Pullman council approves new fee to transport biosolids for proper disposal

PULLMAN — The Pullman City Council approved a new fee paid by residents to transport its sewer plant biosolids to nearby cities for proper disposal.

City councilors unanimously approved a monthly flat rate for sewer customers during its regular meeting Tuesday night. Single family homes and small commercial buildings will be asked to pay $2.97 per month while multifamily homes, duplexes and larger commercial buildings will need to pay $4.46 monthly, according to documents attached to the meeting’s agenda.

If the city can find a cheaper process to dispose of its biosolids locally, councilors will be asked to terminate the billing.

Sean Wells, the city’s Public Works director, said the issue began about a year ago when the Washington State Department of Ecology failed to approve a new permit for a new local site for disposal last year.

The lack of state approval forced the city to haul its biosolids to facilities in Lewiston and Spokane. Wells said an emergency was declared last fall to allow for hauling the material longer distances.

The Department of Ecology eventually approved the new permit in October, Wells said, ending the emergency.

The problem became more complicated when the department’s permit that allowed cities to dispose of biosolids as fertilizer was found in violation of the State Environmental Policy Act. Wells said the state’s environmental review was challenged because forever chemicals were found in biosolids. He said the state’s Pollution Control Hearings Board ruled against the Department of Ecology, which voided its new permit.

The department is in the process of rewriting its policy, which Wells said could take several years. He said this leaves cities like Pullman in a gray area with no way to dispose of biosolids locally.

Wells said the city will have to rely on its contingency plan over the next few years to haul the materials to centers in Lewiston and Spokane for proper disposal.

The under-budgeted cost for the long-distance hauling is estimated at about $300,000 annually, according to the documents. Washington State University is expected to pay about a third of the cost for its use of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The remaining costs must be made up by the city’s sewer customers.

City Administrator Mike Urban said hauling is anticipated to begin in the next few weeks. He added biosolids have to be transported before winter sets in to avoid issues that could arise while hauling on icy roads.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.