News

MILLIS, Mass. — The Town of Millis has been awarded a $170,000 municipal climate preparedness grant to design a community-centric flood resiliency plan and develop a public engagement program to communicate climate vulnerability and mitigation strategies.

Awarded by the Baker-Polito administration’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, the MVP program pairs local leadership and knowledge with a significant investment of resources and funding from the Commonwealth to address climate change impacts.

The program has awarded over $65 million in funding and technical support since its 2017 inception to communities challenged with sea-level rise, inland flooding, storms, and extreme temperatures.

“We are grateful to the Baker-Polito administration for funding this important resiliency project that will benefit current and future generations. The grant will provide much-needed support to meet the project’s stormwater management goals while engaging our community through this planning effort.”
Town of Millis Select Board Chair Pete Jurmain

With numerous rivers, streams, and wetlands that influence drainage patterns and are susceptible to climate change impacts, the Town of Millis has widespread flooding challenges associated with severe weather events. The MVP grant will enable the Town to holistically assess risks and develop an all-inclusive, proactive, and cost-effective flood resiliency plan to minimize town-wide flooding under present-day and future climate conditions. It will build upon the MVP-funded Building Resiliency Across the Charles River Watershed Study, which identified flooding issues in the Charles River Watershed.

The plan will seek solutions to restore the area’s natural ability to capture and infiltrate stormwater, support the function and health of the Town’s natural wetlands system, and incorporate resilient approaches to reduce the impacts of flooding. Where possible, the plan will identify nature-based methods to integrate co-benefits, including stormwater treatment, habitat restoration, and creating new educational and recreational opportunities.

Leading environmental engineering and construction firm Brown and Caldwell assisted the Town with its grant application and will act as a consultant during the plan’s development. The firm will be responsible for developing a town-wide hydraulic and hydrologic model and developing cost-effective flood mitigation strategies that achieve multiple co-benefits.

There will be many opportunities for community members to engage in the project. A public outreach program to gather knowledge of flooding issues, inform the community on flood risks linked to climate change, and share project results is also included. The plan is scheduled for a summer 2022 completion.

To learn more, please contact Robert Weiss at rweiss@millisma.gov

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – As water agencies strengthen efforts to address racial and gender bias, promote equity, foster inclusion, and catalyze change for marginalized communities, the California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) shares ideas to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental justice (EJ) goals.

CUWA is a non-profit organization comprised of 11 of the largest water agencies in California, serving over two-thirds of the state’s population.

Agencies on CUWA’s DEI Committee are at varying stages of creating DEI and EJ programs, leveraging their experiences, best practices, and lessons learned to assist each other and the water industry by publishing the DEI toolkit. Initial toolkit focus areas were selected based on input from CUWA’s DEI Committee and includes executive management commitment, data assessment, and action plans.

The toolkit provides a starting point for those balancing the desire for rapid progress with the creation of a solid foundation for long-term change. It consists of fact sheets describing implementation best practices and considerations for each focus area.

“Overcoming the barriers affecting our communities starts with us as major urban water agencies and increasing the number of diverse voices at the table,” said Rick Callender, Chief Executive Officer of Valley Water and co-chair of CUWA’s DEI Committee.

Fellow committee co-chair and Senior Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Anselmo Collins added:

“As leaders, we are responsible for setting the tone for a culture of respect within our agencies and demonstrating the commitment for long-term actions to improve DEI throughout the water industry.”

CUWA is dedicated to further developing the toolkit and supporting its members as they advance their own DEI programs. Get the toolkit on CUWA’s website here.

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About CUWA

Established in 1990, the California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) is a nonprofit corporation of 11 major urban water agencies that are responsible for delivering drinking water to about two-thirds of California’s population. As the collective voice for the largest urban water purveyors in California, CUWA provides technical perspective to promote common understanding and consensus solutions among the urban water community. CUWA agencies include Alameda County Water District, City of Fresno, Contra Costa Water District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, City of San Diego Public Utilities Department, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, San Diego County Water Authority, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Zone 7 Water Agency. For more information, visit www.cuwa.org

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The City of Columbus has engaged a team led by Brown and Caldwell to deliver professional design services for a new and improved acid phase digestion system at its Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant (SWWTP).

The SWWTP is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the country, situated on 288 acres and serving over 530,000 residents. With an average flow of 120 million gallons per day, its two-phase digestion process consists of two sludge storage silos, six methane phase digesters, and three acid phase digesters (APDs) to produce a Class B biosolids product for land application and other beneficial uses.

The project, SWWTP Digester Process Expansion – Phase II, will rehabilitate the APDs and other aging ancillary equipment to create a robust and resilient acid phase digestion system with a multitude of capacity-enhancing, financial benefits.

