Waste is a terrible thing to let go to waste. That's the idea that powered this groundbreaking project at our Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. It was the first project to employ thermal hydrolysis in North America, and was the largest such facility in the world when it was commissioned in October 2015. It efficiently produces clean, green renewable power by "pressure cooking" the solids left over at the end of the wastewater treatment process. Enough energy is produced - up to 10 megawatts (MV) of electricity - to power about one-third of the treatment plant's energy needs.

That's pretty cool, but it's not the only benefit of this facility. The solids exiting at the end of the process are a cleaner Class A biosolids product that meet and exceed all EPA standards for soil production and use in both rural and urban settings. We are planning to bring this product to market as a soil amendment under the name Bloom. To learn more visit bloomsoil.com.

The facilities are dedicated to Walter F. Bailey, who retired in 2015 after serving the organization for 43 years. Mr. Bailey was the Assistant General Manager for Wastewater Treatment and an industry leader in performance and innovation, with several patents and dozens of awards to his credit. 

DC Water was a recipient of the 2016 US Water Prize for its work on the Bailey Bioenergy Facility. The project also received the 2012 Grand Prize in Planning Award from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists, the 2012 Global Honour Award in Planning from the International Water Association, as well as one of two WERF Excellence in Innovation Awards, first presented at WEFTEC 2011.