Fort Worth’s Village Creek Water Reclamation Facility has been honored by the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF).
The agency this week recognized the facility with its Award for Excellence in Innovation for implementing a series of sustainable facility upgrades.
In its fifth year, the WERF Award for Excellence in Innovation acknowledges organizations that have made improvements to wastewater and stormwater collection, storage or treatment operations, facilities, or processes by applying WERF research. The award was presented on Tuesday in Chicago during a celebration of WERF’s subscribers.
To improve energy efficiency, enhance energy reduction and achieve energy independence, officials with the Village Creek facility executed a $35 million energy savings performance contract with Johnson Controls Inc.
“This project has significantly benefited [the facility’s] goal of energy neutrality through improving electrical facilities, converting some processes to alternative energy sources and improving methane gas production,” read part of a city news release.
Johnson has guaranteed the city that the project will pay for itself in no more than 12.5 years, according to the news release. To date, the project has reduced electrical consumption by an additional 39 percent, allowing Village Creek to meet up to 75 percent of its energy demand.
The reduced electrical consumption has also lowered the facility’s carbon footprint by nearly 58,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The Johnson energy savings performance contract allowed the facility to upgrade many systems while reducing its electrical cost by about $2.5 million annually.
A team of WERF volunteers chose the recipients from several qualified organizations. Additional information about the award can be found at www.werf.org.