City’s Wastewater Upgrade Key to Economic Growth and Sustainable Future
A sustainable solution makes Lakeland an even greater place to do business.
The Story
As a forward thinker, the City of Lakeland, Florida, is committed to economic development. City leaders are preparing for growth in their community with smart financial stewardship that includes improving city services and reducing costs to residents and business owners. The city saw an opportunity to innovate and improve its main wastewater treatment facility. Initially, this facility was expensive to operate and underperforming. By partnering with Schneider Electric, the city was able to turn this challenging situation into an economic driver and a sustainable solution. The energy efficiency project reduces the city’s operational expenses and dramatically enhances the wastewater treatment processes, preparing the city for future growth and the expansion of several industries.
Improving the Treatment Process
Prior to the project, the wastewater treatment facility was not operating at peak efficiency and required several critical infrastructure upgrades. Schneider Electric engineered a comprehensive solution that combined new technologies and process enhancements -- such as a combined heat and power system, a gas collection and conditioning system, and upgrades to the sludge mixing, pumping, and conditioning systems -- with a deferred maintenance program. These improvements will reduce the energy consumption by nearly half, enabling the city to optimize its wastewater treatment processes without increasing utility rates or taxes for citizens or businesses.
Creating Economic Development Opportunities
In addition to lower operating costs for the city and stable utility rates for customers, the optimized wastewater treatment facility also creates new commercial opportunities for local businesses. Businesses looking to relocate to the Central Florida area can also benefit. The optimized system eliminates the need for costly waste pretreatment equipment often required by many municipalities. This makes the City of Lakeland more attractive to businesses that produce high-strength waste, such as microbreweries, juicing plants, and bakeries. In addition, the city is now poised and ready to easily expand the system to accommodate future capacity needs. All helping the city compete for these and other industries -- and win.
Reducing Operating Costs
A 41% reduction in energy usage frees up a significant portion of the City of Lakeland’s budget. Over the term of the partnership, the project will generate more than $14 million in savings, funding many elements of the improvement plan. Schneider Electric’s Performance Assurance team will work closely with the City of Lakeland throughout the 20-year partnership to ensure performance goals are met and operations run smoothly.
A Sustainable City
In addition to saving money, this partnership with Schneider Electric showcases Lakeland’s commitment to becoming a more sustainable city. The project significantly reduces the city’s energy consumption and overall environmental impact. It also has a positive impact on life for its citizens, makes the city more attractive to new industries, and helps the bottom line - demonstrating that the City of Lakeland is a shining example of leadership and innovation.