Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine – December 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:03 PM

Page 1

November 2008

A business analysis of the world's water industry Decontaminating bioeffluents Automatic water meter reading Québec’s new plasma assisted sludge oxidation facility

Special Sections: Storage Tanks Containment & Spills Consultants’ Forum

www.esemag.com

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:04 PM

Page 2

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:04 PM

Page 3

Absolute Freedom of Choice.

AccuLinx™ Absolute Encoder

3G® Interpreter™ Universal Register

Works with most any existing AMR system

Works with most any existing meter

Master Meter gives utilities freedom of choice in AMR read and measurement technology, with state-of-the-art products offering assured compatibility with virtually any 3rd party meters or read systems in existence.

The AccuLinx™ Absolute Encoder is our latest cross-compatible component, optimized for indoor, pit-set and difficult to read meter locations. This all-new contactless, absolute encoder design features 8-wheel resolution for detailed data reporting and is available in 3G® ConnectionFree™ AMR configurations, and in a 3-wire design for immediate integration in AMR systems already using the widely accepted Sensus AMR protocol.

Master Meter’s go-anywhere AMR solutions simplify integration and provide utilities the latest in technology — unburdened by any legacy from the past. Migrate toward the future with Master Meter.

® Master Meter 2008 U.S. Patent Nos. 7,135,986; 6,819,292; 6,954,178; and others pending. Sensus is a registered trademark of Sensus Metering Systems Inc. Master Meter not associated with nor a distributor of metering products under the registered Sensus trademark.

1-800-765-6518 MASTERMETER.COM

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:27 PM

Page 4

Contents ISSN-0835-605X November • 2008 Vol. 21 No. 5 Issued November 2008 ES&E invites articles (approx. 2,000 words) on water, wastewater, hazardous waste treatment and other environmental protection topics. If you are interested in submitting an article for consideration in our print and digital editions, please contact Steve Davey at steve@esemag.com. Please note that Environmental Science & Engineering Publications Inc. reserves the right to edit all text and graphic submissions without notice.

FEATURES

Page 16

Page 24

7 Engineers too have their own literary footprint - Editorial comment by Tom Davey 10 WEFTEC attendees introduced to the concept of “Virtual Water” 13 Scientists peer into heart of compound that could be used for long distance detection – Cover story 14 Innovative water withdrawal system re-establishes fish migration runs 18 Decentralized wastewater management - a solution to infrastructure bottlenecks?

22 Plasma-assisted sludge oxidation facility now operating in Québec 26 Sophisticated automatic water meter reading is a powerful customer service tool 28 Gravity-based aqueduct constructed with concrete pressure pipe 30 Magnetically driven, seal-less gear pumps improve chemical dosing systems 34 Phytoremediation of an ethylene glycol plume DEPARTMENTS 37 New regulations allow for faster identification and remediation of brownfield properties Product Showcase . . . . . 66-71 40 Infiltration chambers play increasing role in decentralized Environmental News . . . 74-82 wastewater treatment 72 A business analysis of the world's water industry Professional Cards . . . . . 74-80 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Integrating an increasingly diverse engineering workforce Water sustainability is a looming global challenge Consultants and operator training - smart strategies for the water and wastewater industry What the future may hold for Canada’s consulting engineers How will the financial upheavals of 2008 affect Canada’s consultants?

Design-build and P3 project delivery methods gaining momentum

PAGES 44-53

Mixing eliminates stratification and delivers residual Cl2 to upper layers in standpipes Bridge height limits transport of storage tanks Repair and protection of concrete in a hydrogen sulfide environment World’s fastest response oil containment system hits Canadian waters Triple tank system developed to decontaminate bioeffluents Preventing jet fuel piping corrosion Cape Breton community benefits from water system and storage tank upgrade

PAGES 54-65

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:06 PM

Page 5

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:06 PM

Page 6

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:06 PM

Page 7

Comment by Tom Davey

Engineers too have their own literary footprint ons ago, I toured the offices of a large consulting engineering company which had designed award-winning water and wastewater treatment facilities.

The company president asked what I thought of his engineering facilities, to which I quipped: "I see no lathes, drills, grinders, cutters or arc welders. What I do see are innumerable reports and engineering studies - vital I know - as all engineering projects are initially expressed in reports and presentations.� Then, cheekily, I concluded that his company was really in the publishing business!

This led to a discussion on the emergence of advanced printing technologies, undeniably an engineering development of great cultural, scientific, and manufacturing importance.

Historically, printing is immutably linked with Gutenberg and Europe, yet printing did not begin in Europe but the Orient. Indeed, the Chinese were printing with wooden blocks perhaps 700 years before Gutenberg, while the Koreans had progressed to movable metal type – probably copper or brass - by 1234. The Koreans are

E

said to have had more than 40,000 characters to contend with, blocking the fast turnover required for mass production.

A vastly shorter, 26 letter alphabet eventually gave the West a lead in printing that it never relinquished, according to John Man, author of The Gutenberg Revolution and Alpha Beta - How 26 Letters Shaped the Western World.

John Man also has a flair for explaining printing matrices and forms, punches and fonts, all the complicated and excruciatingly precise engineering technologies of the master printer's craft.

The Germans were said to have adapted grape presses previously used to make wine for their printing. (Could this have a correlation to In Vino Veritas "In wine there is truth"?) This was a great leap forward which led to the printing technology with which the first, and subsequent bibles, were produced.

Gutenberg spent several years in the Alsatian city of Mainz until 1448. It was there that he produced a Latin primer, his first book. The Bible that bears his name followed in 1445, when the printing revolution was properly

A modern high-speed web offset printing press.

(Photo courtesy Ironstone Media, printers of ES&E Magazine)

www.esemag.com

under way and printing was being spoken of as "this holy art".

While a monk, previously, might have taken days to copy two pages in his scriptorium, printers in the 15th century now could run off 500 copies of a book in the same time.

But, across Europe, the balance of creative power was shifting from Germany to Italy and, for a while, it was Venice that, surprisingly, became the continent's printing capital.

In this day and age when automobiles can roll off assembly lines one auto per minute, it is hard to imagine that it took a year to make the punches with which The Gutenberg Bible was formed, with double-columned pages 42 lines deep.

This, as John Man pointed out, makes for perfect proportion, a typographical version of the golden section that the Greeks first hit upon for the Parthenon. There were 300 such punches. With each steel-engraved letter and every type cast from it, every line made up from those letters was made, and set, to an accuracy measured in hundredths of a millimetre.

Ironically, many Asian countries seem to have overtaken the West in the communications sector of computers, cell phones, video, and all manner of electronic inventions.

But the 26-letter alphabet has survived and thrived, and seems destined to outlive many of the communications modes which have sprung up in the Brave New World of mass computerization.

Despite the overwhelming impact of radio, television, and Power Point, the written word plays a major role in environmental research and subsequent translation into the design and construction of life-saving environmental facilities.

Tom Davey is Senior Consulting Editor of Environmental Science & Engineering.

7 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:07 PM

Page 8

Environmental Science & Engineering

Letters to the Editor

Editor and Publisher STEVE DAVEY E-mail: steve@esemag.com Senior Consulting Editor

Dear Tom

TOM DAVEY

Sales Director PENNY DAVEY E-mail: penny@esemag.com Sales Representative DENISE SIMPSON E-mail: denise@esemag.com Accounting SANDRA DAVEY E-mail: sandra@esemag.com Circulation Manager DARLANN PASSFIELD E-mail: darlann@esemag.com Production Manager CHRIS MAC DONALD E-mail: chris@esemag.com

Technical Advisory Board Jim Bishop Stantec 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 Dr. Robert C. Landine ADI Systems Inc., New Brunswick Marie Meunier John Meunier Inc., Québec Peter J. Paine Environment Canada Environmental Science & Engineering is a bi-monthly business publication of Environmental Science & Engineering Publications Inc. An all Canadian publication, ES&E provides authoritative editorial coverage of Canada's municipal and industrial environmental control systems and drinking water treatment and distribution.

Readers include consulting engineers, industrial plant managers and engineers, key municipal, provincial and federal environmental officials, water and wastewater plant operators and contractors.

Information contained in ES&E has been compiled from sources believed to be correct. ES&E cannot be responsible for the accuracy of articles or other editorial matter.

Articles in this magazine are intended to provide information rather than give legal or other professional advice. Articles being submitted for review should be e-mailed to steve@esemag.com.

Canadian Publications Mail Sales Second Class Mail Product Agreement No. 40065446 Registration No. 7750 Undeliverable copies, advertising space orders, copy, artwork, film, proofs, etc., should be sent to: Environmental Science & Engineering, 220 Industrial Pkwy. 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 of the publisher. Yearly subscription rates: Canada $75.00 (plus $3.75 GST).

Dear Steve: On behalf of the Board of Directors for Water For People – Canada, we would like to extend our thanks to the team of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine, and especially to you – the Publisher – for the wonderful work you have been doing by including our stories from Water For People and Water For People – Canada along with updates on our fundraising and other activities in your Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine.

Thank you also for creating the artwork and graphics for our table runner and banner, respectively.

We are also very appreciative of the table-top display system that you donated to Water For People – Canada and the amazing graphics work that Chris performed in creating the materials for this display in time for our March 2008 evening event, with some of that work done over the Easter weekend!

Most of all! It is amazing to know that starting July 2008 you have undertaken to sponsor Water For People in every issue of your magazine by introducing a banner at the top of the page in WFP colors and adding the logo to increase brand awareness to your 22,000 readers across Canada. We remain ever grateful for your continuous, enthusiastic and generous support.

We are also very thankful to have Penny serving on our Board of Directors who is very active in our business operations and our communications efforts – she has made a significant impact with both the Board of Directors for Water For People – Canada and for Water For People. She is most definitely a valued member of our team and we look forward to her continued involvement in our organization.

Water For People is committed to making a more meaningful and measurable impact on the global humanitarian crisis, by providing improved water and sanitation services, and hygiene education where it is in demand.

Once again thank you.

Tony Petrucci President Water For People – Canada

8 | November 2008

Enjoyed your Comment in May issue of ES&E on the subject of plastic bags.

We had our Save The Earth project in British Columbia some time ago regarding plastic bags. Our local grocery store (part of a large chain) came out with cloth shopping bags at $1.50 each into which the girl at the cash register would pack one’s groceries. Because my grocery bill was over $70.00 each week, I got free bags. They quit after six weeks, so I diligently started down the path of carrying my cloth bags from store to store each week.

After a month or so I ran out of kitchen refuse garbage bags. I had previously saved the plastic ones that they had packed my groceries in, to put my kitchen refuse in. I don’t keep a humus pile anymore as I no longer cultivate a vegetable garden – my 83-year old back and I don’t want to harm the worms.

(Page 76, May Edition, ES&E).

Now depleted of kitchen garbage bags I questioned the store manager: “Where do you hide the kitchen refuse bags?” They really love it when you ask them where they hide a product. “Aisle 5, in the middle, on the window side”.

All I could find were plastic garbage liners for one’s kitchen garbage pails.

Again, I approached the manager with: “These are plastic, I thought we were stopping the use of plastic bags.”

“That’s all we got” was the reply!

So now I pay $4.50 for a pack of plastic garbage bags which I used to get for nothing by taking my groceries home in a plastic bag.

Only in Canada you say, eh?

ECO Stan, BC (also known as Stan Mason) P.S. We’re on a new kick this month – it’s called Revenue Neutral. The BC government has just reduced our carbon footprint by adding 2 ½ cents per litre at the pump to our gasoline price. They have assured us that it is ‘revenue neutral’ by giving each British Columbian a $100.00 cheque. This only happens once. I paid $84.00 last week to fill my Taurus (1982 station wagon). A new way to collect a tax by calling it ‘revenue neutral’!

Editor’s Note Stan Mason is an old friend who served on national and environmental committees in British Columbia, as well as on our Editorial Advisory Board.

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:07 PM

Page 9

Introducing

We’re all about water ITT Water and Wastewater combines the world’s most experienced pumping, filtration and treatment companies under one banner. This combined experience provides you with the most effective integrated water solutions that you can tap into, and capitalize on.

Integrated solutions that deliver real operational, business and environmental results.

For water and wastewater solutions you can depend on, go to www.ittwww.ca

THE PUMPING SOLUTION

THE FILTRATION SOLUTION

THE OZONE & UV SOLUTION

THE BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:07 PM

Page 10

Report by Steve Davey

WEFTEC attendees introduced to the concept of “Virtual Water” he concept of virtual water was explained by this year’s Stockholm Water Prize winner, Professor John Anthony Allan from King’s College London (England) and the School of Oriental and African Studies, during his keynote address at WEFTEC.08 in Chicago. Dr. Allan’s concept of virtual water measures how water is embedded in the production and trade of food and consumer products.

This concept has major impacts on global trade policies and research, especially in water-scarce regions.

Dr. Allan argued that people do not only consume water when they drink it or take a shower. The virtual water concept measures how water is embedded in the production and trade of food and consumer products. For example, in producing one cup of coffee, 140 litres of water are used to grow, produce,

T

More resources.

More technologies.

More solutions.

Siemens partners with Napier Reid Ltd to offer market-advancing Envirex® technologies, including the Orbal® system and the Cannibal® process for municipal wastewater treatment.

Contact: Napier Reid Ltd, 10 Alden Rd., Markham, ON, phone:s 905.475.1545

www.siemens.com/water

Water Technologies

10 | November 2008

package and ship the beans. That is roughly the same amount of water used by an average person daily for drinking and household needs. Producing one hamburger requires an estimated 2,400 litres of water.

On a larger scale, it takes about 1,000 tonnes of water to grow one tonne of grain. This is the virtual water value of grain. Similarly, to produce one tonne of rice, 2,000 tonnes of water are needed; one tonne of wheat requires 1,000 tonnes of water; and approximately 1,200 tonnes of water are needed to produce one tonne of maize.

This means that when food is exported, significant amounts of water are also, in effect, exported, saving the recipient country considerable water resources. To grow enough food for one person annually requires 1,000 m3 of water, whereas only 100 m3 of water is required for personal consumption, washing, laundry, etc.

Tracing water consumption rates back to antiquity, Dr. Allan stated that “as hunter-gatherers, humans required only three litres per day to survive”. As mankind has moved from hunter-gatherers, to agrarians, to increasingly industrialized consumers, that figure is two to three hundreds times higher.

Citing a specific example of how population migration will affect future water needs, Dr. Allan said that, as Mexicans emigrate to the United States, their “water footprint” doubles. Since 20 million Mexican citizens are expected to relocate to the United States, this increased water demand will have a significant impact on such things as river flows across the US/Mexico border.

According to the Stockholm Water Institute, Dr. Allan’s virtual water concept has major impacts on global trade policies and research, especially in water-scarce regions, and has redefined discourse on water policy and management. By explaining how and why nations such as the US, Argentina and Brazil ‘export’ billions of litres of water each year, while others like Japan, Egypt and Italy ‘import’ billions, the

virtual water concept has opened the door to more productive water use.

National, regional and global water and food security, for example, can be enhanced when water intensive commodities are traded from places where they are economically viable to produce to places where they are not. While studying water scarcity in the Middle East, Professor Allan developed the theory of using virtual water imports, via food, as an alternative water “source” to reduce pressure on the scarcely-available domestic water resources there and in other water-short regions.

During a special session on water infrastructure and sustainable innovations, Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago, received a standing ovation from the 800 attendees for his speech, “Making Chicago a Global Leader in Water and Sustainability.” Mayor Daley discussed the recently-unveiled Chicago Climate Action Plan and also insisted that the nation’s cities must reinvest in infrastructure and will need help in financing.

“Whoever is the next President of the United States needs to address what has been an inadequate level of federal investment in our infrastructure, including water systems, roads, bridges, highways, public transportation and school construction,” he said.

A successful hands-on community service project, “Getting out of the Gutter”, featured the construction of a Rain Garden at Pulaski Park in Chicago. The event was a project of the WEF Young Professionals Committee, the Illinois Water Environment Association, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and the Center for Neighborhood Technology. The $7,000 corporate-sponsored project left behind a green space that will provide native plants and effective stormwater mitigation drainage to a previously plain turfed area.

To help Canadian companies do business in the Chicago area, Ontario's Ministry of International Trade and Investment and the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago organized a breakcontinued overleaf...

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:07 PM

Page 11

Digital Dosing

TM

The Right Mix

Grundfos Alldos is now the full line solution provider for all your dosing and disinfection applications - you now benefit from a far broader scope of expertise and technology for all your industrial needs.

Grundfos Alldos provides you with the very best in: » Digital DosingTM pumps » Mechanical dosing pumps » Disinfection Systems » Measurement and control Together we give you precisely The Right Mix.

TTT DORKACLP @> #1#

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:07 PM

Page 12

Report by Steve Davey

At the National Association of Clean Water Agencies booth at WEFTEC, where attendees were asked to sign a petition, ES&E editor Steve Davey and sister Penny Davey, ES&E’s Sales Director, “met” the new president of the United States!

fast briefing with Debra Shore, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago (MWRD) and Ed Brosius, District En-

12 | November 2008

gineer. The two presenters outlined Chicago’s wastewater policies, projects and direction as well as information on preparing to bid on District projects.

There was an encouraging sign that the wastewater industry is flourishing; despite this year’s financial turmoil, WEFTEC.08 set new records, with 21,950 attendees and 1,111 companies using 290,000 net square feet of exhibit space.

This optimism was also shared by Siemens Water Technologies CEO, Chuck Gordon who predicted that the water market will still grow by 6% annually. Mr. Gordon believes that energy efficiency will be an especially strong area, due to the massive amounts of energy required to move water. He stated that, on average in the US, 4% of all electricity generated is used for water supply and wastewater treatment. Due to a significant portion of its water supply having to be piped long distances from such sources as the Colorado River, this figure is as high as 20% for California.

WEFTEC.09 will be held October 10-14, 2009, in Orlando, Florida. *Steve Davey is the Editor of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:07 PM

Page 13

Cover Story

Scientists peer into heart of compound that could be used for long-range detection light-transmitting compound that could one day be used in high-efficiency fiber optics and in sensors to detect biological and chemical weapons at long distance, almost went undiscovered by scientists, because its structure was too difficult to examine.

A

structure that does not crystallize very well. It grows lengthwise, but not in other directions. This creates long, thin crystals which are perfect for fiber optics but a headache to study by conventional means.

ChemMatCARS specializes in x-ray diffraction from ultra-small crystals and is operated by the Center for Advanced

Radiation Sources of The University of Chicago. The mission of the US Department of Energy's Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program includes understanding and mitigating the environmental impacts of energy use.

For more information, visit www.anl.gov

Scientist Yu-Sheng Chen calibrates the needle of the x-ray diffraction machine.

However, scientists from the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University were able to determine the structure of the compound using the uniquely suited chemistry and materials beamline of the Center for Advanced Radiation Sources (ChemMatCARS). In particle physics, a beamline is the line in a linear accelerator along which a beam of particles travels.

"Like other such materials, this material has an electrically polarized structure.

The incident light interacts with the electron cloud and in the process is disturbed," Argonne scientist Mercouri Kanatzidis said. "The disturbance changes the wavelength of the emitted light and creates two beams: the original and the second harmonic - a beam with half the wavelength and double the frequency."

This second-harmonic beam is 15 times more intense than that produced by the best current material. This twofor-one wavelength boost is paired with greater transparency, so the material can actually transmit the whole higher-wavelength beam.

The material, (A)ZrPSe6, where A can be potassium, rubidium or cesium, has a unique and difficult chemical www.esemag.com

13 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:08 PM

Page 14

Conservation

Innovative water withdrawal system re-establishes fish migration runs ecause Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, redside trout, and bull trout are among the fish species the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in the US protects, keeping them out of water intakes at major hydroelectric dams is critical.

Simple modifications, such as installing baffles and gates, are sometimes all that is needed to keep fish from the intakes. But there are also strict water-quality regulations established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). To comply with FERC and CWA requirements, selective water withdrawal at Round Butte Dam in Oregon required a far more complicated and innovative design.

When, in the 1960s, Portland General Electric Company (PGE) constructed Round Butte Dam, one of three dams that comprise the Pelton Round Butte hydroelectric project, it also constructed an upstream and downstream migration system to maintain anadromous fish runs.

Anadromous fish ascend rivers from the sea for breeding. However, the downstream system was deemed ineffective due to migration problems in Lake Billy Chinook, the reservoir behind the dam, negatively impacting the fish population.

PGE abandoned the system in favor of a steelhead trout and Chinook salmon

B

CH2M HILL designed a one-of-a-kind selective water withdrawal system that modifies the direction of the surface current to guide migrating fish into a fish-handling area, provide a fish-collection system, and ensure that the water released complies with state and tribal water-quality standards.

hatchery program.

Now, as part of a 50-year FERC license period, PGE and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, which co-own the dam, have committed to re-establishing the fish runs while

State of the art equipment delivering high quality product.

• Prestresssed Concrete Pressure Pipe (400mm to 3000mm) • Gravity Pipe (300mm to 3600mm) • Catch Basins • Maintenance Holes • Box Culvert (Up to 3000mm x 2400mm)

800.461.5632 www.munroconcrete.com

14 | November 2008

meeting CWA water requirements.

To accomplish the objective, CH2M HILL designed a one-of-a-kind selective water withdrawal system that modifies the direction of the surface current.

The system better guides the migrating fish into a fish-handling area, provides a fish-collection system, and ensures that the water released complies with state and tribal water-quality standards.

The system consists of a selective water withdrawal top structure and a selective water withdrawal bottom connected by a 40-foot-diameter vertical flow conduit. The intakes dewater through two conventional V-screens supported by an elaborate steel framing with a unique geometry used to support the screens and fish facility. The selective water withdrawal bottom is anchored to the bedrock and placed in front of the existing intake structure, which contains bottom exclusion plates that prevent fish from entering the powerhouse flow. continued overleaf...

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/20/08

2:10 PM

Page 15

WASTE TO ENERGY SYSTEMS ONE-THIRD THE COST & BETTER PERFORMANCE Quality Recycling has teamed with RCBC Technologies to provide the perfect culmination to the MRF. RCBC Technologies has combined well-known and time-tested principles to create a rotating cylindrical combustion chamber that uses patented Rotary Cascading Bed Combustion (RCBC) technology. The RCBC provides the ideal conditions for clean combustion of diverse fuels, ranging from high sulfur coals to municipal solid wastes and sludge. A MRF and the RCBC combined produce the ultimate waste to energy plant.

These waste to energy plants burn municipal wastes to produce steam and electricity. This energy is produced with less harmful emissions than the conventional fossil-fuel powered energy plants.

There are other outstanding advantages to the waste to energy technology: • RCBC reduces waste volume up to 90% and the end product is an ash that can be combined with compost from the MRF and used for soil conditioning and land reclamation.

• Combustion in the RCBC destroys bacteria, household chemical and other compounds that are a potential hazard to health and environment. These once harmful components of the waste stream are converted to a useful product that can actually help our environment.

• Combustion eliminates the odor and methane normally produced by waste, and can completely eliminate the need for a landfill.

Rotary Cascading Bed Combustion (RCBC)

Quality Recycling is the exclusive distributor of the patented RCBC technology. The RCBC is not only more efficient than other combustors, but can be produced at about 1/3 their cost.

Quality Recycling 104 First Avenue East, Suite D Hendersonville, NC 28792 Phone Toll Free: 800-696-2110 Direct: 828-696-2111 Fax: 828-696-2191 E-mail: recycle@a-o.com

ww w w.qualityrecycling.com

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:08 PM

Page 16

Conservation The goal is to have the system operating by the 2009 migrating season.

Other challenges included designing and constructing a steel-and-concrete platform in the middle of the lake that would selectively divert water from specific lake depths as well as divert migrating fish from the turbine intake.

Using traditional 2D CAD file methods would have been complex and timeconsuming, and developing the engineering data and material quantities would have taken more effort.

To maintain the tight schedule, the contractor and steel fabricator came on board at the start of the final design, which would not have been possible without using the 3D models and data generated for material lists. The decision to develop 3D models of the structure in place of 2D CAD files was made early in order to visualize the project and share it with the design team and fabricators. The project team used TriForma to track materials and quantities, and fabricators used the program to collect data and materials to construct specific components.

The software also helped track the

The 3D tools helped the designers and consultants understand the issues, resolve conflicts, and design solutions.

weight of the project to maintain a design based on weight and determine the center of gravity for each structural component, which is important when designing floating structures. Because TriForma automatically generated the data in the database, extensive engineering calculations were eliminated.

The 3D model became the sole source of design information that tied

all of the aspects of the project together, from seeing the design take shape and driving the engineering data to maintaining the design and unifying the project team. Whenever a component change was required, the model was revised and the data extracted for quantities and materials. The components developed and extracted from the 3D model files drove the design cycle all

CLAESSEN PUMPS PRESENTS A NEW INNOVATIVE WAY TO MEET YOUR PUMPING APPLICATIONS New Generation Pumps From Grindex: • SMART Grindex electronic motor guard still featured • Better wear resistance with new materials and a

new impeller design • Increased durability and simplified service gives

submersible pumps with longer life.

For more information please contact us Phone: (888) 249-7084 Fax: (705) 431-2772 www.claessenpumps.com

16 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:08 PM

Page 17

Conservation

The 3D model became the sole source of design information that tied all of the aspects of the project together, from seeing the design take shape and driving the engineering data to maintaining the design and unifying the project team.

