City of Powell River Turn-Key Biosolids Management

The City of Powell River operates the new Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant which produces approximately 1,000 wet tonnes of Class B dewatered biosolids per year. SYLVIS has partnered with the City for 20 years to beneficially manage biosolids in marginal land improvement, agricultural fertilization, and mine reclamation.

SYLVIS manages biosolids from the City of Powell River together with biosolids from another municipality in a marginal land improvement project on Vancouver Island. Biosolids co-management and cost-sharing is an advantage for smaller biosolids generators.

At this site, low productivity fields resulting from recent forestland conversion support a meagre crop of grass and a significant infestation of invasive Scotch broom. Biosolids are utilized to improve soil fertility and organic matter levels with an aim to outcompete weeds including Scotch broom and produce a hay crop for harvest or grazing. SYLVIS is converting currently unusable land into productive agricultural fields and enabling the landowner to gain more value from their land.