Building the Most Sustainable Water Treatment Plant in the World: ACE25 Conference Presentation

ACE25 Conference Presentation

On June 10th, David Adams (Chief Operating Officer at Wilmot Inc.) and Justin Bowling (Project Manager at Metro Water Services) took the stage at ACE25 to share the story behind one of the most ambitious water infrastructure projects in the world: the advancement of Nashville’s historic Omohundro Water Treatment Plant to be the most sustainable water treatment plant on the planet.

The Omohundro WTP has been supplying clean drinking water to Nashville for over a century. During the catastrophic 2010 flood, it was the only plant that remained fully operational—running at 100% capacity for 30 days straight. As Director Scott Potter put it, 

“130 years from now, I want people to marvel over how well we built this project.”

That kind of legacy thinking guided the entire advancement process, as Metro Water Services and Wilmot set out to design a facility that doesn’t just meet today’s standards—but anticipates tomorrow’s needs.

Setting the Bar: Dual Platinum Certification

What makes this project truly historic is its commitment to achieving both LEED Platinum (for buildings and people spaces) and Envision Platinum (for infrastructure). If successful, Omohundro will be the first water treatment plant in the world to achieve dual Platinum certification.

To get there, every element of design and construction is rooted in sustainability.

What Sustainability Looks Like in Practice

The Omohundro Water Treatment Plant is being reimagined as a model for how public infrastructure can serve both people and the planet. Sustainability isn’t just a feature of the project—it’s woven into every detail of its design and execution.

Community & Heritage: The historic character of the site is being preserved and celebrated. Original structures are being repurposed, materials are reused wherever possible, and acoustic modeling has been used to reduce noise and vibration impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

Energy & Water Efficiency: A total of 3 megawatts of solar energy will power the facility during low-flow periods. Water-efficient systems and fixtures are integrated throughout, and even filter backwash water is recycled into the treatment process.

Waste Diversion: More than 95% of construction waste is being diverted from the landfill. Demolished concrete is being reused at Nashville International Airport, and all biomass and excavated soils are repurposed on site.

Healthy Materials & Indoor Air Quality: All building materials are carefully vetted through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs). Low-VOC finishes are specified throughout, and indoor air quality is being tested in all occupied spaces to ensure a healthy environment for future staff.

Ecological Restoration: Omohundro’s landscape is being returned to its pre-industrial roots. Invasive species are being removed, native trees planted, and soil restored to support long-term ecological health. The project also includes off-site stream restoration in Shelby Bottoms and a tree replacement plan that plants three trees across Nashville for every one impacted by construction.

Climate & Resilience: Designed to withstand a 500-year flood event with a 2-foot buffer, the facility reflects forward-thinking climate resilience. Embodied carbon benchmarks have been adopted, and low-global-warming-potential (GWP) concrete mixes are specified based on structural needs. A full climate risk assessment ensures preparedness for evolving threats.

Human-Centered Design: As a people-first facility, the plant prioritizes comfort and well-being. Daylighting strategies, views to the outdoors, and indoor environmental quality are all carefully considered—ensuring 75% of regularly occupied spaces have direct lines of sight to the outdoors.

Performance Goals: With an estimated LEED score of 82 points (LEED Platinum) and Envision score of 506 points (Envision Platinum), the project is on track to set a global benchmark in sustainable infrastructure.

This isn’t just a local win—it’s a model for global water infrastructure. As cities adapt to climate change, growing populations, and aging facilities, Omohundro shows what’s possible when sustainability isn’t just an add-on, but a core mission.

If you’re interested in learning more about the project, feel free to reach out to David Adams at Wilmot Inc. (dadams@wilmotinc.com).

Let’s keep the conversation going.