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The video, 'Wastewater World,' follows the travels of young 'Johnny' played by Deer Valley student Dylan Allard. Johnny is tempted to pour grease down the drain, but instead is whisked down a sewer pipe and into the Delta Diablo Sanitation District wastewater treatment facility. There he learns about things that harm or clog sewer pipes, about the benefits of using recycled water for irrigation and industry, and about proper disposal of household hazardous wastes from 'Craig the Cleaner' played by former Deer Valley acting teacher Taron Hensley.

On April 16 'Wastewater World' won first place in the Public Education/Amateur Category at the California Water Environment Association's Film Festival in Sacramento. A plaque was presented to the district's community outreach coordinator, Linda Brewer, and videographer Chris Wiggins (now a student at San Francisco State University) at an awards luncheon attended by over 350 people.

Download our Presentation on Integrated Regional Water Management

EAST COUNTY CHEMIST IS NAMED "STATE LABORATORY PERSON OF THE YEAR" AND EARNS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

(May 10, 2007 - Antioch, Calif.) Oakley resident Mary Anne Johnson has again been recognized for her contributions to the wastewater laboratory profession. She was honored this past January as Laboratory Person of the Year by the Bay Area chapter of the California Water Environment Association. Now, she was selected at the Association's Annual Conference in Ontario, California, from a field of nominees from throughout the State, as California Laboratory Person of the Year.

Johnson was also recognized by the international Water Environment Federation with its Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award. The Water Environment Federation was founded in 1928 and represents 82,000 water quality professionals from throughout the world. California Water Environment Association President, Maura Bonnarens, attended the Delta Diablo Sanitation District board of directors meeting in May to present both awards.

Johnson earned her bachelor's of science degree in Fisheries Biology from Humboldt State University. She was hired by Delta Diablo Sanitation District as a chemist in 1981 and was promoted to Chemist II in 1996. She plays a key roll in training fellow chemists and interns and students from Los Medanos College. She authored all of the laboratory's Standard Operating Procedures and played a key role in developing the Quality Assurance manual. She also makes several classroom presentations each year to local 5th grade students and demonstrates water quality chemistry at events like the Community Environmental Faire and the Rivertown Jamboree. Johnson is also a volunteer with the Deer Valley High School Band Boosters.

SANITATION DISTRICT HONORS NATURE'S BOUNTY CAFÉ FOR PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT

February 14, 2007, Antioch, California - The Delta Diablo Sanitation District honored Nature's Bounty Café with its Environmental Business Partner of the Year award. The award was presented by Antioch Mayor Donald P. Freitas at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala in January.

District spokesperson Linda Brewer said the award is presented annually to businesses that have earned special recognition for their environmentally friendly business practices. "Nature's Bounty goes far beyond simply complying with regulations, they make protecting our planet a core element of their business plan," said Brewer. Both the sanitation district and Nature's Bounty are certified by Contra Costa County as "Green Businesses."

The menu at Nature's Bounty, which is located at 211 G Street in Antioch, uses all natural, organic ingredients. The owners, Lynn Kutsal and Tina Steele, conserve water and energy, use compostable carryout containers made of corn and potato starch, use less toxic cleaning products and even reduce indoor air pollution by remodeling with low volatile organic compound paints and sealers.

In cooperation with the Antioch Chamber of Commerce, the sanitation district has presented this award for the past four years. Previous Environmental Business Partners were Tri Delta Transit, Johnny Carino's Restaurant, Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Delta Hospital. The goal of the award is to foster a pollution prevention ethic by recognizing model pollution prevention achievements by businesses and organizations.

DELTA DIABLO SANITATION DISTRICT NAMED “BEST IN THE BAY AREA”

(January 17, 2006 - Antioch, Calif.) The Delta Diablo Sanitation District has been selected as this year’s best mid-size (5 – 20 million gallons per day) wastewater treatment plant in the San Francisco Bay region. The award was presented at the annual banquet of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) – San Francisco Bay Section (SFBS) in Walnut Creek on January 13. Two District employees were also honored. Gurmukh Grewal of Vallejo was named Laboratory Person of the Year. Grewal, a Chemist II, has been with the District since 1990. Discovery Bay resident Shawn Redmond, Maintenance Mechanic II, a 4- year employee, was named Mechanical Technician of the Year. The San Francisco Bay Section is one of 16 local chapters in the state. It was founded in 1947 and covers San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The Plant of the Year Award is based on compliance results, innovative practices, management systems, cost effectiveness and reduction, and other evidence of superior plant operations.

