Salisbury Public Works   

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Land Application of Biosolids 

Overview.  Since 1986, the City of Salisbury, (in cooperation with the farming community), has successfully operated its biosolids recycling program through land application to area farms.  This program utilizes municipal wastewater derived biosolids from the Salisbury Wastewater Treatment Plant as a crop nutrient. The biosolids are first screened for debris and are then subjected to an intense biological digestion treatment process to reduce pathogens and odors. This process ensures that the biosolids meet the high quality control standards mandated by State and Federal regulations. It also chemically stabilizes the biosolids which produces a high quality source of nutrients for field crops. Also, a highly vigilant City-wide Pre-Treatment program is operated to minimize potential contaminants, (metals and chemicals), from contaminating the biosolids.

In order to operate this advanced recycling program, the City utilizes an impressive collection of transport vehicles, farm equipment and biosolids processing systems that allows the City to meet the differing needs of the agriculture community.

Benefits. 

• The City of Salisbury biosolids are rich in organics and contain macro and micro nutrients. This makes it an excellent soil conditioner as well as a primary nutrient source and can revitalize depleted, low production soils. Because of this fact, higher crop yields can be realized. *

• To monitor and help maintain appropriate field soil chemistry to maximize crop yields, the farmers fields that receive our biosolids are tested twice a year for pH, organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, cation exchange capacity and acidity as well as other relevant , crop specific testing needs. Based on these tests, the City will adjust the pH of the fields to at least 6.0.

• No cost to the farmer for biosolids and/or lime application.

• The application of City biosolids is conducted according to State approved Nutrient Management Plans and State and Federal biosolids regulations.

* Please Note: State and Federal regulations do not allow sewage derived biosolids to be utilized on crops intended for direct human consumption., (raw vegetables and fruits, etc.)

Information Brochure.  Click Here for an Biosolids Brochure in Adobe Reader format (i.e. a ".PDF" file).

PowerPoint Presentation.  "Nutrient Application To A Managed Tree Farm"

Point of Contact.  If you have questions, please call Mr. Al Porianda at (410) 548-3180.

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This page was last updated on October 7th, 2008.  If you have any questions, corrections, or comments on the Public Works web pages, please contact the City of Salisbury, Salisbury Public Works at (410) 548-3170.