It’s time to vote in the #ELGLKnope Round of 32! Read about this matchup, and then submit your vote! One vote per email address, please. We’ll tally the votes and will post the next round of matchups on Tuesday!
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Cape Girardeau Wastewater Facility
Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701
- Three words to describe Cape Girardeau Wastewater Facility: Innovative
Sustainable
Enthusiastic - Why are you nominating Cape Girardeau Wastewater Facility: After removing grit, paper and other materials, the sludge remaining from the treatment process is being turned into Class A Biosolids or pellets. Those pellets are made to be used as fertilizer. A local golf course and wheat farmer are using the pellets and we hope to sell them.
Cape’s new Wastewater Facility became operational in December 2014 thanks to voter support. It is the largest one in Southeast Missouri and one of the most advanced in Missouri. The opening of the new facility increased daily flow capacity from 7 million gallons per day (MGD) to 11 MGD, and peak flow from 18 MGD to 50 MGD. - Anything else to share? The facility is home to an amazing team, including the plant’s cat, Bubba. It is managed by Todd Fulton, a man who will drop everything for any civic club, boy scout troop, or individual who wants to tour and learn more about what happens at the plant. He is an enthusiastic educator.
University Area Joint Authority
State College, Pennsylvania 16801
- Three words to describe University Area Joint Authority: Innovative
Conservation
Efficient - Why are you nominating University Area Joint Authority: The University Area Joint Authority, UAJA, is located on the outskirts of the city of State College (the home of Penn State University), in central Pennsylvania. UAJA provides sustainably focused Wastewater Treatment, or Water Recycling services, to 14,000 customers in the Centre Region. In addition to providing wastewater treatment, they operate an award-winning Biosolids Composting facility, provide recycled wastewater for beneficial reuse for a variety of customers, and are in the process of developing a rooftop solar financing program to enable property owners in the municipalities served by UAJA to have solar panels installed economically.
- Anything else to share? Climate change, resilience, and sustainability are a main focus of residents in the service area of UAJA and to reflect the local importance, UAJA has launched a number of initiatives to ensure a greener future locally. Recently, UAJA finished the installation of an array of solar panels to lower their energy consumption during operations. The array is sized to provide a portion of the Facility’s electric usage and qualifies for Net Metering under Pennsylvania regulations. Power produced by the solar array is fed directly into the treatment plant’s electrical systems, displacing grid-based energy. This results in an immediate reduction in the usage and load at the treatment plant. UAJA is also in the process of developing a rooftop solar financing program to enable property owners in the municipalities served by UAJA to have solar panels installed economically. This is a first of its kind program, and through its implementation will help the region meet future environmental goals. UAJA has shown that a water authority can make a regional impact beyond wastewater treatment.