Adelanto approves wastewater blower and pumps to add about 1 million gallons per day of capacity

The Adelanto City Council on April 24 approved procurement of specialized wastewater equipment intended to increase the city’s treatment capacity by about 1 million gallons per day and to support planned growth.

City engineer Cavus Emami said the purchases include a specialty blower priced at about $180,000 and a compatible pump of roughly $80,000. Both pieces were described as manufacturer-specific and necessary to match existing equipment; staff said the blower had a long lead time and that sole sourcing was required for compatibility. "We already have three of them operating at this point, and we could not mix up with another manufacturer," Cavus said, explaining the compatibility constraint.

Richard, representing the engineering department, told the council the two items would add an additional million gallons per day of sewer treatment capacity and previewed long-term expansion work that will be pursued with state and federal grants. He and Cavus said the immediate purchases are intended to prepare the facility for future installation by contractors and to ensure parts compatibility and maintainability.

Council members emphasized the need for durable, OEM-grade equipment and expressed support for pursuing grant funding to reimburse some costs. Mayor Reyes and the mayor pro tem both stressed that the purchases would not affect the city’s general fund: funding will come from the Adelanto Public Utilities Authority (APUA) account and existing grant-application work is underway.

Separately, the council approved an $84,744.50 purchase from Salem Water Solutions U.S. Inc. for a submersible pump (model MP-32) for the Adelanto wastewater facility. Staff said the city has secured design grant funds (about $900,000) for expansion planning and will continue to apply for larger grants to support future work.

Council approved the equipment purchases by voice vote. Staff said follow-up items will include continued grant pursuit, a schedule for installation, and reporting on how the equipment integrates into the longer-term wastewater expansion plan.