County of Oxford Biosolids Management

1
County of OxfordBiosolids Management

• John Braam, P Eng.
• Manager of Water and Wastewater Services

2
Oxford County Water and Wastewater Systems

• Population 100,000
• Consists of 8 Municipalities
• Water Service Population - 70,000
• 23 Water Systems
• 83 Ground Water Wells
• 8 Wastewater Systems
• Wastewater Service Population - 65,000
• Both a Bio-solids Receiver and a Generator

3
Oxford County ...

• The County of Oxford has an agricultural basis
  primarily comprised of livestock and cash crop
  farms.
• 501,000 acres - 90 actively farmed
• In the heart of southern Ontario
• Urban Centres Woodstock, Ingersoll Tillsonburg
• The County of Oxford restructured in 1975. Water
  and Wastewater are County owned. All systems were
  operated by the Province and Lower Tier
  municipalities until 1999-2000. The County now
  operates all of the wastewater plants.

4
(No Transcript)
5
Oxford County Wastewater Systems

• 8 Wastewater Treatment plants
• 5 mechanical plants
• 2 produce anaerobic biosolids (Woodstock,
  Ingersoll)
• 2 produce aerobic biosolids (Tillsonburg,
  Thamesford)
• 1 has biosolids trucked to Woodstock (Drumbo)
• 3 lagoons ( Tavistock, Plattsville, Norwich)
• 1 Re-circulating Sand Filter discharging to
  leaching bed
• Septage received at Woodstock Ingersoll
• Woodstock Biosolids are dewatered land filled
  due to metal content
• Ingersoll, Tillsonburg Thamesford biosolids are
  land applied
• Current biosolids production - 1560 t/yr
• future biosolids production - 1900 t/yr

6
Why did Oxford Prepare a Biosolids Management
Strategy?

• County took over wastewater operations in 1999 -
  2000 from Province and lower tiers - now need an
  overall operational strategy
• many plants need upgrades, again leading to the
  need for a strategy
• Deal with public perception
• Source water protection
• Nutrient Management Act (storage land
  application implications)

7
Source Water Protection

• Goals
• Protect water quality.
• Maintain adequate supply.
• Main Policy Areas
• Water Quality
• - Well Head Protection Areas
• Aquifer Vulnerability
• General Policies
• Water Quantity

8
Water Protection Strategy

• Research Access to Information
• Phase I II Studies
• Map Your Farm
• Groundwater Navigator

• Incentives
• Clean Water Project

• Regulatory
• Land Use Planning
• Nutrient Management
• Biosolids Mant Strategy

9
(No Transcript)
10
Access to Information

• County has made NMP mapping functionality
  accessible over the internet - Map Your Farm

• Support farming community information needs

• Application development part of the GeoSmart
  Program

11
(No Transcript)
12
Biosolids Management

• Biosolids Management Strategy was initiated in
  2003 as a Class C EA
• TSC Consultant (XCG) and County staff
• BAC - providing guidance - farmers, Chambers of
  Commerce, municipal Councilors
• Open and transparent process
• alleviate concerns regarding biosolids, storage,
  disposal methods and to accommodate future growth
• BMMP Plan was completed in 2004
• Site for the Facility construction Class C EA
  was conducted in 2005

13
Biosolids Management Issues/Options Considered
BIOLOGICAL STABILIZATION
FURTHER PROCESSING
SLUDGE GENERATION
END USE
STORAGE
None
None
None
14
Sample Evaluation Criteria (30)
15
Oxford - Estimated Costs of Options
16
Oxford Biosolids Plan

• Treat biosolids at 4 locations
• install dewatering equipment at 2 sites,
  upgrading equipment at one site and maintain
  equipment at one site - (lower storage
  transportation costs)
• construct a central storage facility (location
  selection 2005)
• land application of dewatered biosolids
• increased sewer use education/enforcement
• construct septage receiving facilities

17
Oxfords Key Findings

• Sewer Use Bylaw education/enforcement is vital to
  a successful biosolids land application program
• Majority of septage is already treated in two
  wastewater plants - still will have costs to
  develop septage receiving facilities
• very little public participation in the Class EA
  process
• land application is the best way for Oxford to
  deal with biosolids (2 of available land
  required for program)
• Need a means to register all bio-solids received
  in the County

18
Oxford Biosolids Management Plan

• Responsibilities
• environmental responsibility by meeting land
  application guidelines or landfilling and by
  following County Groundwater Protection Policies
• environmental responsibility by recycling
  beneficial material into the environment
• economic responsibility by providing the most
  cost effective solution
• responsibility to rural residents by dealing with
  septage
• Risks and Contingency Plan
• manage risks to groundwater and surface water by
  following land application guidelines, nutrient
  management legislation and County Groundwater
  Protection Policies
• County has the ability to landfill material that
  does not meet land application guidelines

19

The End Thank You