SCH Number 2023030410

Project Info

Title

Setton Pistachio Treated Wastewater Land Application Expansion Project

Description

Setton Pistachio (the applicant) is proposing to increase the volume of treated wastewater that would be applied to the land application areas (LAAs) during the pistachio harvest season. To account for the increased volume of treated wastewater to be used for irrigation, Setton is proposing to add 89 acres of LAAs to expand their wastewater treatment disposal capacity. The sites are owned by Setton Pistachio and the proposed LAAs are surrounded by land developed with agriculture and local roads. The project includes installation of a 15-inch subsurface pipeline to connect the additional LAAs to the existing treated wastewater distribution pipelines and installation of irrigation lines within the LAAs. Two encroachment permits would be required from Tulare County for the new pipeline to reach two of the new LAAs. The additional LAAs would allow Setton Pistachio to increase the annual wastewater discharge from 60 million gallons per year (MGY) to 85 MGY (maximum daily discharge rates would remain at 3 million gallons), allowing the facility to fully utilize its current design capacity. Improvements to the existing wastewater treatment facilities are also proposed to protect beneficial uses of water, prevent nuisance conditions, and comply with waste discharge requirements issued by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. This would include adding fiber filters to the existing gunite-lined pond to remove excess solids from treated wastewater prior to its release into the East and West Ponds, where it is stored on a short-term basis for distribution to the LAAs. Further, paddles would be installed in the West Pond for aeration, and a Venturi Model 06 EMOHTM system would be installed in the East Pond to improve aeration to prevent septicity and odor production.

2 documents in project