Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations Unit

The City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant treats collected wastewater (sewage) so that it may be discharged for safe disposal to surface waters, like Old River. The plant removes solids and pollutants, breaks down organic matter, and restores the oxygen content of the treated wastewater. Tracy treats wastewater to a more stringent standard so that the highly treated water may be used as recycled water for landscape irrigation, and dust control at construction sites.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant continues to make major improvements to increase capacity, keeping up with the growth of the Tracy community:

• The Phase 2B expansion project involves increasing the wastewater treatment capacity of the existing wastewater treatment plant to correspond with projected population growth and issues related to water efficiency and conservation. Increased plant capacity would be made possible by installing additional treatment facilities on unused portions of the existing site and potentially on to other city-owned parcels near the treatment plant.
• A new effluent conveyance pipeline and outfall to Old River was recently completed as part of the expansion. In addition to an increased wastewater flow capacity, the plant is and will be upgraded in anticipation of more stringent effluent discharge requirements under its permit.
• Plan for future phases of the wastewater treatment plant expansion for additional treatment capacity necessary to meet future needs.

• With water conservation and increased efficiency in appliances, faucets, shower heads, etc., the amount of wastewater has not increased with new development but the strength of the wastewater, due to less dilution, has increased significantly.

• The City is in the process of evaluating energy usage reductions by optimizing operations of the plant with replacement of the old back flow valves and drying bed valves.
• The City was awarded a $20 million grant for the expansion of the Recycled Water Project to extend the recycled water pipeline and construct a new pump station. These improvements will enable the City to serve recycled irrigation water to city-owned parks and landscaping freeing up potable water for future demand.