- 2 April 2008 -

Award for water reclamation facility

The city of Mankato, Minnesota, in partnership with Calpine Corporation and Black & Veatch, has been awarded the 2007 Project of the Year Award in the environment category from the Minnesota chapter of the American Public Works Association. The award recognises the water reclamation facility (WRF) in Minnesota which produces water for reuse in the generation of electricity by Calpine.

The plant, which cost a reported US$20 million, is owned by Mankato city and was funded by both Calpine and the MPCA. Engineering and construction consultants Black & Veatch provided all planning, design and construction-related services for the facility.

Calpine funded the design and construction of the facility and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency accelerated the city's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit renewal and plan approval so the project could continue.

According to Mankato Public Works Director George Rosati, treating and conveying effluent from the Mankato Wastewater Treatment Plant to the new, Calpine-owned Mankato Energy Centre reduces demands on the local surface and groundwater supplies whilst improving the quality of the reused water that is eventually returned to the river.

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