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Building History

A document produced by the San Francisco Office of the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1980 said of the plant's history: “Sewage treatment for the Cities of Reno and Sparks is provided by the Reno-Sparks Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP). The JWPCP, located on the south bank of the Truckee River, east of Steamboat Creek, discharges secondary treated effluent to the Truckee River via Steamboat Creek. The Reno-Sparks JWPCP was completed in 1967 with a design capacity of 20 million gallons per day (mgd). The cost of the plant was divided equally between the Cities of Reno and Sparks, providing each with one-half of the plant’s capacity.” (See Thomas Severino, US Environmental Protection Agency, Draft Environmental Impact Statement Reno-Sparks Joint Water Pollution Control Plant Master Project, [San Francisco: EPA, 09/15/1980], p. 1.)

Due to growth in the Reno-Sparks area by 1972, the JWPCP had begun nearing the upper limits of its 20 mgd capacity. In addition, the State of Nevada and the US EPA started to raise concerns about the composition of treated water coming from the plant by the mid-1970s. Various proposals were put forth during the remainder of the decade to gradually enlarge the plant to 30 mgd and improve its filtering capacities to include phosphorous and other materials. (See Thomas Severino, US Environmental Protection Agency, Draft Environmental Impact Statement Reno-Sparks Joint Water Pollution Control Plant Master Project, [San Francisco: EPA, 09/15/1980], pp. 1-2.)

The EPA abstract of the above-cited 1980 report stated: "The purpose of the Master Project Facilities Plan, expansion of Reno-Sparks joint water pollution control plant (JWPCP), is to determine the optimum method of increasing the capacity of the existing wastewater treatment plant serving the cities of Reno and Sparks. The Master Project Facilities Plan encompasses the expansion of the JWPCP facilities from 30 mgd to 40 mgd to accommodate projected growth until about year 2000. The Facilities Plan analyzed a number of alternatives incorporating several treatment and effluent disposal concepts. Summary descriptions of existing facilities and Master Project alternatives are given. It is concluded in this Draft Environmental Impact Statement that the potential for significant adverse impacts exists." (See EPA.gov, "Master Project Facilities Plan, Expansion of Reno-Sparks Joint Water Pollution Control Plant. Cities of Reno and Sparks, Nevada." accessed 05/08/2021.) Despite "the potential for significant adverse impacts," work on plant expansion moved very slowly, as local officials sought ways of providing adequate treatment methods and funding such a large expenditure.This 10 mgd expansion was finally completed in the 1990s.

PCAD id: 24001