Presented by: James E. Johnson, Technical Services OfficerResource Recovery & Reuse Department

Metro Wastewater Reclamation District

Denver, Colorado

March 2013

Metro Wastewater Reclamation District

� Who is the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District

� What our Biosolids Management Program Entails

� Snapshots of a Successful Biosolids Management Program

� Opportunity for Questions & Answers

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Who is Metro Wastewater?Regional Wastewater Treatment Agency

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Special District• Formed under Colorado Law

in 1961• Wholesale Wastewater

Treatment55 local governments• 1.5 million people• Area Served – 380 square

miles• 250+ miles of interceptor

sewers• Treat 160 million gallons per

day• Produced 27,026 dry tons of

biosolids in 2012

Wastewater Treatment Process

Liquid Stream

� Preliminary Treatment� Screening

� Grit Removal

� Primary Treatment� Primary Clarifiers

� Secondary Treatment� Aeration Basins

� Secondary Clarifiers

� Disinfection

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Wastewater Treatment Process

Solids Stream

� Primary Clarifiers

� Secondary Clarifiers

� Dissolved Air Flotation Thickening

� Blending Tanks

� Acid Anaerobic Digestion

� Mesophillic Anaerobic Digestion

� Centrifuge Dewatering

� Dewatered Biosolids Storage

� Class B

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Wastewater Treatment Process

Solid Stream

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Primary Sludge

Anaerobic Digestion

DewateringCentrifuges

Dewatered Biosolids Storage(Cake Tower)

Cogeneration

Dissolved Air Flotation

Blending Tank

Secondary Biological Sludge (WAS)

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Solid Stream - Cogeneration

The District saved $0.05 per kWh by using Trigen co-generation power in place of Xcel electrical power. During 2012, the District saved approximately $1,580,000.

Biosolids Management Program

- Attitude -� Biosolids are a beneficial

product worth money!

� Emphasize the positives of beneficial use

� We in the biosolids industry are Environmentalists

� “Don’t just do it, do it right”

� Work cooperatively to develop a strong regional biosolids program� Other generators (Littleton-Englewood)

� Regulators (EPA, State of Colorado)

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Biosolids Management Program

� Biosolids Production

� 74 dry tons/day in 2012

� Utilize In-House Resources• Biosolids transport &

application

� Vehicle & equipment maintenance

� 16 Tractors and 23 trailers� 14 live bottom

� 4 end dump

� 3 belly dump

� 2 tankers

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Transport� 20.8 average truckloads per day in 2012

� 6 days/week

� Average 140 miles round-trip truckload

� Average load 363 wet tons/73.8 dry tons

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Biosolids Management Program

- Attitude –

� When you charge money for biosolids, it puts a new meaning to “customer service”!

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� Embrace the Biosolids EMS philosophy

� Program sustainability

� Best management practices

� Continual improvement

� Perform above & beyond minimal requirements

From Free to Pay

� Land application started in early 1980’s

� Originally a liquid application program until about 1986, then switched to cake� Gave biosolids to farmers

� 1998 - Began charging farmers a minimal fee� Some resistance, but not bad. Still a good deal.

� As of December 31, 1998: � revenue received was $4,178.00

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Status as of 2004

� 35% of annual biosolids production was applied to private land � 12 different private farmers

� Located in 4 different counties in eastern Colorado

� Dry land and irrigated sites

� Charge was $3/acre for biosolids

� Total 2004 cake sales - $12,445.95

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We Deliver

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We apply

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We incorporate

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We Invoice

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6450 York Street INVOICEINVOICEINVOICEINVOICE

Denver, CO 80229-7499(303) 286-3000 Main Phone(303) 286-3028 Fax

Send To: Invoice No.:Bill A. Farmer Invoice Date:1 Headlight Road PO Number: -----Old Ford, Colorado Terms: Net 30

District Contact: All Bets Roff

METROGRO Cake 20% Grade 1.4-1.1-0.04Guaranteed Analysis:Total Nitrogen (N) ……………………1.4%Available Phosphate (P2O5)………..1.1%Soluble Potash (K2O)…0………….0.04%Derived from biosolids generated at the RWHTF

Quantity Description Unit Price Amount

Acres

65.59 SW ¼ SEC 23 T1S R02W DC 7, App Set No. 10, 240.86 dT applied $12.00 $787.08

Miles

4950 Fuel Surcharge is 2% of $3.3358 x miles $0.0667 $330.17

Subtotal: $1,117.25Tax: $0.00

Total Due: $1,117.25

We save money on fuel

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2008 Pricing� 2008 price increase

� Under 75lb/acre PAN - $8/acre

� Over 75lb/acre PAN - $12/acre

� Also added a fuel supplement

� Calculation charge = fuel ($/gallon) x (2%) x (miles rt)

� Total 2008 cake sales - $40,148.94

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Current Status

� Currently have 201 approved private sites.

