Old Stinky Is ECUA Environmental Success Story

May 21, 2012

“Old Stinky” is coming down at significant savings to the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, thanks to low-bidding demolition company with an eye for recycling.

The former downtown ECUA Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant, dubbed “Old Stinky”, has emerged as an environmental success story.  The plant was originally designed and constructed in 1937.

Now replaced by the Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment, the former Main Street plant continues its transformation from a community eyesore into an environmental lesson on construction and demolition (C&D) material recovery, a recycling process that achieves lower costs than disposal at a landfill, resulting in significant cost-savings and the elimination of associated environmental impacts.

The 19 acre downtown site  underwent numerous expansions in the 1970s and mid-1990s before it was officially taken off-line in April 2011.

Sustainable reuse of the MSWWTP property includes a defined effort to reduce the environmental impact by reusing and recycling materials recovered during the present demolition process.

Chuck Gray, Cross Environment Services (CES) demolition general manager said, “In just a few short months, the site will be leveled with sod and grass, and will be a welcomed addition to the Pensacola landscape.”

To successfully dismantle the former MSWWTP facility, brick-by-brick, cement block-by-cement block, piece-by-piece of steel and aluminum, CES of Crystal Springs was chosen to skipper the project. The “eco-friendly” contractor was the lowest project bidder, posting a winning bid of $734,617 –considerably less than the projected 3 million dollar demolition price tag.

According to Jeff Hester, CES demolition supervisor, “The lower pricing will be offset by revenue generated from recyclables. Typical recyclable materials such as; aluminum, steel, copper, ductile iron pipe, are currently being sold to buyers locally, domestically, and internationally.”  Hester added, “The boiler was sold to a company in North Carolina, the air tanks went to Seattle, the switch gears found a home in Oklahoma, and the pumps were shipped to Chattanooga, Tennessee.”

Gray added, “The project has come in above average on the amount of salvage we estimated for the job.”

As of May 4, 2012, 545 pieces of material have been recovered, totaling 8,283,455 pounds of recyclables. Items recycled include 8,006,336 pounds of ferrous matrials,  145,119 pounds of aluminum, 1,929 pounds of brass, 55,671 pounds of copper and 277,119 pounds of stainless steel.

Comments

7 Responses to “Old Stinky Is ECUA Environmental Success Story”

  1. Avis on May 23rd, 2012 7:45 pm

    That’s a lot of recycled material. Who knew? I’m curious if the recycled material is worth more now as scrap than it was as new product in 1937.

  2. NB on May 22nd, 2012 11:42 pm

    I live about a quarter mile south of that plant mentioned on 297-A and I guarantee you its not a pleasant odor.

  3. FHG on May 22nd, 2012 2:48 am

    what you smell behind IP IS IP!!! the sewage treatment plant is north & well east of that location, gullible

  4. Tank on May 21st, 2012 3:15 pm

    @Just south of cantonment you smell the sewer treatment plant on 297 behind IP

  5. PSU1Earl on May 21st, 2012 11:00 am

    So, when do we see the savings in our bills?

  6. Just south of Cantonment on May 21st, 2012 10:32 am

    Huh? All I smell along 29 in Cantonment is the IP plant…….

  7. Bama54 on May 21st, 2012 7:59 am

    Yea!! Now we have to put up with the Pensacola Stink in Cantonment. Just ride hwy 29 in the cantonment area and we can smell Pensacola. Good going ECUA, mission accomplished, now what else are you going to do for the North End of the county??? I keep waiting for some business to show up but all we get is a sewer plant!! Mr Walker you promised with in 2 years we see progress after the sewer plant was installed in Cantonment. WeLL???

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News