MBR at heart of new Blaine water reclamation facility

One of the USA’s most advanced water reclamation facilities opened on 6 August 2010 in Blaine, Washington.

The Lighthouse Point Water Reclamation Facility was designed by Brown & Caldwell for the City of Blaine and features a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system provided by Separation Processes Inc of Carlsbad, California.

The MBR plant is enclosed in a contemporary building designed to blend into the city’s Waterfront Park, with most facilities underground. Effluent from the facility will be used for irrigation by commercial customers.

The new 3.1 MGD (11,700 m³/d) plant will allow shellfish harvesting to be restored to the area, which will significantly benefit the city, state and Lummi and Nooksack tribal communities, who claim this as their fishing and shellfish area.

Estimated construction cost including construction management and reclaimed water piping is about $33M.