Ask The City – What is Being Done to Protect the Casper Aquifer?

Your Question:

With all of the sensitivity and concern over maintaining the health of the Casper Aquifer and considering the inconclusive environmental studies and safety of bio-solids what is the city of laramie doing to ensure that dumping bio-solids over the aquifer on the Monolith Ranch is not putting the aquifer at risk from heavy metals, nitrates and other chemicals known to be in bio-solids? Would it be wise to consider a lower risk dumping ground further from the aquifer and human habitation? Preferribly not in a location that also does not bring potential airborn pathogens into habitation areas.

The City's Response:

Biosolids application on the Monolith Ranch has occurred with the consent of WDEQ and Region 8 EPA. All material has safely met each application guideline and passed rigorous testing guidelines for over 30 constituents. Prior to application, the biosolids material is treated and stabilized at the City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility. It is estimated that if biosolids application continued at the site, the low concentrations of metals could allow the site to be used for over 80-years. However, the City’s current composting program has diverted all biosolids to the new composting site where the material is combined with green-waste to produce an excellent and stable compost material that will be used for soil amendment. That program is now permitted as a pilot-program and it is expected that material will be available for public use within the next several months.

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