Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine January-February 2010

2010

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FEATURES

ES&E invites articles (approx. 2,000 words) onwater, wastewater, hazardous waste treatment andother environmental protection topics. If you are in-terested in submitting an article for considerationin our print and digital editions, please contactSteve Davey at [email protected]. Please notethat Environmental Science & Engineering Publi-cations Inc. reserves the right to edit all text andgraphic submissions without notice.

ISSN-0835-605XJanuary 2010Vol. 23 No. 1Vol. 23 No. 1Issued January 2010

7 The climate change alarm bell sounded in Canada over 40 years ago Editorial comment by Tom Davey18 Ontario is not immune to water shortages22 Pump maintenance is vital, especially during tough times 24 Conserving water by using a closed loop recycling system26 Ottawa develops solutions for inflow to combined sewers28 Barrie upgrades water pollution control centre and systems 30 Septage waste - its in your backyard35 Understanding the importance of electrical power quality39 Ontario MOE honoured for its drinking water protection approach40 Confined space rescue emotion vs reason 42 How mercury becomes toxic in the environment44 New electrocoagulation process increases water reuse efficiency46 Crushing fluorescent bulbs saves money and the environment 48 Vancouver Islands multi-stakeholder plan for sustainable water supplies50 Ontario moves forward with source water protection policy52 Proper maintenance ensures reliable lift station operation54 Will arsenic-safe water wells remain safe?56 Treating wastewater on the worlds largest cruise ship - Cover story59 Upgrading a 2,500 year old Roman sewer 60 Copenhagen and beyond making the transition to a low-carbon economy64 The evolution of sustainable stormwater management66 Removing PCBs from groundwater with activated carbon68 Improving wastewater treatment with air flow instrumentation

Page 59Page 59

Page 18Page 18

Contents

DEPARTMENTS

Product Showcase . . . . . 72-75

Environmental News . . . 10-17

Professional Cards . . . . . 77-83

Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Suppliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

PAGES 76-114PAGES 76-1142010


While scientific know-ledge is increasing at apace unthinkable ageneration ago, there is

a startling lack of correlated data onthe environmental effects of air pol-lution. Years ago, Aldous Huxley saidMan was squandering natural re-sources with the gay abandon of asailor on a drunken weekend spree.We may yet be grateful that some re-sources such as fossil fuels are ir-replaceable.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide hasrisen approximately 14% in littleover a century, with some ecologistsspeculating that oxygen regenerationis being reduced at a disastrous rate.But scientists, almost literally, waxhot and cold on fundamental points.Some say continued increases in car-bon dioxide will prevent heat fromrising into space, to a point wherepolar ice caps will melt. This wouldcause massive flooding, with subse-quent shrinkage of surface land.More recent trends foresee a colderearth, based on theories that airborne pollutants will increasinglyblock out the sun.

But although statistical evidenceis damning, conclusive proof of howair pollution affects health is gener-ally not forthcoming, in spite of un-precedented research. For scientistsattempt a burden of proof far beyondthat which their legal colleagueswould accept as reasonable circum-stantial evidence. Additionally, theproblem is compounded because itconcerns the total environment, withmeteorology, medicine, chemistry,engineering, and other disciplinesplaying significant, but largely sepa-rate, roles.

Meanwhile, in North Americaalone, almost 100 million motor vehi-cles emit approximately 250,000 tonsof carbon monoxide and other lethalgases every day. The daily continentalsulphur dioxide fallout from industrygreatly exceeds 100,000 tons.

It has been shown that sulphurdioxide concentrations of one to two

Having first reported on cli-mate change in 1968, I wasdisconcerted to see howbadly Canada is now fairing

on the world stage. In their article, enti-tled Copenhagen and beyond makingthe transition to a low-carbon economy(See page 60), Ted Dhillon and Dr.Bernard Fleet report that in Copen-hagen, Canada was widely viewed as alaggard in its commitment to the envi-ronment. Previously, the Harper govern-ment had stressed its intention ofintegrating our climate change policywith that of the US. It is now clear thatthe reverse is taking place, and there is awidening gap between PresidentObamas clean energy agenda andCanadas continued support for the oilsands.

They go on to say that Canada hasalready earned a failing grade in theGHG stakes. Failing to meet its modestreduction targets, its environmental rep-utation was further tarnished during therecent conference in Bangkok, a precur-

sor to Copenhagen. Canadas proposalto cherry pick parts of Kyoto for incor-poration in the new COP15 agreementwas greeted with outrage and a masswalkout by representatives of the Groupof 77 developing nations.

Sadly, achieving consensus on whatcan and should be done about cli-mate change is proving to be as difficultas I predicted it might be, back in 1968.The science and economics are compli-cated. Political will is often too focusedon the here and now. As he has pro-rogued Parliament twice now, to thwartthe opposition, perhaps Prime MinisterHarper thinks that ignoring climatechange will make it go away as well.

Future generations, coping with a cli-mate different from what we now know,might ask their great-grandparents:Did they not know? Well, for the his-torical record, we did know that some-thing was going on, as you will see inthe reprinting of my October 1968 Edi-torial Comment..Tom Davey

January 2010 | 7www.esemag.com

Mr. Harper, the climate change alarm bell soundedin Canada over 40 years ago

Comment by Tom Davey

continued overleaf...


Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine8 | January 2010

Editor and Publisher STEVE DAVEYE-mail: [email protected]

Consulting Editor TOM DAVEY

Sales Director PENNY DAVEYE-mail: [email protected]

Sales Representative DENISE SIMPSONE-mail: [email protected]

Accounting SANDRA DAVEYE-mail: [email protected]

Circulation Manager DARLANN PASSFIELDE-mail: [email protected]

Production Manager CHRIS MAC DONALDE-mail: [email protected]

Technical Advisory Board

Jim BishopStantec Consulting Ltd., Ontario

Bill Borlase, P.Eng.City of Winnipeg, Manitoba

George V. Crawford, P.Eng., M.A.Sc.CH2M HILL, Ontario

Bill DeAngelis, P.Eng.Associated Engineering, Ontario

Marie MeunierJohn Meunier Inc., Qubec

Peter J. PaineEnvironment Canada

Environmental Science & Engineering is a bi-monthlybusiness publication of Environmental Science & Engi-neering Publications Inc. An all Canadian publication,ES&E provides authoritative editorial coverage ofCanada's municipal and industrial environmental controlsystems and drinking water treatment and distribution.

Readers include consulting engineers, industrial plantmanagers and engineers, key municipal, provincial andfederal environmental officials, water and wastewaterplant operators and contractors.

Information contained in ES&E has been compiled fromsources believed to be correct. ES&E cannot be respon-sible for the accuracy of articles or other editorial matter.Articles in this magazine are intended to provide infor-mation rather than give legal or other professional advice.Articles being submitted for review should be e-mailedto [email protected].

Canadian Publications Mail Sales Second Class MailProduct Agreement No. 40065446 Registration No. 7750

Undeliverable copies, advertising space orders, copy, artwork, proofs, etc., should be sent to: Environmental Science & Engineering, 220 IndustrialPkwy. S., Unit 30, Aurora, Ontario, Canada, L4G 3V6,Tel: (905)727-4666, Fax: (905) 841-7271, Web site: www.esemag.com

Printed in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without written permission ofthe publisher. Yearly subscription rates: Canada $75.00 (plus $3.75 GST).

