Biosolids Management Strategic Plan Update
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BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE MARCH 2006 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The process of developing the update to We would also like to acknowledge the the South Orange County Wastewater ongoing participation of SOCWA’s Authority (SOCWA) Biosolids Manage- Engineering Committee: ment Strategic Plan has been a collaborative effort involving many • Glenn Acosta, Trabuco Canyon individuals, companies and utilities. We Water District would first like to acknowledge the • Dennis Cafferty, El Toro Water efforts of the consultants who District contributed to the preparation of this plan: • Bill Cameron, City of San Clemente • Dennis Wood, Robert Gillette and • Larry Dees, Moulton Niguel Water Lana Yao, Carollo Engineers – District Carollo developed much of the text • Mike Dunbar, South Coast Water and the analysis that are included in District this study. Carollo also prepared the graphics contained herein. • Dan Ferons, Santa Margarita Water District • Charles Egigian-Nichols, Tetra Tech – Tetra Tech prepared both the • Scott Goldman, El Toro Water Feasibility Study for the Prima District Deshecha Compost Facility and the original 2002 SOCWA Biosolids • Bob Gumerman, Moulton Niguel Strategic Plan Water District • Fred Soroushian and Rene • Greg Heiertz, Irvine Ranch Water Groskreutz, CH2MHill – CH2MHill District participated in the development of • A. J. Howard, City of San Clemente the Feasibility Study for the Prima Deshecha Compost Facility; the • Steve Malloy, Irvine Ranch Water company was also responsible for District the 2002 Advanced Digestion Study for SOCWA. • Ziad Mazboudi, City of San Juan Capistrano • Jon Hay, Black and Veatch – Black and Veatch prepared the SOCWA • Wayne Posey, Irvine Ranch Water Facility Heat Drying Analysis as well District as providing peer review for the • Hector Ruiz, Trabuco Canyon Water Compost Study Feasibility Study. District SOCWA 2005 Biosolids Management ACK-1 Strategic Plan ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Noah Sanchez, Irvine Ranch Water District • Dave Seymour, Santa Margarita Water District • David Shissler, City of Laguna Beach These individuals participated in workshops, reviewed project submittals and offered insight into the operations of their own agencies. Finally we would like to thank the members of SOCWA staff would contributed to this effort including the members of the Operations Department for data collection and Christine Wade for patiently navigating the challenging straits of Microsoft Word. SOCWA 2005 Biosolids Management ACK-2 Strategic Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION being developed as a time of transition occurs for SOCWA in terms of its existing he South Orange County Wastewater biosolids management options. Authority (SOCWA) performs solids T SOCWA’s current agreement with treatment at three of its treatment plants: Synagro for the land application and the J.B. Latham Treatment Plant Corona composting options expires in (JBLTP), the Regional Treatment Plant October 2006. The Corona composting (RTP), and Plant 3A (3A). The biosolids site will permanently close in October, are anaerobically digested at each of the 2008. The back-up contract with Waste plants. The digested biosolids are then Markets ends in July, 2006. SOCWA dewatered by centrifuges and disposed of needs to negotiate new private contracts; off-site. however, these new contracts need to Over the past eight years, SOCWA reflect the development of the other biosolids have been managed through biosolids management options. composting of biosolids, land application The purpose of the current study is to of Class B designated biosolids, and reconsider the biosolids management landfilling. The first two options were options available to SOCWA and to performed for SOCWA by a contractor, develop an action plan for implementing Synagro, while the landfilling was the recommendations of the study. completed by SOCWA staff delivering biosolids to the County of Orange Prima BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT Deshecha Landfill. In 2004, SOCWA GOALS signed a new contract with the Synagro he following goals for the SOCWA for a 10-year guaranteed commitment to biosolids management program were participate in a proposed composting T identified through a series of workshops: facility in Kern County titled the South Kern Industrial Center (SKIC) • The program should maintain Composting Facility. This contract multiple, economical options. At guarantees the shipment of 25 tons per least three options are to be day (tpd) of SOCWA biosolids to the identified for each treatment SKIC Facility. The SKIC Composting facility. Facility has been impacted by political controversies regarding importation of • The program should maximize biosolids into Kern County. However, SOCWA control. Options should operation is expected to begin in late include both reuse and disposal 2006. within the County. The selected program should not increase The 2005 SOCWA Biosolids impacts to the neighbors Management Strategic Plan Update is SOCWA 2005 Biosolids Management ES-1 Strategic Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY surrounding the three treatment capability can be simplified as a total of 3 plants. to 3-1/2 truck loads each day. • The program should adhere to The Regional Treatment Plant and Plant environmentally sound practices. 