A ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the Sterling Natural Resources Center (SNRC), a new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant in Highland, California (CA), was held on July 23, 2022. Owned and operated by East Valley Water District (EVWD), the new SNRC will not only recycle water to replenish local groundwater, but will also convert both wastewater solids and food waste into renewable energy and organic fertilizer, and serve as a community center for education and local events.
Formed in 1954, East Valley Water District (EVWD) provides water and wastewater services to over 104 000 residents within the City of Highland and portions of both the City and County of San Bernardino in California (CA).
Sterling Natural Resource Center (SNRC) is a new state-of-the-art facility in Highland that will treat wastewater generated within the EVWD service area producing a sustainable new water supply to boost the region’s water independence.
The SNRC will create new opportunities for the surrounding community in the form of outdoor space with a picnic and walking paths, provide a drought-proof water supply, provide street improvements, and create new educational and training programs.
Anaergia’s AD and membrane technology
The SNRC will use Anaergia’s advanced anaerobic digestion (AD) technology to convert up to 130 000 (US) gallons (492 000 litres) per day of food waste, along with its sewage biosolids, into biogas.
The biogas will then be used in a 3 MWe genset to generate renewable electricity, enough to meet all of the facility’s energy needs and still add renewable power to the electric grid.
In addition, the plant will use state-of-the-art membrane technology made by Anaergia’s affiliated company Fibracast to recycle up to 8 million gallons (≈ 30.3 million litres) of wastewater per day to recharge the local Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin.
Residues left over after energy is produced will be converted to valuable biochar, a natural fertilizer that will be sold and used to enrich farmland soil.
East Valley Water District’s vision for the SNRC was to make every source a resource —Anaergia helped provide a solution for a resource recovery center. The team brought everything together to create value from the wastewater—design, engineering, patented technologies—as well as a shared passion to create a facility that will benefit the community for years to come said John Mura, General Manager/CEO of East Valley Water District.
Unlike any other wastewater treatment plant
Thanks to the leadership of East Valley Water District, the SNRC will make two paradigm shifts on how humanity builds wastewater facilities in the future, said Andrew Benedek, Chairman, and CEO of Anaergia.
All wastewater and food waste entering the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will be converted into resources, and the facility will supply electricity to the grid in excess of its needs.
Most wastewater treatment plants, by contrast, require significant energy to run and produce waste that must be disposed of in landfills.
The first paradigm shift is to make every wastewater plant maximize its resource recovery, reducing impacts on the environment. The second paradigm shift is to make such plants a social benefit and not a smelly eyesore. In years to come, I predict that this will serve as a catalyst for positive change and the community will greatly benefit from its park-like setting, its community center, and the vocational training programs associated with the SNRC ended Andrew Benedek.
