Facilities

In August 2009, the Authority's Biosolids Processing Facility (BPF) opened its doors. The facility accepts the solid residue leftover from the wastewater treatment process (also known as biosolids). The biosolids are heat dried to kill any remaining pathogens, ultimately creating a safe fertilizer product.

The Authority accepts up to 600 tons per day of biosolids at the BPF from almost all the local wastewater treatment facilities in Palm Beach County. This includes the City of Boca Raton, East Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility, Loxahatchee River District, Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department, Seacoast Utility Authority and South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.

The BPF is designed to use landfill gas as its primary fuel source. By using landfill gas to fuel the dryers, we save more than $30 per ton on processing costs. This also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by offsetting natural gas usage.

The facility is equipped with sophisticated air pollution control equipment that eliminates odor causing vapors generated during the drying process.

The finished product is a small pellet, roughly one to four mm in size. The pellets are sold to companies as a "green" fertilizer product, all created from something that used to be considered a waste.

Check out this video from our partner CDM Smith on the overall process.

For more information on the drying process and how the air is handled and treated, review the following process flow diagrams:

• BPF Air Handling System
• BPF Dryer Process and Solids Handling

 Related Links 

• City of Boca Raton Wastewater Treatment Plant 
• East Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility (operated by the City of West Palm Beach) 
• Loxahatchee River District Wastewater Treatment Facility 
• Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility 
• Seacoast Utility Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant 
• South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant

For more information on our facility's contract operator, visit New England Fertilizer Company.