1. State of Texas Biosolids Program Perspectives
Brian Sierant
Biosolids Coordinator
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
This image is showing the tractor pulling the spreader through the grassy field, with Class B sewage sludge being distributed from the spreader onto the field.

2. Topics for Discussion Background on state authority and state rules
The Biosolids Program in Texas
Staff
Permits and Registrations
Administrative and Technical Process
Statistics
Locations
Requirements - State vs. Federal
Legislative Action
Trends
Image shows a dung beetle moving a ball of dung.

3. Benefits of Land Applying Sewage Sludge
Source of nutrients for plant growth
Saves money from using chemical fertilizers
Lowers cost of disposal for utilities
Lowers amount of material disposed in landfills
Processing to higher standards to develop a product for distribution and sale

4. In the Beginning… 40 CFR Part 503 effective February of 1993
TCEQ updates the TAC Chapter 330 rules to incorporate Part 503
30 TAC Chapter 312 (Sludge Rules) become effective October of 1995
TCEQ is authorized to administer the EPA biosolids program in Texas effective September 1998
Rule updates in 2005 and 2014 based on legislation
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5. TCEQ Biosolids Coordinators
Central Office - Austin
Regional Offices – 16 Throughout State
Permitting Staff
Review and draft permits and registrations
Provide technical assistance with the permitting and registration program
Legal Staff
Provide expertise on both state and federal regulations to permitting staff, the regulated community, and the public
Field Ops Investigators
Conduct site assessment evaluations for proposed sites
Inspect sites annually
Investigate complaints made by public

6. Permitting and Registration Program
State – TCEQ
Federal - TPDES
Permit
Class B Biosolids
Registrations
Domestic Septage
Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Residuals
Notification
Exceptional Quality Marketing and Distribution of Class A or AB Biosolids
Biosolids Processing
Dewatering
Lime Stabilization
Composting with green waste
Heat Pelletizing
Mobile Processing Unit
Disposal of Sludge
Monofill
Surface Impoundment
Sludge Only Incineration
Image shows a cartoon picture of a document being signed.

7. Class B Sludge Permit Administrative Process
$1,000 - $5,000 application fee based on proposed
annual tonnage to be land applied
2 Published Public Notices
Each notice is mailed to landowners within ¼ mile of the boundary of land application site
Opportunity for Public Meeting and Contested Case Hearing
Image shows a cartoon picture of a bulletin board with documents posted to it.

8. Domestic Septage and WTP Registration Administrative Process
No application fee (both)
Mailed notice to adjacent landowners for new and amended domestic septage applications
Public notice not required for renewal of domestic septage and any WTP applications
Image shows a cartoon picture of a bulletin board with documents posted to it.

9. Class A and AB Notification Administrative and Technical Process
Notification authorization issued to generator or authorization can be included in generator’s permit
No application fee
Public notice not required
Notification review and approval in 30 days

10. Sewage Sludge, WTP Sludge, and Domestic Septage Technical Process
Metals and Nutrients Analysis - Sludge only
Soils Laboratory Analysis - Both Sludge and Septage
Nutrient Application Rate Calculation - Both Sludge and Septage
Maps - Both Sludge and Septage
Highway
Topographic
Floodway
Soils
There are four images on this slide. A highway map of the State of Texas, the United States Geologic Survey logo, the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service logo, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency logo.

11. Class B Sludge and Domestic Septage Pathogen Requirements
Class B Sewage Sludge:
Fecal Coliform < 2,000,000 MPN per gram of total solids
Process to Significantly Reduce Pathogens (PSRP)
Aerobic Digestion
Anaerobic Digestion
Air Drying
Composting
Lime Stabilization
Domestic Septage:
Maintain pH of >12 for at least 30 minutes via alkali addition
WTP Sludge:
Not required

12. Class A Sludge Pathogen Requirements
Fecal Coliform <1,000 MPN per gram of total solids or Density of Salmonella <3 MPN per 4 grams of total solids.
Additional treatment including one of the following:
Alternative 1 – Time and Temperature
Alternative 5 – Process to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP)
Composting
Heat Drying
Heat Treatment
Thermophilic aerobic digestion
Pasteurization
Alternative 6 – Equivalent to PFRP with EPA approval

13. Class AB Sludge Pathogen Requirements
Fecal Coliform <1,000 MPN per gram of total solids or Density of Salmonella <3 MPN per 4 grams of total solids.
Additional treatment including one of the following:
Alternative 2 - High pH, high temperature and time
Alternative 3 - Concentrations of enteric viruses and helminth ova – known process
Alternative 4 - Concentrations of enteric viruses and helminth ova-unknown process

14. Sludge and Domestic Septage Vector Attraction and Odor Reduction Requirements
Class A, AB and B Sewage Sludge:
38% Volatile Solids Reduction
Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR) Test – aerobic process only
pH >12 for 2 hours and remain at pH 11.5 or higher for 22 hours
≥ 75% solids content (does not contain unstabilized sludge)
≥ 90% solids content (contains unstabilized solids)
Injection below land surface within 1 hour
Incorporation into soil within 6 hours
Domestic Septage:
Maintain pH of >12 for at least 30 minutes via lime addition
WTP Sludge:
Not required
Image shows a cartoon picture of flies being attracted to the smell coming off of waste.

