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Pacific Southwest, Region 9

Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations

Water & Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater Facilities

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Sustainable Water Infrastructure News

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Selma-Kingsburg-Fowler County Sanitation District Completes $4.1 Million Energy Efficiency Project Upgrades and replacement of operational equipment to the wastewater treatment facility will save approximately $500,000 in energy costs per year, with a payback period of 6.14 years. Carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 500,000 tons annually and the energy savings from this project will be 4,544,688 annual kWH and 518.8 kW. Story (PDF) (2 pp, 24K, About PDF)

San Diego Project Taps New England Fuel Cell Company to Generate Energy From Waste Methane Gas

Ten school districts in Eastern Municipal Water District’s (EMWD) service area will be recognized by the EMWD’s board of directors for their water saving achievements. Thirty-eight schools will receive recognition banners for taking part in a Public School Retrofit Program made possible with a $300,000 CALFED Water Use Efficiency grant from the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). More...


Newsflash: Biogas to pipeline in Escondido

SoCalGas, City of Escondido Create Renewable Energy From Sewage Demonstration project is first in California to purify methane gas from wastewater treatment plant for potential use in homes and businesses. More...

Operation has begun to produce biofuel from restaurant trap grease at the Oceanside Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Francisco. The demonstration plant will process up to 10,000 gallons of trap waste per day, recovering 300 to 500 gallons of brown grease that is converted to biofuel. Read More...


Acquiring grease from its surrounding communities, Bakersfield is helping to balance its budget with co-digestion! Read More...


Moreno Valley Regional WRF-Acid Phase Anaerobic Digester –Moreno Valley, CA
While the Eastern Municipal Water District’s Moreno Valley Water Reclamation Facility already have an anaerobic digester assisting in the treatment of their wastewater, the process is not as efficient as it could be. Using ARRA funds, the facility will receive and upgrade to its capacity and processes that will allow it to produce 20% more methane gas while outputting 20% less solid waste. Less waste means less fuel used and more money saved as fewer truckloads of sludge will need to be landfilled. The captured gas will be used to deliver more power via existing fuel cells which will quite efficiently produce 40% of the plant’s peak power requirement. EMWD is also increasing the capacity of the plant, with an end goal of 30 million gallons per day by 2012. Not just a boon to the environment, this upgrade will create 125 new jobs.


Minden-Gardnerville Wastewater Treatment Upgrades –Minden, NV
Soon water will not be the only waste product processed at the Minden-Gardnerville Wastewater Treatment facility. Using ARRA funding, the plant will add anaerobic digesters which will help reduce the volume of biosolids that need to be disposed of after water treatment and will produce biogas with which the facility will generate electricity. The digesters will be built with extra capacity so that fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from restaurants and other community sources can be added to the them as a feedstock. This will allow the plant to produce far more gas than they could under normal conditions and will decrease the amount of FOGs currently being wasted in local landfills. Read More...


Santa Rosa, Ca's Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant is beginning to use native algae to create bio-methane, which will power onsite electric cars. Other innovative California treatment facilities are putting their biosolids to creative uses as well including using it for energy production and as a raw material for cement.
 
water being poured into a beaker
Chiquita Waste Water Reclamation Plant is a renewable energy project in the the Santa Margarita Water District.

Feature story


water being poured into a beaker
Orange County Water District was recognized for its success in wastewater purification for groundwater replenishment.

Feature story | Water Recycling


Green Plumbers Wins 2009 EPA Region 9 Environmental Award

Gary Workman and Megan Lehtonen of GreenPlumbers

On April 26, EPA recognized GreenPlumbers® as a recipient of Region 9's 2009 Environmental Awards program. GreenPlumbers, an innovative, national training and accreditation program based in Sacramento, California, helps plumbers understand their role in protecting the environment and public health.

The organization’s goal is to change consumer behavior by training plumbers to promote use of water saving technologies and energy efficiency. By teaching “an army of plumbers” about the connection between water and energy, about alternative means of heating water in the home, about water-efficient technologies, and about how to evaluate a household’s water use, GreenPlumbers is educating thousands of consumers on how to conserve and use water and energy more efficiently -- reducing bills and carbon footprints. You can learn more about their courses, find a certified green plumber, and learn about water efficient technologies and practices by visiting GreenPlumbers® on the Web.

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Town of Prescott Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase III expansion

This project increased the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant from 2.50 to 3.75 million gallons per day. The existing oxidation ditches were reused and converted to conventional activated sludge process, resulting in project cost savings. Also, the existing filters were converted from sand filters to cloth disk filters. Other changes included adding an additional clarifier, upgrading the UV disinfection system, adding a sludge thickener, belt press, and conveyor system for ease of handling, and modifying the nitrification-denitrification process. These changes with course bubble diffusion; filters will be replaced by cloth disc filters providing a highest effluent quality of Class A+ for reclaimed water. In October 2006, the Town of Prescott Valley decided to take a market-based approach and held the first of two auctions to sell their effluent. As a result of the auction, the town is now positioned to begin development of the Big Chino Pipeline, that will transport water to the town from the aquifer some 30-miles to the north.

The lesson learned was that by converting the oxidation ditches over to the conventional activated sludge process, it reduced the project costs and allowed the existing basins to be reused, while still increasing treatment capacity.


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Arizona Wins WaterSense State Challenge Award
The state of Arizona is recognized for its efforts to use water efficiently.
Feature story | WaterSense


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