater Facility solar array as part of their work to quantify and improve the ecosystem services that can be provided by solar energy projects.
- A statewide study was conducted on mourning doves. The study was managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and SacSewer’s Bufferlands team captured and placed leg bands on 128 doves to track migration and monitor population levels.
During the 2024 outreach season, nearly 3,000 visitors visited the Bufferlands in 13 scheduled outreach events. At our signature event, “Walk on the Wildside,” the Bufferlands was recognized by the City of Elk Grove with a resolution thanking SacSewer for our habitat conservation and restoration work, helping celebrate the event’s 30th anniversary. The Bufferlands was also honored by SacTown Magazine in their annual “Best of the City” issue when they proclaimed the property the “Best Kept Habitat Secret” in the region.
SacSewer’s Environmental Laboratory is certified by the California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program and provides an extensive range of analytical testing, sampling, and field monitoring services. Our team of 35+ scientists and technical staff provide quality services to meet routine and challenging analytical needs for regulatory programs, special studies, and monitoring programs. In 2024, our laboratory staff successfully completed 89,600 tests.
SacSewer’s 21-acre solar energy array at the EchoWater Facility illustrates our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. As one of the largest solar arrays located at a sewage treatment and resource recovery facility in the nation, it offers a clean and sustainable energy source to power our essential facility. In 2024, it produced approximately eight percent of SacSewer’s current energy needs, enough to power approximately 690 homes annually.
Continuing our participation in SMUD’s SolarShares Program, we are able to purchase electricity that is 100% renewable. By participating in this program, the energy generated offsets SacSewer’s energy usage—equivalent to powering approximately 3,100 homes each year.
SacSewer’s Environmental Sustainability Program has eight focus areas aiming to minimize waste, conserve resources, foster long-term economic vitality, and enhance the well-being of SacSewer staff, our customers, and the communities we serve.
This year, several action plans were completed, further demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship.
- Environmental Sustainability Dashboard: Developed to showcase the various resources recovered at the EchoWater Facility through dynamic content featured on SacSewer’s website
- Going Green Program: Focused on engaging staff in environmental discussions and sustainable practices through education and events
- Energy Management Plan: Began monitoring SacSewer’s energy usage to establish a baseline and identify efficiencies within its operations and processes to reduce usage
SacSewer is helping bring sewer service to our local communities of Old Florin Town, Linda Manor, Hood, and Franklin that have long relied on septic systems to dispose of sewage. Converting from septic to sewer will not only provide more reliable sewage disposal, but it will also help protect the environment from old and poorly performing septic systems.
