HARMONY GROVE — Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District leaders, staff and partners recently celebrated the “asphalt-breaking” of a new solar panel canopy that will be constructed over the village’s wastewater treatment plant in the coming months.
The new canopy, expected to be complete in about six months, will generate roughly 302 kilowatts and include an on-site advanced battery storage unit at the Harmony Grove Village Water Reclamation Facility.
The wastewater treatment plant processes more than 180,000 gallons of wastewater daily, converting it into recycled water for the 736-home community. Once Harmony Grove Village South is built, the plant will also treat wastewater from the planned 453 new homes.
Though smaller than other similar facilities, the plant’s energy costs remain high. According to water district leaders, the plant pays more than $5,000 per month for electricity.
The solar project will help offset those energy costs and eventually pay for itself in 20 years, improving energy efficiency and the plant’s overall value.
“It isn’t just about saving money but also creating long-term value,” said Clint Baze, general manager for the water district, at a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 13 at the plant. “We’re going to start saving money as soon as this project gets built and starts up, but after 20 years it will pay for itself, and that’s money that can be put back into capital improvements.”
The water district will also save an additional $2.5 million over a 30-year useful life, compared to continued cost increases from San Diego Gas & Electric.
Baze said the project will also help the plant control the temperature of its biosolids, offset its greenhouse gas emissions and make it more eligible for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds.
The solar project costs more than $3.5 million. However, with an anticipated $1.27 million IRA subsidy, the district expects to pay approximately $2.28 million.
Acknowledging local concerns about the safety of battery energy storage, Baze said the plant has worked with the fire department to develop an advanced emergency response plan and a hazardous materials mitigation assessment. He noted that battery storage units that have caught fire in recent years typically used aging, outdated technology; the new system will rely on updated technology to enhance safety and operations.
The water district partnered with SitelogiQ, California Special District Association, NHA and Oppenheimer to bring the project to fruition.
The Harmony Grove Village solar project is not the district’s only energy-efficiency effort. Last year, the district launched a 40-kilowatt solar panel project at its Rockhoff Pump Station in Escondido, which provides potable water to 800 customers.
Additionally, the district plans to move from its 1920 N. Iris Lane headquarters to a new location next to Bimbo Bakeries on Aldergrove Avenue in Escondido sometime in the next year or so. The plans include renovations and solar panel installations.
