Where we work
California Water and Wastewater Engineering
MES designs water and wastewater systems in California, from Regional Water Board permits to Title 22 recycled water. Our California office is in San Jose.
What we do in California
What MES does in California
MES is a civil engineering firm licensed in California. Our California office is in San Jose.
We design water and wastewater systems for developers, utilities, municipalities and engineering firms. The work runs from feasibility and permitting to construction-ready plans.
We also prepare site civil plans for land development and take them through city and county review. See California land development for how that path works.
How water and wastewater permitting works in California
Water quality permits come from the State Water Resources Control Board and nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards. The Regional Board for your site issues waste discharge requirements and NPDES permits.
The State Water Board's Division of Drinking Water permits public water systems. In many counties, the county environmental health department regulates systems with fewer than 200 service connections.
Recycled water follows the Title 22 Water Recycling Criteria. Every recycled water project needs a Title 22 Engineering Report approved by the Division of Drinking Water.
Cities and counties handle land use, grading and building permits. For most private projects, the city or county is also the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Our work in California
Most of our California work so far is site civil plans for a multi-state drive-up water kiosk program. Each site gets its own plan set and its own city review.
The program has 18 completed California sites, in cities such as Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Sacramento and Roseville. Read how the drive-up water kiosk site program runs.
Common questions
Who issues wastewater permits in California?
The Regional Water Quality Control Board for the area. A discharge to land gets waste discharge requirements. A discharge to a river or other surface water gets an NPDES permit. Read more on California wastewater engineering.
Which Regional Water Board covers my site?
California has nine Regional Boards, drawn by watershed. San Jose falls under the San Francisco Bay board. Santa Rosa falls under the North Coast board.
Does MES have an office in California?
Yes. Our California office is in San Jose. Call (214) 833-6748 to talk about a project anywhere in the state.
Talk to an engineer
Tell us about your project.
An engineer reads it
Not a salesperson. Someone who can tell you whether the pathway is real.
You get a first answer
Your options, the agencies involved and the questions that decide cost and schedule.
You decide
No commitment to have the first call.
Prefer the phone? (214) 833-6748