sewage

[travis91]

We live out in the county about 2 miles out from the city limits. the city of Hartford has there sewage lagoons on county land and due to some federal regulations(water flowing out of lagoons into creeks wasnt clean enough) there having to pump them out and there pumping them into trucks which are being spread on local farm fields(cotton, peanuts,corn) there has been studies done showing viruses can leech into the soil and contaminate it and we are concerned who would we contact to ask and express our concerns too?

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by travis91

We live out in the county about 2 miles out from the city limits. the city of Hartford has there sewage lagoons on county land and due to some federal regulations(water flowing out of lagoons into creeks wasnt clean enough) there having to pump them out and there pumping them into trucks which are being spread on local farm fields(cotton, peanuts,corn) there has been studies done showing viruses can leech into the soil and contaminate it and we are concerned who would we contact to ask and express our concerns too?

Contact: EPA

or

Alabama Cooperative Extension Service

[travis91]

does any one have a phone number?

[T-Bone 369]

From the ACES document -

When Citizens Complain
Because so much biosolids are being recycling onto Alabama farmland and reclaimed mine land, some nearby residents are sure to become concerned. Because Alabama counties have little or no rural zoning and private property rights are precious to most rural residents, there is little a neighbor can do if the landowner/applicator is spreading biosolids according to EPA guidelines. In Alabama, land application of municipal biosolids is enforced by US-EPA Region 4 in Atlanta, Georgia, not the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).

So it looks like you want US-EPA Region 4 in Atlanta - 800-241-1754


But frankly if they are not violating the guidelines your going to be whistling into the wind.

[RedDirt Cowgirl]

Source water protection seems to be the issue -
http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/...rceaquifer.cfm

[Cabin Fever]

The email addresses and phone numbers of EPA Region 4 and the State of Alabama biosolids regulatory staff can be found here ==> Biosolids Coordinators

[Home Harvest]

This isn't a comment on travis' concerns, but I'm curious as to what everyone thinks should be done with biosolids?

My understanding is that most major cities once dumped raw sewage into the ocean. We don't want to go back to that. Should it be treated as hazardous waste, and put into sealed landfills? I don't have any answers, and I'm not trolling. I just thought that spreading of the sludge on farmland was a viable option, until I read this post about the potential for virus'.

[rambler]

I personally think using treated sewage for growing livestock crops is a good idea.

I understand if you have certain manufaturing in your city there is a chance of heavy metals contamination, which is a bad thing.

In the past one couldn't grow human foods for a year from land that had sewage applied; not sure if those regulations changed but it seemsa good idea anyhow.

From the wording of the original message, it's possible in this case the waste has not been properly treated but is an emergency deal where they are picking the lesser of 2 evils - spread it somewhat raw or let it seep raw into a waterway? It would bug me too I guess if I were deemed the lessor of 2 evils in that way. In any event, like you say, not to question the original intent of this thread, just my calm opinion since you asked.

Another story - there was one of those TV news hound stories on the Twin Cities TV a couple years ago. A homeowner was all aghast that the meadow grass field next door to him was used for spreading septic tank pumpings. It was done according to code, with full inspections; but this couple was just increadulous about it. He kept saying his young daughter went over to the meadow to play all the time, and he didn't want her exposed to all that.

I guess some of us will see that issue one way, and others will see it a different way. Myself, I found it sad that 'dad' was teaching his daughter to tresspass just because the pretty meadow was there - and found it odd he would get on TV and admit such a thing.

--->Paul

[Cabin Fever]

Believe it or not, I was the biosolids recycling manager for the wastewater authority in Minneapolis-St. Paul for 13 years. Notice my title included the word "recycling" and not "disposal." That should pretty much tells you what I believe should be done with this resource. We cannot truly have "sustainable agriculture" unless we recycle all nutrients. These nutrients should not be disposed in rivers, streams, lakes and landfills.

[volleypc]

Are you sure the reason they are pumping it out is because the water wasn't clean enough? Sewage Lagoons that are managed correctly need to be pumped out from time to time. The sludge is dried onsite and then placed on fields etc. It is also tested for many things including metals. Our lagoons are mainly residential and do not have issues with heavy metals so they are used for fertilizer. Lagoons with commerical/industrial waste often have metals and they are regulated on what they can do with sludge. Either way, it is worth checking into, but it is not a bad thing in most cases.

[DaleK]

Depends on what the heavy metals are too. Some heavy metals are also useful nutrients. The biosolids here are restricted to half of the normal application rates because of high copper levels. Most soils in this area are very copper deficient. We can either pay large amounts of money to buy more copper in our fertilizers to make up the deficiency, or use biosolids and benefit from the "heavy metal"