Wastewater treatment testing near completion

Clean water testing began in the beginning of this year, and the new liquid treatment processes are expected to be in full service by next month, according to a recent staff report.

“We’re in the testing stage. The clean water testing is near completion. The next stage is performance testing, where they run the plant with the wastewater to make sure the wastewater treatment processes are working,” said David Umezaki, senior engineer at EKI Environment & Water, during a City Council meeting Nov. 18.

Full completion is anticipated in June 2026.

The treatment plant — one of the biggest infrastructure improvement projects in the area — is part of a larger, 10-year and $1 billion Clean Water Program effort to enhance the city’s wastewater collection and treatment services. The program kicked off over 10 years ago in response to a cease-and-desist order from the Regional Water Quality Control Board, which stipulated the elimination of “sanitary sewer overflows and unauthorized discharges of untreated or partially treated wastewater to San Francisco Bay,” according to a previous staff report.

The treatment plant project began in 2019 but saw several pandemic-related delays and cost increases. Earlier this year, city officials were told the final price tag would be about $25 million more than anticipated. While San Mateo was the lead agency, completing much of the design and construction aspects, the Estero Municipal Improvement District — which constitutes the Foster City Council — had a 24% stake in the expansion efforts.

The facility, located off Detroit Drive and next to Leslie Creek, will treat wastewater for about 150,000 people and be able to process 78 million gallons per day, up from 60 million, which will prevent sewer overflows and unsanitary water from reaching the Bay.

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