b'ENVIRONMENTALPSC67they can accept it, Bergstrom explains. BioFiltros system hasrecycling, Beckett adds. That stormwater is often treatedat already demonstrated its ability to reduce BOD levels from aroundrelatively high costat local public treatment facilities. I think 33,000 mg/L to the target range of 2,000 to 4,000 mg/L, qualifyingthats a perfect space for our technology. it for safe discharge. BioFiltros technology also could help airports meet The worms themselves are the other key indicator of successincreasingly stringent environmental regulations. Im excited, or failure. Beckett explains that a good worm population isbecause this could really be transformative for airports essential for optimal benefits, and BioFiltro has established athroughout the country, especially as cities inevitably start very healthy worm population in the pilot system at PSC, whichclamping down on the amount of BODs they want to accept gives him confidence that everything is working well. The wormsinto their systems, Taft says. This greatly reduces that BOD in are kind of like a canary in the coal mine, he relates. You canan environmentally friendly way, and for the most part, in a fairly always know how healthy a filter is by the worm population.cost-effective way. Theyre doing well, so that means we should be able to keep it aerobic, get good performance and then also produce some really high-quality vermicompost when it comes time to replace the filter media.AVIATIONAccording to Taft, the airport has been paying about $5,600 per month for the treatment system during its test program, but he expects ongoing costs to decrease once the full-scale system is implemented and running smoothly. This has proven to be a really great option for us, he reports. It allowsBUSINESSSERVICESus to continue to operate and discharge with minimal cost, because the cost of this systemAIR SERVICE compared to the cost of trucking or recyclingCONSULTINGthis stuff is not even close.PLANNINGWider Potential GEOSPATIALAs the pilot program at PSC nears conclusionENVIRONMENTAL this March, Taft sees a more sustainablePLANNINGwastewater treatment process emerging notSUSTAINABILITY & only for his airport, but also the industry atRESILIENCY PLANNINGlarge. If it works here, I believe it will work anywhere, he says. Its very scalable, soTECHNOLOGYIm very optimistic. I think this has potentialSOCIAL &to really help airports that are struggling withENVIRONMENTAL this discharge, especially airports in or aroundSTEWARDSHIPresidential areas, where a smelly aerated pondARCHITECTUREthat attracts wildlife is less-than-ideal. & BUILDING ENGINEERINGBergstrom sees the system as a viable option for airports throughout the U.S. thatINTERIOR DESIGNrely on deicing to keep operations flowing inAIRFIELD &the winter months. It feels like its a goodLANDSIDE DESIGNsolution to a problem that a number of airportsELECTRICAL SYSTEMSacross the countryparticularly in the snow& NAVIGATIONALregionsare experiencing and trying to dealAIDS DESIGNwith, he says. It sure is looking promising that this would be another tool for airports toOne Team. CONSTRUCTION SERVICESconsider using if local jurisdictions are able to support it as well. Many Disciplines. ENGINEER,PROCURE& A BIDA system could be a great fit forCONSTRUCTany airport that generates a large volume of impacted stormwater but lacks theFULL-SERVICE AVIATION CONSULTANTS . MEADHUNT.COM . EXPERIENCE EXCEPTIONALinfrastructure necessary to support glycol AirportImprovement.comMarch | April 2025'