Slayden Constructors, Inc. has been selected as the Construction Manager / General Contractor for federally required upgrades to the Regional Water Reclamation Facility.
The facility, located on Kirtland Road in White City, is operated by the City of Medford and provides wastewater treatment services to Medford, Central Point, Eagle Point, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Talent, and the White City area.
In August 2021, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a new permit to Medford that requires significant upgrades to the plant to stay in compliance with the federal Clean Water Act.
The revised permit sets significantly stricter limits on the phosphorus and nitrogen levels that can be discharged to the Rogue River, and the existing wastewater treatment plant is unable to meet these new standards.
The City of Medford estimates the total cost of the project at $302 million. The funding plan includes issuing sewer revenue bonds, along with a $148 million dollar low-interest loan from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program.
For the current 2023-25 biennium budget, $19,415,000 is allocated in the Sewer Revenue Bond Construction Fund for design, engineering and permitting. An additional $115,952,200 is included in the proposed 2025-27 biennium budget for final design, project management, and the start of construction.
To support these upgrades, single-family residents in the entire service area have seen and will see the following sewer treatment rate increases:
July 2023 - $8.90 - $9.79 ($0.89 increase)
July 2024 - $9.79 to $10.77 ($0.98 increase)
September 2024: 10.77 to $11.45 ($0.68 increase)
July 2025 - $11.45 to $13.40 ($1.95 increase)
The City is required to submit a final plant design to the DEQ by September 1, 2026. Final construction of the upgrades must be completed by September 1, 2028, and the facility must meet all new permit conditions by September 1, 2030.