The Fields Point Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) recently underwent a $65 million facility upgrade. The WWTF will employ the world’s largest integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) treatment process to protect water quality in the region and reduce nitrogen flow to Narragansett Bay.
To reduce nitrogen levels in the Providence River and Narragansett Bay, and to meet Rhode Island Pollution Elimination System effluent permit limits, the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) sought to enhance treatment at the Fields Point WWTF. The Commission selected the IFAS upgrade alternative, stipulating that the wastewater treatment plant operate at peak efficiency and within required treatment limits throughout construction and that building and equipment upgrades must occur within existing site limits and constraints.
After investigating alternative biological nitrogen removal processes, the client and Kleinfelder selected the IFAS process, as it offered the most cost-effective and constructible solution to meet a 5 mg/l seasonal nitrogen removal limit. The project also included constructing a 25,000-square-foot, three-story operations and administration building that meets the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver standard. Kleinfelder’s detailed construction phasing plan included suggestions to minimize operating disruptions and optimize construction schedule while still creating an integrated campus.
Kleinfelder partnered with the NBC, regulators, and contractors to develop a solution that meets regulatory requirements and provides an efficient and modern WWTF to effectively serve the community over the long term, while improving the area’s water quality.
Location:
Providence, Rhode Island
Owner:
Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC)
