It’s not a project that residents are going to “ooh and aah” over.
But if it isn’t done, the ability of more than 15,000 households to flush their toilets without an issue will be in jeopardy.
The Manteca City Council last week awarded a $734,832 contract with HydroScience Engineers for engineering design work connected with the Central Union Road Sewer Trunk Project. The trunk line serves almost all of Manteca north of the 120 Bypass.
The project would be replacing essentially “the last mile” of an existing dilapidated 36-inch sewer line and lift station with a new deeper 36-inch sewer trunk gravity line and allow for the following:
*Abandonment of the existing lift station on the southern edge of the Union Road park in front of the golf course.
*Flow by gravity to the wastewater treatment plant.
*Increase in system capacity from 15 million gallons a day to over 19 million gallons.
*Cost savings through reduced operations and maintenance connected with the lift station.
It was identified as a high priority project in the 2024 wastewater master plan due to its location in the collection system as the last segment before reaching the treatment plant, pipeline age, and risk of failure.
The work, targeted to start in 2026, will be hardly noticed as it runs along much of the southern border of the golf course before turning toward the treatment plant on West Yosemite Avenue. It will also include a stub connection on the west for a future extension of the Airport Way trunk line.
It is one item the $72.50 per month residential sewer rates Manteca households will end up paying by the time July 1, 2029 rolls around will cover.
The first phase of that rate hike went into effect in May. Rates hadn’t been adjusted for inflation since 2010 they were set at $43.40 a month even to simply cover manpower, electricity and other routine maintenance and operation costs.
The rate hike also covers:
*Replacing or upgrading linings for existing lines to avoid them from failing as well as extending their life.
*Putting in place the existing customers’ share of gravity line work to reduce future operating costs and eliminate power outrages or lift station failures from disrupting service.
* The cost of meeting new state treatment standards from nitrogen to salt that will be required in order to secure a new operating permit in 2025 to continue releasing treated wastewater to the San Joaquin River.
In addition higher connection fees already imposed on new growth will cover the tab for significantly increasing treatment plant capacity. No existing customer will contribute even a cent toward expanding treatment plant capacity.
Among the first capital improvements the wastewater rate hike will tackle are aging trunk lines in Central Manteca.
The four projects targeted for completion by 2031 that also will allow additional development in the downtown and nearby areas will cost $12 million combined are:
*The West Center Street trunk line.
*The Elm Avenue/West Center Street trunk.
*Installation of a 10-inch East North Street trunk line.
*Installation of an 8 inch East Nort Street trunk line.
Three other near term projects include completing oversized lines installed for future gravity lines.
In doing so, it will eliminate the need for lift stations that would stop working during power outages as well as reduce ongoing electricity costs to operate lift stations.
Those projects include:
*The $12 million South Woodward trunk extension targeted for completion in 2031.
*The $16.1 million Union Road trunk extension targeted for completion in 2026.
*The $34.4 million north trunk extension on Airport Way targeted for competition in 2035.
The projects are part of $633 million overall in sewer system collection projects as well as water system projects the city has identified as needed to address aging pipelines and future service extensions.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
