Publication Summary

This document provides guidance on land treatment of nutrients in wastewater, with emphasis on nitrogen. In Washington State, wastewater from some municipalities and industries is applied to cropland to obtain biological treatment. Ecology′s Water Quality Program permits the land treatment of wastewater provided all known, available, and reasonable methods of prevention, control, and treatment (AKART) is described and approved in an engineering report. For nutrients, a viable crop must be established and maintained to achieve the level of treatment necessary to protect ground water. A well-managed land treatment system limits wastewater application to rates that do not exceed the treatment capacity of the crop or soil, and minimizes adverse impacts to ground water quality by all contaminants.