The award is presented each year to municipal wastewater treatment facilities in the Bay Area which demonstrate excellent compliance records and have outstanding operations, maintenance and management programs. Delta Diablo, along with Grewal and Redmond, will now compete against other regional winners for the California Water Environment Association’s State award at the CWEA annual conference in April in Sacramento.

DELTA DIABLO SANITATION DISTRICT RECEIVES PEAK PERFORMANCE AWARD

(August 31, 2005 - Antioch, Calif.) The Delta Diablo Sanitation District has been honored by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for achieving 100 percent compliance with national and state water quality regulations for the entire calendar year 2004.

NACWA announced its "Peak Performance Gold Award" to Delta Diablo at the Association's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. This is the District's fourth Peak Performance Award. Fewer than 150 wastewater agencies nation-wide were honored with the Gold Award.

"Delta Diablo Sanitation District is an outstanding example of environmental efforts. NACWA is honored to showcase the achievements of Delta Diablo and our nation's public wastewater utilities through the Peak Performance Awards Program." Ken Kirk, NACWA's Executive Director.

Delta Diablo Sanitation District provides wastewater treatment, recycled water and street sweeping services in the Bay Point, Pittsburg and Antioch areas. It also operates the regional Delta Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility where residents of East County can safely dispose of household cleaning supplies, pesticides, paints, florescent lights and other hazardous items. The household hazardous waste facility is open Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is free.

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (formerly Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies) maintains a key role in the development of environmental legislation, and works closely with federal regulatory agencies in the implementation of environmental programs.

ODOR CONTROL INVESTMENT TO MEET REGIONAL NEEDS

(June 22, 2005) Following its recently adopted Strategic Business Plan, the Board of Directors of the Delta Diablo Sanitation District kicked off an investment in added odor control equipment at the wastewater treatment plant and pumping stations in Antioch and Pittsburg. The Strategic Plan endorses a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and the ability to embrace the best practices of the water environment industry.

The District’s 16.5 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant is located on the Pittsburg-Antioch Highway between Loveridge and Somersville Roads. It was built in 1982. Since that time, numerous retail, service and restaurant businesses have developed within a mile of the plant. As the wastewater flow has increased with growth, so have off-site odors. The District has become more concerned with the combination of closer businesses and more odors, and recently completed a master plan study of the odor problem and solutions. As part of the master planning process, District staff reviewed odor control management approaches and technology used at other wastewater treatment facilities in the U.S. and Canada. The investigations resulted in recommendations for new state-of-the-art odor reducing equipment and technology. Acting on its customer satisfaction goals, the District has initiated its third phase of designing and constructing odor control improvements that were identified in the master plan study. Phase III improvements are:

1. Liquid Phase Treatment: A strong form of bleach will be added to the wastewater in the pipelines at pump stations. This will reduce odor-causing compounds in the wastewater before the wastewater reaches the treatment plant.

2. Install biotower system at plant headworks: The headworks is where untreated wastewater first enters the treatment process. Existing odor control equipment that is reaching the end of its useful life is being replaced with a more effective biotower system to scrub the foul air before it is exhausted.

3. Tower Trickling Filter Biofilter: The Tower Trickling Filters are a potential source of significant odors. In the Tower Trickling Filters, wastewater flows over plastic grates and beneficial microorganisms feed on organic matter. The process can produce foul air. Like the headworks scrubber, the foul air will be routed to the biofilter and scrubbed before it is exhausted.

4. Install Biotower at Pittsburg and Antioch Pump Stations. Both pump stations were built in the 1980’s. The new air quality systems, like at the wastewater treatment plant, use a biological process to remove foul air. The Pittsburg Pump Station is located at Herb White Way and West 10th Street; Antioch Pump Station is on Fulton Shipyard Road.

The total estimated design and construction cost will be $2.7 million. Annual operating costs are expected to be just under $500,000. Construction is expected to begin in 2006. The District’s investment in current technology is intended to significantly reduce detectible odors in the vicinity of the wastewater treatment plant and pump stations.

