St. Cloud Wastewater Treatment Facility Earns Environmental Award

(KNSI) — St. Cloud is one of three communities honored for using renewable energy at its wastewater treatment facility.

The city received the Blazing Star Award from Conservation Minnesota. Public Services Director Tracy Hodel talked about what the wastewater facility is doing to get recognized. “You essentially take used wastewater and convert it to power, which is pretty unique and exciting. We also have four separate solar arrays on site and with the renewable energy that we produce we use that to clean the wastewater and generate fertilizer byproducts.”

It’s the first time the city has been given the award, which honors the years of taking steps toward generating renewable energy. Hodel says producing green power helps the city’s bottom line. “This really adds a lot of resiliency to being able to generate our own clean power and reduces the city’s carbon dioxide emissions to provide those services. It’s able to reduce and stabilize our user fees because we can control those costs.”

According to Conservation Minnesota, St. Cloud reduced electric consumption at the facility by 98%. Blazing Star Awards go to local government projects that advance conservation, climate, or the environment.

A recognition ceremony will be held during Monday’s city council meeting.

Dakota County and Eden Prairie also earned an award.

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