County calls for regulation to protect water supply

WAXAHACHIE – Ellis County Commissioners heard a resolution regarding biosolids at the July 23 meeting originally spearheaded by former County Commissioner Pct. 3 Paul Perry who passed away earlier this year and was replaced by Louis Ponder.

Ponder took the lead in the meeting regarding the resolution, which called for regulation and legislation to restrict the application of biosolids, a fertilizer substitute derived from wastewater that has been shown to contaminate water resources and livestock animal tissue with hazardous toxins.

Ellis County Commissioners joined Johnson County in the resolution with a note, “Currently, the City of Fort Worth is selling or disposing of biosolids from its wastewater treatment plants to recipients in Johnson County above the Chambers Creek watershed, which has tributaries that affect Ellis County’s water supply.”

Ellis County Judge Todd Little said, “This has been an ongoing investigation, but we take it absolutely seriously because the health and safety of our residents is our number one concern.” 

Ponder also said that Perry had said about the issue “Ellis County should not be Dallas or Tarrant County’s toilet.”

Little’s office explained, “Biosolids are produced at wastewater treatment plants and are often distributed as a convenient and cost-effective alternative to traditional fertilizer, but biosolids are known to contain pathogens, microplastics, PFAS, heavy metals, and other toxins that are difficult to detect, yet hazardous to health.”

After complaints over the application of biosolids by residents, who the release said could “see piles of biosolids literally steaming in the sun, Johnson County conducted professional testing that revealed unsafe levels of these toxins in its water supply and livestock animal tissue. Soon thereafter, Johnson County commissioners passed a resolution calling upon state and federal policymakers to address this urgent health & safety issue.”

Ellis County’s resolution makes four specific requests: 1) that the City of Fort Worth suspend the practice of selling or distributing biosolids until further investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and/or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); 2) that the Legislature empower Texas counties and municipalities to regulate or prohibit the application of biosolids and other toxins; 3) that the TCEQ, the EPA, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigate, analyze, test, and develop and effective body of regulations surrounding the use of biosolids and other substances derived from wastewater; and 4) that neighboring counties join in the resolution to protect the health, safety, and livelihood of Texans and all consumers of Texas resources.

The commissioners voted unanimously for the approval of the resolution.