Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine | June 2022 by Environmental Science and Engineering Magazine

JUNE 2022 WWW.ESEMAG.COM @ESEMAG

Calgary commissions ﬁve-megawatt biogas cogeneration facility Understanding water supply cross connection and backﬂow prevention Sarnia uses microtunnelling for new trunk sewer pipeline Preparing for emergency potable water distribution

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CONTENTS

June 2022 • Vol. 35 No. 3 • ISSN-0835-605X

Editor and Publisher STEVE DAVEY steve@esemag.com Managing Editor PETER DAVEY peter@esemag.com Sales Director PENNY DAVEY penny@esemag.com Sales Representative DENISE SIMPSON denise@esemag.com

Accounting SANDRA DAVEY sandra@esemag.com Design & Production MIGUEL AGAWIN miguel@esemag.com

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TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD Archis Ambulkar OCT Water Quality Academy Gary Burrows City of London Patrick Coleman Stantec Bill De Angelis Metrolinx Mohammed Elenany Urban Systems William Fernandes City of Toronto Marie Meunier John Meunier Inc., Québec Tony Petrucci TMIG The Municipal Infrastructure Group 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. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Second Class Mail Product Agreement No. 40065446 Registration No. 7750 Subscription Changes? Please email reader subscription changes to ese@mysubscription.ca, or call 705-502-0024. Environmental Science & Engineering 220 Industrial Pkwy. S., Unit 30 Aurora, Ontario L4G 3V6 Tel: (905)727-4666 Website: www.esemag.com

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Looking back at 40 years of covering the water and wastewater sectors Calgary commissions five-megawatt biogas cogeneration facility McGill researchers call for action on urban runoff impacts Three BC engineers reprimanded over Mount Polley tailings disaster Handling water supply cross connection and backflow prevention with ease Replacing solar drying beds reduces time and labour costs for sludge dewatering An overview of thermoplastic valves and their performance Vancouver hires firms to design new conveyance infrastructure plan U of Waterloo grads win AWWA awards for papers Upgrades made to Halton Region’s Burloak Water Purification Plant Hydrometric data proves vital to the long-term health of the Okanagan Water Basin Controlling odour from wastewater lift stations with oxygen and ozone A new option for foot-print constrained wastewater treatment plants Sarnia uses microtunnelling for new trunk sewer pipeline U of Waterloo study says turn nitrogen pollution into an advantage Alberta wins court appeal on Impact Assesssment Act BC project employs machine learning predictive analytics to manage water resources Quebec researchers look to alter wastewater testing for endocrine disruptors BC’s Capital Regional District tackles emergency water distribution Flare stack monitoring minimizes the environmental impact of chemical, hydrocarbon disposal Delivering reliable water level readings from remote areas Monitoring nitrous oxide is an important step towards climate-neutral wastewater treatment Using a portable autonomous laboratory to prevent water supply contamination Endress+Hauser opens new ‘green’ and LEED certified Customer Experience Centre Metro Vancouver finds new contractor for delayed North Shore WWTP

DEPARTMENTS

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Environmental Science and Engineering Magazine

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EDITORIAL COMMENT BY STEVE DAVEY

Looking back at four decades covering the water and wastewater sectors

t last year’s Water Environment Association of Ontario conference and Ontario Pollution Control Equipment Association tradeshow, I was congratulating a longtime friend and business colleague, Larry Madden, on his recent award.

Larry is the founder of C&M Environmental, and was the 2021 recipient of the Water Environment Association of Ontario’s (WEAO) Geoffrey T. G. Scott Memorial Award. This award recognizes a member of the water environment industry in Canada for his/her outstanding example of leadership and inspiration in championing a worthwhile endeavour, and thereby advancing the mission of the water environment industry. This WEAO award has a special significance to me, as my father, Tom Davey, was the first recipient of this award. Also, back in the 1970s we were neighbours and good friends of Geoff Scott and his wife Gail. My involvement with WEAO began at the age of 14, when my mother, Sandra Davey, became the Association’s Secretary-Treasurer, a position she held until 1991. When I became President of WEAO in 1995, I commented to the banquet audience that, “WEAO was run out of Sandra’s home office. When it was time for conference or seminar mailings to be processed, I had to help out. So, I have the distinction of being the only WEAO President who can say he started his career in its mail room.” While reminiscing about all the great people on the WEAO and Ontario Pollution Control Equipment Association (OPCEA) boards that we both served on, Larry commented that, while at the awards ceremony of the first conference he attended, he couldn’t believe how old some of the recipients were. “Now,” he said. “Here I am, one of the old-time award winners myself. Where did the time go?” The 2022 WEAO/OPCEA conference and tradeshow will mark 40 years of involvement with the water and wastewater industry for me. I left Humber College on the Friday before the 1982 WEAO conference, having completed two years of journalism studies. With a borrowed suit and hardly a cent to my name I showed up to the conference Monday morning. In what proved to be a life changing opportunity, I had accepted a summer job at Southam Business Publications, working on what was then Canada’s oldest environmental magazine, Water & Pollution Control (W&PC). The first day of the WEAO conference was also my first day at W&PC. Working on this magazine gave me a keen interest in the drinking water and wastewater fields and my articles led to a full-time position later that year. During my involvement with the engineering and environmental protection industries, I have met and 6 | June 2022

