Salina Utilities Director Martha Tasker said city staff has changed how they test and handle sewage sludge, a byproduct generated by the Salina Wastewater Treatment Plant.
This was done after the Environmental Protection Agency determined the city had broken a federal regulation regarding the amount of molybdenum the sludge can contain before it can be applied to farmland. Under the new procedures, no sewage sludge leaves the wastewater treatment plant until staff verify that it complies with federal regulations. City staff are also testing the sludge more frequently and taking multiple samples to ensure the results are representative of the entire batch. Tasker said staff are in the process of determining the source of molybdenum that makes its way to the wastewater plant.
According to Tasker, EPA officials say no remediation of the soil or groundwater is required.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)