Report on the Modernization of Rehoboth’s Wastewater Treatment Facility and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Project Overview and Strategic Milestones

The City of Rehoboth has achieved a significant milestone in its 10-year capital improvement project to overhaul its wastewater treatment system. The completion of Phase 3, marked by the operational launch of a new dewatering facility, represents a substantial advancement in the city’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure and environmental stewardship. This initiative directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on clean water, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable communities.

Phase 3 Completion: Technological and Environmental Advancements

The core of the recently completed phase is a new belt filter press that fundamentally improves the solids handling process. This upgrade enhances operational efficiency and provides significant environmental benefits, aligning with global sustainability targets.

• Old System: Produced a liquid sludge that was only 2% solid material, requiring extensive handling and transport.
• New System: Generates a denser byproduct, referred to as “cake,” which contains approximately 20% solid material.

The liquid effluent separated during this process undergoes further treatment to ensure it meets stringent environmental quality standards before discharge. This commitment to water quality is a cornerstone of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The wastewater treatment overhaul is a clear example of local action contributing to global goals. The project’s design and outcomes are strongly aligned with the following SDGs:

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: By modernizing its treatment capabilities, the city improves the quality of treated wastewater, directly contributing to Target 6.3, which aims to improve water quality by reducing pollution and halving the proportion of untreated wastewater.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The project involves a significant upgrade to critical public infrastructure, replacing outdated systems with efficient, environmentally sound technology. This supports Target 9.4, which calls for upgrading infrastructure to make it sustainable and resource-efficient.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The improved waste management process reduces the environmental impact of the city. Producing a denser, more compact solid byproduct decreases the number of trucks required for disposal, lowering transportation costs, fuel consumption, and associated emissions, which aligns with Target 11.6 on reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities.
4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The new dewatering process demonstrates more efficient resource use and environmentally sound waste management, a key principle of Target 12.4.

Future Phases and Financial Commitment

With Phase 3 concluded, the city is proceeding with Phase 4, continuing its long-term investment in sustainable infrastructure. Bidding for this next stage is in progress, with construction anticipated to commence in the fall.

Scope of Phase 4

• Installation of new, modernized plant controls.
• Replacement of chemical feed systems.
• Upgrades to sludge, scum, and water pumps.
• Modernization of HVAC systems and flow control equipment.
• Renovation of the dewatering building and three large storage tanks.

A budget of approximately $14 million has been allocated from the city’s capital improvements budget over three fiscal years to fund Phase 4. This ongoing financial commitment underscores the city’s dedication to ensuring its infrastructure remains compliant with environmental regulations, meets the demands of a growing community, and advances its operational sustainability in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The article’s primary focus is on the modernization of a wastewater treatment system to improve sanitation and water quality.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The text details a multi-phase infrastructure project aimed at upgrading and modernizing a critical public utility.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The project is an urban initiative to improve municipal waste management and enhance the sustainability of the City of Rehoboth.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water – By improving wastewater treatment, the project helps reduce land-based pollution that could affect marine ecosystems.

Specific Targets Identified

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
  
  Explanation: The article describes the “long-term effort to modernize its wastewater treatment system” and how the new dewatering facility “significantly improves the efficiency of the treatment process.” This directly contributes to improving water quality by more effectively treating wastewater before discharge.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being.
  
  Explanation: The article highlights the “multi-phase wastewater treatment upgrade project” designed to “ensure the city’s infrastructure keeps pace with environmental regulations and growing service demands, while improving operational sustainability for the future.”
• Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and processes.
  
  Explanation: The installation of the “new dewatering facility” and the “newly installed belt filter press” represents an upgrade to a more efficient and environmentally sound technology compared to the previous system.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
  
  Explanation: The project improves municipal waste management by transforming watery sludge into a denser “cake,” which “can be disposed of in landfills, reducing transportation needs and associated costs.” This reduces the environmental footprint associated with waste disposal.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Target 14.1: By 2030, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including… nutrient pollution.
  
  Explanation: The article states that the liquid separated during the process “undergoes further treatment, ensuring compliance with environmental standards.” This enhanced treatment of wastewater from a coastal city directly reduces the potential for land-based pollutants to enter marine environments.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

For Target 6.3

• Indicator: The proportion of safely treated wastewater, measured by the solid content of the byproduct.
  
  Explanation: The article provides a specific metric for the improvement in treatment efficiency. The old system produced sludge with “2% solid material,” while the new system produces a “cake” that is “about 20% solid.” This ten-fold increase in solid content is a direct indicator of more effective water removal and treatment.

For Target 9.1 & 9.4

• Indicator: Investment in sustainable infrastructure.
  
  Explanation: The article mentions that the city has “earmarked approximately $14 million over three fiscal years in its capital improvements budget to fund Phase 4.” This financial commitment is a clear indicator of progress in upgrading infrastructure.

For Target 11.6

• Indicator: Efficiency of municipal solid waste management.
  
  Explanation: The article implies a reduction in the volume and weight of waste byproduct that needs to be transported. The new process creates a denser cake, “reducing transportation needs and associated costs,” which serves as an indicator of more efficient waste management.

For Target 14.1

• Indicator: Level of compliance with wastewater discharge regulations.
  
  Explanation: The article explicitly states that the project’s goal is to ensure the city’s infrastructure “keeps pace with environmental regulations” and that the treatment process ensures “compliance with environmental standards.” Meeting these standards is a direct indicator of reducing land-based pollution.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: delawarelive.com