Comment by Tom Davey

ronmental study facilities where sci-entists can research in teams, insteadof the present fragmented facultyprograms. Another is the belatedawareness, at all levels of govern-ment that air pollutants roam freelyover their puny boundaries. While ju-risdictional squabbling has delayedimplementation of watershed con-trols, meteorologists are already talk-ing of air sheds in attempts tomaster temperature inversions, whichprevent effective pollutant dispersal.

Economics and history have chan-neled our creative energies into in-credibly sophisticated productiontechniques, with pollution controlsubordinate to profit. Unless thisorder of priorities is reversed, theecological consequences will exact aheavy toll in the near future. Strin-gent government controls and en-forcement, tax incentives foranti-pollution devices, along withmore coordinated research theseare the basic requisites for tacklingthe problem. More important, per-haps, is public awareness of how rap-idly the problem is accelerating.

Otherwise we may be forced intoa mode of living epitomized byBuckminster Fullers geodesic domeat the post Expo 67 show, Man andHis World. There, fairgoers vicari-ously enjoyed fountains, trees and abird sanctuary amid the great in-doors, now significantly renamed theBiosphere.

Expo67 was a culmination ofmans cultural and manufacturingachievements. Perhaps the Biospheresymbolizes the future protection hewill need from the residual effects ofhis productive genius as he increas-ingly moves towards the ultimatesynthesis.

1 Chinas population is now approx-imately 1.4 billion.

parts per million just below thethreshold of odour detection de-creases human ability to inhale andexhale. But some scientists believethat other contaminants, acting singlyor together, are of greater signifi-cance as pulmonary irritants. Thereis widely based evidence that lungcancer mortality rates are from twoto four times higher in urban areasthan those found in rural districts.But again, there are too many vari-ables to specifically indict particularcontaminants as yet.

Ultimately, there is no escape wind borne contaminants are noweven reaching the Polar Regions. Andwhen Afro-Asias teeming millionsachieve industrialization, the threat ofintolerable contamination becomesmore than mere conjecture. Eighthundred million Chinese could createa fair pollution problem merely bystriking matches. What happens ifthey emulate the West and start driv-ing eight cylinder autos? 1 If thisseems remote, remember Japan trans-formed from a primitive agrarianeconomy, to a sophisticated industrialnation, in little over two decades.

One encouraging trend is theemergence of inter-disciplinary envi-

Re: Preferred status shouldnot mean status quo ES&E, Nov/Dec09 issue

Dear Steve:

Thank you for succinctlyidentifying a chronic problem inmany jurisdictions throughoutNorth America and a practicalway to engage stakeholders (con-sumers, provincial and/or stategovernments, engineers andtechnology suppliers) to arrive ata solution.

What you are talking about iscapitalism. "Family Compacts"will always emerge where opencompetition is stifled by bureau-cracy.

Tom WingfieldPall Corporation

Tom Davey is Consulting Editorof Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine. E-mail comments to [email protected]

Letter to Editor



Asian carpthreateningthe Great

Lakes

According to the en-vironmental group,Great Lakes United,

one heavy rainfall could allow Asian carpto breach the electric barrier in place inthe Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal(CSSC), which prevents fish fromspreading into the Great Lakes. Recentlydiscovered just a mile from the barrier,carp have also been found in the DesPlaines River, which is less than 100 feetfrom the canal in some places. The fearis that during a flood event, carp in theDes Plaines River could bypass theCSSCs electric barrier completely.

If Asian carp make it into LakeMichigan, they wont stop at the border,says Dr. Terry Quinney from the OntarioFederation of Anglers and Hunters.They will invade all of the Great Lakes,and could spread within inland water-ways across the province. This will affectthe $7 billion dollar recreational and

commercial fishery, as well as degradebiodiversity.

Suggested measures to stop the spreadof invasive species include: Fill in critical sections of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, so that the carp cannot swim into the CSSC during floods. Create an emergency physical barrier (like sandbags) between the Des Plaines River and the CSSC, to ensure the Des Plaines River and live carp cannot flood into the CSSC, and by pass the electrical barrier. Install an additional barrier (such as a bubble/acoustic barrier) to stop carp from migrating upstream into the Des Plaines River.

www.glu.org

Aquatic Life Research Facility opened at CCIW

The new Aquatic Life Research Facilityat the Canada Centre for Inland Waters(CCIW) in Burlington, Ontario, is a $4.6million state-of-the-art laboratory, de-signed for studying the health of fish, andother aquatic life, exposed to potential

environmental stressors. Built as a jointproject between Environment Canadaand Fisheries and Oceans Canada, it pro-vides space for scientists, graduate stu-dents, and university partners. To ensurethe efficient use of water and energy, itwill employ the latest water recirculationtechnology.

Facility scientists will be studying var-ious aquatic health issues more effec-tively, including: effects of contaminants, such as chemical and biological stressors, on aquatic life. impacts of changes to the food chain, water quality and temperature. effects of aquatic invasive species on other aquatic life. study of native species and their life cycle, including species at risk.

These studies will help the Govern-ment of Canada to meet its commitmentsunder the Fisheries Act, the Canadian En-vironmental Protection Act, 1999, theGreat Lakes Water Quality Agreement,the Species at Risk Act, and other fresh-water policies and regulations.




WFP donations surpass

benchmark

For the second year in a row, donors toWater For People partnered with philan-thropists, Stephen and Sandy Rosenthal,with the goal to raise $1 million, and onceagain surpassed the benchmark in sup-port of improved sanitation, safe drinkingwater solutions, and hygiene education indeveloping countries.

For the last two years, the RosenthalFamily has contributed $500,000, withthe goal of leveraging their gift. The fam-ily challenged Water For People donorsto match their gift dollar for dollar andraise $1 million in support of its pro-grams around the world. This year, over823 donors responded to the challengeand donated more than $798,000, totaling$1,298,735 within two months.

www.waterforpeople.org

Associated Engineering announces merger

Kerry Rudd, President & CEO of the As-sociated Engineering group of compa-

nies, and Brian Guy, President of SummitEnvironmental Consultants Ltd., recentlyannounced the merger of their two com-panies.

Summit Environmental Consultantswas formed in 1994 and now has a staff of50 and offices in BC and Alberta. Associ-ated Engineering is one of Canada's largestmulti-disciplinary, employee-owned, con-sulting engineering firms, with 700 staffprior to this merger. The company willnow have 16 offices across Canada, lo-cated in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan andOntario. Associated Engineering is one ofCanada's 50 Best Managed Companies.

www.ae.ca

National carbon management project

launched

The first nationwide effort to accelerateCanadas energy sector towards a zero-carbon emission future will be hosted bythe University of Calgary, with the cre-ation of a new research and developmentnetwork. Carbon Management Canada(CMC) has received $25 million in fund-

ing through the federal Networks of Cen-tres of Excellence program, to bring to-gether multi-disciplinary teams of energy,environmental and social science re-searchers at Canadian universities.

They will work with partners in indus-try, government, NGOs, and carbon man-agement networks around the world, todevelop insights, technologies and poli-cies needed to greatly reduce global-warming carbon emissions in Canadasfossil energy sector. The network is ex-pected to help reduce carbon emissionsby 80 per cent or more by 2050, com-pared with projected emissions under abusiness-as-usual scenario.

www.carbonmanagementcanada.ca

Foreign credential recognition to be

accelerated

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)has said that it approves of action takenby the federal government to enhance for-eign qualification recognition for inter-nationally-trained workers.

Under a new framework released re-cently by the Federal Minister of HumanResources and Skills Development, for-eign-trained professionals, including en-gineers, will be told within one year ofapplication whether their qualificationswill be recognized for licensure.

