Report - Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

conducted a study to evaluate the carbon credits and debits for each of the District's end uses of
biosolids for both 2001 and 2008. The end-uses evaluated were centrifuge cake landfill disposal,
centrifuge cake as fertilizer on fannland, and air-dried biosolids utilization as landfill final cover,
urban recreational areas, and for the reclamation of mineland at Fulton County. A report on this
project was prepared in 2010.
Use of Biosolids in Ecological Restoration. As part of its efforts to promote the use of
biosolids in the City of Chicago, this project was initiated in 2009 to address issues raised by
United States Fish and Wildlife and other stakeholders regarding the potential for using biosolids
for ecological restoration in Chicago's Calumet Region. The project has been conducted in
collaboration with The Ohio State University. The study consists of developing field plots in
which biosolids and other recyclable materials are used as a soil amendment and evaluating the
impact of these treatments on soil biology and concentrations of potential contaminants in runoff
water.
Analytical Microbiology and Biomonitoring Section
In 2010, the Analytical Microbiology and Biomonitoring Section (AMBS) provided
microbiological monitoring of the final effluent, area rivers, lake, canals, and biosolids to
document the effectiveness of the District's wastewater treatment operations. The Section was
also involved in public health research studies to generate data and scientific infonnation to
infonn policy, guide regulatory development, and improve operations. An additional
responsibility included laboratory tours to promote public awareness of wastewater
microbiology.
The Section's staff actively participated in the IPCB rule-making hearings for the CAWS
water quality standards and effluent limitations. Responsibilities in this administrative process
included the review of testimonial documents and preparation of position statements, along with
questions and comments. Professionally, the Section was involved in the USEPA and Water
Environment Research Foundation (WERF) issue area team research in the fields related to
micro-constituents, biosolids risk assessment, and critical research and science needs for the
development of national recreational water quality criteria.
Use Attainability Analysis Research Projects. The AMBS staff coordinated the
following scientific research studies which provided important infonnation to IPCB regarding
human health risks for the identified incidental recreational uses, particularly in light of the
current practice of not disinfecting the District effluents discharged to the CAWS.
Dry and Wet Weather Risk Assessment of Human Health Impacts of Disinfection vs. No
Disinfection of the Chicago Area Waterway System. The microbial risk assessment study was
completed in collaboration with a team of nationally-recognized experts in risk assessment led
by Geosyntec consultants. The risk assessment study showed low pathogen levels in the District
final effluents from North Side, Calumet and Stickney WRPs and in the CAWS downstream of
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