“This important project will allow us to continue to improve reliability, increase efficiency, meet regulatory guidelines, and enhance service for a growing customer base. We’re evaluating several innovative processes to solidify the City’s beneficial reuse and environmental goals.”
Columbus SWWTP Plant Manager Darin Wise

The project is considered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to plan and evaluate innovative digester processes, including Acid+ digestion, a cutting-edge project with the Water Research Foundation. Acid+ has the potential to revolutionize wastewater treatment by reducing operations and maintenance expenses, yielding higher quality biosolids (Class A) and biogas products, and achieving cost-effective nutrient recovery with simple retrofits to existing equipment.

A phosphorous recovery study will evaluate options to produce high-quality, low phosphorus biosolids for agricultural use while addressing future nutrient load increases in line with national permit limits.  Considerations will be included to identify, restrict, or possibly destroy emerging contaminants loading in downstream biosolids before reuse.

Furthermore, an investigation into the creation of a fats, oils, and greases receiving station and feasibility analysis of co-digestion – sludge with organics/food waste – to supercharge biogas production and create an alternative revenue stream, is part of the project. This includes an assessment on availability and providers of organic waste in the central Ohio region and any digestion system improvements required to incorporate co-digestion for beneficial reuse.

The Brown and Caldwell team will provide preliminary design, detailed design, and engineering services during construction. A critical design component includes the continual, safe, and efficient operation of the plant during construction in compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System requirements.

As well as undertaking various condition assessments and feasibility studies, the team will prepare construction cost estimates, develop bid documentation, and help evaluate qualified firms.

“We’re excited to partner with Columbus to achieve their vision of sustainable planning for future growth, resource recovery, and continual regulatory compliance,” said Brown and Caldwell Project Manager Dante Fiorino. “Our team is ready to help the City identify innovative solutions to meet current and future wastewater needs while simultaneously lessening the burden on ratepayers by eliminating or deferring expensive capital investments.”

With Acid+ digestion research and preliminary design recently underway, detailed design is scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, paving the way for construction-phase activities.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Leading environmental engineering and construction firm Brown and Caldwell today announces the launch of BC:Opta™, its unique approach to utility optimization for a more effective future.

Faced with challenges from aging assets, drought, storm surges, and increasing regulations to replacing skills of a retiring workforce and budget limitations, improving utility performance for short- and long-term success is an ongoing prospect for utilities.

The BC:Opta approach encompasses a three-part framework: people+technology+adoption, beginning with Brown and Caldwell’s deep subject matter expertise and, if applicable, employing proven or innovative technologies. The key step involves empowering a utility’s lasting adoption of an optimized solution to fully realize immediate impacts and improved performance.

Powered by process and utility performance expertise; and often supported by advanced analytics, automation technologies, and digital twins, BC:Opta outcomes include:

  • Operational performance: Reduced energy and chemical usage; better process strategies; enhanced resource utilization; expanded plant capacities; and cost-effective, sustainable performance improvements across operations.
  • Infrastructure strategy: Comprehensive asset and maintenance management; capital program delivery; and enhanced data management strategies to achieve improved asset life and cost of ownership at risk levels acceptable to customers, communities, and regulators.
  • Enterprise resiliency: Improved business processes, employee skills development, integrated planning across utility functions, management strategy, and knowledge retention.

By embracing BC:Opta, utilities have a unique opportunity to enhance processes, shift expenditures, better align staff resources, and meet evolving customer needs as outlined by Brown and Caldwell Utility Performance Practice Lead Jeff Theerman:

“As an industry, we know we need to get better, but how should we do it? It’s not that we must do more with less; it’s that we must do more with the same capital, operating budgets, and staff. The answer is in optimization.”

More information, and examples of BC:Opta in action at water and wastewater facilities, can be found here.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., — Brown and Caldwell is pleased to announce Senior Associate Engineer Pono Hanson has been recognized by The Water Environment Federation (WEF) with a 2021 Outstanding Young Water Environment Professional Award.

WEF is a not-for-profit association providing technical education and training for thousands of water quality professionals worldwide who clean water and return it safely to the environment.

Involved with WEF for a decade, Hanson received the award for his longstanding commitment toward advancing professional development opportunities, inspiring, and engaging students and young water industry professionals. He has served as chair of WEF’s Student Design Competition and is the present vice-chair of the federation’s Students and Young Professionals Committee, which fosters career growth, networking, and learning opportunities for aspiring water professionals. Passionate about creating an inclusive environment for underrepresented groups, he currently leads the development of WEF’s first Students and Young Professionals Mentorship Program.

Additionally, Hanson has held numerous leadership roles at The Chesapeake Water Environment Association (CWEA), including establishing its first two student chapters at Howard University and the University of the District Columbia. Both chapters are part of WEF’s InFLOW program to enhance diversity and inclusion in the water workforce. He also lends his vast professional expertise to CWEA’s Collection Systems Committee.

