News Details
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES WINS METRO ATLANTA CHAMBER E3 AWARD
(Lawrenceville, Ga., Oct. 20, 2016) — The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources Ostara Nutrient Recovery Process was named the winner in the Liquid Assets category at the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s 2016 E3 Awards presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The E3 awards celebrate metro Atlanta companies, organizations and individuals that are creating innovative solutions and technological advances in sustainability.
Lynette Howard, Commissioner, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, and Tyler Richards, Deputy Director, Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, accepted the award on behalf of the county.
“I am incredibly proud of the work our Department of Water Resources does,” said Howard. “I was honored to be with them as they accepted this award.”
Phosphorus is a by-product of water reclamation at Gwinnett County’s F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center (WRC). As part of the County’s permit to discharge high quality, reclaimed water to Lake Lanier, they operate under some of the most stringent discharge limits in the United States. Reducing the amount of phosphorus is a critical environmental challenge, as phosphorus causes the proliferation of algae blooms that can debilitate waterways and destroy aquatic life.
The Ostara Nutrient Recovery Process addresses this concern by recovering nutrients produced during the water reclamation process and converting them into an environmentally sound, slow release fertilizer. The process recovers more than 85 percent of phosphorous and 40 percent of nitrogen from the processed water. This phosphorous would be taken to a landfill if it were not converted into the Crystal Green fertilizer.
“In addition to the revenue generated by the fertilizer, the nutrient recovery facility will create annual cost savings in chemicals, solid waste disposal, maintenance and power,” said Richards. “This benefits, not only the environment, but Gwinnett County ratepayers as well.”
The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources (GCDWR) is a publicly-owned utility, committed to providing excellent water, wastewater, and stormwater services at the best possible value to residents and businesses. DWR is widely recognized for innovation and service excellence, as well as stewardship of the environmental resources in Gwinnett County. For more information, visit www.gwinnettH2O.com.