City seeks solution to Winnipeg's 'sewage sludge' problem

The City of Winnipeg is running out of ways to deal with what residents are flushing down their toilets.

The city currently deals with 13,000 tonnes of solid biowaste. Biosolids, or what is commonly known as sewage sludge, is whats left over when the sewage treatment process is over.

For years, the city would spread the nutrient-rich biosolids on fields. But the amount of biosolids produced is expected to nearly double in the next 25 years, and the city is looking for a more sustainable solution.

So the city has issued a request for ideas on how to deal with biosolids from the private sector and other groups, and on Thursday, the city is holding a Biosolids Reuse Project Information Session.

The city said some options will be to burn the biosolids and either use the ash or capture the energy produced.

Heat-drying to form fertilizer pellets is also an option. The city is also looking at using the raw material for cement manufacturing or glass manufacturing.