The Donald M. Somers Water Pollution Control Plant is an advanced wastewater treatment facility where wastewater from residences and businesses in Sunnyvale flows for treatment before being discharged to the San Francisco Bay. The water is processed to standards set by the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Originally constructed in 1956, the Plant is one of the oldest wastewater treatment facilities on the West Coast. In 2014, the City began construction on upgrades that are part of a 20-year improvement program to bring much-needed repairs to the Plant and accommodate new regulations and technology.
The Water Pollution Control Plant:
The Plant Process
The Plant is a three-step (tertiary) treatment facility that removes pollutants from wastewater to make it clean enough to safely discharge into San Francisco Bay or recycle for non-potable uses. The Plant produces and delivers about 300 million gallons of recycled water per year.