Author(s): R. D. Williams; P. A. Moore Jr.
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Abstract: Water treatment and wastewater treatment plants in Northwest Arkansas and much of the rest of the country routinely landfill residual sludges. The ability to land-apply biosolids from wastewater treatment plants has been limited due to an excess of bioavailable/soluble phosphorus in soils. As a result, many facilities are being forced to landfill the biosolids at a significant cost. In previous research efforts it was found that alum sludge from water treatment facilities had the potential to reduce the amount of bio-available phosphorus in runoff from land applied biosolids. Preliminary results indicated that the two waste streams could be combined to form an environmentally friendly fertilizer. University of Arkansas and USDA/ARS researchers are performing small plot and field scale tests to determine the efficacy, cost effectiveness, practicality and sustainability of treating biosolids (sewage sludge) with water treatment residuals (alum sludge). This project is an interdisciplinary effort with participating scientists and engineers from the University of Arkansas, USDA/ARS, ANRC, Beaver Water District, and cities of Rogers, Fayetteville, and Bentonville, Arkansas. The study will potentially demonstrate the viability of using water treatment residuals to amend wastewater treatment biosolids and bind soluble phosphorus, thus allowing continued land application with minimal environmental impact. Further potential benefits include reduction of waste streams currently being transported to area landfills, reduced costs to treatment facilities, a reduction of air pollutants from vehicles currently used to transport the wastes and ultimately a reduction in non-point source bio-available phosphorus in waters of the state.
Year: 2009