CAMP PENDLETON, CALIF. — Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest and members of the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton community held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Northern Region Tertiary Treatment Plant Dec. 15, 2011, at Camp Pendleton.

"The groundbreaking signifies a culmination of almost eight years of Marine Corps planning to upgrade their existing wastewater treatment systems," said Joe Riojas, NAVFAC Southwest supervisory general engineer at ROICC Camp Pendleton. "Commencement of construction for the new treatment facility will bring to the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton added capacity, flexibility — and reflects positively on their commitment to the environment."

NAVFAC Southwest awarded CDM/FILANC (a joint venture) the $121.3 million design-build contract Sept. 28, 2010, to construct the treatment plant. The plant will be capable of treating up to 5 million gallons of wastewater per day. Included in the contract is the conversion of an existing sewer treatment plant, up to six miles of new wastewater conveyance, and a solar farm with a design capacity to generate up to 5.3 megawatts of power. Additionally, though wastewater plants are normally not LEED certifiable, the control building for the facility will be designed to meet LEED Silver standards.

The project is expected to be completed in December 2013.