Bartlett water reclamation facility improvements win local APWA Project of the Year award

The American Public Works Association (APWA) Chicago Metro Chapter recognized Bartlett’s Bittersweet Water Reclamation Facility improvements with the Project of the Year award in the Environment — $25 to $75 million category at its 2025 awards luncheon Friday.

This project is now in the running for the national APWA Project of the Year.

The 54-year-old facility required upgrades to address aging infrastructure, convoluted processes and maintenance issues.

Key upgrades included replacing outdated grit removal and tertiary sand filters with advanced systems, converting aeration tanks for biological nutrient removal and introducing UV disinfection for discharges.

Aging second-stage treatment components were demolished, and existing structures repurposed to optimize operations and reduce costs. To improve public aesthetics, native prairie mix was used to produce a neighborhood-friendly site.

The new improvements provide approximately a 25% reduction in energy use. This results in cost savings, and the village is expected to receive a $224,000 grant through the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program.