A Different Approach

North Kingstown,  RI — This Rhode Island Plant Tackles Major Flows From Industries

David Bruno is the superintendent and pretreatment coordinator for the plant, operated by the Quonset Development Corporation. He was recently promoted from his role as operator and industrial pretreatment inspector. He was recognized as a 2024 Operator of the Year by the New England Water Environment Association for his work in protecting Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island’s waterways.

As superintendent, Bruno is responsible for treating the wastewater from all of those businesses, plus part of the town of North Kingston, population 28,000. “Eighty percent of the effluent we treat comes from the business park,” Bruno says. “That makes us unique among Rhode Island facilities, the rest of which mainly deal with residential users.”

Each business brings its own set of challenges, from high-strength waste to potential toxicity. “Our operations staff must remain flexible and vigilant,” says Bruno. “They routinely sample incoming loads, adjust sludge wasting schedules and sometimes increase lab testing or operator coverage to respond to variability in industrial influent.

“These real-time process control decisions are critical to keeping the plant in compliance and running efficiently.”