Construction to begin on California Biosolids Recycling Plant

Synagro Technologies, a provider of water and wastewater residuals management services, has received a "Notice to Proceed" to begin construction of a state-of-the-art biosolids heat drying and pelletization facility for the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (District). The project is expected to be completed in mid 2004.

The facility, which will be built at the District's Wastewater Treatment Plant in Elk Grove, will process biosolids within a contained building to reduce odors. The facility will treat air emissions from the plant using advanced technology to help continue the "good neighbor" relationship between the District and surrounding residents.

"This facility is the first of its kind in the state of California and incorporates the most environmentally and technically advanced processing systems available," according to Ruben Robles, Biosolids Program Manager.

"Our environment and our community will benefit once this facility is completed and begins serving the residents of Sacramento County," said Wendell Kido, District Manager. "The project design will enable this advanced treatment facility to be operated while having minimal impact on the neighborhood and allow us to deliver treatment services at a reasonable cost to the community."

Approximately 20 dry tons of Class A biosolids will be produced daily at the Sacramento Recycling facility - about 7,500 tons a year - which will be marketed by Synagro and distributed for commercial and residential use under the "Granulite" brand name. Synagro currently markets over 150,000 tons of Class A (Exceptional Quality or EQ) pelletized biosolids annually.

"This will be a world-class heat drying facility and excellent example of how public-private partnerships can be formed to address municipal biosolids management needs, environmental challenges and local community concerns," stated Ross M. Patten, Synagro's Chairman and CEO.

The District entered into a public/private partnership last year with an industry team, led by Synagro Technologies, signing a 20 year contract to design, finance, build and operate a 7,500 dry ton/year biosolids, dewatering and heat drying facility.

Synagro is teamed with Andritz-Ruthner, Black & Veatch, and The Whiting Turner Contracting Co. for the design and construction of the facility. The plant will incorporate the Andritz Drum Drying System with its innovative processing features. Andritz-Ruthner is active in the implementation of heat drying/pelletization technology, with over 55 facilities worldwide. Design and local planning expertise is being provided by Black & Veatch, and Whiting Turner will construct the facility.

Synagro received all of the permits required for the project on schedule prompting issuance of the official "Notice to Proceed" from the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District on July 18, 2003. The contract allows 548 days for construction, start-up and acceptance testing by the District, with a Scheduled Acceptance Date of January 16, 2005, but an early completion in 2004 is expected.