City of Buffalo Wastewater Treatment Facility Honored Nationally for Excellence in Engineering
May 11, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: ANNE GODE 507-625-4171
Bolton & Menk, Inc. has been honored nationally for its excellence in engineering for the City of Buffalo Wastewater Treatment Facility, which opened in September 2008. The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) presented the City with a Grand Award at a gala held April 28th, 2009 in Washington, D.C. The Buffalo project won one of eight National Grand Awards for the best overall engineering accomplishment among 168 submittals from across the world. The ACEC competition recognizes projects for innovative engineering design and impact on society. The Grand Conceptor Award, deemed the highest honor by ACEC, was received by CDM for the Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System; the world’s largest facility for transforming wastewater, previously discarded into the ocean, into premium drinking water.
Located 35 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Buffalo, with a population of nearly 15,000 and growing rapidly, prides itself on being a progressive community. The City faced increasing resistance from nearby residents to the hauling and land application of biosolids. In addition, Buffalo recently implemented an Energy Conservation Program to reduce overall consumption within the community. Bolton & Menk recommended a state-of-the-art system that virtually eliminates biosolids by converting them into a renewable energy source. An airtight, closed loop biosolids drying process allows for the capture of heat to be reused in a continuous cycle. This heat energy replaces 80 percent of the natural gas that would otherwise be necessary for drying. In this respect, it is an extremely sustainable, eco-friendly system. Energy savings in the first year of operation are expected to exceed $90,000.
Bolton & Menk, Inc., ranked in the Top 500 Engineering Firms by Engineering News Record (ENR), provides services in the areas of civil and municipal, water and wastewater, water resources, traffic and transportation engineering. The firm also provides environmental review, land surveying and mapping services. Our staff of nearly 250 professionals and technicians is available to assist clients in meeting the ever-increasing demand for quality engineering and surveying services. Having corporate offices in Mankato, the firm also operates offices in Fairmont, Sleepy Eye, Burnsville, Willmar, Chaska and Ramsey, Minnesota and Ames, Iowa.
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