February 02, 2010

New Wastewater Treatment Process Helps Village of Greenport Reduce Pollution and Cut Energy Costs

NYSERDA–Funded Technology Will Cut Village’s Annual Electric Costs by $110,000

Albany, Feb. 2, 2010– Work began today on upgrades to the Village of Greenport’s wastewater treatment plant that will use an innovative technology to reduce nitrogen pollution to Long Island Sound, significantly reduce its energy usage, and cut its annual energy costs by $110,000. The Village received $200,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to pilot test the technology and monitor its performance.

“I applaud the Village of Greenport for its leadership in adopting a technology that could help local governments and businesses across New York save money while improving the environment,” said Francis J. Murray, president and CEO of NYSERDA. “NYSERDA is proud to be part of this federal, state and local partnership working to address difficult challenges in ways that will create jobs and help build the clean energy economy envisioned by Governor David Paterson.”

In addition to the NYSERDA funding, the $7.7 million Greenport project also is receiving $4 million in federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), $1.4 million in grants from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and $400,000 in funding from the Department of Housing and Community Renewal.

A similar system was pilot tested at Newsday’s Melville facility in 2004 with $125,000 in funding from NYSERDA. The system was subsequently installed at full–scale by Newsday, reducing the annual energy costs associated with wastewater treatment by as much as 30 percent or $60,000.

During the past three years, NYSERDA has provided 175 communities and businesses across the state with more than $6 million for water treatment projects that will cut energy costs and improve treatment and purification processes. This includes an on–going product development project in Hauppauge to develop a wastewater sludge conditioning technology.

The NYSERDA program funding used in Greenport has been used in similarly environmentally sensitive areas where there are limited options to expand operating space, such as the Catskill and Adirondack Parks and the New York City watershed regions, as well as other areas on the Long Island coast.

Cameron Engineering & Associates, LLP, Woodbury, provided engineering services for both the Greenport and Melville pilot studies.

Contact:

Jeffrey Gordon, NYSERDA
518–862–1090 ext. 3544
jrg@nyserda.ny.gov