Sludge Watch ==> Barstow Calif Considers MicroMedia Membrane Technology

[Maureen Reilly]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/contract_866___article.html/micromedia_million.html




City may consider new technology for wastewater plant


   MicroMedia’s short history could present problem


By JASON SMITH <mailto:jason_smith at link.freedom.com>
BARSTOW — The City Council will hear a presentation July 5 from a new firm 
competing to earn the city’s multi-million dollar wastewater facility 
upgrade and may consider canceling its existing contract and forgoing nearly 
$1 million already spent.

Despite that potential loss, MicroMedia Filtration, Inc. claims the city 
could save money by using their company rather than HDR Consulting, Inc., 
the current contractor. However, the young company’s lack of a track record 
with the proposed new technology, which the firm claims uses a simpler 
process, could be an obstacle.

“I will consider anything that best fits our community that reduces costs 
and saves the people money,” said Mayor Lawrence Dale. “What I’m looking for 
is a full-blown, all-encompassing presentation from MicroMedia to make a 
good decision.” He said he has not yet decided to motion to cancel the 
existing contract — although he attempted to make such a motion at a recent 
council meeting — but seeks new information from MicroMedia.

“We offer a simpler process and could save the city $900,000 to $1 million a 
year and $5 to $10 million up front,” said MicroMedia CEO Sam Luxenburg. The 
company’s design uses less electricity and fewer workers and would 
incinerate the sewage sludge produced instead of having to pay to dispose of 
it, he said.

Not everyone is happy about the possible contractor change due to the time 
and money already spent.

“Assuming that the council would terminate the HDR contract, I believe that 
would be a foolish decision,” said council member Joe Gomez. He said that 
the contract would not automatically be awarded to MicroMedia and that 
another bidding process would have to take place.

The city is already under contract with engineering firm HDR Consulting and 
has spent “well over $1 million dollars” on design and engineering costs, 
which could not be recouped if the contract is canceled, according to an 
e-mail from City Manager Hector Rodriguez.

Gomez has said he is skeptical of MicroMedia’s relatively new process and 
short history. The company is four years old and only has one 
wastewater-treatment facility operating in Gold’s village, a small community 
in Northern California, Luxenburg said. The company is pursuing a contract 
with Adelanto, he said.

HDR’s plant designs use a water-filtering technique called membrane 
filtration, essentially a fine screen, to clean pollutants from wastewater. 
HDR lists more than 40 successfully implemented facilities on its Web site, 
and Luxenburg himself said HDR’s technology is well-established, though 
expensive.

MicroMedia’s technology uses a sand-filtering system with a coagulant that 
bonds to waste particles. This design would result in quicker construction, 
lower operational costs once the facility is online and an overall cheaper 
contract price of $15 million, Luxenburg said. HDR projected the entire 
upgrade to cost $21 million, according to Rodriguez.