BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES STUDY FOR ARLINGTON WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT

Arlington County's Water Pollution Control Division (WPCD) initiated this study in the fall of 2001 after the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) limited the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) to land apply their lime-stabilized sludge to remote and secluded sites, limiting the available land application sites and increasing the cost of land application. This limitation was instituted primarily due to odor complaints from neighbors. Concerns of potential legislative action affecting land application in Virginia persuaded Arlington's WPCD to look at a wide variety of biosolids management options. The main goal of the study was to identify a reliable and diversified biosolids management plan to address on-site and off-site odor concerns and changing regulatory demands. This study was designed to review the current status of biosolids management, to review current local and state regulations regarding biosolids practices including Virginia legislative action, and to assess the availability of land application sites and costs associated with it. It also was intended to review and update the previous sludge management alternatives studies conducted during the plant expansion in 1995 and 1999, to evaluate additional biosolids management alternatives including irradiation, wet air oxidation and deep well wet air oxidation, and to make long-term recommendations for a eliable biosolids management plan. This paper presents evaluation of various alternatives for biosolids disposal and explains why a diversified sludge management plan may provide more reliable long-term solution.