As a senior associate engineer, Hanson’s role focuses on the management and engineering of sanitary sewer rehabilitation and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. He is adept in the applications and use of trenchless technologies to overcome aging infrastructure challenges. Outside of project responsibilities, Hanson is a mentor to Brown and Caldwell’s network of young professionals, leveraging his experience to nurture career advancement and encourage industry association involvement.

“I am pleased to see Pono’s peers honor his dedication to advancing the water profession with this thoroughly deserved award. His ambition, passion, and empathy continually shine through in his work and his ambassador activities, not to mention the encouragement and support he lends to other young professionals.”
Brown and Caldwell Vice President Jay Kirk

Based in Alexandria, Virginia, Hanson is a licensed professional engineer and holds a master’s in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Portland.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The City of San Jose has engaged a team of engineers, modelers, and scientists to provide professional consultancy services on projects to implement its 2019 Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Plan.

Envisioning a watershed with thriving creeks, rivers, and a healthy San Francisco Bay, the City developed the GSI Plan, a roadmap outlining the transformation of its urban landscape and drainage systems to achieve water quality goals and deliver environmental and community benefits. The plan focuses on implementing GSI and sustainable drainage practices, transitioning from traditional “gray” infrastructure where stormwater runoff enters storm drains and receiving waters from impervious rooftops, sidewalks, driveways, and streets, to an integrated approach incorporating resilient “green” infrastructure systems.

Potential projects described in the plan, treating approximately 2,400 acres of land, represent an estimated combined cost of $126 million, including design, construction, and operations and maintenance.

The plan demonstrates San Jose’s long-term commitment to meeting regulatory requirements by implementing GSI to reduce polluted stormwater entering waterways via its storm sewer system.

The multidisciplinary approach of GSI uses soil, plants, and pervious surfaces to capture, treat, infiltrate, and/or reuse stormwater runoff. GSI provides multiple benefits, including improved water quality, reduced localized flooding, potable water conservation, increased groundwater recharge, reduced urban heat island effect, and public space beautification. GSI can integrate with building and roadway design, complete streets, drainage infrastructure, urban forestry, soil conservation, and landscaping.

Under a Master Serves Agreement (MSA), a local team of Brown and Caldwell, Lotus Water, and Paradigm Environmental will provide a diverse range of services to implement the GSI Plan. Tasks include program management, regulatory support, cost and budget analysis, stakeholder outreach, and multidisciplinary engineering and construction administration on numerous projects.

“Our team looks forward to bringing our experience of multi-benefit green infrastructure projects to help the City achieve their vision in the most sustainable, cost-effective way possible.”
Brown and Caldwell Contract Manager Marc Nakamoto

The first service order under the MSA was executed in late August. Next steps of the GSI Plan implementation include evaluating the feasibility of near-term regional stormwater capture and green streets projects and laying the foundation for successful project implementation over the next five years.

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About Brown and Caldwell

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction firm with 52 offices and 1,700 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 70 years, our creative solutions have helped municipalities, private industry, and government agencies successfully overcome their most challenging water and environmental obstacles. As an employee-owned company, Brown and Caldwell is passionate about exceeding our clients’ expectations and making a difference for our employees, our communities, and our environment. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com

About Lotus Water

Lotus Water is a full-service civil engineering consulting firm based in San Francisco, CA. Our team of passionate professionals specializes in sustainable resource management and water-sensitive urban design that is rooted in the belief that traditional engineered systems are most effective when balanced with solutions that restore natural processes, optimize water reuse, and incorporate community insight and priorities. Since 2007, Lotus has been on the leading edge of providing green infrastructure and non-potable reuse guidance for municipalities, agencies, and private entities, developing innovative street-, site-, and district-scale solutions that deliver multiple benefits to the client, the community, and the environment. Visit us at www.lotuswater.com for more information.

About Paradigm Environmental

Paradigm Environmental is a small business consulting firm that specializes in watershed management and planning, water resources management, water quality assessments, sustainable stormwater planning and engineering, and the development of decision support and tracking applications. Our water resources expertise is sought internationally for innovative solutions to water quality impairments, engineering challenges and regulatory pressures. Paradigm’s innovative approach to watershed and stormwater planning leverages cutting-edge, open-source tools such as continuous simulation modeling, genetic optimization, statistical analysis, geoprocessing, and cloud computing.  We have led numerous ground-breaking, first-of-their-kind projects using interdisciplinary expertise including engineers, hydrologists, environmental scientists, biologists, and programmers. We excel at data storage, mapping, and visualization including development of dynamic dashboards to analyze and communicate complex datasets.  We pride ourselves on rapid turnaround, high-quality deliverables that are on-message and aligned with our clients’ programs. Our reputation and highly-specialized expertise have led us to projects around the globe. www.paradigmh20.com

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