In May 2007, PEO introduced the En-gineering Intern Training FinancialCredit Program to encourage engineeringgraduates and newcomers to Canada toapply for licensure. The program enableseligible graduates of undergraduateCanadian engineering programs and eli-gible international engineering graduateswith a bachelor of engineering or a bach-elor of applied science degree to applyfor a professional engineer licence at nocost. They may also be eligible to registerin the Engineering Intern Training pro-gram for the first year at no cost.

www.peo.on.ca

ForestEthics worried aboutnew pipeline

ForestEthics, an environmental group, isstrongly condemning the federal govern-ment's recently announced terms of ref-erence for assessing Enbridge's proposed

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Northern Gateway Pipeline. The processthe federal government has selected forconsidering this project turns a blind eyeto the climate impacts of tar sands expan-sion, said Nikki Skuce, an energy cam-paigner with ForestEthics. This is areview process that has historically ap-proved 99% of the projects it has consid-ered.

If approved, the proposed Pipelinewould allow a 40% expansion of Alberta'star sands, which could increase GHGemissions from the region dramatically.The project would also expose interiorsalmon rivers and coastal marine environ-ments to the risk of oil spills, according tothe group. Given the narrow scope andconcerns about the Canadian Environmen-tal Assessment Agency/National EnergyBoard process, a number of municipalitiesand local governments in the affected re-gion have called for a Public Inquiry.

www.forestethics.ca

BP Energy fined for vapourdischarge

BP Canada Energy Company has pleadedguilty to one count of causing an odorousdischarge that caused, or was likely tocause an adverse effect. In Sarnia, On-tario, the company operates a natural gasliquid fractionation plant, which producespropane, butane, isobutane and produc-tion condensate.

In March 2009, during functionalitytesting of the facilitys valves, a vapourplume, lasting approximately ten min-

utes, travelled offsite in a northerly direc-tion. Some Sarnia residents reported ex-periencing temporary physical symptomsas a result of the odour, such asheadaches, sore throats and nausea. Thedischarge also caused disruptions toschools and businesses. BP Canada En-ergy was fined $800,000.

Tracking and reporting program now in effect

Beginning January 1, 2010, regulatedOntario-based facilities in the manufac-turing and minerals processing sectorsare required to track, report and developplans to reduce the toxic substances theyuse, create and release. This applies onlyto facilities currently reporting on emis-sions to the National Pollutant ReleaseInventory.

Ontario has also committed funding tohelp facilities meet the requirements ofthe Toxics Reduction Act. The govern-ment will hold province-wide informa-tion sessions to explain the newrequirements. It will also provide infor-mation guides to help facilities meet therequirements and will consult on an en-hanced toxics reduction planning processthat builds on the expertise and experi-ence found in the workplace.

The first reports from facilities cover-ing the 2010 calendar year are due byJune 1, 2011, and summaries of the firsttoxics reduction plans are due by the endof 2011. The first reporting requirementscover 47 priority substances.

Manitoba and South Australia sign MOU

During the recent Climate Change Sum-mit in Copenhagen, Manitoba PremierGreg Selinger and South Australian Pre-mier Mike Rann announced an agreementfor renewed cooperation on climate-change adaptation and water-resourcesmanagement priorities that are importantto both Manitoba and South Australia.

The memorandum of understandingprovides a general framework to work to-gether and share expertise on: reducingflood hazards; developing strategies tocope with long-term droughts; and com-munity capacity building and ecologicalgoods and services programming to pro-vide resilience to future climate-changechallenges.

Manitoba and South Australia share ahistory of collaboration on economic andsocial priorities and signed an MOU in2006 to strengthen their respective biolog-ical and life sciences sectors and ensurefurther collaboration in biotechnology, re-newable energy, sustainable development,climate change, and Aboriginal economicdevelopment.

Manitoba to clamp down

Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie re-cently announced a strengthened Environ-ment Act, which he hopes will improveManitobas environment and Lake Win-nipeg. The Act now requires the reporting



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of any pollutant that may cause, is causingor has caused an adverse effect on the en-vironment. Additionally, greenhouse gasemissions from a proposed project mustnow be considered before a licence is is-sued. The Act also provides environmentofficers with expanded powers to inter-vene in a situation before the environmentis impacted.

The strengthened Environment Actbuilds on the provinces enhanced in-spection programs, which focused ini-tially on the north Red River corridor.The program is designed to inspectwastewater systems on residential prop-erties in sensitive areas to ensure the en-vironment is being protected.

Saskatchewan adopts new regulations

On November 30, 2009, SaskatchewansEnvironment Minister Nancy Heppnerintroduced a proposed new act andamendments to two others. The Environ-mental Management and Protection Act,2009, along with amendments to The En-vironmental Assessment Act and The For-est Resources Management Act, set the

stage for the adoption of a results-basedenvironmental regulatory framework forSaskatchewan.

The current regulatory regime was de-veloped in the early to mid-1970s to ad-dress industrial point source pollutionand unregulated resource harvesting. Theregulatory toolkit consisted almost en-tirely of prescriptive legislation and reg-ulations that directed agency inspectionsand enforcement when contraventionswere identified.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Envi-ronment will soon move forward on anumber of other initiatives, including: Developing a Saskatchewan Environ-mental Code that will provide for stan-dards and practices that will set theframework for improved environmentalmanagement; Reorganizing the ministry to better de-liver the requirements of results-basedregulation; Providing an electronic platform for en-vironmental information and program de-livery, including web-based environmentalapplications, compliance and reporting.This will facilitate a streamlined applica-tion process and transparency in the min-

istry's reporting and collaborative deci-sion-making processes; Continuing to engage the public andstakeholders in consultation as the designand implementation of the new regula-tory framework are developed.

Information now availableonline

The website SaskH2O.ca now offersdetails on local wastewater treatmentthroughout Saskatchewan.

In addition to finding out if a commu-nity has been issued any warnings aboutthe quality of drinking water, one can alsofind information on wastewater treat-ment, such as when the last inspectionwas conducted, what was the outcome,and how to contact the facility operator.

The information will be of interest toa wide variety of groups, from local res-idents to businesses, engineers and mu-nicipalities. SaskH2O.ca brings togetherinformation and services available fromthe Government of Saskatchewan that re-late to water, regardless of the ministry oragency that produces the information oroffers the service.



Action plan guides

Alberta's water management

Healthy aquatic ecosystems, conserva-tion, and education, are priorities in therenewed Water for Life action plan, whichlays out the actions Alberta intends to de-liver over the next decade. It includes ac-tivities Alberta committed to deliver aspart of its original Water for Life strategyand incorporates new actions to addressthe provinces emerging water challengesand current realities. The action plan alsosupports regional environmental objec-tives and Albertas cumulative effectsmanagement approach.

The Alberta Water Councils 2006-08implementation review acknowledgedthat Water for Life implementation ismaking good progress. The Councilidentified the need to: integrate and co-ordinate the management of land, water,air, biodiversity, and the cumulative im-pacts of development; ensure partners

have the funds and people needed tocomplete their work; and encourageWater for Life leaders and champions.They also made recommendations to in-crease focus on education and protect Al-bertas rivers, lakes and aquifers fromoveruse and contamination.

www.waterforlife.alberta.ca

WERF to evaluate technologies that address

aging infrastructure

The Water Environment Research Foun-dation (WERF) will receive $10 millionfrom the US EPA to evaluate new tech-nologies designed to help utilities copewith aging and failing water and waste-water systems. $6.25 million will addresswastewater and stormwater infrastructure,and $3.75 million will address agingdrinking water systems. These funds willbe further leveraged by a 33.3% cost shareto be provided by the investigators.