Larry Madden (right), winner of the 2021 WEAO Geoffrey T. G. Scott Memorial Award and until recently the Association’s long time treasurer, with Bob Wilcox, a past WEAO Board Member, who sadly passed away a few years ago.

interviewed several well-known Environment Ministers, including Andy Brandt, Tom McMillan, Jim Bradley, Brenda Harris, Norm Sterling and John Wilkinson. An early highlight of my career was meeting astronaut Neil Armstrong, who was a presenter at an underground tank symposium. In 1987, my father and I co-founded Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine, with my sister Penny joining us after our third issue. We are still a family business, with three generations now on the payroll. I have been honoured to be the first non-technical person to become President of both OPCEA in 1991 and later WEAO. From 1997 to 1999, I was also a Director of the Water Environment Federation, representing WEAO. Having turned 61 this year, I still enjoy volunteering and currently serve as OPCEA’s Secretary-Treasurer. For those just starting their careers, I would say this: Canada’s water and wastewater associations have long and proud histories. Get involved with them. Offer to serve on committees and Boards of Directors. The personal growth and networking development opportunities are well worth the effort. Forty years goes by very quickly, and I am thankful for all the great people I had a chance to get to know and learn from. Hopefully I put back into the industry as much as I got out of it. Still a few more years to go though!

Steve Davey is the editor and publisher of ES&E Magazine. Please email any comments you may have to steve@esemag.com

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WASTEWATER

Recent projects at the Bonnybrook WWTP include a new headworks building, Plant B & C upgrades, Plant D expansion, and numerous smaller projects.

Calgary commissions 5 MW biogas cogeneration facility By George Koch

astewater treatment generates large volumes of gases, as solids are broken down by bacterial and physical action. This “biogas”, full of impurities, was historically allowed to vent into the atmosphere, often resulting in odour complaints. More modern wastewater facilities capture and safely incinerate or “flare” their biogas. In recent years, some began adding portions of their biogas to commercially sourced natural gas and burning the mixture to produce steam or modest amounts of electricity. Calgary’s Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant will soon be using all of its biogas as the primary fuel source to meet its needs for electrical power and 8 | June 2022

industrial steam for its advanced treatment process. In a first for Canada, the Bonnybrook Cogeneration Expansion Project is currently undergoing commissioning and system operational testing, in preparation for handover to the City of Calgary this year. “This project is aligned with our corporate energy plan, which includes conserving energy, improving efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” says Jifan Liu, the City of Calgary’s project manager. Graham Construction & Engineering Inc., who have delivered numerous other projects at Bonnybrook, is the general contractor. Stantec is designer

and lead consultant on the $60 million, three-year project. A custom design, created entirely by Stantec, introduced a new operations concept for the Bonnybrook wastewater team. It required vendor-packaged equipment sourced from around the world. However, construction was severely burdened by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting these challenges and keeping the project moving forward required close cooperation and a goal-oriented focus among the design, construction and City of Calgary teams. All three parties say that an antagonistic approach by anyone would have derailed the project more than once. Instead, it became a

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case study in applied cooperation. “This facility is designed with a certain intent, and it’s going to be run by the client. So, the collaborative approach we took to ensure we had a positive outcome is one that I’ll take forward to future projects,” says Andrew Buchner, Stantec’s B.C. practice lead for water, and resident engineer for this project. “It’s the only way I see to commission a complicated project, especially one that is unique to all of the key parties.” Although Bonnybrook’s new cogeneration facility is small by power plant standards, its technical complexity is greater than that of a commercial gas-fired electrical generating station with 100 times the output. The power plant provides both combined-cycle power generation and cogeneration of power and heat. “Cogenerations of power and steam is totally different from wastewater treatment, which is the facility’s core business,” says Liu. “It is technically complicated and there are a lot of components that all need to work together. Our technology goals were significant, and we are using the most advanced gas turbine, steam turbine, and the latest biogas conditioning and water treatment systems.” The intricacies include the capability to handle an adjustable fuel mix of biogas and commercial natural gas. Because biogas production varies greatly, along with wastewater treatment volume, a low-pressure biogas storage “bubble” was included. Even then, some natural gas will be required from time to time. On the other hand, the power plant must also satisfy regulatory requirements that it always operates with at least some biogas. It is not allowed to operate entirely on natural gas. A Solar Turbines Inc. Centaur 50 gas turbine-driven generator set (CTG) gas combustion turbine is coupled to a generator producing 4 MW of power. All waste heat from the CTG is cycled through the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) where steam is produced. That steam is then either sent to the steam turbine generator (STG) to create additional power, or it will feed the future thermal hydrolysis process (THP) facility. This is part of Bonnybrook’s Plant D expansion, which will make waste solids more digestible and, in turn,

