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8 THE POSITIVE WORKPLACE
Ensuring your workplace is inclusive and respectful is smart – and the right thing to do
10 RAISING A LITTLE WELLHEAD
New Minas, N.S., alters wellheads and well houses to address overland flooding risks
14 NEW PUMP IN TOWN
MIT graduate student invents new kind of centrifugal pump
20 FORD LAUNCHES ELECTRIC F-150
The F-series is being updated for a new generation
21 THE SOURCE
News and views from the OGWA
ON THE WEB:
P.E.I. gives possible framework for water use post moratorium Officials with P.E.I.’s Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action laid out a bare-bones plan for how water could be shared among various users once the province’s moratorium on new highcapacity irrigation wells ends. CBC News reports.
UVIC lab developing test to detect arsenic in drinking water
www.groundwatercanada.com
A University of Victoria lab is working on developing an affordable, accessible and effective test to detect arsenic in drinking water, with the help of a researcher in the U.S. The Times-Colonist reports.
Focus on the environment
It’s time for our environment to go on the front burner
by Colleen Cross
In June the federal government released recommendations from the public on water issues of concern and their opinion of what the scope, mandate and activities of the Canada Water Agency should be.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change consulted the public from late 2020 through March 2021 using national and regional online forums, an online survey and written submissions. Its report, “What We Heard,” identified five priorities based on comments received:
• Federal policies to promote effective management and protection of freshwater resources and ecosystems in Canada for 21st century challenges and beyond – including adapting to climate change.
• Data and information are available to support informed decision-making at all levels.
• Canadians are actively engaged in managing and protecting fresh water.
the goal of collaboration and centralization behind the Canada Water Agency and that the CWA could play a helpful role including:
• Working with the Canadian National Ground Water Association and relevant government departments to centralize, standardize and share groundwater data and water well records
• Giving the CNGWA and provincial groundwater associations a say on how funds are allocated for groundwater and the industry
• Helping the groundwater industry to promote awareness of groundwater as a clean, reliable source of drinking water – including giving groundwater due consideration in supplying new urban housing and commercial developments compared with piped in surface water”
You can read the full report, Toward the Creation of a Canada Water Agency: Stakeholder and Public Engagement – What We Heard at https://publications.gc.ca.
It’s important to be up to date on environmental concerns and upcoming legislation that requires responsible practices.
• Indigenous peoples play an increased role in management of fresh water.
• Canada has and applies cutting-edge science to tackle freshwater challenges, including climate change.
Some Canadians suggested the government consider a consistent national approach to freshwater management in Canada, improved understanding and sustainable management of Canada’s groundwater resources and access to safe drinking water by Indigenous communities.
The focus on climate change holds special urgency in light of the United Nations’ report on climate change in early August – described by the U.N. Secretary-General as a “code red for humanity.”
The ministry heard from 2,700 Canadians, including direct submissions via email like this one from your Canadian National Ground Water Association:
“We believe the CNGWA mission aligns with
As protectors of the environment on the front lines talking with the public, it’s important for contractors to be up to date on environmental concerns across Canada and upcoming legislation that requires responsible practices. It’s also important for you to demand and drive change.
With all this in mind, Ground Water Canada is introducing a Focus on the Environment page starting in our Winter edition. We will alert you to the latest environmental issues and concerns and how they affect this industry. We are looking for your participation here. Let us know what issues matter most to you and what laws and regulations are keeping you up at night. Until then, stay safe.
NEXT ISSUE: The next issue of Ground Water Canada will focus on pumps and related technology. Also included is our 2022 pull-out calendar. Watch for it in January!
INDUSTRY NEWS
GROUNDWATER
PROJECT
NEW AND UPCOMING BOOKS
The Groundwater Project continues to progress well and now has 14 books published on its website with four more nearing publication and 200 books in progress. Three new books were added since June: “Septic System Impacts on Groundwater Quality” (Robertson), “Flux Equations for Gas Diffusion in Porous Media” (McWhorter) and “Managed Aquifer Recharge: Southern Africa” (Braune and Israel).
Books to be published soon include “Land Subsidence and its Mitigation,” “Electrical Imaging,” “Managing Groundwater as Cities Grow.”
The GW-Project team is looking for input and financial support from the groundwater industry to help expand its capabilities. To learn more, visit gw-project, or contact amandasills@gw-project.org.
REPORT CALLS FOR PAUSE ON NEW B.C. LICENCES FOR COMMERCIAL WATER BOTTLING
A report by the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria recommends British Columbia place a moratorium on new licences for commercial water bottling, at least until watershed-based governance is in place, including consent-based regimes with Indigenous communities.
According to the report, data generation and deliberation through collaborative local watershed governance processes is how to determine whether there is adequate water security to support commercial water bottling as a viable use, and whether local communities will benefit from exporting water in bottles.
The report is motivated by the multiple pending applications for new licences to extract groundwater for water bottling export from the province.
NGWA GROUNDWATER WEEK SET FOR NASHVILLE IN DECEMBER
Groundwater Week is back in a big way in 2021. The annual event hosted by the National Ground Water Association will take place Dec. 15-16 in Nashville, Tenn.
More than 250 exhibitors will display products and services, and share their expertise.
Planned education sessions include How to Attract Good Employees to Your Business, Fundamentals of Dual Tube Flooded Reverse (DTFR) Drilling and its Increasing Popularity and Finance: Not Just for the Numbers Nerds.
Early bird discounts are available through Nov. 12.
The Groundwater Summit will take place virtually Dec. 7 to 8.
GOVERNMENT AIMS TO CERTIFY APPRENTICES
The federal government is providing funding to remove barriers and get more Canadians hands-on experience and apprenticeship training in the skilled trades. The Apprenticeship Service will provide $470 million over three years, beginning in 2021-22, to help 55,000 first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades connect with opportunities at small and mediumsized employers.
Financial incentives will be distributed to employers, and provide supports such as help creating welcoming workplaces. Businesses will receive up to $5,000 each for up to two eligible, new first-year apprentice hires and can use the incentive to pay for up-front costs. The deadline to submit proposals until Sept. 14. For more information, visit the Canada.ca.
ONT. EASR ADDS PUMPING TESTS FOR WELLS TO LIST OF APPROVED ACTIVITIES
The OGWA shared news that the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP) recently approved amendments to short-term, lowrisk water-taking activities under the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR). The EASR was originally developed in 2016 to streamline the MECP approval process for short-term and low-risk water takings. This includes water takings greater than 50,000 litres per day and less than 400,000 litres per day. This approval process allows the applicant to self-register online through the MECP, reducing the overall approval time.
As of July 1, 2021, the MECP have added flexibility to the EASR by including pumping tests for wells to the list of approved activities. Pumping tests that take up to a maximum of five million litres of water per day for no more than seven days are the conditions for the EASR self-registration. Although the approval process is expedited by the EASR process, registration requirements must still be satisfied. This includes a pumping test design report to be completed by a Qualified Person (QP) related to the scope of work to ensure it falls within the acceptable criteria. If water-taking duration or quantities exceed these conditions then a traditional Permit to Take Water (PTTW) would still be required.
See details on all amendments at https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-2525.
