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What to DO with DOO-DOO
One possibility that merits consideration is the use of Phragmites
species (reed-type) things to provide kind of a quaternary treatment.
They grow like crazy with a good nutrient supply and lots of water
(sounds like effluent to me). They are also notorious for their
ability to take up metallic contaminants, including Cd, Pb, and such.
What you end up with is a tremendous amount of biomass. Why not use
*it* to generate power or whatever? I would be willing to bet that
the resulting ashes are richer in metals than some ores currently
being mined.
The major losses of organic matter in our system are a result of
cultivated row crops and all forms of erosion. Let's concentrate on
fixing that problem agronomically (more forage based rotations and
feeding systems, for example) rather than trying to patch it with
relatively small amounts of human manure in an inconvenient form.
[PS - for the record, my background is in geology and soil science,
so that may explain some of where I'm coming from on this question]