Officials at the Department of Public Works in Portsmouth are planning a dedication ceremony for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant that were completed earlier this year and cost $92 million.

The event is happening on Tuesday, July 13, at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

Construction for the wastewater treatment facility began in September of 2016.  The construction was done by Methuen Construction in Plaistow, NH.

According to the company's website, the design flow of the upgraded plant is 6.1 million gallons per day.

Some of the key components of this project are a new filter building with a biologically aerated/anoxic filter using Kruger BioSTYR™ technology; a new headworks building that includes a garage, electrical room, IT room, and control room; and a new solids building, according to Methuen Construction's website.

The design of the facility was led by AECOM in Chelmsford, Mass.

During a tour in July of 2018, AECOM Vice President Jon Pearson said the challenge was to keep the plant running during construction. He said that the facility will require between 10 and 11 employees.

The wastewater treatment facility upgrade is the most expensive project in Portsmouth's history and is expected to last 50 years.

The $92 million project marks a milestone in the city’s history and with $81.9 million in state funding, is the largest in the history of the NH State Revolving Fund loan programs that support drinking water safety, water quality, and public health through low-cost financial assistance, according to a press release.

Why does municipal wastewater matter?

Representatives from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, city officials and people from the project design and construction firms will participate in the dedication.

On their website, EPA officials explain why wastewater is important:

"The collection and treatment of domestic sewage and wastewater is vital to public health and clean water. It is among the most important factors responsible for the general level of good health enjoyed in the United States. Sewers collect sewage and wastewater from homes, businesses, and industries and deliver it to wastewater treatment facilities before it is discharged to water bodies or land, or reused."

Contact Managing News Editor Kimberley Haas at Kimberley.Haas@townsquaremedia.com.

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