Utilities

Wastewater is not just sewage. All of the water used in the home that goes down the drains or into the sewage collection system is wastewater. This includes water from baths, showers, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets. Small businesses and industries can also contribute large amounts of wastewater to sewage collection systems. The average American contributes 150 gallons of wastewater each day. Wastewater is about 99% water by weight and is generally referred to as influent as it enters the wastewater treatment facility.

Wastewater that comes from homes and business in the City of San Clemente's service area is treated through 5 different processes:

• Preliminary Treatment – Removes grit, rags, and other inorganic heavy debris.
• Primary Settling – Settles the heavier organic solids.
• Aeration (Activated Sludge) – Aerobic bacteria consumes smaller organics called suspended solids (SS) or biological oxygen demand (BOD).
• Secondary Settling – Settles out microorganism in the activated sludge that consumed the suspended solids.
• Tertiary Filtration –  Filters out remaining waste particles through sand filtration.

Through these five treatment processes, the City is capable of producing approximately 5.0 million gallons of reclaimed water to be used for irrigation and treatment plant processes. The City currently supplies reclaimed water for the water reclamation plant, two golf courses in the City (the Municipal Golf Course, and Bella Collina), and also to approximately 46 other sites consisting of city parks & medians, HOA’s , schools, and other reclaimed water users.