Watershed Academy Webcast: Case Studies on Implementing Low-Cost Modifications to Improve Nutrient Reduction at Wastewater Treatment Plants
October 15, 2015
Dr. Ellen Gilinsky, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Victor D’Amato, Senior Engineer, Tetra Tech Inc., Research Triangle, Park, NC
John Hricko, Superintendent of Water Utilities, Town of Crewe, VA
Gilbert Perez, Director of Operations, Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA), CA
Please join us for a webcast on EPA’s recently released draft report on “Case Studies on Implementing Low-Cost Modifications to Improve Nutrient Reduction at Wastewater Treatment Plants.”
As many studies have shown, nutrient pollution is one of America’s costliest and most challenging water quality problems. However, many of the nation’s waste-water treatment plants (WWTPs) were not designed for nutrient removal and major retrofits may be a significant hurdle. The recent EPA draft report showcases a number of communities that were able to achieve better nutrient treatment at WWTPs through relatively low-cost modifications without requiring costly infrastructure upgrades. Nitrogen discharge levels in 12 case study plants were reduced by about 20 to 70%. Two case studies also documented low-cost phosphorus reduction of 40 to 58%. In many cases, these facilities also reduced energy consumption and lowered operational costs. The webcast will give listeners a broad overview of the report, and will highlight two of the case studies in Crewe, VA and Victor Valley, CA.
EPA is also interested in learning of additional communities’ successes and intends to update this document to help more of the nation’s WWTPs make progress towards additional nutrient reductions. Comments and additional case studies can be submitted by December 15, 2015 to POTWOptiNP@epa.gov.
The draft report is available at: Reports and Research page.