produce even more biogas. The steam surface condenser (SSC) condenses all excess steam not used by the STG or THP, which is then directed back into feed-water. A gas-fired steam boiler is included to provide a backup steam source. Incoming or “makeup” water for steam production also requires complex purification. Gas compression and chemical feed systems are further elements. “This plant has a lot of features, so for an engineer it was extremely interesting,” says Kyle Jensen, Stantec’s electrical and process design engineer. “Using biogas as a fuel is interesting in its own right. It only contains about half the energy of commercial natural gas. And it comes with a host of impurities, including highly toxic hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, which requires careful handling.” For safety and to avoid damaging the turbine, the process design includes sophisticated gas conditioning, cleaning and dehydration to remove impurities, such as siloxane, housed inside a robust blast-proof gas conditioning room. H2S,1 Waste Water products plus NMac 4.65 x 4.65.pdf

however, remains part of the fuel inlet stream and is safely incinerated during engine combustion. The complex design, in turn, required sophisticated electrical and control systems, including a motor control system, switch-gears and cabling room. The new plant had to be integrated with Bonnybrook’s wastewater treatment system, with its existing reciprocating-engine cogeneration plant, and with the facility’s power system, which draws from Alberta’s electrical grid. “You have three different power sources all producing electricity, that all have to ‘talk’ to each other through the power control system,” notes Cedric McIntosh, Graham’s project manager. Following several other completed and ongoing projects at Bonnybrook, which include a new headworks building, Plant B & C upgrades, Plant D expansion, and numerous smaller projects, Graham submitted its bid for the cogeneration facility and received notice to proceed in July 2019. 1/24/2018 7:37:09 AM

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WASTEWATER Construction began that October and the technical complexity immediately made itself felt. “There was a lot of research and development and there were also a lot of changes. As such, we had to do a lot of work to optimize the schedule to fit these changes and work with the consultant and owner to end up with a product that is useful,” recalls McIntosh. This stemmed from the fact that a lot of key technical information wasn’t initially available to Stantec. “The team solved a lot of problems during the project,” says McIntosh. “It required people recognizing the challenges, where they came from, and how we could all work together in good faith to solve each challenge towards a favourable outcome. A lot of that success has to do with the relationship we have with the city and with Stantec.” The pandemic’s arrival in March 2020 caused immense problems. In addition to the now familiar productivity-sapping effects of working under COVID-19 protocols, supply chain issues hit this project particularly hard. Equipment was being sourced from Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Switzerland, India and other countries. “We had a truly international supply chain, with things coming from all over the world, and certain factories around the world simply shut down in the pandemic. So, there were serious challenges in getting equipment,” says McIntosh. In addition to serious delays in fabricating and shipping the physical items, vendor reviews of shop drawings and vendor site inspections were all delayed, cancelled, or had to be moved online. “The supply chain issues related to COVID-19 were some of the biggest challenges,” agrees Stantec’s Buchner. “The issue-for-tender design was based on certain vendor packages and assumed pieces of equipment, but we did not even get pricing from some of the intended vendors.” Having to switch vendors mid-stream contributed to significant delivery delays on some of the large equipment packages. Equally bad were unforeseen, and still continuing, shortages of entirely mundane items. Off-the-shelf things like 25-mm valves were suddenly requiring 20-week lead times, further complicating construction and, now, the commissioning process. 10 | June 2022

Shot with a fish-eye lens, this photo shows that although the power plant is small by power plant standards, its technical complexity is greater than that of a commercial gas-fired electrical generating station with 100 times the output.

Stantec and Graham initiated numerous design review and execution meetings with the city. The city recognized that a lot of the challenges weren’t a mark on the people doing the work, but were about the nature of the project. One decision that proved highly beneficial was to separate the discussions over cost increases from those related to executing the project and keeping it moving. Creative thinking was applied to re-sequence equipment installation and other key tasks. Under normal sequencing, for example, large equipment packages are placed on-site and the building envelope is later constructed around them. But when delays on certain packages like the steam turbine generator threatened to halt the entire project, Graham decided to leave a large gap in the building’s second-floor envelope. Once the package finally arrived, it was craned into position, inserted and placed inside on its skid mounts, after which the building was enclosed. As construction proceeded, another critical focus was setting up the Bonnybrook team for successful plant operations. "The seriousness of the process—moving from handling waste sludge to producing high-pressure steam—is a step up for the Bonnybrook operators,” notes Jensen. “Keeping the operators safe for the long run became a key part of project planning.” Planning began early to create a comprehensive commissioning and hand-over process with extensive hands-on training.

