Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) has selected Carollo Engineers to provide construction management and SCADA programming services for the Ophir Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Auburn, California.
The project, an expansion of treatment capacity, is designed to strengthen long-term water reliability across western Placer County. The total estimated construction cost of the Ophir WTP Phase 1 is $210 million.
The facility will initially deliver an additional 10 million gallons per day (MGD) of treated water capacity, sufficient to meet the needs of around 10,000 families. The site has been master-planned to scale up to 30 MGD over time, offering a flexible response to growing regional demand.
PCWA is the largest water provider in Placer County, supplying treated water to roughly 192,000 residents and delivering wholesale water to neighbouring agencies. Its existing Foothill Water Treatment Plant currently runs close to capacity during peak summer months, making the Ophir project a critical addition to the regional network. Once operational, the new facility will also extend PCWA's annual maintenance window by approximately two months, enabling essential rehabilitation work at the Foothill plant during lower-demand periods.
"This is a long-term investment that's been planned for decades," said PCWA General Manager Andy Fecko. "The project is structured so growth pays for growth, with water connection charges funding the capacity needed for new customers. An added benefit is that it also improves reliability and resilience for the customers we already serve."
Carollo Engineers will oversee schedule and cost tracking, inspection, documentation, project coordination, and SCADA programming throughout the initial construction phase. Construction is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026, with the plant expected to be operational by 2030.
