Recycled Water Feasibility Study

Ever wonder where your tap water begins its journey? Fort Bragg's water story starts with three natural surface water sources that work together to keep our community flowing: Waterfall Gulch (tributary to Hare Creek), Newman Gulch (tributary to Noyo River), and the Noyo River.

During winter and spring months, Waterfall Gulch and Newman Gulch serve as our primary water sources, with the Noyo River providing supplemental supply as needed. These tributary sources are particularly valuable as they utilize gravity flow to deliver high-quality raw water to our treatment facility, requiring no pumping infrastructure. In contrast, water from the City's Noyo River diversion must be pumped to reach our treatment plant.

As seasonal patterns shift into summer, decreased flows in the tributary streams increase our reliance on the Noyo River. The City maintains a total water storage capacity of 22.6 million gallons across our system infrastructure to help manage these seasonal variations.

However, the City's dependence on this interconnected surface water system has created operational challenges for the City during drought conditions. Recent drought events have required rapid implementation of emergency conservation measures to maintain essential water service for our residents and businesses. These experiences have demonstrated the critical importance of developing a more diverse and resilient water supply portfolio for our community.

The City is committed to proactively addressing these challenges through continuous water conservation measures and careful evaluation of additional water supply options that could enhance system reliability and drought resilience for our residents.

Fort Bragg's reliance on surface water sources has created challenges during drought conditions, highlighting the need to diversify our water supply portfolio. To address this critical need, the City is conducting a comprehensive Recycled Water Feasibility Study to evaluate sustainable water supply alternatives that could enhance our community's water security.

A feasibility study is a detailed technical evaluation that helps the City make informed decisions about potential water supply projects. Think of it as a roadmap that examines all aspects of a potential project before making significant investments. This systematic approach ensures that any future water supply project will be both technically sound and cost-effective for our community.

The study will provide City leaders and our community with the information needed to make well-informed decisions about future water supply investments. By thoroughly examining these elements, we can identify the most viable and cost-effective solutions for creating a more resilient water supply system for Fort Bragg.

The City is committed to keeping our community informed throughout this process. As the study progresses, we will share findings, host community meetings, and provide opportunities for public input. Your participation is essential in helping us develop solutions that best serve our community's needs.

January 2025
Project Start
February 2025
Data Collection & Assessments
November 2025
First Draft of Study Findings
December 2025
City & Public Review 
January 2026
Final Study Findings 

Watch a presentation about the Recycled Water Feasibility Study from the March 24, 2025 for City Council meeting by clicking on this link. The presentation starts at 3:39:18 and provides an overview of Fort Bragg's current water system and infrastructure and explains how the feasibility study will help shape the community's water future. Information about future presentations will be posted to this webpage.

Resources

• Water Supply & Recycled Water Feasibility Study Flyer English
• Water Supply & Recycled Water Feasibility Study Flyer Spanish

The City's initial community survey on water supply options and preferences is now closed. Thank you to everyone who participated — your feedback is helping shape our water supply future!  Next, the project team will present feasibility study findings to City Council and launch a second survey with detailed information on specific alternatives, including costs, treatment technologies, and implementation details. The survey link will be posted to this page when it opens!

The City of Fort Bragg operates two essential facilities that work together to serve our community’s water supply needs: the Water Treatment Plant and the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Water Treatment Facilities

Our Water Treatment Plant, constructed in 1958, uses advanced technology to treat up to 2.2 million gallons a day. Raw water undergoes a three-step treatment process - adsorption, clarification, and filtration - followed by disinfection before storage and distribution. The treated water is then delivered to customers primarily through gravity-fed distribution systems, ensuring efficient service delivery throughout our community.

For additional supply security, the City maintains the 45-Acre-Foot Reservoir on Summers Lane, which serves as a crucial emergency water storage facility during low-flow conditions, capturing and storing water from Waterfall Gulch.

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

The City's Wastewater Treatment Plant, established in 1971, processes an average daily wet weather flow of up to 4.9 million gallons a day. The facility employs multiple treatment processes to ensure environmental compliance before the treated water is discharged through our ocean outfall, which extends 690 feet into the Pacific Ocean. The collection system primarily operates via gravity sewers throughout the City.