The Districit awarded a $2,838,933 Pump  Station Rehabilitation Project to Fort Bragg Electric on April 17, 2025 for the rehabilitation of  the existing Cove Road Pump Station that serves the entire City of Belvedere service area of Sanitary District No. 5.

The Cove Road Pump Station was originally constructed in 1961 and reconfigured in 1981 with two dry weather submersible pumps and two wet weather pumps to accommodate both dry and wet weather flows.

The Cove Road Pump Station electrical switchgear and motor control center are exhibiting age related conditions which include difficulty in finding replacement parts. The electrical switch gear will be replaced along with new PG&E secondary service to the meter. The replacement motor control center will have a new programmable logic controller (PLC) which will integrate with the District SCADA system for the treatment plant. In addition, the pumps will be controlled with variable frequency drives.

The existing natural gas fired generator is located in the againg existing wood framed building and does not currently have a sound enclosure. The new replacement generator will have its own weather proof sound enclosure and be located outside of the building housing the new switch gear and motor control center. This new generator will also require a new automatic transfer switch within the new switchgear/motor control center to safely transfer electrical power feed to the generator and back to PG&E line service.

The existing pump station site is small, and space is limited. The Electrical Controls will be housed in a new building that will have a 3’ base- this elevation increase is to protect the new building and controls from flooding during large rain events coupled with high tides and sea level rise and the occasional flooding that takes place at this low lying area on Cove Road.

As part of the Districts ongoing efforts to standardize its pump station controls, the District from 2010-2024 has completed the replacement/new installation of control panels at 23 of its 24 pump station sites, with this Cove Road Pump station being the last remaining site to be upgraded. This pump station is the largest pump station in the Belvedere Service area and a very important pump station. Upgrading this pump station will eliminate the last remaining large potential liability the District has in regards to pump station operations and maintenance and will ensure the continued safe, effecient and reliable collection and conveyance of sewer from the city of Belvedere to the main plant for final treatment.