� 57 private landowners participating.

� Total active private acres approved:

� 18,194.91 irrigated acres

� 39,274.69 dryland acres

� 57,469.60 total private acres

� Waiting list of farmers – currently 14

� Five counties.

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Current Sales� 2012 Class B cake sales -

$69,349.16 � 2012 Fuel Surcharge -

$33,719.46 � Total 2012 revenue -

$103,068.62

� 2013 sales as of February 5th –� Class B cake sales - $19,431.56 � Fuel Surcharge - $6,950.33 � Total 2013 invoiced -

$26,381.89

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34.40%

6.50%

59.10%

METROGRO 2012

Biosolids Distribution

METROGRO Farm

Private Composter

Private Farms

Future Pricing?� May go to a $/lb PAN structure

� Avoids unfairness in billing

� Farmers pay for the nitrogen they receive

� Current 2013 price for anhydrous ammonia is $ 0.49/lbPAN

� New products –� Liquid N fertilizer?

� Granular phosphate fertilizer? Already pilot tested a process.

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METROGRO Farm

� Purchased between 1993 and 2000

� 52,000 acres (81 square miles)of agricultural property east of Deer Trail, CO

� Farm never was intended to be a profit center (good thing!)

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METROGRO Farm

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Satellite View

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Ground View

� Installed perpendicular to prevailing (winter) wind direction in 1998

� Used on steep or long slopes

� Reduces soil erosion by reducing wind speed and distance traveled across soil surface

� Alternate fields of growing crop and fallow

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METROGRO Farm

� Farmed by Tenant farmer who is responsible for all farming & grazing operations through lease agreement

� Approximately 26,000 to 28,000 acres are farmable

� In any given year, approximately one half of the farmable acreage is planted in various crops� No irrigation – dryland only

� No-till crop/fallow rotation allows for soil moisture to accumulate

� Chemical weed control to eliminate transpiration in fallow ground

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METROGRO Farm

Support Facilities – Grain Bins

� Five grain bins

� Constructed in 1999

� Combined storage capacity of 174,000 bu

� Truck scale

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METROGRO Farm Support Facilities• Maintenance Shop

• Vehicle and Equipment Storage

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METROGRO Farm Support Facilities� Diesel fueling station – both storage and dispensing

� Chemical mixing station

� Air strip

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$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

Do

lla

rs

YEAR

METROGRO Farm - Wheat Revenue

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$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

$40,000

Do

lla

rs

YEAR

METROGRO Farm- Forage Revenue

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$0.00

$10,000.00

$20,000.00

$30,000.00

$40,000.00

$50,000.00

$60,000.00

$70,000.00

$80,000.00

Do

lla

rs

YEAR

METROGRO Farm - Corn Revenue

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$0.00

$10,000.00

$20,000.00

$30,000.00

$40,000.00

$50,000.00

$60,000.00

$70,000.00

Do

lla

rs

YEAR

METROGRO Farm- Millet Revenue

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$0.00

$100,000.00

$200,000.00

$300,000.00

$400,000.00

$500,000.00

$600,000.00

$700,000.00

$800,000.00

Do

lla

rs

YEAR

METROGRO Farm - Total Revenue To District

Big Game Outfitter

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Hunting of pronghorn antelope, deer, and elk on the METROGRO Farm.

Revenue to District from the outfitter is $12,000 per year for 2010 – 2012.

The Future?� 2012 total revenue is not compiled yet.

� Current lease agreement with tenant farmer expires in 2015.

� What then?

� Re-negotiate lease?

� Go out for bids?

� District may consider taking over farming operations. Current terms of lease are not favorable to the District. Planting, chemical application and harvesting can all be done via contract operations.

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