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El Sobrante Landfill is a Class 3 regional disposal facility permitted to accept up to 10,000 tons per day, seven days per week. It employs approximately 40 full-time employees. Landfill operations are overseen by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, and the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health.
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May is Water Awareness month but with California’s dry conditions this observance will continue throughout the summer. At El Sobrante Landfill all environmental precautions are taken to protect and conserve water. In fact, with all the water conservation practices that are implemented at El Sobrante, millions of gallons of precious water are preserved each year.
There are approximately 40 groundwater monitoring wells surrounding the active areas of the landfill. They are positioned in key locations and sampled on a quarterly basis to insure that the landfill liner and gas collection systems are properly protecting the environment. All groundwater-monitoring reports are submitted to the Regional Water Quality Control Board for regulatory oversight.
El Sobrante Landfill conserves over 850,000 gallons of water a year by recycling the liquid that has filtered through the landfill. The liquid, also known as leachate, consists primarily of liquid coming from the natural decomposition of the waste and precipitation that falls directly on the active area of the landfill during operational activities. The leachate is collected and is removed by pumps from the landfill and collected in storage tanks. This liquid is then applied over the lined landfill to reduce the amount of clean water needed to control dust.
In addition to recirculating leachate, El Sobrante also applies a dust suppressant approved by the Regional Water Quality Control Board on its main perimeter road to reduce water usage during the summer months. This dust suppressant, commonly referred to magnesium chloride, is so effective that is saves more than 40,000 gallons of clean water per day in the summer.
El Sobrante also conserves water by utilizing plants native to the Temescal Valley and Riverside County on the final closure areas of the landfill and the landscaping. By utilizing these native species, El Sobrante does not need to constantly water these plants to keep them healthy.
We all are responsible to do our part to help protect our precious water supply. Here are a few tips on saving water at home and at your office:
- Avoid washing down paved areas; utilize a broom or an electric leaf blower
- Repair leaky faucets and toilets and avoid running the faucet longer than necessary
- Don’t run half loads when running your dishwasher or laundry
- Water plants and lawns only when necessary and do it during the morning hours
- Consider replacing plants and trees with drought tolerant species
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