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Water Reclamation |
 Commissioned in 1997, the District operates a state-of-the-art Water Reclamation
Facility. With a capacity of 1.5 Million Gallons per Day, the facility reclaims
wastewater collected from approximately 6,900 connections in the central portion of the District.
Wastewater flowing to the plant is measured by Parshall flumes and then lifted
from the headworks to the above-ground oxidation carousels where it begins its
gravity-powered reclamation journey.
Oxidation Carousels - In the oxidation zone, living micro-organisms breakdown and consume the organic
material in the incoming wastewater. A portion of this mixture flows through an
anoxic zone where micro-organisms denitrify the water biologically by consuming
additional organic matter and reducing nitrates to nitrogen gas. A portion of
the liquid in the oxidation carousels is continuously decanted and flows to the
two clarifiers.
 Clarifiers - Secondary clarifiers allow the bacterial solids to settle to the bottom while
the clarified water is removed at the top. Some of the solids are pumped back
into the oxidation carousels while the excess settled material is transported to
sludge drying beds as waste activated sludge.
Filtration - Tertiary filters remove the remaining suspended solids to produce a clean, clear
effluent. Water turbidity is monitored constantly to ensure compliance with
California Department of Health Services Tertiary Standards.
Chlorine Contact - Disinfection is achieved through the addition of sodium hypochlorite to the
filtered water to destroy harmful bacteria. Rapid mixing of proper dosages
ensures that the chemical is fully and efficiently blended with the treated
water before entry into the chlorine contact basin.
The chlorinated water achieves the required contact time in the basin to ensure
maximum bacterial reduction before the final product is pumped off-site to
storage ponds for reuse.
 Water
Quality - In the fully certified laboratory, tests are conducted daily to monitor total
coliform, Ph, chlorine residual, and turbidity in the final product. Other
tests are conducted on a weekly monthly quarterly and annual basis as required
by the California Department of Health Services.
 Storage - Once disinfected, the
tertiary treated water is stored in holding ponds and distributed to both
agricultural and public users through the recycled water distribution system.
The ponds have a storage capacity of nearly 100 million gallons. Only
during the wettest periods, when there is no irrigation demand, is any water
discharged to Calleguas Creek.
Use of recycled water reduces agricultural and irrigation demand on expensive
and limited potable supplies
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