NEW PRODUCTS
VINYL PIPES HAS WIDE RANGE OF WATER WELL UPVC PIPES AND FITTINGS
Vinyl Pipes Private Limited has a wide range of water well uPVC pipes and fittings available for dewatering, irrigation, sanitation, housing and drainage projects. Products include well-casing pipes, pressure pipes, column pipes and screen pipes with their respective fittings.
Through its newest manufacturing unit 10 kilometres from one of the busiest ports in India, pipes can reach any customer across the world in 21 days with a lower freight cost for the customer.
Vinyl Column pipes come equipped with a patent lock that not only locks the pipes in perfect alignment but also supports the pipe in load-bearing and torque stress-bearing, increasing their life and reliability and making them leakproof.
The pipes are rust-free and designed to offer minimal friction to the water. This results in lesser load on submersible pumps and saves electricity, yielding cleaner and more water output from the borewell. Product quality is certified by the Bureau of India Standards, the Indian Standard Institute, the International Standards Organization and Conformité Européene. The manufacturing facility has a ISO 9001:2015 management and production certificate from Six sigma and Just in time, Green practices compliance. vinylpipes.com
GOULDS LAUNCHES RESIBOOST VFD SYSTEM FOR RESIDENTIAL USE
The ResiBoost Complete Packaged Variable Frequency System, recently launched by Goulds Water Technology, a Xylem brand, provides consistent water pressure in municipal systems and can also help to re-pressurize water in a well system.
The ResiBoost design consists of a variable frequency controller, a multistage stainless-steel pump, and a tank to maintain and automatically adjust water pressure throughout the home when multiple water sources are used at the same time.
“People are spending more time at home than ever and placing increased demands on their home’s water systems,” said Jill Boudreau, Xylem Residential Water Product Manager, Americas. “The ResiBoost ensures reliable and consistent pressure throughout the house at any time while optimizing energy usage.”
To simplify and speed up the installation process, the ResiBoost motor, pump and controller come preassembled and preprogrammed with the tank installed separately. The ResiBoost is compact in size but gives residential areas a strong, consistent water pressure while staying easily hidden or installed in small areas.
The ResiBoost is available in six models that have differ-
ent ranges of maximum PSI, maximum flow, stages, output phases and voltages, horsepower and weight. Depending on the model, the output voltage is either 115 or 230 volts. The horsepower ranges from 3/4 to 2 and has a maximum PSI ranging from 40 to 68. goulds.com
FLOMATIC’S MODEL 48 DRAIN-BACK PLUG REDUCES PUMP AND PIPE PULLING WEIGHT
Flomatic Corporation’s new Drain-Back Plug, Model 48, for submersible pump water well installations makes the pulling of pipe and pump easier and safer by substantially reducing the pulling weight.
The reusable Model 48 is designed to drain the riser pipe, and it is activated when a weight is dropped into the well drop pipe. The plunger is stroked by the weight and opens the valve, which returns to its closed position when the drop weight is removed.
The Model 48 is NSF 372 certified and designed in allstainless-steel construction with Buna-N resilient seating. The Model 48 can be easily replaced in the field, helps eliminate water splashing at the surface, and helps prevent potential cross-contamination of the water well.
The spring-loaded valve threads into a one-inch pipe tee.
By using Flomatic’s Drain
Back valve, the pulling of pipe and pump becomes much easier and safer by reducing the pulling weight by 20-50 per cent. flomatic.com
WET150 PORTABLE SOIL MOISTURE KIT TAKES
INSTANT
MEASUREMENTS
Hoskin Scientific’s Delta-T WET150 portable soil moisture kit is a portable and rugged solution for researchers who need to assess moisture and salinity conditions in soils and substrates.
The kit takes fast soil/substrate measurements of three crucial variables that influence plant growth: moisture content, temperature, and electrical conductivity (EC) –a strong indicator of the general nutrient level.
The WET150 kit can be used solely for precise reliable readings of soil/substrate water content. However, the inclusion of electrical conductivity (pore water conductivity ECp) measurement makes it particularly well suited to horticultural research in the areas of fertigation, precision irrigation and soil salination monitoring.
The new lower-cost soil sensor kit is portable and comes with a lightweight and easyto-use readout-only meter and case.
hoskin.ca
THE POSITIVE WORKPLACE
Ensuring your workplace is inclusive and respectful is a smart business decision – and the right thing to do
Everyone knows how much better work is when people enjoy being there – not just for the job but also for the way they feel. Does everyone feel welcome and that they belong?
by CAROLYN CAMILLERI
Does everyone in your business feel welcome and that they belong?
That they’re valued, respected and treated equally? That they’re safe from harm and from discrimination? How would your employees answer those questions?
That they’re valued, respected and treated equally? That they’re safe from harm and from discrimination?
How would your employees answer those questions?
Creating a positive work environment is not just about happier employees. There are practical reasons.
“Having a positive workplace means better workflow, better productivity and a more cohesive environment for everyone,” says Kim Friesen, office manager for Friesen Drillers in Steinbach, Man.
Friesen Drillers is in the process of reviewing its communications policy – the perfect place to add a positive workplace section.
“We have policies on harassment and violence and toxicity in the workplace, but maybe it is time to focus on the other side of the coin and discuss positivity more,” Friesen says. “We should try and focus more on positivity rather than thinking that something is not right, which can sometimes lead people to overreact or jump to conclusions or people unaware that something they have said was offensive.”
Most people can probably think of a situa-
tion they have been involved in or have witnessed.
“We have seen where communication has broken down, so we know how important it is to just sit down and have those discussions,” Friesen says.
She notes that Friesen staff already have positive discussions to work together better. The new section in the communications policy will take it up a level.
“We should have a policy in place, so it is more widely known across the companies, and all the employees understand our stance on the policy,” says Friesen, who notes that developing the policy will involve the staff, safety committee, and safety officer. “The addition of this policy, in my mind, would strengthen the fundamentals of inclusivity, equality and diversity.”
While Friesen adds that they are just starting the process, they are interested in learning more and are motivated: “Creating a positive workplace may seem like it is ‘just another policy’ that we have to make up, but this policy can increase the happiness and productivity of the employees, so you really can’t go wrong with that.”
It also formalizes your company stance on Canadian human rights.
EQUAL RESPECT FOR EVERYONE
Creating a workplace environment where everyone feels welcome and respected is something the British Columbia Ground Water Association (BCGWA) takes very seriously. Earlier this year, BCGWA released a Respectful Workplace Policy to promote diversity, equality and inclusivity in the organization and among its membership.
“It’s the typical language right out of the Charter,” says general manager Dave Mercer, referring to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada.
Essentially, everyone has the right to be treated with respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical ability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, or citizenship.
“We call it a ‘Respectful Workplace Policy,’ because that’s really what it is – let’s have equal respect for everyone involved,” he says.
When Mercer proposed the idea of creating the policy to the BCGWA Board – a board of 12 directors plus a fivemember executive – the decision to go forward with it was unanimous. Making it happen meant bringing in a professional.
“We didn’t want to do it without some expertise and help,” Mercer says. “None of us are experts in this field. We all like to think that we’re very ‘woke’ or whatever, and then, we realize we’re not. We’ve got inherent bias in the way we think and the way we operate.”
BCGWA enlisted the services of the Neutral Zone, which provides coaching and consulting services to assist businesses and organizations in several ways, including creating respectful workplaces.
