CATEGORY: Waste and Storm Water

ENTERING FIRM: Baxter & Woodman, Inc.

OTHER CONSULTANTS: Boller Construction Co., Inc., Jacobs

OWNER: Village of Carol Stream

DESCRIPTION: Baxter & Woodman, Inc. served as the prime design and construction engineering consultant for improvements to the Village of Carol Stream’s sludge dewatering system. The Dewatering System Improvements for the Village of Carol Stream’s Water Reclamation Center (WRC) began in 2017 as a design-build proposal to replace the belt filter presses (BFPs). The proposal cost identified the need for a study to confirm the most cost effective technology, taking capital costs, maintenance, energy, and operational needs into consideration. Belt filter presses and centrifuges have well-established track records when it comes to the process of dewatering biosolids at wastewater treatment plants. Although screw presses have been commonly utilized in the pulp and paper mill industry, they have recently gained popularity for biosolids dewatering by combining the advantages of both BFPs and centrifuges. In 2019, a final report reviewed these three technologies, with screw presses chosen for the WRC.

This project represented a departure for the Village from its traditional dewatering technology of the BFP, as it transitioned from equipment that had used for approximately 20 years. Baxter & Woodman took a forward-thinking approach by incorporating screw presses into the design, showcasing an openness to adopting innovative technology.