The document summarizes an urban water sustainability conference. It discusses the following key points in 3 sentences: The conference aims to promote resource recovery and green infrastructure solutions through establishing learning objectives around benefits, barriers, funding options, and practical implementation actions. The agenda covers an overview of the Metro Wastewater District including their facilities, approaches to innovation, regulatory engagement, biosolids management, research participation, best practices, and communication efforts. The Metro District manages wastewater treatment for over a million people through various facilities, applies biosolids beneficially, engages in ongoing innovation and research, and communicates with stakeholders.

1. Urban Water Sustainability Leadership Conference
October 17, 2012

2. The U.S. Water Alliance has met the standards
and requirements of the Registered Continuing
Education Program. Credit earned on
completion of this program will be reported to
RCEP at RCEP.net. A certificate of completion
will be issued to each participant. As such, it
does not include content that may be deemed
or construed to be an approval or endorsement
by RCEP.
2

3. Purpose
To promote the national dialogue on resource recovery and
green infrastructure
Conference Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation you will be able to:
• Define the range of benefits of green infrastructure practices
• Identify barriers and costs to implementation of these practices
• Evaluate options and opportunities for funding, financing, and valuing green
infrastructure
• Develop practical actions that government, communities, and others can
implement to promote adoption of green infrastructure solutions

4. Agenda
• Who We Are “To provide wastewater transmission
• What We Do and treatment services to member
municipalities and special connectors
 Reclaim water in compliance with federal, state, and
• How We Do It county laws in the most efficient and
cost-effective means possible.”
 Innovations
approach
 Advance best
practices
 Communicate Obligation to reclaim/clean water
Obligation to do it cost-effectively
and collaborate
4

5. Who We Are
Metro District
• 50-year old Northern Treatment
Plant
single-purpose
special district
• 59 Connectors Robert
W. Hite
Treatment
 22 Member Facility
Municipalities
• 36-Director
appointed Board
• 359 full-time staff
• 1.7 million people in
Metro District service area map
715 square miles with Connectors indicated in color
5

6. What We Do
Reclaim Water & Return It to the Water Cycle
South Platte River
Classifications
• Agriculture
• Aquatic life
• Drinking
water supply
• Recreation
6 South Platte River Basin

7. Reclaimed Means Very Clean –
Effluent-Dominated Waters
• Hite Facility effluent = 85% of South Platte River flow
for 9 months of the year
• “Headwaters” for downstream water supplies
(recycled water; source water)
7 Hite Facility outfall

8. How We Do It
Metro District Facilities
Transmission System Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility
8 New Northern Treatment Plant METROGRO Farm

9. Facilities
Transmission System
• 230 miles
• 43 interceptors
 4-inch to 90-inch diameter
 Oldest from 1890
• 4 lift stations and force mains
• 3,900 manholes Brantner Gulch Lift Station in Thornton
• 97 metering facilities
• Sanitary sewer –
Not a combined sewer
(no storm water)
9

10. Facilities
Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility
• 130 million 8 Effluent Discharge to South Platte River
6 Disinfection Facilities
gallons/day 7 Dechlorination Building
• 76 dry tons/day N
biosolids
• 314-acre site
• Activated sludge
process
• Secured facility
• 24/7/365 operation South Platte River
York Street
Hite Facility processes
3 Primary Clarifiers 1 Bar Screen Building
4 Aeration Basins 2 Grit Basins
5 Secondary Clarifiers 4 Solids Processing
10

11. Facilities
METROGRO Farm
• Acquired 1993–1995
• 52,000 acres
• 70 miles east of Denver
• 100% of Class B biosolids
beneficially reused
 Registered fertilizer and soil
amendment – METROGRO®
 +195 private farms in 5 counties
 +Private composter (~7%)
• In-House Resources
 ~18 truckloads/day/6 days/week
 140-mile round trip average
 Vehicle maintenance
11 METROGRO Farm

12. Facilities
New Northern Treatment Plant
• North of Denver,
on South Platte River
• 90-acre site
• Phase 1 construction
2012–2015
 300,000 residents served in
5 cities
 24 million gallons/day
• 7 miles of pipe
• $466 million capital cost
estimate
Rendering of Phase 1 (2015)
12 and Buildout (after 2045)

13. Approach
Why Innovate?
1970s family
Regulatory
Modern Family
• Cost incentives South Platte River
13
• Because we have the ability