For companies, there is another reason to think seriously about your own workplace: attracting and retaining
employees.
Adam Rollins, a mediator, trainer, coach and clinical counsellor, was their contact. Mercer says Rollins was great to work with and assisted with developing the wording in the policy and putting a fence around what a policy of this nature means.
“We didn’t want it to be one of these long ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’ documents,” Mercer says. “We wanted it to be a simple one-pager in the spirit of inclusivity and being a welcoming organization and reflecting what’s already written in the Charter.”
The final document is short, clear and to the point.
“We don’t go into great depth about things that you can and can’t say, but people need to be aware that if they choose to behave at our events in a manner that flies in the face of that spirit, we, as an association, will deal with it,” Mercer says.
Last April, Rollins presented at the BCGWA’s virtual conference as the keynote speaker.
“That was to help highlight that this isn’t something we tried to slide under the door – this is something we want to put in front of everybody and make sure everyone understands what it is and why we’re doing it,” Mercer says.
Additionally, each year, when members renew, they are required to check a box indicating that they have read and agree to both the Respectful Workplace Policy and the Code of Ethics.
“It’s as an annual reminder to people that, ‘Hey, this is part of your responsibility as a member,’ ” Mercer says.
Response from members has been largely positive and some have requested training. Workshop sessions are already in the works for the next BCGWA convention.
“We want to encourage as many people as possible to go,” says Mercer, adding that the workshop will be repeated throughout the convention.
ATTRACTIVE WORKPLACE
For individual companies, there is another reason to think seriously about your own workplace: attracting and retaining employees.
“You need to show that you’re a welcoming, inclusive company, because people aren’t going to put up with oldfashioned attitudes,” he says. This is something we should all be doing and it’s not that hard.
“We’re really not creating something out of nothing – a lot of this is already in the Charter. We’re just making it prominent,” Mercer says. “And it’s all built around something positive. It’s all built around being inclusive and being welcoming.”
His encouragement to others in the industry: “Find an Adam Rollins. Find someone who works well with your organization. That’s why we found someone who already works with the forestry companies and with the Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resources. Find someone who you get along with, and who understands your business, and have that person guide you, because you can’t do it by yourself.”
Carolyn Camilleri is a Toronto-based writer and editor. She has been writing for consumer and trade magazines, as well as businesses and organizations, for more than 20 years.
RAISING A LITTLE WELLHEAD
New Minas, N.S., alters wellheads and well houses to address overland flooding risks
It has been two years since the Village of New Minas, N.S. completed the protection of its potable water wellheads and well houses against possible flooding.
Specifically, the project was a proactive precaution against groundwater contamination by overland flows from the nearby Cornwallis River.
Normally these floods flow into the sea, but the river’s seaward flow into the Atlantic Ocean can be blocked during high tides, allowing the floodwaters to pool on land as a result.
“The project was completed in March 2019,” said Gerard Hamilton, the Village of New Minas’ operations manager. Asked if the project had done what the Village was hoping for, he answered, “Yes, the New Minas Water Commission achieved its goal.”
This goal included protecting New Minas’ wellheads from external water penetration plus raising the well houses and their electrical components to a height where floodwaters would not affect them. Based on lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) readings cited by Nova Scotia Community College engineer Tim Webster in 2015, a concern had been raised that climate change-driven floodwaters from the Cornwallis River could penetrate seven of the Village’s 11 wellheads if nothing was done.
“With the changes in weather patterns in the northern hemisphere, it was determined to initiate a plan to preserve the integrity of the village’s water source in the event of a 100-year storm,” Hamilton said. “I discovered in an article
in an AWWA (American Water Works Association) magazine that certain areas of the south of the United States were performing this type of protection to their wells where they felt there was vulnerability. [So] I met with our consulting engineer [Douglas Seamone] to discuss the possibility of initiating this project.”
To provide protection against flood water penetration, special well caps were added to seven of the wellheads. Each well cap was fitted with a snorkel air vent. “Under normal operating conditions, the snorkel air vent allows air
by JAMES CARELESS
to flow into the well,” Hamilton said. “When a flood occurs, the flood water pushes a precision float bell in a finely machined sealing surface, closing off passageway into the well.” The result: The potable water inside is protected until the flood waters recede.
“Some air vents operate up to 25 feet of head,” he added. “These well caps basically are designed to protect the well during submersion.” The bottom line: These alterations allowed the New Minas Water Commission to raise the effective height of the well caps to 9.5 metres, to effectively address the risks associated with possible overland flooding – even when exacerbated by climate change.
The other big change made by the New Minas Water Commission was to raise the height of the affected well houses by about three metres (nine to 10 feet). This ensured that their vulnerable electronic equipment is now above the waterline should flooding occur.
The importance of the wellhead raising project to securing New Minas’ potable water supply cannot be overstated. Located in the east end of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, New Minas sits south of the Cornwallis River – which is not usable as a source of potable water. Because the village lacks access to other lakes and ponds, New Minas has to rely on groundwater wells as a result. Some of these wells are up to 250-300 metres in depth.
The goal was to raise well houses and their electrical components to a height where floodwaters would not affect them.
PHOTO COURTESY VILLAGE OF NEW MINAS, NOVA SCOTIA
But others that have been drilled in sand and gravel are only 50-60 metres deep.
With a population of just over 4,000, New Minas didn’t have the resources to do this kind of project itself. As a result, “We needed to have a detailed plan which involved surveying and engineering as a part of our package in order to seek funding from various levels of government,” Hamilton said. “Once approved, the tendering process took place with the hiring of a project engineer and a contractor to oversee the project.”
Some of these wells are up to 250-300 metres in depth. But others that have been drilled in sand and gravel are only 50-60 metres deep.
Andrew McIntosh, a senior environmental engineer with Allnorth Consultants of New Brunswick, was eventually hired as the project manager. Meanwhile, the $500,000 needed to fund the project was provided by the federal government’s New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund. It came with a catch: The project had to be completed by March 2019 in order to qualify for funding.
New Minas made this deadline (following the project’s initiation in early 2018), but it wasn’t easy. “Challenges included keeping the project on schedule as it became apparent that acquiring specialized equipment, especially for the well heads, took longer than anticipated,” Hamilton said. Another challenge was “ensuring that the contractor priority was this project.”
Still, the work got done, and now New Minas’ potable water supply is protected against the dangers of overland flooding. At a time when climate change seems to be making 100-year storms more common and more extreme, this preventive action could prove to be a tremendous boon to this Nova Scotian community, both today and in the uncertain future climate of years yet to come.
Canada Insurance has made it their business to protect other businesses, and their specialty program for the groundwater industry has been making waves.
PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR:
• Water Well Drilling Contractors
• Pump Installation Contractors
• Geo Thermal Heating Contractors
• Hydro Geologists / Geo Scientists
• Automobile & Fleet
• Property & Commercial Liability
• Environmental Impairment Liability
• Errors & Omissions (Professional) Liability
• Manufacturers / Suppliers
• Bonding PROUDLY SERVING THE GROUNDWATER INDUSTRY SINCE 1992:
Directors & Officers / Employment Practices COVERAGE: A liability program designed to provide you with defense costs arising from an employee dispute or issue with one of the Ministries. (Labour, Environment, Revenue) COVERAGES INCLUDE:
CLEAN AS MUD
REGION:
Woodland, California
SCOPE OF ENGINE USE:
Cat® C7.1 U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final / EU Stage V Engine
CAT® DEALER: Holt of California
WEBSITE: mudpuppyinc.com
FEATURED TOPIC: Industrial Engines
AN ACE IN THE HOLE
It may sound like an oxymoron, but the concept of “clean mud” is at the foundation of MudPuppy Inc.’s successful three-decades-old business. The company’s primary customers are water well drilling contractors, who must create a wall cake out of a mud mixture to keep the hole of a well open during drilling. Dirty mud not only weakens that wall cake, risking a cave-in, but also damages expensive drill rigs, shortening their life.
