Port of Morrow advances fight against nitrates
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, February 28th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
BOARDMAN – The Port of Morrow has completed a critical portion of its $500 million upgrade to its water re-use system. Three anaerobic digesters are ready to treat industrial wastewater from food processors.
Anaerobic digestion transforms the wastewater into organic forms of nitrogen and stabilizing wastewater, according to a news release from the port. That wastewater will then be used to irrigate nearby farmland. Basically it is a natural biological process that allows microorganisms to digest biodegradable matter in wastewater.
“The well-established, low-energy process is the first component of a treatment system that will produce water with nitrate levels below DEQ regulatory thresholds for irrigation in the Lower Umatilla Basin,” the release states.
The next step will see the Port of Morrow installing a secondary water treatment facility to further reduce nitrogen and acquiring additional farmland to spread the use of treated, lower-nitrate water. The port will then install storage ponds capable of retaining 1.5 billion gallons of treated water during the winter months when land application is disallowed.