3A produce Class B biosolids as defined by Federal regulations. The biosolids • The beneficial reuse of biosolids is from the J. B. Latham Treatment Plant important; however, this goal does can not meet this classification due to not outweigh the need for a insufficient digester detention time. program that strives for long term economic responsibility. Neither the J. B. Latham Treatment Plant nor the Regional Treatment Plant has the • The Biosolids Management capability to store more than one day’s Strategic Plan needs to remain production of dewatered biosolids cake. flexible and should be updated Plant 3A has the capability of storing 2 to every two years to reflect the 3 days of dewatered biosolids cake in rapidly changing biosolids market. outside bins. However, this represents a EXISTING BIOSOLIDS potential odor concern. HANDLING AT SOCWA The hauling of biosolids to the County of he centrifuge dewatering process at Orange Prima Deshecha Landfill has T all three plants yields biosolids cake been an element of SOCWA’s (and its that ranges between 23% to 28% solids predecessors’) biosolids management for concentration. The current annual over 20 years. This remains the most average of biosolids production is 77.1 cost effective approach to biosolids wet tons per day; the projected ultimate management. The ability to haul large biosolids production is 88.7 wet tons per amounts of biosolids to the Prima day. Current and projected production for Deshecha Landfill on a regular basis is each plant are summarized in Table ES.1 limited by potential wet weather Biosolids hauling from the three SOCWA conditions and a 10:1 refuse to biosolids treatment facilities with solids handling criterion. The recent annual average of Table ES.1 SOCWA Biosolids Quantities Production (1) J.B. Latham WWTP Regional WWTP Plant 3A Total Current (2) 23.6 46.2 7.3 77.1 Ultimate(3) 27.1 53.1 8.4 88.7 (1) Wet tons per day (2) 2004 Historical Biosolids Production (3) Based on a 15% increase hauling to the Prima Deshecha Landfill SOCWA 2005 Biosolids Management ES-2 Strategic Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY has been 12 wet tons per day. None of REGIONAL BIOSOLIDS the alternatives developed in this MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS strategic plan include hauling to the astewater utilities in Southern landfill at an average rate higher than 12 California have adopted widely tons per day. W varying approaches to biosolids BIOSOLIDS REGULATIONS management. The result is that there are numerous biosolids projects that have umerous federal, state, and local been developed or are being developed agencies regulate biosolids N in the region. However, there are no beneficial reuse/disposal. Agency existing programs that appear to offer any jurisdiction may vary depending on the partnering opportunities for SOCWA. beneficial use/disposal methods SOCWA has entered into discussions employed. The most significant trend in with the Inland Empire Utilities Agency regulations in the last few years is the (IEUA) and the Orange County Sanitation growing restriction in land application. District (OCSD) regarding potential Many counties in California have recently participation in a conceptual regional developed or are currently developing solids handling facility in the Prado Basin. ordinances for biosolids land application. The counties that have significant impact SOCWA will continue to work in on SOCWA are Riverside County, conjunction with OCSD to identify and Imperial County, San Bernardino County, develop projects such as the proposed Kings County, and Kern County. None of Prima Deshecha Compost Facility that these counties completely ban all provide biosolids handling solutions on a biosolids land application. However, this County wide basis. trend has an inflationary impact on private The Santa Margarita Water District is beneficial reuse/disposal contracts as the evaluating options for biosolids contractors must haul the biosolids to a management at its Chiquita Water more distant location. This also impacts Reclamation Facility. SOCWA will the reliability of biosolids management as maintain a dialogue with SMWD to disposal options are becoming more determine if there are any possibilities for vulnerable to local political activism. joint participation at the Chiquita site. There are no current regulations in the State