3D models helped maintain a design based on weight and determined the center of gravity for each structural component.

the way to the construction process. “The first thing CH2M HILL did on this project was help the client understand and communicate the various options being considered through 3D renderings via MicroStation models,� said Wally Bennett, CH2M HILL’s project manager for the Round Butte Selective Water Withdrawal project. “We took advantage of 3D tools because of the very complex geometry and the need to visualize these structures.�

These tools helped the designers and consultants understand the issues, resolve conflicts, and design solutions, while saving thousands of man-hours in the process. The software helped design, fabricate, and construct a structure that encourages fish populations to thrive, resulting in a truly sustainable environment.

For more information, E-mail: dumbach@CH2M.com www.esemag.com

SAF-T-FLO chemical injection has what operators need for safe and successful chemical injection.

Retractable injection quills/Non-retractable injection quills/Sampling probes Pressures: 0 – 150 psi.,150 – 250 psi., 250 + psi.

Materials: PVC, CPVC, Kynar, Stainless Steel, Hastelloy C, Alloy 20, and Titanium (G2) Sizes:

1/4�, 3/8�, 1/2�, 3/4�, 1�, 1-1/2�, 2�, and 2-1/2�

Your Partner in Chemical Injection

4OLL &REE s &AX INFO SAFTFLO COM s WWW SAFTFLO COM

17 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:10 PM

Page 18

Wastewater

Decentralized wastewater management: a solution to infrastructure bottlenecks?

By Paul O’Callaghan

ecentralized wastewater management means different things in different situations.

For instance, in a large metropolitan area, having multiple satellite treatment plants to serve various catchments, as opposed to conveying water from suburbs and neighbouring municipalities to centralized treatment facilities, would be a decentralized approach. In a rural town, it can mean on-site systems, or cluster systems for groups of houses.

Figure 1 presents varying degrees of centralization or decentralization and shows the continuum between the two approaches.

Properly managed, these systems can represent a viable alternative to a central treatment option. In a 1997 report to Congress, the US Environmental Protection Agency reported that “adequately managed decentralized systems are a cost-effective and long-term solution for many communities.”

D

treated sewage was having a detrimental effect on the receiving environment, and this led to the construction of wastewater treatment plants at the end of these collection systems. As cities expanded, plants became larger, and so today we have a primarily centralized model for wastewater management.

The collection and treatment of sewage has delivered huge improvements in public health, but there is a degree of revisionism occurring at the moment and a debate as to whether the centralized model is necessarily the most cost-effective or sustainable way of doing things in the 21st century.

The conventional wisdom in the lay population and among many professionals in the wastewater field is that centralizing treatment is the best wastewater management strategy for most communities — the most reliable, easiest to manage and least costly per capita. Here I would like to present five reasons why a decentralized strategy can have advantages over the traditional centralized system.

1. Enables “just-in-time” capacity building – In a centralized model, collection systems – lift stations in particular and treatment plants to a slightly lesser degree – are typically constructed with spare capacity to accommodate growth over time.

The modern-day sewage collection system has its origin in the large sewerage projects developed in Paris and London during the 1850s.The objective at that time was to get sewage out of cities to protect public health.

The modern-day sewage collection system has its origin in the large sewerage projects developed in Paris and London during the 1850s. The objective at that time was to get sewage out of cities to protect public health. The word sewer is apparently derived from the old English word “seaward,” as the objective was to convey material into a surface water body, river or estuary.

As time went on, into the early 1900s, it became apparent that discharge of un18 | November 2008

The smaller unit size of the decentralized system allows closer matching of capacity to actual growth in demand.

Decentralized capacity can be built cluster by cluster, in a “just-in-time” fashion. This provides a number of important benefits: • It defers capital costs of future capacity to the future, which typically reduces the net present value (NPV) of a decentralized approach and reduces the cost of financing debt.

• Each individual decentralized system is a smaller project, which can be planned and implemented on much shorter lead times than can expansions of regional systems.

• The management needs of each area can be considered independently, and the costs of systems for a particular area can be more readily assigned to the activity generating the demand.

• Further, a decentralized or “distributed” system is expanded by adding more treatment centres, rather than by routing ever-increasing flows to the centralized plant, and, therefore, upgrading lines to increase capacity is never required.

This approach would have been beneficial, for example, in Ireland during the boom “Celtic Tiger” years. The increase in economic activity was accompanied by a period of unprecedented building and population expansion in cities and towns. This happened very quickly and with very little warning.

The result was that municipalities that had meticulously mapped out their treatment strategies for the next 20 years, and were just commissioning spanking new treatment plants with what appeared to be years of spare capacity, suddenly found themselves scrambling to meet demand and keep pace with development.

Nowhere was this more evident than in Dublin. The Ringsend wastewater treatment plant, which had a design capacity of 1.7 million population equivalents and a design horizon of 20 years, was at capacity almost as soon as it opened in 1999.

In some parts of Dublin, sewer capacity issues have effectively placed a moratorium on any further development.

I know of at least one proposed commercial development where the developer is evaluating on-site treatment and re-use options as there is no available hydraulic capacity in the sewer system.

2. Keeps water within catchments – A decentralized approach can help manage the hydrological cycle within a continued overleaf...

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:08 PM

Page 19

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:09 PM

Page 20

Wastewater

Treatment Plant

Scale of Service

On Site

Individual building or property

Cluster

Neighbourhood portion of a community

Central

Regional

Two or more communities

Whole community Centralized

Decentralized Centralized/ Large scale

Decentralized/ Smaller scale

Figure 1: The wastewater scale continuum between centralized and decentralized approaches. Source: Valuing Decentralized Wastewater Technologies, Rocky Mountain Institute, November 2004.

catchment. It can reduce the draining down of aquifers through infiltration into leaking sewers, thereby providing more groundwater to feed streams and rivers in the catchment.

As well, it becomes more cost-effective to look at water re-use options, as treated water is close to the point of re-use.

3. Facilitates water conservation and water re-use – A decentralized system has two advantages when it comes to water conservation and re-use. Firstly, where small-diameter pumped lines are used, as opposed to gravity sewers, the system can accommodate any level of water conservation found to be economically attractive or ecologically necessary without the problem of sewers becoming blocked due to inadequate flushing volume. (In cities where drought restrictions on water use have been implemented, it has been found that the volumes of water discharged were not sufficient to flush the sewers and convey water to the treatment facilities.)

Secondly, decentralized wastewater systems provide opportunities for costeffective water re-use within individual catchments. Under the decentralized management concept, effluent is produced at many points throughout the overall service area, potentially closer to points of re-use.

In many cases, this can render re-use more cost-efficient by minimizing the cost of redistribution infrastructure to substitute reclaimed water for potable water. This practice can also reduce water treatment pumping and storage 20 | November 2008

costs, and can forestall expansions of water treatment and storage facilities.

In many regions of the world where water supplies are being strained, water reclamation is seen as a viable solution and is being implemented for nonpotable uses.

They say that water has no memory, but the public certainly does, and residents don’t like the thought that what comes out of their taps might recently have disappeared down their toilet, or worse still, someone else’s.

The thin end of the wedge here may be aquifer replenishment, which is just one degree removed from a closed-loop system. Orange County, California, was recently awarded the Stockholm Industry Award for its pioneering work to inject treated wastewater into deep wells to re-charge groundwater aquifers. This is the start of a convergence in wastewater treatment and water supply.

4. Avoids catastrophic failures – At a large centralized treatment plant, when things go wrong they can go wrong in a big way: • Odour emissions are more significant.

• Spills and overflows have a potentially greater impact on the receiving environment.

• Plant upsets or mechanical failures are on a larger scale.

It used to be that larger plants were considered to be more reliable than smaller systems, but this has changed.

Reliable package plants can now be monitored remotely. Also, in an urban setting such as the Dublin area, a plant with a treatment capacity of 100,000

population equivalents could be considered a “satellite” plant.

In the case of an odour issue, it could be argued that having 10 smaller treatment plants rather than one large plant simply increases the number of potentially irate residents who could be affected. However, residents living adjacent to a large plant may feel that their noses are bearing the impact for the entire community.

5. Reduces costs and issues associated with conveyance to a centralized facility – Smaller systems lose the advantages of economies of scale that are achievable in centralized wastewater treatment in relation to capital costs and operational and maintenance costs.

However, smaller systems also avoid diseconomies of scale that are inherent in sewer systems. Given that collection system costs can be 80% or more of total systems costs, collection diseconomies of scale can overwhelm treatment economies of scale, resulting in decentralized systems being the more economical choice.

Figure 2 provides a graphic depiction of centralized and decentralized approaches to serving a given area and illustrates the difference in the extent of the collection system network required in the two approaches.

Typically, decentralized systems minimize the number of lift stations and eliminate large trunk mains. The collection infrastructure that remains is usually composed of smaller pipes running at shallower depths, which also leads to less disruption to the public during con-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:09 PM

Page 21

Wastewater

Decentralized approach

Centralized wastewater treatment

Figure 2: Comparison of centralized and decentralized approaches to wastewater service. STP indicates a centralized or cluster sewage treatment plant. Source: Draft Handbook for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003.

struction. There is a social benefit inherent in this reduced disruption during construction.

If a sewer is leaking, which many gravity sewers are, it leaks in two directions. If sewage leaks out of the system, this can result in the discharge of untreated sewage to the environment.

More often, though, the issue is one of groundwater infiltration into the system, which not only contributes to hydraulic

overloading at the treatment plant but also takes water out of the catchment area that would otherwise replenish groundwater aquifers and feed streams and rivers.

These are some of the advantages of a decentralized approach. Naturally there are also disadvantages to this approach, and the overall benefits need to be weighed on a case-by-case basis. Too often, any debate between the propo-

nents of centralized versus de-centralized becomes an “all or nothing” debate. The right solution for a community may well be a combination of options, including both centralized and decentralized treatment systems.

Paul O’Callaghan is with O2 Environmental. E-mail: paul.ocallaghan@o2env.com

The Waterra Inertial Pumping System is the most widely used pump for monitoring wells in Canada. For developing, purging and sampling — nothing else comes close.

STANDARD FLOW SYSTEM

HIGH FLOW SYSTEM

LOW FLOW SYSTEM

MICRO FLOW SYSTEM

OUR MOST POPULAR

DEEP WELL SAMPLING

PIEZOMETER SAMPLING

MICRO WELLS

• best suited for 2" wells

• designed to be used in 2" wells or larger where a high pumping rate is desired

• designed to be used in small diameter piezometers (1" ID to 0.75" ID)

• popular for use in direct push technology micro well installations

• excellent well development tool in 2" piezometers

• useful for sampling in damaged or obstructed monitoring wells

• can provide lifts up to 150 feet • can be used in wells of varying diameters and a variety of sampling environments

www.esemag.com

21 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/20/08

12:55 PM

Page 22

Biosolids

Québec’s new plasma-assisted sludge oxidation facility ublic opposition to sludge use and disposal has been a problem for the industry for years.

In Canada, the degree of wastewater treatment has improved significantly as more municipalities upgrade their wastewater treatment facilities.

Each person discharging human waste to a wastewater treatment system produces approximately 21 kg (dry) of sewage sludge each year. It is estimated that for municipalities with secondary or tertiary treatment systems, and sludge production processes, nearly 50% of the capital and operating costs for wastewater management are attributable to the sludge activities.

In the United States, the magnitude of the municipal wastewater treatment and sludge management challenge can be partly understood by realizing that about 35 billion gallons of wastewater are treated and managed each day. The quantity of municipal sludge produced annually in the US was over 7.1 million dry tons in 2004, according to the Envi-

P

22 | November 2008

Plasma torch end view of kiln.

ronmental Protection Agency.

Fabgroups Technologies Inc. is convinced that plasma oxidation will prove to be a safe, reliable, environmentally acceptable, cost-effective and sustainable sludge processing technology. Fabgroups has a licensing agreement with

Hydro Québec to develop, manufacture and market a rotary kiln equipped with an electric plasma torch. Plasma-assisted sludge oxidation (PASO) is an emerging technology that can be used to process organic sludge from a variety of sources.

This energy-efficient technology, which consumes less than 100 kWh of electricity per wet ton of sludge (fans not included), offers an excellent alternative to incineration, landfill disposal or sludge spreading – three methods that can be highly detrimental to the environment. Plants that produce sufficient quantities of sludge will be able to reduce their waste by 95% and generate green energy.

PASO differs from other applications of plasma to waste destruction. Plasma has been used to generate very high temperatures for destroying materials such as medical wastes and nerve gases. In PASO, the process uses the high enthalpy of plasma, the fact that plasma consumes no oxygen, and the very high ultraviolet content of the arc to heat relatively wet biosolids to the point that they oxidize.

Sludge oxidation takes place very efficiently, since it requires little excess oxygen (approximately 10%).

The major sectors for PASO systems are municipal services (sludges from wastewater treatment plants), pulp and paper (primary and secondary sludge) and agribusiness (sludge containing fats, proteins and glucose).

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:09 PM

Page 23

Biosolids PASO is based on a rotary kiln working at about 600째C and at or below atmospheric pressure, equipped with an air plasma non-transferred arc torch. It is designed to treat sludges after conventional dewatering processes with at least 20% organic content. Plasma generation is a rational application of electricity, because the calorific value of the organic material in the sludge is used as a principal heat source. The process is simple, safe and robust.

In fact, PASO extracts a significant calorific value from the sludge during oxidation, so the operator can use the resulting heat to obtain a more economical return. Energy in the sludge can be recovered in the form of steam, hot air, hot water or electricity.

Post-treatment of gas is accomplished by a proprietary system of dust removal, scrubbing and gas/vapour interaction. When the gas is finally exhausted to the atmosphere, it contains virtually no particulate, most pollutant gases have been adsorbed into water for further treatment, and the remaining flue gas has been cooled to about 80째C.

www.esemag.com

Acceptable sludges PASO is suited to treating a wide variety of organic sludges. Wet sludges undergoing treatment must contain at least 20% organic material by mass.

Theoretical limits are 20,000 MJ/dry ton for autothermic operation for sludges with a dry material, meaning that the organic material provides sufficient oxidation energy to evaporate moisture and heat both the combustion gases and residual solids to 600째C. Sludges with a higher gross calorific value in their dry material will require less organic material to achieve autothermic operation.

What is plasma?

Plasma is the fourth state of matter (the other three being solid, liquid and gas). Plasma involves the creation of a sustained electrical arc by the passage of electrical current through a gas. Because of the high electrical resistivity across the system, significant heat is generated, which serves to strip away electrons from the gas molecules, resulting in an ionized gas or plasma.

Common examples of plasma are

lightning bolts, fluorescent gas in light bulbs and the spark of a spark plug.

Process advantages of plasma The plasma generator works to offset the heat losses and to support the oxidation reaction of the wet sludges, which are difficult to accomplish in the intended operating conditions. It is not used in the usual way to create very high temperatures, but primarily as a catalyst to generate ultraviolet radiation and excited species. Some of the air needed to oxidize the organic load is used directly as plasma gas.

Compared with a conventional burner, this considerably reduces the total volume of combustion gases, the overall carbon dioxide emission, and the amount of dust, improving the energetic performance of the process by not diluting the heat in adding supplementary air normally required for oxidizing fossil fuels.

Less than 3% of the needed air flows through the plasma torch plume, the furnace temperature is relatively low, and little excess air is used, so NOx production is kept to a strict minimum. continued overleaf...

23 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:10 PM

Page 24

Biosolids There are a number of potential applications for the ash resulting from the process, including as a cement aggregate or composting additive.

The PASO process The oven consists of a refractorylined rotary reactor. The lining acts as heat insulation and adds to the thermal inertial of the process, ensuring operational stability. Puffing is minimized by a slow rotational speed and a novel pulse-damping system. A variable frequency controller is used to provide variable drum speed.

Sludges and oxidation air are introduced continuously and concurrently into the furnace, after being preheated by a heat exchanger, which transfers heat from the combustion gases to increase the energy efficiency. Drying and oxidation occur inside the reactor in the presence of a plasma generator located in the output end.

The end product is dry, inert, sterile and odourless ash with a valorization potential and is about 5% of the initial sludge volume. Ashes accumulating in the furnace act as a heat-exchange

Feed end view of kiln.

medium between newly introduced sludges and the furnace walls. Surplus ashes are evacuated continuously by an overflow in the exhaust end. Flying ash particles that are entrained in the outlet gases are trapped in a cyclonic device

HOBO Water Level Data Logger The new HOBO Water Level Logger features high accuracy at a great price, and HOBO ease-of-use. It is ideal for recording water levels and temperatures in wells, streams, lakes and wetlands.

Temperature Range:

Features Low Cost

0 - 50ºC ±.37 (@ 20 ºC) 3 Pressure Ranges Available: 0 - 4m, ±3mm

No-vent-tube design

0 - 9m, ±5mm

Fully sealed housing

0 - 30m, ±15mm

Optical/USB interface

0 - 76m, ±38mm

Includes calibration certificate Lightning protection Durable ceramic pressure sensor Multiple-rate sampling Titanium version available for saltwater deployment HOBOware™ software provides easy conversion to accurate water level readings, fully compensated for barometric pressure*, temperature and water density *second barometric sensor required

Hoskin Scientific Ltd. 24 | November 2008

www.hoskin.ca

that also provides preheating of incoming combustion air. Ashes remain fluid, granular and friable due to the mechanical rotation of the furnace. Ash fusion, sintering or eutectic formation with the furnace refractory is not a problem, because the operating temperatures are low.

PASO is simple as well as safe. No live-line electrical parts are exposed. All runaway of the biosolids reactivity is quickly suppressed by reducing sludge flow and/or reducing the plasma torch power to decrease the temperature. Another option is to increase airflow.

In September 2008, FTI opened a 32,000 ton per year biosolids treatment facility in Valleyfield, Québec.The facility is owned and operated by the company and was partially funded by a $2 million grant from Natural Resources Canada.The process has been oxidizing sludge with a 20% organic material content (achieved with a sludge that has 30% dryness and organic material in the dry sludge at 65%) and has been effective at oxidizing the sludge to carbon dioxide with minimal carbon monoxide and dioxin formation.

When running at full capacity, the facility will reduce C02 emissions by 20,000 tons per year, over other processes.

For more information, E-mail: info@fabgroups.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/20/08

12:56 PM

Page 25

Chain & Flight Sludge Collectors, NRG Collector Components

Supplier of Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment

Aeration Systems, Disc & Tube Diffusers

Aeration Systems Screens, Classifiers, Clarifiers, Digester Covers, Mixers

Clarifiers

Shaftless Conveyors, Vertical Conveyors, Sludge Silos, Live Bottom Bins

Slide Gates, Sluice Gates, Stop Logs

Solids Handling

New Projects - Replacement Parts - Retrofits

Filter Nozzles, Underdrain Systems

Fibreglass Scum Troughs, Scum Skimming Systems, Helical Skimmers

C & M Environmental Technologies Inc., Barrie, Ontario Tel: 705.725.9377 Fax: 705.725.8279 Toll Free: 1-800-570-8779 Email: info@cmeti.com Website: www.cmeti.com

Upflow Sludge, Blanket Filtration, Treatment Systems

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:10 PM

Page 26

Instrumentation

Sophisticated automatic meter reading: a powerful customer service tool he City of Lethbridge, Alberta, selected Neptune Technology Group’s Canadian Services Group to implement a twophased metering project that involved changing out 7,500 residential water meters (Phase I) and installing about 2,500 R900® radio frequency (RF) automatic meter reading (AMR) devices, along with replacing over 1,200 aging commercial water meters (Phase II).

The flexibility of RF technology impressed the City, as personnel would now be able to collect accurate reads more frequently, particularly for critical accounts. Previously, it took three people three days to read the commercial meters. After the implementation of R900 transmitters and a mobile read system, these meters are now read in less than two hours with over 99% accuracy.

The industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) meters were also equipped with the E-Coder® register to provide value-added data to enhance system integrity and improve customer service. ICI meters can represent a large portion of overall water use and revenue for any water utility. The E-Coder provides valueadded data that help the utility monitor user consumption and provide high users with enhanced customer service through the availability of leak detection and/or reverse flow detection information.

For the City of Lethbridge, E-Coder data for 455 ICI meters was collected and the value-added data was analyzed to identify potential areas of concern.

This information was particularly interesting as it provided a perspective based solely on ICI accounts. For example, detecting reverse flow is vital to protecting the potable water supply from contaminated water. Based on the analysis of the Lethbridge ICI data, there were 23 accounts (5.1%) where a reverse flow occurred in the 35-day period. (Table 1) It is critical to investigate if the meter was oriented in the incorrect direction or if a possible cross-connection may exist (allowing a backflow to occur).

The E-Coder provides a powerful tool to complement any backflow program, allowing the utility to quickly identify and

T

26 | November 2008

By Darlene McNichol

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:10 PM

Page 27

Instrumentation Table 4

respond to any such occurrences.

ICI users are high-volume users.

Promptly identifying leaks can provide financial savings for local businesses, and potentially mitigate future high bill disputes with the utility. The utility can play an important customer service role by providing leak status data to ICI customers as part of the billing process or as a customer service call. The E-Coder provides visibility to leaks that could otherwise go unnoticed for extended periods of time.

In the Lethbridge data (455 ICI customers included in this study), the leak status (days of leak) indicated that 31.2% of the accounts had shown a continuous or intermittent leak for the previous 35 days. This equated to 142 accounts with some form of a leak that lasted a minimum of 35 days. Additionally, fewer than 41% of the accounts reported no form of leak. This meant that the remainder (270 accounts) had developed leaks with varying degrees of severity. (Table 2) The “leak status in the last 24-hour period” for all 455 ICI accounts read indicated that 35.2% (160 accounts) had developed either an intermittent leak or a continuous leak. The utility would closely monitor the 24.4% (111 accounts) showing a continuous leak status and potentially contact those accounts to suggest further investigation. (Table 3) As an example, if a continuous leak of 1/16 gpm occurred (a small leak), this would equate to 131 gallons of water passing through a single meter in www.esemag.com

one day. Extending this number to all 111 meters showing a continuous leak status would bring the total water leakage to over 14,500 gallons in the previous 24 hours.

From the utility’s perspective, it is extremely important to quickly identify any accounts with “no flow.” ICI customers represent the highest revenue generation for the utility and it is imper-

ative to address any issues that might be a result of meter maintenance issues (such as damage) or of the meter being bypassed or removed (theft).

As a practical example, of the 455 ICI meters read in Lethbridge, 26.6% (or 121 accounts) indicated a number of days (from three to 35 days) of no flow.

Importantly, 5.5% (25 accounts) showed a status of zero consumption over the previous 35 days. With this important information, along with account historical data in hand, a work crew can be dispatched to repair a stopped meter or perform a site visit if theft or tamper is suspected. (Table 4) The E-Coder can be an effective customer-service tool and applied in targeted areas such as ICI accounts. The value-added E-Coder data provides benefits for both the ICI customer and the water utility by quickly identifying issues where leak detection or reverse flow detection would have otherwise been difficult, delayed or unnoticed.

Darlene McNichol is with Neptune Technology Group. E-mail: dmcnichol@neptunetg.com

CALA Training - For laboratories around the world. Rated by graduates at www.cala.ca/t_summaries.html.

Visit www.cala.ca or call 613-233-5300 for multiple methods of training in the following subjects: • • • • • • •

Laboratory accreditation and 17025 Developing quality manuals Root causes analysis for enduring solutions Using PT results to improve lab processes Internal auditing and internal calibration “Care and Feeding” of a laboratory QMS Leadership within laboratories

• •

For lab clients – “The Value of Accreditation” For lab clients – “What is Uncertainty?”

Building Laboratory Excellence 27 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:10 PM

Page 28

Water Supply

Gravity-based aqueduct constructed with concrete pressure pipe

By Bob Turnour he most interesting feature of the aqueducts carrying raw water from the Arkell Spring Grounds and the Carter Well supply to the City of Guelph, Ontario’s water treatment plant is that the water is transmitted by gravity in a non-pressurized transmission main that has been providing safe water to the residents of the City for more than 100 years.

Guelph’s Waterworks Division implemented water infrastructure replacements at the Arkell Spring Grounds and Carter Well supply throughout 2007.

This work was mandated under provincial water regulations and followed an extensive Class Environmental Assessment completed in 2005. Decommissioning of the existing 600-mm-diameter concrete watermain and construction of 1,700 metres of 900-mm-diameter C301 Class 10 concrete pressure pipe was awarded to Xterra Construction Inc. of Kitchener, Ontario. Xterra worked with Munro Concrete Products Ltd. to supply the concrete pressure pipe commonly used for aqueducts.

Before the order was given to Munro, Xterra representatives met with Munro’s technical staff to get a sense of the project from the perspective of the pipe producer. Karl Hartl, P.Eng., of Munro Concrete, reviewed the project in detail, confirming that his company was prepared for a project of this scope.

The pipe was installed following Munro’s installation specifications and the design of the project’s consulting engineer, Associated Engineering. In addition to providing technical advisory services, Munro hosted a plant tour for City staff and others involved in the project to see the pipe being produced in its modern automated plant. Visitors to the plant were encouraged to ask questions about quality control aspects of the pipe production and service life of the pipe being purchased.

Later, during construction, Munro’s sales engineering staff made frequent visits to the site to ensure any concerns were addressed in a timely fashion. The close co-operation between the staff of

T

28 | November 2008

Installed 900-mm-diameter C301 Class 10 concrete pressure pipe.

the contractor and the pipe producer was a significant factor in the successful installation of the new aqueduct.

The type of installation was a positive projection embankment, where pipe is installed with the top of the pipe projecting above the surface of the natural ground and then covered with earth fill.

The reason for this type of installation was the elevation of the bedrock. In several areas along the alignment, the bedrock is at or near the surface. Burying the new aqueduct just below grade allowed for natural drainage and minimized the amount of bedrock excavation, as well as the risk of structural damage to the existing aqueduct. Be-

cause the condition of the existing aqueduct was unknown, it was too risky to remove the rock to install the new pipeline at a lower elevation.

