CLEAR SPRING RANCH
AERIAL VIEW OF SOLIDS HANDLING AND DISPOSAL FACILITY
AT CLEAR SPRING RANCH
Clear Spring Ranch is located south
of Colorado Springs. A key component of the system is the 18 mile
sludge pipeline which transports a blend of untreated primary
and secondary sludges from the treatment facility to the ranch.
A secondary function of the pipeline is to convey excess waste
liquids produced at the ranch back to the treatment facility.
The pipeline is one of the longest in the country used to convey
wastewater sludges.
THE SOLIDS HANDLING AND DISPOSAL FACILITY CONSISTS OF AN ANAEROBIC
DIGESTION COMPLEX FOR SLUDGE TREATMENT.
Sludge is slowly mixed in the four
round anaerobic digesters for over 20 days. Treated sludge is
then pumped to 45 acres of basins where it is stored
under a three foot water cap for 3 - 5 years.
Then the still-liquid sludge is injected into the ground
using rubber-tired vehicles on 180 acres of dedicated land disposal
site.
The water evaporates and leaves the dried sludge to fertilize
and condition the soil, which could be recycled for agricultural
use.