Municipal wastewater treatment is highly technical and complicated, yet the operating strategy at Kill Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) in Gardner, Kansas, isn’t. That’s because the focus is to save money without sacrificing quality, all while operating safely at all times.

To that end, the plant recorded another win in its long list of accomplishments when it replaced aging multistage blowers with high-speed integrally geared blowers in 2020. The new blowers with Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) control are credited with a 40% reduction in energy consumption for aeration. This results in an annual savings of $35,000. The blower upgrade, which also helps protect the safety of employees, is expected to deliver a payback of less than five years.

Kill Creek WRRF Superintendent Scott Millholland said it’s all about ongoing improvements and the use of advanced technology to deliver the best possible service.

“Safety is always No. 1 on our list and second is making sure the plant is performing at its best as we meet our permit limits,” said Millholland, noting energy savings plays a key role in performance. “The more energy we save, the more it increases our revenue long-term so it’s saving citizens money. That’s money we can use on future infrastructure projects.”