Farming with Orange County’s Biosolids (treated sewage sludge) is a Win for the Environment, Farmers, and Ratepayers
Decades of nationwide use, research, and regulatory review and oversight have demonstrated the benefits and safety of biosolids. Orange County’s biosolids have been safely applied to farmland in California and Arizona since the 1990’s.
Orange County’s biosolids (treated sewage sludge) are a beneficial amendment to farmland and an environmentally-friendly alternative to petroleum-based and chemical fertilizers. Not only do biosolids help conserve water in the soil, the California State Water Resources Control Board designated biosolids farm application to be the environmentally superior option in their statewide Environmental Impact Report.
Orange County’s biosolids are safe, highly-regulated, and meet the most restrictive toxics standards. In order to maintain these high-quality standards for recycling our biosolids, Orange County Sanitation District maintains a comprehensive and award-winning Source Control program that prevents pollutants from entering our facilities and biosolids.
Fertilizing farmland with biosolids is a win-win for the environment because we are recycling a renewable resource and creating productive farmland. It’s a win for farmers because biosolids increase crop yields. And this biosolids management option is a win for local sewer rate payers since it is a low-tech, low-cost, reliable option that helps keep sewer rates low.
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