Wastewater Treatment Plants – SEDAC | Smart Energy Design Assistance Center at The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

The Illinois EPA Office of Energy has teamed up with SEDAC and the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) to help local municipalities reduce the cost of wastewater treatment since 2018. SEDAC and ISTC provide a no-cost energy usage assessments to publicly-owned wastewater treatment plants. Assessment reports break down recommendations for energy efficiency improvements at each facility, including information such as upfront costs for equipment upgrades or retrofits, simple payback periods, and the resulting energy and monetary savings. Similar assessments would ordinarily cost municipalities between $6,000 and $12,000.

Learn more by reading our Wastewater Treatment Plant Assessment Program Brochure.

Workshops and Events

Past workshops

Watch "Energy Efficiency and Wastewater Treatment Plants: Live Q&A with SEDAC Engineers," delivered May 13, 2020.

Watch SEDAC's webinar, "Impact of Energy Efficiency on WWTP Operations and Budgets," delivered April 28, 2020.

SEDAC partnered with the Illinois EPA Office of Energy and the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) to offer workshops for wastewater operators 10/29/2019 in Peoria, IL, 11/5/2019 in Effingham, IL, and 10/26/2018 at the SIU School of Law. Please see the event presentations below:

Rural Community Assistance Program--Technical Assistance & Services- James Meece, Sr. Rural Development Specialist, Great Lakes Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP)
Ameren Illinois Incentives for WWTP - Byron Lloyd, Energy Adviser, Ameren Illinois
Illinois EPA WWTP Energy Efficiency Program - Shawn Maurer, Senior Energy Engineer, SEDAC; Mike Springman, Environmental Engineer, ISTC
City of Fairfield--Energy Assessment and Grant Funding - Mayor Brent Maguire, City of Fairfield
Combined Heat and Power for Wastewater Applications - Graeme Miller, Assistant Director, US DOE Midwest CHP Technical Assistance Partnership
Carbondale Wastewater Treatment Facility - Adam Decker, Plant Superintendent, City of Carbondale
Village of Cambria - Danny Rowatt and Bruce Hagler, Village of Cambria
Advancing Energy Efficiency in Wastewater Treatment - Ben Bolton, Energy Programs Administrator, TN Department of Environment and Conservation
IEPA Wastewater Treatment Plant Energy Assessment Program - Cassie Carroll and Ryan Siegel, Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) and Mike Springman, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC)
Energy Efficiency Programs and Incentives - Byron Llyod, Public Sector Energy Advisor, Ameren Illinois