To achieve this type of installation, all existing ground material – consisting largely of peat and organics – had to be removed and replaced with a layer of granular B and select subgrade material. The B-bedding was installed to the underside of the pipe plus a 100-mm lift. The select subgrade material (SSM) was placed on top of the B-bedding.

The excavation crew completed the 100-mm lift, then returned to the west end, placing more SSM over the top of the pipe to create a 3- to 4-metre berm,

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:10 PM

Page 29

Water Supply which was covered by topsoil, seed and erosion control blankets.

The contractor had to address three major challenges on the project. The first challenge was huge, and considered to be the most critical operation of the project. Since the aqueduct supplies 60 per cent of the City’s raw water supply, it could not be shut down for more than four hours. Part of the tender was to supply bypass pumping equipment to handle water in the event of a break, and for the final connections. The volume of water was significant, and three 12inch-diameter pumps had to be on-site and in position in the event that the

had to be in very good condition, free of any leaks, seepage or obvious signs of distress. This condition was outlined to Munro before the order was issued. Fuelling areas were located away from the water source and staged in a common area, which was lined with a membrane to prevent absorption in the event of a spill. All crews carried spill kits and were trained in their use.

The project started in mid-May and was operational by mid-September, well within the City’s expectations. The pro-

ject demonstrates the versatility of concrete pressure pipe products and how complicated infrastructure projects are being completed through integrated construction. This construction methodology requires close communication and co-operation between the contractor, product manufacturer, logistics companies, designers and project manager.

Bob Turnour is with Munro Concrete Products Ltd. E-mail: turnour@munroconcrete.com

Three 12-inch-diameter pumps for diversion and backup.

watermain was jeopardized and the flow needed to be restored. RMS Enviro Solv supplied the pumps that diverted the water supply from the old aqueduct to the new pipeline.

The phased transition to the new aqueduct was seamless and carried out with precision. During final connections, the pumping system was put into operation and pumped continuously for five days to ensure water supply was maintained.

Secondly, the condition of the existing aqueduct was unknown. This posed a challenge because compaction of the backfill was risky, as was heavy traffic on the access road. To alleviate this risk, Xterra built a secondary access road for the heavy equipment on the north side of the existing access road, which kept vibration from traffic and compaction away from the existing aqueduct.

Thirdly, the project was located entirely in an environmentally sensitive area. All of the contractor’s equipment was switched to environmentally friendly hydraulic oil, and all machines had to have drip-collection material around the engine. The trucks delivering the pipe www.esemag.com

Clean solutions in your process automation.

Safeguarding the natural basis of our existence is something which concerns us all. Endress+Hauser supports its customers in tackling this challenge by providing excellent devices, innovative services and intelligent automation solutions. In this way we ensure processes which are safe, environmentally sound, and cost-effective. This benefits people and also protects the environment.

Count on us for practical solutions for all your water and wastewater measurement challenges.

Endress+Hauser Canada Ltd 1075 Sutton Drive Burlington, Ontario L7L 5Z8

Tel: (905) 681-9292 1-800-668-3199 Fax: (905) 681-9444 info@ca.endress.com www.ca.endress.com

29 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:11 PM

Page 30

Operations

Magnetically driven,seal-less gear pumps improve

By Noemie Boucher chemical dosing systems hemical dosing systems are used in various water treatment applications, such as polymer feed (sludge dehydration, flocculation and coagulation), caustic soda (neutralization and pH control), sodium hypochlorite (water disinfection) and more.

Magnetically driven, seal-less gear pumps designed for safely handling highly corrosive, hazardous, explosive and toxic chemicals in various industrial and municipal applications are the latest development in providing safe delivery of chemicals. These systems provide safe, leak-free service, since the magnetic coupling eliminates the need for traditional shaft-sealing methods such as mechanical seals and shaft packing, which are the primary source of leakage in rotating shaft pumps. Consequently, mean times between failures are maximized, while maintenance and

C

30 | November 2008

operation costs are minimized.

For example, the Pulsafeeder Isochem GMC1 magnetically driven pump is designed to meter or transfer highly accurate, pulse-less and continuous flow up to 0.17 m3/hr at speeds as high as 3,450 rpm.

The maximum allowable working pressure of 2,091 kPa is safely contained in 316SS, Alloy 20, Hastelloy C, Hastelloy B or titanium housing assemblies with optional RytonŽ or PEEK gears and hardened carbon or Ryton wear plate assemblies. The coaxial synchronous magnets are manufactured from rare earth samarium cobalt, capable of handling process fluid temperatures between -73°C and 232°C. Gears are integral to the drive and idler shaft, and pump bearings are integral to the wear plate. Therefore, parts are significantly minimized since traditional gear pump parts such as shaft keys and retaining rings are eliminated.

In fact, the GMC1 consists of only 11 wet end parts, in order to simplify maintenance and increase functionality.

The seal-less, magnetically driven pump is a mechanically simple device.

The gear pumps deliver a continuous output flow that can be measured without the use of pulsation dampers. The impeller is magnetically coupled without shaft seals, dramatically reducing pump maintenance.

Likewise, the Pulsafeeder Eclipse Series pumps are built for use in the harshest industrial environments. Designed to be structurally rugged with corrosionresistant materials, this system is an ideal fit for many medium to highly corrosive liquids used in the chemical processing, pulp and paper and water treatment industries. There is no mechanical seal to wear and leak, so there is zero leakage of hazardous or regulated chemicals.

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:11 PM

Page 31

Operations The Eclipse Series magnetically driven pump is designed to meter or transfer accurate, pulse-less and continuous flow up to 4.5 m3/hr at temperatures as high as 66°C. The maximum allowable working pressure of 1,046 kPa is contained in carbon-reinforced ETFE housing assemblies with carbon-reinforced PTFE gears, alumina ceramic shafts and carbon graphite or graphiteimpregnated silicon-carbide bearings. A non-metallic containment eliminates energy loss and heat rise due to eddy current losses, which are common in metallic pumps. Moreover, its universal flanges with PTFE inserts allow the pump to mate to both ANSI and DIN flange connections and the PTFE inserts act as a gasket that can be reused or replaced to ensure a proper seal.

These pumps can handle fluids with a viscosity maximum of 10,000 cps.

They also allow for up to 30 minutes of safe running during system upset conditions where a suction valve has been shut or supply tank emptied. The pump’s patent-pending bearing design promotes constant lubrication during

www.esemag.com

Standard duplex gear pump skid.

periods of dry run. Many other pump designs cannot tolerate such conditions without catastrophic damage.

All of the wetted components are completely non-metallic, eliminating the need to replace expensive parts that

are prone to corrosion and wear. The wear is transferred from the centre housing to the insert, making the performance 100% renewable with a simple change of the KOPKit. There is no continued overleaf...

31 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:11 PM

Page 32

Operations need to replace expensive centre housings to achieve “as-new” performance.

All typical wear components can be easily replaced by removing the front cover only. Since there is no need to disconnect piping or motor connections to service the pump, downtime for repair or scheduled maintenance is reduced.

The advanced design of this magnetically driven pump utilizes a total of 16 parts, making it easier to inventory, maintain and service.

Packaged systems A typical chemical dosing system includes the following components: • Magnetic-coupled gear pump to pump the chemical • Vector-type variable frequency drive to control the pump speed • Magnetic flow meter to measure the actual chemical flow • Pressure transducer to protect against excessive discharge pressures • PID controller to control the dosage The whole system has been assembled as a skid and all the required components are mounted close together in order to achieve a compact package with easy access to wear parts. Only simple utilities connections are required to start the unit, including power, electrical and signal wiring, water supply and chemical suction and discharge lines. Every system is completely tested and calibrated in the factory to avoid problems on-site.

Magnetically driven, seal-less pumps are small, simple and generate a smooth discharge flow. When they are mounted on a skid with a PID controller, the dosage will be regulated and an accuracy of less than 1% can be achieved.

With a continuous output flow measurement, the system can automatically adjust for mechanical wear of the pump.

Such innovative configurations minimize space requirements as there is no need for day tanks and associated equipment. Moreover, minimum maintenance is required as complete pump overhaul can be done in less than an hour.

Case study The City of Toronto uses a variety of chemicals in its water treatment processes. Magnetically driven, sealless pumps are used for ammonia, alum, polymer and PACl. Several magnetically driven, seal-less pumps (Eclipse series) were installed on hydrofluosili32 | November 2008

cic acid (fluoride) to replace Alloy C pumps, which could remain in operation for only two weeks compared to the four-year operating life of the Eclipse replacement system.

With a total for all three plants of 45 magnetically driven, seal-less gear pumps, the dosing accuracy has considerably improved and is now more related to the accuracy of the flow pacing signal. Another improvement that the operators of the Toronto Water Treatment Plants have appreciated is the reduced maintenance, since there is no more calibration of weight scales, no oil to change and no risk of oil contamination in the water. The pumps are found to be reliable, simple to use and easy to maintain, especially with the non-directional KOPKit gear replacement.

FJ Horgan “Chemical Alley” with simplex gear pump skids.

Conclusions Chemical dosing technologies have evolved greatly over the past 20 years.

Traditional chemical dosing systems, while perfectly acceptable in some situations, do have some drawbacks. Magnetically driven, seal-less gear pumps are one of the technologies that can easily, safely and accurately deliver the most corrosive of chemicals in water treatment plants. The metering of corrosive chemicals, including turnkey systems, is designed to suit all sorts of applications.

For more information, E-mail: NBoucher@johnmeunier.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:11 PM

Page 33

In Memoriam Geoffrey Scott February 22,1923 – November 6,2008 Canada’s wastewater treatment industry has lost one of its most recognizable statesmen, with the passing of Geoff Scott.

Geoff was President of Canadian-British Engineering Consultants (1971) Limited and Chairman of the Board of the CanadianBritish Consulting Group. In 1976, Geoff started his own company, performing inspections for companies who needed to obtain insurance for Environmental Impairment Liability.

Geoff was a tireless worker for the Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO) in various roles, including being its first Secretary-Treasurer. In 1975, he received the Bedell Award from the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and a year later he became a Diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. In 1979, Geoff become only the second Canadian ever to be President of WEF. Many of us in the Ontario wastewater industry will fondly remember Geoff, as the man with the large golden shovel who, each year, with tongue in cheek, inducted new recipients into the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers, at WEAO’s annual conferences.

He was one of the founders of the Ontario 5S Society, and was affectionately known as “pH 7”, the Effluent Integrator. His 5S enthusiasm went with him on his many travels and he helped set up other chapters across Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Geoff was also an avid supporter of Water for People - Canada, and as his final gesture for them had requested that in-memoriam donations for him be sent to the organization.

Donations to Water For People – Canada, in memory of Geoff Scott, can be sent to Joan Conyers, Administrative Assistant, Water For People – Canada, 255 Consumers Road, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 5B6.

Our versatile Series 700 transducers solve any level sensing need in less than 5 days.

Series 700 submersible level transducers provide numerous cost-effective options for applications such as level control, pump control, and well monitoring:

• Custom level ranges (5 to 700 ft.)

• Wide accuracy ranges (to ±0.05% FS) • Analog output options (mA, VDC, mV) • Application-compatible nose cap alternatives • Multiple cable types in custom lengths • Welded 316 SS or titanium construction • Optional lifetime lightning protection And they deliver those solutions quickly, too, with lead times of 1-5 days.

Benefit from industry-best performance and economy delivered by the originator of KPSI Level and Pressure Transducers, with reliability proven in the most demanding environments.

For a closer look at such versatile level sensing technology, contact Pressure Systems today.

Order online at: www.PressureSystems.com

(800) 328-3665 sales@PressureSystems.com Geoff Scott and Penny Davey, Sales Director, ES&E, at the Annual Luncheon of the 5S Ontario Chapter in June 2008.

www.esemag.com

33 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:11 PM

Page 34

Site Remediation

Phytoremediation of an ethylene glycol plume used as an alternative to pump and treat

By David Carnegie and David Malcolm ites contaminated by past industrial activities are ubiquitous. Tougher environmental regulations and/or increased demand for real estate commonly make remediation of such sites desirable. Design and application of remediation programs are affected by a number of factors such as: costs, time constraints, remediation criteria, contaminant type, and physical setting.

Malroz Engineering Inc. was retained to manage the remediation of an active industrial site in Ontario, contaminated by leaking waste lagoons.

Control of the multi-chemical groundwater contaminant plume was initially achieved in the 1980s, utilizing a pump and treat system, and projections indicated that it would take many decades of operation to remediate the property.

The remedial action plan was re-exam-

S

ined in the early 2000s to provide a more economical approach. Phytoremediation was among the most appealing alternatives.

Phytoremediation is the use of plants to facilitate remediation. It is an evolving technology with promising economical advantages. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates savings associated with phytotechnologies to be in the range of 50% - 80% of traditional approaches.

The act of phytoremediation typically occurs through one or more pathways associated with hyperaccumulation, evapotranspiration, and degradation. The remedial pathway is dependent on the contaminant and plant species.

Hyperaccumulation involves plants which have an affinity for the uptake of a desired contaminant and a tolerance to high concentrations of these chemicals in

Soil collection during field studies.

WIRELESS MADE SIMPLE With 45 years experience and 17 locations across the nation, Glentel is Canada’s leading wireless solutions provider.

We offer integrated wireless solutions using terrestrial and satellite voice and data applications.

Beyond our product offerings, Glentel provides service and implementation to ensure your solution is working all the time, every time.

Contact Glentel today.

SALES

|

|

R E N TA L S S E R V I C E 1.800.GLENTEL www.glentel.com

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M logo are registered in the U.S. patent and Trademark OfďŹ ce.

All other products or service names are the property of their respective owners.

34 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:12 PM

Page 35

Site Remediation

Summer year 2.

Summer year 3.

Summer year 4.

their tissues. Although the plant must often be disposed of as hazardous waste and care must be taken to prevent exposure to humans or wildlife, the process is less invasive and less expensive than the commonly used ‘dig and dump’approach.

Evapotranspiration is the process by which plants draw water from the subsurface and release it into the atmosphere across their leaf surfaces. Where water soluble contaminants are present, plants may act as biological pumps, discharging contaminants into the atmosphere where, ideally, they are photodegraded.

Naturally this approach is only desirable if the contaminant will photodegrade or be innocuous in the atmosphere.

Rapid degradation is desirable as it www.esemag.com

minimizes risk to humans and wildlife, and eliminates the need for a final disposal step at a designated facility.

Degradation is facilitated through, or associated with, metabolic processes, where contaminants have homology to substrates of enzymatic reactions and are degraded into less harmful compounds. These processes may occur within the plant tissues or through microbial activity in association with a plant’s roots.

More specifically, plants have a sphere of influence in the subsurface surrounding their roots, referred to as the rhizosphere. The rhizosphere offers an opportune ecological environment for the enrichment of soil microorgan-

isms, created by physical and chemical manipulation of the subsurface by root growth.

Physical manipulation may manifest as translocation of microorganisms through the subsurface and/or improved exchange of nutrients, water and oxygen, facilitated by improved porosity.

Chemical manipulation is typically driven by the active secretion of a milieu of compounds associated with root development, into the surrounding rhizosphere soil.

These compounds offer a rich nutritional edge to soil microorganisms which, in turn, are often able to metabolize the contaminants and out-compete their neighbours, creating distinct communities often referred to as consortia. Because the chemical compositions of compounds secreted from roots may be species related, the consortia associated with the rhizosphere of such plants may be predictable and unique to that plant species.

It has been demonstrated that the consortia of certain plant rhizospheres are reproducibly able to degrade specific contaminants. Gaining a better understanding of what these relationships are and how they are formed leads to improved confidence in the design and application of phytoremediation systems. This translates into selecting appropriate tree species and microbial consortia for a site, based on site conditions and the contaminant(s).

Encouraged by ongoing research and early case studies, Malroz undertook the planting of a phytoremediation test plot consisting of poplar and willow trees to evaluate their viability as an economical alternative to pump and treat. Poplar and willow trees were selected for their rapid growth rate, ability to set deep roots and high rates of evapotranspiration.

At the test plot site, ethylene glycol represented one of the most concentrated compounds in the groundwater plume. A review of literature regarding the fate of ethylene glycol in the environment suggested microbial degradation as a significant pathway by which the compound was naturally attenuated.

In collaboration with university researchers and financial support from continued overleaf...

35 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:12 PM

Page 36

Site Remediation

Evapotranspiration field studies.

the National Research Council of Canada, a series of studies was conducted to evaluate the ability of rhizosphere microorganisms from the test plot to degrade ethylene glycol.

This research not only demonstrated that rhizosphere microorganisms had the capacity to degrade ethylene glycol at a greater rate than bulk soils, but also provided valuable insights into the successful enhancement of microbial degradation. It

was found that enhancement of the degradation process might be achieved through nutrient management, ensuring that necessary compounds for metabolism do not become depleted.

Research was also undertaken to characterize microbial consortia with molecular biology techniques in an attempt to identify potential keystone species. This could aid in streamlining pilot work by allowing a project man-

DYNASAND® Continuous Backwash Sand Filter

ager to evaluate if microorganisms indigenous to a site were amenable to degradation or if other courses of action, such as enrichment and bioaugmentation, were necessary.

The promising results of the test plot studies to date indicate that phytoremediation is a viable alternative to pump and treat. Greater confidence in the application and assessment of clean-up objectives has come from the improved understanding of this inherently dynamic biological treatment system. The projected savings of the phytoremediation approach versus pump and treat are estimated at $750,000, representing 70% to 80% over a 20 year period.

These savings are consistent with US EPA estimates.

The potential financial advantages of phytotechnologies and general uncertainty associated with their effective implementation, underscore the need for continued research in this area.

David Carnegie and David Malcolm are with Malroz Engineering, Kingston, Ontario.

E-mail: carnegie@malroz.com

SaniBrane® Membrane Bioreactors

For over 19 years, both municipalities and industry have chosen Parkson's DynaSand Filter over all other filters. It's a clear favourite due to its lack of moving parts, ability to handle plant upsets, and low levels of operator attention and maintenance required.

Parkson has the process know-how and experienced staff to support your filtration needs. We're the leader in continuous-cleaning sand filtration technology, with over 4,000 installations throughout North America.

Call us.

First discharge from SaniBrane® Membrane Bioreactor, Snap Lake exceeded effluent requirements.

Revolutionizing Wastewater Treatment www.parkson.com • Canada@parkson.com

www.sanitherm.com

Tel 514-636-8712 • Fax 514-636-9718

North Vancouver, BC, Canada Tel: 604-986-9168 Fax: 604-986-5377 E-mail: saneng@sanitherm.com

205-1000 St-Jean • Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5P1 An Axel Johnson Company

36 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:10 PM

Page 37

Brownfields

Identification and remediation of a Brownfield property etween September 2006 and September 2008 an industrial Brownfield property in Mississauga, Ontario, was identified, purchased, remediated, and sold

by Kilmer Brownfield Equity Fund (Kilmer), with support from Jacques Whitford Limited.

Prior to the enactment of Ontario Regulation 153/04 in 2004, it is unlikely that this property would have been purchased, remediated and redeveloped due to issues such as uncertainties relating to future environmental liability. In addition to establishing environmental liability protection for Brownfield property owners, Ontario Regulation 153/04 allows flexible remedial and risk management approaches to addressing soil and groundwater contamination.

Site history The dormant property was used for industrial purposes from 1964 through to 2004. The primary activity on the site was for the manufacture of PVC gloves and the assembly and distribution of medical supplies. Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessment activities commissioned by the previous owner identified contaminants of concern associated with the manufacturing activities at the property (phthalates), as well as volatile organic compounds (primarily trichloroethylene,

B

Aerial view of South Sheridan Way Brownfield to the south-east.

mercial or industrial redevelopment within the framework permitted under Ontario Regulation 153/04.

Site characterization and interpretation Jacques Whitford was retained by Kilmer in late 2006 during the due diligence phase of the property acquisition.

The success of this Brownfield development required an accurate site characterization to permit the development of cost estimates to maximize the value of the property, following site remediation, within an acceptable timeline that would result in site closure and the acknowledgement of the Record of Site Condition (RSC).

By Chris Cushing, P.Geo. characterization of bedrock groundwater at the property with respect to the contaminants of concern, and the assessment of what influence the numerous shallow-buried public and private services had on the distribution and migration of identified contaminants.

To address these limitations, Jacques Whitford completed a supplemental Phase II ESA in late-2007. The results of the supplemental Phase II ESA and subsequent assessment of potential remedial approaches and associated anticipated costs confirmed that the property could be remediated within an acceptable timeline and at an acceptable cost. Kilmer subsequently purchased the property in February 2007.

Site remediation/risk assessment Jacques Whitford then developed a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) to address identified Contaminants of Concern in continued overleaf...

Although the completed environmental characterization identified impacts to soil and groundwater from both on-site and off-site activities, Kilmer identified potential opportunities to restore the property to permit future commercial or industrial redevelopment. cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride). These originated from an off-site location and had migrated onto the property, primarily through coarse-grained bedding materials associated with a public sanitary sewer main.

Although the completed environmental characterization identified impacts to soil and groundwater from both on-site and off-site activities, Kilmer identified potential opportunities to restore the property to permit future comwww.esemag.com

A review of existing documentation characterizing environmental conditions associated with the property, while very useful, identified some limitations; specific elements of the site conditions (certain contaminants) required refinement before Kilmer could be comfortable purchasing the property. These limitations were primarily associated with confirmation of the applicable Site Conditions Standards for the property under Ontario Regulation 153/04. These included the 37 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:12 PM

Page 38

Brownfields

Phthalate excavation area.

soil and groundwater. The ultimate goal was to receive an acknowledged O.Reg.153/04 Record of Site Condition with no limitations to future commercial or industrial development associated with a Certificate of Property Use. Soil and groundwater impacted with phthalates were restored using conventional remedial excavation and off-site disposal to available generic Table 3 Site Condition Standards available under O.Reg.153/04. VOC impact to groundwater was addressed through the com-

pletion of a human health and ecological Site Specific Risk Assessment (SSRA), coupled with supplemental in situ chemical oxidation.

A second SSRA was completed on a 30 metre portion of the property to address a sensitive water body abutting a site boundary.

Once the property was purchased, Kilmer immediately initiated discussions and provided information regarding the intended remediation approach to the local District Office of the On-

tario Ministry of the Environment as well as the City of Mississauga, the Region of Peel, and homeowners adjacent to the property.

Upon the completion of site demolition activities, Jacques Whitford managed the active remediation of soil and groundwater at the property over a period of five months from June to October 2007. Concurrent with the remedial activities, Jacques Whitford was completing the two SSRAs which were submitted to the MOE for review in June and November 2007 respectively. They were ultimately approved by the MOE in January and July 2008 respectively.

A key element to the MOE approval of the SSRAs was the absence of development conditions that could have been included in a Certificate of Property Use for the property. Examples of development conditions that are common in Certificates of Property Use include limitations on the location and depth of building construction on the property, or the requirement that Risk Mitigation measures be included in the building design. These can limit development options for a property and, therefore, can

POLYREX:

POLYMER MAKE-UP SYSTEM • Without blockage and fisheyes • Complete polymer dissolving • Reliable and robust • Over 80 running systems in Canada • Turn-key systems • Wide variety of configurations and options to choose from John Meunier Inc. T-905-286-4846 F- 905-286-5805 instrumentation@johnmeunier.com www.johnmeunier.com ORDER DESK: 1-888-MEUNIER 38 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

10:04 PM

Page 39

Brownfields

Complete Disinfection Solutions.

South end of drainage area.

decrease the potential property value.

Acknowledged RSCs for the property were received in September 2008. Kilmer ultimately sold the property to a multi-national development corporation on September 24, 2008 – less than 19 months from the date of purchase. The new owner has initiated site preparation activities. Construction activities for a commercial development will begin in 2009.

Elements of success The successful completion of this Brownfield project was aided by three factors which can be applied to, and benefit virtually every Brownfield development initiated in Ontario: 1.A clear understanding of owners’ objectives – The remedial approach implemented at this Brownfield property was not unique. Jacques Whitford recognized that a number of remedial technologies were available that could have addressed the contaminants of concern.

However, their applicability in this case was limited as their success with respect to cost and time could not be guaranteed.

Ultimately, the key to the project was an integrated risk assessment and remediation program. Aligned objectives between consultant and owner are essential.

2. An engaged owner – The completion of site assessment/remediation and risk assessment under Ontario Regulation 153/04 involves a significant amount of liaison with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. If the owner www.esemag.com

is proactive in their communications with the MOE, it leads to a better understanding of their issues within the government bureaucracy than can typically be relayed by the consultant.

3. Transparent communication – When a SSRA is submitted for MOE review, the review is completed not only by the Standards and Development Branch but also the applicable District Office. It is the responsibility of the District Engineer within the District Office to review the SSRA with respect to the potential requirement for a CPU for the property. Discussions with the MOE District Engineer can establish the expectations of both owner and regulator on issues that can impact the requirement or content of a CPU. By establishing communication with the District Office of the MOE well in advance of the remediation tasks or the submission of the SSRA, the possibility of delays can be eliminated. For the same reason, early dialogue with the local and upper-tier municipalities can eliminate potential delays for issues such as notification on the intent to apply Table 3 Non-Potable Site Condition Standards at a property.

Chris Cushing is Senior Consultant, Environmental Site Assessment & Remediation, with Jacques Whitford. E-mail: chris.cushing@jacqueswhitford.com

The Aquaray® SLP UV Systems are designed for both water and wastewater applications and are offered in a range of compact models ideally suited for small and medium size plants.

