Utilizing Natural Engergy from Waste

Methane gas, a byproduct of the treatment process, was initially burned off as waste at the Regional Treatment Plant. In 1992, the gas was successfully utilized as a fuel source for large, engine-driven generators to create electricity.

Today, all of the electricity required to run the treatment plant is produced from a blend of methane and natural gas. Almost 9.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity are produced per year, enough to power 9,900 average homes for a month.

Cogeneration, or "co-gen," also means customer savings. Almost $300,000 a year is saved in deferred electrical purchases.