Atlanta, Ga.-Decatur Utilities at Decatur, Ala., isn’t expected to be producing biosolids for use as fertilizer anytime, soon even though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency believes it has singled out the sources of perfluorinated compounds detected last November in samples from the utility’s Dry Creek Plant. “We have identified three principal industries that have released the chemicals in wastewater discharges,” Gail Mitchell, deputy director of the water protection division at EPA’s Region 4, told Green Markets. She named the companies as 3M, Daikin Industries, and Toray, and said that two of them are PFC chemical manufacturers and the other is a user, and all have wastewater discharges that went to the treatment plant in the area. PFCs, which can degrade into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), have been found to cause serious health problems, including cancer. Mitchell also disclosed the results of EPA testing of public water systems that detected no PFCs above the provisional health advisory levels. But of six private wells used for drinking water in agriculture areas where the suspected biosolids were spread, two had concentrations above the advisory level. “We’ve worked with a group of businesses and industries in the areas to provide those two residences alternative water and they are now connected to the public water system,” the EPA official disclosed. The 12 wells not used for drinking but primarily for livestock watering had concentrations from non-detect up to 0.15 parts per billion. About 30 samples were collected from livestock water ponds, with concentrations anywhere from non-detect up to 11.00 ppb., which is considered relatively high. “We are waiting for results from the soil samples and will hold a public meeting on June 2,” Mitchell explained. “But right now we know of no one who is drinking water with contents above the health advisory level. Meanwhile, we expect to have results from the soil tests by the end of May.” The sampling and testing is spread over the counties of Lawrence, Morgan, and Limestone in north central Alabama, involving 5,000 acres and approximately 40 farms with various parcels that received the biosolids. At the same time, Decatur Utilities continues to produce biosolids as part of its wastewater treatment plant operations, Mitchell reported, but sends it all to a local landfill for disposal. Mitchell said Decatur is working with the Alabama Dept. of Environmental Management and local industries to reduce or eliminate PFCs from discharges that go to its treatment plant. She believes the utility has no plans to resume land application of biosolids.
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