“Just getting handed a facility at the end of commissioning by a contractor, which often happens, would not work here,” says Buchner. “Here, the whole team is going through commissioning and training together.” The commissioning process is being led by a high-pressure steam specialist, provided by Graham. While delivering the Bonnybrook cogeneration expansion project has been a complicated and difficult process, Liu says he is excited by what the new facility will deliver once it is fully operational in July. “This project will enable us to consume all of the biogas produced by the plant,” he says. “It will create energy savings for the facility and greatly reduce external consumption of electricity, which will reduce our power bill, and also improve the overall reliability of our power supply.” If a civil disaster, such as another major flood, were to hit Calgary, Bonnybrook could continue operating under its own power. As Liu sums it up: “I’m optimistic that we will achieve the objectives we set at the beginning of the project.” George Koch works with Graham Construction & Engineering Inc. For more information visit: www.grahambuilds.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

SIDE INLET

STORMWATER

McGill researchers call for action on urban runoff impacts By ES&E Staff

ew research from McGill University suggests that urban runoff ’s toxicity for aquatic organisms may be underestimated and unmonitored, as detergents, pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants continue to make their way into lakes and rivers. While some major cities have stormwater best management practices in place, the McGill team says they don’t have the ability to address anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change, nutrient pollution, and habitat modification, which could often be mitigated through the implementation of green infrastructure. The researchers suggest that international actions and policies should be implemented to control pollutant release and prevent adverse ecological impacts from tire-wear debris, cigarette butts, textile microfibres, and other plastic-based litter in stormwater runoff. “Densely populated cities need sustainable solutions such

McGill University researchers suggest that international actions and policies should be implemented to control pollutant release and prevent adverse ecological impacts. Credit: rootstocks, stock.adobe.com

as retention ponds and settling tanks to simultaneously treat and store runoff,” said Nathalie Tufenkji, professor of chemical engineering at McGill University and Canada research chair in biocolloids and surfaces, in a statement. “Such retention processes could act as on-site surge tanks while also removing several contaminants from runoff before discharge into natural waters,” she added. Following intense precipitation events, other common runoff contaminants may include winter salts and de-icing chemicals applied in winter. “Importantly, the concentrations of these contaminants are not systematically measured, while their combined toxicity effects are ill-defined and potentially underestimated,” states the study “Sustainable strategies to treat urban runoff needed” by Tufenkji, Mathieu Lapointe, and Chelsea Rochman, recently published in Nature Sustainability. “A better understanding of the loadings of contaminants and any relevant toxicity is crucial to evaluate the risk to aquatic ecosystems and determine sites where mitigation strategies are needed.” The McGill researchers added that adequate monitoring designed to provide information about both contamination and risk is crucial for governments and scientists to establish whether more active management is needed and whether urban runoff should be treated before being released into the environment. The researchers said that municipalities need data-driven, adapted, low-cost and sustainable solutions to protect dense urban centres. Other sustainable solutions for urban runoff include retention ponds, bioretention cells or raingardens, coarse sand filters, bio-assisted aggregation and filtration systems, aerated ponds, underground tanks in dense urban areas, adsorption via functionalized media in a granular filter, passive aggregation and settling tanks, and passive O2/ultraviolet oxidation. For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

12 | June 2022

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

INDUSTRIAL

Three BC engineers reprimanded over Mount Polley tailings disaster By ES&E Staff

ight years after the Mount Polley tailings disaster, three engineers have been penalized, following disciplinary proceedings by Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia. The regulator said it reviewed thousands of documents over the multi-year investigation, including contracts, technical reports and drawings, correspondence, and daily site reports from the August 4, 2014, incident at the former open pit gold and copper mine. Ultimately, it issued penalties to former engineers Todd Martin and Stephen Rice, who stopped practicing in 2018, as well as junior engineer Laura Fidel, who was suspended for two months. The incident resulted in more than 17 million m3 of water and 8 million m3 of tailings effluent, containing toxic copper and gold mining waste, leaking into Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake from the mine’s tailings storage facility. “This marks the final chapter in a long and difficult story for our province and our professions,” announced Heidi Yang, CEO of Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia, in a statement. “Over the past several years, our focus has been on delivering a comprehensive, rigorous, and fair process, and we’re pleased to be able to provide the public with these results. The conclusion of these cases, combined with resources we’ve developed to improve dam safety, will strengthen our professions and our province’s environmental safeguards,” she added. The tailings storage facility’s embankments had been built to a slope of 1.3:1, which by all accounts was unusually steep for a rockfill tailings embankment constructed on a soil foundation, the panel found. Rice shouldered the majority of the blame in the proceedings due to unprofessional conduct that saw him leave Fidel, a junior engineer quite inexperienced with embankment design, to act as Engineer of Record for a very complex storage project. Rice, who had never faced disciplinary action before, then failed to ensure sufficient observation and monitoring of the tailings dam, failed to document his review work, and failed to ensure an excavation left unfilled at the toe of the embankment was assessed to determine what impact it may have on stability. Martin was the senior geotechnical engineer on site. The proceedings found that he failed to recommend drilling from the 2011 embankment crest into soils under the footprint of the tailings storage perimeter embankment. This would have improved the characterization of embankment foundation soils, the regulator said. Fidel was penalized for failing to ensure sufficient observation and monitoring of the tailings dam while acting as www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

