After years of planning, design, and construction, Clarksville’s new Thermal Drying Facility at Clarksville WWTP is operational. Clarksville is transitioning from landfilling disposal of unstabilized solids to producing biosolids for beneficial use. The facility features a robust sludge screening system to remove debris and ensure consistent feed material quality, followed by a rotary drum drying system designed to produce Class A/EQ biosolids. This system leverages indirect drying technology to evaporate moisture from dewatered sludge while maintaining high energy efficiency and minimizing emissions. The rotary drum dryer is specifically engineered for reliability and continuous operation, producing a pathogen-free, pelletized product that meets Class A/EQ standards, making it suitable for beneficial reuse, such as land application or as a soil amendment. Since Clarksville did not have a Thermal Drying Facility before this project, there was a significant learning curve and culture shift required for plant staff to adapt. The much-needed Thermal Drying Facility offers substantial benefits to the plant’s biosolids management, but it also introduced a complex new system for staff to learn and maintain. Just as the rotary drum dryer requires precise heat control to produce high-quality biosolids, the project team needed precision, adaptability, and teamwork to navigate the intense heat of startup. The road to success is not without its challenges. The heat of startup wasn’t just figurative—balancing schedules, aligning expectations, and ensuring flawless system integration created pressure for all parties involved. By coupling the Contractor’s expertise in practical solutions, the Engineer’s expertise in vision and design, and the Owner’s expertise in plant operations and ingenuity, the Thermal Drying team has successfully overcome every challenge. Throughout the design and construction phases, the team discovered that “bringing the heat” together—through shared expertise and mutual learning—was the key to success. Startup included phased system commissioning, testing of equipment under varying operating conditions, and gradual integration into plant operations. As with many complex startups, several challenges arose during testing, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of the project team, the facility is now fully operational and performing as intended. Just like the thermal drying process, success in startup requires maintaining steady pressure and heat without losing control. This presentation will share the highs and lows of the startup activities and meticulous planning leading up to the introduction of biosolids to the new Thermal Drying Facility, as well as the challenges encountered during the startup and testing phases from both operational and construction perspectives. Project successes and lessons learned from the Owner, Contractor, and Engineer will also be highlighted. Through real-time adjustments, critical communication, and the extraordinary efforts of the Thermal Drying team and plant staff, Clarksville’s Thermal Drying Facility is now enhancing the plant’s biosolids program. Biosolids happen—bring the heat!