Webster WPCF Construction Update Art Petrone and Rick Kenealy – Webster DPW Bob Wimmer and Roberto Dabbas -- Navitas July 17, 2025
• Project History
WPCF Construction Update
• Preliminary Engineering Report – July 2021 • Project Design Kick Off Meeting – March 2022 • Completion of Design – October 2022 • Preliminary fairlife Conversations – November 2022 • Fairlife selection of Webster – March 2023 • Start of Construction – June 2023 • Completion of fairlife design package 1 – November 2023 • Completion of fairlife design package 2 – May 2024 • Ready for fairlife commitment date – August 30, 2025 • Completion of construction – July 9, 2026
Aerial Tour • Project History – Drone flyover from pre-construction • Drone flyover – June 2025
New Systems in Service Laboratory
Screenings and Grit Removal
Primary Clarifiers and Sludge Pumping
Gravity Thickeners
Primary Anaerobic Digester
Gas Safety System
New Systems Next to be Placed in Service – Aeration Basins
New Systems Next to be Placed in Service – Dewatering and Drying
New Systems Next to be Placed in Service – Dewatering and Drying
• New Equipment/Systems In Service
New Systems in Service
• Administration Building and lab • Underground Electrical Service • Influent Screens • Grit Removal • Primary Clarifiers and Primary Sludge Pumps • New Digester • Digester Boiler and Heat Exchanger • Flare and gas safety system • Gravity Thickeners
• Key activity to prepare for fairlife
WPCF Construction Update
• New Aeration basin constructed • Upgraded electrical service and back up generator commissioned in June • New diffuser (aeration) system commissioned in July • Three aeration basins and new blowers in service by August 31
fairlife activity
•New Aeration basin constructed •Upgraded electrical service and back up generator commissioned •New diffuser (aeration) system commissioned in July •Three aeration basins and new blowers in service by August 31
Ongoing Work
• Dewater and Dryer Building Structure Completed • Equipment Installation over summer and fall • Dryer start up in fall • Existing Digester Rehabilitation • Aeration Blower Installation • Rehabilitation of Aeration Tanks 3 and 4
WPCF Construction
$$! WPCF Biogas Grant Opportunity – Information session
Grant Opportunity
• Inflation Reduction Act • Clean Energy Tax Credit (Section 48) • Investment in equipment that produces energy from alternative sources • Biogas projects specifically included in program
• Section 6417
Inflation Reduction Act and One Big Beautiful Bill
• Allows applicable entities to receive direct payment from Treasury instead of claiming tax credit in form of tax benefit
• One Big Beautiful Bill • Preserves Tax Credits • Extends Production Tax Credit until 2029
Advanced Energy Project Credit
Grant Opportunity Requirements
• Construct and place into commercial operation a biogas to energy conversion system (not in current project scope) • One Time Payment on all design and construction related project costs necessary to implement biogas conversion of 40% of expense. • Payment application submitted the year after construction is completed. • Project must initiate “continuous construction” prior to the end of 2024.
Grant Opportunity High Level Evaluation
Additional Project Scope • Biogas to Energy Conversion System
• Electricity and Heat generation or • Renewable Natural Gas generation
• Additional capital expenditure between $4M and $9M (depending on size and technology) • Annual Operations Cost Reduction between $100,000 and $500,000 • Projected Tax Credit (Grant) = $1.6 to $3.6M (40% of capital)
Grant Opportunity Eligible Scope Items
Eligible project costs (already contracted) • Primary Digester $5.6M • Upgrades to existing digesters and digester building $8.7M • HSOW acceptance facility $4M • Utilities $0.6M • Project Design, Management, Legal, Bonds and Insurance - $7.9M • Total = $26.8M • Projected Tax Credit (Grant) = $10.7M
Grant Opportunity