Wastewater treatment plants

in California was awarded the 2022 Wastewater Project of the Year by the Global Water Awards. The plant converts up to 1,000 tons of wastewater biosolids and food waste into renewable natural gas and agricultural fertilizer each day. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides a sustainable source of energy and fertilizer.

Name: Rialto Bioenergy Facility

Year Built: 2020

Location: Rialto, California

Size: 1,000 acres

Architect: Anaergia

Type of Screening: Coarse screening

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Grit removal

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Anaerobic digestion

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Clarifiers

Type of Disinfection: Chlorine

Type of Sludge Treatment: Dewatering and composting

Local Residents: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking to over 200,000 residents of Rialto and the surrounding area.

Local Businesses: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility helps to protect local businesses from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity.

Local Farmers: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility helps to provide a source of water for irrigation to local farmers.

Local Bodies of Water: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility helps to protect local bodies of water from pollution, including the Santa Ana River and the Salton Sea.

Local Beaches and Lakes: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility helps to ensure that local beaches and lakes are clean and safe for swimming and recreation.

Number of Employees: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility employs over 200 people, which helps to boost the local economy.

Type of Environmental Benefits: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility reduces greenhouse gas emissions by converting wastewater biosolids and food waste into renewable natural gas. It also helps to conserve water by recycling wastewater for irrigation.

Type of Public Health Benefits: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility helps to protect public health by reducing water pollution and providing a safe and reliable source of drinking water.

Type of Quality of Life Benefits: The Rialto Bioenergy Facility helps to improve the quality of life for local residents by providing clean water, protecting the environment, and creating jobs.

in North Carolina. This plant received a Build America Award for its $62 million upgrade project, which improved the plant's reliability and environmental performance.

Name: Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Plant

Year Built: 1968

Location: Charleston, South Carolina

Size: 800 MGD

Architect: Crowder Construction Company

Type of Screening: Coarse screening to remove large solids, such as rags, sticks, and grit

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow solids to settle to the bottom of a tank

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Activated sludge process to use bacteria to break down organic matter in the wastewater

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow more solids to settle out of the wastewater

Type of Disinfection: Chlorine disinfection to kill harmful bacteria and viruses in the wastewater

Type of Sludge Treatment: Gravity thickening and anaerobic digestion to remove and treat the sludge that is produced during wastewater treatment

Local Residents: The wastewater treatment plant provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking for over 1 million people in the Charleston area

Local Businesses: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect businesses from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity

Local Farmers: The wastewater treatment plant helps to provide a source of water for irrigation for local farms

Local Bodies of Water: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect the Charleston Harbor, Cooper River, and Ashley River from pollution

Local Beaches and Lakes: The wastewater treatment plant helps to ensure that the beaches and lakes in the Charleston area are clean and safe for swimming and recreation

Number of Employees: The wastewater treatment plant employs over 200 people, which helps to boost the local economy

Environmental Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant reduces water pollution, conserves water, and protects natural resources

Public Health Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant prevents the spread of disease and protects public health

Quality of Life Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant provides clean water, protects the environment, and creates jobs, all of which contribute to a higher quality of life for the people in the Charleston area

in Washington, D.C. is the largest plant of its kind in the world. It treats wastewater for over 3 million people in the Washington metropolitan area. 

Name: Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant

Year Built: 1937

Location: Washington, D.C.

Size: 153 acres

Architect: Unknown

Type of Screening: Coarse screening to remove large solids, such as rags, sticks, and grit

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow solids to settle to the bottom of a tank

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Activated sludge process to use bacteria to break down organic matter in the wastewater

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow more solids to settle out of the wastewater

Type of Disinfection: Chlorination to kill harmful bacteria and viruses in the wastewater

Type of Sludge Treatment: Anaerobic digestion to remove and treat the sludge that is produced during wastewater treatment

Local Residents: Over 3 million people in the Washington metropolitan area

Local Businesses: Restaurants, hotels, and other businesses that rely on clean water

Local Farmers: Farmers who use the treated wastewater for irrigation

Local Bodies of Water: The Potomac River, Anacostia River, and Rock Creek

Local Beaches and Lakes: The Chesapeake Bay and the Tidal Basin

Number of Employees: Over 1,000

Environmental Benefits: Protects local waterways from pollution, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and conserves water resources

Public Health Benefits: Provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking, protects against waterborne diseases, and reduces mosquito populations

Quality of Life Benefits: Improves water quality, reduces flooding, and creates a more livable environment

 This plant was awarded the prize for the best water/wastewater project in the 8th annual competition for the world's best projects organized by Engineering News-Record (ENR). It is located in the governorate of Ismailia in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt and has a treatment capacity of 2.8 million cubic meters per day. The plant uses a membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology to treat wastewater, which is a more efficient and sustainable process than traditional methods.