14. Advance Water Quality Science Approach
In Policymaking
• South Platte Water Quality Model
 Since 1981 – Segment 15
 Accepted basis for discharge permit limitations
 1992, 2003, 2008 Hite Facility Discharge
Permits
 1997 dissolved oxygen standard
 2012 Nutrient Rulemaking Hite Facility outfall
 2013 Discharge Permit
 Nutrients
 Temperature
• Barr Lake-Milton Reservoir
Total Maximum Daily Load
 Identified non-point phosphorus sources
 Support appropriate waste load allocation for
14 District Barr Lake

15. Improve Water Quality and Approach
Aquatic Life Habitat
Constructed
backwater
pool
Additional
studies
MOU Assessment
Memorandum of
Amendment 1 presented to
Nitrification Understanding
• Study other regulators
Alternatives with regulators aquatic
Study • Site-specific Aquatic • 6 phases over
life/habitat
20 years
• Instream standards improvements Life/Habitat
reaeration • Two habitat rather than Assessment MOU Phase 1 Phase 2
structures improvements build the two initiated Amendment 2 completed completed
1990 1997 2004 2005 2006 2009 2012
15

16. Approach
Biosolids Management History
• Heat Drying/Incineration
• Lime Stabilization/Landfill
• Dedicated Land Disposal
• Composting
• Land Application
 Regulation
 Technology
 Implementation
16

17. Approach
Biosolids Management Program
Class B Land Application
Land apply 93% of annual
production
METROGRO Farm
Private farms
6 days/week
Approx 18 truckloads/day
140 mile round-trip average
>300 active sites
(320 acres in size)
Nutrient loading-based
17

18. Groundwater Protection Approach
USGS Monitoring Program
• June 1997 Elbert County
biosolids ban
• 1998 Intergovernmental
Agreement (IGA)
 6-year Independent Monitoring
Program with U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS)
• 2004 IGA
 7-year Independent Monitoring
Program with USGS
• 2012 IGA Informational board
 11-year, Monitoring Program
 No USGS requirement
 USGS proposal selected
18

19. Approach
Technology and Innovation
• Bio-P pilot
 Uses existing tanks/facilities
 Water Environment Research
Foundation involvement
 Downstream monitoring
indicates success
• Deammonification evaluation
 Taking advantage of two
organisms that work well together
 Fits well with existing
infrastructure and future direction
 Significant efficiency opportunity
19  Technology is new in United States

20. Approach
Innovation Approach
Demand Side
Institutional Capacity
Technology
Production
Aeration
basin
Supply Side
20 Diffusers

21. Approach
Technology Innovation
Picture of
Endress-
Hauser
Monitor
Instrumentation
Process modeling
Aeration control
21

22. Participation in Research and Approach
Innovation
• Local – District initiatives
• Local – Universities
• National (Water Environment
Research Foundation)
 Knowledge areas
 Research program management
 Research project support: Aquatic life monitoring
 Waterborne Pathogens and Human Health Program
 Trace Organic Compound Indicator Removal During Conventional
Wastewater Treatment
 Linking Receiving Water Impacts to Sources and to Water Quality
Management Decisions: Using Nutrients as an Initial Case Study
 Nutrient Recovery in the Global Water Industry
 Energy Balance and Reduction Opportunities, Case Studies of Energy-
Neutral Wastewater Facilities and Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Research
Planning Support
22
 Demonstration of Membrane Zero Liquid Discharge

23. ‹#›

24. Best Practices
Cost-Effective Operations
• Preventive maintenance
• Performance-based operations
 Performance metrics tracking on chemicals
 Units in service based on treatment
capacity needs
 Aeration energy reduction strategies
Manhole inspection
 Predictive operations using process models
• Capacity firming
 Assure treatment capability
24 Microthrix Parvicella

25. Best Practices
Sustainable Practices
• Beneficial reuse of biosolids
• Reuse of methane gas for heat and electricity on
Hite Facility
• Energy Optimization
Program
• Green fleet,
other practices
• Sustainability Return
on Investment tool
25

26. Communication
Communicate and Collaborate
• Local Workgroups
 Barr Lake and Milton Reservoir
Watershed Association
 Colorado Water Quality Forum
Workgroups
• National Committees
 NACWA Money Matters Task Force
Milton Reservoir algae
 Congressional testimony and stakeholders
• District Manager on Boards of Directors:
 US Water Alliance
 Vice-Chair – Water Environment Research Foundation
 Chair – National Biosolids Partnership Steering Committee
26

27. Communication
Outreach
• Website, education, tours, news media
• Northern Treatment Plant Visitor’s Center
• Citizens’ Participation Group/Farm communities
• University programs
 Maymester at
University of Colorado
• Presentations
27

28. This concludes the educational content of this activity.
Questions
Steve Rogowski
Metro Wastewater Reclamation District
28 srogowski@mwrd.dst.co.us