October 8th, 2024 — Burnham RNG (Burnham), a full-service developer and owner of organic waste management and resource recovery assets across the U.S., announced today that the Pasco Resource Recovery Center (PRRC) has been selected as a winner of the 2024 Wastewater Digest Top Projects award.  Presented annually, this award represents some of the most important, challenging and valuable work in the wastewater market over the past 18 months.

The Pasco Resource Recovery Center (PRRC) is a 30-year public-private partnership between Burnham and the City of Pasco to expand the city’s industrial wastewater treatment capabilities. The new facility in Washington state will turn industrial process water into clean water, generate renewable natural gas (“RNG”), and help the region grow agribusiness jobs and opportunities to emerge as a leading center for food production and processing.  The project expands the economic potential of the area and the increased wastewater treatment capacity makes it possible for local industries to grow while protecting the soil and water their businesses depend on.  

The PRRC supports over $800 million of local investment and the creation of hundreds of jobs to contribute to the region’s economic development.  It is enabling current processors to benefit from expansion opportunities and regional milk producer Darigold to locate and build a new facility in the area. It also enhances the region’s appeal for prospective new processors – including those interested in meeting their customer’s sustainability goals.  RNG production helps to manage net wastewater treatment costs for the City through additional revenue and Federal tax credits. 

“I applaud the City of Pasco and am grateful that their forward-looking vision is receiving industry-wide recognition,” said Burnham CEO Chris Tynan. “The project validates the impact of the public-private partnership approach for the adoption and improvement of public infrastructure for sustainable growth. Working in partnership, we were able to meet the aggressive timeline, robust sustainability goals, and developmental complexity of the project.  The state-of-the-art PRRC facility and its innovative technology infrastructure will afford the City the capacity to serve the growing needs of food processors, benefiting the entire community.”  

The significant environmental impact includes removing BOD and nitrogen from industrial effluent and creating ample clean RNG to heat over 4,500 homes. It enables the City to recycle over 1 billion gallons of nutrient rich water to support local farmers and crop production. Offensive industrial effluent odors are also reduced, alleviating community concerns.

“We are honored that our Industrial wastewater facility is being recognized with this prestigious award,” said City of Pasco Public Works Director Maria Serra. “The project is a great example of industrial symbiosis and highlights the value of public-private partnerships in the management of resources sustainably. By creating clean renewable gas, we are able to reduce the net cost of industrial wastewater treatment and contribute to further regional growth and job creation.”

Under the partnership, Burnham is the designated builder, owner and operator of the PRRC on behalf of the City. Swinerton Builders serves as the lead EPC, managing the finalization of the facility design, plant engineering, construction and commissioning.  Primary equipment vendors include Xylem, Biogas Engineering and Gross Wen Technologies.