SEWD Completes New Disinfection Facility by Stockton East Water District Sep 8, 2023 Member Submitted News Stockton East Water District (SEWD) has completed construction of a new sodium hypochlorite disinfection facility (Facility) at the Dr. Joe Waidhofer Water Treatment Plant. The Facility allows SEWD to disinfect treated drinking water with high strength bleach, a safer alternative to the gaseous chlorine used for more than 45 years. To commemorate this momentous achievement, SEWD and the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting event on September 5. The effort of the SEWD Board of Directors, staff, consultants, and contractors to bring this project to fruition represents the product of vision, ability, and diligence. The Facility concept, design, and construction evolved from a disinfection alternatives analysis. “We needed to identify a suitable replacement to the 1977 gaseous chlorine system, which although effective, has supply challenges, is inherently dangerous, and is increasingly regulated. We are part of the community, so we need to make sure our operation is safe for the employees, customers, and environment. The upgrade is another example of the Board and General Manager’s goal and vision to provide good service and produce reliable, quality drinking water to our urban customers,” states the SEWD Board of Directors. Initial investigation of the project began in September 2020 and construction of the $6.6M project commenced on April 4, 2022. Once online, the Facility will provide all the disinfection required for the water treatment plant’s 65 million-gallons-per-day (MGD) rated capacity. SEWD was formed in 1948 to secure supplemental surface water supplies and assure the proper management of the groundwater basin. To work towards accomplishing our mission, SEWD constructed the Dr. Joe Waidhofer Water Treatment Plant in 1976 and made the first delivery of treated drinking water to the City of Stockton in 1977. To date, SEWD has produced over one and a half million acre-feet of water for urban use; enough to cover the City of Stockton’s 65 square mile area over 37-feet deep in water. For more information about SEWD, please visit the District website at www.sewd.net.
