paradise-emblem.png

Sewer Project

Rebuilding for our future

The Paradise Sewer Project

In January 2025, the Town of Paradise decided to reevaluate a local wastewater treatment solution rather than export the Town’s
wastewater to the Chico Water Pollution Control Plant. The Town,
with support of the Water Board, is currently analyzing alternatives
for the collection, local treatment, and discharge of Paradise’s wastewater.
A revised project description is expected to be adopted in summer 2025. Learn more about the Sewer Project through this website.

Project Benefits

groundwater

Provide wastewater disposal surety to help businesses and jobs return to Paradise and spur on recovery.

houses

Allow for more densely-populated residential development in the Town to help increase affordable housing.

workers

Improve Paradise groundwater quality by decreasing septic tank discharges.

handshake

Create a wastewater solution supported by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Town Council

Project Schedule

Alternative Analysis

2025

  • Initiation
    • February
  • Wastewater Vendors & Community Meetings
    • April
  • Alternatives Analysis
    • WE ARE HERE
  • Project Alternative Selection
    • ​​​​​​​August

Future Activities

Late 2025-2031

  • Supplemental Environmental Impact Report
  • Permitting
  • Right-of-Way
  • Design
  • Construction

Proposed Project

Since its incorporation in 1979, the Town has sought a wastewater treatment solution, with a focus primarily on commercial and densely-populated residential areas — the portions of Paradise most vulnerable to groundwater degradation and economic stagnation due to sewer limitations. To learn more about the history of the Town, check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

In 2020, the Town contracted with HDR, an engineering consulting firm, to prepare an updated assessment of project options. The assessment compared alternatives for local wastewater treatment and discharge with a regional alternative involving piping wastewater to the Chico Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP). At that time, the regional alternative was recommended with support from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB). The Town Council approved and certified a Programmatic EIR in November 2022. In June 2023, the Town contracted with HDR to act as Owner Advisor and provide broad support for the Project. In March 2024, the Town contracted with the Mountain Cascade – Carollo team to design and build the Project.

In late 2024, detailed project cost estimates made clear that the regional alternative was not economically feasible. As of 2025, the Town, with support from the CVRWQB, is investigating options to build a local, scalable, and economically viable wastewater treatment facility to receive and treat the wastewater from the Town.

core collection system

Core Collection System

Infrastructure and pipes to collect wastewater from the sewer service area and convey it to the future Paradise Wastewater Treatment Facility.

waste water facility

Wastewater Treatment Facility

A Wastewater Treatment Facility will receive, treat and discharge wastewater from the Town.

Extended Collection System

Extended Collection System

An extension of the Core Collection System will allow collection of sewage from parcels outside of the Core Collection System but within Paradise town limits up to the allowed capacity.

Find my Property

Wonder where your property is in relationship to the Sewer Project? Enter your street address or Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) into this interactive map to find out. As the Project progresses, this map will be updated with helpful information like construction zone areas, road closures etc. when the information becomes available.

Thank you for supporting the Paradise Sewer Project!