Macon Soils
The Macon Water Authority has worked for years to be an environmentally conscious steward to Macon and surrounding communities. As part of this effort, in 1992 the MWA began supplying treated biosolids free for area farmers to use as fertilizer. In 1998, Macon Soils (MSI) was established as a non-profit entity of the MWA to continue this process.
Macon Soils supplies biosolids and other nutrient rich materials to farmers as a fertilizer or lime supplement. MSI applies around 36,000 tons of biosolids generated by the Macon Water Authority and 3,800 tons of waste tobacco from the Brown & Williamson plant in Macon to local farmers. MSI also spreads 13,500 tons of lime mud annually from the water treatment plant operated by the MWA.
Biosolids, sometimes referred to as sludge, are the remnants removed from wastewater, which are thickened, and then processed to remove water. The biosolids are mixed with the lime-rich mud to produce a rich fertilizer.
Many factors are taken into consideration to ensure MSI provides a safe and reliable product to farmers. Because the wastewater plants where the sludge is processed involve a biological process, a great deal of sampling and monitoring takes place. From the time the sludge enters the plant, goes through the treatment process, and then passes on to the dewatering facility, as many as 30 days may have passed. The biosolids are tested for the amount of nutrients and other elements to determine the application rate for each crop.
Once delivered to the site, buffer zones are maintained around houses, wells, roadways, waterways, and property lines, to ensure a safe environment is maintained. Detailed records are kept on every application site, especially when nutrients and metals are applied to that site. These records, coupled with soil samples, are made available annually to the landowner as long as the site remains active.
Recycling 36,000 tons of biosolids – which fill about 2,250 large dump trucks – saves money for landowners, the MWA, and the many customers of the MWA. To place the biosolids in a landfill – a common practice used in the past – the cost to the MWA would be from $30 – $50 a ton. The cost to recycle the biosolids and spread it on local farms is approximately $16 a ton – a substantial savings.
To find out more about biosolids recycling and the Macon Soils program, please contact Mack Jones at (478) 464-5659.