The North Shore Water Reclamation District (District) is taking the first step towards realizing the benefits of the districtwide solids system upgrades recommended in the 2023 Biosolids Master Plan (BMP). The District and BC are currently working on BMP Project 1A – Regional Digestion Facility, which will modernize infrastructure and increase sustainability. With aging solids handling equipment nearing the end of its service, and only the Clavey Road WRF currently using digestion to reduce solids, the District is seizing the opportunity to transform operations across all sites. The centerpiece is the cutting-edge, consolidated thermophilic digester facility, featuring BC’s suite of next generation digester design elements. As part of the primary design, an extensive special sampling campaign was conducted alongside piloting of the proposed digester processes at a university. These steps help mitigate risk and ensure the facilities are “right-sized.” These integrated systems directly address the current operational challenges at the District’s drying facility by improving sludge consistency and reducing solids volume and hauling, while also producing a new resource, biogas, that has the potential to generate revenue in the future through the production of renewable natural gas.
Equally impressive is the new dewatering building, designed to maximize efficiency and support marketable biosolids products. Equipped with state-of-the-art dewatering and polymer conditioning equipment, odor control systems, and a robust loadout facility, the building ensures thorough integration with future on-site drying operations. Additionally, side stream treatment is included to actively manage the additional nutrient load due to the importing of solids from Waukegan and Clavey Rd. WRFs to the Gurnee WRF. All improvements are engineered not only to be operator and maintenance friendly but to empower rapid adaptation to regulatory changes and emerging contaminants such as PFAS.
By investing in this visionary program, the District is upgrading its infrastructure and setting a new standard for environmental stewardship and operational resilience. The BMP Project 1A delivers the technical sophistication and flexibility needed to thrive in a dynamic regulatory landscape, ensuring safe, beneficial biosolids use for decades to come.