Biosolids providing benefits for NSW farmers
Each year Sydney Water re-uses 100% of biosolids produced — about 180,000 tonnes.
T
he vast majority of bio-
increased stock numbers on paddocks where
solids collected from 23
biosolids have been added to the soil.
Sheep farmer Gordon Nash started using biosolids on his property at Wattle
of its wastewater treat-
“The process of digestion used to gen-
ment plants across Greater
erate biosolids produces electricity to help
Sydney is trucked to broad-
power Sydney Water’s treatment plants with
Nash said that soil structure on his
acre farms in the Central
renewable energy. Sydney Water currently
property had improved in leaps and bounds
West and South West of NSW with the
produces around 21% of its total energy
and there has been no need for follow-up
remainder used for mine rehabilitation sites
requirements this way.
application of biosolids.
or compost sites.
Flat near Bathurst in the Central West of NSW about five years ago.
“Through this process, Sydney Water
“I just don’t think you could believe the
On these farms the biosolids are incorpo-
is producing on-site energy to power the
difference (after applying biosolids). Nothing
rated into the soil and, after a holding period,
equivalent of over 11,000 homes each year,
grew here except Biddy Bush and now it’s
crops such as canola, wheats, oats, barley
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over
a productive piece of ground,” said Nash.
and pastures are sown.
70,000 tonnes a year, which has the same
Stuart Kelly, sheep farmer at the ‘Fern-
positive effect of keeping 17,500 cars off the
dale’ property south of Bathurst, said that
road for a year.
by cutting down on synthetic fertilisers
Sydney Water Contract Plants Manager Gavin Landers said that there are three major benefits of capturing and using biosolids.
“Capturing and treating biosolids also
and applying biosolids he has been able
“Using biosolids as fertiliser adds nutrients
protects Sydney’s waterways and the ocean
to double the number of sheep on his
and organic matter to improve Australian soils
and allows the transformation of what was
property and that’s despite a particularly
for plant growth. Farmers using biosolids are
traditionally a waste product into a valuable
challenging winter this year.
highly praising the benefits created for the
resource,” said Landers.
soil condition on their properties, the envi-
The results being achieved by farmers
ronmental benefits of soil moisture retention
using biosolids have created a situation
and erosion reduction, and the increases in
where demand by farmers is far outstrip-
yields for crops, along with the ability to run
ping supply.
26 Sustainability Matters - Oct/Nov 2017
Kelly is currently running 40 dry sheep equivalents (DSE) per hectare on his property. Agronomist Roger Crisp said that there are far more checks and balances in place
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