Lofgren Delivers Over $1 Million to Replace Watsonville's Wastewater Infrastructure

WATSONVILLE, CA — Today, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) visited Watsonville Civic Plaza to deliver a check for $1,092,000 as one of her 13 community projects she submitted for the Fiscal Year 2026 congressional appropriations cycle. This funding will be used for the City of Watsonville's new Headworks and Influent Pump Station Facilities Project.

"It's always a pleasure to visit Watsonville, but today was especially exciting, as I got to present over $1 million to the City for their new wastewater treatment facilities," Rep. Lofgren said. "The existing infrastructure is not meant to function much longer, and I wanted to prioritize this funding so that Watsonville can construct these new facilities that will meet federal and state water quality standards. This is also an investment in energy efficiency, one that will reduce overall operation and maintenance costs and save taxpayers' money."

“We’re grateful for the funding that will support critical infrastructure upgrades of the Headworks and Influent Pump Station at our Wastewater Treatment Plant,” said Watsonville Assistant Public Works Director Danielle Green. “These pumps move wastewater into the plant so it can be safely treated, keeping our water clean and our community healthy. The improvements will benefit Watsonville and the nearby communities of Freedom, Salsipuedes, and Pajaro, while protecting the Pajaro Valley and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary for generations to come.”

The City's current wastewater treatment facility was constructed in 1961. A large capital project was completed in 1986, which upgraded the treatment processes to meet new standards passed in the Clean Water Act. Nearly 40 years later, much of the infrastructure installed to comply with the Clean Water Act is reaching the end of useful life.

The new Headworks and Influent Pump Station Facilities Project will include a complete replacement of the existing headworks screening and influent pump station facilities, a new frit handling area, new influent sewer interceptors, and a new headworks electrical building. It will be of similar size and capacity to the current facility but modernized to improve process and energy efficiency.

Rep. Lofgren will continue to deliver checks to community project funding recipients in the near future, which includes a total of $58,022,000 for Watsonville and Santa Cruz County.

###