The ribbon has been cut at the Terrence J. O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant in Skokie, Illinois. The TrojanUVSigna is now online and able to disinfect a peak flow of 535 million gallons of wastewater per day. The plant serves more than 1.3 million people within 143 square miles and was the first among the top 10 largest wastewater plants in the U.S. to implement UV disinfection.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) — of which the Terrence J. O’Brien WRP is part — has made a number of upgrades to its treatment process in recent years. The addition of UV disinfection has been a critical part of these upgrades; it plays a key role in improving water quality throughout the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), and helps to protect the region’s drinking water supply in Lake Michigan.

“Illinois EPA is pleased to see the completion of the disinfection facilities at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, which will reduce a significant source of bacteria to the Chicago Area Waterways, and will greatly reduce risk to area residents recreating on these waters,” says Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett.

A need for innovation
The MWRD Board of Commissioners recognized the need for change in 2011, when new regulations required the facility to add a disinfection process to their wastewater system. With the goal of reclassifying the CAWS to allow primary contact, the commissioners set out to research the most economical and optimal disinfection technology. In October 2013, it was announced that the TrojanUVSigna had been selected by the MWRD for installation at the Terrence J. O’Brien WRP.

Industry-leading technology
The TrojanUVSigna was introduced in 2010. It was the industry's first large-scale wastewater disinfection system to utilize high-powered, high-efficiency amalgam lamps (TrojanUV Solo Lamp Technology) positioned in a staggered, inclined array.

Municipalities around the world are installing the TrojanUVSigna for several reasons. For the MWRD, those reasons included simplified maintenance, demonstrated disinfection performance and UV’s environmental benefits. TrojanUV is proud that its technology is helping to protect and safeguard Chicago’s waterways.

Learn more about TrojanUV systems at www.trojanuv.com.