May 2023
Walsh Construction breaks ground on new Dewatering Facility at San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility
SAN JOSE, CA – Construction is officially underway on the new $164 million Digested Sludge Dewatering Facility at San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility.
Walsh Construction joined officials from the City of San José and the City of Santa Clara, along with project leaders to break ground on the facility that will free up 750 acres of land for alternative uses.
(Pictured: Walsh Construction and Black and Veatch team members commemorate the start of construction with a groundbreaking ceremony.)
The new facility will allow the wastewater plant to enclose its mechanical dewatering process and discontinue the use of open-air drying beds and lagoons. This transition will reduce odors, repurpose the land and allow the facility to comply with new organic waste regulations.
The Dewatering Facility is the latest part of a Capital Improvement Program with $1.4 billion over 10 years of improvements to the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility.
"Walsh Construction is proud to continue working with the cities of San José and Santa Clara to upgrade their wastewater facility," said Kyle Jones, Vice President of Walsh Construction's California Water Division. "We're excited to work with our design partner, Black and Veatch, to deliver a project that will improve operations, benefit the community and provide job opportunities for people of all backgrounds and skillsets."
(Rendering showcases new Digested Sludge Dewatering Facility - top left.)
(Pictured: City officials from San José and Santa Clara celebrate the start of construction on the $164 million project.)
The Dewatering Facility project will add to Walsh Construction's portfolio of work at the Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Over the past six years, Walsh has employed over 200 skilled union craftspeople and worked with trusted union partners like Laborers Local 270 to staff and deliver facility upgrades, including the recent upgrade of the plant's digester/thickener facilities.
Walsh Construction will serve as the project's design-builder in association with lead designer Black and Veatch. The project will utilize a progressive design-build delivery method and is anticipated for completion in 2025.
The San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility treats over 100 million gallons of wastewater daily, servicing 1.4 million residents and over 17,000 businesses in the Bay Area. The wastewater facility also helps keep the Bay clean and supports a diverse ecosystem of birds, fish, and wetland habitat.