Solids Management Upgrade (12565) Archive

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District was created on February 9, 1954, when voters approved a plan to combine 79 regional sewer districts into one city-wide system for the collection, treatment, and disposal of wastewater. 

MSD Project Clear is a long-term effort by MSD, undertaken as part of an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. The goal for this $6 billion, 28-year initiative is ambitious but within reach: 

• Improve water quality for the entire St. Louis region 
• Resolve community issues caused by the nature and design of St. Louis’ legacy wastewater system 
• Keep the public informed with clear and timely updates 

Our mission is to protect the public’s health, safety, and water environment by responsibly providing wastewater and stormwater management. Visit our Mission, Vision, Values page to learn more about what we believe. 

MSDPC has operated the existing multiple hearth incinerators at both its Bissell Point and Lemay Wastewater Treatment Facilities for nearly 60 years. Although these facilities have served the region well and they continue to meet or exceed all air quality standards, their age and the development of newer, even cleaner technology makes replacing them a priority. 

1. Fluidized bed incineration is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution 
2. New facilities provide substantially cleaner operations 
3. New technology significantly reduces air emissions 

Since our Industry Day presentation in 2020, the District and the Owner’s Representative Team for this project have continued moving forward, making some changes and refinements to the process.

The treatment process components that will be included have been refined. We have concluded that some ancillary equipment will likely not be a part of the project, including a wet electrostatic precipitator system, a selective non-catalytic reactive system, and a secondary heat exchanger. The Lemay plant scope will now include the renovation of the existing Grit and Screen Building into a new Maintenance Facility. All other major process components originally contemplated for the project remain a part of the scope at this time. Major siting decisions have also been completed, as noted on Industry Day. 

The overall concept is to replace the existing 1960s-era incinerators with advanced incineration units for the Bissell Point Wastewater Treatment facility with a total treatment capacity of 240 dry tons of solid waste per day. The Lemay Wastewater Treatment facility will have at least two new units with a total treatment capacity of 160 dry tons of solid waste per day. This work is part of MSDPC’s commitment to the environment and human health. Building modern incineration facilities will provide both cleaner water and cleaner air for the St. Louis region. 

This project will include fluidizing bed incineration (FBI) and centrifuge dewatering systems at each of these two plants. For a better sense of each of these treatment plants and the people who make them work, below are two short videos produced by the District to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of both sites—Lemay’s in 2018 and Bissell’s in 2020. 

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is slated for release in the first half of 2021 as a design-build project. Up to three design-build teams may be short-listed from the qualification submittals received. These teams will then be issued a Request for Proposal (RFP), which will include design concepts that have been developed to approximately 30% completion. The short-listed teams will then be given ample time to develop the design concept to a completion level (roughly 60% complete or more) that will allow the team to submit a fixed price proposal for the project. 

These facilities will be built entirely within two of MSDPC’s existing wastewater treatment plants. Current plans call for construction to begin in 2023 with completion in 2026. One fixed price design build contract will be awarded for the upgrades to both facilities. The project is in preliminary design, and the District is currently in the final stages of completing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for pre-selecting the FBI equipment, which will be posted at the MSD Plan Room.  To ensure your firm is advised when the RFP is available, be sure to register at the link at the bottom of this page. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is also planned for 2021 for interested design-build teams, with up to three teams being short-listed and asked to submit a proposal in 2022. The overall timeline is below:  

This schedule is tentative and is subject to change. Register here to receive project updates including any schedule changes.

Interested parties wanting to meet with the District about this project should contact the Owner’s Representative via email at greenb2@bv.com.  To stay informed on this project, sign up for updates here.

This meeting recording is for informational purposes only. Official answers to questions will be posted in a follow-up addendum. 

This meeting recording is for informational purposes only. Official answers to questions will be posted in a follow-up addendum. 

This meeting recording is for informational purposes only. Official answers to questions will be posted in a follow-up addendum. 

Download the Conceptual Design Report referenced in the above video here.

• MWBE Utilization and Workforce Program for Design-Build Construction Projects with State of Missouri Funding (March 2021)
• MSD’s Draft Insurance and Bonding Requirements for FBI Project (Revised January 2022)
• Design-Build Project Delivery Procurement Procedure (December 2018)