Biosolids are the by-product of wastewater treatment.  Depending on how they will be used, biosolids can be processed by various techniques to achieve the desired characteristics.  This solids treatment process is relatively expensive; thus a thorough evaluation of options is warranted to identify the most environmentally-friendly and cost-effective method(s) for biosolids reuse.

To this end, EWA has developed and implemented a Biosolids Management Plan.  This Plan provides an assessment of potential markets for EWA’s biosolids and the required technologies to implement them.  Markets considered include: contract agriculture, specialty agriculture, golf courses/turf management, fertilizer distributors, soil blenders, local communities, and biofuel.

EWA’s current Biosolids Management Plan was completed in 2008.  This Plan provides recommendations for the short-term (<5 years) and long-term (5-10 years) use of EWA’s biosolids.  In the short-term, the Plan recommends processing EWA’s biosolids to Class A dried pellets and utilizing those pellets as a biofuel in Southern California cement kilns.  Over the next few years, the Plan recommends developing more lucrative reuse markets, including use as a commercial fertilizer or soil amendment.  EWA implemented use of the biosolids pellets as a biofuel in 2009 and is currently pursuing a contract with a fertilizer blender. Since biosolids treatment technologies and reuse markets are continually evolving, EWA plans to update the Biosolids Management Plan every five years.