ABB modernizes City of Nashville’s water infrastructure, driving water availability for its growing population
Integrated solution set to increase water capacity, drive operational efficiency and ensure clean, safe and dependable delivery of water to all residents
McLean Technology Group (MTG) has employed ABB to deliver automation, electrification, and instrumentation solutions at Nashville’s Central Wastewater Treatment facility, managed by Metro Water Services (MWS), as it looks to address the needs of a population, expected to increase by 50 percent by 2045.
Serving over 250,000 customers, MWS currently treats approximately 186 million gallons of water per day at its wastewater treatment facilities.
David McLean, President of MTG said: “As Nashville’s population continues to increase and demands on our water supply grow it is important for MWS to ensure the reliability of our water infrastructure as well as put into place systems that will support capacity growth.”
The project will see the implementation of ABB Ability’s 800xA control system at a new headworks, a screening and grit removal facility being built as part of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant Optimization Project. The Central facility, once optimized, will have a maximum hydraulic capacity of 440 million gallons per day and will utilize ultraviolet light to disinfect the treated wastewater, incorporating heavy duty and fine screens to reduce clogging. Works will also include improvements to conveyance piping, upgrades to the aeration system, and additional capture and treatment of odor sources.
ABB’s automation and control system will give operators complete visibility over the plant operation in real time enabling more accurate decision making. In doing so the number of interfaces operators must manage has been reduced, minimizing risk and condensing troubleshooting time during the startup and commissioning process.
Additionally, ABB will provide control system optimization via a second, 800xA control system that will standardize all MWS water and wastewater plant operations. The scope includes an upgrade to all drives, instrumentation, and electrical components within the plant in a bid to drive efficiency, increase productivity and reduce the total cost of ownership via one integrated solution.
Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Energy Industries commented: “The integrated solution crafted for Nashville’s plants will help MWS ensure availability of water now while promising scalability that will be needed to support the city as it continues to grow in the future.”
The Clean Water Nashville Overflow Abatement Program, established in 2011, and led by MWS aims to update and improve wastewater system infrastructure to reduce sewer overflows, reduce health risks associated with exposure to bacteria and contaminants, and improve water quality, ensuring the environmental health of the Cumberland River and its tributaries for future generations.
Work is expected to complete on the two projects by 2023.
ABB’s Process Automation business is a leader in automation, electrification and digitalization for the process and hybrid industries. We serve our customers with a broad portfolio of products, systems, and end-to-end solutions, including our #1 distributed control system, software, and lifecycle services, industry-specific products as well as measurement and analytics, marine and turbocharging offerings. As the global #2 in the market, we build on our deep domain expertise, diverse team and global footprint, and are dedicated to helping our customers increase competitiveness, improve their return on investment and run safe, smart, and sustainable operations.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com