Innovative Co-Digestion Integration at Victor Valley WRA

Innovative Co-Digestion Integration at Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority

Co-digestion has the potential to make wastewater treatment plants energy-neutral, but only when proper pre-treatment equipment is in place can you ensure a smooth operation.

At the forefront of modern waste management, Anaergia is a global leader in resource recovery technologies, transforming how communities address post-consumer food waste and meet renewable energy demands. With a vision rooted in innovation and sustainability, Anaergia has played a pivotal role in shaping the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority’s (VVWRA) journey toward operational excellence. Their partnership, initiated over a decade ago, has been instrumental in developing and deploying advanced solutions to meet California’s ambitious environmental goals.

Through their deep expertise and collaborative approach, Anaergia has guided VVWRA when it adopted state-of-the-art solutions —most notably the Organics Polishing System (OPS)—to tackle the complexities of food waste integration. By leveraging Anaergia’s technological expertise, VVWRA has set new benchmarks for efficiency, environmental stewardship, and market adaptability in Southern California.

Challenge of Integrating Post-Consumer Food Waste

Integrating post-consumer food waste recycling solutions has challenges, especially with inconsistent quality from the collection services, leading to equipment failures and operational difficulties. To address these issues, VVWRA and Anaergia sought and secured grants from CalRecycle to install Anaergia’s innovative Organics Polishing System (OPS). Functioning as a mini-headworks for post-consumer food waste, the OPS efficiently removes trash and grit from the organic waste before it is fed into the anaerobic digestion process. Since its installation, the system has yielded remarkable results: each day, more than four yards of trash and grit are removed, leading to improved equipment longevity, smoother operations, and enhanced biogas production.

Operational Reliability and Maintenance Benefits

The Anaergia’s OPS has not only resolved technical challenges but has also expanded VVWRA’s capacity, enabling it to accept greater volumes of feedstock. According to Alex Nelson, Feedstock Logistics and OMT Lead at VVWRA, the plant now receives and unloads between 100 to 110 trucks per week, and the unloading times have dropped to under 25 minutes per truck since the deployment of the OPS – a significant improvement that enables the facility to accept more waste materials daily.

Before the OPS was installed, debris regularly clogged grit boxes, causing costly wear and frequent system bypasses, while buffer tanks needed cleaning every three months. The OPS eliminated these issues: since November 2024, when it became operational, tanks have not required cleaning, and the system—now handling food waste which arrives at the facility containing grit and plastic contaminants — has proven remarkably reliable, requiring minimal maintenance and virtually no downtime.

Setting a New Standard in Wastewater Treatment Facilities that Produce Biogas

The experience of VVWRA demonstrates the transformative potential of advanced technology in sustainable wastewater management. By integrating food waste with municipal waste streams and leveraging innovative solutions like the OPS, the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority has set a new standard for operational excellence and environmental responsibility.

According to Darron Poulsen, General Manager of VVWRA, this innovative approach to integrating food waste with municipal waste and anaerobic digesters is fairly new, and VVWRA’s experience highlights the importance of addressing quality control issues.

For other agencies considering similar initiatives, the message is clear: technologies like Anaergia’s Organics Polishing System can play a crucial role in reducing operational impacts of processing post-consumer food waste while enhancing sustainability outcomes.

Watch BiogasWorld’s site visit recording at VVWRA to learn more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ti8TZkPi0