WPCA searches for biosolids disposal after PFAS rule change; biodrying pilot planned

Fairfield’s Water Pollution Control Authority told commissioners on Feb. 19 that its biosolids management is in transition after new state-level requirements left the authority without its historical composting outlet.

Michelle (WPCA staff) and operations staff said routine testing has found high concentrations of PFAS in the facility’s sludge cake and compost. Those concentrations place Fairfield “on the very high end” of publicly sampled Connecticut treatment plants, staff said, and have narrowed disposal options. The authority has secured hauler conversations and has submitted paperwork required by out-of-state landfills; staff said they expect near-term feedback from a Pennsylvania landfill and plan to seek an emergency contract waiver for hauling while longer-term options are pursued.

To reduce volume and hauling costs, staff are negotiating a biodrying pilot with a vendor. The proposed biodrying process uses the authority’s existing composting building and mixes sludge with carbon material (wood chips), producing a drier, lower-mass material that reduces truck loads by up to roughly 60% in vendor literature. Staff said the vendor’s legal team is finalizing the services agreement; the WPCA expects to sign and start the pilot if contract and permitting steps are completed.

Staff also reported outreach to state and federal partners. A recent meeting with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection included the town’s state representatives and local officials; DEEP listened but did not offer funding or a regulatory interpretation to change disposal options. Staff said DEEP’s only short-term assistance was to place plant improvements on the Clean Water Fund priority list; the department offered no near-term operational funding or a state interpretation that would alter disposal rules.

Commissioners were told the WPCA is already expanding PFAS monitoring (influent/effluent and biosolids) and will include PFAS requirements in renewed pretreatment permits for significant industrial users. Staff said they are also engaging industry associations to identify disposal and technical options.

Why it matters PFAS are persistent chemicals that have become a national issue; finding a reliable disposal outlet and complying with evolving rules affects operational costs, hauling budgets and the authority’s ability to manage biosolids on site. Staff told the commission they have budgeted nearly $950,000 for sludge disposal in the coming year based on current estimates for hauling and disposal.

What’s next - Staff will seek an emergency hauling contract to move material off site within weeks while soliciting longer-term, competitively procured disposal arrangements. - The vendor biodrying agreement remains under legal review; if executed, the pilot would reduce hauling mass and costs while staff continue to monitor PFAS concentrations. - Staff will include PFAS monitoring in pretreatment and NPDES-related work and pursue grant and federal opportunities where possible.