Placer Nevada Wastewater Authority (PNWA)

Residents of western Placer County, California, are served by seven separate wastewater treatment agencies. These agencies provide wastewater treatment services to approximately 200,000 residents. In 1998, Placer County commissioned a study to evaluate available options to meet the County’s increased wastewater treatment needs.

Evaluations of the study

• Affordability
• Impacts on local receiving waters
• Impacts on water supply (including potential reuse)
• Ease of implementation.

In addition, compliance with the State of California’s increasingly stringent water quality standards and treatment/disposal criteria was a priority.

Recommendations of the Study:

The resultant study recommended that the County pursue a regionalized wastewater treatment plan that would include:

1. Construction of two new regional wastewater treatment plants, one in Roseville and one in Lincoln;
2. The upgrade of an existing wastewater treatment facility in Roseville; and,
3. Closure of six small, inefficient facilities.

To-date, the two new regional treatment plants are constructed and operating, and two of the older treatment plants, one serving Lincoln, and one serving Newcastle Sanitary District have been decommissioned. After the water from these older treatment plants is transported to a regional facility it becomes more readily available for reuse. The City of Roseville has a reclamation system that utilizes the reclaimed wastewater for irrigation, the City of Lincoln has a reclamation system planned and ready to implement.

Participating Agencies

There are currently five participating agencies

1. County of Placer
2. Cities of Auburn and Lincoln
3. City of Lincoln
4. Newcastle Sanitary District
5. South Placer Municipal Utility District

These agencies and municipalities support the regional sewer project and in 2000 they entered into a Joint Powers of Authority Agreement (JPA). The JPA, known as the Placer Nevada Wastewater Authority (PNWA), is involved in the planning and implementation of these regional wastewater conveyance treatment and reclamation projects.

The City of Colfax, located approximately 15 miles east of Auburn, is also experiencing the significant difficulties in operating an aged wastewater system and meeting regulatory requirements, and is considering membership in the JPA. The addition of Colfax would add a seventh treatment plant to the list of plants that could be potentially closed. Joint Powers Agreement Creating the PNWA Amendment to PNWA Joint Powers Agreement

Current PNWA representatives

Robert M. Weygandt, Chairman,
Placer County Board of
Supervisors (PNWA Vice-Chair)

Dr. William Kirby, Mayor, City of
Auburn (PNWA Chairman)

Vic Markey, South Placer
Municipal Utility District

Spenser Short, Mayor Pro Tem,
City of Lincoln

Ed Sander,
Newcastle Sanitary District

The PNWA is managed by an
executive director:
Orin Bennett, P.E.,
Owner, Bennett Engineering