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History

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1984 - Present: The T.Z. Osborne Water Reclamation Facility opened in 1984 with a capacity of 20 million gallons per day (MGD) and is currently Greensboro's sole wastewater treatment facility. In 2001, T.Z. Osborne was expanded to treat 30 MGD and changed to a single-stage aeration system, with the capability for future biological nutrient removal. Sand filters were installed along with two new standby power generators. In 2003, T.Z. Osborne grew to a capacity of 40 MGD. T.Z. Osborne was expanded to 56 MGD in 2021 through a $120-million upgrade and expansion project completed to meet new total nitrogen annual mass discharge limits.

TZO Aerial View

1938 - 2017: The North Buffalo Creek Water Reclamation Facility served the northern half of Greensboro. Originally built in 1938 to provide secondary treatment for up to eight million gallons of municipal sewage and industrial waste per day, the facility was expanded in 1959 to handle 18 MGD. In 1980, the North Buffalo Creek Facility was voluntarily downgraded to 16 MGD to produce an effluent with lower ammonia-nitrogen content. The North Buffalo Creek Facility was later decommissioned and converted to a transfer pump station in 2017.

1928 - 1984: The South Buffalo Creek Water Reclamation Facility served the southern half of Greensboro. Greensboro's water reclamation history began with the construction of this four-million-gallon-per-day (MGD) facility in 1928. Located in a sparsely populated area on the City's southeastern edge, it provided secondary treatment for municipal sewage and industrial waste before discharging into South Buffalo Creek. The facility was expanded to eight MGD in 1956 to accommodate increased needs, and modifications made in 1974 raised its capacity to 12 MGD. It was retired in 1984 when the T.Z. Osborne Water Reclamation Facility began operations.

Greensboro Wastewater Treatment Timeline

Recent Updates and Upgrades (2017 - 2021)

T.Z. Osborne Upgrades (1991 - 2003)

2003 T.Z. Osborne was expanded to 40 MGD.
2001 The T.Z. Osborne was expanded to 30 MGD and changed to a single-stage aeration system with the capability for future biological nutrient removal. Sand filters were installed along with two new standby power generators.
1996 Installation of a new fluidized bed incineration system at the T.Z. Osborne, which replaced the existing multiple-hearth incineration system.
1995 Two new high solids centrifuges were installed at the T.Z. Osborne to improve sludge dewatering capability prior to incineration.
1993 Installation of a flow transfer pumping station and pipeline from the North Buffalo Facility to the T.Z. Osborne Facility provided up to 10 MGD flow relief.
1991 Odor removal systems at the T.Z. Osborne Water Reclamation Facility were upgraded by installing an additional odor scrubber and increasing the air-flow capacity of the existing scrubber. The primary settling tanks, first-stage aeration tanks, and sludge wet-wells were also covered.

The Metro Sewage Plan and Transition to T.Z. Osborne (1972 - 1984)

1984 The T.Z. Osborne Facility opened, and the old South Buffalo Facility was retired.
1982 A sludge force main was installed from North Buffalo to T.Z. Osborne to allow all of Greensboro's waste sludge processing and incineration to take place at one facility.
1981 Construction started on the Metro Facility and the facility was renamed the Thomas Z. Osborne Facility in honor of the former City Manager who steadfastly guided the City's wastewater program.
1980 North Buffalo Facility was voluntarily downgraded to 16 MGD to produce an effluent lower in ammonia-nitrogen content.
1974 South Buffalo Facility was upgraded to 12 MGD.
1972 The Metro Sewerage Plan was developed to improve and protect Greensboro's water quality and environment for future generations. The plan included:

Interim improvements and odor protection at South Buffalo
A new sewer outfall down South Buffalo Creek
A new 20 MGD facility on South Buffalo Creek to replace the old South Buffalo Creek Facility, named the T.Z. Osborne Water Reclamation Facility

Construction and Growth (1928 - 1959)

Early Development (1882 - 1926)

1926 City residents maintained 2,800 outhouses in violation of the 1917 ordinance requiring hookups to the sewage system.
1916 Head of State Board of Health said Greensboro had made more progress in sewerage than any city in the state.
1899 A typhoid epidemic closed the State Normal and Industrial College (formerly State Normal School) for two months and re-opened after City water was installed and new sewer lines were laid. Voters approved a $300,000 bond issue, which included $100,000 to purchase and improve the waterworks system and $65,000 to extend the sewerage system.
1889 City’s Board of Aldermen granted “power to construct a system of sewerage for the City and protect and regulate the same by adequate ordinances.”
1887 Sewer mains were first installed in portions of the City and a sanitary engineer was hired to supervise the system.
1882 Work began on City water system and sewer facilities.