Wastewater Treatment Ponds

On the far side of the field before you, beyond the eucalyptus trees, there are ten ponds covering 162 acres. They are oxidation ponds (so called because of the oxygen that is added to the system to aid in the breakdown of bacteria) and are part of the City's wastewater treatment system. The purpose of the treatment syste is to remove the pollutants and leave the water in a form which is safe to release to the environment. When wastewater leaves your home it is piped to the wastewater treatment plant where it is biologically treated and piped to the waste oxidation ponds to be disinfected and reused or released. The treated water meets the California Regional Water Quality Control Board's standard and is released into the Petaluma River or used for other purposes — 40% goes to irrigation (golf courses and agricultural fields), 10% is evaporated, and 50% is released into the river in the winter months when there is fresh water flow. As the population grows and water resources become more scarce, reclaimed water is expected to become an important source of water for urban, agricultural and wildlife use.

Tour text from "Self Guided Tour of Shollenberger Park" available on site.