Neches Compost Facility

 The Neches Compost Facility (NCF) was first conceived in February of 1992 as a means to help preserve landfill capacity, preserve water quality, and to beneficially reuse wastewater treatment plant sludge through the composting process. Initially, over 20 entities participated in a planning study to determine the viability of constructing a Regional Composting Process.

 In November of 1996, the facility became a reality when six participants signed long term agreements for operations & maintenance and debt service. In August of 1997, the Angelina & Neches River Authority in conjunction with the City of Athens, City of Bullard, Georgia Pacific Resins, City of New London, City of Palestine, and the City of Whitehouse filed an application with the Texas Water Development Board, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, and East Texas Council of Governments for funding of the project.

In the Spring of 1998, the River Authority began construction of the compost facility, located near the Neches River on Hwy 79 East of Jacksonville. The facility construction was certified complete by ANRA’s Consulting Engineers, the Board of Directors, and officially opened in August of 2000.  Though the facility was officially opened in August of 2000, NCF  began receiving wastewater biosolids during the spring of that year and began the composting process.

The facility was originally designed to receive and compost an annual total of 1.3 million pounds or 2,600 cubic yards of biosolid sludge from its participant cities, which consumed nearly 5,000 cubic yards of tree trimmings and wood material. The facility produced between 5,000 and 7,000 cubic yards of finished compost on an annual basis.

In January of 2003, NCF began a capitol improvement project to expand and enhance the operation of the composting process. The facility covered the existing windrow processing area with concrete for additional ground water protection and a metal roof to allow compost operations  to continue 12 months a year. These improvements included approximately 50,000 square feet of concrete surface area and 45,000 square feet of metal roof. 

These improvements were estimated to increase the volume of biosolids treated to approximately 3,000,000 pounds or 5,500 cubic yards and consume nearly 11,000 cubic yards of tree trimmings and wood waste. This capitol improvement project effectively doubled the production volume from the facility.

These improvements give the facility the flexibility to produce compost a full 12 months a year, rain or shine, as well as providing a stable environment in which to meet end product quality assurance guidelines and to expand the facilities product lines.

For additional information, e-mail questions to NCF@anra.org.