The Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) partnered with SJVCEO and the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) in 2025 to explore new ways to reduce energy use across its highdemand wastewater treatment operations. Through an onsite “energy efficiency treasure hunt,” teams from SJVCEO, SoCalREN, Cascade Energy, and Lincus collaborated directly with VVWRA staff to uncover system inefficiencies and identify practical, costsaving improvements. This handson assessment provided immediate insights into operational challenges and allowed experts to align recommendations with VVWRA’s longterm goals for reducing energy consumption, lowering operating costs, and maintaining reliable service for the Victor Valley community.
The treasure hunt revealed approximately 73 potential energyefficiency measures, including opportunities such as automating flow control on internal recycled pumps, installing UV disinfection system controls, and adding variable frequency drives to service pumps. These measures were split between findings from the Water Infrastructure Program and the Water SEM Cohort Program, demonstrating the value of a multidisciplinary evaluation approach. With VVWRA’s enrollment in SoCalREN in May 2025, followed by a kickoff meeting in July and the treasure hunt later that month, the process delivered a fast and actionable roadmap for future infrastructure improvements. If your agency is ready to hunt for energyefficiency treasure in your own facilities, reach out to SJVCEO to get started.