Name: Al Mahsamma Wastewater Treatment Plant

Year Built: 2020

Location: Ismailia Governorate, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Size: 2.8 million cubic meters per day

Architect: Metito and Hassan Allam Construction

Type of Screening: Coarse screening, fine screening

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Membrane bioreactor (MBR)

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks

Type of Disinfection: Chlorine disinfection

Type of Sludge Treatment: Sludge dewatering and incineration

Local Residents: The wastewater treatment plant provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking to over 1 million people in the Ismailia Governorate.

Local Businesses: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect local businesses from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity.

Local Farmers: The wastewater treatment plant helps to provide a source of water for irrigation to over 70,000 acres of land in the Sinai Peninsula.

Local Bodies of Water: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect the Ismailia Canal, Lake Manzala, and the Mediterranean Sea from pollution.

Local Beaches and Lakes: The wastewater treatment plant helps to ensure that the beaches and lakes in the Ismailia Governorate are clean and safe for swimming and recreation.

Number of Employees: The wastewater treatment plant employs over 500 people, which economically benefits and boosts the local economy.

Type of Environmental Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant reduces water pollution, protects water resources, and helps to conserve the environment.

Type of Public Health Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking, which improves public health.

Type of Quality of Life Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect the environment, improve public health, and create jobs, which all contribute to a better quality of life for the local community.

This plant was awarded the prize for the best water/wastewater project in Africa in the 2022 African Water Awards. It is located in Dakar, Senegal and has a treatment capacity of 26,000 cubic meters per day. The plant uses a trickling filter technology to treat wastewater, which is a cost-effective and efficient process.

Name: Hann Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant

Year Built: 2022

Location: Dakar, Senegal

Size: 26,000 cubic meters per day

Architect: SUEZ

Type of Screening: Coarse screening to remove large solids, such as rags, sticks, and grit

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow solids to settle to the bottom of a tank

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Trickling filter to use bacteria to break down organic matter in the wastewater

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow more solids to settle out of the wastewater

Type of Disinfection: Chlorination to kill harmful bacteria and viruses in the wastewater

Type of Sludge Treatment: Digestion and drying to remove and treat the sludge that is produced during wastewater treatment

Local Residents: The wastewater treatment plant provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking for the residents of Dakar.

Local Businesses: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect local businesses from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity.

Local Farmers: The wastewater treatment plant helps to provide a source of water for irrigation for local farmers.

Local Bodies of Water: The wastewater treatment plant helps to protect local bodies of water, such as Hann Bay, from pollution.

Local Beaches and Lakes: The wastewater treatment plant helps to ensure that local beaches and lakes are clean and safe for swimming and recreation.

Number of Employees: The wastewater treatment plant employs over 100 people, which helps to economically benefit and boost the local economy.

Environmental Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant helps to reduce water pollution, protect local bodies of water, and improve air quality.

Public Health Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant helps to prevent the spread of diseases, such as cholera and typhoid.

Quality of Life Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking, which improves the quality of life for the residents of Dakar.

This plant was awarded the 2018 Global Water Award for Best Large Water Project in Africa. It is the largest wastewater treatment plant in Nigeria, and it has the capacity to treat 700,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day.

Name: WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant

Year Built: 2007

Location: Wupa District, Abuja, Nigeria

Size: 700,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day

Architect: United Kingdom-based company, Black & Veatch

Screening: Mechanical screening is used to remove large solids, such as rags, sticks, and grit.

Primary Sedimentation: Primary sedimentation is used to allow solids to settle to the bottom of a tank.

Aerobic Treatment: Aerobic treatment is used to break down organic matter in the wastewater using bacteria.

Secondary Sedimentation: Secondary sedimentation is used to allow more solids to settle out of the wastewater.

Disinfection: Chlorine disinfection is used to kill harmful bacteria and viruses in the wastewater.

Sludge Treatment: Sludge treatment is used to remove and treat the sludge that is produced during wastewater treatment.

Local Residents: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking for over 2 million local residents.

Local Businesses: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to protect local businesses from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity.

Local Farmers: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to provide a source of water for irrigation for local farmers.

Local Bodies of Water: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to protect local bodies of water from pollution, such as the Wupa River and the Jabi Lake.

Local Beaches and Lakes: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to ensure that local beaches and lakes are clean and safe for swimming and recreation.

Number of Employees: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant employs over 100 people, which helps to boost the local economy.

Environmental Benefits: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to protect the environment by reducing water pollution and improving air quality.

Public Health Benefits: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to improve public health by providing clean water and reducing the risk of waterborne diseases.

Quality of Life Benefits: The WUPA Sewage Treatment Plant helps to improve the quality of life for local residents by providing clean water, reducing pollution, and creating jobs.

in Jakarta, Indonesia: This plant is still under construction, but it is expected to be completed in 2024. It will be the first large-scale wastewater treatment plant in Jakarta and will treat up to 2 million cubic meters of wastewater per day. The plant will help to improve water quality in the Ciliwung river and will also generate electricity from biogas.

