The city is launching an ambitious project to "supercharge" the Moccasin Bend Sewage Treatment Plant with an aim of producing a marketable fertilizer from the sludge.
Mark Heinzer said the new less moist end product "should be able to be sold at Home Depot or Lowe's."
He said it will also cut down on the number of sludge truck trips leaving the plant. Now, about 12-15 trucks go out from the facility daily.
Mr. Heinzer said the sludge is now distributed to 196 farmers in Tennessee and Alabama.
Cost of the project is estimated at between $130 million to $150 million or more.
Mr. Heinzer said he would bring the project back to the city Industrial Development Board next month for approval of a contract with a design/builder.
He said about 49 percent of the work will be covered by a Water Infrastructure Finance Program (WIFA) loan, and the city has the remainder of the funds set aside.
Mr. Heinzer said fertilizer sales from the much improved product would contribute toward recouping the project's cost.
He said the "pressure cooker"-style method has been used in Europe for about 20 years, and all those facilities are still in operation.
The process is beginning to be used in the U.S. as well. He said Franklin, Tn., has been using this method for about a year.
The WIFA loan has a cutoff date of the end of 2028. The project schedule shows it being completed in November of that year.