A MODEL FOR DEVELOPING TECHNICAL AND COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR BIOSOLIDS PROCESSING

Delaware County, located just north of Columbus, Ohio owns and operates two wastewater treatment plants, the Olentangy Environmental Control Center (OECC) and Alum Creek Water Reclamation Facility (ACWRF). At both facilities, thickened waste activated sludge is aerobically digested and land applied. The County is faced with the following several important issues with respect to biosolids management: including regulatory pressures, service area growth, and access to suitable land for biosolids disposal. A Residuals Master Plan (RMP) was developed to assist the County make informed decisions with respect biosolids management. The RMP is “road map” that explores all management approaches. It incorporates flexibility to allow the County to respond costeffectively to future regulatory changes and disposal constraints. This paper expounds on the key elements of the project including the identification of ten biosolids processing strategies, their evaluation, and the selection of the most suitable strategy. A key feature of the project was the active participation of all levels of the County staff. This approach provided a continuous opportunity to achieve consensus and integrated the multiple perspectives of the County staff in determining the final outcome. This paper outlines how one utility is developing a Master Plan to resolve key issues and prepare for future uncertainties. Other utilities can use the model described herein to develop site-specific, forward-thinking, and cost-effective biosolids management strategies.