Operator Education and an Innovative Monitoring Technology Improve Performance of a Biological Nutrient Removal Facility J. W. Hubbard, Reedy Creek Energy Services, Inc.* R. C. Kirkpatrick, Reedy Creek Energy Services, Inc. J. F. Lee, BioChem Technology, Inc. B. R. Schwegler, Jr. Walt Disney Imagineering 1. Reedy Creek Energy Services, Inc. P.O. Box 10,000, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830 Abstract Innovative monitoring and control technologies can enhance the performance of domestic wastewater treatment facilities. For successful use of such technologies, it is critical that the WWTF also have the technical expertise to interpret monitoring data and to make sound process control decisions. The WWTF management and operators must also be committed to the cost-effective operation of the facility. In 1993, the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) commissioned a 56,800 m3/day (15 MGD) 5-stage Bardenpho WWTF. At this time, we deployed an innovative Biological Activity Meter (BAM) in the biological nutrient removal (BNR) basins, and we initiated an operator training program. While our original goal was simply to ensure operation within regulatory permit guidelines, our coupling of the innovative technology with advanced BNR training has provided numerous other benefits: the plant supervisor and several operators have developed the technical expertise to make complex control decisions; the WWTF effluent consistently meets permit guidelines; operator morale is high; and our operating costs have dropped sharply. This manuscript describes our experiences with operator training and the BAM technology from 1993 through 1995.