Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department's Enhanced Sludge Energy Recovery Initiative

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Miami-Dade County Wastewater Treatment Plants at both, Central District and North District are two of the most critical facilities on the County’s sanitation system; but only the Central District Treatment Plant has the capability of energy recovery to extract methane gas off treated sludge for its further conversion into electricity. Treated sludge has energy potential in the form of Biogas and also beneficial nutrient value, but these chemical properties can only be successfully used when treated sludge is properly segregated from the primary (non-treated) sludge. Through continuous in-house research of waste water treatment technologies, the Miami Dade Water and Sewer Department has developed a selective sludge transfer scheme between the two facilities, which effectively segregates treated sludge that is then isolated and transferred directly into the energy-recovery complex at the Central District Plant. This selective scheme will render substantial savings in overall cost, improved energy recovery and enhanced treatment of wastewater for the benefit of the Miami-Dade County residents.