TOLEDO,
OHIO
PROTECTING WATERSHEDS WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS)
Community Overview
Located within the Maumee River watershed, the largest tributary to Lake Erie, the Toledo Bay View Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) plays a critical role in protecting downstream water quality and reducing nutrient loads that could potentially contribute to harmful algal blooms. Moonshot Missions worked with the City of Toledo to protect this important watershed and increase the potential for its clean future.
Population: 265,306 (based on the 2020 U.S. Census)
Watershed: Maumee River
Poverty Rate: 25.4% below the poverty line
Key Environmental Challenges: Climate Resiliency, Nutrient Removal, Biosolids Management, and Energy Efficiency
MHI: $46, 302 in 2023
Topic Areas: Nutrients, Operational Optimization, Utility Resiliency, Capital and Funding
Project Summary
As the City of Toledo Division of Utilities (TDU) was finalizing its $815 million Facilities Plan—a roadmap for major infrastructure upgrades—Moonshot Missions collaborated with the utility to ensure the plan addressed not only core treatment needs but also long-term performance, resiliency, and cost optimization. Through a series of meetings and site visits, Moonshot identified strategic opportunities to integrate energy recovery, enhance biosolids management, and establish a culture of continuous improvement through an Environmental Management System (EMS).
At a Glance
CHALLENGES
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Toledo's Facilities Plan involved extensive infrastructure upgrades, requiring cost-saving technologies and energy-efficient solutions to maintain long-term affordability.
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The utility needed to embed a structured, continuous improvement framework to sustain performance gains.
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The plant sought strategies to leverage underutilized capacity and generate additional revenue for long-term operational sustainability.
OUTCOMES
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Co-facilitated a "Waste-to-Clean Energy" forum to catalyze discussions around resource recovery, leading to expected renewable energy production
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Hosted two EMS workshops that aligns resources with top priorities and optimizes long-term utility performance
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Projected $532, 680 in revenue via Septage Program
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Estimated 30% reduction in biosolids disposal costs, and 35% increase in biogas production
The Team
The engine behind the Moonshot Method is the key talent we deploy. Our goal is to bring experience and knowledge to the community through a team of peer advisors. This project was led by:
Advanced expertise in wastewater process optimization and environmental systems planning.
Extensive experience in business development, public relations, and community advocacy
The Moonshot Method
OUR METHOD IN ACTION
PROFILE:
Interactions offered insights into operational challenges and opportunities for optimization
ASSESSMENT:
Identified three strategic priorities to guide recommendations- integrating energy recovery projects, leveraging underutilized capacity, and implementing EMS
MENU:
Generated Moonshot Menu with range of potential opportunities for performance upgrade in target areas
Map
Translated opportunities into detailed roadmap for implementation, which included near-term, mid, and long-term investments
LAUNCH:
Revised Facilities Plan to include new technologies: thermal hydrolysis, biogas to RNG generation, and heat recovery from sewer.