MudPuppy Inc.’s mud-cleaning systems solve these problems by removing rocks, sand and debris from mud with a single piece of equipment. That’s a big change from the traditional process, which requires hauling multiple machines to a site, digging a large pit, filling it with water and mud, and removing it all when the job is done. “You just bring your drill rig and MudPuppy to a site, and you’re rocking and rolling,” says Craig Henderson, owner of MudPuppy Inc. “That saves on manpower, overhead, jobsite set-up time — it can pay for itself on a single job.”
The company manufactures six MudPuppies today, all powered by Cat industrial engines, with applications extending to geothermal drilling, mining, slurry wall construction and more. MP255-100 and MP255-400 models, with higherhorsepower C7.1 U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final engines, also include a mud pump for even greater drill rig protection. “We put the mud pump where it should be — with the mud-cleaning system. Our equipment takes the beating, so our customers’ drill rigs last longer, and they save money,” Henderson says.
STARTING WITH A CLEAN SLATE
MudPuppy Inc. made the switch to Cat engines several years ago when it was time to transition to U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final models. The company takes pride in offering a quality product at an affordable price, backed by excellent customer service and a strong warranty — and support from the previous engine supplier wasn’t meeting those high expectations. “I need to know my customers will be taken care of,” Henderson says. “I believe 100% that through Caterpillar, they will be. And that means I’m able to sleep at night.”
Made to last. Another point of pride for MudPuppy Inc. is building products that stand up to the challenging conditions of a drilling site. The company makes its pumps out of chrome alloy, for example, because it lasts twice as long as the ductile iron used on other mudcleaning systems. Adding Cat engines only enhances each MudPuppy’s reputation for reliability. “Guys run our machines day in, day out, in rough environments, because people need water, and they need it now. Our contractors can’t be down,” Henderson says.
Speed and service. When demand for mud-cleaning systems rises, MudPuppy Inc. counts on Cat dealer Holt of California to supply the engines fast. During a recent rush, Holt came through with same-day delivery on a C7.1 engine, enabling a contractor to put his new MudPuppy to work the next morning. “We recognize that demand can ebb and flow, so we keep warehouse space set aside,” says Dave Leinfelder, Industrial Engine Sales Engineer at Holt of California. “We do everything we can to keep them running, so they can keep their customers running.”
Support to keep the water flowing. To keep drillers drilling, fast parts delivery and local service are essential. MudPuppy Inc. knows it gets both with the worldwide Cat dealer network — regardless of the country in which a contractor is working or the remoteness of the location. Even better, the need for support so far has been minimal. “Our customer service calls on Cat engines are next to nothing,” Henderson says.
“ I NEED TO KNOW MY CUSTOMERS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF. I BELIEVE 100% THAT THROUGH CATERPILLAR, THEY WILL BE. AND THAT MEANS I’M ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.”
PUMP TECH
NEW PUMP IN TOWN
MIT PhD student invents new kind of centrifugal pump, the ‘variable volute’
What’s new in pumps? Something significant, as it turns out. MITgraduate student Hilary Johnson invented a centrifugal pump with adaptive geometry that changes the volume of the pump in real time to match variable flow rates in the system.
by COLLEEN CROSS
You can watch a short video of Hilary Johnson describing her invention, the variable volute pump, at groundwatercanada. com.
Johnson, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, calls it the “variable volute” pump and according to sponsor Xylem Inc., it’s the first in a new category of pump.
The mechanism does something engineering experts previously thought very difficult – it physically adjusts to more efficiently move water based on immediate need, resulting in energy and cost savings.
Johnson, who won a prestigious LemelsonMIT Student Prize for her invention, spoke about her work in a video call with Ground Water Canada
The technology of hydraulic pumps is often overlooked in the drive to meet green technol-
ogy goals due to inefficiency, Johnson says. “That’s a big missed opportunity because hydraulic pumps move water in every aspect of our lives.” Pumps consume six per cent of electricity in the U.S., much of which is wasted because pumps can’t adjust to meet variable flow demands.”
The inventor believes variable volute pumps have the potential to significantly improve efficiency and operating range across applications by adjusting the spiral fluid passages to match the flow rate.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Johnson developed this technology in collaboration with Xylem Inc. and with mentorship
from the university’s Abdul Latif Jameel Water & Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS), which receives funding from founding sponsor Xylem for activities, events and direct research conducted by faculty and their students.
In 2018 Xylem called for proposals to improve the centrifugal pump:
“Traditionally, the volute was a fixed volume, but water flow rates in most applications are variable. Because the volute can-
LEFT: Hilary Johnson manufactured variable volute pump prototypes using 3D printing with nylon materials and machined aluminum. Johnson works at the intersection of precision machine design and fluid dynamics.
not expand or contract to meet the changing system flow rate, larger or multiple pumps are needed to accommodate high demand, but are underutilized during times of lower demand. This is a waste of energy and capital, with negative environmental and economic consequences. Industry needs pumps that can adapt to fluctuating flow needs to maximize efficiency and reduce environmental and financial costs. Unfortunately, volute size has never been adaptable, presenting a unique challenge to even expert engineers.”
With the guidance of her advisor, Prof. Alex Slocum, Johnson took up the challenge. She gained early insight into pump fundamentals through experiments, prototypes, and analysis to better understand control variables for pumps. Variable speed drives are a well-known control method, but the actual volume or size of the pump has not been commercially implemented, Johnson says.
“That was the start of my work. It’s a centrifugal pump with adaptive geometry that changes the volume of the pump in real time to match the flow rate of the system. This improves efficiency, operating range and reliability.”
PANDEMIC PIVOT TO BACKYARD TESTING
Johnson has been working on the technology for about three
Driltech 2004
years. She used as her baseline pump a Goulds 3642 2HP (bronze fitted) centrifugal pump designed for commercial clean-water applications such as water circulation and general-purpose pumping. Best efficiency BEP operation is 70 gallons per minute and 90 feet of head.
Developing expertise at the intersection of machine design and fluid dynamics, she especially enjoys the iterative process of analysis, prototyping and testing. Prototypes were manufactured using a combination of selective laser
sintering 3D printing with nylon materials, machined aluminum baseplate, and traditional hardware like radial o-ring, mechanical seals, and wear rings. She collected real time flow, pressure, torque, speed, voltage, and current data to monitor the operation and efficiency while adjusting the pressure head using a globe value in a test loop.
Unable to access her industrial scale experimental setup when the pandemic hit, Johnson created a small-scale lab for testing at her home. The backyard
We do sell Top Quality Water Treatment Products & Accessories, but it’s OUR EXPERT KNOWLEDGE that’s sets us apart.
testable pump setup served as a way to quickly develop ideas and a scalable template based on fluid equations. She has now scaled back up to industrial flows of 80-120 GPM for testing efficiency and reliability to complete her PhD.
