By Alec Regimbal
Out on the Columbia Basin, (click here) a system of worm feces, wood chips and river rocks could spell a new solution to the vexing issue of nitrate pollution and greenhouse gases.
To deal with nitrate-laden wastewater generated by some 7,000 milk cows, the Royal Dairy in Royal City - about 25 miles northwest of Othello - commissioned a Chile-based company to build what is the largest treatment facility of its kind in the world.
Whether the system can be, or should be, widely adopted by dairies remains to be seen. But in Yakima County, where dairy cows outnumber people, and in other places with mega-size dairies, the technology is being watched carefully.
That’s because nitrates have become a big issue for many dairies. When manure is flushed from farms with water and reused for irrigation, nitrates from the manure can seep into the soil, potentially contaminating drinking wells. High levels of nitrates in the water can cause health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.
Additionally, when farmers use lagoons to store their wastewater before reuse — a common practice — the large pool of untreated water can emit greenhouse gases. These problems have some state and regional water boards urging dairy farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly methods of disposal....