The Mount Polley tailings storage facility’s embankments had been built to a slope of 1.3:1, which by all accounts was unusually steep for a rockfill tailings embankment constructed on a soil foundation. Credit: Mount Polley Mining Corporation

Engineer of Record, failing to ensure sufficient site visits, and failing to monitor seepage flows that could reveal potentially unsafe conditions within the embankments. However, the regulator clarified that it has not “alleged any link or connection between Ms. Fidel’s professional conduct and the cause of the perimeter embankment breach.” For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

June 2022 | 13

WATER

Handling water supply cross connection and backflow prevention with ease By Gilbert Welsford Jr.

tilities and government agencies dealing with potable water supply must protect piping systems from contamination. The presence of pathogens, suspended debris, and foul water poses a health risk to consumers. Backflow at cross connection is one of the common sources of contamination in potable water piping systems. As such, authorities and utilities need to carefully design and size piping systems and establish preventive measures against contamination. They also require robust maintenance programs to monitor the performance of different check valves, piping components and pipe connections. A typical public water supply system contains several backflow prevention devices at consumer terminals. As part of maintenance, regulatory authorities conduct regular tests to verify the reliability of the devices. They recommend repairs and replacement of damaged contamination control devices and evaluate the hazard levels of existing backflow prevention devices.

UNDERSTANDING CROSS CONNECTIONS AND BACKFLOW A cross connection can be a permanent or temporary connection between a potable public water supply line and a non-potable water source. It also refers to the potential connection between public water supply systems and pipes conveying wastewater, chemical products, sewage and stormwater drainage. Cross connections are available in heating, ventilation and cooling systems, fire suppression utilities, agricultural irrigation systems, chemical processing facilities and diverse factory floor equipment. A cross connection can cause undesirable backflows, which permit the flow of hazardous or pathogenic fluids into potable water systems. Backflow happens when there is a 14 | June 2022

A double-check valve backflow preventer. Credit: Simone, stock.adobe.com

reversed fluid flow. In the process, polluted substances get into the potable water system. Backflow is predominant at cross connections and occurs by back-siphonage, or backpressure backflow. BACK-SIPHONAGE A pressure difference must exist in the pipe systems for water to flow from the central distribution system to consumer premises. It could be from a water treatment plant to commercial or residential properties. The system maintains a positive pressure difference for the fluids to flow. There are a few instances when the public water distribution system experiences negative pressure. The existence of negative pressure creates a full or partial vacuum. When this happens, the probability of backflow increases. A negative pressure difference can occur if the supply is interrupted abruptly, experiences high demand, or if there is a break in the main water supply line. High-demand flow applications that can cause a break in the water supply line include the activation of a fire hydrant or

similar events. Back-siphonage allows water from the building’s plumbing system to freely flow back into the public water system to fill the existing vacuum. BACKPRESSURE BACKFLOW Non-potable water can flow into public water systems if there is a pressure imbalance in the system. Bad piping or poor pump selection and connection cause the downstream pressure to exceed upstream or the water supply pressure. When downstream pressure exceeds upstream pressure, fluids change their flow directions unless a suitable backflow prevention device is installed. In industrial processes, there is a probability that equipment experiences abnormal temperature changes. An increase in boiler temperature affects the pressure conditions of fluids flowing through them. As a consequence, water pressure in the boiler drops below the supply line pressure level. Such conditions make it easy for non-potable fluids to flow into potable water supply systems. Protecting public water supply from continued overleaf…

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

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WATER backflow is a top priority for utilities, municipal authorities, and health and sanitation organizations. When backflow occurs, contaminated water and pollutants find their way into piping systems and it makes drinking water unsafe for human use. The presence of microorganisms, harmful chemicals, particulate matter and contaminants, increases the risk of illnesses.

service connection points in the public water supply system. The utility company can install backflow preventers at the connection points of: • Dedicated fire suppression systems. • High demand irrigation systems. • Highrise buildings. • Facilities with reclaimed water systems and stormwater collection systems. • Industrial and chemical processing facilities with potential for backflows. HOW TO CONTROL CROSS Here is a look at some of the practical CONNECTION AND BACKFLOW backflow prevention mechanisms that IN WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS utility companies can employ to protect Protecting consumers begins with the their customers and maintain the potaappropriate design of public water sup- bility of drinking water. ply systems. Water suppliers may lack the capacity to repeatedly inspect every AIR GAPS residential and commercial premise for Air gaps are popular backflow prevencross connections and potential sources tion mechanisms used to create a physiof backflow. However, they must provide cal separation between the end of a pubsufficient protection devices to prevent lic water supply pipe and the overflow backflows. These devices are installed (flood-level) rim of the receiving vessel. at different sections of the pipeline. The The air gap eliminates a cross connecutility company inspects and repairs tion and provides sufficient protection backflow preventers at critical water against backflow. It is a simple back-

