BSU’s East Water Reclamation Facility has proven itself
 
In April 2007, Bonita Springs Utilities began operation of its new East Water Reclamation Facility. Many years of research went into the choice of a wastewater-treatment system. The membrane-bioreactor system installed in the facility was and continues to be cutting-edge technology.
 
Because of this advanced technology, the water that flows down the drains and toilets in your home eventually irrigates golf courses and fertilizes landscapes.
 
The technology choice has proven to be a good one. The facility operates reliably, recycling sewage and wastewater into reclaimed water so clean it is used in a 200-gallon aquarium in the facility’s lobby. The healthy fish thrive and attract interest from visitors. The remaining reclaimed water, or effluent, is sold for outdoor irrigation at homes, golf courses and landscaping.

The system converts the remaining biosolids into pellets that are sold for fertilizer. This is noteworthy for two reasons: the production of pellets eliminates the need to haul and dispose of sludge, and the fertilizer pellets are a source of revenue for the not-for-profit utility. Roughly 800 tons of pelletized biosolids are produced in a year.

Since the East Water Reclamation Facility opened, wastewater professionals from across the country have visited to learn about its state-of-the-art membrane-bioreactor system. BSU staff members have presented papers, conducted webinars and given presentations to professional groups about the plant and its processes. The American Society of Civil Engineers Florida Section named it the 2008 Florida Project of the Year, and the Design-Build Institute of America recognized it with the 2008 National Design-Build Excellence Award.

The facility was featured twice on the cover of the Florida Water Resources Journal and has been the subject of two articles in Treatment Plant Operator, a national magazine for wastewater professionals with a monthly circulation of nearly 70,000. The December 2010 issue focused on the facility’s landscaping, which includes native, drought-tolerant plantings. The facility’s 47-acre site includes cypress trees, cabbage palms, Florida holly, red maples and water oaks, as well as a 10-acre wading-bird habitat.

The March issue profiles the success of the facility, which Chief Operator Cliff Morris describes as “the easiest plant I’ve ever supervised.” Morris and 11 employees staff the facility around the clock.

The East Water Reclamation Facility, located along I-75 north of BSU’s water treatment facility on East Terry Street, can process up to 4 million gallons of wastewater each day.