Shown is (l to r) John Jenks (Kennedy/Jenks Consultants), Bert Rapp (Public Works Director), and Dave Burkhart (Engineer) from City of Fillmore touring Fillmore’s new Water Reclamation Facility on Thursday, March 12th.

story courtesy Rena Chin and Bert Rapp

John Jenks, Senior Principal Engineer at Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, took a tour today of the new Fillmore Water Recycling Plant, currently under construction on city-owned land at River Street and E Street. Jenks’ interest in Fillmore dates back to 1953 when he and his father, Harry Jenks, designed the original trickling filter wastewater treatment plant.

In 1953 trickling filter sewer treatment technology was cutting edge and Harry Jenks held a patent on the technology. The plant designed by John and Harry Jenks has operated continuously and provided wastewater treatment for the community for over half a century. However, it had come to the end of its useful life and ability to meet increasingly stringent water treatment standards.

Fillmore’s Public Works Director Bert Rapp says, “I was thrilled to have John Jenks visit on March 12th. We toured the old plant which brought back lots of memories. It was good to see the old plant still performing.”
When the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a new wastewater discharge permit, the City of Fillmore decided that the soundest way to bring the plant into compliance with the discharge permit was to build a new plant at a new location and to stop discharging treated effluent to the Santa Clara River.

The City is using a Design/Build/Operate (DBO) project approach to complete the new plant. The DBO approach is producing about 15% savings for the City, according to Rapp. American Water Company was selected to lead the DBO team of W.M. Lyles Construction Company and Kennedy/Jenks Consultants (design engineer).

“It has been fascinating watching the Kennedy Jenks engineers work with the American Water Operators and W.M Lyles contractors to find the most efficient and cost effective ways to build the treatment plant,” says Rapp. When construction is completed, American Water will maintain and operate the Water Recycling Plant over the next 20 years.

During Jenk’s visit, he also walked through the new plant that his engineers have designed and is now about 80% constructed. Rapp comments, “John is sharp as a tack, remembering the design flow rates and water quality parameters for the plant. I suppose, once an engineer, always an engineer.”

When it begins operation this summer, the new $26.5 million, zero-discharge plant will treat 2.4 million gallons of wastewater per day. The new plant will use a state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor treatment system that will treat and produce wastewater that is 10 times cleaner than conventional methods. This will allow the city to recycle all its wastewater and use it for irrigation within the city.

Kennedy/Jenks Consultants has provided engineering and scientific solutions for municipal agencies and industries since 1919 and celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. The employee-owned firm has 25 offices serving clients nationwide and providing consulting services to the water environment, transportation, federal, and industrial sectors.