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flow prevention mechanism, but does not provide optimum protection against potential back-siphonage or backpressure backflow. An air gap is a vertical separation and should be larger than one inch. The physical separation distance should be at least two times the inner diameter of the public water supply outlet. Air gaps are non-mechanical backflow prevention mechanisms and are easy to bypass. REDUCED PRESSURE PRINCIPLE ASSEMBLY The reduced pressure principle is a mechanical mechanism that utilizes two independently acting check valves, four well-spaced test cocks, a pair of isolation valves and a differential pressure relief valve. It is a reliable backflow preventer suitable for high- and low-hazard backflow prevention and isolation protection. This mechanism is an assembly containing two loaded check valves and a relief valve between them. The relief valve maintains the differential pressure between the check valves. The reduced pressure assembly also has a pair of shut-off valves on the upstream and downstream of the piping system that close tightly to prevent back-siphonage and backpressure backflow. A pressure drop is created when the water flows past the first check valve. The relief valve determines whether the supply pressure is higher. If that is the case, the relief valve remains closed. Once the pressure drop between the supply and the valve assembly drops, the relief valve opens. The loss of supply pressure keeps both check valves closed. When there is a total pressure loss, the pressure between the check valves is equivalent to the atmospheric pressure since the spring mechanism opens the relief valve. PRESSURE VACUUM BREAKER ASSEMBLY A pressure vacuum breaker assembly consists of an independent springloaded check valve and an independently operating air inlet at the discharge port of the check valve. It contains seated test cocks and tightly closing shut-off valves at both ends of the backflow preventer assembly. The spring-loaded check valve continued overleaf…

16 | June 2022

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

THE

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BEFORE

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AFTER

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WATER is open, while the air inlet valve remains closed when the pressure vacuum breaker is in good working condition. There is no backflow in this instance. When the check valve is damaged, the air inlet valve opens. It permits atmospheric air to pass through the check valve and enter the main water supply line. The presence of air breaks the partial or full vacuum created, thereby restricting back-siphonage. Pressure vacuum breakers are effective for preventing backflow due to back-siphonage only. The backflow prevention mechanism is common in connections to irrigation systems. DOUBLE CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY This is a mechanical backflow preventer, suitable for the protection of non-health backflow hazards. It features two independently acting check valves that are spring-loaded. The assembly contains test cocks and two shut-off valves located at both ends of the backflow preventer assembly. The double check valve assembly is vital for protecting public water supply systems from backflow due to back-siphonage and backpressure backflow. Another alternative to the double check valve assembly is the residential double check valve assembly. The latter does not have shut-off valves and test cocks, which are less reliable and can isolate non-health hazards in single-family premises. Restaurants, commercial buildings and high-occupancy facil-

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Water supply line with a pressure vacuum breaker assembly. Credit: Lost_in_the_Midwest, stock.adobe.com

ities, like apartment buildings, require backflow preventers. This is due to the high demand for potable water and equally voluminous discharge of effluent, wastewater and pollutants. MAINTENANCE OF BACKFLOW PREVENTERS Most backflow preventers rely on a mechanical action to protect public water supply mains. They contain movable parts that wear out over time. It is therefore important to pay attention to installation guidelines. Poor installation impedes the efficiency of the backflow preventers, rendering them unsuitable for long-term use and exposing customers to health hazards. Easy maintenance interventions include: • Utility companies need to inspect the backflow preventers regularly. Subjecting these systems to continuous fluid pressure weakens them. • Air gaps require visual inspections to evaluate their health. • Double check valve assemblies, pressure vacuum breakers and reduced pressure assemblies require advanced inspection tools. • Companies should calibrate backflow preventers often to ensure they operate as required. • Replace worn-out valve seals and damaged backflow preventers. • Conduct inspections at least once yearly. CONCLUSION The design of public water supply systems adheres to stringent health requirements and statutory plumbing codes. These measures aim to reduce contaminants in potable water systems. There are isolated cases when cross connections contaminate main water supply lines. Such contamination is due to the backflow of non-potable water and other pollutants. Backflow preventers are vital for eliminating the potential for potable water contamination. These mechanisms require proper sizing and installation to operate reliably in the long term. Inspect and maintain backflow prevention mechanisms regularly for dependable potable water service. Gilbert Welsford Jr. is with ValveMan. For more information, visit: www.valveman.com Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

INFRASTRUCTURE

Extreme heat in Canada should be fought with grey, green infrastructure, says report By ES&E Staff

new report from the University of Waterloo is recommending a combination of grey and green infrastructure to combat the increasing frequency of extreme heat in Canada, which will only continue to soar to new levels. The university’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation report notes that Canada has warmed at twice the global rate between 1948 and 2016, with annual mean temperatures increasing by 1.7°C. Much of Canada will experience extreme temperatures in the years 2051 – 2080, according to projections. The report zeroes in on towns and cities, where urban heat islands can present some of the more daunting challenges. In these areas, daytime surface temperatures can be as much as 10 – 15°C higher than more remote regions. “The risks of extreme heat are commonly considered in terms of health impacts, with the media focusing largely on heat-related deaths. However, extreme heat also has adverse effects on infrastructure and services, natural systems and ultimately, the economy, as exemplified by the range of impacts identified by the City of Montreal,” states the report, referencing the city’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The Montreal plan is filled with warnings about extreme heat’s effects on road surfaces, as well as the increased demand on municipal services, such as drinking water. Heat can create shorter system idle time that can weaken water systems in case of problems, the plan notes. Additionally, it can mean an increased presence of cyanobacteria in the water, requiring ozone treatment, as well as faster degradation of chlorine in the system, which will increase re-chlorination needs and associated operating costs. “Extreme temperatures may increase community demand for water and wastewater treatment services at times www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

