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Nitrogen Removal for New York

October 9, 2009

A 52,000 gallon methanol supply system has been commissioned at the first of five Water Polution Control Plants (WPCP) around New York City as part of a nitrogen reduction programme to improve water quality.

The EPA-funded ‘Long Island Sound Study’ identified excessive nitrogen as the major cause of hypoxia, a low dissolved oxygen condition in western Long Island Sound and portions of Jamaica Bay. A phased approach to limit nitrogen commenced in 1990, with a freeze on nitrogen discharges into Long Island Sound. Phase II started in 1994 with low-cost nitrogen removal technologies at select WPCPs. Wards Island WPCP has become the first Phase III site, requiring a supplemental methanol carbon source to meet nitrogen reduction targets.

Working together with the NYCDEP, Metcalf and Eddy (NY), and Methanex (Vancouver, BC), NORAM designed and supplied the equipment to store and distribute the methanol to various treatment tank locations. As of October 2, 2009 the Carbon Supply System at Wards Island had completed commissioning, and had received final Fire Department of New York (FDNY) approval to begin operations.

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