Discharger and Tentative Order Information
The Sacramento Area Sewer District (Discharger) is the owner and operator of the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility (Facility). The Discharger provides wastewater treatment service to the Cities of Sacramento, Folsom, and West Sacramento, the communities of Courtland and Walnut Grove, and the Sacramento Area Sewer District. The Sacramento Area Sewer District service area includes the Cities of Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, as well as portions of the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County. The population served is approximately 1.63 million people. The design average dry weather flow capacity of the Facility is 181 MGD. The Facility discharges to the Sacramento River, a water of the United States, just downstream of the Freeport Bridge via an outfall diffuser and is regulated by Waste Discharge Requirements Order R5-2021-0019-02 (NPDES No. CA0077682), issued by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board) on 22 April 2021 and amended on 14 October 2022 and 12 October 2023.
A tentative Order is proposed to renew Order R5-2021-0019-02 (NPDES No. CA0078948). The tentative Order includes new or updated effluent limitations for ammonia, nitrate plus nitrite, and chronic toxicity. The tentative Order removes effluent limits for copper, settable solids, acute toxicity, the performance-based effluent limitation for electrical conductivity, and mass effluent limitations for ammonia and nitrate plus nitrite.
Public Hearing Date and Location
A public hearing concerning the tentative Order will be held during the Central Valley Water Board meeting scheduled for:
DATE: June 3-4, 2026
TIME: 8:30 a.m.
PLACE: Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board
11020 Sun Center Drive, Suite 200 Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
(Physical Meeting Location with Remote Meeting Option)
The final meeting agenda will be available at least 10 days before the meeting. The agenda will provide the anticipated date the hearing will be held for this item and the anticipated order of all agenda items; however, the Board may consider agenda items out of their listed order. The agenda materials may also include staff revisions to the tentative Order.
Nature and Purpose of Hearing
At the hearing, the Central Valley Water Board will hear testimony and oral comments regarding the tentative Order. This proceeding will be a formal adjudicatory proceeding. The procedures governing Central Valley Water Board adjudicatory hearings may be found at California Code of Regulations, title 23, section 648 et seq. and are available upon request.
Prehearing Submission of Written Comments and Evidence
The Discharger is a party to this proceeding. As a party, the Discharger must submit written evidence or comments, if any, for the Board to consider no later than 5:00 p.m. on 28 April 2026 to the Central Valley Water Board email at RB5S-NPDES-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov.
Interested persons include any non-party that is interested in the outcome of the hearing. Interested persons wishing to comment, in writing, on the tentative Order shall submit comments no later than 5:00 p.m. on 28 April 2026 to the Central Valley Water Board email at RB5S-NPDES-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov.
Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 23, section 648.4, the Board Chair may refuse to admit written evidence or comments that are not submitted in accordance with this Notice and shall refuse to do so when there is a showing of prejudice to the Discharger or the Board. Excluded material will not be considered by the Board.
Requesting Party Status
Persons who wish to participate in the hearing as a party must submit a request in writing no later than 5:00 p.m. on 29 May 2026 to the Central Valley Water Board email at RB5S-NPDES-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov. The request must include facts demonstrating how the person will be substantially affected by the proceeding.
The Board Chair will not designate a person as a party if the Board Chair determines the designation will impair the interests of justice and the orderly and prompt conduct of the proceeding. The Board Chair, when granting a request for party status, may impose restrictions on the requestor’s hearing participation, including limiting or excluding the use of cross-examination and other procedures to promote the orderly and prompt conduct of the proceeding.
Visual Presentations
Hearing participants may use PowerPoint or other visual presentations at the hearing, but the presentation content shall not exceed the scope of previously submitted written material. Presentations, if any, must be provided to the below Central Valley Water Board Contact by 12:00 p.m. on 29 May 2026.
Hearing Procedure and Time Limits
The hearing on the tentative Order will be conducted in the general order listed under California Code of Regulations, title 23, section 648.5, except that the Board Chair may modify the order for good cause.
The Discharger and any other designated Party will be advised in advance of the hearing of the total amount of time allocated for its/their presentation and closing statement. The Discharger is/Parties are invited to contact staff in advance of the hearing to discuss how much time it believes/they believe is necessary.
Interested persons may speak at the hearing and are expected to orally summarize their written submittals, if any. Each interested person will have 3 minutes to present oral comments. Additional time may be provided, upon request, at the discretion of the Board Chair.
Hearing Accomodations
The hearing facilities will be accessible to persons with disabilities. Individuals requiring special accommodations are requested to send an e-mail to agenda5@waterboards.ca.gov or call 916-464-4839 at least 5 working days prior to the meeting. TTY users may contact the California Relay Service at 1-800-735-2929 or voice line at 1-800-735-2922.
Availability of Documents
The tentative Order and related documents may be found on the Central Valley Water Board’s Tentative Orders Page.
Copies of these documents may also be obtained by contacting or visiting the Central Valley Water Board’s office at 11020 Sun Center Drive, #200, Rancho Cordova, California, 95670-6114 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Scheduling an appointment to review the file by contacting the below Central Valley Water Board Contact in advance is not required but calling ahead will help ensure timely access to these documents.
Central Valley Water Board Contact
Anyone having questions regarding this hearing item should contact Victor Lopez at (916) 464-4855 or victor.lopez@waterboards.ca.gov.
Please bring the above information to the attention of anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.
