E-101 Environmental Management I Harvard University Extension School Boston, Massachusetts

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Ceferino Aponte, M.Ch.E.; P.E.

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Land farming of Biosolids from The Barceloneta Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant The Challenges Limited Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure Fast Industrial Development Industry Government Partnership

The Results Ecologically and Cost effective Alternative for biosolids reuse Potential for Application in other areas

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

BRWTP and Cao Tiburones Land Farm Alluvial Mineral Soil Plains

San Juan

Limestone hills

La Cordillera Central Central Mountain Range

Photo taken one month after passage of Hurricane Hugo. The sediment plumes along the coast are from freshwater runoff.

Figure 1. Puerto Rico Satellite Photo

http://earth.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/efs/lores.pl?PHOTO=STS034-76-88

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Biosolids Disposal The Barceloneta Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Options Landfilling Incineration Ocean dumping Land farming Path Forward Initially Landfilling Phase I Pilot Land Farm Project 1982 - 1987 Phase II Full Scale Land Farming 1987 - Present

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Figure 2. Land Farming Plot Plan (8)

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Figure 3. Terragator

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Total Biosolids Produced

3,500 3,000
DMT

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 1994

1995

1996

1997

1998 Year

1999

2000

2001

2002

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Hay Sales
$160 $140 $120 $100 $80 $60 $40 $20 $0 1994

Sales ($000)

1995

1996

1997

1998 Year

1999

2000

2001

2002

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Injection days vs Rain

110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 150

Total Rain (inches)

160

170

180

190

200

Injection days

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Biosolids Disposal The Barceloneta Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Lessons Learned 1. Land farming is a very attractive option for biosolids disposal as long as: A strong pretreatment program is in place Stakeholders are willing to cooperate ($$) 2. There is good potential lo extend the experience to use treated effluent for irrigation and groundwater recharge, particularly on the south coast of Puerto Rico.

Land Farming of Biosolids from a Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant

Manat Barceloneta Area Cao Tiburones Alluvial Mineral Soil Plains

San Juan

Limestone hills

Figure 4. Puerto Rico in Relief and Shade

http://pr.water.usgs.gov/public/gis.html