CHICAGO, IL, Sept. 16, 2013 -- Black & Veatch and Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies have been selected by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to design and build a new nutrient recovery system at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant in Cicero, Ill.
The facility will improve
water quality in local rivers, lakes and streams. It
will also produce commercial fertilizer from recovered
resources. Black & Veatch is providing design, procurement
and construction services. Ostara will provide the nutrient
recovery system, including equipment. Ostara will also
provide operations and maintenance assistance to the
District once the project is completed.
"The MWRD's mission is to protect the source of our drinking water, improve the quality of area waterways and manage water as a vital resource for the Greater Chicago area," said Patrick D. Thompson, MWRD Commissioner and Chairman of the Monitoring and Research Committee. "The Stickney project achieves these goals and enables us to recover phosphorus and nitrogen from waste streams that can be converted into fertilizer. In addition, the sale of this product will help offset the cost of operating and maintaining the new facility."
Advising the project team is Dr. James L. Barnard, Water Global Practice and Technology Leader and winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize. Known to the water industry as "The Father of Biological Nutrient Removal," Dr. Barnard is credited with developing the nutrient removal process used in many wastewater treatment plants worldwide.
"Phosphorus is a non-renewable resource that is critical to farming and food production. Nothing grows without it but too much of it can negatively impact water quality," said Dr. Barnard. "Biological nutrient removal enables us to address water quality challenges and recover this precious nutrient for beneficial reuse purposes."
"With this new facility, the District is transforming a water challenge into a sustainable solution," said F. Phillip Abrary, Ostara president and CEO. "Removing nutrients from where they shouldn’t be -- in our waterways -- and using them to create a new generation of slow-release fertilizers is the smart thing to do economically and the right thing to do environmentally."
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in
building Critical Human Infrastructure™ in Energy, Water,
Telecommunications and Government Services. Since 1915, we
have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over
100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction,
operations and program management. Our revenues in 2012 were
US$3.3 billion. Follow us on
http://www.bv.com/and in social media.
About Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.
Ostara designs, builds and markets a proprietary nutrient
recovery technology that transforms phosphorus and nitrogen
recovered from municipal and industrial water treatment
facilities into a high-value, eco-friendly fertilizer, sold
and marketed as Crystal Green®. Ostara currently operates
five nutrient recovery facilities in North America and will
launch two additional plants later in 2013, including its
first European site in the UK. Crystal Green is the first
plant-activated, nutrient technology to offer
plant-available, slow-release nutrients sustainably made
from a renewable source of phosphorus. Crystal Green offers
more consistent, plant-available nutrients than conventional
fertilizers, resulting in greater efficiency, lower
application rates, and reduced nutrient loss, while lowering
the risk of leaching and runoff. Headquartered in Vancouver,
Canada, Ostara is the recipient of numerous awards including
the 2011 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, and
being named to the Global Cleantech 100 for the past four
years. For more information visit
www.ostara.com and
www.crystalgreen.com.
About the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Established in 1889, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (www.mwrd.org) is an award-winning, special purpose government agency responsible for wastewater treatment and stormwater management in a 883.5 square mile service area in Cook County, Illinois. The MWRD’s mission is to protect the health and safety of the public in its service area, the quality of the water supply source (Lake Michigan), improve and protect the quality of water in watercourses, protect businesses and homes from flood damages, and manage water as a vital resource. The MWRD is committed to achieving the highest standards of excellence in fulfilling its mission.
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