Aquaray® SLP Reactor

HEADWORKS BIOLOGY SEPARATION MEMBRANE DISINFECTION BIOSOLIDS SYSTEMS

Ozonia North America 491 Edward H. Ross Drive, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407

(201) 794 3100 www.degremont-technologies.com

39 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:10 PM

Page 40

Wastewater

Infiltration chambers play increasing role in decentralized wastewater treatment

By Dennis Hallahan he evolution of the decentralized wastewater treatment industry over the past 15 years has created a need for new approaches. Coupled with environmental demands that continue to challenge plant operators, engineers, regulators and product manufacturers, this evolution has benefited the industry with new ways of thinking about how decentralized wastewater treatment is accomplished and managed.

The onsite evolution is also driven by increased awareness among consumers and municipal regulators about the need to protect environmentally sensitive areas, which has resulted in the approval of more restrictive building and development codes and new regulations for wastewater treatment. As part of this trend, growing awareness of nutrient damage to the environment from nitrogen and phosphorus, aquifer protection, and the value of water as a resource

T

have come to the forefront.

There is now a move toward the use of advanced wastewater treatment and onsite disposal technology in municipal applications and infiltration chambers have played a large role in the ever-expanding number of applications for decentralized treatment.

Municipal wastewater treatment facilities As municipalities are stretched by reduced funding, a reluctance to increase taxes, and failing or under-capacity infrastructure, they are turning to new ideas to solve their challenges. To accommodate growth in the face of restricted government funding, municipal managers have turned to enhancing current facilities or co-ordinating wastewater treatment programs and needs regionally and even by community.

Chambers can be used in municipal applications to extend the life of municipal wastewater treatment facilities, and to

provide effective treatment in community-wide wastewater treatment systems.

The catalyst for innovation In most communities, sustaining development and growth while protecting the natural environment is the mandate.

Watersheds and groundwater supplies are critical areas under careful scrutiny when in the proximity of any potential runoff or pollutant stream. Even municipalities themselves must closely regulate not only the capacity and quality of their infrastructure systems, but how any expansion or change to those systems will affect the surrounding area.

Case study: Ontario The Port Burwell Sewage Treatment Plant sits on the shore of Big Otter Creek near Lake Erie in Bayham, Ontario.With steady growth in the surrounding area, providing expanded wastewater treatment services while protecting the lake environment was a challenge. To accommodate the growth, the decision was

Walkerton Clean Water Centre – Staff Announcement October 15, 2008 On November 17th, 2008 Brian Jobb will be joining the Walkerton Clean Water Centre as Manager, Drinking Water Training.

Brian’s knowledge of current and advanced drinking water treatment techniques, his ongoing development and delivery of specialized training courses will be of benefit to the Centre.

The Centre’s goal is to deliver an appropriate mix of technical training (content, delivery methods, accessibility, etc.) and to assess its existing training capabilities and identify specific training coordination and delivery roles for the Centre. This is to ensure that its training programs are effective and accessible to owners, operators, and operating authorities of drinking water systems.

Under Brian’s leadership the Training Group for the Centre will: • Continue working to establish a focused program of outreach and education relating to the mandate of the Centre to deliver education and training programs with a focus on small, remote, and First Nations communities.

• Increase the number of courses being offered.

Annually, the Centre coordinates a large seminar in urban centres throughout Ontario to bring together internationally renowned drinking water experts to share their knowledge.

In the coming months, you will meet Brian as he represents the Centre at various water related conferences and events throughout Ontario.

Please visit the Centre’s website www.wcwc.ca for more training program details.

40 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:13 PM

Page 41

Wastewater

Flexible Solutions for Clarification

The design at Port Burwell includes inspection ports and manholes so the bed can be physically inspected.

made to connect the surrounding communities to the Port Burwell plant and explore how this facility could be modified for future efficiency, added capacity and environmental stability.

Engineers evaluated the expansion options for the facility and created a conceptual design report based on projected population growth in and around the Big Otter Creek area. The report determined that the treatment capacity of the existing Port Burwell plant would have to be expanded from 528 m3 per day to 1,060 m3 per day to handle future demand, and presented three options for expansion of the facility.

After an extensive investigation of these options, an onsite solution was recommended to convert the originally designed outfall to an exfiltration bed utilizing Infiltrator速 chambers. The exfiltration chamber system saved considerable cost and also provided additional pollutant removal.A key benefit of installing an exfiltration bed, in addition to expanding the overall capacity of the plant, is the resulting reduction in phosphorus, which is also naturally removed by the soil, thereby reducing the impact to the sensitive lake environment.

The chamber gallery is located in the www.esemag.com

existing plant outfall easement adjacent to the treatment facility and provides sufficient capacity to discharge the effluent from the sequenced batch reactors (SBRs) on a sequential basis, including a 25% surcharge. The design also includes inspection ports and manholes so the bed can be physically inspected. The entire bed area is excavated to a depth of approximately 1.2 metres.

A concern from the start was the fluctuating groundwater levels in the area, which could result in the bed becoming submerged. The system was designed so the hydraulics of the plant ensure that the plant effluent will enter the bed and filter through the soil, then into the groundwater. Adjustments to the system were made for the groundwater issue after operation began.

An update on this system and its operation in April 2008 reflected excellent results from the exfiltration system, which has more than met the original capacity projections and environmental requirements, and has performed trouble-free, according to Ed Roloson, manager of the Port Burwell facility.

Fluctuating groundwater levels continue to challenge the project but have continued overleaf...

The AquaDAF速 Clarifier HighRate Dissolved Air Flotation System is a viable alternative to conventional settling & DAF clarifiers. Highly effective for treatment of a range of raw water characteristics.

HEADWORKS BIOLOGY SEPARATION MEMBRANE DISINFECTION BIOSOLIDS SYSTEMS

INFILCO DEGREMONT, Inc. 8007 Discovery Drive, Richmond, VA 23229

(800) 446 1150 www.degremont-technologies.com

41 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:13 PM

Page 42

Wastewater been managed through the addition of some tiling to control the flow to the exfiltration galleries. In addition, vegetation has grown above the system as planned, so it is nearly invisible and does not obscure the landscape.

Centralized treatment with disposal systems In some jurisdictions, mandates require onsite septic system updates and affect individuals as well as municipalities. No one is exempt from meeting sanitary codes and often municipalities are charged with finding a way to promote business in their area, while recognizing that existing outdated systems are underperforming and may even be a threat to public health.

Case study: Massachusetts Vineyard Haven is one of several small towns on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. A prominent summer vacation spot, the downtown has numerous buildings used for retail and a whole host of services for the yearround and escalating summer populations. These buildings have been on individual septic systems for years, and

until several years ago many were still operating substandard cesspools as their onsite wastewater treatment system. A percentage of the buildings in the downtown area were experiencing ongoing problems with their individual onsite sewage disposal systems, many of which did not meet Title 5 (Massachusetts Sanitary Code) standards.

Due to the close proximity of these buildings to Vineyard Harbor, there was concern that the inadequately treated wastewater would create a public health issue in this swimming and recreation area. As a result, the town was put under an Administrative Consent Order from the state Department of Environmental Protection to halt the discharge of inadequately treated wastewater to the harbor. Those systems in actual or imminent failure were identified, and a collection system of low-pressure and gravity sewers was designed to collect flow from only those buildings to correct the immediate and most critical problems.

Before the final decision was made, several types of upgraded onsite wastewater treatment systems and cluster sep-

tic systems were evaluated as possible options to stabilize the situation and provide for future needs. In most cases, the individual properties did not have sufficient land area to install a replacement system, or the groundwater levels in the immediate area were too high and would have compromised the treatment process.

It was decided that a centralized wastewater treatment facility with a groundwater discharge was the best solution. The system design was limited to the buildings identified with problems. A collection system including gravity and low-pressure small-diameter pumps and piping and a 100,000 gpd sequenced batch reactor was installed.

Two separate leaching fields designed for 50,000 gpd each use Infiltrator chambers. The layout flexibility and ease of installation were key to the product’s selection for this application, as was the possibility to use the surface area above the system for recreational fields for the town.

The SBR treatment facility pumps to both leachfields in the summer and alternates between the leachfields in the

HOBO H O BO U30-GSM U 30 -GSM REMOTE REMOT E MONITORING M ON ITORIIN G SYSTEM SYST EM Web-based W eb-bassed Outdoor Out do or E Environmental n vir v onmen tal Monitoring M on nit or ing Wireless W ir eless HOBO U30/GSM R Remote emot e M Monitoring o or ing System onit S y st em In t egr a t ed GSM rremote emot e ccommunications om mmunic a tions Integrated

Wi-Fi W i-Fi HOBO U30/W U30/WiFi iFi R Remote emot e M Monitoring o or ing System onit S y st em Integrated In t egr a t ed W Wi-Fi i-Fi ccommunications ommunicc a tions

Next-generation N e x t-gener a tion Standalone S t andalone HOBO U30/NR U30/NRC CM Monitoring onit or ing g System S y st em N e x t-gener a tion, da ta lo gg ing weather w ea ther sta tion Next-generation, data logging station

Wide W ide R Range ange of M Measurements easur emen ts Temp er a tur e Temperature Relative R ela tiv e Humidit Humidityy Rainfall R ainfall SSoil oil Moisture M oistur e Wind W ind Speed S p eed & D Direction ir ec tion t LLeaf eaf W Wetness etness PAR P AR SSolar olar Radiation R adia tion Pulse P ulse Input Analog A nalo g Input Barometric B ar ometr ic Pressure P r essur e ffor or mor more e inf information: ormation: www www.hoskin.ca/sites/hoskin/files/onset-outdoor.pdf w.hosk . kin.ca/sites/hoskin/files/onset-outtdoor.pdf

C onnecc t sensors Connect sensors,, plug in ba tt er y, and go battery, R educ e data da ta rretrieval etr ie v al cost c ost Reduce G et no tified of pr oblems via Get notified problems ccell ell ph one or e-mail phone

HOSKIN H O S KIN SCIENTIFIC S

Vancouver: 604-872-789 604-872-7894 94 Mont Montreal: real: 514-735-526 514-735-5267 7 Burlington: 905-333-55 905-333-5510 10 42 | November 2008

www.hoskin.ca www. hoskin.ca

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:55 PM

Page 43

Wastewater

The Only Clarifier You Need The Port Burwell Sewage Treatment Plant sits on the shore of Big Otter Creek near Lake Erie in Ontario. The system has more than met the original capacity projections and environmental requirements.

off-season. The effluent is then pumped to the second leachfield about 1.5 miles from the treatment facility. In addition to servicing select buildings in the downtown area, the treatment system was designed with the capacity to accommodate additional intake of wastewater from septic trucks around the area as an added service to the town.

The treatment facility and the disposal fields are performing as expected, resulting in no further issues with the wastewater from downtown businesses.

Looking ahead, the town is planning to solve nitrogen loading issues in two pond areas, which could require an extension of the plant, including the need for an additional disposal field. A site for this additional field has already been selected close to the original disposal fields. The Martha’s Vineyard Commis-

sion is currently studying the pond situation across the island and is expected to issue a report in the near future on needs and solutions.

Conclusion Engineers, designers, installers and regulators faced with municipal projects in environmentally sensitive areas have a wealth of options to choose from. The need to develop areas away from sewers and the traditional wastewater treatment plant configuration continues to increase.

Tightening environmental regulations drives progress in the development of technology and designs in order to meet the wastewater treatment needs of communities and countries worldwide.

Dennis F. Hallahan is with Infiltrator Systems. E-mail: hallahan@infiltratorsystems.net

Ideally suited to a broad range of applications, the DensaDegÂŽ Clarifier/Thickener is the most versatile high-rate solids contact clarifier on the market.

HEADWORKS BIOLOGY SEPARATION MEMBRANE DISINFECTION BIOSOLIDS SYSTEMS

Each issue of ES&E is now available on-line!

Visit www.esemag.com to download this issue, or any past issues you may have missed.

INFILCO DEGREMONT, Inc. 8007 Discovery Drive, Richmond, VA 23229

(800) 446 1150 www.degremont-technologies.com

www.esemag.com

43 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:13 PM

Page 44

Each year, ES&E invites experts and leaders in environmental consulting to share their opinions, experiences and values with our readers. We continue to be honored every year with erudite responses from some of our leading consulting engineers. Their opinions are based on many years of collective experience in maintaining high standards, while keeping up with the diversity and complexities of environmental engineering and managerial leadership.

Integrating an increasingly diverse engineering workforce

By Bill De Angelis, MBA, P.Eng.,Vice President and General Manager, Associated Engineering hat are the issues, how are they addressed, who participates in the exercise, how does it happen, and what is the cost to a firm in integrating foreign professionals?

This is a touchy topic, but one we all need to face, and sooner rather than later.

Could anyone have predicted the fall of Enron? How about the mortgage and credit crises in the US? (Many of us could and many people did).Often when we know something with negative repercussions is going to happen, we tend not to act, hoping the situation will either miraculously go away, or that it won’t manifest itself until we are out of the picture. It is human nature to avoid unpleasant situations.

Where I’m going with this is to the current global crisis in the availability of technical talent. In our firms we know it exists, but we still keep hoping to fill our company vacancies with locally-born and trained engineering professionals.

We know they are not out there in the numbers required.

That being the case, have we set up our companies to attract, mentor and nurture the current pool of foreign-

W

44 | November 2008

trained engineers? I believe that, if we don’t do so, we risk losing our market positions to those firms that value the energy and talent that is currently available but that we are not harnessing. We also need to recognize that this talent pool will not be available forever – our foreign neighbours will themselves soon need all the talent they can generate.

This article acknowledges that we need foreign-trained professionals, and deals with the real world challenges of integrating them into our firms.

Diversity Diversity can enrich an organization, but it also increases its complexity of operation. Integration of new professionals raises challenges in areas of team, language, generation and culture.

Diversity is expressed in the many facets of today’s workforce, in areas that include culture, gender, ethnic background, religious beliefs, and generational perspectives. We are experiencing an influx of foreign-trained professionals with their own perspectives on what an engineer is supposed to be, shaped by their own experiences and upbringing, and often in deference to our benchmarks.

Biases When reviewing the qualifications of foreign engineers, the tendency is to evaluate their competencies and abilities from the perspective of our own backgrounds, experiences and norms. Many of us want and expect them to be like you and I, and, if they aren’t, then we sometimes do not consider them further.

Language English is a second language for many new engineers; this is perhaps one of the greatest challenges to overcome in our business. Information and directions that are misunderstood can lead to mistakes and project problems, both technical and financial.

Technical skills A high level of technical competence seems to be a common denominator for most newcomers; accessing that ability is a challenge when language is a barrier and understanding is difficult.

Team play Integrating new professionals into a traditional workforce is often fraught with conflict; it takes a lot of energy and effort to bring on a new player.There can be reluctance from other staff to work with the new team members. Some for-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:13 PM

eign professionals are “individual producers” and work best on their own; others welcome the team model. Some shun groups because of a lack of confidence in their English skills.

Mentoring Our firms have mentoring programs.

Are they set up to allow us to replicate ourselves, or to unlock the promise of our new charges? Who designs our mentoring programs? Do they consider cultural differences? I subscribe that most do not.

Human Resource Departments Our HR departments are not set up to screen new recruits from different language and cultural settings. Internal screening processes can eliminate talented individuals because we cannot rightly assess skills that may be outside of our norms but of value nonetheless.

Similarly, external human resource professionals provide pre-employment testing tools to assist us in making the “right “ hiring decisions, but are they effective in these circumstances? They seem to have been developed from the same frames of reference as our own programs and may, therefore, be of questionable value within this context.

Page 45

Entering the engineering profession Our experience in hiring CADD staff is that many applicants are foreigntrained engineers who cannot get past the screening processes at our firms. Their entry into consulting offices is via the drafting board. We have recently taken on several talented engineers who came to us through a drafting agency, and who proved their abilities once in our employ.

While it is a way into the profession, it is not making the best use of an individual’s skills, training and potential.

Where do we go from here?

The challenge we face cannot be resolved without changing the way we do business. There is a cost to employing foreign-trained engineers; there is a time requirement for training; and there is an impact on how we bid and deliver work.

As an industry, we need to resolve to hire qualified foreign-trained engineers.

We need to understand that, in many cases, comprehension will be an issue.

Encouragement and support must be provided to new recruits to perfect their communications skills. We need to take the time to integrate the new staff into our organizations, remembering that the

skills they bring to us were developed in different cultural settings.

Each of us has a responsibility to make the process a success, including the corporation or firm, the existing staff, and the new professional.

A good plan, evaluation tools and feedback mechanisms are all important elements that together ensure the delivery of a successful project. What they don’t capture in this discussion are the complexities of dealing with the cultural differences and communications challenges.

All else being equal, and understanding the numerous challenges to be faced, my take on the topic is that the keys to successful hiring and integration of foreign-trained professionals into the Canadian engineering workforce are patience, tolerance and mutual respect by all involved.

Contact: deangelisb@ae.ca

Changing the consulting landscape.

AECOM has branched out to become North America’s fastest-growing consulting engineering firm.

With our newly expanded depth and breadth of expertise, we provide full-service solutions to our clients in the areas of transportation, water, community infrastructure, environment and design.

AECOM is a leading global provider of professional technical and management support services for government and commercial clients around the world.

We provide our services through our global network of more than 41,000 employees in more than 100 countries.

www.aecom.com

www.esemag.com

45 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:14 PM

Page 46

Water sustainability: a looming

By Dan McCarthy, Black & Veatch global challenge he future of water is anything but clear. It is fraught with challenges — too much, too little, too contaminated or too inaccessible to meet our needs.

We live in a rapidly changing world in which many of our expectations about natural resources may no longer be met.

The seeming abundance of safe, lowcost water may falsely lead us to assume perpetual easy access to all the water we want, when we want it.

The water industry today must examine these assumptions. Although water covers 70% of our planet’s surface, less than 0.5% is freshwater available for our use. Most of our planet’s water is in oceans and too salty for many uses. Much of the remainder is locked in frozen glaciers, is remote from population centres or circulating in the atmosphere. So this seemingly abundant resource is actually quite constrained.

What’s changing?

Three factors are having an impact on our freshwater resources: • Population growth — The world’s population is 6.6 billion and growing. As a result, humans are demanding more of

T

population for the first time in history.

Fifty per cent of the world’s population lives in metropolitan areas, increasing demands on water systems.

• Climate change — Planning and design criteria based on historical records may no longer be applicable in a world where water resources are heavily affected by drought, flooding and/or an increase in mean sea level. As a result, facilities may be at significant risk in the face of rapid climate change.

Then and now Previous generations had the luxury of the planet’s excess natural “bio-capacity.” The capacity of the natural systems and cycles that renew our “wastes” and provide the conditions to support our human and ecological environments was far greater than the demands of the world’s population.

Now, however, the growing demand for Earth’s natural resources, like water, is creating an imbalance between the planet’s bio-capacity and its inhabitants’ desired standard of living.

The good news is that we never destroy water. Earth’s water supplies are fixed: what we had yesterday is the same

We are moving from what has been viewed as a time of certainty within our industry to a time of great uncertainty. We’re being driven by the forces of change in our climate — and in the water business.

Earth’s resources to sustain life and economic activity. Science and engineering have been developing and implementing technologies to alleviate some of this burden, but there is a limit beyond which little can be done. It appears probable that we are nearing this limit.

• Economic growth — Economic growth in water-scarce regions increases water demand. Last year the planet’s urban population exceeded the rural 46 | November 2008

as what we’ll have tomorrow. Though many of the resources needed for economic development are being depleted, water — at least in terms of quantity — is a constant.

The problem is the location, timing and distribution of rainfall. Our industry’s challenge is to help communities ensure that water is always where we need it, when we need it, which is not necessarily where it falls as rain.

Water, water everywhere, but…

Competition for available water is increasing because water is not distributed evenly over the globe. Nine countries possess 60% of the world’s available freshwater: Brazil, Russia, China, Canada, Indonesia, the United States, India, Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, local variations of population distribution and freshwater supply are highly significant.

Many communities, once water-rich, are facing a new challenge as water supply and demand are now imbalanced.

In most European cities with more than 100,000 people, groundwater is being used at a faster rate than it can be replenished. Available water is becomingly increasingly costly to capture or draw from aquifers. Large cities such as Mexico City, Bangkok, Manila, Beijing, Madras and Shanghai have experienced significant aquifer drops of between 10 to 50 metres.

Other examples of water scarcity are the Yangtze River Basin in China; Australia, now in its 10th year of a record drought; the Colorado River basin, also in the midst of a long-term drought of historic proportions; and parts of the southeastern United States, especially northern Georgia.

Droughts or increased flooding may not be the only unfortunate consequence of changing rainfall patterns. These changes may also result in storm sewers and drainage systems that are inadequate to handle current and future needs because they were built on past assumptions that may no longer be valid.

Preparing for an uncertain future We are moving from what has been viewed as a time of certainty within our industry to a time of great uncertainty.

We’re being driven by the forces of change in our climate — and in the water business.

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:14 PM

The challenge for key global water industry players, and for our clients around the globe, is to develop and implement sustainable solutions that will better manage the entire water cycle and help their customers and communities prepare for an uncertain future.

These solutions will focus on how best to protect water at its source, treat it to the highest standards, deliver it to homes and businesses, and then collect and again treat the wastewater before re-introducing it safely into the environment. We also seek methods of sourcing “new water” through re-use, aquifer storage and recovery or desalination, for example.

Political leaders at all levels and the general public want to know what their utility leaders are doing to prepare for these challenges. They realize that water suppliers, regulators and customers cannot simply discuss or debate the future as it arrives — they must plan and take action today to minimize uncertainty and risk. All stakeholders must work together to craft robust long-term strategies and implement cost-effective solutions for mitigating and, if necessary, adapting to the potential impacts of climate change.

Taking the long view The water industry must focus on the long view when facing the challenges of rapid population and economic growth, along with supply deficiencies or wetweather problems. And added to those trends are other pressing issues, like aging water infrastructure, degradation of water quality, changes in water rights and tightening regulations.

That’s why leaders in the global water industry are working to develop innovative solutions to address climate change, water scarcity and sustainability planning. We are seeking triple-bottom-line solutions that meet our clients’ social, economic and environmental goals, are sustainable, and are politically and commercially viable.

Just as in the 1990s, when decisionmaking shifted from capital costs to lifecycle costs, now in the early part of this century, the importance of triple-bottom-line decision-making is being recognized and emphasized during all stages of planning.

Managing the future The ultimate stakeholders in this debate are yet to be born. One thing is cerwww.esemag.com

Page 47

tain: coming generations will not take water for granted. Because the future of water is dynamically bound to the present, now is the time for far-sighted leaders to act.

Sustainable planning is no longer an isolated challenge. Regional solutions require integrated planning among municipal, industrial and agricultural water users. Proactive watershed management is key to helping a community optimize its water opportunities. A holistic water review should examine the best combination of solutions for a community —

conservation, non-potable re-use, indirect potable re-use, impaired waters from brackish or contaminated waters, desalination or water-sharing among adjacent communities. These are not easy decisions, but they must be addressed.

Contact: waiter@bv.com

47 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:41 PM

Page 48

The consultant and operator training smart strategies for the water and wastewater industry

By George Zukovs, M.Eng., P.Eng., President, XCG Consultants Ltd.,Toronto, Dina Ruggirello,Vice President, XCG Training and Operations Inc., and Jacinta O’Brien, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Principal, Strategic Alternatives,Toronto ver the past 50 years, Ontario residents have been the beneficiaries of a comprehensive approach to water and wastewater management. Starting with the creation of the Ontario Water Resources Commission (OWRC) in the late 1950s, the Provincial Government actively fostered the development of clean water infrastructure, and at various times over the past 50 years, has been involved in the financing, ownership, and operation of municipal water and wastewater infrastructure, taking the role that seemed to make the most sense at the time.

Throughout this history, consulting engineers have played a traditional and invaluable role in the design and construction of facilities. The result is that, today, water and wastewater systems are well established in all major municipalities and most smaller municipalities in Ontario. According to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Ontario has $72 billion worth of water and wastewater infrastructure assets. The breakdown of these assets is shown in Table 1.

With clean water infrastructure in place for a majority of Ontario residents, municipalities are now focusing on sustaining that infrastructure over the long term. Why? Because rehabilitation and renewal of existing assets has been

O

shown to extend design life by as much as 50 percent, at a cost that can be as low as 30 percent of the cost of replacing the asset. For the consulting engineering community, rehabilitation and renewal of hard assets have been a key area of support to municipalities.

But infrastructure sustainability is taking on a broader meaning when it comes to water and wastewater systems. It increasingly encompasses the management of those systems - in particular, how the systems are operated. One reason for increased focus on operations is illustrated in Table 2 and Table 3, which show the cost breakdowns for operating water systems and for wastewater systems. In both instances, staff costs are the single largest operating cost.

Obviously, having infrastructure in place is a necessary first step in providing water and wastewater services. But a municipality’s ability to effectively and efficiently operate its water and sewage systems in a sustainable manner depends on the men and women who operate them.

In short, more and more municipalities view their operators as integral to the long term sustainability of their water and wastewater assets. This has put increased emphasis on operator skills and training.

And this increased emphasis presents another area where consulting engineers can

offer support to municipalities.

Consulting engineers originally became involved in water and wastewater operator training and certification back in the early 1960s, when the OWRC first developed a series of graded courses in water and sewage treatment. These early courses eventually evolved into courses geared to operators.

