SUMMER 2005 LAND APPLICATION OF BIOSOLIDS PROJECT

PROJECT REPORT

This report provides information on the Summer 2005 land application of biosolids (solids from the wastewater treatment process).

General Information

Biosolids are dewatered and stored for approximately 4-5 months in on-site storage bunkers. removed three times annually, and land applied on local farm fields as a nutrient source for crops.

Picture 1: Biosolids are transported to suitable fields via semi-trucks with end-dump trailers attached as seen above. The biosolids are staged in a designated area. The contractor has used local trucking companies (typically RD Johnson) for transporting the biosolids, which has contributed to considerably less tracking and spillage on streets and roadways.

Table 1.  Schedule of the Project

Mobilization of Equipment	7/15/05
Began transporting and applying biosolids	7/18/05
Number of days worked	14 days
Number of rain days	1.5 days
Completion of project	8/4/05

Charts 1 through 3 on this page illustrate the metals concentrations as compared to the EPA’s ceiling limits (over these limits land application is not allowed by the EPA) and Table 3 limits (a higher quality limit set by the EPA). As shown, the City’s metals concentrations in biosolids are considerably less than even the Table 3 limits. They’ve been separated into three charts due to variance in scales. All EPA and Kansas regulations and requirements were met during the Summer application.

Note: Molybdenum (at left) does not have any Table 3 limits.

The following bullets depict the specifics of the project:

·     Number of farmers participating this spring            5 farmers

·     Number of fields applied:                                   12 fields

·     Average acreage per field:                                 27.7 acres

·     Total acres applied to:                                      332.9 acres

·     Cubic yards removed                                        3355.9 cu. yd.

·     Cost/cu. yd. (2005)                                         $10.62

·     Total expense for Spring application project           $35,639.66

(5% retained for completion of annual report prior to 2/27/06)

Nutriject Systems is the current contractor for the land application of biosolids for 2005. They provide the removal, transport, application, testing of soil and biosolids, annual reporting and recordkeeping, and incorporation (where available) for each land application event.

This summer there was little wheat ground available, which required application on pasture and hay fields. The above picture is application on one of the wheat fields that was applied. Due to particularly odorous biosolids from the south storage bay, odor complaints were generated at this particular site. Because incorporation was an option (unlike on pasture and hay), the contractor was requested to disc this field in an attempt to reduce the odor from this field.

The middle and bottom picture illustrates how “heavy” the application rate was for this field. As shown, the biosolids application is spread sparsely, yet still supplying a significant amount of nutrients.

Most of the fields applied with biosolids this summer were on grass shown above (pasture or hay), which did not allow for incorporation. Incorporation is not required by the EPA regulations, however in the past we have chosen to incorporate when that option is available (on crop fields).

Odors from the north storage bay biosolids were considerably less than that of the south and were comparable to what would be expected. In addition the north bay was filled following the installation of the cover on the biosolids storage bay (see picture at left), which provided for a much drier material and thus easier to handle and transport (bottom picture). 

Although we continually strive to minimize and eliminate odor complaints through wise choices in sites, clean operations, etc., complaints sometimes occur. As set up in the framework and implementation of our Environmental Management System for Biosolids, improvements have been implemented in procedures that may better inform those who may receive complaints as well as other steps to continually improve the program.