15. Buffer Zones Restrictions for Class B Sludge and Domestic Septage Sites
Surface Water – 200 feet if sludge not incorporated into soil
Surface Water – 33 feet of vegetated buffer zone if sludge is incorporated into soil
Private Water Supply Well – 150 feet
Public Water Supply Well, Intakes, Springs, Treatment Plants, or Storage Tanks – 500 feet
Solution Channel, Sinkhole, or other Conduit to Groundwater – 200 feet
Irrigation Conveyance Canal – 10 feet
Established school, institution, business, or occupied residential structure – 750 feet
Public Right-of-Way and Property Boundaries – 50 feet

16. Topographic Map Example
Image shows an example of a topographic map indicated with required buffers for Class B or domestic septage land application.

17. Site Restrictions for Class B Sludge and Domestic Septage Sites
Harvesting Times
Limited Public Access
Animals only allowed to graze 30 days after land application
Slopes must be < 8%
There are two images on this slide. One is a cartoon picture of a bail of hay, and the other is a cartoon picture of a cow eating grass.

18. Core Requirements – Class A, AB, and B sewage sludge
TCEQ authority to add more stringent requirements, such as an Odor Investigation and Control Plan
Prohibit land application during rain or on frozen or saturated soils
Require cover on trucks transporting sludge
Nuisance condition prohibition
Submittal of an Adverse Weather and
Alternative Plan
Image shows an A, AB and B.

19. Additional Requirements for Class B Land Application
Post a Sign at Land Application Site
Hydrologic Characteristics
Aquifer Identification
Periods of Perched or High Water Table
Distinguish connections between surface and subsurface water
Nutrient Management Plan
Proof that the risk of water quality impairment caused by nitrogen applied to the site is minimized
Certified by a Nutrient Management Specialist

20. Additional Requirements for Class B Land Application (cont.)
Proof of Insurance (Excluding Political Subdivions)
Environmental Impairment
Commercial Liability
Quarterly Reporting
Due the 15th of March, June, September and December
Amount of sludge delivered and land applied from each sludge source
Cumulative metal loading
Proof of Insurance
Posted on TCEQ website for public viewing

21. Sludge Processing and Disposal Permit Administrative Process
Application fee
$150 for New/Amendment
$115 for Renewal
2 Published Public Notices
Each notice is mailed to landowners within ½ mile of the boundary of land application site
Opportunity for Public Meeting and Contested Case Hearing
Image shows a cartoon picture of a bulletin board with documents posted to it.

22. Sludge Processing and Disposal Permit Technical Process
Description of how sludge will be processed/ disposed
Appropriate sludge analysis
Design of processing facility/disposal unit

23. Current Statistics 32 Class A and AB Marketing and Distribution
57 Class B Land Application
132 WTP Residual Land Application
51 Domestic Septage Land Application
8 Biosolid Processing
6 Disposal
There are two images on this slide. One shows a cartoon picture of a man holding a graph to present statistics and the other is a pie graph showing the percentages of the different types of authorizations by color.

24. Permits Distribution in Texas
Domestic Septage
Class B Land Application
Sludge Disposal
Image shows the areas where the majority of the different permits and registrations of the Biosolids program are located in the State of Texas. Class B land application sites are located in the Houston area, south Texas and northeast Texas. Domestic Septage sites are located in east Texas and outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Sludge Disposal sites are located in west Texas, Amarillo area, Corpus Christi area, Dallas and south Texas. WTP residuals sites are located east Texas, and Class A and AB sewage sludge sites are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin areas.
WTP Residuals
Class A and AB
Marketing and Distribution

25. Ways Texas Cities Handle Biosolids
Houston – Class B Land Application, Class A Heat Pelletizing, Landfill
Dallas – Monofill
San Antonio – Compost and Landfill
Austin – Class A compost (bag and sell) and Class B Land Application
Fort Worth – Class AB Land Application
El Paso – Off-site Monofill
Corpus Christi – Landfill
Waco – Class A Heat Pelletizing
Image shows a map of Texas containing all of the major cities and major rivers.

26. Land Application of Class A, AB and B Biosolids
This slide contains four pictures. The top left corner picture shows a sludge hauler consisting of a tractor trailer receiving sludge. The top right corner picture shows sludge on a field that is staged so that it can be loaded into a spreader. The bottom left corner picture shows a tractor hauling a spreader that is distributing sludge onto a land application site. The bottom right corner picture shows a close-up of dried sludge on the ground.

27. Land Application of Domestic Septage
This slide contains three images. The picture on the left shows a septic hauler pumping out a residential in-ground septic tank with a hose. The picture in the top right corner shows a septic truck spaying domestic septage onto a land application site. The picture on the bottom right corner shows a septic truck injecting the septage into the soil at a land application site.

28. Processing of Biosolids
This slide contains four images. The top left corner picture shows bags of white lime stacked at a sludge processing facility. The top right corner picture shows the hopper that the lime is distributed in for sludge treatment. The bottom left corner picture shows a belt drying unit. The bottom right corner picture shows an aerial picture of a sludge compost facility.

29. Trends
Incline in applications for water treatment residual domestic septage sites
Treatment and land application of waste from “Man Camp” drilling sites
Advanced technology in treatment to achieve Class A or AB biosolids product
Community protest having concerns of decline in property values, groundwater contamination and odor
Legislation that would require permits for domestic septage and
follow the same administrative and technical processes as Class B
permits
Image shows a trend arrow with question marks.

30. Contacts and Assistance
TCEQ Land Application Team Biosolids Group Water Quality Division Phone: Brian Sierant Kellie Crouch-Elliott Nathan Sessions
Image shows a cartoon picture of a telephone.