BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — During a recent tour of the East Planz Road facility, Wastewater Manager Evette Roldan pointed out several areas in need of immediate attention.
- City Manager Christian Clegg acknowledged the need for better public outreach and said the city is now exploring alternative solutions.
- The Planz facility is currently processing about 12 million gallons of wastewater daily, despite being designed for 25 million.
Bakersfield City Manager Christian Clegg this week recommended putting a hold on a proposed sewer rate increase of nearly 300%, following strong pushback from residents.
The city had planned to raise rates to fund major repairs and upgrades at wastewater treatment facilities, including the aging plant on Planz Road. The facility, originally built in 1958, is facing significant wear and tear, according to city officials.
During a recent tour of the East Planz Road facility, Wastewater Manager Evette Roldan pointed out several areas in need of immediate attention, including their trickling filters — critical equipment used to treat organic material in wastewater.
“We have definitely had situations that required a immediate action. Those were done under emergency repairs. They were quite costly,” Roldan said. “It made us realize we need to start planning for substantial work in the next five to eight years.”
Roldan explained that some parts of the facility are too difficult to inspect under normal operations, which run 24/7. She described a 60-inch pipe between two structures that had gone unchecked until workers discovered sections of the pipe's crown had completely corroded.
Bypassing a single line to inspect or repair it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, Roldan said, adding that such work is typically delayed unless absolutely necessary.
The Planz facility is currently processing about 12 million gallons of wastewater daily, despite being designed for 25 million. Roldan noted that water conservation efforts have changed the composition of the wastewater, increasing the concentration of solids and making treatment more difficult.
Replacing all outdated or failing components at the facility could cost between $150 million and $200 million, Roldan said. And with Bakersfield’s population continuing to grow, the city may need to construct an entirely new treatment plant in the coming decades.
“We really do need to plan for the next 30-plus years,” she said.
Clegg acknowledged the city could have done more to engage the public and explain the urgency behind the proposed rate hike.
“We were moving quickly because the analysis of the problem was solid, and we wanted to quickly raise awareness,” Clegg said.
Earlier this week, Councilman Bob Smith questioned why funding for maintenance hadn’t been gradually set aside over the years.
“In the early ’90s is probably when money should have started being saved,” Smith said. “You had the recession throughout the '90s in California and in the Great Recession in 08, and then it just kept getting put on off and nothing ever happened.”
Clegg said the city is now reviewing alternative options, including a scaled-back version of the rate hike that could be phased in over time.
“What was presented to the public was the immediate increase to $950,” he said. “There are other options we could pursue that don’t involve such a steep jump.”
Roldan said if she had to prioritize one area, it would be replacing or supplementing the trickling filters, which could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. “At the very least, some type of activated sludge system could help,” she said.
Clegg said the city expects to revisit its options within the next six months.
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