For Immediate Release

Contact Information

Zoë Mulholland
Public Relations Manager
zmulholland@cityhall.bm
441-279-5257

Green Initiatives for City’s Wastewater Treatment

Hamilton – November 10^th, 2020

The City of Hamilton has started a number of green initiatives to improve the performance of the Hamilton wastewater network, with a goal to reduce pumping energy expenditures within the system.

The current system is comprised of sixteen large wastewater pumps, the energy costs of which can easily fall within the half a million-dollar range, per annum. An ideal reduction of 15% in energy consumption would result in average savings of approximately seventy-five thousand dollars per year.  As an added benefit, reduction in energy consumption will further reduce maintenance costs and improve asset lifespans, a two-fold savings.

Using a phased approach, the City will seek to reduce the amount of ‘inflow and infiltration’ of both fresh and sea water into the wastewater network. Sources of this water come from rain events, broken or damaged sewage lines, AC condensate discharge lines, inappropriate roof drain connections and other sources. Fresh water and seawater, ideally, are handled by the City street drain system and not the wastewater network – a network that screens the inflow and removes solids before discharging it offshore at great expense.

In order to determine the locations of these problems, specialized camera equipment will be run through every Hamilton wastewater line to video survey for any damages or cracks that could let water penetrate into the system. Additionally, manholes will be sealed with rubberized gaskets and any inappropriate piping will be identified and rectified.

An additional benefit of locating and repairing these issues is the reduction of street level odors which emanate from these ‘loose areas’ and cause concern to the public. To date, The City has surveyed approximately 15% of the City and has performed two major line repairs and is prepared, with specialized fiberglass wastewater ‘sleeving’ equipment, to repair numerous other damaged lines, in situ, in the coming months.

To measure the results, flow-rate data is collected at the front street pump station to compare against historic information which will provide a baseline for the improvements.

Assistant City Engineer, Charles Waters, said of the project, “Reducing pumping expense in the Hamilton network is a ‘clear winner’ with the highest return on investment across most ‘green initiatives’.  It is almost always better to reduce baseline consumption before buying specialized equipment to achieve better efficiencies.”

Phase Two of this program will include a full LED retrofit across the COH enterprise as well as ongoing HVAC efficiency programs and solar installations. As HVAC systems make up roughly 30% of a building’s energy consumption, this is a constant area to focus on.

Working with Bermuda Alternative Energy (BAE), the City is currently in the process of installing solar panels on the roof of the Front Street Pump Station. The project will encompass 110 solar panels and generate approximately 35,000 watts of power for the pump station with an estimated annual electric cost saving of $18,000.00 per annum.

In 2019 the City installed a field of 210 solar panels on its roof at the Works Depot which has generated an approximate $40,000.00 reduction in the annual electric bill for the Depot.

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