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Clear skies. Low 61F. Winds light and variable..

Clear skies. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.

Over the past month, residents of Copperopolis have raised concerns over the possibility of a biosolids composting facility being installed at the town’s wastewater treatment plant. This plant is operated by the Calaveras County Water District (CCWD), which has issued an official statement addressing these concerns.

A biosolids composting facility takes biosolids and converts them into a material that can be used for fertilizing gardens, crops, and rangelands, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA’s Biosolids Technology Fact Sheet states, “This compost provides large quantities of organic matter and nutrients (such as nitrogen and potassium) to the soil, improves soil texture, and elevates soil cation exchange capacity (an indication of the soil’s ability to hold nutrients), all characteristics of a good organic fertilizer.”

CCWD stated that one of the main reasons they are looking into installing this type of facility is that biosolids from areas serviced by them currently have to be trucked out to a facility in Suisun City (in Solano County) due to the lack of local facilities capable of handling the material.

“A biosolids composting facility could be a positive addition to Calaveras County as long as it is appropriately located, and the environmental and traffic impacts are mitigated,” the CCWD statement reads.

Other reasons listed are that “modern biosolids composting facilities do not generate offsite odors, they create good local jobs, produce high-quality compost for gardening and agricultural use, and they reduce costs for local wastewater agencies, including CCWD.”

Many residents in Copperopolis have voiced their concerns on the matter. Complaints range from potential property value decreases to traffic congestion and the generation of unpleasant odors.

The Copperopolis plant is one of several sites around the county that are being considered for this kind of project, according to CCWD.

CCWD has met with Public Services (PS) to determine where such a facility would be allowed, stating, “For context, the Commission was provided with information about the conceptual design of a biosolids composting facility on CCWD's treatment plant property in Copperopolis, which is zoned for Public Services (PS), but there was no project-specific approval at issue and no project applications have been submitted.”

At this time, CCWD has not yet approved any project. If the project is approved, it will have to then go through the county for final approval.

CCWD’s next regular board meeting will take place on Sept. 28, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 120 Toma Court in San Andreas.

For more information on biosolid composting facilities visit epa.gov/biosolids.

Danny is a writer and a Calaveras County native. He studied creative writing and marketing at San Francisco State University and has previously done work as an automotive journalist. He is happy to be back and writing about the local community.

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