Sonoma County Wastewater Plan Will Produce Big Energy Savings

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A pilot wastewater recycling plan emerging in a Sonoma County business park near the Charles M. Schulz Airport north of Santa Rosa would use highly treated wastewater pumped from a nearby plant to heat and cool buildings and, eventually, to irrigate landscaping and vineyards, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Sonoma officials estimate savings of 90% on natural gas and 50% on electricity for heating and cooling. The project, estimated to cost $50 million to $70 million at the outset and $200 million when completed, includes sinking new pipes to distribute the water through the 450-acre Airport Business Center by 2010. A refrigeration unit will transfer heat to or from wastewater. A compressor will then convert that heat energy into warm or cold air that can be pushed through about 3-million-sq.-ft. of office space at the business park, replacing the traditional heating and air conditioning systems. The water can also be used to irrigate landscaping, or - with a secondary set of pipes - flush toilets. Sonoma officials will meet with lawmakers in Washington about allocating money for this project and establishing a fund to pay for similar projects across the U.S. Sonoma County has a goal of using renewable energy sources to power the county's entire network of treatment plants and pumps by 2015.

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