Progress 10/01/07 to 03/31/10
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To demonstrate the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, practicality, and sustainability of treating biosolids (sewage sludge) with water treatment residuals (alum sludge). Approach (from AD-416) A series of rainfall simulations on small plots will be conducted to demonstrate the effect of liquid and solid water treatment residuals on P and metal runoff from liquid and solid sewage sludge. Biosolids will be applied at a rate of 1 dry ton equivalent/acre. Soluble and total P and soluble metal content of biosolids will be determined. Rates of alum- sludge that will be utilized should reduce P runoff by 50 to 75% (20, 30, and 40% wt/wt basis). The effect of water treatment residuals on phosphorus runoff from biosolids will also be evaluated using three small watersheds. One of the watersheds will be unfertilized, one will receive untreated biosolids and the third will be fertilized with biosolids treated with alum sludge. The soils in these fields will be sampled periodically for water soluble P and Mehlich III extactable P, water soluble metals, pH and electrical conductivity. The fields will be equipped with flumes and automatic water samplers to measure P and metal runoff. Dry matter production and metal uptake by the grasses will also be evaluated. Costs associated with disposal of biosolids and water treatment residuals in landfills will be compared to costs associated with this new BMP. Savings (revenue) generated by this practice should be sufficient to significantly improve point source discharges, assuming the new revenues would be utilized at the WWTP for chemical treatment. When the project is near completion, several tech transfer meetings will be held in NW Arkansas to educate wastewater treatment plant personnel on the best way to utilize this technology. This is a cooperative project with University of Arkansas scientists, funded by an EPA 319 grant. Phosphorus runoff from biosolids (sewage sludge) can result in water quality problems. The objective of this project is to determine if phosphorus runoff from biosolids can be reduced by treating with water treatment residuals (alum sludge). This research involves measuring phosphorus and metal runoff from small plots fertilized with biosolids using rainfall simulators. Phosphorus runoff was also evaluated from three small watersheds. Results indicate that when biosolids are mixed with water treatment residuals three weeks prior to application, phosphorus runoff losses can be reduced to that of unfertilized control plots. Although the main objective of this work was to determine if water treatment residuals could reduce phosphorus runoff from biosolids, the runoff data was also used to revise the phosphorus index. As a result of this work, the phosphorus index for biosolids was codified into state law in Arkansas this year.
Impacts
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Publications
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To demonstrate the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, practicality, and sustainability of treating biosolids (sewage sludge) with water treatment residuals (alum sludge). Approach (from AD-416) A series of rainfall simulations on small plots will be conducted to demonstrate the effect of liquid and solid water treatment residuals on P and metal runoff from liquid and solid sewage sludge. Biosolids will be applied at a rate of 1 dry ton equivalent/acre. Soluble and total P and soluble metal content of biosolids will be determined. Rates of alum- sludge that will be utilized should reduce P runoff by 50 to 75% (20, 30, and 40% wt/wt basis). The effect of water treatment residuals on phosphorus runoff from biosolids will also be evaluated using three small watersheds. One of the watersheds will be unfertilized, one will receive untreated biosolids and the third will be fertilized with biosolids treated with alum sludge. The soils in these fields will be sampled periodically for water soluble P and Mehlich III extactable P, water soluble metals, pH and electrical conductivity. The fields will be equipped with flumes and automatic water samplers to measure P and metal runoff. Dry matter production and metal uptake by the grasses will also be evaluated. Costs associated with disposal of biosolids and water treatment residuals in landfills will be compared to costs associated with this new BMP. Savings (revenue) generated by this practice should be sufficient to significantly improve point source discharges, assuming the new revenues would be utilized at the WWTP for chemical treatment. When the project is near completion, several tech transfer meetings will be held in NW Arkansas to educate wastewater treatment plant personnel on the best way to utilize this technology. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This is a cooperative project with University of Arkansas scientists which is funded by an EPA 319 grant. Phosphorus runoff from biosolids (sewage sludge) can result in water quality problems. The objective of this project is to determine if phosphorus runoff from biosolids can be reduced by treating with water treatment residuals (alum sludge). This research involves measuring phosphorus and metal runoff from small plots fertilized with biosolids using rainfall simulators. Phosphorus runoff was also evaluated from three small watersheds. Results indicate that when biosolids are mixed with water treatment residuals three weeks prior to application, phosphorus runoff losses can be reduced to that of unfertilized control plots. Although the main objective of this work was to determine if water treatment residuals could reduce phosphorus runoff from biosolids, the runoff data was also used to revise the phosphorus index.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) To demonstrate the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, practicality, and sustainability of treating biosolids (sewage sludge) with water treatment residuals (alum sludge). Approach (from AD-416) A series of rainfall simulations on small plots will be conducted to demonstrate the effect of liquid and solid water treatment residuals on P and metal runoff from liquid and solid sewage sludge. Biosolids will be applied at a rate of 1 dry ton equivalent/acre. Soluble and total P and soluble metal content of biosolids will be determined. Rates of alum- sludge that will be utilized should reduce P runoff by 50 to 75% (20, 30, and 40% wt/wt basis). The effect of water treatment residuals on phosphorus runoff from biosolids will also be evaluated using three small watersheds. One of the watersheds will be unfertilized, one will receive untreated biosolids and the third will be fertilized with biosolids treated with alum sludge. The soils in these fields will be sampled periodically for water soluble P and Mehlich III extactable P, water soluble metals, pH and electrical conductivity. The fields will be equipped with flumes and automatic water samplers to measure P and metal runoff. Dry matter production and metal uptake by the grasses will also be evaluated. Costs associated with disposal of biosolids and water treatment residuals in landfills will be compared to costs associated with this new BMP. Savings (revenue) generated by this practice should be sufficient to significantly improve point source discharges, assuming the new revenues would be utilized at the WWTP for chemical treatment. When the project is near completion, several tech transfer meetings will be held in NW Arkansas to educate wastewater treatment plant personnel on the best way to utilize this technology. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Scientists at our location discovered that phosphorus in biosolids could be precipitated with water treatment residuals (WTRs), such as alum sludge. Rainfall simulations are being conducted this year to determine the effects of mixing solid or liquid biosolids with solid or liquid WTRs on phosphorus runoff. A field-scale watershed experiment is also being conducted at Wyman, AR, on land owned by the city of Fayetteville to compare runoff from watersheds fertilized with: (1) untreated biosolids, (2) biosolids treated with water treatment residuals, and (3) commercial nitrogen fertilizer.
Impacts
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Publications
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