The operator training program started by the OWRC was continued by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, and developed into a voluntary certification program in 1987. Most recently, the Provincial Government formalized the Ontario Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Program as a mandatory program, specifying the education, training, skills and knowledge requirements for operators.

Operator certificates now have a threeyear shelf life and renewal is based on minimum continuing education and onthe-job training. According to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, as of March 31, 2007, there were almost 5,000 drinking water operators holding more than 10,000 active drinking water certificates.

Each one of these drinking water operators is now required to take up to 50 hours of training every year. The numbers for wastewater are likely in a similar range.

The Ontario government has rein-

Table. 2 Cost breakdown for wastewater systems.

Table. 3 Cost breakdown for water systems.

Source AWWA Research Foundation (2004)

Source AWWA Research Foundation (2004)

48 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/20/08

2:01 PM

Page 49

Treatment

Distribution

Total

Water Wastewater

$6 $14

$28 $24

$35 $38

Total

$20

$52

$72

Table 1. Ontario’s water and wastewater asset base in $2004 Billions (PIR, 2005).

forced the importance of operator training and certification in the province’s new Drinking Water Quality Management System, which explicitly requires municipalities to implement strategies to assure that operators are competent in their jobs, and that they are aware of the relevance and importance of their activities, and how they contribute to assuring quality.

Training provides direct benefits to operators, and not only in the form of greater skills and knowledge. A well-trained operator engenders greater public confidence in their competency, demonstrates higher professionalism, and has the potential for better and more varied career opportunities. With respect to this latter, all provinces in Canada, except Québec, are members of the Association of Boards of Certification (ABC), as are more than 40 states in the United States.

The ABC standardizes exams that member jurisdictions can use for certifying operators. As a result, operators typically do not have to re-write the tests if they move to another jurisdiction, thus promoting operator mobility. To further increase mobility within Canada, all provinces, except Québec, have signed the Canadian Reciprocity Agreement, indicating they will recognize the validity of the certificates issued by the provinces that signed the Agreement.

For a number of years, operator training has been coordinated by the Ontario Environmental Training Consortium, which provides access to a training network of 25 colleges in 200 communities across Ontario. In anticipation of increased demand for operator training, the Ontario Government established the Walkerton Clean Water Centre to deliver training for operators of small drinking water systems.

The Ontario Clean Water Agency, a government-owned, not-for-profit agency that historically operated a majority of water and wastewater treatment systems in the province, also offers training. And many municipalities provide in-house www.esemag.com

training, using their own experienced operations staff.

The consulting engineering community has also responded to the increased demand for training.

In 2006, XCG Consultants established a dedicated subsidiary, XCG Training and Operations which provides both classroom training and on-site training customized to municipal needs and delivered at the municipality’s own facilities. Additionally, and in recognition that time required for training can take operators away from their duties, XCG has experienced, certified operators on staff, who can step in to operate water and wastewater systems during emergency situations.

According to the March 2008 issue of Public Works Financing, skilled operators

are in short supply. Two reasons may be higher expectations and new regulations, both of which have caused a shift in municipal hiring practices for new operators.

According to the Ontario Water and Wastewater Human Resource Study, a report released by ECO Canada in 2006, most municipalities are now looking to hire entry level operators who have a postsecondary education, often with emphasis on environmental technology or water programs.

The consulting engineering community understands that mandatory training requirements and the need for ongoing renewal of operator certificates will impose a burden on municipalities. Consulting engineers also recognize that highly qualified and knowledgeable operators provide a direct benefit to municipalities, in terms of efficient, secure, and cost-effective delivery of water and wastewater services, and long-term sustainability of infrastructure.

Contact: georgez@xcg.com

Sustainable Environmental Solutions

Expertise converge AET Consultants forged a merger with EcoServices, Eco2 Systems and Integrated Green Building Concepts (IGBC) to form the AET Group. The merger completes the first step towards a collaborative effort to establish a solutions-based multi-discipilinary environmental consulting company and professional team recognized as a leading-expert in waste, ecology, building sciences, energy, and environmental management.

This partnership allows the AET Group of companies to provide a diverse range of sustainable environmental solutions that will greatly enhance the resources and technical expertise available to our clients while maintaining the high quality service that they have come to expect from each of the member companies.

More information about AET Consultants and the member companies (under the Affiliates web link) can be found at www.aet-group.com. This website will be updated in the near future to reflect the newly formed AET Group.

Ecoservices

IGBC

ECO2 SYSTEMS INC.

INTEGRATED GREEN BUILDING CONCEPTS

49 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:14 PM

Page 50

What the future may hold‌..

By Bruce Tucker, President/Regional Manager of CH2M HILL Canada n the weeks, months, and years ahead, consulting engineering firms across Canada will engage in a market known more for its volatility than for its stability. In fact, there are specific trends that, when explored, provide insights on how best to meet the challenges in a direct and appropriate manner. For the purposes of this piece, I would like to focus on three key areas.

Globalization The centre of global economic power has been shifting from North America (strengthened by Canadian economic stability) and Western Europe to, from a broad perspective, the rest of the world. Brazil, Russia, India, China and Korea, referred to as the economic “BRICK� countries, have risen from an economic perspective, creating the reality that economic power will be shared with these growing economies. In essence, cross-border trade will continue to increase and supply chains will continue to globalize.

These economic shifts have significant implications in the demand for consulting engineering services, the supply of talent, global financial capital allocation and costs, and the competition we will all face. With this trend, it is likely that firms across Canada will need to move from national firms with in-

I

ternational outposts to becoming truly global in every sense.

Balancing the need for short-term profitability to build financial strength while investing the resources to address long-term global market opportunities (and threats) will be a necessary challenge for all of us in the times ahead.

Technology Without question, technological advances in both communications and enhanced human productivity during the last forty years have exceeded even the most optimistic projections. For the individuals who have embraced this dynamic change, the quality of life improvements and productivity gains have been remarkable. Recent trends indicate that the pace of technological innovation and advancement is, at least, continuing and may, in fact, be accelerating.

Since economies of scale improve the competitiveness of firms to attract talent and invest in technology, it is likely that this trend in industry consolidation will continue.

These technological advances are one of the factors contributing to globalization. However, it is increasingly difficult to gain competitive advantage by assuming that knowledge can be controlled and meted out over a long period of time. In the global market, technology is rapidly acquired by competitors and a commitment to innovation, consistent technology growth, and knowledge advancement must be a critical component of growth and moving forward. This includes both information technology and technologies applied in project work.

Industry consolidation In order to address the issues of globalization and technology investment, firms in our industry have merged and consolidated at an unprecedented rate during the last decade. Firms have sought to achieve both the scale and portfolio diversity to be able to effectively compete in the global marketplace by merging as well as through organic growth.

Since economies of scale improve the competitiveness of firms to attract talent and invest in technology, it is likely that this trend in industry consolidation will continue.

These three key areas are significant guide posts along the path of growth. Consulting engineering firms across Canada need to face an ever-changing marketplace with the insight and strength to make decisions that encourage long-term strategic success.

Contact: bruce.tucker@ch2m.com

50 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

10:05 PM

Page 51

How will the financial upheavals of 2008 affect Canada’s consultants?

By Rui De Carvalho, Senior Vice-President R. J. Burnside & Associates Limited. t will be interesting to see how the current economic downturn will impact some of the recent dynamics of the consulting engineering industry. With the sustained and robust economy of the last twelve or so years, we have come to experience a rather serious shortage of experienced engineers, scientists and other technology professionals.

Employer and employee loyalty have become terms to which only those of us who have been around for more than two decades can actually relate. High mobility, both for staff and firms, has been the norm. Employees, some in management, have not experienced a recession.

It remains to be seen whether a more conservative career approach will soon become evident. It just may be that one’s current place of employment may not be that bad when compared to the option of no place at all!

At the same time, which employers will be looking at maintaining core staffing levels through possible slow periods?

When we consider that a significant component of our industry is now controlled by publicly-traded entities, staffing decisions during slow periods that, at one time, were being made by founder principals with a good appreciation of the history of “five year” economic cycles, will now be made by market-oriented managers acting in response to the direction that comes from outside investors and portfolio managers.

Then, of course, there is the fundamental economic activity that actually generates the demand for our services. After the mega amounts that have been and are being directed at sustaining military efforts and, currently, towards bailing out financial institutions (some of which, in some countries, are probably only the victims of irresponsible regulators), will there actually be any money left over in the coffers of the public sector to invest in the much discussed infrastructure deficit.

I

... no one can easily predict the type of economic ride that we will be in for over the coming one or two years ...

Perhaps more important, however, will be how soon the private sector and the individual consumer shake off the current sentiment of nervousness and caution.

In previous contributions to this Forum I have commented on the fact that, in my opinion, we cannot any longer consider our activities in isolation to what happens in the rest of the world. In the consulting industry, not only are some companies better positioned to offset economic slowdowns in traditional markets with a more diversified project portfolio that includes activities outside of Canada, but they are also well-positioned to operate in association with others, both here and abroad. www.esemag.com

This will contribute to weathering the changes in the economic cycle, not only through direct project opportunities, but also through improved access to technical staff and expanded corporate and team competencies. The latter can then be leveraged when and where there is a renewed demand for our services.

We certainly have recently observed some remarkable swings in a number of indicators. Although we can reasonably assume that there will be consequences, no one can easily predict the type of economic ride that we will be in for over the coming one or two years - and certainly not this engineer!

Nevertheless, it is reasonable to assume that this industry will need to be ready to adapt to market, management and staff conditions that are apt to be rather different from the “this will never end” economic cycle that we have been enjoying for the past 12 years or so.

Contact: rui.decarvalho@rjburnside.com

Expert People.

Better Decisions.

At XCG Consultants, we are committed to our clients by delivering innovative and practical expertise and solutions. Partner with our experts on your next environmental project and gain the leadership and communication that is essential for successful completion.

Contact us for Wastewater, Water Resources, Municipal Infrastructure, Drinking Water and many other environmental services.

www.xcg.com

Environmental Engineers and Scientists Toronto | Kitchener | Kingston | Edmonton | Cincinnati

51 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

10:05 PM

Page 52

Design-build and P3 project delivery methods gaining momentum

By Gord Johnston,Vice President, Environmental Infrastructure, Stantec, Calgary, Alberta, and Reno Fiorante,Vice President, Environmental Infrastructure, Stantec, Surrey, British Columbia lexibility is a necessity for today’s consulting engineers as our clients continue to explore a variety of project delivery options to bring their capital investments online.

Over the past five years, there has been a growing interest in design-build and P3 (public/private partnerships) project delivery structures. When carefully considered and articulated, these arrangements can provide benefits to all parties involved.

P3 projects, in particular, are growing in popularity across Canada. For example, British Columbia now requires that all projects with a construction value in excess of $25 million undergo a P3 review. Other clients are requesting a review of alternative project delivery options for significant projects.

For infrastructure projects, a typical P3 model involves the private sector proponent leading the design, construction and operation of a system over a long-term contract, typically in the range of 10-20 years. The private sector may also finance the

F

Protecting Canada’s Communities – It’s a Hero’s Work Performance Without Boundaries ch2mhillcanada.com WB012007001TOR

52 | November 2008

project, but it often remains under public ownership.

The pressing demand to upgrade infrastructure, including water and wastewater facilities, and the need to meet emerging regulatory standards, are ever-present. At the same time some owners may lack in-house expertise to operate facilities or the budget to fund initial capital improvements.

In addition, construction cost escalation and cost certainty is a key motivator behind these partnerships. Often a design-build or P3 arrangement can deliver projects more quickly, and nowhere is the old adage “time is money” more true than in the current construction climate which has seen significant escalation over the past five years.

For example, a large municipality in central Canada is now considering a design-build versus traditional design-bid-build approach for a major wastewater treatment plant. Among the factors they must weigh is the reality that each month of delay equates to $3 million in construction cost escalation.

In addition to potential cost savings, alternative project delivery arrangements can offer other benefits such as schedule acceleration and design flexibility. In renovation programs, flexibility is crucial as new challenges are often uncovered once construction begins and a rapid turnaround on design changes is needed to keep the process moving. The design-build or P3 arrangement also encourages a highly collaborative working relationship with contractors as well as current and future operators.

Over the past few years Stantec has been involved with several design-build and P3 arrangements. In partnership with EPCOR, a major Canadian water company, and contractor Lockerbie Stanley Inc. (LSI), the firm delivered an innovative wastewater treatment plant for Okotoks, Alberta. Serving a population of 15,000 that is expected to double in size, the Okotoks wastewater treatment plant was operating at capacity. Completed in 2006, the new 10 million litre per day (Ml/d) biological nutrient removal (BNR) advanced wastewater treatment plant expansion was built under a design-build-operate arrangement. The $11.2 million expansion came in at under half the initial estimated costs.

In Wetaskawin, Alberta, initial cost estimates for traditional design-bid-build of a water plant upgrade were approaching $18 million. Stantec, LSI and EPCOR, working together in a designbuild-finance-operate framework, completed the project for under $12 million.

In Taber, Alberta, construction of a $14.5 million, 12.8 Ml/d wastewater treatment plant is underway using a design-bidfinance-operate process.

Private industry is also taking a new look at alternate delivery Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

10:05 PM

Page 53

options. Located on British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky Highway, the Britannia Mine water treatment plant is now capturing and removing thousands of tonnes of heavy metal contaminants from the historic Britannia Mine, including 166,000 kilograms of copper per year – the equivalent of 70 million pennies.

EPCOR financed the facility and led the team during the design and construction of the $15.5 million facility, 25 Ml/d fasttracked acid mine runoff treatment plant. The project was delivered using a design-build-finance-operate format. Design, construction, and commissioning occurred within one year of contract award. As part of the agreement, EPCOR will operate the facility for 20 years, saving the province over $12 million.

Canadian industry and public sector clients are not alone in opting for this type of project delivery model. American utilities are also selecting new options for capital programs. In San Francisco, California, Stantec recently initiated design on a 1200 Ml/d water treatment facility for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Working as part of a design-build team with PCL Civil Contractors, the plant will be one of the largest drinking water UV disinfection facilities in North America when completed in 2011.

In southern Arizona, a design-build team with PCL Construction and Stantec is nearing completion of construction on the 57 Ml/d upgrade of the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant in Nogales, Arizona. The plant will treat wastewater from both the United States and Mexico. The facility design was completed in a compressed six month schedule with close coordination between designers and contractor in order to meet the City’s fixed “not to exceed” $56 million project budget.

Given these success stories, it is important to ask, what do

“State-of-the-Art”

CONVEYING

owners trade off by opting for design-build or P3 arrangements?

While these approaches have sound benefits, traditional methods of project delivery are still very much a reasonable option for many clients. A primary benefit of the traditional approach is to provide owners with the utmost flexibility and control during the design process to explore new approaches and innovations.

And, with access to financing becoming limited in today’s market, it may become increasingly difficult for private sector proponents to secure funding for major public sector projects.

Fortunately, clients have a range of project delivery options to choose from. In all cases, care must be taken when deciding to select alternative project delivery as a procurement strategy for a particular project. Total system life cycle costs, quality, and operational flexibility are important considerations as a client evaluates a myriad of project delivery options. In some instances design-build or P3 may not be the right choice for a project and owners should be wary of claims indicating that P3 always saves money.

Every project is unique and the delivery choice must be carefully assessed. The role of consulting engineers is to work with clients to help them select the best delivery system for their individual project and needs.

Contact: marti.mueller@stantec.com

Two thirds of the earth’s surface is covered by water The rest is covered by SEW-Eurodrive.

Manufacturers and machine builders in Canada and around the world look to SEW-Eurodrive for integrated drive solutions and around-the-clock service and support.

• Helical Paths • Horizontal Turns • Flex-end Discharge • 45° Vertical Inclines • Telescoping Discharge 9085 Marshall Ct. Westminster, CO 80031 USA www.esemag.com

Free CAD layout upon request www.serpentix.com Phone 1-800-466-7979

With three Canadian assembly plants and more inventory than all our competitors we are the nation’s leading supplier of Geared Motors, Speed Reducers and Electronic Controllers.

For the complete solution, call

DRIVING THE WORLD

53 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:15 PM

Page 54

A diverse range of case histories and new developments is reviewed in ES&E’s semi-annual look at tanks, containment systems and spill management.

Mixing eliminates stratification and delivers residual CL2 to upper layers in standpipe tandpipes are one of the most problematic tank geometries to mix. Inlet velocities are typically small and horizontal in direction. Most of the water in the standpipe must remain in the tank to produce and maintain pressure head in the distribution system, so there is often a hard limit (typically 70-90 percent of capacity) below which the operators cannot draw. This takes away the default, though energy- and labor-intensive, method of mixing, i.e. the forced draw down and refilling of tanks.

The Spanaway Water Company, in Spanaway, Washington, discovered the problem of low turnover standpipes first-hand when an operator noticed a layer of condensation on the outside of one of their standpipes. He surmised that the cold water inside the tank was causing this condensation, but worried why the condensation was only visible 20 feet up the side of the tank and did not cover its full height. An investigation of the temperature inside the tank validated his theory – the tank had substantial thermal stratification.

The volume and velocity of the incoming water during a regular fill cycle was not sufficient to overcome the ther-

S

54 | November 2008

mal loading the tank received on its large, exposed surface area, even in a US state not known for its thermal extremes.

Testing at the top of the tank during normal operation showed almost zero residual. Grab samples of total chlorine were taken periodically at the top and bottom of this tank and, although a residual of 0.7 – 0.8 mg/L was found in the bottom layer of the tank, the residual was 0.00 – 0.05 mg/L in the uppermost layers.

The warm, low-residual water remains trapped in the top of the tank until a period of high demand lowers the water level enough to allow this poor quality water (often with unpleasant taste, temperature and odor, as well as possible high levels of disinfection by-products (DBP), including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids) to enter the distribution system.

Sudden loss of water quality in standpipes can also occur at the beginning of winter due to “inversion.” Inversion occurs when the old, stagnant water at the top of the tank is no longer warmed by the summer sun. Instead, the water is chilled by the cold winter air.

This chilled, colder water suddenly sinks to the bottom of the standpipe, which causes the standpipe to rapidly invert. After inversion, the first water to

be flushed directly into the distribution system to supply customers is the oldest, lowest quality water from the top of the tank, while the good water remains trapped at the top of the tank.

The solution Standpipes present a particular challenge for most mixing systems because of their height. The PAX mixer has been demonstrated to restore water quality, reduce the need for on-site chemical dosing, and improve reliability and homogeneity in ground storage tanks, but those tanks tend to be wider than they are tall. Our analysis suggested that, despite the unfavorable ratio of height to diameter of this standpipe, the PAX mixer would be able to penetrate an established temperature gradient and completely circulate all 120 feet of the water column.

The installation of the PAX mixer took less than a day and did not require a crane or heavy equipment. The only preparation was that the reservoir water level was lowered to 100 feet and isolated until divers could complete the installation.

The customer saw an immediate benefit.

Approximately every hour another vertical foot of the stratified water column was blended with the cool, fresh, residual-rich water. After seven days the

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:15 PM

entire water column was completely blended and the temperature of the upper layer had fallen from 19°C ( ~66°F) down to below 16°C (61°F). The reduction in temperature allows the residual to last longer in the upper layers and lowers the rates of reaction and DBP formation.

Grab samples taken after one week of mixer operation showed a dramatic increase in residual at the top of the tank, from 0.00 mg/L to 0.31 mg/L. With the active mixing provided by the PAX mixer, water quality throughout the tank has been improved and the entire volume of water is now available for regular or emergency use. There is no chance of an inversion while the mixer is operating in the tank. The reli-

Page 55

Conclusion With this breakthrough case study, PAX Water Technologies has proven that this innovative technology, which has already proven successful in rectangular and circular ground storage tanks, can now offer a solution for utilities seeking to improve water quality and reliability in standpipes.

The PAX mixer is an active mixing solution that completely eliminates stratification on a continual basis and does not rely on operator-adjusted drain or fill cycles. This continual operation and independence from the pressure in the

system makes the PAX mixer wellsuited for standpipe owners who often find themselves constrained as to how much they can drain and fill these tanks.

For more information, contact Darrin Hopper, H2Flow Tanks & Systems Inc. E-mail: darrin@h2flow.com

I NEED IT ALL AND I NEED IT NOW!

Illustration of the thermocline inside the tank.

ability and quality of Spanaway’s distribution system has been significantly improved by this simple infrastructure upgrade, and minimal interruption of tank use was required.

The Water Programs Manager from Spanaway, Tim Tayne, describes the implications of the PAX mixing system in this way: “Consistency in the quality of water provided is the key to customer satisfaction. This also ensures the water always meets the drinking water standards, even during high demand such as fighting fires or abnormally hot weather.

The volume of water in this reservoir, with high water quality, went from 0.25 million gallons (MG) to almost 1.5 MG by installing the PAX mixer. We will be evaluating our other reservoirs in the near future.” www.esemag.com

Whether you need to contain it, pump it, filter it or shore it, only one company delivers it all. BakerCorp.

With the industry’s largest rental inventory and a nationwide network of locations, Baker delivers the equipment you need, when you need it the most. All backed by a level of product application expertise and customer support that have defined our reputation for over 65 years.

BakerCorp. People, equipment and solutions that get the job done.

• Construction • Chemical Plants • Refineries

• Power Plants • Municipal • Environmental Remediation

1-800-BAKER 12 www.bakercorp.com/ineeditnow

55 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:15 PM

Page 56

Bridge height limits transport of ClO2 storage tanks n the Trans Canada Highway in northern Ontario, there is a bridge that enables pedestrians and vehicles to cross the Spanish River. The bridge itself holds no place in the annals of Canadian history. In fact, it is quite unremarkable, a typical bridge found in the area.

However, the Spanish River bridge represented a major problem for an engineering project required by a local bleaching pulp mill.

Part of the bleaching process requires the use of chlorine dioxide (ClO2), which is produced in the plant on an as-needed basis. The chlorine is stored in tanks, and there is always at least one full tank of ClO2, even when maintenance work has to be performed.

The operators of the mill have earned an excellent reputation as a company that is environmentally responsible, has an enviable safety record and frequently incorporates safety/environmental standards before they are legally required.

ClO2 is a hazardous substance and the company treats it with great care. Having more than one tank ensures there will always be an adequate supply of ClO2 and allows more time for maintenance shutdowns with no interruption of supply. The regular maintenance pays off

O

One of the tanks is lifted in the vertical position, using the four lift lugs at the top and a tailing choker near the bottom.

both economically and in overall safety.

In the planning stages for installing these two tanks, several problems immediately became apparent. The size and proportions of the tanks made fabrication, installation and shipping extremely difficult. Furthermore, the tanks were to be installed into an area where space was limited due to existing plant structures.

The size of each tank was governed

After both tanks are installed and anchored to the concrete pads, erection is underway for the upper portion of the building enclosure.

56 | November 2008

by the required capacity of 360 m3.

Available space indicated an unusually tall and slender tank: 4.77 m ID x 20.12 m high straight shell. Estimated weight was 48,000 lb empty, 842,000 lb full.

Other design conditions included: • Pressure: +/- 20” WC at top • Temperature: 32-82° F, liquid specific gravity 1.0 • Roof live load: 50 psf • Location: indoors • Seismic data: Za = 1, Zv = 0, V = 0.05 The engineering approach was based on the customer’s extreme environmental consciousness and safety considerations for handling the chemical. The mill insisted on having one-piece, seamless tanks with no joints. Largely, this was for safety reasons, given the corrosive and highly toxic nature of ClO2. Fabricating such tanks meant that the work would have to be done at Fabricated Plastics’ plant. Working at the plant offers tighter control and efficient production. The downside was the shipping.

The original plan was for tanks with a larger ID, but the transportation route inspection showed the smallest dimension to be the height of the Spanish River bridge at 16 ft 2 in. That measurement had to include any peripheral material or equipment on the outside of

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:15 PM

the tanks. This restriction reduced the diameter so the tanks had to be made much taller.

The one-piece construction necessarily meant a standard mould approach could not be used, as it would render tanks with joints, so the tanks were made with a specially designed slip mould. Fabricated Plastics laminated the entire corrosion liner using an integral but moveable mould, and an 1/8�. layer of hand-laid-up structure was added. The same procedure was followed for the integrally moulded bottom. The slip mould was moved, allowing an integral lay-up of the entire length of the tank shell without a seam, then the slip mould was removed.

The head for the tank was then attached to the shell and bottom assembly. The assembly of the top, bottom and shell unit was sufficiently strong to allow the whole of the shell to be filament-wound in one piece, thus producing a seamless integral product.

The bottom of the tank was designed with an ingenious sizing that allowed the projection on the diameter to be minimized and to use a continuous filament-wound ring with site-supplied structural steel clips to anchor the huge tanks down. This was an improved method to accommodate the larger seismic loads created by the greater height.

Premium-grade, corrosion-resistant and fire-retardant Derakane 510C 350 vinyl ester resin was used throughout, with 5% antimony trioxide fire retardant added to the structural layers. To accommodate a superior corrosion resistance requirement, the interior double corrosion liner incorporated a layer of Halar veil and three layers of 1.5 oz /ft2 mat.

The corrosion liner thickness was excluded in the design calculations, as is the usual custom in such applications.

The design complied with ASME RTP1e-1999, using computerized lamination analysis to determine properties of the Type X structural laminate. Axial reinforcements were interspersed into the filament-wound structural laminate to satisfy the high seismic axial loads. Exterior surfaces incorporated a layer of C-glass veil applied over the final mat ply of the structural laminate, using a white resin topcoat with UV inhibitors.