‘IT’S SO SIMPLE’
Johnson worked with Xylem’s chief hydraulic engineer Paul Ruzicka and mechanical engineer Chris Felix to get up to speed on problems and solutions tried in the past and expand the mechanism’s range and productivity.
An exciting moment came for Johnson in the test lab when her hypothesis was finally supported by data. The engineers pulled the data up after doing experiments and declared, with some surprise, that “This actually works!”
“Early data shows that changing the volute to match the flow rate leads to efficiency across a broader range of flows,” Johnson says. She’s cautious to generate too much hype before the new pump is proven in the field. “When I hear an operator talk about how it’s improved reliability in their plant, then I’ll celebrate.” Passionate about design, she says the greatest compliment she received was people saying, “It’s so simple. Great ideas don’t often start out simple, but through clever refinement elegantly simple configurations emerge.”
HOW MAY THE PUMP BE USED?
The pump has potential applications in clean water, submersible pumps, wastewater, oil and gas, Johnson explains.
“I can see a couple of really neat possibilities,” she says, citing a paper in the journal Applied Energy she co-authored with Prof. Slocum and Dr. Kevin Simon. “For wastewater treatment as well as many applications pumps are oversized to meet rare high flows scenarios. This variable volute pump would potentially enable a plant to install fewer pumps to handle the same capacity.”
Irrigation is a potential area of application. Switching between fields, for example, is a scenario with high variability. “I’m looking to Xylem’s expertise to develop a strategic product market fit,” Johnson says.
Jeff Lopes, manager of the University Partnerships & Programs at Xylem, says, “We think about what would be a good application for a pump to improve operational efficiency. It has potential to
help in almost any application.” He says there are manufacturing considerations as well. “We want to use the invention where it can do the most good and is cost-effective,” he says. The idea is to “find forward-thinking customers, prove it out, then extend it to other customers.”
XYLEM SUPPORTS RESEARCH
“Pumps are an old technology and the engineering of the pump has been nailed down,” Lopes says. “Trying to make a significant advance is a stubborn problem.”
Although Xylem has a broad array of highly efficient products and significant advancements have been made in pumps in the past, there hadn’t been major advancements in improving operational efficiency,” he says.
“When pumps are designed, they’re designed around a best-efficiency operating point. The volute is designed so it’s most efficiently catching and directing the water at that operating point.”
Xylem sees the variable volute pump as the first in a new category of pumps. Prior to this invention there were three major pump hardware innovations: the curved impeller, the motor-driven pump and the VFD pump, which can adjust impeller speed and pumping power as operating conditions change. The fourth phase, which he calls adaptive hydraulics, can change not only the quantity of power and speed of the impeller but also compensate by adjusting the geometry of the volute.”
In this way it improves the efficiency of the pump – that’s the innovation.
Lopes’ background is also in mechanical engineering. Part of his role is to find challenging and important problems for the company to collaborate on with universities, technology companies and non-governmental organizations.
“You think about the massive water challenges that affect everybody globally. We’re fairly large but we’re just one company,” Lopes says. “Xylem has a good reputation for open innovation. You have to invest in the future. Starting by getting students interested in water is important to us.”
MIT filed a patent for the variable volute pump in fall 2020 and Xylem is poised to license and commercialize the technology, Johnson says. “I’m excited to see this go from benchtop through commercialization,” she adds.
FUTURE PLANS
Johnson is grateful to her advisors and mentors at Xylem and MIT, especially Prof. Alex Slocum, of the Precision Engineering Research Group.
It seems the sky’s the limit for Johnson. “I’m excited about creating impact in the world. I grew up in Oregon, which is normally blessed with abundant, clean water,” she says. While finishing high school in Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina at a United World College, she saw the infrastructural and human
impacts of war. “At the time, they didn’t have fully developed wastewater treatment plants,” she adds. Concerned, she wrote her senior thesis using system dynamics to study aquifer contamination from seeping wastewater. She shared her work with the city’s water board.
“I’m excited to continue working at the nexus of water and energy. I think infrastructure innovation: the pumps, pipes, valves, and hydropower, will be key to sustaining our cities through the next century.”
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ELECTRIC F-150 LAUNCHES
Ford’s F-series is being updated for a new generation
Electric vehicles are nothing new, but innovators who have tried to make electricity work in a vehicle, have usually come up against a number of prohibiting factors, with cost usually being on top, but another major factor being consumer adoption.
by MARIO CYWINSKI
The Lightning offers 400 litres of volume and 400 pounds of payload, has four electrical outlets, two USB chargers and a drainable floor.
Uptake on electric vehicles is growing; however, the slice of the pie for EVs is still very small. Factors such as range, charging infrastructure, and most importantly, type of vehicle have been the main reasons for customer hesitancy. The majority of EVs until recently were hatchbackstyle vehicles, which many customers enjoy, but they are not the crossover/SUV style vehicles that are growing exponentially, or the bestselling segment of the vehicle market, pick-up trucks.
Now, it is one thing for Tesla, who has built its entire brand on EVs, to announce the Cybertruck pick-up, or for niche EV companies to do the same. It is quite another for the segment leader to announce that it is entering the ring with an electric-powered pick-up truck.
For many years, the Ford F-Series has been the top-selling vehicle in both Canada and the United States. Ford has put many innovations into the F-Series, most recently with a hybrid version of its F-150 (as the PowerBoost), and before that with the introduction of an aluminum body.
Its next innovation is trying to take electric power mainstream by introducing the Ford F-150 Lightning. The fully electric F-150 gives pick-up truck customers an option for an EV, within the largest segment in the industry.
“For both Ford and the American auto industry, F-150 Lightning represents a defining moment as we progress toward a zeroemissions, digitally connected future,” said Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford Motor Company.
Continued on page 32
ROLLING WITH IT
Hello, again.
This past weekend reminded me of how unpredictable the groundwater business can be. It is a Saturday and you think you’re going to be getting some things done around the house and yard, or maybe catch up on some paperwork. Then you get the emergency call. You go yourself, hoping you don’t need to call in any extra help. You hope it might be something simple like a control box or a pressure switch, but no such luck. Six hours later, mostly in the rain, you and the employee who got called in are just putting the pump hoist back in the shop.
Lots of thank-yous from the customer and for your helper. It is something that happens to us all in one way or another, and you just roll with it. In fact, we’ve all been doing a lot of “rolling with it” over the past year and a half. By now we are all getting pretty good at it.
As we work our way through this “semiopened” pandemic summer, I hope that everyone has had a chance to get a little vacation time. Trying to find that balance is important, especially when there seems to be no end to the work for many of our members.
The OGWA board of directors and office staff have been working hard, as well. Our monthly video calls and meetings have continued, and we have welcomed a new member to the board. Ellaline Davies of Safety Works Consulting is
bringing her expertise to our board. Many of you may know Ella from her presentations at our regional training meetings and her volunteering at the golf tournament and other events. She has been a great supporter of our organization in the past and we look forward to working with her in this new role.
I want to remind you again about the annual OGWA golf tournament, being held on Sept 17 at Conestogo Golf Club. It is shaping up to be a fantastic event, so be sure to register your foursome. It should be a great day of fun, prizes, lots of laughs, and raising some scholarship funds for students in the groundwater field. I look forward to seeing you all there.
