Biosolids Land Application Programs

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Biosolids Land Application ProgramsNutrient
Management

• David Taylor
• Director of Special Projects
• Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

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• Biosolids reuse practices
• Quick facts-MMSD
• Nutrient management
• Phosphorus
• MMSD strategy

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IN WISCONSIN

• 98 of facilities beneficially reuse biosolids
  (78 by volume)
• 1.2 landfill (10 by volume)
• 0.4 of facilities incinerate (11.5 by volume)

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WHY LAND APPLY?

• Environmental benefits
• Lower risks to human health and environmental
  quality
• Public support-both general public and farm
  community
• Economics

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Quick Facts About The Metrogro Program

• 40 MGY (9,000 dry tons)
• Field corn is the dominant crop
• Subsurface injection
• N-based application rates
• Voluntary measures to address P

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Quick Facts About The Metrogro Program

• Privately owned farmland
• Sites approved by DNR
• Land base-55,000 acres
• Apply to 5,000 acres annually
• 17 mile average haul distance

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Nutrient Management

• Additions should match crop removal
• Soil testing is key
• Historic focus on N

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Biosolids N (avail) P205 K20 ratio if
applied at agronomic rateFor MMSD 1
1.5 0.2Typ. Biosolids 1 2.6 0.2

• Soil test N P205 K20 ratio
• For corn 1 0.3 0.2

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• P- increasing focus
• Much more challenging issue than N management
• P based application rates not practical
• Conflicting regulatory initiatives

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P Sources

• 60 of P from residential sources
• 40 from commercial/industrial sources

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FOODS HIGH IN PHOSPHORUS INCLUDE
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Regulatory Initiatives That Have/Will Impact
Phosphorus

• NR 204
• NR 217
• National nutrient standards
• NRCS 590
• Nonpoint Performance Standards
• TMDLs

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• Group 1 Effluent driven
• NR 217, National Nutrient
• Group 2 Soil driven
• NR 204, NRCS 590, NPPS
• Group 3 Mix
• TMDLs

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NATIONAL NUTRIENT CRITERIA
NONPOINT REDESIGN
NRCS P APPROACH
NR 217
TMDLs
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P
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NR 217 requirements

• Effluent P limits
• 1.0 mg/l chemical
• 1.5 mg/l biological

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The MMSD Experience

• Pre Post
• NR 217 NR 217
• Effluent P 3.9 mg/l 0.45 mg/l
• Biosolids 2.6 4.5

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National Nutrient Criteria

• Effluent P limitations well below NR 217
  requirements
• Increased biosolids P
• Current Future?
• effluent 0.45 mg/l 0.045 mg/l
• biosolids 4.5 5.0

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TMDL Implications

• Nutrient criteria will become driver for 303(d)
  list
• Dramatic increase in number of 303(d) listed
  segments
• Potential major impacts for POTWs
• Effluent
• biosolids

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• TMDL LA WLA MOS RC
• WHERE
• LA Load from nonpoint sources
• WA Load from point sources
• MOS Margin of safety
• RC Reserve capacity

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Bottom Line?

• Several regulatory initiatives directed at
  nutrients.
• Significant impacts on biosolids management
  programs.
• Integrated approach appears to be lacking.

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What do we know about P in biosolids?

• Leaching of P generally not a problem
• Lower WEP content in biosolids than commercial P
  fertilizer
• Bioavailability

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Figure 1. Comparison of WEP for TSP, manures, and
typical biosolids From OConnor and Elliott 2002
WERF P Project-Draft Executive Summary
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Figure 2. Comparison of WEP levels for several
biosolids treatment methods From OConnor and
Elliott 2002 WERF P Project-Draft Executive
Summary
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Biosolids P bioavailability categories relative
to TSP fertilizer-from WERF P Project
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• Risk management
• PI approach may be an appropriate risk management
  tool

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PI ApproachCritical areas result from high
source of P and high transport
SOURCE
TRANSPORT
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PI APPROACH
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NATIONAL NUTRIENT CRITERIA
NRCS P APPROACH
INTEGRATED, COMMON SENSE APPROACH
NONPOINT REDESIGN
TMDLs
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MMSD Strategy

• Voluntary goal return frequency
• gt 3 years
• Research to achieve 30 reduction in biosolids P
  content
• Work with LCD to identify high risk sites

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• Reasonable balance between P applied and crop
  removal
• Should address surface water issues
• Should allow for a reasonably smooth transition
  to a PI approach