Once the fabrication of the two tanks was finished, the slow and arduous journey to their destination in northern Onwww.esemag.com

Page 57

tario began. The tanks were transported on special low-profile trombone trailers to the Spanish River bridge, where they were carefully reloaded with the use of two mobile cranes onto a special transport float with minimal road clearance to clear the bridge and continue the final 0.5 km to the site. The Spanish River bridge, which had caused so much of the design difficulty, was successfully crossed with literally millimetres to spare.

The hardest project becomes simple if you identify the criteria that will govern

every aspect of the design, fabrication and installation. These well-designed tanks have served the customer trouble-free since 2006.

For more information, E-mail: n.bradley@fabricatedplastics.com

57 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:15 PM

Page 58

Repair and protection of concrete in hydrogen sulfide environments

By Ivan Razl, Ph.D., P.Eng. oncrete is the most common material used in the construction of wastewater treatment facilities, sewer structures, lift-stations (pumping stations) and manholes. It is economical, easy to use and has good long-term durability in a majority of applications. In most cases the concrete structures last many decades but in some structures, e.g. sewers, manholes, digesters and others exposed to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) may cause serious deterioration.

The sulfates (SO42-) contained in wastewater are the principal source of sulfur compounds but, in addition to the sulfates, organic materials and bacteria are always present in wastewater, leading to formation of hydrogen sulfide and its conversion into sulfuric acid by means of the following processes: 1. Biological formation of hydrogen sulfide from sulfates present in wastewater.

2. Release of hydrogen sulfide gas.

3. Biological conversion of hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid.

Acid attack is only one factor as the formation of water-soluble gypsum and expansive ettringite also contribute to concrete deterioration. In addition, the concrete pH reduction depassivates the reinforcing steel, resulting in corrosion, expansion of corrosion products, concrete cracking and spalling.

Currently there are no testing standards available to assess the resistance of concrete construction and repair materials to MIC, but testing in situ, biogenic corrosion tests simulated in the laboratory, and immersion in solutions of sulfuric acid have been used.

In North America, the selection performance criteria for protective materials in concrete structures exposed to MIC, are often based on testing their chemical resistance to a 10% solution of sulfuric acid. It can be shown that good quality concrete is almost completely destroyed after 140 days in this environment, while the structures in question last many decades. This “accelerated” testing forces the use of polymeric ma-

C

58 | November 2008

Cem-Kote Flex CR was used to protect and waterproof the interior of a digester tank in Orillia, Ontario.

terials and seriously limits the use of cement-based products for repair and protection of concrete in hydrogen sulfide environments.

One approach is the application of polymer coatings, such as epoxies, urethanes, polyurea, etc., to the surface of the concrete. This approach is also based on an assumption that by minimizing the H2S diffusion, less sulfuric acid is formed in the concrete and concrete deterioration is reduced.

In theory, the application of polymer coatings seems reasonable and may work well in new construction, but in repair applications the situation is different. A concrete surface is rough, wet and dirty; it is difficult to clean and keep dry, especially in the case of sewer system repairs. It is also very difficult to create a polymer

Cem-Kote has been applied to concrete surfaces at a new wastewater facility in Woodstock, Ontario.

coating. This debonding process occurs in any structure where concrete is coated with a polymer coating in a continuously wet environment.

In structures exposed to MIC, the microbiological conversion of hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid magnifies the problem of polymer coating debonding.

Attempts to reduce the diffusion characteristics of polymer coatings will not improve the performance of these protective/repair systems since the basic

Currently there are no testing standards available to assess the resistance of concrete construction and repair materials to MIC, but testing in situ, biogenic corrosion tests simulated in the laboratory, and immersion in solutions of sulfuric acid have been used. layer that is completely free of “pinholes” and cracks. Water penetrates through these imperfections and capillary pressures at the interface debond the polymer

problem of coating imperfection remains, regardless of the diffusion characteristics of the coating. This is why, in the opinion of the author, the polymer

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:11 PM

coatings fail and this approach does not provide a longer-term protection of concrete to MIC. Gemite Products Inc. has developed several cement-based materials for the repair and protection of concrete exposed to MIC. In this article we are presenting only the coating material based on polymer modified aluminate cement, Cem-Kote Flex CR. For testing of this and other materials to MIC, we contacted Mosvodokanal, a Government Agency of the City of Moscow in Russia, where we found the testing procedure to be more realistic than the 10% sulfuric acid testing.

The Agency has selected a section of sewer system with a high degree of deterioration, (approximately 6-8 mm thick loss of section per year), and is using this environment for evaluation of materials. Their database of results is extensive and allows them, within 12 months of exposure, to establish a “poor”, “good” or “excellent” performance rating of the tested material.

Gemite entered the testing program in June 2006 with a number of control and tested materials. One of the tested materials was a 2 mm thin layer of

www.esemag.com

Page 59

Cem-Kote Flex CR applied to concrete cylinders. The tests were completed in June 2007 and the results showed no debonding of the material from the concrete or any chemical attack or weight loss. Some of the control materials showed deterioration and weight loss.

Cem-Kote Flex CR is a polymer modified aluminate cement composition, where the synergy between the polymer modifier and the cement provides resistance to MIC. Being a cement-based product, it is completely insensitive to the moisture present in the concrete. It is also considerably less sensitive to debonding in comparison with polymer coatings, mainly due to the fact that it is less sensitive to capillary pressures acting at the interface between the coating and the concrete surface in the vicinity of possible pinholes. It also exhibits flexibility, which allows some degree of substrate crack bridging.

The material is very easy to apply; cleaning of tools and equipment is simply by washing with water.

Cem-Kote Flex CR is a two-component material, consisting of dry bagged powders and a liquid polymer additive supplied in a plastic container. The two

components are mixed on site using a conventional electric paddle mixer or mortar mixer and applied in two coats by brushing or spraying to a total thickness of 1.6 to 2 mm.

In new construction, a high-pressure wash is sufficient to clean the existing concrete. The smaller “bugholes” are coated over with Cem-Kote Flex CR, the larger ones are pre-filled with the same material mixed with less of the liquid component to obtain a trowel consistency. The drying shrinkage cracks are treated with Reinforcing Fabric NW, which provides waterproofing even if the crack bridging capacity of Cem-Kote Flex CR is exceeded.

Several types of equipment, including peristaltic and positive displacement pumps may be used for the spraying of Cem-Kote Flex CR. When there are very rough surfaces, such as in the restoration of manholes or sewer systems, the deteriorated concontinued overleaf...

59 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:16 PM

crete is removed and surface cleaned using high-pressure water. Microsilica modified Portland cement materials, such as Fibre-Patch OV for hand application or Spray-Con WA ST for wet shotcrete process application, are applied in thicknesses varying from 1 to 5 cm, depending on the degree of deterioration. A leveling layer is required to repair the surface and provide a smooth surface to minimize “pinholes” in the application of Cem-Kote Flex CR. Spray-Con WS ST was also a part of the testing program described above and also exhibited a good resistance to MIC environments. Fibre-reinforced FibrePatch OV and Spray-Con WS ST materials are insensitive to the presence of moisture in the concrete substrate and the fibre reinforcement provides a high toughness and some degree of substrate crack bridging in comparison with nonreinforced materials.

Wastewater facilities, manholes, and sewer systems also contain metal parts

60 | November 2008

Page 60

that require corrosion protection. The corrosion protective polymer barrier systems are very difficult to apply in the repair of these structures, since they require very clean (“white metal”) and a dry surface to function. The barrier systems are also very sensitive to pinholes, where the rate of corrosion is very high.

Gemite has been successfully using a cement-based corrosion protective coating, Fibre-Prime, which does not require the “white metal” surface, with loose rust removal being sufficient. It is insensitive even to surface moisture present on the metal parts. For additional protection to MIC, Cem-Kote Flex CR may be applied

over Fibre Prime. The advantages of Fibre-Prime are also very important in the corrosion protection of exposed reinforcing steel in restoration of the reinforced concrete structures.

In many repair applications, such as manhole restoration, it is necessary to stop water infiltration in order to carry out the repair, waterproofing and MIC protection. For this purpose Gemite supplies very fast setting, hydraulic, FibrePatch WP (water plug).

Ivan Razl is Technical Director with Gemite Products Inc., Mississauga, Ontario. E-mail: ivan@gemite.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:16 PM

Page 61

First-of-its-kind response system helps prevent environmental damage caused by oil spills

ore than a dozen oil spills occur every day in Canada, leaving an undeniable footprint on our environment.

They contaminate our water supply, significantly impact our health, and destroy helpless marine life and coastal wetlands.

Murrenhil Corporation has developed the ROC Barrier™, a first-of-itskind response system designed to reach and contain an oil spill rapidly, before it spreads out over the water and stretches onto the shoreline where it has the greatest ecological impact.

Deployed from the back of a watercraft at speeds of up to 54 kilometres per hour, the ROC (Rapid Oil Containment) Barrier is faster than conventional oil containment booms. While the watercraft circles the perimeter of the oil spill, the barrier’s film laminate continuously streams from the dispenser to quickly contain and prevent the spill from becoming a run-away slick.

The ROC Barrier is small enough to allow tankers, ships and other watercraft, barges and rigs, marinas and all other water entry points to store it on site so that it can be deployed quickly following an oil spill. Made in Canada, it uses a combination of proprietary high-ex-

M

www.esemag.com

tension sorbent barrier, along with a patent-pending, extremely compact and easy-to-use deployment system.

The potential for disastrous oil spills on our waterways, including the Great Lakes, which contain nearly 20 per cent of the world’s fresh water, is significant.

A recent spill caused by a pipeline leak

dumped an estimated 20,000 litres of oil into Alberta’s Red Deer River which feeds the popular swimming spot, Gleniffer Lake, cutting off the drinking water supply to families and tourists in the area. Last summer’s pipeline spill in Burnaby, British Columbia, saw an estimated 234,000 litres of oil spread out over the water making its way down to Burrard Inlet.

The effects of oil spills on Canadian marine life are staggering. A recent study at Memorial University of Newfoundland estimates that every year more than 300,000 seabirds are killed by oil off the south coast of Newfoundland alone.

The ROC Barrier is designed to recover up to 100 per cent of the oil from a spill, without absorbing the water.

Even better, the oil can be reused, dramatically reducing clean-up costs.

For more information, visit: www.murrenhil.com

61 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

10:06 PM

Page 62

Triple tank system developed to decontaminate bioeffluents

By Chris Wyatt n today’s world, we are faced with health hazards and concerns such as SARS, mad cow disease, bird flu and even agents that might be used in bioterrorism. Biosafety laboratories and biocontainment facilities are increasingly being developed to research these hazards. Biocontainment facilities such as BL-3 and BL-4 labs, vaccine production facilities, animal production facilities, comparative medicine laboratories, and pharmaceutical facilities make up the majority.

To assist these facilities in their quest to maintain containment of these hazards, Hydrol-Pro Technologies and Festival City Fabricators have joined forces to provide a system to sterilize pathological wastewater.

This system is called BEDS (Bio-Effluent Decontamination System) and it can be designed to accept all drain effluent from any sized facility. The unique triple tank system was designed to replace much larger, multi-step, kill tank systems. Because the tanks are stacked, the footprint occupies two thirds of the space required for these larger systems.

Costs associated with intricate piping systems are also reduced.

The compact stacked tank arrangement was designed to be retrofitted into existing facilities and it can be customdesigned and manufactured for installa-

I

62 | November 2008

BEDS agitator gearbox mounted on the sterilization tank to promote heat transfer of the effluent.

tion in some of the smallest and hard to reach facilities.

In order to determine the ultimate parameters of the system, a consultation with the end user is carried out. Basic information and criteria are gathered and established at this time. For example, what are the expected bio-waste materials – chemicals, solids, etc.? What is the required flow rate or loading? This is determined by the number of personnel, sinks, floor drains, animal spaces, etc.

How it works The BEDS processes continuously and operation is adjustable from 240 to 305 degrees F (115 to 152 degrees C) to accommodate the types of contaminants which might be present in the lab.

Through-put volumes range from standard 200 USG to 500 USG per hour, with larger custom systems also available.

The first tank is called the “buffer tank” and it is used for the collection and accumulation of incoming biologically-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:17 PM

contaminated effluent. The buffer tank begins the process by pre-heating the wastewater to approximately 205 degrees F (nearly 100 degrees C) Once this vessel is full and pre-heated, the automatic controller checks to see if the second tank is empty and then it opens valves to allow the contents of the first tank to drain into the second, similarly-sized tank.

The second tank is called the “sterilization tank”. It heats the water to 240 305 degrees F (depending on the microorganisms present), for a minimum of one hour. This second vessel is agitated using a proprietary paddle assembly to assist and provide uniform heating. It is at this second stage that the system achieves sterilization of the effluent.

Again, the controller checks to ensure the third tank is empty and the contents of the pressurized second tank are then transferred to the third tank.

The third tank is called the “cooling tank”. This is the final part of the process where the water is cooled down to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Once the water reaches this temperature, it is safe for discharge into a municipal sewer.

Major elements of the BEDS system The tanks are manufactured from high

Page 63

quality SA-240 type 316/316L stainless steel. Each jacketed vessel is manufactured to the latest addenda of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers with either National Board or CRN Registrations). They also meet the Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC in Europe.

The Bio-Effluent Decontamination System’s vessels installed in the tank rack.

Heating of both the buffer tank and the sterilization tank is achieved by a very efficient hot oil system, which was chosen over steam for several reasons. Steam can be very aggressive on both the vessel and vessel heating jacket, while hot oil is more

controlled and reduces fatigue stress, pitting and corrosion. Ultimately, the choice of hot oil as a heating media should extend the overall life of the vessel.

A programmable logic controller (PLC) automatically controls the system to ensure everything is running properly and tests for any mechanical failure or loop fault. All systems have remote diagnostic interfaces to permit trouble-shooting from a distance.

Before commissioning, each system is validated through a set of comprehensive tests. These include: component verification, via authorized hydrostatic pressure testing of isolated components; confirmation of sequencing of the PLC; performance verification with system and integrated tests. Operational parameters are then established.

Chris Wyatt is with Festival City Fabricators. E-mail: cwyatt@clemmersteelcraft.com

CUSTOM BUILT PORTABLE STEEL BUILDINGS AND ENCLOSURES • • • •

Electrical and mechanical control rooms Generator enclosures Portable water filtration Environmentally sensitive storage

Quality fabrication to your exact specifications Contor Terminals Inc. 1611 Britannia Rd E Mississauga, ON, Canada L4W 1S5 905.670.7774 E-mail: info@contor.com

w w w. c o n t o r. c o m www.esemag.com

63 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/20/08

2:02 PM

Page 64

Preventing jet fuel piping corrosion at Toronto’s Pearson Airport onstruction in Canada provides cold weather challenges that can limit the use of some liquid coatings currently on the market. As contractors struggle with trying to complete projects in a timely fashion during winter months, they must deal with less than favourable application temperatures that continually slow down job progress and increase project costs.

Last winter, this was the situation near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, which is Canada’s largest and busiest airport, serving 40% of the country’s airline traffic. The airport provides service to over 140 destinations, in 45 countries around the world.

Pearson International recently added a new terminal, to better handle 31,000,000 passengers annually. Building this new airport terminal created a need for additional offsite jet fuel tanks and the associated piping required to carry fuel approximately 5 kms into the airport.

C

coating allowed construction crews to continue working, without the delay of preheating the pipe.

This kept the project on-time and ontrack and worked extremely well during the cold winter months, according to Denso.

The project continued on through the summer, with hundreds of lengths of Denso Protal 7250 protected pipe being installed. The pipeline installation also meant approximately 1000 girth welds will be coated with Denso Protal 7200.

For more information, contact Blair Slessor, Denso North America, E-mail: blair@densona.com Girth welds being coated with Denso Protal 7125 .

Announcement

Field repairs and girth welds were protected using Denso Protal 7125 coating, which was often applied at minus 15°C. This fast curing, low temperature

Greatario Engineered Storage Systems is pleased to announce the addition of Charles Lalonde to the company. Mr. Lalonde will play a key role in supporting the work of the company, with respect to agrienvironmental issues and government liaison.

He is a graduate from Macdonald College in Animal Science and has completed a Masters degree in ruminant nutrition at Penn State. Mr. Lalonde recently "retired" from OMAFRA after 33 years of public service in both the provincial and federal government. He has extensive work experience in agri-environmental policy and programs, nutrient management, and source water protection implementation.

While at OMAFRA, Mr. Lalonde worked with its engineers on a biogas program for Ontario.

For more information, E-mail: bbaird@greatario.com 64 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:17 PM

Page 65

Cape Breton community benefits from water system upgrade

he Wagmatcook First Nation community in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, recently upgraded its water system, which included a new 3,500 cubic metre, glass fused-to-steel water tank, built and installed by Greatario Engineered Storage Systems Limited. The consulting engineer was from the Sydney branch of Dillon Consulting Engineers. Lynk Electric Ltd., also of Sydney, provided mechanical controls and equipment.

T

www.esemag.com

Upgrading was necessary, as the existing water treatment system wasn’t adequate to service the community and produce high quality drinking water.

"The old system had a very small welded steel tank that needed to be replaced, as it was beyond restoration," says Steve Gregory, vice-president of Greatario. "We built a storage tank, hooked into the new water lines, and created a chlorination facility."

Greatario's contribution was one of

two phases to the project. The pipes and water lines component was completed

by Northern Contracting Ltd. The new facility has been up and running since June 2008, with Greatario staff having been onsite for the previous five months. Readings on the new water treatment system were taken, ensuring compliance, and challenges in balancing competing pressures were met.

"Getting a continuous, quality water supply flowing to the village was not an easy task," says Dave Howley of Lynk Electric. "We had to get the timing just right."

The end result for the people of Wagmatcook is better quality water, without shortages in the dry seasons, and increased water pressure.

(Adapted from the October 2008 issue of the Maritime Provinces Water & Wastewater Report) For more information, E-mail bbaird@greatarioengsys.com

65 | November 2008

Storage/Containment & Spills Product Showcase

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:18 PM

Page 66

Secondary oil containment

Large double-wall tanks

Albarrie, a leader in containment technology, in partnership with Kinectrics Inc., offers the SorbWeb Plus secondary oil containment system for power utilities.

• No maintenance • Cost-effective • Proven system • Rain water passes through, no pumps • Can be installed around energized transformers.

Cylindrical double-wall tanks, from Assmann Corporation, eliminate chemical spills into the environment without the expense of lined concrete containment.

Features include a heavier-top sidewall and dome to prevent collapse, a primary inner tank, and a secondary locked-on outer tank to protect against spills.

Tel: 888-357-3181, Fax: 888-826-5329 E-mail: info@assmann-usa.com Web: www.assmann-usa.com

Tel: 705-737-0551, Fax: 705-737-4044 E-mail: scott_lucas@albarrie.com Web: www.sorbwebplus.com Albarrie Environmental

Water tanks

Assman Corporation of America

Portable steel buildings

Tel: 1-877-CSI-TANK, Fax: 936-756-7766 E-mail: sales@csiproducts.com Web: www.containmentsolutions.com

Contor has become an industry leader in the design and manufacture of quality built, portable steel buildings and container modifications. Contor builds custom enclosures for a wide range of industrial applications, including electrical and mechanical rooms, portable water filtration housing, fuel cell and generator enclosures.

For more information visit www.contor.com

Containment Solutions

Contor Terminals

Flowtite® Water Tanks are the ideal reservoir for potable and non-potable water applications. They are lightweight and non-corrosive and come in sizes ranging from 2,000 –190,000 litres. The Flowtite line of tanks includes septic, fire protection, rainwater harvesting and more.

The JetMix Vortex Mixing System can be used in bio-solids storage where solids suspension is important. Benefits of using the JetMix system include: Intermittent operation saves 6090% in power consumption; expensive tank cleanout and scheduled maintenance not required; easily installed in existing tanks; multiple tank mixing using a central pump house. JetMix was a recipient of a 1997 Innovative Technology Award from the Water Environment Federation.

Tel: 519-469-8169, Fax: 519-469-8157 E-mail: sales@greatarioengsys.com Web: www.greatario.com Greatario Engineered Storage Systems

66 | November 2008

Equipment rental

BakerCorp maintains an extensive inventory of over 18,000 pieces of quality rental equipment including more than 17 varieties of steel tanks, roll off boxes, pumps, filtration and specialty equipment. For over 65 years, BakerCorp has provided outstanding customer service, quality equipment and application expertise.

Tel: 905-545-4555, 1-800-BAKER12 Web: www.bakercorp.com BakerCorp

Geomembrane systems Firestone Specialty Products’ geomembrane systems offer the strength and resilience to perform in many of the most demanding environments. With 100 years of tradition in polymer innovation, Firestone offers geomembranes that are the durable and dependable solution for nearly any application.

Tel: 888-292-6265, Fax: 877-666-3000 E-mail: petruzzidominic@firestonebp.ca Web: www.firestonebpco.ca Firestone Specialty Products

Water reservoir & tank mixer

Floating turbidity barriers

PAX Mixer is a very innovative, simple mixer designed to mix water storage reservoirs and standpipes. It offers superior mixing performance with little energy consumption, easy installation, low capital cost. It eliminates stagnation and stratification, minimizes residual loss, prevents nitrification.

Tel: 1-888-575-8642 E-mail: info@h2flow.com Web: www.h2flow.com

Layfield is a premier fabricator and supplier of a complete line of floating turbidity barriers. They are designed to restrict and contain the flow of sediment-laden runoff and to allow the sediment to settle out before being carried into adjacent or joining watercourses.

Tel: 1-800-840-2884 E-mail: cmartin@layfieldgroup.com Web: www.layfieldgroup.com

H2Flow

Layfield Group

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:18 PM

Page 67

Bioscrubber and biofilter

The HAWK line of radial flow odor control systems is designed to be a low cost, highly effective system for removing H2S and other compounds from municipal wastewater applications. The system utilizes radial flow operation, with the foul air entering from the outside, then diffused through the media bed. Contaminates are then removed and the clean air is collected in the inner portion of the vessel and exits the exhaust stack.

Tel: 905-856-1414, Fax: 905-856-6401 E-mail: sales@acgtechnology.com Web: www.acgtechnology.com

Bay Products OdorDigest DuO systems are a line of staged compartment systems capable of removing odorous compounds from a variety of sources. Air is pulled or pushed from the source to the bottom of the system whereby odorous air enters the bioscrubber section and diffuses up through the BPI’s BioScrub-XL foam.

Humidified and hydrogen sulfide free air exits the top of the bioscrubber section and is transferred to the bottom of the biofilter compartment plenum.

Tel: 905-856-1414, Fax: 905-856-6401 E-mail: sales@acgtechnology.com Web: www.acgtechnology.com

ACG Technology

ACG Technology

Concrete arch bridges

Armtec provides BEBO concrete arch bridges in Québec, Ontario and Western Canada. Based on technology developed in Switzerland, BEBO arches are an economical alternative to cast-inplace concrete or structural steel bridges. They are available in a range of shapes with spans up to 31m.

Tel: 519-822-0210, Fax: 519-822-1160 E-mail: sales@armtec.com Web: www.armtec.com Armtec

Lightweight plastic ventilator

Pelsue has introduced the new 1325p Axial Ventilator with Airpac 15 or 25’ hose canister. This rugged ventilator is perfect for confined space entry ventilation and is available in 12 VDC or 115 VAC. Tel: 800-265-0182, Fax: 905-272-1866 E-mail: info@cdnsafety.com Web: www.cdnsafety.com Canadian Safety Equipment www.esemag.com

Environmentally responsible solutions AQUATECH is a complete service provider of specialized dewatering, bypass pumping and environmental equipment for all fluid handling, filtration and testing applications.

Aquatech also offers a complete line of specialized pumping equipment including diesel, hydraulic and electric powered centrifugals, electric submersibles, wellpoint pumps and emergency response services.

Tel: 905-907-1700, Fax 905-907-1701 E-mail: info@aquatd.com Web: www.aquatechdewatering.com Aquatech Dewatering

Stormwater solutions

Rotary drum screen

Armtec provides a wide range of CONTECH stormwater quality management systems throughout Canada. Products include VORTECHS hydrodynamic separation systems and VORTFILTER filtration systems. These systems are among the best for capturing suspended solids, oils, grit and trash from stormwater runoff.

Tel: 519-822-0210, Fax: 519-822-1160 E-mail: sales@armtec.com Web: www.armtec.com

Baycor introduced a massive new rotary drum screen at WEFTEC 2008. More wastewater, or sludge, can be processed with fewer screens, in less space, reducing construction and installation costs.

The unique UnibodyTM design gives the company the flexibility to customize a screen to your specific application and screening goals.

Armtec

Baycor Fibre Tech

New stainless steel pumps Grindex’s new stainless steel pump line combines the integrity of years of tested design with the ingenuity and durability of new technology. Inox pumps can be used in applications that would destroy their aluminum predecessors. Their stainless steel construction enables them to endure pH values from 2 – 10, making them ideal for extreme environments with highly acidic or alkaline contents.

They are ideal for use in copper mines, coal power plants, saltwater fish farms, shipyards, etc.

Tel: 705-431-8585, Fax: 705-431-2772 E-mail: PB@claessenpumps.com Web: www.claessenpumps.com Claessen Pumps

Tel: 519-751-7787, Fax: 519-751-7712 E-mail: info@baycorfibre.com Web: www.baycorfibre.com

Underground stormwater management

Using large diameter corrugated steel pipe under parking areas and playgrounds is a cost-effective way to meet reduced runoff and environmental restrictions while allowing revenue producing services, recreation and commercial development. Design software is available, FREE. Tel: 866-295-2416, Fax: 519-650-8081 E-mail: info@cspi.ca Web: www.cspi.ca.

Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute 67 | November 2008

Product & Service Showcase

Odor control systems

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

Engineering Textbook

Page 68

Dissolved air flotation system

The Handbook of Steel Drainage & Highway Construction Products has been reprinted and is once again available (January 2007). There are minor changes to the 2002 version.

Most significant are design examples for large soil steel structures that illustrate procedures using Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC).

Tel: 866-295-2416, Fax: 519-650-8081 E-mail: info@cspi.ca Web: www.cspi.ca

The AquaDAF® Clarifier High-Rate Dissolved Air Flotation System is a viable alternative to conventional settling and DAF clarifiers. The AquaDAF is a hybrid of conventional DAF and optimally designed system components. It is highly effective for the treatment of a range of raw water characteristics including troublesome waters exhibiting low turbidity, high TOC, color and algae.

Web: www.infilcodegremont.com

Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute

Degremont Technologies/Infilco

Inspection check-list books

Product & Service Showcase

8:19 PM

Inspect over 200+ vehicles, equipment and machines with the “Checker”® inspection check-list books. Pumps, compressors, generator, compactor, baler, shredder, waste/recycle, service/utility vehicles, digger derrick, drilling/auger, fleet vehicles, welders, dumptrucks, backhoe, storage pouches and MANY MORE! Tel: 800-291-4719, Fax: 905-469-8831 E-mail: devtra@sympatico.ca Web: www.thechecker.net DEVTRA Inc.

New calibration facility

Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG in Switzerland, the company’s new calibration facility, sets standards worldwide.

The facility produces measurements that deviate no more than ±0.015 percent from the reference value – equivalent to about the contents of one champagne glass in one thousand litres of water. Endress+Hauser operates in accordance with internationally accepted standards for the accreditation of its products.

Web: www.ca.endress.com Endress + Hauser 68 | November 2008

One-Pass trenching

With DeWind's One-Pass trencher technology, deep environmental horizontal collection trenches, reactive barriers, and slurry walls are installed in a single pass directly into contaminated water and soil.

There is no need to dewater or remediate.

Tel: 616-875-7580, Fax: 616-875-7334 E-mail: dewind@iserv.net Web: dewinddewatering.com DeWind Dewatering & Trenching

Denso Petrolatum Tapes Proven worldwide for well over 100 years, Denso Petrolatum Tapes offer the best, most economical, long-term corrosion protection for all above and below ground metal surfaces.

Requiring only minimum surface preparation and environmentally responsible, Denso Petrolatum Tape is the solution to your corrosion problems in any corrosive environment. For applications in mines, mills, refineries, steel mills, pulp & paper, oil & gas, and the waterworks industry. The answer is Denso!

Tel: 416-291-3435, Fax: 416-291-0898 E-mail: blair@densona.com Web: www.densona.com Denso

Electronic water meter

The Elster AquaMaster Electronic Water Meter is revolutionizing I.C.I. Revenue and Water Loss Management metering. A direct replacement for turbine, compound and fire service mechanical type meter designs, the AquaMaster remains consistently accurate, reduces metering costs and maximizes revenue capture.

Tel: 866-703-7581, Fax: 905-634-6705 E-mail: watermeters@ca.elster.com Elster Metering

Remediation/Demolition

Technical Product Guide

Greenspoon Specialty Contracting has been actively engaged in the Demolition and Environmental Remediation industry for over 50 years. Spanning across the commercial, industrial and government sectors, GSC is proficient in all areas of demolition (implosion and dismantlement), asbestos, mould and lead abatement, soil remediation and site decommissioning. Proficient in LEEDs projects. Offices in Toronto, Winnipeg, Buffalo.

Tel: 800-928-8812, Fax: 905-458-4149 E-mail: bill@greenspoon.net Web: www.greenspoon.net

The Grundfos Alldos DDI range was designed for accurate and precise dosing demands. Offering models with Flow Monitor makes this an all-in-one dosing solution.

This product is closely examined and illustrated in this 39 page Product Guide. To receive your FREE copy, please email dmayorga@grundfos.com.

Tel: 1-800-644-9599, Fax. 1-800-265-9862 Web: www.grundfosalldos.com

Greenspoon Specialty Contracting

Grundfos Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:20 PM

Grundfos is a global leader in pumps and pumping solutions and offers a complete range of metering pumps to provide you with “The Right Mix” of water treatment products. To request your FREE copy of this full colour 15 page brochure, please email dmayorga @grundfos.com.

Tel: 1-800-644-9599, Fax. 1-800-265-9862 Web: www.grundfosalldos.com Grundfos

Groundwater data logging

Web-based monitoring system

The Heron dipperLog is the answer to your long-term groundwater level monitoring program.

The dipperLog will measure and record groundwater levels and temperatures over long periods of time. See how Heron Instruments has made groundwater data logging easy and costeffective for everyone who needs to monitor their water.

Tel: 800-331-2032, Fax: 905-634-9657 E-mail: info@heroninstruments.com Web: www.heroninstruments.com

The HOBO U30/Wi-Fi Remote Monitoring System is a web-based monitoring system that provides real-time, remote access to energy and environmental data over any Wi-Fi network. HOBOlink™ is a new web-enabled software platform that can be used to access current and historical data, set alarm notifications and relay activations, and control the system from their computer. The HOBO U30/Wi-Fi provides around-the-clock monitoring of various types of renewable energy systems.

Web: www.hoskin.ca Hoskin Scientific

Heron Instruments

Weather station

HDPE pipe

Personal gas detector A DS2 Docking Station™ is now available for the GasBadge® Plus single gas monitor.

The GasBadge Plus is a two-year, lowcost, personal gas detector. The DS2 Docking Station recognizes individual instrument serial numbers, performs calibration and bump testing and its instrument diagnostics and record keeping functions limit safety hazards and liability concerns.

Web: www.hoskin.ca

Exclusively from Ideal Pipe, the Challenger line of engineered HDPE pipe meets and exceeds all requirements for storm sewer, culvert and drainage applications. Challenger 3000 gasketed smoothwall pipe is CSAapproved with excellent environmental stability and flow characteristics for lasting reliability.

Tel: 519-473-2669, Fax: 519-641-2524 Toll Free: 1-800-265-7098 E-mail: ideal@netrover.com Web: www.idealpipe.ca

Hoskin Scientific

Ideal Pipe

Industrial Scientific

The HOBO Remote Monitoring System, a state-of-the-art weather station, provides instant access to data via the internet. The new system combines research-grade hardware with built-in GSM cellular communications and HOBOlink™, a new web-enabled software platform.

Turbo blower

Septage Receiving Station

Neuros is a highefficiency turbo blower, with highspeed motor and air bearings and without gearbox or lubricating system.

This product saves a considerable amount of electricity costs and provides a comfortable working environment, due to much lower noise and vibration levels.

Tel: 905-286-4846, Fax: 905-286-5805 E-mail: instrumentation@ johnmeunier.com Web: www.johnmeunier.com

The user-friendly, maintenance-free Helisieve Plus® Septage Receiving Station pretreats septage and protects downstream processes.

This self-contained system removes troublesome solids and dewaters them for landfill.

It's fast, easy and effective, and odors are contained in the stainless steel receiving tank.

Tel: 514-636-8712, Fax: 514-636-9718 E-mail: canada@parkson.com Web: www.parkson.com

John Meunier

Parkson

www.esemag.com

Tel: 800-338-3287, Fax: 412-788-8353 E-mail: clange@indsci.com Web: www.indsci.com

Transducers

Pressure Systems has added a wireless compatible model to its comprehensive waterMONITOR line of KPSI™ Transducers. The high accuracy, rugged waterMONITOR is used with wireless transmitters to broadcast water level (or pressure), temperature and atmospheric pressure data.

Tel: 800-328-3665, Fax: 757-865-8744 E-mail: sales@pressuresystems.com Web: www.pressuresystems.com Pressure Systems 69 | November 2008

Product & Service Showcase

Get the Right Mix

Page 69

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:21 PM

Water level measurement

Pressure Systems now offers lightning protection for its KPSI™ Series 300 small bore submersible level transducers for increased reliability. The transducer features protection against fast-rising voltage transients for rigorous environments encountered in water level measurement applications.

Tel: 800-328-3665, Fax: 757-865-8744 E-mail: sales@pressuresystems.com Web:www.pressuresystems.com Pressure Systems

Product & Service Showcase

Metering pump

Page 70

Mechanical bar screen

High speed blowers

The Huber RakeMax® is a bar screen with a spacing from 1/4" to 6" (6 to 150 mm). In spite of its outstanding discharge height of up to 65 ft (20 m) above the channel floor, it fits into virtually any building. The bar rack is an integral part of the sturdy frame, which ensures perfect meshing of the rake teeth with the bar screen. Positive and reliable cleaning is thus guaranteed.

Tel: 416-861-0237, Fax: 416-861-9303 Web: www.proaquasales.com

HSI High Speed Turbo Blower line has over 10 models ranging from 5HP to 300HP (1-250kW), with flow ranges from 10 – 10,000 SCFM (15-15,000 nm3/hr) and pressures to 25 psi (1.7 bar). They require no lubrication nor maintenance besides inlet filter changes, achieve sound levels below 85 dBA, and operate with virtually no vibration.

Tel: 416-861-0237, Fax: 416-861-9303 Web: www.proaquasales.com

Pro Aqua, Inc.

Pro Aqua, Inc.

Site investigations

The awardwinning delta® with optoDrive® provides diverse control and operating capabilities in a capacity range of 7.5 - 75 l/h, 362 psi - 29 psi.

The delta from ProMinent has many advanced features: pulsed or continuous dosing; automatic detection of airlock, low pressure and high pressure; and an automatic degassing option.

Tel: 888-709-9933, Fax: 519-836-5226 E-mail: sales@prominent.ca Web: www.prominent.ca/delta

RMSS specializes in difficult access site investigations. Our equipment is easily broken down into helicopter, ATV and man portable packages so you can get your job done without huge mobilization costs. Soil sampling, monitoring wells, geo-technical testing, we go anywhere.

Tel: 604-947-RMSS (7677), Fax: 604-947-9500 Web: www.rmsoil.com

ProMinent Fluid Controls

Rocky Mountain Soil Sampling

Cleaning and video inspections Scantron Robotics offers leadingedge technology for video inspection and online cleaning of potable water installations, including removal of resin and biofilm from clear wells and concrete/steel reservoirs. There are no confined space entry issues. The process is safe and cost-effective.

Tel: 1-877-757-1537 E-mail: scantronsurveying@sasktel.net Web: www.scantronrobotics.com Scantron Robotics 70 | November 2008

Industrial gear units

Membrane bioreactor Sanitherm, a division of Peak Energy Services, has perfected containerizing their SaniBrane® MBR. The containerized SaniBrane is portable, provides excellent effluent on start-up, is operator friendly and comes pre-wired, preplumbed and tested. The system for anywhere needing reliable waste treatment with a small footprint!

Tel: 604-986-9168, Fax: 604-986-5377 E-mail: saneng@sanitherm.com Web: www.sanitherm.com Sanitherm, a division of Peak Energy Services

Water treatment Siemens provides innovative water technologies: • Vantage® NF/RO Filtration Systems

The in-house development of SEW-Eurodrive’s new XSeries heavy industrial gear units is nearly unrivaled with its fine size graduation that covers the medium torque range from 43,000 to 129,000 ft-lb. The large number of pre-defined accessories offers a high degree of flexibility for adapting to a broad range of application situations, with a minimum of components at maximum utility.

Tel: 905-791-1553, Fax: 905-791-2999 E-mail: marketing@sew-eurodrive.ca Web: www.sew-eurodrive.ca

Tel: 800-525-0658 or 724-772-1402 E-mail:information.water@siemens.com Web: www.siemens.com/drinking_water

SEW-Eurodrive

Siemens Water Technologies

• TRIDENT® HSC and Trident® HS Packaged Water Treatment Systems • MEMCOR® Membrane Filtration Systems • CenTROL® Filter Systems • MULTIBLOCK® FilterUnderdrains

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:21 PM

Siemens also offers these technologies: • MULTICRETE® II Filter Underdrains • CONTRAFAST® Clarifier • GFH® Arsenic Removal Media • Barrier® M and Barrier® A UV Disinfection Units • OSEC® On-site Hypochlorite Generation System Tel: 800-525-0658 or 724-772-1402 E-mail: information.water@siemens.com Web: www.siemens.com/drinking_water

Siemens Water Technologies

Join pipe to 144 inches

Depend-O-Lok is the new standard for joining pipe to 144”. Engineered for restrained and unrestrained systems, Depend-O-Lok allows angular deflection and pipeline thermal expansion/contraction while maintaining seal integrity.

Specify in systems to 600 PSI for strength, reliability and ease of maintenance.

Tel: 905-884-7444 E-mail: viccanada@victaulic.com Web: www.victaulic.com Victaulic

Controlling contaminated groundwater

Grit chamber

New blower package

The Smith & Loveless PISTA® Grit Chamber maintains the highest proven grit removal efficiencies over a wide range of daily flows because of its exclusive forced vortex design. It removes grit and other discrete particles, separates organics and inorganics, and reduces grit accumulation in downstream basins, channels, weirs and piping. This results in reduced wear on mechanical equipment. Complete grit pumping, dewatering and washing components are available.

Tel: 913-888-5201, Fax: 913-888-2173 E-mail: answers@smithandloveless.com Web: www.smithandloveless.com Smith & Loveless

The Qube™ blower package by Tuthill, featuring the new Qx™ blower, is the perfect, quiet, low-cost, quick delivery solution for pneumatic conveying and more. Benefits include high efficiency with low noise (< 75 dBA); up to 18 PSI; a compact footprint; and a powder-coated steel enclosure (24 dBA attenuation). Additional features include integral check valve; discharge from back; and discharge flexible connector.

Valve maintenance system

Wachs Canada introduces the ERV-750, Truck and Trailer Mount Valve Maintenance System with intelligent automated valve exercising equipment. You will always have enough torque to turn the valve; you will always use the absolute minimum torque to do so.

Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems

New facility The Walkerton Clean Water Centre held its groundbreaking for the new facility on Friday, October 17, 2008. Doing the honours were MPP Carol Mitchell, Brockton Mayor Charlie Bagnato, Chair of the Board Murray Elston and CEO Saad Jasim. The building will be a 19,000 square foot LEED GOLD building.

Tel: 1-888-785-2000, Fax 905-830-6050 E-mail: sward@wachsco.com Web: www.wachsco.com

Tel: 519-881-2003, 1-866-515-0550 Fax: 519-881-4947 E-mail: inquiry@wcwc.ca Web: www.wcwc.ca

Wachs Canada Ltd.

Walkerton Clean Water Centre

Trickling filters

Waterloo Barrier is a low permeability cutoff wall for groundwater containment and control. It is a new design of steel sheet piling, featuring joints that can be sealed after the sheets have been driven into the ground, and was developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo. It has patent/patent pending status in several countries.

Canadian Metal Rolling Mills assisted in developing the product.

Tel: 519-856-1352, Fax: 519-856-0759 E-mail: info@waterloo-barrier.com Web: www. waterloo-barrier.com

Waterloo Biofilters® are efficient, modular trickling filters for residential and communal sewage wastewaters, and landfill leachate. Patented, lightweight, synthetic filter media optimize physical properties for microbial attachment and water retention. The self-contained modular design for communal use is now available in 20,000L/d and 40,000L/d ISO shipping container units - ready to plug in on-site.

Tel: 519-856-0757, Fax: 519-856-0759 E-mail: wbs@waterloo-biofilter.com Web: www. waterloo-biofilter.com

Waterloo Barrier

Waterloo Biofilter

www.esemag.com

Tel: 800-825-6937, Fax: 417-865-2950 E-mail: hdeCelis@tuthill.com Web: www.vacuum.tuthill.com

Peristaltic pump Waterra distributes the Pegasus Alexis Peristaltic Pump, a self-contained sampling station that includes all the best features of these devices. Packaged in the rugged Pelican 1430 case and incorporating its own power supply and charger, this pump will keep you sampling in the field all day long.

Tel: 905-238-5242, Fax: 905-238-5704 E-mail: waterra@idirect.com Web: www.waterra.com Waterra Pumps 71 | November 2008

Product & Service Showcase

Water treatmment

Page 71

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:21 PM

Page 72

Business

A business analysis of the world's water industry

hile the need for water is universal, the water business is anything but uniform. “Think diversity” is the first bullet of advice proffered by Cliff Ransom, President of Ransom Research, Inc., an independent investment research firm that studies a targeted band of companies in the manufacturing sector.

“The water industry is not homogenous; it consists of a plethora of niches and narrowly defined markets,” Ransom elaborates. On the supplier side, differences in structure, market approach, and offerings make it very difficult to perform classic apples-to-apples comparisons among the major players. In the customer arena, the historically conservative, risk-averse municipal buyer stands in sharp contrast to a private sector that welcomes the cost and efficiency benefits of new technology.

Superimposed on this multivariate equation are trends such as stricter government regulation, the pressure to lower energy consumption, mounting treatment and scarcity issues, and efforts to establish a global footprint.

The consolidation that has characterized the water and wastewater industry over the past several years has created a number of what Ransom describes as “well-managed investment vehicles.”

More mergers and acquisitions are likely to occur, he predicts. Still, the in-

W

72 | November 2008

dustry structure remains highly fragmented, with many entities specializing in either products, services, or the aftermarket. Those with a product orientation often subdivide their focus further, into products, packaged systems, or integrated solutions.

Some of the companies that operate in all three spheres do so in response to a customer push for added value, such as the desire to capture flow information, not just install new metering equipment.

From a technical perspective, Ransom uses the example of the process of reverse osmosis for drinking water to illustrate just how narrowly defined market segments can be. While facing superficially similar conditions, systems and equipment to convert brackish water to potable water will not be the same as those used for seawater, due to the need for different membranes, pumps, and line pressures. Any in-depth look at solutions’ providers has to take these kinds of distinctions into account.

Further complicating the business mix is the fact that the same or similar pumps, motors, valves, and associated equipment such as monitoring and control systems can be deployed in numerous related industries. Some of the sectors with cross-over applications are: oil and gas, including exploration and development; petrochemical and chemical processing; pulp and paper; mining; food and beverage; aerospace/defense;

pharmaceutical; and power, from diesel motors and gas turbines to hydroelectric facilities and nuclear reactors.

The distribution chain is equally divergent, as direct sales personnel, manufacturers’ representatives, resellers, and distributors all compete for the customer’s attention.

The level of expertise and systems integration capability among sellers also varies. The crowded field of competitors makes it challenging for an equipment vendor to build revenue by expanding into the service side. So far, according to Ransom, no one business model has been able to claim primacy in the distribution channel.

On the other side of the desk, customers in the municipal drinking and wastewater markets are known to prefer the safety and stability of precedent over innovation. New technology can take several years, if not decades, to migrate into these sectors. Decision-making is a complex process, often inserting layers of consulting engineers, specialized contractors, and academic input between the buyer and the final contract.

Multiple opportunities exist for players in the value-added distribution channels, including systems integrators and bundlers, to exert their influence, especially in drafting specifications that will favor their products or services.

Brand loyalty plays an important role in buying decisions, and a customer’s

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:21 PM

Page 73

Business direct experience with existing installations can give a vendor a special edge.

If not the primary business drivers, technological advances and lower costs do serve as major competitive differentiators. The appeal of maximizing uptime while minimizing maintenance, downtime, and energy consumption may first be recognized by the earlyadopting, for profit industrial sector, but it also resonates in the municipal realm.

Speed and efficacy in new product development, commercialization, launch, and ramping up, confer significant advantages to vendors. For example, the plummeting cost of membrane technology and the new generation of energy-efficient pumps and motors can be powerful boosts to adoption and sales. The flip side is that large players often acquire the enterprises that introduce innovations in order to accelerate industry adoption and to control the flow of disruptive technology.

And then there’s the court of public opinion to consider. The closed-loop water system, in which wastewater is processed and recycled back into potable water, has been slow to catch on with consumers. Nevertheless, Ransom

declares the trend “inexorable,” especially in light of regional droughts and increased attention to climate change.

Future opportunities for suppliers lie in expanding geographic scope, offering new levels of service and cultivating the growing aftermarket, and helping customers address heightened regulation.

The pursuit of a global strategy entails more than just establishing geographically differentiated sales channels, he warns. It may require a manufacturing presence or a low-cost country sourcing strategy, along with attention to the various physical and regulatory hurdles that come into play.

More precise monitoring and alarming capabilities have rising commercial appeal, especially in light of higher labor costs and mounting government penalties for non-compliance. While consumables used in testing provide a repetitive, annuity-like income stream, savvy providers recognize the value of the data their equipment automatically collects from customer sites and look to translate that into further revenue opportunities. In the meantime, the original equipment aftermarket, a realm that

spans spares, retrofits, upgrades, and service is an area of very consistent and very steady growth.

In the regulatory arena, the burgeoning array of wastewater contaminants (nitrogen, phosphorus, pathogens, viruses, etc.) demands enhanced detection ability, propelling the refinement of measuring instruments and a corresponding shift in the standard scale from parts per million to parts per billion.

In a similar vein, the upsurge in challenging materials in the waste stream has created the need for heavy-duty disposal equipment.

At the end of the day, despite the divergent contours of the business, it’s the demand for water that ultimately advances the industry. As Ransom observes in his typically forthright fashion: “The reality of global development means that national and personal priorities shift to safe, assured, and plentiful water resources. … In my opinion, participation in this sector will lead to continued investment success.”

For more information, visit: www.itt.com

Y S I Pro20 Disso lved O xy gen Handheld dissolved oxygen instrument for the lab or field!

3-year instrument; 2-year cable warranty User-replaceable cables and sensors.

One Touch Cal allows easy DO calibrations Stores 50 data sets; no need to write down data Graphic, backlit display and glow in the dark keypad Available with 1- 4- 10- 20- 30- and 100-m cable lengths standard Tough. IP-67, impact-resistant, waterproof case Quick response times (fastest response time in the market) Multiple languages include English, Spanish, French, and German

for more information: www.hoskin.ca/sites/hoskin/files/ysi-pro20.pdf

HOSKIN SCIENTIFIC

Vancouver: 604-872-7894 Montreal: 514-735-5267 Burlington: 905-333-5510 www.esemag.com

www.hoskin.ca

73 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:21 PM

Page 74

NEWS Ontario gas station owners fined for wastewater plant violations

• ANTHRACITE • QUALITY FILTER SAND & GRAVEL • CARBON • GARNET ILMENITE • REMOVAL & INSTALLATION 20 Sharp Road, Brantford, Ontario N3T 5L8 • Tel: (519) 751-1080 • Fax: (519) 751-0617 E-mail: swildey@anthrafilter.net • Web: www.anthrafilter.net

Innovative, PRACTICAL , Responsible, COST-EFFECTIVE Environmental

SOLUTIONS

Manitoba to permanently halt hog industry expansion

Assessment | Monitoring | Approvals Risk Management | Remediation | Reclamation OTTAWA (613) 226 -2456

TORONTO (416) 635-5882

CALGARY (403) 266 -2555

AQUA TERRE SOLUTIONS INC.

LETHBRIDGE ( 4 0 3 ) 3 1 7- 9 1 6 1

|

The owners of a gas station located in the Municipality of Clarington, have been convicted of a total of 11 counts of violating the Ontario Water Resources Act in connection with the operation of a sewage works, and were fined $124,500.

The Court heard that on July 16, 2004, the ministry had issued a Certificate of Approval to the company for a new sewage works. On November 15, 2006, a ministry inspection revealed that the sewage works was not in compliance with its certificate.

The 11 charges involved various contraventions of the Ontario Water Resources Act, as prescribed in the certificate. Some of these included: failing to build, install and operate the sewage works in accordance with the Act; failing to collect and analyze monthly effluent samples; and failing to collect and analyze monthly groundwater samples.

The defendants were issued a Court Order on September 18, 2008, which requires them to comply with the Certificate of Approval within 90 days of the issuance of the order.

SASKATOON (306) 244-8663

aquaterre.ca

Three regional moratoriums on hog industry expansion will soon be made permanent to protect water and the environment after the formal passage of Bill 17. The three regions affected by the moratoriums include: Southeastern Manitoba, The Red River Valley Special Management Area and The Interlake.

Hog industry expansion in these regions has been halted since November 2006, when Manitoba’s environment minister announced a province-wide industry pause. The ban was lifted in all but three regions of the province, following the release of the Clean Environment Commission’s recent report on the environmental sustainability of the hog industry.

Manitoba funding research into cutting agricultural GHGs The Manitoba government is investing more than $1 million to fund new re74 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:21 PM

Page 75

NEWS search aimed at reducing greenhouse-gas emissions generated by Manitoba’s agricultural sector. Environment Canada data shows that agricultural activities produce 30 per cent of the province’s greenhousegas emissions. More than 40 per cent of agricultural emissions come from agricultural soils, much of it from the application of nitrogen-based fertilizers.

The new research will be aimed at practical tools to reduce emissions from the agriculture sector, noting that effective ecologically-minded farm practices often reduce energy inputs, saving producers money. The initial round of funded projects includes: • Studying the role of grasslands in mitigating greenhouse-gas emissions and their ability to provide other benefits such as reduced water erosion; • Examining changes in greenhousegas emissions for annual crop land that is converted to forage crops and vice-versa; • Researching the impact an animal’s diet will have on greenhouse-gas emissions from manure; • Examining carbon emissions of various cropping systems and the economics of biological nitrogen production.