Credit: Tom Wang, stock.adobe.com

when water levels are low,” states the University of Waterloo report. Working with nature as green infrastructure, as well as improving buildings and public infrastructure as grey infrastructure, can help combat extreme heat, the report says. Green infrastructure can mean planting and maintaining trees in grounds and parking areas, expanding vegetated areas that can absorb water around buildings, or installing green walls. Grey infrastructure improvements can consist of measures such as installing and maintaining backup power generation, or arranging for backup water supply during power outages. Additionally, buildings can enhance insulation and airtightness, use concrete, brick,

stone and tile finishes that absorb heat, or install windows that reduce heat gain from the sun. The report states that once a community has assessed infrastructure for vulnerabilities to extreme heat, it can work to reduce the risks to the infrastructure itself. “When communities are designing new infrastructure or adapting existing infrastructure to be heat-resilient, they should consider future potential climatic conditions, including the risks from extreme heat, as a matter of routine,” the report suggests. For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

June 2022 | 19

BIOSOLIDS

Geotubes replaced the solar drying beds and can process the same volume of sludge in a day, that used to take operators about a month.

Replacing solar drying beds reduces time and labour costs for sludge dewatering

t used to take almost a month to dewater the same volume of sludge that is now done in less than a day at the Meteghan Sewage Treatment Plant in the Municipality of Clare, Nova Scotia, according to treatment plant operator Jody Comeau. The dramatic savings are possible after replacing sand drying beds with a simple, low-energy Bishop Solids Management Solution, which uses only Geotube® containers, polymers and gravity to collect and dewater the sludge in a single step. Waste sludge from the plant is now pumped directly from the sludge storage tank to a Geotube container. As the sludge is pumped, Bishop Water’s Venturi Emulsion Polymer Activation System (VEPAS™) activates the polymer with no mechanical mixing required and injects it directly into the sludge 20 | June 2022

the waste sludge pumps, or while the system is operating, to address any variability in the sludge consistency. Once the run is finished, Comeau says he can clean any remaining polymer out of the compact VEPAS system in about 10 minutes and have it ready to go for the next session. “I now have much more time to spend on more important tasks like plant process optimization and reducing inflow and infiltration in the collection system,” says Comeau. Prior to commissioning the Bishop Water system, Comeau says that operators would spend many hours raking dry sludge by hand from the drying beds and piling it onto wheelbarrows. Each bed contained about 50 wheelbarrows of dry sludge, that was then loaded onto trucks for disposal. The municipality is investigating the possibility of land applying composted solids from the Geotube containers onto a former landfill site, further reducing disposal costs and truck traffic.

line. In many cases, the optimal polymer dose can produce dry solids from waste sludge in excess of 50%. The comprehensive dewatering system has been operating since November 2016. The one-step, venturi-based VEPAS eliminates many of the components used in mechanical polymer systems, such as mixers and aging tanks, which not only increase the size of mechanical systems, but also require operator attention for maintenance and cleaning. “Our sludge does experience some variability, depending on the time of year and how long it’s been held in the storage tank,” Comeau says. “It only takes a few minutes to test the sludge and set the VEPAS, using the touch screen interface, to add the ideal polymer dose.” VEPAS For more information, email: enables operators to easily change the info@bishopwater.ca rate of polymer flow, prior to starting

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

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VALVES

Corrosion attacking a coated metal valve.

An overview of thermoplastic valves and their performance By Rod Van

hermoplastic valves offer a dependable and economical way to handle corrosive chemicals in some of the harshest environments. When comparing non-metallic valves to metal valves, there are many criteria the specifier must consider, including: process pressure, temperature boundaries (high and low), corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance and cost.

