Nutrient Recovery and Management 2011

January 9 – 12, 2011
Hilton Miami Downtown
Miami, Florida

Technical Program

Final onsite program (PDF)

This year’s Nutrient conference brought together environmental professionals from around the world to discuss and debate the current state of the art for nutrient recovery. It examined research, design and operational issues and also provided a forum for the discussion of policy and management approaches to nutrient control. This conference provided valuable information for researchers, regulators, designers, technology developers, municipal agencies, industrial dischargers, and others seeking to understand the full picture of the latest developments and practical experiences on this important topic.

Conference Workshops, Tours, and Ticketed Breakfast Sessions
This year in Miami, we were very pleased to host three pre-conference workshops, two tours, and two ticketed breakfast sessions.

 

Workshop A: Backstage with (Bio)Film's Biggest Stars: Carbon Footprint, O&M Costs, and Nutrient Removal Reliability
Sunday, January 9, 2011 | 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Unit processes that utilize biofilm technologies are a key component of nutrient removal strategies, yet they are not as well understood as suspended growth processes. The main objective of this workshop will encompass true hands-on knowledge and experience with newer biofilm technologies such as IFAS, MBBR and denitrification filters. The workshop will cover physical structure and development of biofilms on MBBRs and IFAS; relative difference in aeration demands for IFAS technologies as compared with conventional technologies; understanding of nutrient removal capabilities and limitation of various biofilm technologies; gain exposure to more cutting-edge applications of biofilms for nutrient removal; and understand energy demands and carbon footprint associated with biofilm technologies.

Workshop B: A Balancing Act between Future Nutrient Regulations, Process Performance, and Reliability and Sustainability
Sunday, January 9, 2011 | 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Proposed nutrient regulations across the country, especially in Florida are challenging engineers and operators to find ways to reduce effluent from wastewater treatment plants to ultra low nitrogen and phosphorus levels.  These proposed regulations, often derived from complex scientific analyses commonly unknown to engineers, will change the way the industry does conventional enhanced nutrient removal; adding complexity and cost to an already difficult issue. This workshop will entail ABC on the development of nutrient criteria for engineers and operators; Florida’s proposed numeric nutrient criteria; perspective of nutrient requirements across the country; limits of technology from conventional ENR facilities; reliability and O&M costs ultra low N and P technologies; natural system performance on N and P removal; and ultra low nutrient requirements and sustainability.

Workshop C: Utility Workshop: Process Control and Sustainable Practices in Established Nutrient Removal Facilities
Sunday, January 9, 2011 | 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

As nutrient water quality standards are developed and implemented, wastewater utilities will be forced to rethink existing process, select new technologies and operate them with increasing reliability.  Nutrient removal is resource intensive and sustainability issues should be addressed from the start.  Presented by and designed for utility operators, this workshop offers a candid exchange of practical operational knowledge and experience in nutrient removal.  Topics relating to process control strategy and procedure will focus on conventional nitrogen removal; denitrification filters; biological phosphorus removal; chemical phosphorus removal; and combined systems.  Topics relating to sustainable practices will include energy efficiency and recovery; nutrient recovery and reuse; and chemical optimization.

Tour A: South Florida Water Management District’s Stormwater Treatment Areas
Monday, January 10, 2011 | 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

The fragile natural systems of southwest Florida are suffering due to modern stresses. To protect and restore these ecosystems, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is working to remove excess nutrients and other pollutants, or prevent them from entering natural systems.  Join this tour to visit SFWMD’s cutting-edge Stormwater Treatment Areas (STA) which include the largest constructed wetland in the world.  A unique opportunity to see the frontline of the restoration effort! 

Tour B: Miami-Dade County’s South District Wastewater Treatment Plant
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 | 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Visit this 70 to 140 GPM tertiary treatment pilot plant which is designed to produce water suitable for potentially rehydrating the surrounding Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands with water meeting extremely low nutrient limits.  The tour will also stop onsite at the ongoing construction site of a 285 MGD addition of deep bed sand filters that could potentially be used and denitrification filters.  

Breakfast Session A: South Florida's National Parks and Preserves: American Treasures
Wednesday, January 12, 2011 | 7:15am - 8:15am

Everglades and Biscayne National parks, together with other national parks and preserves, protect more than 2.4 million acres of habitat, including vast freshwater marshes, coastal wetlands, estuaries, and coral reefs. The parks also contribute cultural values, recreation, and water supply to millions of residents and visitors of South Florida.  The presentation will feature insightful perspectives on these unique subtropical resources, human and natural threats they face, and the challenges of protecting and restoring them.

Breakfast Session B: Everglades Restoration
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 | 7:15am - 8:15am

Restoration of the Greater Everglades, from the northern stretch of the Kissimmee Basin to the southern reaches of Florida Bay, is recognized as the world's largest such project.  This session snapshots collaborative restoration efforts being undertaken to balance many regional needs such as enhancing natural areas and habitat function, increasing water storage, and improving water quality.