The Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) has been recycling wastewater for non‐drinking uses since the 1960s. Not one to waste resources, IRWD advanced its recycling story with a new Biosolids and Energy Recovery Facility designed by Black & Veatch.

IRWD added the new facility to the Michelson Water Recycling Plant (MWRP). The plant provides tertiary (three‐stage) treatment of sewage and produces on average nearly 22 million gallons a day (MGD) of high‐quality recycled water for landscape and agricultural irrigation, and for industrial and commercial needs.

Prior to the project, the MWRP had no solids processing capability. Realizing IRWD’s vision, Black & Veatch integrated the new biosolids facility to process all sludge plus enable resource and energy recovery and power production at the plant.

Layered with Sustainable Solutions

• Meeting Class A requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the facility’s final biosolids product can be used as fertilizer and e‐fuel.
• Biogas created during the treatment process is itself treated and used to power microturbines, providing a large portion of the facility’s electricity needs.
• The facility features the latest in SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) technology and an onsite sample analysis lab. They enable operators to optimize the MWRP’s performance in real time and promote efficient control, resource conservation, and public safety.
• In support of IRWD’s desire to be a good neighbor to the surrounding community, the facility incorporates advanced noise‐ and odor‐control technologies and has plans to accept used fats, oils, and grease from area businesses in the future to aid gas production within the sludge digestion process.
• The facility destroys volatile organic compounds in the waste gasses generated during the drying process.

IRWD provides drinking water, sewage collection and treatment, recycled water programs, and urban runoff treatment, serving a daytime population of approximately 600,000. The recycling of by‐products from the treatment of what is typically considered waste reflects IRWD’s long-time commitment to advancing sustainable treatment practices while providing safe and cost‐effective water services to its community.