There is no recession in the waste business.
This is an exterior look at the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority's sewage processing sedimentation basins and clarifier tanks, located on Lincoln Street in Lewiston.
A $15 million construction project is under way for the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority's anaerobic digester sewage processor. The co-generation project will use the methane gas produced in the treatment process to create electricity, saving the plant an estimated $20,000 a month.
Mac Richardson, superintendent of the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority, looks over the belt filter press, which produces bio-solids for agricultural fields. The processed nutrient-rich bio-solids are given to farmers free of charge and used to improve soil quality.
Clean water is released into the Androscoggin River from the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority water and sewage treatment plant. The water being released into the river is cleaner than the water in the river, according to plant Superintendant Mac Richardson.
The Twin Cities' treatment facility is buzzing with activity, and for good reason. "We take in raw sewage and return 11 millions gallons of clean water per day into the Androscoggin River. The water . . . is cleaner than the water flowing in the river," says Mac Richardson, superintendent of the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority.
The plant, located on Lincoln Street in Lewiston, also generates tons of treated nutrient-rich bio-solids, which is made available to farmers for use as soil enrichment. The plant also produces tons of compost, which is sold to commercial enterprises and the public.
A $15 million project is currently under way at the site. An anaerobic digester is being constructed that will harness methane gas produced by the treatment process and convert it to electricity. The power will help run the facility and save an estimated $20,000 a month.
Paula Drouin, lab technician at the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority on Lincoln Street in Lewiston, takes core samples of waste materials in one of the enclosed clarifier tanks.
Report a correction
In order to make comments, you must verify your account.
In order to comment on SunJournal.com, you must use your real name and include the town in which you live in your profile. A member of our staff will call you to verify this information. To join in, fill out your user profile completely and check the box "please verify my status." We'll get back to you within one business day to verify your account.
Login or create an account here.
Our policy prohibits comments that are:
- Defamatory, abusive, obscene, racist, or otherwise hateful
- Excessively foul and/or vulgar
- Inappropriately sexual
- Baseless personal attacks or otherwise threatening
- Contain illegal material, or material that infringes on the rights of others
- Commercial postings attempting to sell a product/item
If you violate this policy, your comment will be removed and your account may be banned.