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A $1.56 million grant from the California Energy Commission and a partnership between BDP EnviroTech, Veolia North America and the city of Rialto have made possible a new demonstration project at the city of Rialto’s wasterwater treatment plant. The demonstration project, designed by BDP will utilize easy to maintain aeration technology and an integrated all-in-one bioreactor process that results in 50% savings in energy, land footprint, operations and maintenance. The project is anticipated to feature water use with a capital cost 30% less when compared to existing technologies, said Eric Li, CEO of BDP EnviroTech. Veolia is the operator for the city of Rialto’s wastewater treatment plant and its water systems.
Representatives of the involved organizations gathered together late last week to break ground for the new pilot plant. Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson welcomed the officials to the groundbreaking saying, “The City of Rialto is proud to host this exciting project and to collaborate with Veolia to explore new ways to save water and energy while remaining compliant with some of the most stringent water quality rules in the country.”
The CEC Innovative Water and Energy Efficiency Demonstrations for the Commercial, Industrial or Water/Wastewater Sectors is one of the most challenging environmental award programs in the industry. The State of California has the most stringent and comprehensive water treatment requirements in the United State and BDP EnviroTech’s technology is fully compliant with these strict standards.
“The Energy Commission is committed to increasing Energy Commission program benefits in California’s disadvantaged communities, and it is vitally important that we explore new ways to improve efficiency, save water and reduce energy consumption,” said California Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller. “Demonstration projects like this one could have positive long-term impacts not only for Rialto, but for all of California.”
The goal of the demonstration project will be to show that the Biological Double Efficiency Process, an innovative wastewater treatment technology developed by BDP EnviroTech, will result in a substantial improvement in energy and water consumption when compared with traditional wastewater treatment technologies. The successful completion of the project could potentially lead to the complete retrofitting of four wastewater treatment plants in Rialto with a total capacity of 11.7 million gallons per day. The demonstration project will be operated for 12 months before officials evaluate its success.
“As the global leader in environmental services, Veolia works to improve communities’ water and wastewater operations and provide cost-efficient services. We are excited to work with BDP and share our expertise to realize the full potential of this innovative technology,” said John Gibson, president and COO of Veolia’s Municipal & Commercial business. “We look forward to finding even more ways to help the City of Rialto improve the efficiency of its wastewater treatment facility.”
The new wasterwater treatment plant is coming online at the same time the City of Rialto is undergoing an upgrade to its wastewater treatment plant. The repairs and improvements are being completed as part of a long-term concession agreement between the city and Rialto Water Services, which is operated by Veolia. The repairs and upgrades are being undertaken to ensure the plant meets federal water quality discharge requirements for decades to come as well as to meet an anticipated increased in wastewater treatment capacity.
