CAN DO’s wastewater treatment plant in Humboldt Industrial Park is one of the first plants in the region to start using biological nutrient removal technology.

Contractors recently finished a planned $6.2 million expansion project that also took the capacity of the Humboldt plant from 500,000 gallons per day to 1 million gallons per day.

CAN DO installed new technology that ensures the plant’s discharge complies with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s future Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) Program requirements. This means the discharged water has reduced nitrogen and phosphorous levels, protecting aquatic life in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

“We are very proud that CAN DO operates one of the very first wastewater treatment plants in the region that meets these strict new requirements,” said CAN DO Director of Operations Phil Wegener. “This is a big step in terms of protecting the environment.”

CAN DO received a $3.3 million grant and a $3 million low-interest loan from PennVEST to complete the two-year project.

“Our Humboldt Industrial Park continues to expand and our Marketing Department continues to attract new companies, particularly in the food service sector. That sector has different requirements in terms of water and sewer capacity, so this expansion project positions CAN DO to better market the Humboldt park and still meet tough environmental standards,” said CAN DO President Kevin O’Donnell. “This project was a total team effort – from design through grant applications through construction through operations.”