Bristol receives $1.5M grant for wastewater treatment plant upgrades

The city of Bristol and BVU Authority have received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) as part of upgrades to the Bristol Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. Provided through the American Rescue Plan, the grant will help install a state-of-the-art centrifuge system to separate water and biosolids from wastewater as it flows through the plant, replacing a belt press system installed in the 1980s. These upgrades will enhance the plants efficiency and help serve future economic growth in the area. Earlier this year, a $2.97 million project to upgrade the headworks grit removal system within the plant got underway. Once that work has been completed, the new centrifuge system will be installed. The projects are part of a robust capital improvement plan that the city and BVU Authority maintain in order to complete improvements and upgrades to the plant. Within the past five years, nearly $4 million has been invested in capital improvements, including upgrades to the aeration system, replacement of final clarifier mechanical components, replacement of pumps, and other equipment replacement and upgrades. The $2.57 million aeration system improvement project completed in 2018 was partially funded with an earlier announced EDA grant.