Ten years ago, DC Water took the bold step of recycling waste from the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant into Bloom, a nutrient-rich soil product. Since then, Bloom has become a sustainable option for farmers, landscapers, homeowners, and others across the region. It has also helped create $13.5 million in revenue and savings for DC Water customers.

Bloom uses advanced treatment technology to create a high-performing soil conditioner that meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s highest standards for this type of product.  It’s sold through Blue Drop, a nonprofit created by DC Water.

The process used to make Bloom also creates renewable gas. That gas helps power Blue Plains, saves money, and reduces DC Water’s carbon footprint by about 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year.

“Bloom is a tremendous asset for DC Water, and its growth over the past 10 years has shown the value it brings to DC Water customers,” said Chris Peot, president of Blue Drop and director of resource recovery for DC Water. “Instead of disposing this material as waste, we are putting it to good use, helping to lower costs, support local agriculture, and protect the environment.”

Bloom’s success has exceeded expectations. Revenue and savings from the program are expected to help DC Water pay back its technology investments faster, reducing the payback period from 19 years to 13 years.

Over the past decade, Bloom has grown into an internationally recognized program, and:

• Generated more than $13.5 million in revenue and cost savings for DC Water
• Sold nearly 400,000 tons of Bloom products
• Grown to 728 customers across 227 ZIP codes
• Maintained 22% average annual sales growth
• Expanded to four registered products sold throughout Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania

Research by Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland has shown that Bloom can help improve soil health, increase crop yields, and make plants more resilient during drought.

Bloom also gives back to the community. Through its greenhouse, Bloom helps nonprofit partners grow more than 11,000 vegetable seedlings each year. Those seedlings produce tens of thousands of pounds of fresh food for people across the Washington area.

To mark the 10-year anniversary, DC Water and Blue Drop hosted a celebration today at DC Water Headquarters with customers, farmers, researchers, landscapers, environmental groups, educators, municipal leaders, and other partners that have made Bloom a success.

As Bloom enters its next decade, DC Water plans to keep that progress going by reaching new markets, supporting more research, and sharing what it has learned with other utilities.

Learn more in Bloom’s anniversary report, From Waste to Worth: A Decade of Bloom, and visit bloomsoil.com for more information.