The Regional Water Quality Control Plant is owned and operated by the City of Palo Alto for the communities of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Stanford University and the East Palo Alto Sanitary District. The Plant is an advanced treatment facility that uses gravity settling, biological treatment with microorganisms and dual media filtration to remove unwanted organic materials and toxins from the approximately 22 million gallons a day of wastewater generated by the service area’s 220,000 residents. The Plant’s treated effluent meets all of the stringent requirements for discharge to the sensitive South San Francisco Bay. 

Treatment Plant Tours 

Find out what happens to water from your sinks, toilets, and showers. Free tours of the Plant are available for adults and children 11 years and older. Call us at (650) 329-2598 if you are interested in learning more about the following:

• How wastewater treatment processes protect San Francisco Bay

• Programs to recycle water for irrigation reuse and habitat enhancement

• Pollutants that are not fully removed by the treatment process

• The Plant’s steps toward sustainability and energy efficiency
   

Click here for an animated description of the treatment plant's processes.