This four year project involved the construction of a new 65 MGD pure oxygen secondary wastewater treatment facility serving approximately one-third of the City and County of San Francisco on the City’s western side and replacing the Richmond Sunset Water Pollution Control Plant constructed in Golden Gate Park in 1935. This project was designed and constructed under a large number of physical and environmental constraints owing to its proximity to the San Francisco Zoological Gardens as well as the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

 

Approximately two-thirds of the plant was constructed underground, with future plans for the San Francisco Zoological Gardens to expand its facilities over a large portion of the plant. The Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant was also constructed to have low visibility from the public park areas on the outside of the facility. State of the art odor control facilities were incorporated into the air handling system and egg shaped digesters built to minimize solids accumulation. Approximately 135,000-cubic yards of concrete were placed at Oceanside and over 300,000 cubic yards of sand removed to facilitate the installation. The Oceanside plant went operational in September 1993, on schedule and within budget and with no startup issues. The discharge meets state and federal standards for secondary treatment and is discharged to the Pacific Ocean through a 4 ½ mile ocean outfall to 80 feet of depth.

 

EPC assisted the prime consultant in providing construction management services.