FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE10-95
November 5, 2010
CONTACT:
Farrell Sklerov / Angel Román (718) 595-6600
DEP Issues Request for Proposals to Reuse Sludge
Seeks Cost-Effective, Sustainable Program to Use Treated Sewage in a Beneficial Way
The Department of Environmental Protection today issued a
Request for Proposals seeking a vendor to process and market sludge for
beneficial re-use. Sludge is a residual solid that is a byproduct of the
wastewater treatment process. DEP's 14 treatment plants handle an average of 1.3
billion gallons of wastewater every day, which generate up to 1,200 tons of sludge. Since sludge is organic material, it can be reused as fertilizer or soil conditioner for parks, farms, lawns, and golf courses; to produce clean energy; and other potential applications, such as asphalt-paving mixes. The Request for Proposals seeks technologies that are cost-effective and conserve natural resources, and is designed to allow for the widest possible range of options that meet those criteria. A new contract is expected to start by 2013 and a term of up to 20 years will be considered.
"When we ended the NYOFCO contract last June because it was too costly to
continue, we committed to seek new sustainable, cost effective ways to handle
the 1,200 tons of sludge that New Yorkers generate every day," said Commissioner
Holloway. "The Request for Proposals we are releasing today fulfills that
promise, and will give the marketplace the opportunity to put forward the widest
possible range of ideas to process sludge in cost-effective ways that can
benefit the public. From fertilizer, to energy, to building materials and more,
we know that sludge has many demonstrated beneficial uses; converting our sludge
from waste to a valuable resource will move us closer to achieving Mayor
Bloomberg's vision for a greener, greater New York."
DEP currently uses a mix of beneficial land application and landfilling to
dispose of 1,200 wet tons of biosolids produced each day from New York City's
wastewater treatment process. Earlier this year, to save $18 million annually,
DEP terminated its biosolids handling contract with the New York Organic
Fertilizer Company (NYOFCO) in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx and
began sending that material to landfills. At that time, DEP committed to
issuing a Request for Proposals to search for a sustainable alternative to
landfilling. Less costly technology for innovative alternatives in the reuse
sludge now exists. In addition to land application options, which are allowed
under other DEP contracts, biosolids can be used as fuel for heat and for power
production. The new contract will have the option of either collecting the 1.5
million gallons of sludge each day before it is dewatered, or 400 tons of sludge
after it has been dewatered, otherwise known as biosolids. The Request for
Proposals will be available online via The City Record. Any contractor
interested in receiving more information should visit The City Record website at
www.nyc.gov.
Sewage sludge is the bulk of the residual material removed during the
wastewater treatment process. Wastewater treatment plants use physical, chemical
and biological processes to remove on average more than 90% of the organic
material in sewage. Raw sludge is first "digested" in oxygen-free tanks where it
is heated and mixed for several days. This digestion process stabilizes
the sludge by converting much of the organic material into water, carbon dioxide
and methane gas. The "digested" sludge is what is then transported by
pipeline or sludge vessel to a dewatering facility where centrifuges remove much
of the water.
DEP manages the city's water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of
water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8 million in New York
City, and residents of Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties. New York
City's water is delivered from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds
that extend more than 125 miles from the City, and comprises 19 reservoirs, and
three controlled lakes. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dep or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nycwater.