The D.C. Water & Sewer Authority, operator of the largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in the world, receives 1,500 wet tons of sewage each day. Up until last year, biosolids that accumulate after the treatment process were land applied as a fertilizer. Now in an effort to be more sustainable and generate additional revenue to pay for infrastructure, D.C. Water has packaged this fertilizer, called Bloom, and is offering it to the public for home and commercial use.
Bloom fertilizer, is in high demand, according to Brian Riddle, who recently purchased 1,000 tons of the product for his D.C. area garden centers, Homestead Gardens. In an interview with Fortune Magazine, Brian notes, “it’s hard to find affordable fertilizer that’s safe and natural. It’s loaded with valuable nutrients.”[1]
D.C. Water spent the last several years investigating and testing new technology to handle biosolids in a more sustainable way. The new process involves a three-stage process that includes “cooking” at high heat and pressure, which results in a sterilized soft-matter. The remaining solids then travel to a filter press that removes any remaining liquid, producing a rich and nutrient dense compost, perfect for lawns, gardens, and landscaped areas.[2]
The technology that DC Water is using has been in use in Europe over the last few years. Equipment to process solids and sludge in this method cost the water authority approximately $470 million to implement. According to an article by Fortune Magazine, “D.C. Water would have needed to spend most of that money anyway to treat the biosolids, and this was a way to do that in a sustainable manner and generate revenue to fix aging pipes.”[3]
As of now, D.C. Water’s new investment has resulted in substantial cost savings to the operating budget, as well as biosolid disposal and energy costs.Currently, Bloom is sold for $5 per cubic yard in D.C. and in Maryland; with plans to soon be offered in Pennsylvania and Virginia.[4]
In an interview with WTOP Vincent Morris, the D.C. Water public representative, described Bloom as a winning product that highlights the agency’s commitment to sustainability.
“It’s much less expensive than most garden products. It’s a good example of sustainability in that waste is being repurposed for growing flowers or vegetables rather than simply being disposed.”[5]
[1] Alsever, Jennifer. Turning Waste into Gold. Fortune Magazine, June 12, 2017. Web. http://fortune.com/2017/06/12/dc-water-recycled-sewage-infrastructure/
[2] Alsever. Turning Waste into Gold. http://fortune.com/2017/06/12/dc-water-recycled-sewage-infrastructure/
[3] Alsever. Turning Waste into Gold. http://fortune.com/2017/06/12/dc-water-recycled-sewage-infrastructure/
[4] King, Kristi. Thanks to DC Water, one person’s poop is another’s ‘soil amendment’. WTOP, June 9, 207. Web. http://wtop.com/local/2017/06/dc-water-poop-soil-amendment/slide/1/
[5] King. Thanks to DC Water, one person’s poop is another’s ‘soil amendment’. http://wtop.com/local/2017/06/dc-water-poop-soil-amendment/slide/1/