Big Bear City, CA, November 20, 2013 – In a special meeting Tuesday, the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency (BBARWA) approved another money-saving venture.
As part of the sewage treatment process, BBARWA dries its sludge before disposal in order to reduce its water content; biosolids are what’s left over. The existing operation uses an open drying bed that’s limited to summer months and occasionally generates odors.
But the newly approved Drying Bed Capital Improvement Project will house the drying bed in a metal building measuring nearly 19,000 square feet (315” x 60”). And the agency will use the waste heat from their own generator to heat the floor of the drying bed, which will speed the drying process and further concentrate the biosolids that need to be hauled away. While many U.S. agencies use covered drying beds, using them in conjunction with the heated floors is unique.
The improvements are projected to save up to $100,000 per year in transportation, hauling and fuel costs.