Funding for the research is throughEPAs Aging Water Infrastructure Re-search Program, a research agenda thatsupports efforts to put the nations aginginfrastructure on a pathway toward sus-

tainability.Research efforts initiated under the

cooperative agreement will examine in-novative tools and procedures to cost-ef-fectively improve the maintenance,rehabilitation, and replacement of agingsewer lines, watermains, and other com-ponents. Research efforts will focus onfour key areas:

Condition assessment for water andwastewater conveyance systems.

System rehabilitation for water andwastewater conveyance systems.

Advanced design and engineeringconcepts.

Innovative treatment technologiesfor wastewater, stormwater, water reuse,and drinking water.

EPA projects a funding gap of $220billion over the next 20 years if US util-ities and municipalities dont increasetheir investments in water and waste-water infrastructure. By better pricingand managing water use, as well as byimplementing new technologies, that gapmay be lessened.

www.werf.org

Alberta Environment Minister, RobRenner, speaking about therenewedWater for Lifeaction plan.




Teck fined for chemical spill

Following an investigation by BritishColumbias Ministry of EnvironmentsCommercial Environmental Investiga-tion Unit (CEIU), Teck (formerly knownas Teck Cominco) was sentenced inprovincial court for a chemical spill thattook place on May 28, 2008. Teck dis-charged 900 kilograms of lead refineryelectrolyte and 360 litres of acid into theColumbia River, following a technicalfailure at its Trail lead and zinc refinery.The spill occurred when a heat-exchangeunit failed, resulting in chemicals spillingdown a stormwater drain, which leadsinto the Columbia River. The release oflead refinery electrolyte took place overa five-hour period.

BC joins battle against invasive mussels

The British Columbian government isjoining the US state governments ofWashington, Oregon, Idaho and Mon-tana, the US Fish and Wildlife Service,and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish

Commission, in an agreement to protectthe Columbia River basin from thespread of destructive zebra and quaggamussels.

Zebra and quagga mussels are twofreshwater mollusks native to EasternEurope that were introduced to the GreatLakes in the 1980s. Over the past coupleof decades, the invasive molluscs havespread to eastern Canada, the easternUnited States and, most recently, thewestern US. Zebra and quagga musselsare not currently present in BC waters,but they have been found on interceptedtrailered boats en route to BC.

The spread of zebra and quagga mus-sels into BC waters would have a severeenvironmental impact. Both species cancompletely replace native mussels andcause a collapse of the natural foodchain, threatening local fish species, par-ticularly salmon and trout. Industrial,agricultural and recreational uses of in-fested areas would be affected.

A recent survey estimates an impactof $268 million to power plant and drink-ing water facilities in the eastern USfrom 1989 to 2004.

The Columbia Basin Rapid ResponsePlan will co-ordinate a rapid, effective andefficient response between state, provin-cial and federal agencies in order to iden-tify, contain and, when feasible, eradicatezebra and quagga mussel populations.

www.protectyourwaters.net

NS introduces strongerguidelines for biosolids

Nova Scotia has introduced stricter guide-lines for the land-application and storageof municipal biosolids; these were devel-oped from recommendations by an inde-pendent committee of citizens, facilitymanagers, wastewater researchers, regu-lators, and representatives from all levelsof government. The guidelines are basedon the latest biosolids science and re-search.

The Nova Scotia Biosolids Scienceand Advisory Committee gave its report,entitled Biosolids Management in NovaScotia: Issues and Recommendations, tothe Department of Environment last year.The report contains many recommenda-tions intended to improve the waybiosolids are managed and used. Theprovince is implementing all recommen-dations, many through the guideline revi-sions. All municipal wastewater treatmentplants in the province must follow theguidelines and have approval from theDepartment of Environment for theirbiosolids storage and use procedures.

www.gov.ns.ca

Winnipeg WTP receivesprovincial and federal

funding

A project worth $33 million has been an-nounced for improvements to the exist-ing South End Water Pollution ControlCentre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, whichwill increase the plant's capacity to dealwith wastewater during peak periods andprotect the health of the Red River andLake Winnipeg.

The Government of Canada will setaside up to one-third of total eligiblecosts, to a maximum federal contributionof $11 million through the new Green In-frastructure Fund. The Province willmatch the federal contribution and theCity of Winnipeg will provide the bal-ance of funding.

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AWWA encourages

Haiti assistance

"The American Water Works Association(AWWA) joins the global community inmourning the terrible loss of life in Haitifollowing a devastating earthquake," saidAWWA Interim Executive Director PaulaMacIlwaine. "The many calls and emailsthat have poured into our offices the pasttwo days testify to the goodness and com-passion that define our members."

Following a disaster of this scale, therescue and recovery efforts will continuefor several weeks. AWWA encourages itsmembers to direct immediate offers of as-sistance to disaster relief agencies on theground in Haiti. Monetary donations aremost helpful, because the chaos that fol-lows natural disasters makes material do-nations difficult to manage.

Water for People, AWWAs charity ofchoice, recommends Catholic ReliefServices and Mercy Corps as effectiveagencies to receive Haiti disaster reliefdonations.

"As a water community, we are allkeenly aware of the water-related crises

the earthquake will introduce. Access tosafe drinking water is frequently amongthe first threats to survivors in impactedareas. The threat of waterborne diseasemay persist as the emergency responseconcludes and the reconstruction effortbegins. AWWA has received many callsand emails from members offering ex-pertise to help Haitians address water-re-lated issues, said Ms MacIlwaine.

WHO releases risk assessment for crypto

A new Cryptosporidium risk assessmentto complement and support the WorldHealth Organization Guidelines forDrinking-water Quality has been released.It provides further data on the waterbornepathogen, with a view to assisting author-ities in setting health-based targets.

Risk Assessment of Cryptosporidiumin Drinking Water uses quantitative micro-bial risk assessment as a tool to quantifythe risks associated with Cryptosporidiumin water supplies. Developed to support aprevention-minded approach for microbi-ological guidelines, this background doc-

ument describes and evaluates the hazardsand the efficacy of control measures.

www.awwa.org

WEF releases the 2009 USStockholm Junior Water

Prize journal

The Water Environment Federation(WEF) has released the fourth annualJournal of the US SJWP. The purpose ofthe journal is to share the fresh and some-times novel thinking of young scientistsand to provide the students with experi-ence in scientific writing and publication.Featuring a total of eight papers, includingthose of the 2009 US winner Eileen Jangand US finalists Li Boynton and CollinMcAliley, the publication is available fordownload at www.wef.org.

Ms Jangs work, Natural OrganicsControl Aggregation of Mercury SulfideNanoparticles in Freshwater Systems, in-troduced a novel aqueous synthesisprocess for studying how HgS nanoparti-cles, the precursors to methylmercury,persist in freshwater systems.



Between the years 1998 through 2002, Ontario experienced some of the worstdroughts in its history.

grave financial risk and hardship. For ex-ample, a drought that extended acrossCanada in 2001-2002 was considered anational disaster.

