BIOSOLIDS
FOR WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT
The quality of surface and ground waters depends
greatly upon the health of the topsoil in the watershed. Healthy
topsoil promotes dense vegetative growth, which protects the
topsoil from eroding into the surface waters, and carrying
sediment, nutrients, and other pollution. Healthy topsoil also
contains an active ecosystem that removes many pollutants from
water running into lakes and streams, or percolating into the
water table.
In many watersheds, topsoil has been depleted
to the point that it no longer sustains a healthy ecosystem
or dense vegetative growth. In some places, no topsoil remains
at all. Replenishing topsoil can improve the water quality
of the watershed.
One way to replenish topsoil is to apply biosolids.
Biosolids are processed from the solid material recovered in
wastewater treatment. Municipal water reclamation plants produce
most biosolids. Some biosolids are produced by private industry.
Biosolids contain nutrients, concentrated organic compounds,
and mineral particles, all of which are very similar to those
found in a natural prairie soil. Returning these biosolids
to the watershed, in a controlled manner, replenishes the materials
that have been lost during decades of poor topsoil management.
Properly processed biosolids are stabilized
and completely safe to use under appropriate guidelines. On
sites where topsoil is virtually non-existent or at land reclamation
projects, one-time applications may be warranted as a total
substitute for topsoil. For maintenance purposes or crop production,
application rates are limited to nutrient needs for crops.
Additional factors apply, for which the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency (IEPA) can provide guidance.
Application of biosolids is regulated by the
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and IEPA through a permit
system. The IEPA may also provide names of biosolids producers
in your area. You may contact the Permit Section of IEPA at
(217) 782-0610 or at its e-mail link on the IEPA homepage www.epa.state.il.us.
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