EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Wate r E n v i r o n m e n t Re s e a r c h F o u n d at i o n O perations O ptimization

Best Practices for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment:

Initial Case Study Incorporating European Experience and Evaluation Tool Concept

T
he primary goal of the WERF research
program known as the Optimization Benefits
Challenge is to identify, promote, ■ Provides a concise summary of
and support wastewater operations that European energy and resource conser-
vation programs and European Energy
achieve treatment objectives while reduc-
Conservation Manuals for wastewater
ing the resources expended. The quickest treatment plants.
path to improvement is to identify the lead- ■ Identifies best practice benchmarks for
ers in this area, study what they are doing, energy conservation and energy produc-
and find ways to adapt their “tried and tion at wastewater treatment plants.
true” methods to more facility operations. ■ Analyzes sustainable operations to
European wastewater facilities are highly highlight specific components that led to
the goal of producing excess energy after
motivated to develop new energy initiatives
meeting all plant energy needs.
due to the high rates they pay for electricity Aerial view of Strass im Zillertal facility,
■ Develops an approach to translate
(relative to electric rates in the U.S.). There Austria. Reprinted with permission from
the success factors to plants in North
is a wealth of information already developed Abwasserverband Achental-Inntal-Zillertal. America.
and in practice at European wastewater
plants from which North American facilities can learn. Zeroing in on areas where greatest Related Products
performance improvement can be made can jumpstart efforts into energy efficiency and Integrated Methods for Wastewater
Treatment Plant Upgrading and
energy production programs in North America.
Optimization (04CTS5)
State of the Science Report: Energy
Can Wastewater Operations Meet Water Quality Targets Without a Big Power Bill? and Resource Recovery from Sludge
Located near Innsbruck, Austria, the Strass im Zillertal facility is one of the best perform- (OWSO3R07)
ing wastewater treatment plants in Europe. Through successive optimization efforts, An Economic Framework for Evaluating
Strass engineers were able to transform this facility into one that produces more energy the Benefits and Costs of Biosolids
Management Options (04CTS2)
than it requires for operations. The Strass im Zillertal facility is energy independent. LCAMER – An Assessment Tool for
Operations personnel at the plant made conscious decisions to produce more energy than Managing Cost-Effective Energy Recovery
from Anaerobically Digested Wastewater
was needed to power the treatment process. This report includes a case study on the Solids (01CTS18UR)
steps used and the success that Strass plant operators achieved. The plant staff made CHEApet – Carbon Heat Energy
changes, analyzed results, and implemented new processes over the course of a decade. Assessment Plant Evaluation Tool
(OWSO4R07c)
The change from energy consumer to producer required discipline to stay focused on the
end goal of net energy production. Available Format
The following chart chronicles the path the operators at the Strass Wastewater Treatment Soft cover, online PDF, and four-
Plant followed to become energy producers. The process begins in 1996, when the plant page case study on the Strass im
Zillertal Wastewater Treatment Plant
was producing slightly more than half (4,200 kWh/d) of its overall energy requirement (OWSO4R07b).
(7,359 kWh/d). Through a series of energy-related upgrades which included improvements
to the aeration system, the anaerobic digesters, and the cogeneration equipment, the To Order
operations staff made steady gains in the amount of electricity produced by the plant and Contact WERF at 571-384-2100 or
in their overall energy efficiency of the treatment process. By 2005, the plant was produc- visit www.werf.org and click on Search
Research Publications & Tools.
ing energy – 8,500 kWh/d and requiring only 7,869 kWh/d.
WERF Subscribers: Your first hardcopy
of this report is free. Additional copies
are $10 each or download unlimited free
PDFs at www.werf.org.
Non-Subscribers: Charges apply to some
products. Visit www.werf.org for more
information.
North American facilities can learn from the ideas and practices
Refer to: Stock No. OWSO4R07a
already in use at European wastewater plants. For more information, log on to
www.werf.org.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Best Practices for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

Applying the Research Findings

WERF subscribers can use the Strass
approach documented in the report to
improve energy efficiency and recovery at
their facilities. The lessons learned that

1,250
950
1,000

1,050
contributed to the success of optimization

1,100
1,150

800
1,100
efforts at Strass include:

950

770
■■ A highly educated, well-paid work force
that was motivated, trained, and experienced

4,450

3,862
4,221

3,951
3,684
3,380

3,530
A high level of automation which allowed

3,424

3,432
■■

3,632
for a smaller, specialized operations team

367
363

285

847 444

764 401

758 196
767 317
272
The use of advanced process analysis

691 305
■■

751 0

990
864

850
818
tools
■■ The tolerance for process risk and 1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005
in-depth understanding of processes
deployed, including the use of novel
Energy Demand of Individual Processes at Strass WWTP and Electricity Generation Over a Decade
treatment processes
of Improvement. Reprinted with permission from Abwasserverband Achental-Inntal-Zillertal.
■■ The ability to quantify gains
In a parallel research project (OWSO4R07c), the research team is developing a tool to analyze wastewater treatment processes for energy
efficiency and recovery. The new tool, Carbon Heat Energy Assessment Plant Evaluation Tool (CHEApet) provides an estimation of overall
energy, heat and carbon relationships based on wastewater treatment plant data The tool also calculates carbon footprints using different
approaches. The tool highlights areas where the largest potential gains in sustainability are possible and allows users to optimize plant
operations by running successive ‘what-if’ scenarios to achieve efficiency goals.

CONTRACTOR ISSUE AREA TEAM Rob Simm

Stantec Consulting, Inc.
George V. Crawford, P. Eng. John Barber, Ph.D.
CH2M HILL Eastman Chemical David W. Tucker
City of San Jose
RESEARCH TEAM Shahid Chaudhry
Dariush Vosooghi, Ph.D., P.E.
California Energy Commission
Dimetri Katehis, Ph.D. City of Los Angeles
Hannah Wilner Stephen Constable, P.E.
CH2M HILL DuPont Engineering Technology Milind Wable, Ph.D., P.E.
CDM
Bernard Wett, Ph.D. David Cooley
University of Innsbruck, Austria Hampton Roads Sanitation James Wheeler, P.E.
District (HRSD) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mark van Loosdrecht
University of Delft, Netherlands Glen Daigger, PhD., P.E. John Willis, P.E.
CH2M HILL Brown and Caldwell
TECHNICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE Robert F. Kelly
Robert K. Bastian Infilco Degremont, Inc.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Melanie S. Masek, P.E.
Shahid Chaudhry DuPont Engineering Research
California Energy Commission & Technology
The research on which this report is
Stephen Constable, P.E. Arthur J. Meyers, Jr., Ph.D., Retired based was funded in part by the
DuPont Engineering Technology Hsiao-Ting Ong, P.E. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
David Cooley City of San Jose (U.S. EPA) through Cooperative Agreement
Hampton Roads Sanitation Ali Oskouie, Ph.D. No. CR-831559-01 with the Water
District (HRSD) Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Environment Research Foundation (WERF).
Greater Chicago Unless an U.S. EPA logo appears on the
Glen Daigger, PhD., P.E. cover, this report is a publication of WERF,
CH2M HILL Steven M. Rogowski, P.E. not U.S. EPA. Funds awarded under the
Joh Kang Metro Wastewater Reclamation agreement cited above were not used for
TetraTech, Inc. District of Denver editorial services, reproduction, printing,
Gary Shimp or distribution.
Roger Middleton
Black and Veatch Black and Veatch
9/10