Here’s to hoping that some predictability returns to our lives and the pandemic settles down this fall. With more shots in more arms, we can ease back into our routines, balance work with some leisure, and focus on what is important.
Be healthy. Be safe. Be well.
MATT WILSON, President
SEEKING WATER-WELL RECORDS AND BOUND JOURNALS
During the 1960s and early 1970s, the Ministry of Environment of the time made journals or books of water-well records available to the industry.
Since moving into its new larger office space, the Ontario Ground Water Association has begun creating a reference library of water-well information. Tools the public can use to identify and document their water well as well as reference
information regarding water quality and knowing your water and well maintenance.
Have you recently retired? Do you have any of these books or journals? The OGWA will gratefully accept donations of these types of materials to add to the reference library.
INSIDE THE ISSUE
Executive Director’s Report
August update
OGWA membership application
Time to apply or renew
CFIB benefits
Our partner, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, has many benefits and resources to help you
OGWA members are encouraged to visit the Members Only section at ogwa.ca for timely news and updates!
PUBLISHED FOR THE ONTARIO GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION
750 Talbot St., St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2
Phone: 519-245-7194 Fax: 519-245-7196
Email: ogwa@ogwa.ca
ADVERTISING: Jennifer Hudson
Administrative Assistant
Phone: 519-245-7194, ext.101 Fax: 519-245-7196
Email: admin@ogwa.ca
EDITOR: K.C. Craig Stainton, Executive Director
Phone: 519-245-7194, ext. 103 Cell: 519-282-0063
Email: executivedirector@ogwa.ca
EXECUTIVE
MATT WILSON President
DWAYNE GRAFF 1st Vice-President
KYLE SMITH 2nd Vice-President
STEPHEN BLEIZEFFER Treasurer/ Secretary
BRYAN WATSON Past President
DIRECTORS
BILL BEATON
Lotowater Technical Services Inc. 519-442-2086 Fax: 519-442-7242
ROBERT MARTINI Canadian Pipe & Pump Supply Ltd. 416-244-6476 Fax: 416- 241-2022
JEFFERY MCCRACKEN Franklin Electric 647-641-2178
KYLE SMITH
Aardvark Drilling Inc. 519-826-9340 Fax: 519-826-9108
BRYAN WATSON
Hart & Sons Well Drilling Ltd. 705-887-3331 Fax 705-887-4788
MATTHEW D. WILSON
J.B. Wilson & Son Well Drilling Ltd. 519-639-9988 Fax: 519-269-3552
AUGUST UPDATE
Well, (pun intended LOL!) it has been a busy summer for everyone I have spoken to, perhaps in some cases despite COVID and in many cases because of COVID. Such is the case here at the OGWA offices.
The lockdowns and public health restrictions for our safety are still giving us frustration in planning and executing our regional in-person training. We trust we will be able to offer our final three soon. Our aim is between the OGWA golf tournament and the end of October. We are trying to avoid having everything set up only to be shut down. Nov. 1 is currently still the deadline set by the MECP for Continuing Education Credits to be rectified.
Some of you may have heard that the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MOL) has introduced the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act (May 6) and this new streamlined Crown Agency will say goodbye to the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT). Under the proposed legislation, Skilled Trades Ontario would become the province’s industry-informed training authority to lead the promotion, research and development of the latest apprenticeship training and curriculum standards. I have been actively participating in the process with the Ministry. I have been in consultation with Debra Mountenay, executive director of the Workforce Planning and Development Board, Elgin Middlesex Oxford, and Joel Van Bynen, associate dean of technology and trades at Lambton College, with a view to the service side backup. Debra has been helping through her contacts at the Ministry to find what’s on record and all the work we had done with the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities back in the day just prior to it being shelved due to the announcement of OCOT. So far, we are sure there is a registered trade (605B) Water Well Driller, but Pump System Installer is not a recognized trade. Our work continues with a view to workable apprenticeship programs for our two independent recognized trades.
I am happy to report the student award winners from this year’s program at Fleming College. The Archie Watt Award was presented to Colin Regier. The OGWA Award was presented to Cosmos
Kofie and the Ralph Snider OGWA Presidents award was presented to Jaden Woodley. We congratulate these young drillers and wish them all good luck in their future endeavours.
My theme of education was rooted in a melancholic mood brought on by the passing of our great friend and honorary member Ken Constable, may he rest in peace. I consider myself quite blessed to have known so many great men so many accomplished water-well drillers and good businessmen. But, when I consider how many years of drilling knowledge and experience have been lost in the deaths of such great artisans as Ken Constable and Mel Jack to name but the two most recent, add retirements and I’m truly dismayed. Our knowledge/experience pool is shrinking and may well be lost when we need it most. These next decades ahead of us in global warming with increasingly unusable surface water concern me deeply. If you or someone you know would like more information on an apprenticeship for a water well driller get in touch with me, please – pump system installers as well we are working on getting that trade revalued. All the best on the remainder of your summer!
CRAIG STAINTON, Executive Director
IN MEMORIAM
Kenneth John Constable
It is with deepest sympathy for Nicole and Kevin, Ryan, Kurtis, and Kerri that we inform you of the passing of another of our honorary members, Ken Constable. Ken was a past president of the OGWA (1974/75), a board member, and a diligent supporter of this association throughout the years. He will be missed by many of us who were used to his presence at our meetings and conventions over the years.
Our most sincere sympathies to Ken’s family and friends, born Feb. 29, 1940, passed Aug. 2, 2021.
In Ken’s memory, donations may be made to the Thornton Community Food Bank in Barrie, Ont., or the charity of your choice.
WELL WISE WATER
TESTING PROGRAM
Administered by the Ontario Ground Water Association
In Ontario, well owners should test their water quality regularly until it can be considered stable. Bacteriological testing is provided by the Ministry of Health at no charge to property owners and Well Wise does not offer those tests.
To be sure of what your water contains be it natural or man-made contaminants we recommend your water be tested at minimum for Metals, Minerals & Salts. Drilled wells are generally stable, however shallow wells, surface water sources or wells influenced by surface water should be checked more frequently.
The only way to tell if your drinking water is safe is by having it tested.
Test Packages offered include: Metals/Minerals/Salts, Solvents, Fuels, Mercury, Fluoride, Sulphide, Tannin/Lignin, Glyphosates & OP Pesticides/Herbicides. This test will provide a general chemistry of your water. The minimum recommended testing is the Metals, Minerals & Salts package.
For more information or to order a test visit: http://www.ogwa.ca/ resources/wellwise
Send your order form to: wellwise@ogwa.ca
Difficulties or to order by phone call: (519) 245-7194 extension 101 Return shipping is included with your order.
ONTARIO GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
Ontario Ground Water Association Membership Benefits
Ontario Ground Water Association Membership Benefits
The OGWA has negotiated special Corporate Membership rates with the 3 district areas in Ontario with CAA. Please remember besides roadside assistance CAA offer members discountson many goods and services. CAA Members can enjoy the features and services offered by affiliate auto clubs across North America and around the world.
The OGWA has negotiated special Corporate Membership rates with the 3 district areas in Ontario with CAA. Please remember besides roadside assistance CAA offer members discounts on many goods and services. CAA Members can enjoy the features and services offered by affiliate auto clubs across North America and around the world.
