Bloom marks 10 years turning wastewater into soil products

Blue Drop and DC Water are marking the 10th anniversary of Bloom in August after the program grew into a regional biosolids product line used across the DMV and beyond. The utility program says Bloom has generated more than $13.5 million in revenue and savings, while also improving soils, supporting food security and cutting emissions.

Why it matters: - Bloom is a long-running example of how a wastewater utility can turn biosolids into a commercial soil product instead of a disposal cost. - The program has generated more than $13.5 million in revenue and cost savings for DC Water. - Bloom has also been tied to soil health gains, food-production support and lower carbon emissions.

What happened: - Blue Drop and DC Water are celebrating Bloom's 10th anniversary this August. - The program launched in 2016 and has grown into a regional resource for landscapers, farmers, municipalities, schools, golf courses, soil blenders, homeowners and others across the DMV area. - Blue Drop will host a 10th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday, August 11, at HQO Events.

The details: - Bloom has sold nearly 400,000 tons of product since launch. - The program now serves 728 customers across 227 ZIP codes. - Bloom has posted 22% average annual sales growth. - The product line has expanded to four registered products sold in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. - DC Water's advanced treatment technology turns wastewater into an EPA-designated Class A Exceptional Quality soil amendment. - Independent research from Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland found Bloom can improve soil health, increase crop yields, strengthen drought resilience and restore degraded urban soils. - Bloom's greenhouse has produced more than 11,000 vegetable seedlings for community partners and helped grow tens of thousands of pounds of fresh produce for Washington-area residents. - Bloom's technology has reduced DC Water's carbon footprint by about 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year. - Bloom sales have shortened the estimated payback period for DC Water's advanced digestion investment from 19 years to 13 years. - The full anniversary report, From Waste to Worth: A Decade of Bloom, is available online. - More information is available at Bloom.

Between the lines: - Bloom's 10-year run shows how utilities can frame waste as a resource and build a revenue stream around product quality. - The anniversary event also signals that DC Water and Blue Drop are using Bloom as a model for broader conversations about the circular economy and resource recovery. - The program's mix of research, agriculture, landscaping and community partnerships suggests the value proposition extends beyond product sales.

What's next: - Blue Drop and DC Water plan to expand markets, advance research and support healthier soils. - The organizations also want to help other utilities learn from Bloom's model. - The anniversary celebration is expected to highlight new opportunities in sustainable landscapes, resource recovery and the circular economy.

The bottom line: - Bloom has evolved from a wastewater reuse experiment into a regional sustainability business with measurable financial, environmental and community benefits.