Implement a wastewater plant efficiency project (co-generation, water reuse) or a program for local private business operations (water conservation, water reuse, business co-location).
Best Practice of this action
Rating Guideline
 |
Assist local businesses and institutions with water conservation measures; assist businesses in pre-treating and lowering volumes and toxicity of sewer inflows. |
 |
Reuse water (sell reclaimed water) from a wastewater plant for nonpotable ag-processing, irrigation, cooling or power plant uses; require businesses to take steps to keep grease out of sewer lines. |
 |
Co-generate electricity and heat through anaerobic digestion at the wastewater treatment plant; comp plan/zoning that guides businesses using high volumes of non-potable water to within 2-5 miles of a wastewater treatment plant. |
Resources
- For free technical consultation contact MnTAP, at the University of MN. For financing options contact Bill Dunn at the MPCA, who can explain, among other funding, the Green Project Reserve funding from the MPCA for projects that reduce the environmental footprint of water and wastewater treatment, collection, and distribution, that help utilities adapt to climate change, enhance water and energy conservation, adopt more sustainable solutions to wet weather flows, and promote innovative approaches to water management problems.
- See a Wastewater Reuse Policy Task Force report (Metropolitan Council: 2017) and Municipal Wastewater Reuse (MPCA: 2010).
- Guidelines for Water Reuse (US EPA: 2012) covers water reclamation and reuse, planning for future water reuse systems, and information on indirect potable reuse and industrial reuse. Disinfection and treatment technologies, emerging contaminants, and public involvement and acceptance are also discussed.
- In 2014 Elk River, for example, required businesses to take steps to keep grease out of sewer lines.
- During 2011 the city of Brainerd investigated the possibility of using the city wastewater system for heating and cooling purposes.
- See Characterization of CHP Opportunities at U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants (U.S. DOE: 2019) to learn about combined heat and power systems fueled by biogas from anaerobic digestion at WWTPs. As of October 2012, 62 publicly owned treatment plants in MN had anaerobic digestion in place. For small-medium WWTPs in MN, the simple payback for installing CHP is 4-10 years.
- See, for example, a 2012 industrial biogas project at Liberty Paper in which the City of Becker is a partner. A pretreatment facility at the Liberty paper mill will allow water to be pretreated on-site and methane captured and burned for in-plant energy use before the water is routed to the city's wastewater treatment plant.
Order Number
6
Action Type
Finite