Enjoy all the Benefits brought to you by being associated with the NGWA, as a member of the Ontario Ground Water Association you will have access to many of the programs and offerings brought to you by the largest groundwater association in the world.
Enjoy all the Benefits brought to you by being associated with the NGWA, as a member of the Ontario Ground Water Association you will have access to many of the programs and offerings brought to you by the largest groundwater association in the world.
As the largest insurer of groundwater contractors in Canada, Lackner McLennan Insurance has made available a unique and taylor-made product covering all aspects of your insurance requirements. Starting back in 1992 they have continued to service the industry’s changing requirements and have earned the trust of over 200 professional groundwater companies. Your company’s assets are your investment and Lackner McLennan will provide you the protection required for you Automobiles, Buildings, Contents, Equipment and Commercial Liability. and NGWA, Equipment requirements.
As the largest insurer of groundwater contractors in Canada, Lackner McLennan Insurance has made available a unique and taylor-made product covering all aspects of your insurance requirements. Starting back in 1992 they have continued to service the industryʼs changing requirements and have earned the trust of over 200 professional groundwater companies. Your companyʼs assets are your investment and Lackner McLennan will provide you the protection required for you Automobiles, Buildings, Contents, Equipment and Commercial Liability.
Recently through the Economical Insurance Company, we can now offer a reduced cost Home and Automobile insurance product available to all your employees. This offering is an employment benefit that comes to you at no cost. Have your employees call direct for savings on their personal insurance requirements.
Recently through the Economical Insurance Company, we can now offer a reduced cost Home and Automobile insurance product available to all your employees. This offering is an employment benefit that comes to you at no cost. Have your employees call direct for savings on their personal insurance requirements.
Thrifty Car Rental services offers special member rates and benefits throughout all their North American locations and access to their Blue-Chip Express Rental Program with availability to commercial vehicles - pickups and vans.
Thrifty Car Rental services offers special member rates and benefits throughout all their North American locations and access to their Blue-Chip Express Rental Program with availability to commercial vehicles - pickups and vans.
GOSTWEAR provides good quality Canadian and American made work wear for you and your employees. Please visit their website and take advantage of free shipping on orders over $149.00 - https://www.gostwear.com
GOSTWEAR provides good quality Canadian and American made work wear for you and your employees. Please visit their website and take advantage of free shipping on orders over $149.00 - https://www.gostwear.com
Choice Hotels is Canada’s largest lodging chain with over 270 hotels coast to coast. They offer 8 distinct brands at different budget levels providing more lodging choices than any other hotel chainin the world. Choice Hotels also represents hotel brands in 46 countries with more than 4700 locations. Offering a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee to our members or there is no charge for your room.
Choice Hotels is Canadaʼs largest lodging chain with over 270 hotels coast to coast. They offer 8 distinct brands at different budget levels providing more lodging choices than any other hotel chain in the world. Choice Hotels also represents hotel brands in 46 countries with more than 4700 locations. Offering a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee to our members or there is no charge for your room.
OGWA Members’ Newest Benefit Program. 1% above dealer invoice pricing! As a member of the Ontario Ground Water Association, you can purchase or lease a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle from Parkway Ford Lincoln Waterloo. When it comes to your bottom line, your membership in the OGWA pays dividends.
OGWA Members' Newest Benefit Program. 1% above dealer invoice pricing! As a member of the Ontario Ground Water Association, you can purchase or lease a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle from Parkway Ford Lincoln Waterloo. When it comes to your bottom line, your membership in the OGWA pays dividends.
Discover the value CFIB has to offer its members. Get resources from business experts, access webinars and templates for common HR issues. Get exclusive discounts on payment processing, banking, payroll, shipping and more. Have your say with policies that affect your business, as CFIB is your strong voice for Canadian Businesses and included in your OGWA Membership.
Perkopolis is Canada’s leading provider of fully managed perk programs, continually sourcing exclusive, high-value offers, rewards, and benefits. Get savings on entertainment, travel, shopping, dining and more! Included in your OGWA membership.
When your business is going for gold, our business is you.™
Great news! Through our partnership with Choice Hotels ®, you’ll be upgraded to Gold Elite Status when you enroll in the Choice Privileges® Rewards Program.1 That means 10% more points for each stay! But that’s not all. The Choice Privileges Rewards Program is the faster way to rewards—starting on day one!
YOUR EXTRAS: Earn exclusive perks for weekday check-ins. Choose from 400 Choice Privileges points, 100 airline miles, Amazon.ca credit, Tim Hortons and Starbucks coffee cards and more!2
1,000 BONUS POINTS just for enrolling
MORE REWARD POINTS: Earn 10 points for every $1 spent at any of our hotels, with no expiration on those reward points for active members.3
FREE NIGHTS: Earn points to use for free nights at over 7,000 Choice Hotels properties.
GIFT CARDS: Redeem points for gift cards from many of your favourite retailers and restaurants.
DREAM GETAWAYS: Redeem points for stays at hundreds of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Bluegreen Vacations, and AM Resorts properties worldwide.
Here’s How to Enroll:
1. To enroll in Choice Privileges, visit: www.ChoicePrivileges.com/ signup/GoldUpgrade
2. In your Choice Privileges online profile, add your Company Name and Corporate ID # to the Company Information section: My Account > Update Profile > Company Information
3. Be sure to add your Choice Privileges member number to your reservations so you can earn points toward free nights and other rewards.
NEW MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL *RETURNING MEMBER
* NOTE: If your Membership has lapsed in the last 3 years and you are re-applying there is a $100 re-instatement fee
New, renewing or returning members of the OGWA are required to log-in to the Members Only section and create/update their profile. There are many benefits to the “members only portal” including a robust search engine for the public. You can effectively advertise the services your business has to offer and the preferred geographical area in which you work. Your OGWA membership entitles you to automatically become a member of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). Information on your profile will be listed in those memberships. Please keep you profile current and accurate.
COMPANY INFORMATION:
COMPANY NAME:
ADDRESS:
PROVINCE:
CONTACT EMAIL:
MAIN CONTACT NAME:
CITY:
POSTAL CODE
BILLING EMAIL:
BUS PHONE: CELL: FAX:
CONTRACTORS MECP LICENCE NUMBER: EXPIRY DATE :____________________
MANDITORY: MECP CONTRACTOR LICENCE NUMBER REQUIRED FOR ALL QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS
GOVERNMENT AND ASSOCIATES
An individual or organization interested in the welfare and success of the Ground Water Industry but unable to be classified in any other of our membership categories may apply to this division/category. Please note, this division/category receives no voting power.
ONLY COMPANY NAMES, BUNDLE MANAGERS, ENROLLED SALESPERSONS AND ASSOCIATES WILL APPEAR IN OUR PRINTED MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY. THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE MEMBERS’ ONLY PORTAL AND WILL BE SEARCHABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. ALL UN PAID STAFF LISTED IN YOUR PROFILE WILL NOT RECEIVE MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS WHEN REGISTERING FOR EVENTS AND WILL BE BILLED AT THE NON -MEMBERS RATES.
Join us for a great day of golf!
