The Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Sarasota, Florida, has increased its treatment capacity by 50 percent following the installation of DuPont™ MemPulse™ Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) modules. The upgrade positions Bee Ridge as the largest MBR installation in the state, supporting growing demand for wastewater treatment and reuse in southwest Florida.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony held on 5 December marked completion of the expansion, which increases the plant’s original design capacity from 12 million gallons per day (MGD) to 18 MGD of reclaimed water. The project was delivered in partnership with Sarasota County, Carollo Engineers, and Garney Construction.
Meeting Advanced Wastewater Treatment Standards
The installation of 3,696 MemPulse™ MBR modules enables Bee Ridge to meet Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) standards, reducing nitrogen and phosphorus levels in treated effluent to help safeguard Sarasota’s waterways and the Gulf of Mexico. The high-quality effluent can also be used for non-potable reuse applications such as agricultural irrigation, with potential for expanded reuse programmes in the future.
MemPulse™ MBR technology integrates biological nutrient removal with membrane filtration, enabling plants to achieve consistent effluent quality while supporting regulatory compliance and watershed protection.
“The Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility demonstrates how advanced wastewater treatment technologies can meet the growing needs of communities while protecting valuable water resources for future generations,” said Karla Butler, Vice President and General Manager at DuPont Water Solutions. “By leveraging MemPulse™ MBR modules, the facility will be able to meet the increased demand for wastewater treatment and non-potable reuse while helping Sarasota County to protect the local watershed and comply with the latest regulatory standards.”
Supporting Regional Water Security
Population growth across southwest Florida has placed increasing pressure on local water and wastewater infrastructure. By producing AWT-compliant effluent suitable for reuse, the upgraded facility helps the region reduce nutrient discharge, enhance environmental protection, and preserve potable water supplies for drinking water purposes.
About MemPulse™ MBR Technology
MemPulse™ MBR systems have been deployed for more than 30 years and are used in over 300 municipal and industrial facilities worldwide. DuPont Water Solutions reports that its technologies support purification of more than 50 million gallons of water per minute across 112 countries, providing treatment solutions for municipal systems, desalination plants, and industrial users including the microelectronics sector.
