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REVISING/UPDATING EPA 625/1-79-011, PROCESS DESIGN MANUAL FOR SLUDGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL
Citation:
SMITH JR, J. E. AND L. J. STALEY. REVISING/UPDATING EPA 625/1-79-011, PROCESS DESIGN MANUAL FOR SLUDGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL. Presented at WEF/AWWA/KY-TN WEA Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference 2005 - Advancing the State of Technology, Nashville, TN, April 19, 2005.
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wishes to revise/update its very large and comprehensive 1979 Process Design Manual for Sludge Treatment and Disposal, EPA 625/1-79-011. As you might imagine the task is not trivial, as already in 1979 the original manual cost more than $200K to prepare. And now we have a lot more material; so are we talking a multi-volume manual? The somewhat good news is that we do now have several pieces to begin with; the 1979 manual is being put in electronic format as are later documents on sludge dewatering, controlling pathogens and vectors, sludge storage, composting, alkaline treatment, land application, sludge combustion, surface disposal, etc.
While in an ideal world EPA would simply put the job out for bid, select the best qualified contractor, and pay them what is necessary to get the job done right, such resources are not now available, and we cannot see a time when they will be. This situation forces us with our colleagues in the profession to come up with another approach. Current thinking is that the document will have to be drafted by EPA authors with help from the private sector. Since resources are very slim we may only have enough money each of the next three years to be only able to have about a third of the document done each year. We do not envision being able to pay authors their customary wage nor do we expect to only pay them an honorarium; the actual dollar amount will have to be somewhere in between. Our further thinking is that it may be useful to have some sort of Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with a firm to assist with pulling all the pieces together and perhaps prepare design examples and case studies.
EPA thus needs advice from the many knowledgeable professionals out there who are able and should contribute to such an endeavor. Many if not most of them have much more experience and knowledge to bring to the table than EPA. So help! We wish to share with you what guidance was in the original manual and what is being contemplated for a revised/updated one.