Agricultural practices in some partsof the province are already starting tochange. Farmers in Essex County, one ofthe most drought-prone areas, are exca-vating numerous small storage reser-voirs, and in Haldimand and NorfolkCounties, farmers have recently begunirrigating crops over a longer time-spanwithin the growing season. Irrigationsystems which are more water efficient,such as drip irrigation, are being devel-

Although generally considereda water-rich province, Ontariois not immune to drought orserious water shortages. As

recently as the summer of 2007 and be-tween the years 1998 through 2002, On-tario experienced some of the worstdroughts in its history. It has also begun toexperience major changes in weather thatdiverge significantly from usual climatepatterns, and that have produced conse-quences ranging, even within a single sea-son, from destructive storm events torecord-breaking low water events anddrought.

As a result of global climate change,many experts expect these extremeweather conditions to worsen. The evi-dence for climate change has continuedto mount in recent years, and the leadingscientific organization, the Intergovern-mental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),stated in 2007 that warming of the cli-mate system is unequivocal, as is nowevident from observations of increases inglobal average air and ocean tempera-tures, widespread melting of snow andice, and rising global average sea level.

In a 2002 special report, ClimateChange Is the Science Sound?, the En-vironmental Commissioner of Ontario(ECO) urged Ontarios leaders to actupon the evidence and take appropriateaction to address climate change.

Modelling work, published by theMinistry of Natural Resources (MNR)in 2007, predicted that, by mid-century,much of southern Ontario will receive10 to 20 per cent less precipitation andwill experience considerable warming(of two degrees Celsius or more) duringthe warm season. These changes indi-cate that the risk of summer droughtswill increase over the coming years. Theagriculture, forestry and fisheries sectorswill face major resource managementchallenges in adapting to these environ-mental shifts.

Consequences of changes in hydrology

During a drought, reduced surfaceand groundwater source availability is ofconcern to all, but can expose water de-pendent industries, including agriculture,horticulture and forestry, to particularly

oped and utilized more widely.In addition to effects on industry,

drought can have severe impacts onstream ecology. Drought can causegroundwater levels to decline and this, inturn, will cause declines in the flow ofgroundwater-fed streams. Evaporationcombined with water taking from suchstreams may at some point cause other-wise perennially flowing streams to dryup, with a complete loss of aquatic life.

This article examines how the On-tario government has begun to respondto the threat of low water conditions asa growing reality within the spectrum of

Ontario is not immune to water shortages

Water Supply




the hydrologic cycle, and reviews howwell the province is equipped to adaptand manage water resources under theconditions of a changing climate.

Ontario Low Water Response PlanThe changing climate and anticipated

stresses on water supply point to the needfor strong provincial readiness for man-aging drought. Drought contingencyplanning assesses and improves the abil-ity of stakeholders and government to re-spond to low water conditions in a timelyand orderly way. Essential elements ofsuch a plan include: appropriate droughtindicators; instruments and policies forwater allocation and water supply; meth-ods for public information and involve-ment; and conflict resolution tools.

Numerous significant changes inwater quantity management have beenimplemented in Ontario in recent years.In 2001, following the droughts of 1998and 1999, the provincial government de-veloped the Ontario Low Water Re-sponse (OLWR) Plan to ensure that theprovince would be ready to assist andsupport local response efforts in theevent of a drought. The program operateswith MNR taking a lead role and work-ing in partnership with local stakehold-ers, and is normally coordinated throughlocal conservation authorities (CAs).

The OLWR Plan defines both provin-cial and municipal government roles indrought contingency management. Akey feature of the Plan is the existenceof local Water Response Teams (WRTs).The teams include provincial and con-servation authority staff, as well as rep-resentatives from local water usergroups, typically involving the resourcemanagement interests of agriculture andother rural private industries, First Na-tions and municipal government. At theprovincial level, key decisions and inter-actions with WRTs are made by a stand-ing committee known as the Low WaterCommittee.

Planning stagesThe OLWR Plan establishes three

levels of low water conditions that arebased on thresholds linked to precipita-tion records and stream flow monitoringdata, together with watershed observa-tions. The OLWR Plan describes theseindicators and the thresholds and rulesfor transition between levels.

At Level I, a warning is issued and

voluntary water conservation measuresimplemented, and the WRTs are broughttogether. Level II indicates a more seri-ous problem, bringing about further re-strictions on non-essential use. Level IIImeans that water supply is unable tomeet local demands. Under this condi-tion, water use restrictions may be estab-lished by regulation.

Before declaring a Level III conditionfor a particular area, the WRT is requiredto have implemented and documentedconservation and reduction efforts takenthroughout earlier Levels, and demon-strated that the majority of water usershave participated; documented and ade-quately described social, environmentaland economic impacts arising from cur-rent low water conditions; and providedrecommendations on priorities for wateruse restrictions and other reduction ac-tivities within the watershed.

Response optionsThe issuing and revising of Permits to

Take Water (PTTW) by MOE under theOntario Water Resources Act (OWRA) isthe principal mechanism available toprovincial regulators to control takings

of ground and surface water. Most watertakings from a surface source or well inexcess of 50,000 litres per day require aPTTW. Exceptions are made for waterused for domestic purposes, livestockwatering and firefighting. Currently,about 6,600 PTTWs province-wideallow permit holders to take a total ofabout 495 trillion litres of water everyyear an amount equivalent to the ap-proximate volume of Lake Erie.

The OWRA affords numerous pow-ers to the MOE Director to restrict wateruse, and to require studies to support ap-plications to ensure that the quantitiesbeing allocated and withdrawn by userspromote ecosystem protection and sus-tainability.

During low water conditions, MOEdelegates responsibility for determiningthe relative importance of various wateruses to the WRTs. Under the OLWRPlan, water uses are classified as: Essential (i.e., uses directly related to human health, such as drinking water, sanitation and fire protection, as well as for basic ecological functions);

Water Supply

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Important (i.e., agricultural, industrial and commercial uses); and Non-essential (i.e., household uses, such as swimming pools, lawn watering and car washing).

Each WRT is responsible for develop-ing strategies to reduce water use duringLevel I and Level II conditions, targetinga 10 per cent reduction in water use atLevel I. At Level II, further restrictionsare implemented, including invokingmember municipalities bylaws for ban-ning non-essential uses. Level III is themost severe condition and, when thislevel has been declared, the provincialagencies become formally involved inthe decision-making process. If andwhen a Level III condition is declared,the MOE Director can use the OWRApowers to restrict any water taking.

A Level III condition has never beendeclared, although indicator criteria havebeen frequently met.

One of the main problems facingWRTs is the difficulty in obtaining dataon actual amounts of water withdrawn byPTTW permit holders. At present, newrequirements for monitoring of quanti-ties of water used are being phased in

under the Water Taking Regulation (O.Reg. 387/04). Information on waterwithdrawals is vital to a WRT trying todetermine how water is allocated in awatershed during a drought condition.

ECOs conclusionsClimate change, water withdrawals

and other forces promise to profoundly af-fect Ontarios water environment in thecoming years, and will significantly affecturban and rural water users ability toconsume and their need to conserve water.

The ECO is pleased to note a numberof recent positive changes to water man-agement policies and practices in On-tario which will aid in adapting tocurrent and future hydrological changes.

Water budgets are being developedfor most highly utilized watershedsunder the Clean Water Act; the monitor-ing of water quantities taken underPTTWs is now required; and studies areunderway on groundwater and surfacewater interactions which will better in-form water permitting.

However, the ECO remains concernedthat there still are a number of seriousgaps in water management practices;when low flow and drought conditions

occur, the OLWR Plan may not functionadequately. The voluntary implementa-tion of water use reductions under LevelI and Level II requires communicationwith the public and stakeholders; how-ever, there is generally little ability tomonitor the effectiveness of these com-munications, despite the fact that such anevaluation is required to support a requestto the provincial authority for a Level IIIcondition declaration.

