West Central Wisconsin Biosolids Facility

 In 1997, a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources standard limited the spreading of sludge to only six months a year due to the ground being frozen. The regulations prompted local officials to endorse the construction of a new state of the art wastewater recycling facility located in Ellsworth known as the West Central Wisconsin Biosolids Facility (WCWBF).

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Producing a Higher-Quality Sludge

The WCWBF facility produces a higher-quality sludge. Wastewater is treated at the River Falls plant. The by-product of the treated wastewater is biosolids. The biosolids are sent to the WCWBF for further treatment.

The Ellsworth facility handles waste from several Western Wisconsin communities. The WCWBF system runs treated biosolids through a centrifuge to dewater the biosolids, creating a drier product called cake. This cake is then processed using a lime stabilization system to reduce odor, remove pathogens and produce a better, more stable product that can be used as a substitute for chemical fertilizers. The end product is incorporated into the soil to provide nutrients for growing crops. The local plant is monitored 24 hours a day and daily lab tests assure that state mandates are being met.