Diamond grinding is used to resurface concrete on roads and in the process generates large volumes of industrial process wastewater, which among other constituents, has high pH and turbidity. Land application of this wastewater slurry on NC DOT right-of-ways could provide a viable disposal option and enhance vegetation growth by raising the pH of soils. This project will evaluate methods to collect representative samples of slurry. Then collect and analyze (list of analytes required by permit) samples of wastewater slurry from at least 3 sites. Possible methods of field treating the slurry to meet permit requirements will be investigated. Soil will be gathered for 3 potential land applications sites. Diamond grinding slurry will be collected and applied to the soil in a controlled environment where common vegetation species will be grown on the soil. Changes in soil properties will be documented along with the health of the vegetation. Costs associated with land application and disposal at a wastewater treatment plant will be obtained. The information gained will be synthesized into a final report which will provide an assessment of disposal options for diamond grinding slurry.
