Innovative Technology for Sustainable Resource Recovery and Green Power

The Piscataway Bioenergy Project will transform how the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Water manages biosolids — the nutrient-rich organic materials produced by the wastewater treatment process — from five existing water resource recovery facilities. By using innovative green technology, this project will significantly reduce biosolids volume and increase the quality of the remaining Class A product. The overall process is intended to reduce operating costs by more than $3 million per year, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by capturing and cleaning digester gas to help power the facility.

HDR has been serving as WSSC Water’s trusted program management advisor for the $270-million bioenergy program, providing centralized biosolids treatment at the Piscataway Water Resource Recovery Facility. WSSC Water hired our team to provide guidance and leadership in moving from conceptual planning to implementation of a regional thermal hydrolysis facility. Together, we refined and optimized the initial concept, pilot-tested proposed facilities and recommended treatment plant modifications to improve solids handling performance parameters, recommended the selection of a preferred project delivery method for multiple projects, developed progressive design-build selection and contract documents, assisted with the selection of progressive design-build contractor, and managed the design-build contractor through design and construction.

We also guided negotiations with the thermal hydrolysis process manufacturer and a first-in-the-world approach for THP redundancy, including operator training, and planning for startup and commissioning.

This exciting bioenergy project will maximize continual, reliable solids processing for all WSSC Water’s treatment plants that rely on the Piscataway plant for solids stabilization and digestion while enhancing the financial and environmental health of the entire region.