STATE FUNDS WILL HELP KEEP PITTSBURG GREEN

(April 21, 2005) The Delta Diablo Sanitation District and City of Pittsburg were selected today by the State of California Department of Water Resources to receive $880,000 for expansion of their joint recycled water project. This funding is in addition to the $75,000 previously awarded for formal study of the project which will provide irrigation for the Delta View Golf Course and landscape irrigation at Stoneman Park, City Park and City Hall.

The funds were applied for from the 2002 voter-approved Proposition 50 which provided $42 million in construction grant funding for recycled water projects in California. Statewide, 45 grant applications totaling $127 million were received by the state. The Pittsburg/Delta Diablo regional distribution system project was ranked high in the state's priority list and it was the only project in Contra Costa County to receive funding. The City of Pittsburg is contributing over half of the construction costs.

"The state is helping us in our commitment to protect our area's drinking water and the Delta," said Pittsburg Mayor Nancy Parent. Parent is appointed by the city council to serve as its representative to the sanitation district and is currently the chair of the district's board of directors. "This is a great project developed by two local agencies working closely together. It is consistent with local and state water plans to develop more recycled water projects in California."

Delta Diablo Sanitation District treats wastewater from the communities of Pittsburg, Bay Point and Antioch. Just over half of the wastewater is treated and discharged to the San Joaquin River. The other half (about 2.5 billion gallons a year) is treated further and used as cooling water by industry and for landscape irrigation. Using recycled water reduces reliance on Delta water. The City of Pittsburg has successfully used recycled water on landscaping near downtown for several years. Because of the benefit to the environment and competitive costs, the city was anxious to expand use of recycled water. The sanitation district is currently looking at opportunities to provide the city of Antioch with irrigation water.

More information about the State Water Resources Control Board - Water Recycling Grants can be found at: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/recycling/index.html

DDSD Environmental Business Partner Award 2004
EASTERN CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT AUTHORITY

(February 1, 2005 - Antioch, Calif.) Delta Diablo Sanitation District selected Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority (Tri Delta Transit) as its 2004 Environmental Business Partner. The award was presented on January 21 at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Inaugural Gala.

According to the sanitation district's industrial monitoring inspector, Andy Kobayashi of Antioch, water runoff from streets and parking lots carries pollutants and debris directly into our watershed and the Delta. Street sweeping helps reduce the amount of trash and chemicals that enter into the storm drain system. Tri Delta Transit installed liners to keep dirt, sand, leaves and other debris from blowing into the storm drain system. They also purchased a mobile sweeper unit to reduce the amount of potential build-up on their surface area. In addition, Tri Delta captures its vehicle steam cleaning waste for clarifying before it enters the sanitary sewer system and flows to the sanitation district's wastewater treatment plant for final cleaning.

The Environmental Business Partner award recognizes model pollution prevention achievements by businesses and organizations. Tri Delta Transit provides over 2,500,000 trips each year to a population of nearly 230,000 residents. They operate a fleet maintenance service facility for 89 buses and 9 support vehicles.

DELTA DIABLO RECEIVES GRANT FROM STATE FOR RECYCLED WATER PLANNING

(December 27, 2004 - Antioch, Calif.) Delta Diablo Sanitation District was awarded $75,000 in state funding for planning and expansion to its existing recycled water project. Delta Diablo currently furnishes recycled water to two Calpine power plants and 20 acres of park and street-side landscaping near downtown Pittsburg. This saves about 2.5 billion gallons a year - equivalent to a drinking water supply for nearly 84,000 people. The proposed expansion will save another 200,000 gallons of drinking water that is now used for landscape irrigation. Recycled water is treated to meet all state regulations for industrial and landscape applications, but is not considered drinkable.

During the first phase of the study, the city of Pittsburg and Delta Diablo are preparing a Master Plan to identify opportunities for recycled water delivery to Pittsburg and Bay Point. The second phase will extend the study to include the city of Antioch. Results of the study will be used to apply for project development dollars from the state and federal government funds that have been earmarked for recycled water project. In November 2002, California voters approved Proposition 50 which authorized the state to sell $3.44 billion in general obligation bonds for a variety of projects including recycled water project development.

According to Delta Diablo's General Manager, Gary Darling, "this project has benefits that will be seen by future generations - we're fortunate that the elected leaders in our service area, along with other agencies such as Contra Costa Water District and the State Water Resources Control Board, share in our vision."

