San José–Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility

It began operations in 1956 to address severe water pollution issues[1][2][3] and played a key role in San Jose's aggressive annexation program during the 1950s and 1960s.

[5] The plant's outfall channel is Artesian Slough, which flows into the San Francisco Bay via Coyote Creek.

It was the largest sewage disposal system in the South Bay, with enough capacity for 250,000 people despite a population under 15,000, in order to discharge organic waste from the city's many fruit canneries.

[4] In 1950, San Jose voters finally passed bonds to construct a new wastewater treatment facility.

Hamann's agents instigated local campaigns in Alviso and Milpitas to agree to annexation and give San Jose more control over its sewer infrastructure.

[1] A $114 million cogeneration facility was completed in August 2020, featuring a façade by Buster Simpson that is illuminated at night.

[2] Solids removed from the effluent are processed into class A biosolids, which are used as daily cover at Newby Island landfill.

[2] It consumes 11 megawatts (15,000 hp) per day, about 60% of which is powered by biogas and natural gas from the plant's cogeneration facility and digester tanks.