Title
Requisition No. 2300949/REQ-0000013
Biosolids Process Improvements (Study)
CIP #213009/BCE Score: 79.6
Body
Agenda of: October 23, 2024
Item No.: 2024-319
Amount: $2,836,265.00
TO: The Honorable
Board of Directors
Great Lakes Water Authority
FROM: Suzanne R. Coffey, P.E.
Chief Executive Officer
Great Lakes Water Authority
DATE: September 26, 2024
RE: Requisition No. 2300949/REQ-0000013
Biosolids Process Improvements (Study)
Vendor: Brown and Caldwell
MOTION
Upon recommendation of Navid Mehram, Chief Operating Officer - Wastewater Operating Services, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), authorizes the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to enter into a contract with Brown and Caldwell for “Biosolids Process Improvements (Study)” (Requisition No. 2300949/REQ-0000013) at a cost not to exceed $2,836,265.00 for a duration of 730 days; and authorizes the CEO to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
BACKGROUND
The GLWA Wastewater Masterplan (WWMP) completed in 2020 informed GLWA’s Capital Improvement Program extensively. One project identified under the WWMP was the Biosolids Process Improvements Study for the Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). This study will examine early conclusions made in the WWMP and provide projected regulatory data, emerging contaminants (such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS)), available and evolving technologies while ensuring close coordination with external stakeholders such as GLWA member partners, academic institutions, other utilities, as well as GLWA internal stakeholders to create a comprehensive long-term roadmap for the solids management at the WRRF.
Biosolids are processed byproduct of the wastewater treatment process and represent a part of the solids stream of wastewater treatment. The solids stream includes screenings, grit and solids which may contain recoverable nutrients or energy, i.e. biosolids. Recoverable nutrients or energy include, but are not limited to, phosphorus, natural gas, heat/power, or electrical energy generation. Presently, the Water Resource Recovery Facility has three (3) forms of biosolids disposal available. These include Central Offload Facility (COF) for lime stabilization to landfill (used in case of an outage), incineration for 25% of our production, and the use of our Biosolids Dryer Facility (BDF) for 75% of our production. Both the Central Offload Facility and incineration have exceeded their useful life and require significant amount of investment. GLWA continues to make maintenance and small cap investment to ensure reliability of the system in compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Furthermore, each one of these methods of disposal places a large burden on necessary operations and maintenance team members to be able to run/operate three different treatment processes. The WWMP looked at GLWA’s existing means of biosolids processes and generated a shortened list of biosolids handling solutions which includes anerobic digestion, phosphorus recovery, thermohydraulic treatment, and sludge drying.
JUSTIFICATION
Disposal via landfill of biosolids is becoming increasingly expensive and as regulations increase around emerging contaminants, may make land application less of a viable solution for biosolids treatment into the future. Incineration is similarly a very expensive and difficult process to operate and maintain for GLWA. The existing incineration system dates to the 1970s and continued use of it would require significant investment to ensure reliable operations which will require the facility to modernize to current and future regulations. The WRRF is susceptible to complications because of the nature in which it experiences significant volatility in the solids influent during rain events and getting incinerators online and functional in a quick manner is impractical. The current BDF represents GWLA’s most reliable means of solids disposal, but it doesn’t treat all solids during wet weather based on the limitation of solids concentration which requires the use of incineration which is less susceptible to solids concentrations.
This study will examine all GLWA’s existing systems for biosolids handling, future regulatory requirements, estimate nutrient recovery and energy generation, and host various stakeholders’ engagements throughout the course of the project to ensure the final recommendation for GLWA biosolids disposal is one which has future compliance, operations, maintenance, and external stakeholder input all considered as core to its success.
FINANCIAL PLAN IMPACT
Summary: Sufficient funds are provided in the financial plan for this project.
Funding Source: Sewer Construction Fund
Cost Center: Wastewater
Expense Type: Design (5421-892211.000-617950-213009)
Estimated Cost by Year and Related Estimating Variance: See table below.
Fiscal Year
FY 2025 $1,792,000.00
FY 2026 1,208,000.00
FY 2027 522.000.00
FY 2028 3,673,000.00
FY 2029 3,663,000.00
FY 2030-2034 16,776,000.00
Financial Plan Estimate $27,634,000.00
Proposed Contract Award 2,836,265.00
Estimating Variance $24,797,735.00
This positive estimating variance will be reserve for the Design contract. Any additional funding needed for the study will be processed with an amendment from capital reserve.
COMMITTEE REVIEW
This item was presented to the Operations and Resources Committee at its meeting on October 9, 2024.
SHARED SERVICES IMPACT
This item does not impact the shared services agreement between GLWA and DWSD