Yuba joins wastewater study

Just by the name alone, wastewater doesn't sound like much fun to deal with.

And several government agencies in the Yuba-Sutter region are finding the topic messier than ever, with more user demand, more regulations, and aging treatment sites to handle it all.

On Tuesday, the Yuba County Board of Supervisors became the latest local government to join a contract for a consultant to study whether the county and other local governments should cooperate on a future wastewater facility, or examine other options.

Ultimately, experts said, the result could be lower sewer and/or water rates for county residents, and increased use of such approaches as recycled water for landscaping and irrigation.

Doug McCoy, Yuba County's director of Administrative Services, said county officials have recognized there are regulatory issues with wastewater and several small government entities trying to solve them independently.

"The county wants to look at this more holistically," he said. "It's a matter of looking at what's most cost effective. Let's see what the actions are, how it's situated, what the options are."

The consultant, Kennedy-Jenks Consultants, received a contract for a similar study from the Linda County Water District earlier this month. Along with the county, Marysville, Wheatland, Beale Air Force Base and the Olivehurst Public Utility District are involved in the study.

The study cost is $110,250, split among the governments and agencies, with some additional money from the Yuba County Water Agency.

Brian Davis, a Kennedy-Jenks project manager, said several factors compel the different agencies to approach wastewater from a regional perspective.

"The rule of thumb is that there's a real economy of scale and savings of dollars with a regionalized approach," Davis said.

Yuba County has a number of options for dealing with wastewater, but it's not easy for all government agencies involved to use all those options, he said.

For example, one agency might have discharge rights into the Feather River or a recycled water program, Davis said, and a regional approach gives more agencies those options.

The need for a study began years ago, Davis added, but reached critical mass as governments faced aging infrastructure and regulatory concerns.

McCoy noted that supervisors asked for some findings in 90 days, a timeframe he said reflects some regulatory questions that need resolution.

"There's a sensitivity to keep the ball moving on this," he said.

Davis said he expected the study to take three to six months, and was more likely to end with a suggestion for a strategy rather than construction of a new regional plant.

There might also be a need for more studies of approaches that seem promising, Davis said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ben van der Meer at 749-4709 or bvandermeer@appealdemocrat.com.