The ECO is greatly concerned that itseems prohibitively difficult to obtain aLevel III condition declaration by theprovince. The requirements that must befulfilled by the WRTs, as outlined previ-ously, are too restrictive, in the opinion ofthe ECO. It is difficult for the WRTs toprovide proof of voluntary implementa-tion by a majority of the water users. Itcould conceivably take nearly a month fora WRT to gather and document this in-formation time during which streamscould dry up.

The ECO is aware of two streams,one an important coldwater fish habitat,which completely dried up in the sum-mer of 2007, without a Level III condi-tion being declared under the OLWR

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Water Supply



Plan. This loss of a prime cold waterstream is certainly a significant environ-mental impact and clearly the mecha-nisms of the OLWR Plan were notworking if its impending loss could notbe prevented.

Water allocation and budgetingThe ECO has expressed concern

about the over-allocation of water underthe PTTW system. Water budgets estab-lished in the source water protectionplanning stage under the Clean WaterAct will help inform PTTW decision-making and ensure that water is man-aged through the program in a long-termsustainable manner. Recently introducedrequirements that PTTW holders carry

out monitoring of water taking rates arealso an important tool. Over-allocationin some watersheds nonetheless existsand, when low water conditions occur inthese watersheds, restrictions are farmore challenging to implement.

As water budgets become available,the ECO recommends that the MOEphase in a PTTW renewal process whichis consistent with a watersheds hydrol-ogy; recognizes in-stream ecological baseflow requirements; and builds in stepwiseuse reduction criteria that are responsiveto low flow level conditions. It may alsobe worth considering the process used insome American states where all watertaking permits for a single watershed

have identical renewal dates. This allowsfor regionally coordinated planning forwater allocation and budgeting.

The ECO has also commented in thepast on the need for the MOE to developa clear policy for prioritizing water usesto ensure that PTTWs are allocated inboth an ecologically sustainable and so-cially desirable manner. This is particu-larly important in view of the increaseddemands placed on our water resources bya growing population, and at a time whenour hydrology appears to be changing.

Security of our water resources andthe ecological, social and economic sys-tems dependent upon them requires theOntario government to begin developingwater supply priorities and an overallprovincial water allocation strategy.

The Environmental Commissioner ofOntario is the provinces independentenvironmental watchdog. Appointed bythe Legislative Assembly, the ECO istasked with monitoring and reporting onthe governments compliance with theEnvironmental Bill of Rights.

For more information, E-mail:[email protected]

Water Supply

Maintaining sufficient water levels and pressures is vital for firefighting.



Pumps

for pump owners and pump users to im-plement a comprehensive preventiveservice and maintenance program.

Effective service and maintenancekeeps equipment working at peak effi-ciency; so service and maintenance

should not be viewed as a strain on in-come, but rather a contribution to prof-itability.

For the common trash pump, sched-uled preventive maintenance generallyincludes lubrication of seals and bear-

It is understandable, especially intodays tough economic times, forpump owners to let a pump rununtil it fails. Unfortunately, this can

cause collateral damage and problems.Ask yourself: What would the conse-quences of a failure be? Not only couldit cause more costly and time-consum-ing service, but since trash pumps oftenpump wastewater, this could cause aneven bigger problem.

Thus, preventive maintenance is acritical part in maximizing a pumpslifespan, improving cost savings, in-creasing profitability, increasing pumpavailability, improving productivity, anddecreasing maintenance repair costs.Pumps made by reputable manufacturersare built for the severity of strenuoususage, but all will benefit from regularservice and preventive maintenance.Also, the care of trash pumps is reason-ably simple. Therefore, it makes sense

Pump maintenance is vital, especially during tough times

Dennis E. MahonyEditor:

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ings along with oil, fuel and air filterchanges every 200 to 250 operatinghours, or as recommended by the manu-facturer. While this is necessary, it alsopresents an excellent opportunity to per-form an overall pump inspection, espe-cially of wear components, and to makereplacements or adjustments as required.This includes adjusting and tuning upequipment and detecting and correctingsmall problems before they becomemajor problems.

Having a manufacturers trainedservice technician perform these dutiesmay increase the initial cost of the serv-ice when compared to using staff per-sonnel. But, a trained technician will dothe job correctly and also discern com-ponents which are susceptible to failure,preventing downtime and damage toother parts. This will reduce repair coststhroughout the life of the equipment, andresult in savings much greater than theinitial cost of a service call.

Equipment maintenance requires thateveryone share the responsibility. Fieldoperators and mechanics must ensurethat the equipment is operated properlyand that required maintenance intervals

are performed. Supervisors must ensurethat the proper maintenance scheduleand procedures are completed by themechanics. Lastly, the purchasing orparts department must procure the nec-essary parts, in advance, to avoid delaysand downtime.

The bottom line: To yield maximumprofit, pump equipment must be prop-erly maintained.


a. Log hours of operation to determine proper maintenance intervals. Consultuser manual for various pump manufacturer recommendations.b. Can be greased monthly during periods of less utilization.

Every Daily Weekly Every 6 Months Use or 2500Hrs.

Pump Volute Flush X

Suction Check Valve Check/Inspect X X

Hoses and Strainer Check X

Mechanical Seal Housing Grease X X (b)

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Lip Seal Inspect X X

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REGULAR SERVICE PERIODPerform at every indicated month or operatinghour interval whichever comes first. (a)

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Water Reuse

Closed-loop heat transfer surfaces re-quire little or no maintenance. Tubes areall prime surface and do not utilize fins.Furthermore, the closed-loop coolingsystem uses widely spaced tubular sur-face coils, which are less prone to foul-ing and plugging.

Water efficiencyA closed-loop system rejects heat by

evaporation. The process fluid or vaporto be cooled or condensed flows throughclosed-loop tube bundles. Water fromthe unit basin is sprayed downward overthe tube surfaces while fans induce airflow over the bundles in a co-current di-rection. On the tube surface exterior,evaporative cooling occurs at the outsidewater film boundary. The saturated airstream leaving the tube bundle thenmakes two 90 degree turns into the fanplenum. The reduction in velocity re-turns most of the large water droplets tothe basin. The saturated air is then dis-charged through the fan stacks at highvelocity (1500 fpm).

Due to the closed-loop design, widetube spacing, and high drenching waterspray rate, low quality water (even con-taining suspended solids) can be used asmakeup water. Since the open-loop spraywater only passes over the tube exterior,it never contaminates the process stream.

For industrial facilities aroundthe globe, water quality andavailability have become criti-cal issues. Many engineers as-

sume that, if their facility cannot obtainfresh water, the only available processcooling technology option is a drycooler.

Since low quality water (includingblowdown from cooling towers, RO,demin, boiler blowdown, treated waste-water, as well as reclaimed and producedwater) can be used as spray water makeup,even those sites with limited water avail-ability have a choice. Closed-loop, evap-orative cooling and condensing systemssuch as Niagara Blowers Wet Surface AirCooler (WSAC) optimize the use ofscarce and/or poor quality water re-sources. A plant can improve or increasecapacity by utilizing closed-loop coolingtechnology without having to purchaseadditional water or reduce existing freshwater usage.

Benefits of closed-loop cooling technology

Closed-loop, evaporative cooling andcondensing systems are an efficient al-ternative to dry cooling. The closed-loopsystem uses evaporative or latent (phasechange) heat transfer to remove theprocess heat, whereas dry coolers usesensible (no phase change) heat transfer.

