As wastewater treatment operations continue to transition themselves into “resource recovery facilities” and become leaders in energy and water conservation, a new project in California has emerged.

The City of Rialto’s wastewater treatment plant is now the site of a new technology that could become a “must have” for leaders in sustainability.

“Funded through a $1.56 million grant from the California Energy Commission, BDP EnviroTech will build and operate in partnership with Veolia a new technology developed by BDP designed to provide both substantial improvement in energy and water consumption when compared with traditional wastewater treatment technologies,” per a press release on the development. “The demonstration project will be operated for 12 months before officials evaluate its success.”

The 200,000-gallon-per-day project should be ready to begin operation in December, when the existing treatment tank in Rialto will be converted for the new technology.

“The concept combines two separate processes in the wastewater treatment process in one tank, instead of two, which results in economies which include energy and water usage,” according to Eric Li, CEO of BDP EnviroTEch, as reported by The Sun.

This project is one step in a multi-faceted revamp being undertaken in Rialto.

“The demonstration project is coming online at the same time the City of Rialto is undergoing a major upgrade of its wastewater treatment plant,” according to the press release. “The repairs and improvements are being completed as part of a long-term concession agreement between the City and Rialto Water Services… The repairs and upgrades are needed to ensure the plant meets federal water quality discharge requirements for decades to come as well as to meet anticipated increases in treatment capacity.”

To read about similar projects visit Water Online’s Water Reuse Solutions Center.