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Williston dedicates new wastewater plant

Submitted Photo Williston’s new Water Resource Recovery Facility can treat the wastewater flow for a population of 60,000 people.

WILLISTON – The City of Williston held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Water Resource Recovery Facility on Aug. 31. The ceremony marked the official grand opening of the $105 million facility.

The expansive plant was built to replace the former lagoon system that struggled to keep up with newer demands. Williston’s population has increased dramatically, rising from 14,716 in 2010 to 27,763 in 2015. The 2017 population is estimated at 30,000 people.

“The current system is designed to treat the wastewater flow of 60,000 people, with expansion capabilities of up to 120,000 in the future,” said Jason Benson AE2S project manager.

Construction on the plant began in 2014. The three-year project features a mechanical treatment process that is much more advanced than the previous aerated lagoon system. The city, which utilized three lagoons, will decommission and return them to their previous condition in the future.

“The Williston WRRF is one of only a few facilities in North Dakota to employ biological nutrient removal and the first municipal facility in North Dakota to achieve “Class A” level of biosolids treatment,” Benson said.

The technical process, simply described as liquid composting, produces a Class A biosolid or cake, which is nutrient rich and potentially valuable.

While the plant became fully operational earlier this summer, the ribbon cutting ceremony signified the the official completion of the project.

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