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Innovation and clean water for Silicon Valley 

As program manager of the $900M Cleanwater Program, CDM Smith is helping Sunnyvale achieve environmental stewardship, technology implementation and community, financial and political support. 

Client

Sunnyvale Department of Public Works

Location

Sunnyvale, CA

Connect with an expert

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Jan Davel PE, PMP, Ph.D.
Project Manager

Going above and beyond to improve water quality, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions 

The home of major offices for LinkedIn, Google and Apple, Sunnyvale found itself in the mid-2010s with a wastewater treatment facility founded in 1956 and rapidly aging wastewater infra­struc­ture at odds with its community ethos. CDM Smith is helping the city achieve three goals: environmental stewardship via improved water quality discharged to San Francisco Bay and reduced GHG emissions; implementation of innovative tech for water reuse and biosolids; and funding the effort through grants and loans. 

A $900M program with ambitious scope 

Our program managers have helped the Cleanwater Program get complexity under control. 

Every square inch counts 

Working on the most valuable real estate in the U.S., we take extreme care to optimize existing space and plan for the future 

Producing recycled water 

Water is more precious than ever, and needed more than ever by high-tech. The Sunnyvale plant sends water to over 1000 sites. 

Powered by a $221M low-interest EPA loan 

We’ve helped Sunnyvale cut their debt service in half by securing half a billion dollars in grants and low-interest loans. 

 CDM Smith’s Jan Davel is serving as program manager, drawing upon decades of experience in water treatment and conveyance experience to help steer the Cleanwater Program to success. As Jan explains, Sunnyvale’s priority is not merely to meet regulations. “In many cases, the community is passionate about going beyond what’s required—whether that’s greenhouse gas emissions, water quality, or energy efficiency. This is a community that is attuned to its environmental impact, and they want to be good stewards of the Bay.” CDM Smith and Sunnyvale are in it for the long haul. In 2023, Phase 1 of the project was completed, with total project completion anticipated in 2042. 

Curious to learn more?

Conncet with an expert to learn how we delivered this project.

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Jan Davel

Project Manager

Jan's experience includes program management and master planning through detailed design of water treatment facilities as well as water conveyance systems.

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