For this reason, the closed-loopprocess outlet temperatures will approachthe design wet bulb temperature while thedry coolers process outlet temperaturewill approach the design dry bulb temper-ature. There is usually a large differencein these two temperatures; a typical 85Fdry bulb day at 60% relative humiditywould have a corresponding wet bulbtemperature of 65F, allowing for a muchlower process outlet temperature with theclosed-loop cooling system.

Since the closed-loop system is anevaporative cooling device, it will use aslittle as one fifth of the plant area re-quired for a dry cooler and require dras-tically less horsepower to operate.Reduced horsepower leads to lower op-erating costs, less noise, and a lower car-bon footprint.

A recent study was funded by theElectric Power Research Institute (EPRI)and the US Department of Energy(DOE) to validate water quality limits ina closed-loop, evaporative system. Unitperformance using different sources ofspray water makeup was monitored anddifferent tube materials (304SS, 316SS,titanium, etc.) were used. The test unitdemonstrated that existing cooling towerblowdown could be used in a closed-loop, evaporative system running 50+cycles of concentration with no degrada-tion in thermal performance.

Minimizing overall water useThere are several design options to

consider in order to reduce the overallwater use in a process cooling systemwhile still maintaining cooling efficiency:

1. Combining a closed-loop, evapora-tive system with a dry cooler is one op-tion. In this configuration, the dry coolercan accomplish the first part of the cool-ing or the highest temperature portion,and the closed-loop system can be usedas an efficient trim cooler to finish theremainder of the cooling and achieve thedesired process outlet temperature evenin the hottest ambient conditions.

This cooling combination can attainthe low process outlet temperatures thata dry cooler alone would have difficulty

Drenching spray system.

Conserving water by using a closed loop recycling system

By Mark Vogel



Water Reuseaccomplishing. The spray water can beturned off during colder ambient periodsto allow the dry cooler to do all the cool-ing without requiring any water.

2. A wet/dry closed-loop system isanother way to minimize water usage.With this design, widely spaced fins(four to five fins per inch) are used onthe tube bundle for strictly dry coolingor condensing during colder ambient pe-riods. An optimal ambient temperatureis selected, below which the unit can berun completely dry. For instance, thesystem may operate dry at 80F dry bulbor lower and operate in the wet modewith spray water turned on when the am-bient dry bulb exceeds 80F. This can beeither on a seasonal basis or changedfrom day to night operating modeswhere dry bulbs may drop below 80F.

This system still has the advantage ofachieving low process outlet tempera-tures while realizing some of the foot-print and operating cost savings of a wetsystem. Wet/dry systems allow signifi-cant water savings while offering opera-tor flexibility in choosing whether to usewater, depending on ambient conditionsand the plant cooling needs at the time.

The importance of customizationWith a variety of tubing and other ma-

terials of construction available, eachclosed-loop, evaporative cooler or con-denser is custom-designed to fit a spe-cific heat transfer application whilemeeting the customers water limitations.To ensure the most efficient operation inall climates, design parameters are basedon customer specifications for processinlet and outlet temperatures, weatherconditions on an annual basis, and spec-ified water limits.

Closed-loop systems can be designedand manufactured with a wide variety ofmaterials depending on water quality,water treatment, and cycles of concentra-tion. Closed-loop coolers and condensersvary in size from small packaged, skid-ded units to large, field-erected systems.

ConclusionWater conservation will continue to

be a critical issue. Due to the innovativedesign and custom manufacturing capa-bilities, closed-loop, evaporative coolersand condensers can help maintain plantperformance while utilizing waterstreams that may currently be unusablewith other cooling technologies. Thesesystems offer many advantages for sites

with poor quality sources of makeupwater, including a reduction of plantfresh water makeup and the ability to re-duce plant wastewater.

Mark Vogel is with the Niagara Blower Company.

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Stormwater Management

The City of Ottawa has oldercombined sewers in its down-town core and for years hashad to find solutions for the

undersized sewer pipe system. In 1986, City Council approved the

installation of tin covers under catchbasins to prevent heavy rainfall eventsfrom overtaxing the combined sewersystem and thereby causing sewer back-ups in homes. The tin cover with a smallhole opening was simply placed underthe cast iron frame on the roadway catchbasin (Figures 1 and 2). This productwas a maintenance issue for staff and israrely used anymore.

Various devices are available in todaysmarket for this type of flow restriction forall types of sewer systems. The concept isbasically to restrict the amount of waterthat gets into the catch basins.Products used by the City of Ottawa

A similar product is an inlet controldevice such as a PVC plug placed in the

City of Ottawas solutions for inflow to combined sewers

By Will Curry

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

pipe opening in the catch basin. (Figure3) This is commonly used for storm-water management practices to restrictwater inflow. It is relatively easy to installfor existing catch basins or in new resi-dential development areas. It is placed di-rectly in the outlet pipe inside the catchbasin. These plug type inlet control de-vices can achieve a flow restriction in therange of 15 L/s to 50 L/s. However, if thehole is too small, it becomes a mainte-nance issue and can ultimately blockfrom floatable debris that gets washedinto the catch basin from the road.

To obtain low flow restrictions a vor-tex device can be installed in the catchbasins. Vortex devices can achieve verylow flow restrictions but the City of Ot-tawa limits the lowest flow control to 6L/s, otherwise these may also becomeplugged and/or blocked by floatables inthe catch basin. This device also restrictsunwanted odours from the combinedsewers as it has an extended intake arm

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that is submerged under the water level.(Figures 4 and 5)

Another product that has been modi-fied over the years is what the City of Ot-tawa refers to as the trap assemblywhich it fabricated to limit the flow in

catch basins, act as an odour trap, and forcontrol of floatable debris. (Figure 6)

The latest version of the trap assemblymounted to a display board is ideal forachieving different flow restrictions justby selecting a different hole size on the

front face. It also has a very good gasketand is easily removed by City operationsstaff if need be. It has proven to be idealfor the control of floatables. (Figure 7)

In addition to restricting inflow intothe catch basins, the City uses an insertunder the manhole covers for both sani-tary and storm sewer systems.

The City has also introduced variouslow flow covers for catch basins andmanholes to help minimize inflow intothe sewer systems.

Will Curry, C.E.T., is a RehabilitationTechnologist - Wastewater & Drainage,

with the City of Ottawa. E-mail:[email protected]

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

Figure 6.

Figure 7.

Stormwater Management

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Instrumentation

The upgraded system consists of 14process control stations within the WPCCand 14 remote pump stations, with thevarious control stations linking the con-trollers together in a proprietary network.

The WPCC Process Control Systems(PCS) Upgrade Design-Build projectconsisted of the following:1. New fibre-optics communication net-work throughout the WPCC facility. Newunit process PLCs and SCADA platformwere installed in a sequential approach,one control panel at a time, to avoid op-erational interruptions at each WPCCprocess area and remote pump stations. 2. New SCADA and PLC process controlnarratives, overall PLC programming andSCADA standards. The project has hadmany challenges because the pumpingstations and the plant processes must re-main operational during the controller up-grades.

During project execution, there wereessentially two network systems tem-

The City of Barrie in southernOntario is one of Canadasfastest-growing municipali-ties. Its growth has been fu-

eled by its location in the heart ofOntarios playland and its strategic prox-imity to Toronto.

Recognizing that sustainable growthrequires a dependable and reliable infra-structure, the City of Barrie has imple-mented a strategic plan to establish andsupport a comprehensive modernizedwastewater facilities PLC/SCADA (pro-gram logic controller/supervisory controland data acquisition) systems network.

