Public hearing set for Marion County sludge application

A public hearing will be conducted in Marion’s C.D. Joyner Auditorium on June 26 to discuss the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s application from Grand Strand Water and Sewert to spread sludge in Marion County.DHEC staff will be available for questions starting at 6 p.m. and the hearing will begin at 7 p.m.

This proposed permit modification would allow GSWSA to land apply treated wastewater sludge to eight privately owned sites in Marion County.

Anyone with questions concerning the proposed permit issuance or the upcoming hearing, can call DHEC project engineer, Brenda Green at (803) 898-3375 or e-mail her at . Sludge, also known as “biosolids,” or “wastewater biosolids” is a by-product of wastewater treatment processes.

According to a fact sheet from DHEC, wastewater biosolids material is typically rich in the nutrients plants need and are used by farmers to fertilize their crops, reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. So it can often be used as a fertilizer. If the waste water treated material is low enough in pollutant content, land application is an option.

An evaluation of a particular site considers water supplies, soil type, slope, vegetation, crop needs, and the distance to groundwater.

There are buffer requirements, odor plans, pollutant standards, public access restrictions, and application at agronomic rates.

A permit, that can be enforced under state law, is written to control these factors. The amount of material added to the soil that will provide the right amount of nitrogen (typically) that can be used by the crops.

Typically, you match the nitrogen need of the crop with the nitrogen in the material. Wastewater biosolids may not be stored in piles on the property, may not be applied on slopes greater than 10% (unless soil injected), and may not be applied during times of heavy rain. There should not be any ponding or runoff from the property.

For more information visit http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/sludgepage.htm.