Additional Background

Delta Diablo Sanitation District provides wastewater treatment and street sweeping for the communities of Antioch, Bay Point and Pittsburg. Its recycled water facility is one of the state's largest Recycled Water Facilities, providing recycled water to Calpine's two power-generating plants in Pittsburg. The District's Pretreatment Division assists business and industry to assure that hazardous substances are not discharged into the sewer and storm drain systems.

The District operates the Delta Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility in cooperation with all east county communities. The HHW drop-off facility is open Fridays and Saturdays (except holiday weekends) and is free to residents of Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley and Pittsburg. Residents are encouraged to protect the area's recreational and drinking water by safety disposing of hazardous material such as used oil, pain, pesticides, fluorescent lights, old medicines, batteries and cosmetics at this free facility.

DELTA DIABLO PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

On November 10th, 2004, Delta Diablo Sanitation Board approved a partnership agreement allowing Los Medanos College to use sanitation district laboratory space and equipment for Chemistry, Biology and Environmental Science classes.

While LMC is in the process of building a new science facility, science classes continue to be held in labs originally built in 1974. Equipment over the years has changed but the space has essentially stayed the same.

This partnership will allow LMC to use a state of the art laboratory and allow the students the opportunity to experience studies in a real-life setting. For the District and the students the opportunity for mentoring and internship opportunities are many. For industry in East County this partnership may mean providing technical job training for potential employees for various industrial, water and wastewater treatment facilities such as wastewater treatment operators and laboratory chemists.

According to Delta Diablo Laboratory Director Darrell Cain, the District recently adopted a new Strategic Business Plan and this partnership compliments one of the District's new missions - to seek and develop regional solutions to challenges by collaborating with the community and industry.

IT AIN'T EASY BEIN' GREEN

Here at Delta Diablo Sanitation District, we agree with Kermit the Frog - being "green" isn't easy. But it is important - so important that the District recently embarked on a concentrated effort to fine tune its environmental activities and qualify for certification as a Bay Area Green Business.

The award-winning Delta Diablo Sanitation District has long been recognized for its positive impact on water quality through its wastewater treatment and water recycling. General Manager Gary W. Darling commended Senior Engineer Sandeep Karkal and Assistant Engineer Amanda Wong for encouraging us to focus internally on environmentally-conscious day-to-day operations. While other public agencies have had segments of their operation, such as fleet maintenance, certified as Green Businesses, Delta Diablo Sanitation District is one of only three public agencies in the Bay Area where the agency's entire operation qualified for certification (City of Palo Alto and Mt. View Sanitary District are the others).

Officials from a variety of organizations conducted on-site inspections at the District's facility on the Pittsburg-Antioch border. The evaluations focused on regulatory compliance and responsible practices in areas such as water and air quality, storm water management, chemical storage and handling, solid waste management, energy and water conservation and resource recycling. Delta Diablo demonstrated its commitment to exceeding compliance by the recent purchase of a hybrid-electric vehicle which produces 90% less pollution than the average automobile, by instituting a district-wide recycling (paper, aluminum, plastics) program and purchasing supplies made from recycled materials, and by developing landscaping designs compatible with recycled water irrigation. The District recently installed a monument sign made of recycled plastic material at its Arcy Lane entrance.

Delta Diablo Sanitation District provides wastewater treatment services to 184,000 residents of Antioch, Bay Point, and Pittsburg. Delta Diablo also operates the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, which serves all East Contra Costa County. In 2001, Delta Diablo completed the largest recycled water facility in California. It provides recycled water to two energy centers and water for landscape irrigation.

The Bay Area Green Business Program is a cooperative regional effort that assists businesses and public agencies to come into compliance with all environmental regulations and take steps to prevent pollution and conserve resources. The Program was developed by Bay Area local governments in collaboration with the US EPA, California EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control and the business community. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) coordinates the Program, which is implemented by Green Business Coordinators in 7 participating Bay Area counties.

Wastewater treatment utilities, and the public employees who operate them, are "true environmentalists" protecting the nation's water quality, the environment, and public health. Delta Diablo encourages other East County organizations to earn recognition as a Green Business by visiting greenbiz.abag.ca.gov.

DDSD Environmental Business Partner Award 2003 - Inaugural Awards
KAISER PERMANENTE ANTIOCH &
SUTTER DELTA ANTIOCH

Much like the history of another well-known toxic metal, lead, the doses of mercury considered to be safe in the past have all ultimately been shown to be unsafe as science advances. Out of concern for the public health, some of the nation's top hospitals and health care providers are not waiting for government action to reduce mercury pollution.

