May 2026

Sewer Permit Process Overview and Its Importance

A Sewer Permit is required for any improvement, repair, or new connection to the District’s sewer system. This permit ensures that all work meets District standards, protects public health, and maintains the integrity of the community’s wastewater infrastructure. The process is designed to verify that new or modified sewer connections are safe and built to prevent failures that could lead to contamination, property damage, or environmental harm.

How the Permit Process Works

The permit process begins when applicants submit plans for District review. These plans allow the District to determine the correct capacity fees and confirm that the proposed work aligns with system requirements. After plans are reviewed, applicants complete the Sewer Permit Application and pay the applicable fees, which may include the permit fee, capacity fee, and line charges.

Once the District issues the permit, the applicant may proceed with construction. When the work is complete, the applicant must request a sewer inspection. A District inspector then verifies that the installation meets District standards. The permit is only considered complete after the inspection is approved.

Why the Permit Matters

The Sewer Permit is more than a formality—it is a safeguard for the entire community. By requiring permits:

• Public health is protected through proper wastewater handling and prevention of sewage leaks or contamination.
• Infrastructure integrity is maintained, ensuring the sewer system can handle new connections without overloading or damaging existing lines.
• Illegal or unsafe connections are prevented, reducing the risk of system failures and costly emergency repairs.
• Property owners are protected from penalties, violations, and future liability associated with unpermitted work.

District Ordinance 1.09 prohibits constructing or connecting to the sewer system without an approved permit. Unauthorized connections can result in penalties.

How This Supports Public Safety

Every approved permit and inspection helps ensure that wastewater flows safely away from homes and businesses, preventing exposure to harmful pathogens and protecting both groundwater and surface water. By enforcing consistent standards, the District ensures that the sewer system remains reliable, resilient, and capable.

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April 2026

At the North of River Sanitary District Wastewater Treatment Plant, we are committed to protecting local water resources while supporting agriculture. Everything we treat at our facility—both water and solids—is carefully recycled and safely reused through land application in our permitted reclamation area, following California waste discharge requirements (WDR).

Each day, about six million gallons of treated wastewater—called secondary effluent—are sent to storage ponds. Every week, the treatment process also produces just under 300,000 pounds of biosolids. Rather than disposing of these materials, we put them to productive use in our reclamation program.

Our reclamation area covers more than 1,000 acres of farmland, not including the land the treatment plant itself sits on. Three types of crops are grown on these fields: alfalfa, silage corn, and silage wheat. All of these crops are used as livestock feed. The crops are irrigated with recycled secondary effluent, which is rich in nutrients and provides a reliable water source while helping conserve freshwater supplies.

Only select fields receive Class B biosolids, which are a renewable, compost‑like material produced at our treatment plant. These biosolids are managed under an approved nutrient management plan and meet all federal requirements. They are applied at safe, carefully calculated rates that match the nutritional needs of the crops, helping protect soil and groundwater.

By recycling water and nutrients locally, our reclamation program reduces waste, supports sustainable farming, and helps close the loop between water treatment and food production—benefiting both the environment and the surrounding community.

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March 2026

Our environmental wastewater laboratory specializes in analyzing water for process control and to ensure it is safe, clean, and compliant with state and federal regulations. We focus on inorganic testing—meaning we measure things like nutrients, minerals, and other non‑carbon‑based substances commonly found in wastewater. These tests help identify potential contaminants and verify that treatment processes are working properly before water is released back into the environment.

We are proudly TNI accredited, which means our laboratory meets strict national standards for testing quality, accuracy, and scientific integrity. This accreditation ensures that every result we produce is reliable and follows rigorous procedures recognized across the industry. Whether we are testing for our process control or our state reporting requirements, our goal is the same: to support environmental protection, public health, and responsible water management through trustworthy laboratory science.

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January 2026

The North of River Sanitary District is pleased to share an update on our ongoing Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion and improvement efforts.

This month, our District received the 100% design drawings and technical specifications from our consultant Woodard & Curran, marking a major milestone in the project’s progression. These finalized documents outline the full scope of planned upgrades and will guide the next phases of construction procurement.

Our Administrative team and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations staff are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the materials. To ensure a thorough and high-quality evaluation, we are also partnering with our engineering consultant AECOM, who is providing additional technical review and verification.

We anticipate completing the full document review by February 6, 2026. Once all comments are resolved and the bid package is finalized, the project is expected to be advertised for public bidding in April or May 2026.

We will continue to keep our community informed as the project advances toward construction. Thank you for your ongoing support as we work to enhance the reliability and capacity of our wastewater treatment infrastructure.