The Southeast Treatment Plant was built in 1952 and subsequently expanded several times. It treats wastewater from the east side of San Francisco, which amounts to about 80 percent of the City’s total wastewater flow. The plant is located on Phelps near Third and Evans streets in the Bayview District. It treats an average dry weather flow of about 67 million gallons a day and can treat up to 250 million gallons a day when it rains. Treated wastewater is discharged out an 800-foot-long pipe into the San Francisco Bay.
The Problem
Bad odors from the facility continue to frustrate adjacent residents and aging infrastructure, particularly the sludge digesters, needs upgrading.
The digesters that treat the “solids” portion of waste are old, cause odor issues in the neighborhood, and are in need of replacement. The section of the plant that treats the “liquid” portion of waste, has been substantially upgraded over the past 20 years and is expected to continue to operate well for this 30-year period.
