AWWA ACE90084

The Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) provides treated water to Santa Clara County, located in the southern San Francisco Bay Region. The District currently treats about 125,000 acre-feet per year, producing an alum sludge. In 1985-1990 the District began and implemented a new Sludge Management Program, which took a comprehensive look at the varied aspects of sludge disposal. This program focused on the criteria and constraints surrounding sludge disposal, options for sludge dewatering and handling, and markets for sludge reuse as an alternative to disposal. Temporary belt-press dewatering began in 1986, with permanent belt-press facilities coming on-line in 1989. The Sludge Reuse Program has been very successful. At this time none of the dewatered sludge produced at either of two water treatment plants has been hauled to a commercial landfill. Reuse markets have included brick manufacturing, soil amendments, and NASCAR racetrack fill dirt.