Biosolids and Watershed Management Activities

David Taylor

davet@madsewer.org

608-222-1201, ext. 276

Overview-Biosolids

Biosolids statistics-national & state

Regulatory framework

Trends/emerging issues

Madison experience

Overview-Watershed Management

Phosphorus water quality criteria

Water quality trading

Pharmaceuticals and trace organics

Biosolids Production-National

Dry Tons (million)

2000 7.1

2005 7.6

2010 8.2

Practice % of Facilities % Mass

Land app/D&M 98 78

Incinerate 0.5 10

Landfill 1.5 12

Wisconsin Statistics

National Regulation

40 CFR Part 503

Risk Based

Land application, incineration and landfilling

3 Rounds of rulemaking activities

14 Land Application Exposure Pathways Considered by EPA

Part 503-Round 1Round 19 metalsRecordkeeping and management practices

Round 2Dioxin and dioxin like compounds

Round 3Metals, nutrients, PPCP’s, bacteria

State Regulations Typically build upon federal

framework

Site inspection/approval Management practices Storage Monitoring/recordkeeping/reporting

Trends & emerging issues Phosphorus management Resource recovery EDC’s and PPCP’s Improved analytical capabilities Regrowth and/or reactivation of

fecal coliform bacteria

Trends & emerging issues Public perception and restrictive

ordinances

Resource recovery

Class A vs. Class B

Environmental management systems?

MMSD Biosolids Management 100% beneficial

reuse

Dual programsMetrogroMetroMix

The Metrogro Program 30 year history

Agricultural land application

Class B biosolids

National model

Metrogro Quick Facts Privately owned farmland

Land base-67,000 acres

Apply to 5,000 acres annually

17 mile average haul distance

Metrogro Quick Facts 40 MGY (9,000 dry tons)

Subsurface injection

N-based application rates

Voluntary measures to address P

A “seasonal” program

Metrogro Hauling Distribution-2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30Ja

n

Feb

Mar Apr

May Jun

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

% o

f tot

al

Site Selection and Approval

Soil conditions Slope Setbacks DNR tracking

number#

RnB

PnBTrB

PnA

RnC2

PnBPnB

RoC2RoC2

Monitoring Baseline regulatory requirements

Nutrients, metals, solids, fecal coliform, PCBs, priority pollutants

Additional efforts Organics (dioxins and “dioxin like

compounds”) Radionuclides PPCP’s Private well water monitoring

Future Direction Continued 100%

beneficial reuse

Dual programsMetrogroMetroMix

MetroMix

MetroMix

Struvite Harvesting Mg(NH4)PO4·6H2O

Builds up inside pipes

Harvesting = controlled precipitation

Reduces biosolids P by 40%

Watershed Management Issues

Current Issues Statewide water

quality criterion for phosphorus/TMDLs

Watershed Based Trading

How to effectively address non-point

Current Issues

Water quantity and balancing

Effluent reuse (co-gen facility)

Pharmaceuticals & trace organics

Carbon footprint UW Campus Co-Gen Facility

Initial DNR Regulationsto Address Phosphorus

NR 217-Effluent Standards and Limitations (1992)

Established phosphorus effluent limitations for point sources

1 mg/l with provisions for an alternative limit

Recent DNR Rule Revisions to Further Regulate Phosphorus

Adopted by NRB in June, 2010.

NR 102-Establishes numeric water quality criteria for phosphorus.

NR 151-Establishes new nonpoint source controls including new agricultural performance standards.

NR 217-Establishes a framework for implementing the new phosphorus water quality criteria for point sources.

MMSD PhosphorusReductions Under NR 217

Pre NR 217 effluent conc. 4.0 mg/l

NR 217 effluent limit 1.5 mg/l

(Biological P removal) (63% reduction)

Average effluent conc. 0.34 mg/l(2006-2010) (92% reduction)

Estimated BFC Phosphorus Effluent Limits

(Based on Draft Rock River TMDL)

Conc. 0.17 mg/l

Mass 21,400 lbs/yr

Requires a TP mass reduction of 21,600 lbs/year to BFC

Estimated Cost to Achieve 0.15 mg/l TP

With Brick and Mortar Addition to WWTP

Capital cost(1): $85,000,000

20 year PW cost(1): $95,000,000

Cost/lb for TP removal over 20 years(2) $170

Cost/lb range (+/- 30%) $120-$220

(1) Planning level cost estimate prepared by Malcolm Pirnie(2) Based on design flow

Pharmaceuticals U.S.-4 billion prescriptions filled/yr

1/3 unused (200 million lbs/yr)

Non prescription drugs?

Agricultural-estimates vary widely (18-30 million lbs of antibiotics/yr?)

AP investigation: Pharmaceuticals found in drinking water

MedDropThe Dane County Program

Volunteer led effort No formal structure $5K-$10K per event 6 collection events

held to date Grants, MPSC funds,

in-kind contributions

June 2010 Event

half day event 3 collection sites 2,400 vehicles 5,600 lbs of

pharmaceuticals collected

630 lbs controlled substances

MedDrop User Surveys

How would you have disposed of the unused Meds otherwise?

Kept them: 48%Trash: 29%Flushed them: 14%Other: 9%

“Take Home” PointsBiosolids

Management

Land application most common practice nationally

Well regulated

Phosphorus and PPCPs are important emerging issues

Watershed Management

Phosphorus /TMDLs

Watershed based trading

Addressing non-point

PPCPs