Wastewater Reclamation Facility
An on-campus Wastewater Reclamation Facility that will help the campus grow sustainably and in line with the Cal Poly Master Plan is currently in the planning and design stages with construction expected to begin in September 2024.
The Campus Master Plan states the primary constraint to campus growth is water. Without an increase in the domestic water capacity, the campus would not have enough to provide for new buildings or increased campus population.
The Wastewater Reclamation Facility (WRF) will enable Cal Poly to process a portion of the campus wastewater and generate Title 22 water for agricultural and sports field irrigation. Title 22 of California’s Code of Regulations refers to state guidelines for how treated and recycled water is discharged and used.
This creates a dual usage of the water — once as potable and once for campus irrigation purposes.
The resultant irrigation water is Title 22 quality level water, both tertiary treated and UV disinfected. This changes the use of domestic water from ag to building occupant usage.
The process also allows the university to be a better steward of this increasingly precious environmental resource which further aligns with Cal Poly’s sustainability goals. It also saves the money required to both purchase additional potable water supply and to treat additional wastewater as the campus grows in accordance with the Master Plan.
An Environmental Impact Report has been performed and was certified by the CSU Board of Trustees on Jan. 31. The reports helped to analyze and disclose the project’s potential effects on the natural and human environment as well as identify mitigation measures and alternatives to avoid significant environmental impacts.
Questions concerning the WRF can be addressed to the Facilities Management and Development Help Center at facilities-cbs@calpoly.edu.
Kennedy Library
The Kennedy Library Transformation is moving forward and on schedule. Demolition is officially done, and the team has moved onto the next phase of construction. Curious about where construction is? A helpful timeline is available on the website that provides key project dates. Ultimately, the project is on time and still slated to open fall 2025.
Following a thorough assessment of usage patterns and feedback from students, as well as real-time monitoring through the Occuspace app the temporary study structures in the C7 Parking Lot will be decommissioned on Friday, March 8.
According to data collected from both a campuswide survey and the Occuspace app, the structures saw minimal use with a peak occupancy of only 9%.
The temporary study structure in Lot H11 will remain open for student use. Students can explore alternative study spaces such as Hub24 in the University Union, which can be found at: https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/kennedy-library/temporary-locations.
A free furniture event featuring items currently in the C7 structures will be held from 12 – 2 p.m. on Friday, March 15 in the C7 parking lot.