Breaking the Upset Cycle:

The Problem: Chronic Process Instability

For the team at Henry N. Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility in Yucaipa, CA, seasonal upsets weren't a surprise. They were a pattern.

Every year, nitrification would fail. Biomass would crash. Operators scrambled to respond — and recovery stretched 10 days or more, with compliance risk hanging over every decision.

Reactive interventions kept the plant running, but they couldn't break the cycle.

The Solution: NanoShield Nanobubble Pretreatment Solution

In November 2024, the facility deployed Moleaer's NanoShield upstream in their existing treatment process — no new infrastructure, no operational disruption.

Rather than treating symptoms downstream, NanoShield stabilized influent conditions before inhibitory compounds could disrupt biological treatment. The benefits cascaded through the entire treatment train.

Results: System-Wide Optimization and Operational Stability

Performed like water was 10°C warmer, restoring ~70% of lost nitrification capacity

• 90% fewer ammonia upsets and 90% faster recovery

• 67% lower effluent ammonia
  (from 0.18 to 0.06 mg/L)

• 24% energy savings per pound of
  ammonia removed (3.3 → 2.5 kWh/lb-N)
  
  

• ~20% increased treatment capacity

• Consistent Title 22 reuse compliance

What It Means

Yucaipa didn't build their way to better performance. They optimized what they already had.

For utilities facing tightening standards, aging infrastructure, and growing pressure to expand capacity — that's a replicable model.