ABB Technology Helps Fulfill City of Baltimore’s Commitment for Safe, Reliable Wastewater and Water System
December 1, 2021
ABB has secured a contract, valued at more than $10 million, from the City of Baltimore, Maryland, to upgrade the automation, electrical and power management of its Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve reliability and sustain water quality for the city’s residents.
The three-year project will upgrade the plant by implementing the latest technology with the highest safety standards. ABB’s technologies, including ABB AbilityTM 800xA control system, switchgear, and an energy management system, will streamline the operations of the facility to optimize the efficiency and output and reduce costs. In addition, ABB’s monitoring system will provide preventive maintenance and escalate the pace of corrective maintenance, enabling the operator to quickly identify and correct problems before they lead to power loss or costly damage to loads. ABB’s system will also act as the foundation for any future predictive maintenance projects at the City of Baltimore treatment plants.
“ABB’s technology and experience in modernizing treatment facilities all over the world will be applied to the Patapsco Plant to ensure a sustained, positive impact on the Baltimore community,” said Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Energy Industries. “The City of Baltimore’s commitment to providing safe, reliable water, while at the same time meeting stringent environmental protection standards, is an initiative we are proud to support.”
The Patapsco Wastewater Treatment plant treats 63 million gallons of wastewater per day, serving an estimated population of just under half a million. The plant will improve the reliability of its aging power equipment to prevent downtime issues and drive energy efficiency. The reliability of the infrastructure to remove pollutants from the water is critical in protecting the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay.
The City of Baltimore has utilized ABB’s control system across its two main wastewater treatment plants, Patapsco and Back River, for more than 30 years. A key part of ABB’s project management responsibility is to ensure that, during the upgrade, the plant keeps running without operational interruptions.
