New wasteoil furnace helps to heat Westfield water and sewer plant

WESTFIELD – Employees at the Village of Westfield’s wastewater treatment facility will be staying much warmer this winter thanks to the addition of a new waste oil burner which was recently installed.

According to Village of Westfield Mayor Dave Carr, the new heater, which cost around $6,000, saves electricity by burning excess oil which may come from machines, cars and other sources. He said the heater, which is located in the barn which houses several important machines, puts out enough heat to warm two full-size houses.

“It’s amazing,” Carr said. “You go in there, and it’s warm.”

Steve Sandle, temporary contract chief operator of the village’s water pollution facility, said anywhere from 8-to-10,000 gallons of waste oil is produced.

“In the past, they would have that disposed of,” Sandle said, while standing in the barn which houses the new heater. “We can burn the waste oil on site … and capture enough heat to heat this building.”

Sandle and Carr said the village’s other departments can bring their waste oil to the water treatment plant so it can be used as heating material. They also said they have discussed opening a site where do-it-yourself mechanics can change their own oil in their vehicles and dispose of it at the plant.

Sandle said the village hopes to have captured the cost for the heater in five years or less.

“It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” he said.

The new heater is just one way the village is trying to improve its wastewater facility, according to Carr and Sandle. New LED lights, installed by the village’s electric department, will be put up at the facility. Sandle said the installation of the new lights will result in a 57 percent reduction in electricity consumption and the lights are expected to last 30 years.

“It was a wonderful investment,” Sandle said of the new lights.

The LED lights will help the plant’s employees, Sandle said, who often had to respond to emergencies at night and only had a flash light to provide needed lighting.

“The time was right to change out and bring in new technology,” Sandle said.

Sandle said the village is also looking at additional “green projects” designed to help the environment and save money. One such idea, he said, would be a composting site which would be open to the public.

“The whole idea is going green,” Sandle said.

Carr said he is trying to move the village forward technologically, and the new heater and LED lights, along with the installation of new electric and water meters, would benefit the village.

‘What my goal has been is to bring this village into the 21st Century,” Carr said.