City looks to buy property for future sewer plant operations

In anticipation of major changes coming to the Ceres wastewater treatment plant, the city of Ceres is looking to buy neighboring properties for pond expansion. - photo by JEFF BENZIGER/ Courier file photo

Ceres sewage plant — In anticipation of major changes coming to the Ceres wastewater treatment plant, the city of Ceres is looking to buy neighboring properties for pond expansion. - photo by JEFF BENZIGER/ Courier file photo

The Ceres City Council spent considerable time in closed session on Monday to focus on the purchase of adjacent properties to the Ceres wastewater treatment plant.

City Manager Doug Dunford said the city is trying to buy the properties for future needs.

In June the council awarded a $2.8 million contract with Schneider Electric Buildings America to produce turnkey design and construction to develop an aerobic digester system.

Moses Bchara, Schneider’s wastewater program manager, told the council that Ceres’ current wastewater treatment plant is under-capacity “even for the current needs” and could limit growth.

Improving the plant would not only accommodate anticipated residential growth, but Ceres would be able to meet increasing state regulations to produce cleaner treated water.

Currently the city deals with sewage and wastewater various ways. Approximately 2.5 million gallons per day go to the Ceres plant. Some of that treated water percolates into the groundwater table while one million gallons of partially treated water per day is piped to the Turlock sewer plant.

Effluent from north Ceres goes to the city of Modesto’s plant and is treated to a level of recycled water clean enough to discharge into the Delta-Mendota Canal via the Del Puerto Irrigation District system.

Dunford said the plant needs more pond space that would hold “almost drinkable” treated water so that it could percolate into the ground and recharge the underground aquifer.

“We’re looking at some acreage for ponds that’s about seven feet deep, similar to our wastewater ponds we have now but it’s a lot cleaner water,” said Dunford.

The city wants to buy up these properties:

• 943 E Grayson Road owned by William and Linda Mineni;

• A piece of the Marchy Dairy at 1367 E Grayson Road;

• Assessor Parcel Number 041-009-013 owned by Phillip and Linda Yori;

• 4849 Blaker Road owned by Woods David Marion;

• 4869 Blaker Road owned by Kelly and Cindi Martin;

• 4925 Blaker Road owned by Fernando Diaz;

• 1573 and 1607 E Grayson Road owned by Cuauhtemoc and Helen Marquez;

• APN 041-009-015 owned by Napa Farms LLC;

• 4737 and 4749 Central Avenue owned by MCB Farm Holdings LLC;

• 4916 Central Avenue owned by Marlin and Cindy Bauman.

Dunford said the land owners have agreed to talk about selling to the city and that eminent domain is not in the cards.