Both Sutter Delta and Kaiser Permanente are committed to minimizing the amount of mercury utilized in their operations. They have demonstrated their commitment in such ways as:

• replacing clinical mercury containing devices, patient mercury thermometers, laboratory chemicals containing mercury, and mercury laboratory thermometers
• implementing fluorescent tube and battery recycling programs
• practicing purchasing programs that ban the purchase of mercury containing items without prior approval
• reducing mercury in the environment and sharing their strategies and resources with others.

The goal of Delta Diablo Sanitation District's Environmental Business Partner Award is to foster a pollution prevention ethic. It recognizes model pollution prevention achievements by businesses and organizations. The award is presented annually to businesses that provide benefits to the environment through environmental policies, proper waste disposal, resource conservation, and employee and public education programs.

Presented at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Installation and Awards Banquet January 23, 2004

HE'S A WINNER!

Eleven-year-old JONATHON GRAY of Antioch won the microscope donated by Delta Diablo Sanitation District at the 2003 Rivertown Jamboree. He is a 6th grade student at Park School. Jonathon is not a stranger to Delta Diablo. He remembers his 5th grade class at Park Middle School conducting scientific experiments during a classroom visit by Delta Diablo laboratory personnel. Following that visit, his class toured the wastewater treatment plant.

As part of Delta Diablo's pollution prevention outreach plan, over 1,000 5th grade students are visited in the classroom by District staff to learn about water quality. More than 500 students tour the wastewater treatment facilities each year. This year Delta Diablo is sponsoring 800 Pittsburg and Antioch 5th graders for hands-on environmental science studies on board the Marine Science Institute's Research Vessel Robert G. Brownlee.

Delta Diablo Sanitation District provides wastewater treatment services to 182,000 residents of Antioch, Bay Point, and Pittsburg. Delta Diablo also operates the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, which serves all East Contra Costa County. In 2001, Delta Diablo completed the largest recycled water facility in California. It provides recycled water to two energy centers and water for landscape irrigation.

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TEAM WITH INDUSTRY FOR SAFETY'S SAKE

(May 7, 2003 - Antioch, Calif.) Help for East County workers trapped in a confined space is now closer than ever, thanks to a "public-private" partnership of local government agencies and businesses. Until now, the closest confined space rescue unit was at a fire station in Walnut Creek – at least 20 minutes away from East County life-threatening emergencies. Today, because of cooperation among public and private organizations, a confined space rescue trailer and trained fire district personnel will be standing by at Fire Station #82 at 196 Blue Rock in Antioch.

Federal Glover, County Supervisor and Chairman of the Delta Diablo Sanitation District Board of Directors, welcomed participants and guests, and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Clark Walker described the project history, at the formal dedication of the new East County Confined Space Rescue Project Trailer on Wednesday (May 7) at Fire Station #87 on West Leland Road, Pittsburg.

In early 1998, the Delta Diablo Sanitation District – which provides wastewater treatment service to Antioch, Bay Point and Pittsburg – was revising its confined space entry procedures. Sanitation district staff talked to leaders at the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District about the fire district providing stand-by confined space rescue. The fire district was then training a "Rescue Team" to rescue workers in trenches, confined spaces and other difficult and hazardous areas. The Rescue Team's specialty vehicle was based in Walnut Creek – too far for quick response to East County.

Tight economic times for both public agencies and private industries led to innovation and teamwork to bring confined space rescue closer to East County workers. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, working with Delta Diablo Sanitation District, and the cities of Antioch and Pittsburg, led the effort to raise money for equipment and training. Investment from those agencies led to contributions from USS-POSCO Industries, the Calpine Delta Plants, Mirant-California, The Dow Chemical Company, GWF Power Systems, Diablo Water District, Contra Costa Water District, and The Home Depot Store. In July 2002, USS-POSCO hosted the fire district and local organizations at a one-day confined space rescue demonstration. In late April, project partners sent employees to 40 hours of training hosted by the fire district to train alongside fire staff.

"The total cost of this innovative project was $125,000 and participants have made a real investment in our community" said Delta Diablo Sanitation District's risk manager, Dulce Petagara. "This project came about because of concern for worker safety – but the new rescue unit could also be used to rescue a child from a well or a cave-in." Other local businesses wanting to participate can contact Petagara at 925-756-1934.