A key factor in the assessment of anySCADA system is a review of the exist-ing system network architecture andplatform. The aging PLC/SCADA sys-tem at Barries water pollution controlcentre (WPCC) was installed in the early1980s and has sustained ongoing im-provements and modifications to paral-lel growth of the facility over the years.

porarily operating in parallel (existingand new) during the transition and com-missioning phase of the project from oldworks to new. Once the new system net-work was commissioned, one controlpanel at a time, the old processor andnetwork function was decommissionedand removed. 3. Upgrading of the Wood Street remotepump station, including civil, structural,architectural, mechanical, electrical andinstrumentation works.

The project team was required to workclosely as a cohesive unit with City oper-ations and maintenance staff, designers,construction managers, process special-ists, system integrators and software de-velopment programmers. One of themost challenging aspects of the projectwas the completion of the unit processarea SCADA installation for facilitiesalso undergoing a separate major hy-draulic capacity process expansion (76megalitres per day) concurrent with the

City of Barrie upgrades water pollution control centre and systems

The upgraded system consists of 14 process control stations within the Barrie water pollution control centre and 14 remote pump stations, with the various control stations linking the controllers together.



Instrumentation

PCS upgrade project. CH2M HILL worked with the Citys

project engineering, plant operations andmaintenance staff to ensure and maintaintreatment plant process parameters andeffluent quality during shutdown and thetransition periods for the process units.Summa Engineering Ltd. were subcon-tractors on the project.

Another important part of the pro-gram was upgrading the computerSCADA process operations control sta-tions. The plants process was docu-

mented through a series of workshopsderiving modified and updated controlnarratives for the facility. Through uti-lization of the design-build project de-livery approach, the City was able towork as a unit during the design andconstruction implementation phase ofthe project, contributing and creatingownership of the PCS platform.

As part of the design-build projectapproach, through factory tests andworkshops, the Citys operations andmaintenance staff were able to play a

major role in the design and implemen-tation of the system optimization set-points and development of SCADAscreens due to their intimate workingknowledge of the facility.

The project was substantially com-plete in May 2009 and, when finished,the City of Barrie WPCC will continueto be considered one of the most techno-logically advanced process wastewatertreatment facilities in Ontario. This pro-ject established system standards for theongoing WPCC capacity expansion offacilities from 56 MLD to 76 MLD.

Although implementation of IT in-strumentation and automation projectsis one of the most challenging types ofprojects in the industry today, the suc-cessful completion of this project usingan alternative delivery approach hasdemonstrated that complicated electro-mechanical projects can be completed,meeting overall project and client expec-tations.


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Septage

vate, communal or individual septageservices is only permitted if there is con-firmation of reserve sewage system ca-pacity. Reserve sewage capacity issufficient if the septage from the devel-opment can be treated or disposed of atsites approved under the EnvironmentalProtection Act, or the Ontario Water Re-sources Act. There is a need to have ca-pacity for the septage by the time thedevelopment is completed. Capacity doesnot include management by land applica-tion of untreated septage.

The management of septage in On-tario must incorporate alternative viabletreatment options. There is a generalmisconception that septage waste mustgo to a wastewater treatment plant to beprocessed.

Many municipalities are not in a po-sition to comply with the Provincial Pol-icy Statement and they need to developa plan to ensure that the increased devel-opment of their municipality evolves si-

The infrastructure in Canada iscrumbling and Ontario will re-quire 30 - 40 billion dollars incapital investment to upgrade

its water and wastewater infrastructureover the next 15 years.

Municipalities continue to grow,without adequate plans for urban andrural liquid waste disposal programs toaddress the increasing volumes of sep-tage and sewage.

Septage waste in septic tanks shouldbe pumped out approximately everythree years, depending on the size andthe impact factors on the tank. With overtwo million rural households in Ontariothat are on private septic systems, gen-erating over 27 billion litres of septagewaste annually, the question is: wheredoes it go? This has been a problem forgovernments and municipalities, largeand small.

In Ontario, the Provincial Policy State-ment (2005) states that lot creation on pri-

multaneously with the ability to manageand dispose of the septage created. Theymust create the infrastructure to supporttheir developments. Municipalities musthave an urban and rural septage wastemanagement plan, similar to their solidwaste management plans.

The Ontario Association of SewageIndustry Services (OASIS) is a provin-cial association established in 1991 torepresent septage pumpers and haulers,sewage system installers, manufacturersand professionals. Its role and responsi-bility is to look after the liquid waste re-moval needs of customers in rural areas.

OASIS members decided that theyneeded to be proactive in finding ways toaddress the treatment and disposal of sep-tage and portable toilet waste. In 2007,OASIS created the Rural WastewaterTreatment Expo to look at alternativetechnologies and to address the treatmentof septage in a sustainable, cost-effectiveand environmentally friendly way.

Septage waste - its in your backyardBy Colleen Swider


Septage

Organizations and companies in thewastewater industry are invited annuallyto display their technologies, includingon-site, hands on demonstrations. Thisannual event provides an opportunity for

municipalities, plant operators and otherdecision-makers to learn about advancesin septage treatment.

In 2008, Expo participants toured aconverted beaver pond that has been act-

ing as a lagoon system for the Village ofWashago in Severn Township, Ontario,which has 500 homes. This system hasbeen successfully in use since the late1980s.

The Township of Bonnechere Valley,Ontario, invested in Geotube technologyto assist with their dewatering process forseptage. (See page 38 of the March 2009issue of this magazine). This technologywas demonstrated at the OASIS annualExpo for the past two years and is usedworldwide for dewatering septage.

Other solutions showcased at theExpo include composting, reed bedtechnology pilot projects in Muskoka,the Fournier Screw Press Technology,Volute Dewatering Press Technology,and dewatering septic trucks..

During a recent visit to Nova Scotia,OASIS representatives met with RobertG. Anderson, with Nova Scotia Environ-ment, and Don Reid, who are finding in-novative ways to deal with septageissues in the Maritimes.

While touring the septage pilot pro-jects at Dalhousie University, Don Reid

Installation of a sloping sand filter.




Septage

in Nova Scotia. A cross-section of a typical sloping

sand filter is shown in Figure 1. In a typi-cal system, septic tank effluent flows to adistribution trench with a linear loadingrate between 60 and 100 L/day/m andbasal loading rate of 33L/day/m2. Thespecifications for sand used in slopingsand filters (filter sand) result in a sandthat is similar to one meeting the CSAA23.1 specification for concrete sand.There is 450 mm of filter sand under the

described sloping sand filters, a practicalsolution for on-site disposal on difficultsites. Sloping sand filters have been usedin Nova Scotia for over 20 years. Untilrecently, their use was restricted to up-grading existing malfunctioning sys-tems. Due to their proven advantagesover other options and the results of test-ing carried out by the Centre for WaterResources Studies at Dalhousie Univer-sity, sloping sand filers have recentlybeen approved to serve new construction

distribution trench and a minimum of 5 mof filter sand from the down slope of theedge of the distribution trench.

The minimum slope on the base ofthe filter is 3%, although typically it iskept above 5%. The maximum slope onthe bottom is limited by the ability towork on the slope, which is generallyless than 30%. In many cases, direct dis-charge is not required.

In 2004, six sand filters with a similarcross section to that shown in Figure 1were installed at the On-Site WastewaterResearch, Evaluation and Training Facil-

Documents

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine January-February 2010