R2E2 Project

January 31, 2012 Public Hearing Responses

GBMSD has dedicated itself to the collection, treatment, and reclamation of about 38 million gallons of wastewater each day. To continue to provide safe, reliable service that you expect daily, GBMSD needs to replace its solids handling system.

The three main reasons to replace the solids handling system are:

1. Aging Infrastructure - most of the main equipment started operation in 1976. The equipment is passed its useful life and needs to be replaced. GBMSD cannot afford to run its equipment to failure because many people and businesses depend on safe, reliable, and cost-effective service.
2. Stricter Environmental Standards - GBMSD must comply with new federal air permit standards by May 2016. Its current equipment will not meet the new standards.
3. Increase Capacity - both incinerators operate at over 90% capacity daily in order to handle all of the wastewater demands. It has triggered the regulatory need to start facilities planning.

Over the next five years, GBMSD will be designing and constructing a new Resource Recovery and Electrical Energy generation system known as the R2E2 Project. The system will provide safe, reliable service to the Greater Green Bay area for years to come.

What are wastewater solids?

Wastewater is 99% water and 1% solids. Wastewater solids are organic and inorganic materials found in human, household, and industrial wastewater (e.g. sand, cinders, coffee grounds, seeds, fats, oils, greases, soaps, paper fibers, and animal or vegetable life). GBMSD's Industrial Pretreatment Program  monitors and regulates the wastewater that is sent from significant industrial users.

What is the R2E2 Project?

We are stepping away from the traditional view of just disposing waste to viewing what is sent to us as a resource to recover and reuse.

This project involves building two anaerobic digesters, which break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen, and reduce the volume of material to be processed. In addition, the digesters will produce a methane gas, which will be captured and processed into a biofuel and used to produce electricity.

GBMSD will recover the heat from a new incinerator, which will replace its two existing 35-year-old incinerators. Through thermal processing, the heat from the system will be recovered and used for building heat or electricity. The new equipment will be more efficient, effective, and meet the new stricter environmental air permit standards.

Is this technology used elsewhere in the U.S.?

Yes, digesters have been used in the wastewater industry for over 80 years. Digesters are used today at many treatment plants in Wisconsin including Sheboygan, Appleton, Stevens Point, Madison, and Milwaukee. Incineration is used at many medium to large size wastewater treatment plants across the U.S. including Minneapolis, MN; Cincinnati, OH; and Cedar Rapids, IA. GBMSD selected this technology because of the lack of available nearby land to landspread, increase risk of contaminating groundwater from landspreading, increase in greenhouse gas emissions from daily truck traffic, and decrease in landfill disposal by 95%. GBMSD is an operation that cannot shut down. It needs a consistent, cost-effective, and reliable method of disposal.

What are the benefits of the R2E2 Project? 

The R2E2 Project is expected to cut GBMSD's annual energy costs in half during the first year. That's an estimated savings of more than $2.2 million. And, GBMSD, producing much of its own energy, will be able to minimize its expenses as energy costs rise in future years.

Plus, there are additional benefits of the R2E2 Project:

• It will help reduce GBMSD's greenhouse gas emissions by 22,000 metric tons, or the equivalent of removing 15,000 vehicles off the road.
• It will accept different types of wastes directly, such as dairy, sugar, and food processing waste--which GBMSD cannot do today, and would otherwise be spread onto nearby fields or landfilled.
• By accepting different types of wastes, digester energy production can be increased by 50% or more; providing a consistent and environmentally friendly disposal outlet.

How much will R2E2 cost?

The R2E2 Project will cost approximately $147 million. It is a big investment, but one that was deemed to be the most cost effective over the long run by GBMSD engineers and consultants, as well as the local municipalities and industries involved in the planning effort.

GBMSD brought together three stakeholder advisory committees and a municipal/industrial customer working group to help examine future solids handling possibilities. Located on the right sidebar is more information on the advisory committee results and working group presentations.

How will R2E2 be paid for? And, how will it affect my sewer bill? 

The project will be paid for through GBMSD's municipal wholesale rate charge; that's the rate it charges its direct customers. It is important to note that, because GBMSD wholesales its services directly to 17 municipalities and one industry, it does not bill residents and businesses directly.

GBMSD anticipates about a 9% increase on its wholesale rate each year through 2016. Each municipality sets its own wastewater treatment rate, so the impact of these increases will vary from municipality to municipality. Generally, GBMSD's current charges make up less than half of the average household's sewerage charge, which is part of your combined water and sewer bill.