WATSONVILLE—A $6 million loan from the State of California will allow Watsonville to build a new landfill, a move that will save money and give the City a place to haul its waste for as long as three decades.
The loan from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) will also offer the city a place to process its organic waste, helping align with new state law.
The project, set to break ground soon, will include excavating and grading at the new 7.1-acre landfill at 730 San Andreas Road. It will also include a green- and wood-waste processing site and a new waste compactor.
Watsonville’s landfill program consists of four phases, the first two of which ended in 1997. The City began diverting its 60 tons of daily waste to the Monterey Regional Waste Management District for Phase III, but that landfill is expected to close soon.
Because that 20-mile trip will no longer be necessary, it will save the City of Watsonville approximately $180,000 each year, and will bring environmentally sustainable practices, contributing to a cleaner environment and reducing the municipality’s consumption of petroleum products, IBank stated in a press release.
“Helping cities fund infrastructure improvements that contribute to a cleaner environment for residents is one of IBank’s top priorities,” said IBank Executive Director Scott Wu. “We’re proud to be part of the solution, enabling cities and counties to comply with new laws that help California meet its climate goals.”
Because the project—and the loan—have been planned for several years, it will mean no financial impact for the City or its residents, said Assistant City Manager and Interim Public Works Director Tamara Vides.
“The City of Watsonville is grateful for the approval of the $6 million low-interest IBank loan, which will allow Watsonville to reinvest in our existing landfill infrastructure,” Vides said. “The loan allows us to make this much-needed capital investment that will help improve the city’s waste management operation in an economical and overall climate-friendly strategy.”
