From Waste to Worth: Bloom Marks 10 Years of Transforming Wastewater into a Regional Sustainability Success
Bloom's Woody Blend is a high-performing compost alternative, recycled right from DC's wastewater.
Program has generated more than $13.5 million in revenue and savings while improving soils, strengthening food security and building the circular economy
"What started as a simple question—'Why should something valuable be treated as waste?'—has grown into a program that's changing how utilities think.”
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, July 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ten years ago, the idea that a wastewater utility could transform biosolids into a sought-after landscaping product seemed unlikely. Today, Bloom has become one of the nation's leading examples of how innovation can convert an everyday waste stream into environmental, economic and community value.— Chris Peot, President, Blue Drop
This August, Blue Drop and DC Water celebrate Bloom's 10th anniversary, marking a decade in which the program has grown from a bold idea into a trusted resource used by landscapers, farmers, municipalities, schools, golf courses, soil blenders, homeowners and others across the DMV area. Since its launch in 2016, Bloom has demonstrated that such large-scale recycling can be both environmentally and fiscally sound.
Over the past decade, Bloom has:
• 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
"What started as a simple question—'Why should something valuable be treated as waste?'—has grown into a program that's changing how utilities think about resource recovery," said Chris Peot, President of Blue Drop and Director of Resource Recovery for DC Water. "Bloom has shown that when you design for product quality instead of disposal, you can reduce costs, create value, improve the environment and build partnerships that benefit an entire region."
Bloom was born from DC Water's investment in advanced treatment technology that transforms wastewater into an EPA-designated Class A Exceptional Quality soil amendment. What began as an effort to recover value from a waste stream has evolved into a nationally recognized program supporting sustainable landscaping, agriculture, green infrastructure and environmental education.
Independent research conducted by Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland has demonstrated Bloom's ability to improve soil health, increase crop yields, strengthen drought resilience and restore degraded urban soils. The program has also supported food security through its greenhouse, producing more than 11,000 vegetable seedlings for community partners and helping grow tens of thousands of pounds of fresh produce for Washington-area residents.
Bloom's impact extends well beyond the landscapes where it is used. The technology behind the program has helped reduce DC Water's carbon footprint by approximately 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, while Bloom sales have shortened the estimated payback period for the utility's advanced digestion investment from 19 years to 13 years.
To commemorate the milestone, Blue Drop will host a 10th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday, August 11, at HQO Events, bringing together customers, landscape architects, contractors, municipal leaders, researchers, environmental organizations, educators, retailers, farmers and other stakeholders whose partnerships have helped shape Bloom's first decade. The celebration will recognize the people and organizations behind Bloom's success while looking ahead to new opportunities for innovation in sustainable landscapes, resource recovery and the circular economy.
"Bloom has always been about much more than a product," said April Thompson, Senior Director of Bloom for Blue Drop. "It's about changing perceptions, building unlikely partnerships, and demonstrating that environmental stewardship and economic value can go hand in hand. Every customer, researcher, contractor, educator, public agency and community partner has helped write this story. We look forward to celebrating what we've accomplished together—and what comes next."
As Bloom enters its second decade, Blue Drop and DC Water are focused on expanding markets, advancing research, supporting healthier soils and helping other utilities learn from a model that has proven waste can become one of a community's most valuable resources.
The full anniversary report, From Waste to Worth: A Decade of Bloom, is available at dcwater.com/decadeofbloom. For more information on Bloom, visit bloomsoil.com.
About Bloom
Bloom® is a line of premium biosolids-based soil amendments produced by DC Water and managed by Blue Drop, LLC. Made from recycled organic resources at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bloom improves soil health, recycles valuable nutrients and organic matter, and supports sustainable landscaping, agriculture and environmental restoration throughout the Mid-Atlantic.
April Thompson
Blue Drop
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Bloom: No Such Thing as Waste, Only Wasted Resources
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