Name: OWJJ Joint Venture Wastewater Treatment Plant

Year Built: Expected to be completed in 2024

Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

Size: 2 million cubic meters of wastewater per day

Architect: OWJJ Joint Venture (a consortium of Obayashi Corporation, JFE Engineering Corporation, PT. Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk, and PT. Jaya Konstruksi Manggala Pratama Tbk)

Type of Screening: Coarse screening to remove large solids, such as rags, sticks, and grit

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow solids to settle to the bottom of a tank

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Aerobic digesters to use bacteria to break down organic matter in the wastewater

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow more solids to settle out of the wastewater

Type of Disinfection: Chlorination to kill harmful bacteria and viruses in the wastewater

Type of Sludge Treatment: Anaerobic digesters to remove and treat the sludge that is produced during wastewater treatment

Local Residents: The wastewater treatment plant will provide clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking for over 1 million residents of Jakarta.

Local Businesses: The wastewater treatment plant will help to protect local businesses from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity.

Local Farmers: The wastewater treatment plant will help to provide a source of water for irrigation for local farmers.

Local Bodies of Water: The wastewater treatment plant will help to protect local bodies of water, such as the Ciliwung river, from pollution.

Local Beaches and Lakes: The wastewater treatment plant will help to ensure that local beaches and lakes are clean and safe for swimming and recreation.

Number of Employees: The wastewater treatment plant will create over 1,000 jobs, which will boost the local economy.

Environmental Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant will help to improve water quality in the Ciliwung river and other local waterways. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help to mitigate climate change.

Public Health Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant will help to protect public health by reducing the spread of waterborne diseases.

Quality of Life Benefits: The wastewater treatment plant will improve the quality of life for residents of Jakarta by providing them with clean water and a cleaner environment.

in China: This project was awarded the Best Water Environment Protection Project at the China Water Environment Protection Industry Awards 2022. It is an industrial wastewater treatment plant that will treat up to 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day. The plant will use a combination of technologies to treat wastewater from a variety of industries, including textiles, electronics, and food processing.

Name: Changshu Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant

Year Built: 2023

Location: Changshu, China

Size: 100,000 cubic meters per day

Architect: SUEZ

Screening: Mechanical screening to remove large solids, such as rags, sticks, and grit

Primary sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow solids to settle to the bottom of a tank

Aerobic treatment: Aerobic bacteria to break down organic matter in the wastewater

Secondary sedimentation: Sedimentation tanks to allow more solids to settle out of the wastewater

Disinfection: Chlorination to kill harmful bacteria and viruses in the wastewater

Sludge treatment: Thickening, digestion, and dewatering to remove and treat the sludge that is produced during wastewater treatment

Benefits to local residents: Provides clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking

Benefits to local businesses: Protects from water pollution, which can damage equipment and reduce productivity

Benefits to local farmers: Provides a source of water for irrigation

Benefits to local bodies of water: Protects from water pollution

Benefits to local beaches and lakes: Ensures and keeps clean and safe

Number of employees: 100

Environmental benefits: Protects the environment by reducing water pollution

Public health benefits: Improves public health by providing clean water

Quality of life benefits: Improves the quality of life for residents by providing clean water and protecting the environment

in Taiwan: This plant is the first wastewater treatment plant in Taiwan to use Fluence's membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) technology. The plant treats wastewater from a residential area in Taoyuan City.

Name: Fluence Wastewater Treatment Plant in Taiwan

Year Built: 2023

Location: Taoyuan City, Taiwan

Size: 100,000 m³/d (22 MGD)

Architect: Fluence Corporation

Type of Screening: Bar screen

Type of Primary Sedimentation: Grit chamber

Type of Aerobic Treatment: Membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR)

Type of Secondary Sedimentation: Clarifier

Type of Disinfection: Chlorine

Type of Sludge Treatment: Digestion and dewatering

Name of the local Residents: 13,000 people

Name of the local Businesses: Taoyuan Industrial Park, Taoyuan Science Park

Name of the local Farmers: Taoyuan County Agricultural Bureau

Name of local bodies of water that the wastewater treatment plants help to protect from water pollution: Keelung River, Tamsui River

Name of local beaches and lakes the wastewater treatment plants help to ensure and keep clean and safe: Nangang Beach, Tamsui Beach

Number of employees the wastewater treatment plants fosters to economically benefit and boost the local economy: 50 employees

Type of environmental benefits the wastewater treatment plant provides:

• Protects local water bodies from pollution

• Improves water quality for drinking, bathing, and irrigation

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions 

Type of public health benefits the wastewater treatment plant provides:

• Prevents the spread of waterborne diseases

• Improves sanitation and hygiene

• Protects the health of children and vulnerable populations 

Type of quality of life benefits the wastewater treatment plant provides:

• Provides a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone

• Improves the quality of life for residents and businesses

• Attracts new investment and development to the area