Video Story: USD Enhanced Treatment and Site Upgrade Program

The $482M Enhanced Treatment and Site Upgrade (ETSU) program for Union Sanitary District (District) was designed to address both short- and long-term drivers including repairing aging infrastructure, improving treatment capacity and effluent disposal during wet weather, and proactively preparing for future nutrient limitations.

At a Glance

Developed site-specific tools to simulate plant performance, assess alternatives, and develop a modular approach to needed upgrades, saving the District over $250M.
Designed extensive upgrades to the WWTP’s electrical infrastructure including a new utility feed, a new 12KV switchgear, new electrical distribution facilities, and infrastructure to improve electrical resiliency.
CEQA strategy minimized schedule impacts of the environmental process, allowing the program to move forward while addressing stakeholder concerns.

Dr. Paul Pitt is a leading expert in wastewater treatment plant design and operation and serves as Hazen’s Director of Wastewater Technology.

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Hazen is assisting the District with design and construction of Phase 1 of the program which includes modification of the existing aeration basins; a new eighth aeration basin; new high-speed blowers; a new campus building; four new secondary clarifiers; a new RAS/WAS pump station; a new effluent facility (chlorine contact tanks, effluent pump station, dechlorination tank, wet weather pump station, reclaimed water pump station and elutriation pump station); and a new primary effluent equalization basin.

We also supported facilitating the execution of the ETSU program, the largest upgrade in the District’s history. The team has secured WIFIA funding and is pursuing SRF funding to finance the program through Phase 1. Hazen assisted with negotiations with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFRWQCB) at the development of the program to commit to early adoption of nutrient removal via the ETSU program to secure more frequent use of the District’s shallow water discharge to Old Alameda Creek. Design and construction permitting includes air permitting with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the City of Union City.