Coachella/Indio waste transfer station to nearly triple capacity with $520,000 land purchase

The expansion would nearly triple the capacity of the current facility.

The Coachella/Indio Waste Transfer Station Joint Powers Authority (JPA) on Thursday approved the purchase of 16.31 acres from Riverside County for $520,000, enabling an expansion that will nearly triple the facility’s daily capacity.

The JPA currently operates the transfer station through a master lease with Riverside County that expires on June 19, 2026.

The purchase includes the currently leased property plus an additional 1.84 acres needed to expand the transfer station from 14,400 square feet to 40,565 square feet.

The expansion will increase the facility’s permitted capacity from 1,100 tons per day to 3,000 tons per day, according to staff reports presented at the meeting.

“The current transfer station began operations in 2000 and requires upgrades and expansion to meet the growth and needs of the communities,” according to a staff report prepared by Assistant City Manager Jonathan Nicks.

The expansion is designed to allow the transfer station to continue operating and serving the communities for another 25 years.

Also at the meeting, the JPA also approved a supplemental budget appropriation of $520,000, increasing the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget from $1,420,895 to $1,940,895 to cover the land purchase.

The funds will come from the JPA’s unrestricted cash reserves, which totaled $746,388 in the approved budget, and will not affect gate fees.

Both resolutions passed unanimously with a 3-0 vote.