Reprint Courtesy of the Arlington Star-Telegram

Landfill gas will fuel wastewater plant

Arlington, Texas — January 8, 2003
NATHANIEL JONES
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Methane gas once burned and released into the air from the city's landfill will be piped to Fort Worth and be used to help power a wastewater treatment plant. City officials have agreed to allow Renovar Energy Corp. of Midland to capture methane gas from the city's landfill north of the Trinity River and send it through a 4-mile underground pipe to the Village Creek Wastewater Treatment plant. In return, Arlington got a new $3 million gas well system, which is more environmentally efficient than the city's past practice of burning the gas into open air. Renovar will maintain the well system, a cost savings to the city of about $70,000 a year, city officials said. "Renovar has assumed the immediate and long term-financial responsibility of the project at no risk to the city," said Trey Yelverton, the city's Neighborhood Services director. "This is a benefit to Arlington citizens both financially and environmentally."

Methane is a colorless gas that is a byproduct of the decomposition of organic solids and is produced by cows, landfills and the solid waste treated at sewage plants. Arlington's new system captures the gas, cleanses it and pipes it to the wastewater plant. City officials began using the gas wells Dec. 22. Renovar sells the gas to wastewater treatment plants at a low cost. Previously, methane gas was burned and released into the air.

The new system is not expected to have a negative effect on River Legacy Parks.
This is a model project for conservation, said Phyllis Snyder, River Legacy Foundation executive director. "The city is able to make use of the gas with minimum disturbance to the habitat at River Legacy," Snider said. "We'll just continue to monitor the areas near the pipeline."

This month, the Environmental Protection Agency selected Arlington's agreement with Village Creek "Landfill Methane Outreach Program of the Year for 2003" because the city's project crosses two city boundaries. Plant Assistant Director Robert McMillon said 75 percent of the plant's power comes from using methane gas, but he hopes it will be at 100 percent within two years. He also said that the wastewater facility has a 20-year agreement to purchase the gas from the Arlington landfill. "The money we save on operating the plant means we can pass it on to homeowners," he said.

Nathaniel Jones, (817) 548-5414 njones@star-telegram.com

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Copyright 2003 Star-Telegram, Inc.

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