Yucaipa Valley Water District Cuts Nitrification Upsets by 95% Using Moleaer NanoShield Solution
Henry N. Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility achieves its most stable operation in years
May 19, 2026 – After years of seasonal process instability, the Henry N. Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility (WRWRF) in Yucaipa, California has achieved its most reliable operating period on record, reducing nitrification upsets by 95% following the integration of Moleaer's nanobubble pretreatment technology.
The facility, operated by Yucaipa Valley Water District, treats approximately 4 million gallons per day of municipal wastewater and produces Title 22-compliant recycled water.
Before the project, seasonal instability driven by elevated surfactant concentrations and other inhibitory compounds in the influent, was interfering with nitrifying bacteria, causing process upsets, biomass die-off, poor sludge settling, and occasional recycled water shutdowns.
The District partnered with Moleaer to install the NanoShield nanobubble pretreatment solution upstream of primary treatment, where it has operated continuously for 15 months. Deployed through Moleaer’s Nanobubbles-as-a-Service program, the solution provides access to the latest nanobubble technology and ongoing process engineering support, improving influent treatability and stabilizing downstream biological treatment processes.
“This project reflects how we’re approaching innovation at the District, focusing on solutions that can be implemented efficiently and evaluated within our existing infrastructure,” said Joseph Zoba, General Manager of Yucaipa Valley Water District. “It allowed us to move forward with confidence and validate performance in our system alongside Moleaer’s team.”
Results were significant. Ammonia upset frequency dropped from 17% of operating time to approximately 1%, a 95% reduction. Average recovery time fell from more than ten days to approximately one day. The biological system also showed stronger cold-weather resilience, with nitrifying bacteria performing as if temperatures were 10°C warmer, helping maintain nitrification performance during winter.
“Seasonal nitrification upsets have been an ongoing operational challenge for us,” said Charles Thomas, CPO & Operations Manager, Yucaipa Valley Water District. “Since implementing Moleaer’s nanobubble pretreatment, the process has been far more stable. We’re recovering from upsets much faster, the biology is holding up better through winter, and the plant is running more predictably overall.”
Additional improvements included a 24% reduction in blower energy per pound of ammonia removed, an approximately 20% increase in effective treatment capacity, and zero recycled water shutdowns.
“Utilities are increasingly focused on improving treatment reliability, and lowering operational costs, without expanding infrastructure,” said Nick Dyner, CEO of Moleaer. “The results at Yucaipa demonstrate how our technology can strengthen biological processes, reduce total cost to treat, and stabilize performance across the entire treatment train.”
Moleaer was recognized with a 2025 Innovative Technology Award from the Water Environment Federation for the project.
Read the full case study: https://www.moleaer.com/blog/wastewater-treatment/reducing-wastewater-process-upsets-inside-yucaipa-valley-water-districts-nanoshield-results
About Moleaer
Moleaer is the global leader in nanobubble technology, delivering solutions that enhance water and wastewater treatment, agriculture, aquaculture, and industrial processes. With more than 10,000 systems deployed in 55+ countries, Moleaer improves performance while reducing energy, water, and chemical inputs.
