Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) has selected W.M. Lyles Co. to construct a new water treatment facility in Auburn, California. The agency awarded the company a $170.5 million construction contract following a competitive bidding process.
Work on the Ophir Water Treatment Plant is scheduled to start in October 2026. PCWA expects the facility to enter service in 2030. Carollo Engineers will oversee construction management and SCADA programming. The plant will add 10 million gallons per day (MGD) of treatment capacity when it opens. PCWA has designed the site to support an eventual increase to 30 MGD. The associated pipeline infrastructure can support capacity of up to 60 MGD if needed in the future.
PCWA currently estimates the overall investment at about $206 million, compared with an approved budget of $230 million. Developer-funded Water Connection Charges will provide the primary funding source. The City of Lincoln has also invested in future treatment capacity through a 2023 agreement with PCWA.
Ophir will expand treatment capacity for communities in western Placer County and provide additional flexibility across PCWA’s water system. The facility will complement existing treatment plants in Newcastle and Rocklin.