Ontario welcomes progress on GHG cap-and-trade system

MARKHAM, ONTARIO 905-747-8506 weknowwater@bv.com www.bv.com

Get a clear view of:

“Specialists in non-intrusive ground investigations” Tel: 905.458.1883 Fax: 905.792.1884 E-mail: general@geophysics.ca Web: www.geophysics.ca

More than 30 Years More Ye ears of Water Water & Wastewater Wastewater S Solutions olution ns

The Western Climate Initiative (WCI), of which Ontario is a member, has released design recommendations for its North American market-based cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions.

The provinces and states in WCI account for approximately 73 per cent of the Canadian economy and 20 per cent of the US economy respectively. An advantage of a cap-and-trade system is it provides incentives for continuous innovation in emissions reduction, new green technologies and future jobs.

Cap-and-trade is a market-based tool that will help transition Ontario to a lowcarbon economy by rewarding clean technologies. It also will help Ontario meet its ambitious GHG reduction targets of six per cent below 1990 levels by 2014, and 15 per cent by 2020.

While additional program design continued overleaf... www.esemag.com

• UST's, buried metal, debris & fill • Former excavations & structures • Leachate plumes • Voids and fractures • Stratigraphy • Pipes and utilities

Wastewater C Wastewater Collection/Treatment ollec tion/Treatme ent Water W ater Supply,, Treatment, Treatment, SStorage torag ge & D Distribution istribution Environmental En vironmental SSite ite A Assessment/Remediation ssessment/R t emediation Hydrogeological H ydrogeological Investigations/Modelling Investigationss/M odelling Watershed/Stormwater W atershed/Stormwater Management M anagement Information Inf ormation Technology/Data Te echnology/Data Management M anagement

2,700 00 Sta Staff St ff 90+ 0+ Offices O ffices

1.800.265.6102 80 .265.6102 www.CRAworld.com w w w.CR .C Aworld.com o

Worldwide W orldwide Engineering, Engineering g, En Environmental, vironmental, C Construction, onstruction, and IT S Services er vices

Accurate and Innovative Laboratory Services Phone: 519-681-0571 Fax: 519-681-7150 Email: info@gapenviromic.com www.gapenviromic.com Internationally recognized laboratory – accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 Standard (CAEAL)

• Microbial Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) • Microbial support for UV reactor validation efforts – bacteriophage and collimated beam analysis

• Pathogen detection (Legionella spp. accredited test)

75 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:22 PM

Page 76

NEWS work still needs to be undertaken, once adopted, the WCI system will put a cap on, or limit, big emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Ontario and Quebec signed a Memorandum of Understanding in June to work on the development of a cap-and-trade system for GHG emissions that could be in place as early as 2010. This collaboration is aimed at making links with broader North American and international cap-and-trade systems, such as WCI, and providing an intergovernmental forum between Canadian provinces and territories.

Disinfection system failure results in charges

Focused on the Special Needs of Industrial and Commercial Clients for More Than 20 Years

www.geomatrix.com For more information:

Specializing in:

420 Weber Street North, Unit G Waterloo, ON N2L 4E7 519.886.7500

From multi-billion dollar Fortune 100 companies to family-run Owner-Manager enterprises, Geomatrix serves industrial and commercial clients locally and around the world from our18 North American offices.

Experts in Water, Wastewater, Environmental Planning, and Simulation Software

Hydromantis, Inc. Consulting Engineers ! 420 Sheldon Drive, Cambridge, Ontario, N1T 2H9 Tel: (519) 624-7223 Fax: (519) 624-7224 ! 1685 1 James Street Ontario, L8P L8S 4R5 1G5 Main St. South, West,Suite Suite1601, 302,Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Tel: (905) 522-0012 Fax: (905) 522-0031

E-mail: info@hydromantis.com Web: www.hydromantis.com

INTERNATIONAL WATER SUPPLY LTD. WWW.IWS.CA

WELL AND PUMP MAINTENANCE 1-800-461-9636 After Hours Emergency Pager: (705) 734-3277 342 Bayview Drive, Box 310, Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4M 4T5

76 | November 2008

Tel: (705) 733-0111, Fax: (705) 721-0138 E-Mail: iws@iws.ca

The Town of Bouctouche, New Brunswick, has pleaded guilty to a violation of the Water Quality Regulation of the Clean Environment Act, after it failed to comply with a term or condition of the Approval to Operate the potable water distribution system. The approval requires that the Department of Health be notified immediately if there is a malfunction in the continuous disinfection system. On May 12, a town employee found a break in a valve between the chlorine injector and the main line. The valve was repaired, but this malfunction was not reported to the Department of Health until May 16.

On May 20, town employees determined there were still problems with the chlorination system, and made additional repairs the following day. This was not reported to the Department of Health until May 22. As a result of the recurring problems, the Department of Health issued a boil water order on May 23, which remained in effect until May 30.

Debate continues on nitrogen removal for Winnipegâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wastewater The Manitoba government is requesting the Clean Environment Commission (CEC) reaffirm its order on phosphorus and nitrogen removal and ammonia treatment of Winnipegâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wastewater as part of its recommended three-year review process. While the CEC heard strong scientific evidence to support the removal of both phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater, respected scientific voices Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:22 PM

Page 77

NEWS are now arguing that removing just phosphorus is sufficient.

The Manitoba government is enhancing investments in wastewater treatment upgrades province wide, with a $350million commitment for wastewater projects across the province, including a $235-million provincial investment for the upgrade of all three water treatment plants in Winnipeg.

In addition to asking the CEC to confirm the science on which its earlier nutrient order was based, the province has retained Associated Engineering to update the costs associated with additional nitrogen removal. Current estimates suggest that 10 to 15 per cent of the costs of upgrading Winnipegâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wastewater treatment plants are for nitrogen removal.

The engineering report, which will be referred to the CEC, will also examine which jurisdictions in Western Canada are already removing nitrogen in addition to removing phosphorus and treating ammonia.

Helping internationally trained environmental engineers gain employment A program has been launched in Ontario to help internationally trained environmental engineers obtain the specific training and work experience they need to transition into the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce.

The Professional Access and Integration Enhancement (PAIE) Program is a continuation of the efforts of Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to improve access to environmental professions for skilled newcomers. TRCA is the lead organizer of the program which is being implemented with a joint investment from the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The PAIE Program helps internationally trained professionals to achieve continued professional success in Canada,â&#x20AC;? said Brian Denney, CAO, TRCA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These newcomers present the environmental sector with an incredible opportunity, offering diverse experience and perspectives in a time of great environmental challenge. The success of the 2006/2007 PAIE Program speaks to the growing need for international expertise and demonstrates TRCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedication to

0%/

0ROG %DFWHULD &RQVXOWLQJ /DERUDWRULHV

"REVIK 0L 5NIT !

-ISSISSAUGA /. , 7 .

Ę&#x2022; 0RXOG DQG EDFWHULD WHVWLQJ Ć&#x2021; 7RWDO VSRUH FRXQWV $LU 2 &HOO HWF

Ć&#x2021; 9LDEOH DQDO\VHV RI DLU DQG EXON VDPSOHV Ć&#x2021; &ROLIRUPV DQG ( FROL VFUHHQLQJ Ć&#x2021; /HJLRQHOOD WHVWLQJ Ć&#x2021; 0RXOG DQG EDFWHULD WUDLQLQJ FRXUVHV Ć&#x2021; 6(59,1* :+2/( 2) &$1$'$

3BUFE 1SPmDJFOU *O 5IF "*)" &.1"5 1SPHSBN XXX .PME#BDUFSJB DPN

continued overleaf... www.esemag.com

77 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:22 PM

Page 78

NEWS

Peter J. Laughton, P. Eng. Consulting Engineer

Environmental Engineering Services

King City, Ontario CANADA

p.laughton@pjlaughtonenv.com

tel: +1.905.833.6738 fax: +1.905.833.8497

continuously evolve with the changing needs of the community.”

“Bridge training programs give newcomers the experience they need to work in Ontario,” said Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Michael Chan.

“By 2010, our programs will have helped more than 20,000 newcomers.”

TRCA is implementing the PAIE Program through its Environmental Volunteer Network (EVN), which has been in place since 2002. One of the objectives of the EVN is to help skilled immigrants integrate into the environmental workforce. The PAIE Program is working in conjunction with Accessible Community Counselling and Employment Services (ACCES), Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), and Workplace Communication and Diversity Inc. (WCD). www.trca.on.ca

ŕ %KXKN 'PIKPGGTKPI ŕ 'PXKTQPOGPVCN 5GTXKEGU

1-800-265-9662

ŕ )TQWPFYCVGT 5GTXKEGU ŕ 5VTWEVWTCN 'PIKPGGTKPI ŕ 'NGEVTKECN 'PIKPGGTKPI

engineering toronto london

operations

welland moncton

tel 416 497 8600

management

ottawa fredericton

sudbury mumbai

www.rvanderson.com

www.rjburnside.com

Saskatchewan’s environmental technology sector continues to grow An alternative energy technology has been approved for Go Green funding from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. Titan Clean Energy Projects Corp. of Saskatoon will use $160,250 of Green Technology Commercialization Grant funding to help in bringing its biomass briquetting technology to market.

The process will turn waste agricultural and forestry biomass, such as oat hulls, into a carbon-neutral heat and energy source for traditional coal consumers. Use of the waste biomass in this way will also reduce emissions of methane that would normally occur through decomposition. The product may also be used in woodstoves as a high-energy, eco-friendly alternative to firewood.

According to the Ministry, this process has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions in the province by up to 35,000 tonnes annually.

North Saskatchewan River watershed source water protection plan completed The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and the North Saskatchewan River Basin Council have released Saskatchewan's seventh source water protection plan. The Province’s source water protection planning program is a direct result of the find78 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:23 PM

Page 79

NEWS ings in the North Battleford water inquiry.

The Council will oversee the implementation of the plan throughout the entire North Saskatchewan River watershed, an area that covers approximately 41,000 km², reaching from the Alberta-Saskatchewan border to the river's confluence with the South Saskatchewan River at "The Forks", east of Prince Albert. The watershed has a total population of more than 116,000 people and includes 51 rural municipalities, 29 First Nations with lands and 17 Indian Reserves, 100 towns and villages, and Lloydminster, North Battleford and Prince Albert.

Saskatchewan to recycle some 130,000 scrap tires into rubber asphalt Crumb rubber asphalt pavement, produced in part from scrap tires, is being used instead of conventional pavement for several resurfacing projects in Saskatchewan. This work will recycle an estimated 1,300 tires per lane per kilometre. Smaller resurfacing projects using similar technology in the Saskatoon area are estimated to recycle about 500 tires per lane per kilometre.

Scrap tires are collected, processed and recycled through a non-profit, nongovernment program run by the Saskatchewan Scrap Tire Corporation which has diverted more than 10 million tires from landfills across the province.

NACWA pushes for US infrastructure stimulus package

www.trg.ca Experience, Innovation, Diversity, Teamwork & Commitment

Tel: (905) 823-7965 Fax: (905) 823-7932 www.pcbdisposal.com

• MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • STRUCTURAL • ARCHITECTURAL • ENVIRONMENTAL • CIVIL

• Hazardous Site Clean-up & Remediation • Decommissioning and Demolition • Asbestos and Mould Abatement • Contaminated Soil Removal • On-site Water Treatment

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) submitted written testimony to the US House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee for its hearing, “Investing in Infrastructure: The Road to Recovery.” In its testimony, NACWA strongly encouraged the US Congress to pass an economic stimulus package that includes funding for wastewater infrastructure projects.

NACWA’s testimony details the struggles municipalities across the US face in meeting the $300-500 billion funding gap. Before the current financial crisis began, municipalities were paying more than $60 billion per year to upgrade their clean and safe water infrastructure syscontinued overleaf... www.esemag.com

79 | November 2008

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:23 PM

Page 80

NEWS tems, while the federal government has reduced its contribution to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to $650 million, the lowest level since passage of the Clean Water Act. Municipalities have been raising their wastewater treatment service charges, at double the rate of inflation, and will continue to do their part to address the funding gap at the local level via rate increases.

At the same time, the cost of labor, material, and expertise has risen to the point where significantly less work can be accomplished with each project dollar.

NACWA noted that an increase in funding would provide approximately 47,000 jobs for each $1 billion invested in infrastructure projects, and added that “the recommended $10 billion investment in wastewater infrastructure would create over 400,000 solid, much-needed new jobs.”

megawatts of energy to have an environmental assessment.

• Re-classifying energy projects to require a more comprehensive review if they have potential to produce higher levels of greenhouse gases and air pollutants.

• Recognizing aboriginal peoples' interest in the environmental assessment process. www.gov.ns.ca/nse/ea

Alberta’s strict approach to water ‘reallocation’

A draft policy suggesting Alberta will retain strong public control of its freshwater has won the cautious support of two environmental groups reviewing it. In its current form, the draft water licence amendment policy would prevent the Eastern Irrigation District from reallocating up to 900 billion litres of freshwater to nonfarming purposes. Ecojustice, formerly Nova Scotia’s Sierra Legal Defence Fund, and Water environmental assessment Matters were able to preview the policy regulations enhanced this fall to provide feedback. Earlier in the According to Nova Scotia Environment year, the two groups raised alarm bells surMinister, Mark Parent, amendments to rounding Alberta’s water crisis after rethe province's Environmental Assess- leasing the report, Fight to the Last Drop, ment Regulations will make them more which examined how water scarcity in clear and allow better protection of the southern Alberta is resulting in controverenvironment. Also, they will enhance the sial water supply schemes.

If the proposed policy is any indicaenvironmental assessment process and give Nova Scotians more time to offer tion, the environmental groups struck a input during reviews of development chord with the Alberta government. projects.The amendments took effect in While it does not ban all types of nonagricultural water licence amendments August 2008 and include: as suggested, the proposed policy does • Setting a time period for public significantly limit the amount of water comment at 30 days.

• Extending the overall review period to that can be sold off to just two per cent of the original licence allocation.

50 days.

Water Matters and Ecojustice support • Changing the list of projects requiring the policy in principle but have noted that environmental assessment to ensure the brief one-page document leaves room the level of assessment needed is for broad interpretation. appropriate given the risks to the “We appreciate the need for flexibility environment. to ensure the effective reallocation of • Requiring tidal-power projects water in a closed basin but the managecapable of producing at least two

ment of that transfer of ‘water wealth’ needs careful oversight. We are asking the government to clarify the policy to ensure the environmental health of the rivers and the assurance of a long-term stable source of water supply for the Alberta public,” said Danielle Droitsch, director of Water Matters.

WERF to fund research on biosolids odors and sudden increases in indicator organisms The Water Environment Research Foundation recently issued a request for proposals (RFP) for research that provides wastewater treatment utility personnel and their consultants with field-tested design and operational procedures that improve solids management. The research will reduce costs, conserve energy, assure regulatory compliance and improve public understanding of solids management operations.

WERF is asking researchers to find better ways to manage biosolids odors; “sudden increases” in indicator organisms in biosolids; and bacterial regrowth during storage of biosolids. In addition to finding solutions, the selected research team must develop products that WERF subscribers can use to apply the research results to their own processes.

Previous WERF research indicates that factors that affect biosolids odors are likely related to regrowth of indicator organisms measured in biosolids after digestion. Sudden increase of indicator organisms and regrowth are important considerations for compliance with regulations. In addition, a number of utilities are making important design decisions that involve the types of processes being studied.The wastewater community needs reliable information on the performance of various digester/dewatering combinations.

For more information on the Water Environment Research Foundation, visit www.werf.org

ECOfluid Systems awarded two BC wastewater plant projects ECOfluid Systems has been awarded two separate contracts to supply wastewater treatment facilities at resorts in Whistler continued overleaf...

80 | November 2008

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

Company

11/20/08

12:56 PM

Page

Page 81

E-mail

Website

AECOM Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 . . . . . .communications@uma.aecom.com . . . . . .www.aecom.com AET Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 . . . . . .info@aet-group.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.aet-group.com Albarrie Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 . . . . . .lauren_howles@albarrie.com

. . . . . . . . . .www.sorbwebplus.com

Armtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30, 31 . . . . . .sales@armtec.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.armtec.com Assmann Corporation of America . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 . . . . . .info@assmann-usa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.assmann-usa.com Associated Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . .mahl@ae.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ae.ca BakerCorp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.bakercorp.com/ineeditnow C&M Environmental Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . .25 . . . . . .info@cmeti.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cmeti.com CALA Training

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 . . . . . .ngravel@cala.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cala.ca

Canadian Safety Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cdnsafety.com CH2M HILL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 . . . . . .ch2mhillcanada@ch2m.com . . . . . . . . . . .www.ch2mhillcanada.com Claessen Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 . . . . . .pb@claessenpumps.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.claessenpumps.com Contor Terminals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 . . . . . .gordb@contor.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.contor.com Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 . . . . . .info@cspi.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cspi.ca

Advertiser INDEX

ACG Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 . . . . . .sales@acgtechnology.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.acgtechnology.com

Degremont Technologies Infilco . . . . . . . .39, 41, 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.degremont-technologies.com Delcan Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 . . . . . .water@delcan.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.delcan.com Denso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 . . . . . .sales@densona.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.densona.com DEVTRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Insert . . . . . .devtra@sympatico.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.thechecker.net Endress + Hauser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 . . . . . .info@ca.endress.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ca.endress.com Firestone Building Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 . . . . . .roofing@firestonebp.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.firestonebpco.ca Glentel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.glentel.com Gorman-Rupp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . .grcanada@grcanada.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.grcanada.com Greatario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63, 64 . . . . . .bbaird@greatario.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.greatario.com Grundfos Alldos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.grundfos.ca/esea H2Flow Tanks and Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 . . . . . .info@h2flow.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.h2flow.com Heron Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 . . . . . .info@heroninstruments.com . . . . . . . . . . . .www.heroninstruments.com Ideal Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 . . . . . .sales@idealpipe.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.idealpipe.ca Industrial Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 . . . . . .info@indsci.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.indsci.com ITT Water & Wastewater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ittwww.ca John Meunier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 . . . . . .instrumentation@johnmeunier.com . . . . . .www.johnmeunier.com Master Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.mastermeter.com Maxqsoft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 . . . . . .design@maxqonline.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.maxqsoft.com McNally Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 . . . . . .hamilton@mcnallycorp.com . . . . . . . . . . . .www.mcnallycorp.com Munro Concrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 . . . . . .kayrs@munroconcrete.com . . . . . . . . . . . .www.munroconcrete.com ONEIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.oneia.ca Parkson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 . . . . . .canada@parkson.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.parkson.com Pressure Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 . . . . . .sales@pressuresystems.com . . . . . . . . . . .www.pressuresystems.com ProMinent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . .sales@prominent.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.prominent.ca Quality Recycling Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 . . . . . .recycle@a-o.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.qualityrecycling.com Rocky Mountain Soil Sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 . . . . . .info@rmsoil.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rmsoil.com Saf-T-Flo Chemical Injection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 . . . . . .info@saftflo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.saftflo.com Sanitherm, a Division of Peak Energy Services . . . . .36 . . . . . .saneng@sanitherm.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sanitherm.com Serpentix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.serpentix.com SEW-Eurodrive Company of Canada . . . . . . . . . .53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sew-eurodrive.ca Siemens Water Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.siemens.com/water Smith & Loveless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 . . . . . .answers@smithandloveless.com . . . . . . . .www.smithandloveless.com Stantec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 . . . . . .info@stantec.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.stantec.com Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.vacuum.tuthill.com Victaulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.victaulic.com Walkerton Clean Water Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.wcwc.ca Waterra Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 . . . . . .waterra@idirect.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.waterra.com XCG Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 . . . . . .deborahm@xcg.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.xcg.com

www.esemag.com

81 | November 2008

Use this information to contact our advertisers directly

Hoskin Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24, 42, 73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hoskin.ca

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

9:13 PM

Page 82

NEWS POSITION AVAILABLE Resource Development Manager Are you interested in working for an international development organization that supports safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene education for people in the developing world? Water For People - Canada is accepting Letters of Interest that will tell us why we should hire you for this position in 2009. We are looking for an individual who: • Has experience working in the water and wastewater industry here in Canada and has developed strong relationships with all constituencies.

• Has good writing, business planning, presentation and communication skills.

• Is able to travel to conferences throughout Canada and the United States and to special events as Water For People Canada’s representative.

• Can develop and implement a comprehensive annual development plan and support volunteer efforts to carry out the plan.

• Makes recommendations to Water For People - Canada’s Board of Directors regarding the organization’s efforts to raise funds for program interest and day-to-day operations This position is a paid part-time position with flexible working arrangements.

Letters of interest should be no longer than five pages in length and should have appended the candidate’s resume. Submissions should be sent to the following address before December 31, 2008: Water For People – Canada 255 Consumers Road Toronto, Ontario M2J 5B6 Attention: Tony Petrucci, President, Water For People – Canada Submissions from all candidates will be reviewed in January 2009 with the intention to have the new Resource Development Manager begin work in February 2009.

82 | November 2008

and the Okanagan, British Columbia.

At both locations high quality effluent was stipulated: <10 mg/l BOD/TSS and <400 MPN/100ml Fecal Coliform. To meet these requirements the wastewater treatment plants will utilize ECOfluid’s patented USBF™ technology followed by disinfection. Ultraviolet disinfection will be used in Whistler, and chlorination using hypochlorite tablets will be used in the Okanagan project. Preliminary site work has begun at both locations with work expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2009. www.ecofluid.com

John Meunier Inc. supplies its 1250th headworks John Meunier Inc., a subsidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, recently announced that it has reached a new milestone by providing its 1250th piece of headwork equipment in North America for the Calera (Oklahoma) wastewater treatment plant. This project involved supplying an Escalator perforated fine screen and a Rotopac compactor. www.johnmeunier.com

ADS adds Baysaver products to its lineup Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) and BaySaver Technologies, Inc. have announced an exclusive marketing agreement, whereby ADS will be the sole sales and marketing arm for all BaySaver Technologies, Inc. products. The agreement will add their stormwater quality treatment devices to the ADS product line. The alliance will use ADS world-wide distribution, sales and engineering support to increase the use of the BaySaver products. www.ads-pipe.com

CH2M HILL Canada named to Top 100 Employers List From over 70,000 initial invited entrants, CH2M HILL Canada made the Top 100 Employers List list for the first time in 2009, after being short-listed the previous five years.

Now in its tenth year, Canada's Top 100 list is a national competition to determine which employers lead their industries in offering exceptional workplaces for their employees. Employers are compared to

other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.They are evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers, using eight criteria: physical workplace; work atmosphere and social; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement.

CH2M HILL Canada has more than 1,400 employees in offices across Canada.

Assmann tanks receive NSF/ANSI Certification Assmann recently announced that its linear polyethylene tanks are certified by NSF to NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components – Health Effects. The Certification is for multiple potable water contact materials up to 140°F. Assmann’s newly NSF-certified tanks include all models of vertical storage, cylindrical horizontal, free-standing horizontal leg, double wall, open top, industrial mini bulk and industrial mini drum tanks and models ICB. www.assmann-usa.com

ITT partners with Mercy Corps to provide emergency relief ITT Corporation recently announced a strategic partnership with Mercy Corps as part of its corporate philanthropy program, ITT Watermark. The partnership includes a three-year, $1 million commitment to help provide safe water during emergencies created by natural catastrophies such as floods, droughts and earthquakes.

When natural disaster strikes, access to safe and potable water is often the most critical need. Through this new partnership, ITT, a major player in the transport and treatment of water, will support Mercy Corps' relief and recovery efforts, which include the provision of dewatering and water purification equipment. In addition, ITT will aid Mercy Corps' on-the-ground staff with rebuilding and recovery of water and sanitation infrastructure long after disaster strikes. Mercy Corps, a global relief and development agency, collaborates with the UN to implement water and sanitation solutions during disasters. www.ittwatermark.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:23 PM

Page 83

FLEXRAKE® SELF-CLEANING BAR AND FINE SCREEN

SIMPLY INCREDIBLE. YET INCREDIBLY SIMPLE. Sometimes all it takes is a little thing to start a revolution. Presenting the Flexrake storm and wastewater screen from Duperon Corporation. Perfect for stormwater, intake protection or wastewater applications, the Flexrake is available in coarse or fine screens, doesn’t require routine maintenance and its motor and bearings only require semi-annual maintenance. And because it has no bottom shaft, bearings or chain guides the need for underwater maintenance is eliminated altogether. Plus there’s no jamming or stalling regardless of debris size. With all these features and more than 400 installations worldwide, it’s no wonder that the Flexrake comes with a 5-year limited warranty.* For complete details on how this landmark innovation can help you, contact ACG Technology Limited.

water solutions: pure and simple

t. 905.856.1414 f. 905.856.6401

131 Whitmore Road, Unit 13 Vaughan ON L4L 6E4 sales@acgtechnology.com www.acgtechnology.com

Ontario Pollution Control Equipment Association

*Conditions apply; complete details available.

November 2008:ES&E Magazine

11/17/08

8:24 PM

Page 84

Effective Underground Storm Water Management,

In nature, rainfall is recognized as a life-giving asset.

When we develop a natural site the asset too often becomes a runoff liability for the developer and all parties downstream.

Traditional storm water ponds and infrastructure require expensive land area and are often over-taxed by runoff accumulations from many areas upstream.

Large underground storm water tanks, using economical corrugated steel pipe systems, permits developers to manage storm water on-site without sacrificing valuable land or flooding their neighbours.

For creative storm water management solutions contact a CSPI member in your neighbourhood.

Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute CSP Fabricators: Armtec, Atlantic Industries Limited, Canada Culvert, E.S.Hubbell & Sons Ltd., Prairie Steel, Soleno Inc. Steel Producers and Associates: ArcelorMittal Dofasco, DOW, Ironside Design Manufacturing Inc., METAL KOTING

Visit us at:

www.cspi.ca

866-295-2416