Using an MBR System to Provide Drought Stricken California Farmers with Reclaimed Water

The City of Modesto's new NPDES permit required an upgrade from secondary treatment to nutrient removal and tertiary treatment. In response, the City completed a two-phased project that provides biological nutrient removal (BNR) and tertiary treatment. Completed in 2015, the project produces up to 14.9 mgd of high quality effluent.Over the past several years, California's severe drought has put Del Puerto Water District (DPWD) farmers in jeopardy. To help, the City developed a program with the DPWD to sell farmers recycled water instead of discharging the valuable water to the San Joaquin River. When it is operational, it will deliver water from the Modesto facility and the nearby City of Turlock to the federally operated Delta Mendota Canal (DMC), where the DPWD can withdraw the recycled water. With this project, the DPWD will have an affordable, long-term, reliable, drought-proof source of water to sustain its customers.