West Yost completed a comprehensive Wastewater Treatment and Biosolids Facilities Master Plan that evaluated every aspect of the District’s wastewater treatment system and included a detailed capital improvement program to address key capacity and condition-related issues through 2035.
The Master Plan is a long-term strategic plan that anticipates nutrient removal requirements, increasing demands for the District’s recycled water (including interest in direct and/or indirect potable reuse options), increasing concerns with the current biosolids management practices, and expanding the District’s existing on-site energy generation potential (including opportunities for co-digestion of food waste).
The Master Plan recommended that the District implement a new key strategy addressing long-term biosolids disposal/reuse options in a step-wise function, thus allowing the District to continue to rely on existing infrastructure while starting the process of diversification. The analysis considered a wide range of biosolids processing.
The Master Plan also included an Energy Management Plan, which quantified the existing energy demands by process area and the amount of energy being generated on-site by three engines – two of which run on biogas generated by the wastewater treatment plant. The Energy Management Plan identified opportunities for energy efficiency and a strategy for achieving Net Zero Energy. The step-wise plan for increasing on-site generation focused first on the most viable strategies related to increased biogas production and identified planning needs, capital improvements, and implementation strategies for each step.
Team Spotlight
Kathryn Gies, PE, ENV SP
Regulatory and Planning Practice Area Leader, Engineering Manager II
Kathryn Gies, PE, ENV SP
Regulatory and Planning Practice Area Leader, Engineering Manager II
“As a facilities planner, I help guide our clients through process of evaluating treatment alternatives and selecting the solutions that provide the most sustainable approach for their community. Helping communities select and implement effective solutions for achieving environmental protection and water reuse is so rewarding.
What I’m most proud of are the long term relationships I have with clients. I have been working with a large percentage of the clients that I work with today since I started at West Yost over 20 years ago. These long-term relationships not only make me feel like a valuable member of their team, but I also feel like a real member of their community.”
Greg Chung, PE
Operations Director, Vice President
Greg Chung, PE
Operations Director, Vice President
“I get excited by the discovery and challenge of engineering and the inspiration and energy I get from working alongside very smart and dedicated people.
I am proud that our team was able to help the City of Jackson improve their wastewater treatment plant on a very limited budget. The City had very limited funds and a lot to improve at the treatment plant and I was proud that our team was able to work through the many technical challenges and deliver a successful project.”
Thomas Hendrey, PE
Principal Engineer II
Thomas Hendrey, PE
Principal Engineer II
“I enjoy applying science to solving problems. I am happy and prefer performing “nuts and bolts” engineering tasks all day long more than the project management end of things. I spent 20 years in the petroleum industry and when it crashed, I needed to pivot. A friend who worked in the water industry enlightened me that water is an excellent, timeless industry because it is everywhere. And I’ve learned for interesting water work you don’t need a giant firm. There are firms like West Yost which provide paths to success and provide a really nice atmosphere.
I am very proud of the work I have done over the years for Dublin San Ramon, we managed to keep a good client for a long time by giving them excellent solutions in various projects over the year including a master plan, cogeneration and digester gas, and primary clarifiers projects. A client that gives you more work because they are happy with what we have done.”