What We Do

NSU designed, built, and operates the largest base of community scale water resource and wastewater systems in the country which transcends a long history of innovation and advancement. NSU’s community district infrastructure incorporates an integrated water management approach that capitalizes on multiple facets of efficiency and optimization that together provide resilient, affordable and sustainable treatment systems.

NSU’s water management solutions offer value to a wide array of community densities and user types and currently serve many urban, suburban and rural communities and include residential, industrial, institutional, commercial and municipal customers. Such systems can stand alone and provide complete water and wastewater services or can be blended together with aging regional infrastructure to improve efficiency and reduce burden. Built to fit specific customer needs, schedules and budgets, our systems encompass a combination of water, wastewater, thermal energy, and nutrient  benefits and stand as living proof of the advantages of distributed infrastructure.

Although considerable attention is drawn to the 1 percent of the world’s available water supply that is used for drinking, the vast majority of our water is used for agriculture, commercial and industrial purposes and this finite resource is rapidly depleting. Municipalities, businesses, and schools, particularly in the more arid regions, demand systems that not only fulfill day-to-day water needs, but also must simultaneously conserve water in a cost-effective manner. This is indeed a challenge, particularly given the nation’s aging and inefficient infrastructure and increasingly strained water supplies.

NSU specializes in taking an integrated water management approach when developing the solution and seeks to optimize water and energy usage at each and every project site.

We manage the design, construction, and operations of several wastewater reuse systems that are helping to lead a transformation of water infrastructure within the United States, some of which recycle 100% of the wastewater treated. Direct water reuse is a beneficial and innovative approach where wastewater and stormwater are treated and reused for multiple non-potable purposes, greatly reducing demands on fresh water supplies:

• toilet flushing
• cooling tower make-up
• laundry
• landscape or rooftop irrigation

All of the water reuse projects designed by NSU incorporate blackwater (typically water from toilets and urinals) and greywater (typically water from all drains except toilets and urinals) treatment systems. In addition, NSU offers services in rainwater harvesting or stormwater management using green stormwater infrastructure.

NSU’s direct water reuse systems are of varying capacities and sizes depending on the particular needs and water demand for each building. Each system employs the same basic technology:

• Anoxic and aerobic treatment is employed to remove the biological oxygen demand and nitrogen to comply with each states direct reuse standards.
• Filtration is typically applied. In several of the systems, submerged microfiltration membranes are in place to remove suspended solid particles. This treated, filtered water is then passed through an ultraviolet light system that kills pathogenic bacteria.
• Disinfection using ozone can be used to completely remove any traces of color.

NSU has over 35 years experience in developing strategies, designing, building and operating water supply systems.

NSU specializes in environmental consulting that strives to balance development with environmental stewardship. The goal of valuing and preserving the unique qualities of a community are always first and foremost in our minds as we assist in responsible development. Through value and environmental quality engineering decisions we can help with Spill Cleanup, Tank Removal, Site Assessment (21E), Water Supply Treatment & Development, Septic & Wastewater, Wetlands Permitting & Development, and Asbestos & Radon.

Today’s standards of operating modern water-supply or wastewater treatment facilities require a state-certified individual who has knowledge of chemistry and biology and possesses additional electrical and mechanical skills and management has particular expertise in recruiting and training local employees. The company applies remote monitoring technology as well as distributed system management expertise to provide award winning service. NSU maintains a staff of professional operators for contract operation services, providing full- and part-time operators for many clients.