$85.00 + HST -Includes golf, a cart, and a BBQ
September 17th, 2021
Conestoga Golf & Country Club
400 Golf Course Rd, Conestogo ON N0B 1N0
Registration opens at 8:30am on the day of the event Register before September 13th, 2021
Please complete and send by email to admin@ogwa.ca or fax (519) 245 - 7194
Questions? Comments?
Contact Jennifer at (519) 245 - 7194 x 101 or by email at admin@ogwa.ca
Thank you to all our continuous supporters
B ECO ME A VOTING MEMBER
Have your say:
In the new association...
In the forming of relationships within our industry in all the provinces and territories across Canada. We are the hub to bring the country together to collaborate on how to protect our groundwater.
To
all regulators and the federal government
The time has never been better for us to unite and create synergy with a national voice. Join with other Canadian colleagues to network, learn and help solve industry-wide issues by contributing your experience. Meetings will be by video conference with other professionals working in your industry. Everyone is welcome.
“I joined the association not only to help me as an individual but to support the whole, including the protection of the industry and protection of groundwater. The networking of colleagues has always been important, and being a member will set me and my company apart.”
– Blaine Matuga, owner, Central Interior Pumps Ltd., Kamloops, B.C.
Be pa rt of our g roundwater force from coast to coast to coast
The Canadian National Ground Water Association exists to:
• Increase public a wa reness of the critical impor tance of ground water to Canadian society and the economy.
• Advocate governments a nd industries to protect and improve the quality of ground water resources across Canada.
• Contribute industry knowledge a nd expertise to the development of relevant and effective Canadian federal and provincial ground water legislation.
• Help pre pa re f uture generations of well drillers, contractors, suppliers, scientists, and engineers through outreach, education, and accreditation.
Make Selection $100.00 Voting Member Donation Payment by Cheque Additional Donation: $______________________ Payment by Credit Card Mail Cheque: c/o CNGWA, 750 Talbot Street, East, Suite 125 St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2 Credit Card # Expiry Date
Please submit this form to accounts@cngwa.ca If you wish to e-transfer, please contact accounts@cngwa.ca
Benefits of being a member
• National Unity – Have a Voice
• Continuing Education Program coming available to all members
• Many future benefits to unfold
• Have ideas of what you wish to see in our National Association. Let us know
• Sign up now and get a chance to win a Heron Instruments Datum Point Central Control Well Monitoring System complete with data logger (Value $3,000) For further information please contact Craig at executivedirector@cngwa.ca
ELECTRIC F-150
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
Lightning offers two lithium-ion battery options, a standard range version with an estimated 370 kilometres of range, and an extended range version with an estimated 483 km of range. Both versions show that ‘range anxiety’ is a thing of the past for EVs. Going further, the standard range model offers 426 horsepower, while extended range model has 563 hp on tap. Both offer 775 foot/pounds of torque. The extended range model has an estimated 0-60 time in the mid four seconds range.
Projected charging times with a Level 3 charger (50 kW/150 kW) for 15 per cent to 85 per cent is (91/44) minutes for a standard range, and (122/41) minutes for an extended range. While Level 2 charging on standard range can be 10-14 hours, and extended range eight to 19 hours, both depending on the charging station that is being used.
In terms of truck capability, the Lighting will offer estimated maximum payload of 1,800 (extended-range) to 2,000 (standard-range) pounds. Maximum estimated towing ranges are (with max trailer tow package) from 7,700 pounds (standard-range) to 10,000 pounds (extended-range).
A new feature on the Lightning, that may be a selling feature for some, is Ford Intelligent Backup Power. What the feature does is basically turn your truck into a back-up power source for your home. The system gives the Lightning the ability to offload 9.6 kW of power. When using the truck with an 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro and a home management system, the system send power to the house, instead of charging itself. Once power is restored, the truck goes back to charging its battery.
Ford says that an extended-range battery model can power a home for up to three days, when using an average of 30 kWh of daily use.
“Whether sheltering during a storm or trying to stay safe in a heat wave, customers can now use their truck to give themselves power when they need it most,” said Ryan O’Gorman, Electric Vehicle Manager, Strategic Partnerships. “F-150 Lightning is built for seamless transitions between charging your vehicle and powering your house when needed – and Ford is the first in the North America to offer this capability on an electric truck.”
Another innovative features of the Lightning, is that as a result of not needing as much space up front for an engine and transmission, the under the hood section of the vehicle is now a trunk. It offers 400 litres of volume and 400 pounds of payload, has four electrical outlets, two USB chargers and a drainable floor.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is expected to arrive in Spring 2022.
Mario Cywinski is the editor of Plant magazine, Machinery and Equipment MRO magazine and Food and Beverage magazine, a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and a judge for Canadian Truck King Challenge. He has nearly three years of maintenance, reliability, and operations experience; over 16 years of automobile industry experience.
Tackling PFAS in water
Quebec project to decontaminate water using nanomaterials gets funding
and support
by Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)
Aresearch project at Quebec’s Institut national de la recherche scientifique and the Université de Montréal aims to decontaminate waters containing harmful chemical compounds, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Patrick Drogui and My Ali El Khakani, professors at the INRS, and Sébastien Sauvé, professor at the Université de Montréal, have received a $338,688 grant from the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation through government-funded research hub PRIMA Québec for an innovative project on water decontamination that takes advantage of the unique properties of nanomaterials to develop advanced electro-catalytic processes.
They have received a total of nearly $760,000 in funding, including $270,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, $338,688 from PRIMA Québec, and $151,200 in contributions from its industrial partners.
The project aims to create solutions to decontaminate waters containing harmful chemical compounds, such as PFAS, which are found in cosmetics, cleaning products, fire-fighting foams and flame retardants and, above certain concentrations, can be harmful to health.
NANOMATERIALS TO DEGRADE CHEMICALS
The originality of this project lies in the development of electrodes based on new nanostructured materials and their integration into an ECA process for the degradation of chemical compounds. “We will use our 25 years of experience and know-how in this field to develop a new class of electrodes based on metal oxides. These will offer unmatched specific surfaces while preserving excellent electrical conductivity and chemical stability,” said Professor El Khakani of INRS’s Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre.
The new electrodes will be manufactured by
the team in El Khakani’s laboratory and then transferred to Professor Drogui’s laboratory to be integrated into new generation ECA reactors in order to develop and optimize PFAS degradation processes. Finally, the analysis and monitoring of these contaminants and their degradation will be carried out under the direction of Professor Sébastien Sauvé at the Université de Montréal.
PROMISING PARTNERSHIPS
This research is being conducted in close collaboration with two industrial partners, SANEXEN and Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTIT). SANEXEN is a member of the LOGISTEC family, experts in site remediation and the management of contaminated soil and residual materials. “With this project, we will not only respond to societal needs regarding concerns about polluted water, but also to the more specific interests of our industrial partners,” says Professor Drogui.
RTIT’s contribution to this project is essential in terms of iron and titanium-based materials, since they will be used for the development of the electrodes.
Cross-sectoral research is a priority at INRS, in part because the resulting work often leads to innovation. “The prospect of applying our results to the resolution of a real and worrying problem is very rewarding!” concludes Professor El Khakani.
My Ali El Khakani is a researcher and an expert in nanostructured materials at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique. Patrick Drogui is a researcher and a specialist in electrotechnology and water treatment at the INRS.
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