Sludge Watch ==> Florida - 'Biomaterial' farm mystery solved

[maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca]

The farm is 1000 acre site, and averaging more than 7 tones per acre of
sludge per year.





Back Article published May 7, 2006
May 7, 2006

'Biomaterial' farm mystery solved

By AMY REININK

Sun staff writer
The farm just southwest of Archer on State Road 24 sits amid rolling hills,
with cattle grazing in its fields and silos rising in the distance.

Phoebe Papadi calls it "the picture of a successful farm."

Papadi, 56, drives by the farm every day on her commute from Gainesville to
Bronson Middle/High School, where she's a teacher.

"The farm provides a changing landmark as the crops go through their
cycles," Papadi wrote to Since You Asked. "It is the bright spot in an
otherwise drab daily commute."

Adding to its mystique, Papadi said the farm is guarded by large gates that
always seem to be closed, and signs that warn: "No Public Access -
Biomaterial Site."

"Needless to say, I am very curious about it," Papadi wrote.

The biomaterial referenced in the sign is what's commonly known as sludge,
and the 1,000-acre farm was the recipient of 3,581 dry tons of highly
treated wastewater from Gainesville Regional Utilities last year, said Kim
Zoltek, GRU's water and wastewater engineering director.

The farm, which is owned by Roger Williams, uses biosolids produced during
the wastewater treatment process as fertilizer for its corn crops and for
grass. The corn goes to make feed for livestock, and the farm's cattle graze
on the grass.

The wastewater treatment process produces a material that's rich in
phosphorus and nitrogen, nutrients commonly used in chemical fertilizer,
Zoltek said.

"In the old days, people used to call it sludge, and it was disposed of in a
landfill," Zoltek said. "Now, it's recognized as a viable agricultural
product that serves a good environmental purpose. For the farmer, it
replaces chemical fertilizer. For us, we aren't paying to dispose of the
material and filling up landfills with it. It's a win-win relationship for
us and the farmer."

GRU pays Williams $33,686 a year to apply the biosolids to his land, both
for the cost of applying the material and for the right to apply it
year-round, even when it might be more financially beneficial for Williams
to use chemical fertilizer, Zoltek said.

GRU would pay more than $2 million more than that to haul the biosolids to a
landfill, Zoltek said.

"As an environmental engineer, I see this as one of the neater things we get
to do," Zoltek said. "We get to see what could be a waste product reused in
a very beneficial way."

Papadi said knowing more about the farm's operations would only increase her
enjoyment of it on her rides to and from work.

"It sounds wonderful," Papadi said. "It sounds like a smart thing
environmentally and financially, for both the farmer and GRU. At least now
when I go by, I'll know what's going on there instead of just mulling it
over."

Amy Reinink can be reached at 352-374-5088 or reinina at gvillesun.com.