cq9�ټ���

The City of Wilmington, Delaware, is home to approximately 70,851 residents, making it the most populated city in the state. The Wilmington water and wastewater facilities provide water treatment to both the city and much of the northern Delaware region, including approximately 400,000 residents in northern New Castle County. With a high population comes the necessity for safe, quality water. In 2020, the city selected cq9�ټ��� for a 20-year contract to operate and manage its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), combined sewer overflow facilities and its Renewable Energy Biosolids Facility (REBF).

The Wilmington WWTP processes 168 million gallons of wastewater per day. The city received a $36-million Clean Water State Revolving Fund to construct the renewable energy and biosolids facility, which disposes of 7,000 wet tons of Class-A biosolids that are sent as fertilizer to crop fields in Pennsylvania, Delaware and local golf courses.

Biosolids management

The facility uses a dryer to make Class A biosolids, evaporating water to take biosolids from 22% to 90% total dryness. This massive reduction in water decreases the number of tons being disposed from 41,000 per year down to 10,000, also greatly reducing the number of biosolid trucks from 1860 down to 460. This sustainable action is one way Wilmington reduces GHG emissions.

Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)

The LCRR represents major changes in drinking water regulations impacting all nationwide public water systems. After the LCRR’s promulgation, cq9�ټ��� proactively engaged the city to navigate the complexities of the regulatory framework and identify the best compliance strategy specific to them. Our local teams successfully leveraged existing project delivery relationships to propose a drinking water-focused additional engineering services program for LCRR compliance that provides integrated solutions for the city.

Technology

When proposing to assume operations and maintenance of the Wilmington facility, cq9�ټ��� recommended updating the collections system by putting eyes on the system via Aqua DNA technology. With Aqua DNA, the city can see the collection system flows and levels at any given time. Our team has installed underground battery-operated, remote data collection radios across the city, allowing the entire collections system to communicate through AI to a master dashboard, ultimately increasing accuracy and efficiency with the hope to prevent sewer overflows into the river.

Community

cq9�ټ��� is heavily involved with the community in which we serve. The team participates in multiple events, including an annual food drive to help stock the local Wilmington food bank; the mayor’s toy drive during the holidays; a back-to-school drive for a local homeless shelter; park cleanups multiple times per year and instruction for a wastewater apprenticeship program in cooperation with the Delaware Rural Water Association at William Penn High School. The team also steps up during major events that affect the entire community such as assisting with flood recovery efforts. 

Achievements

The facility receives National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Peak Performance Awards annually. In 2024, the team achieved NACWA Gold, which is presented to facilities that achieve a year of perfect compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits.