EPA Sustainability Policy

“Drinking water and wastewater systems should use robust and comprehensive planning processes to pursue water infrastructure investments that are cost-effective over their life cycle, are resource efficient, and are consistent with community sustainability goals. Systems should also employ effective utility management practices, including consideration of alternatives such as natural or “green” systems and potential climate change impacts, to build and maintain the technical, financial, and managerial capacity necessary to ensure long-term sustainability.”*

*Excerpt from EPA Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy, 2010.

Sustainable BiO₂ Solution™ - Why Now?

Municipalities nationwide are applying for funding to meet increasing state and federal water discharge standards for wastewater treatment and many of these municipalities are already out of compliance. Upcoming changes to NPDES regulations, particularly total nitrogen and phosphorus discharge, will necessitate upgrades to current lagoon systems. State and federal funding mechanisms for wastewater infrastructure are overwhelmed. Now is the critical time for communities “to develop more environmentally responsible, appropriate wastewater treatment technologies whose performance is balanced by environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.”

Economic Value

In 2008, a natural augmented lagoon wastewater treatment process called The BiO₂ Solution™ was installed at a Colorado Research Project. When the competitively bid municipal project was tabulated, The BiO₂ Solution™ CAPEX was 71% less than the next least expensive proposal. More importantly, it has proven to have cut the Colorado Research Project's wastewater treatment facility power consumption by more than 54% while meeting federal and state discharge requirements.

Both the lower cost of the system as well as significant energy savings represent three very clear economic opportunities for any state:

1. More communities can achieve compliance with available funding, and likely without increasing fees or bonding.
2. Decreased electrical load on the cities' largest consumer of power presents cost savings to the municipality, the consumer, and ultimately, to the power supplier.
3. The BiO₂ Solution™ is a clear method for compliance with State Green House Gas (GHG) and renewable initiatives.

Implementation of the The BiO₂ Solution™ could provide a very clear opportunity to take a leadership role in sustainable community stewardship.

Societal Value

The sustainability of a town is significantly improved with the use of the biological BiO₂ Solution™ wastewater treatment system because it is less dependent upon the grid for its electrical needs, freeing funds for the growing needs of the community. The BiO₂ Solution™ wastewater plant requires less maintenance, less man power, and less overall expense. The BiO₂ Solution™ is simply optimizing the conditions for nature so the lagoon’s microbial community can survive and flourish to breakdown waste and stabilize wastewater.

Environmental Value

The BiO₂ Solution™ will meet or exceed state and federal regulations; hence, the quality of effluent created by The BiO₂ Solution™ will improve water quality for the downstream user. The carbon footprint for The BiO₂ Solution™ wastewater treatment plant is significantly smaller than that of a mechanical alternative due to both decreased electrical consumption and to the carbon dioxide (CO₂) uptake by microalgae.