COST In many cases, clients want materials for a project at the lowest cost possible. However, this doesn’t equate to total cost of ownership, which is the long-term value that addresses the performance and operating costs over a product’s lifespan. When evaluating costs, it is important to look beyond the initial cost of a material. Are there other material options that offer better long-term performance? What valve types will meet the client’s performance criteria? The less mainte22 | June 2022

nance and downtime incurred, the more profit there is on the client’s bottom line. A valve’s weight must also be considered. There may be additional support costs and handling time required when installing metal body valves overhead. With shipping costs skyrocketing, it is more economical to ship a skid of plastic valves than a skid of metal body valves. Are the valves covered by a warranty, and if so, how long? Replacement cost is another factor to consider. MATERIALS, PRESSURES AND TEMPERATURES Non-metallic valves have excellent chemical resistance, and are not affected by galvanic and electrolytic attack. That means there is resistance to both internal and external corrosion. The temperature range for molded thermoplastic valves can be as low as –40°C and as high as 150°C, with pressure capabilities up to 230 psi. Over 70%

of all industrial applications fall within this range. In chemical applications where the pressure is above 230 psi, or temperatures are above 150°C, composite, lined steel, or metal alloys are best suited for the application. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) are the most common valves used in industrial applications. These materials can handle most acids, strong alkalis, fats and oils. PVC and CPVC would not be recommended for chlorinated hydrocarbons, keytones (solvents), esters, and aromatics because those react by permeation, leading to swelling and loss of tensile strength. The temperature range for PVC is between 0°C and 60°C, and CPVC is rated up to 91°C. Their relatively low cost and the simplicity of the joining method (solvent cement) make these two materials a popular choice. Solvent cemented to pipe and fittings, PVC and CPVC are the first choice for many installers because of the ease of installation. Polypropylene (PP) has excellent chemical resistance to acids, strong alkalis and solvents. PP is a member of the olefin family and does not perform well when handling chlorinated hydrocarbons or strong oxidation agents. The temperature range for polypropylene valves is between –20°C and 91°C. The costs of PP valves are similar to CPVC. The primary joining method is heat fusion (welding), instead of solvent cement. Heat fusion can be performed using socket and butt fusion tools. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is the most popular fluoropolymer resin used for chemical and high purity applications, because the fluoride creates an extremely reliable bond within the other molecules in the plastic. The polymer has excellent chemical resistance to strong acids, organic solvents, weak alkalis and strong oxidation agents. PVDF has excellent abrasion resistance and dielectric properties, and has a temperature range of –40°C to 120°C. Because of the reliable fluoride bond that is able to resist breaking apart in the presence of a wide range of chemicals, PVDF can also be used for critical applications where the leaching of unwanted molecules can cause disastrous effects within the system. The pro-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

duction of PVDF requires no stabilizers, plasticizers or lubricants. The essential absence of contaminants is another reason why PVDF is commonly used for semiconductor and pharmaceutical applications where ultra-pure water and chemically-pure fluids are used. Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) are the two additional fluoropolymers that can handle pHs from 1 – 14. ECTFE and PFA perform well where expensive metals (titanium, alloy 20, 316/304L stainless steel, or lined steel) do not. Both are used for high concentrations of acids, such as 98.3% sulfuric acid, and can be used in highly oxidative applications like chlorine gas, ozone and chlorine dioxide with great success. ECTFE and PFA are also suitable for solvents and/or high pH applications at elevated temperatures. However, ECTFE and PFA are more costly than other non-metallic options, and should be reserved for critical applications. Seal and seat materials are just as important as the valve body material. There are many options: EPDM, FKM, nitrile, hypalon, aflas, and PTFE, all of which offer varying degrees of chemical resistance, temperature ranges, abrasion resistance, and therefore sealing performance. Most thermoplastic valve manufacturers design their valves to meet the ANSI Class VI shutoff standard, which is commonly termed “bubble-tight shutoff ”. THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY Non-metallics have very low thermal conductivity and act as insulators, compared to metals, which do not. Polypropylene has a 1.2 BTU-in/ft²-°F-hr. Carbon steel’s thermal conductivity of 360 BTU-in/ft²-hr is 300 times greater than polypropylene. Does this mean thermoplastic valves will not crack in freezing temperatures? Of course not. What low thermal conductivity in thermoplastics does demonstrate, is the considerable amount of time it will take for a fluid to freeze in a thermoplastic valve. In this example, it takes three hundred times longer than carbon steel. ABRASION CHARACTERISTICS Another key benefit of thermoplastic materials is their abrasion resistance, specifically where most thermoplastic materials outperform steel. Because of the molecular structure and low coefficient of friction, PVDF is the best choice if abrasion resistance is the most important consideration. A solid PVDF diaphragm or butterfly valve with a PVDF disc are the two best options. Lined steel uses a liner that is generally 3-mm thick. This can limit the life and performance in an abrasive application compared to a solid-body valve. The potential for external corrosion from vapours also exists. A solid-body thermoplastic valve has the same chemical resistance on the outside where a coated metal valve may not. Coatings are also commonly scratched and chipped from flanged bolts and tightening during installation.

Extension stem on an Asahi/America Plasgear™ operated Type-57P butterfly valve that replaced a corroded metal stem and valve installed in a drain application.

regulator, check, globe and flow control valves are all available. Pneumatic and electric actuators operate valves from 6 through 1,200 mm. VALVE OPERATION OPTIONS If manual remote operation is required, extension stems and chain wheel operators are available. It is possible to actuate two butterfly valves with one actuator. Manual valves can be fitted with spring returns, or full electric and pneumatic actuation can be added to a non-metallic valve offering. These are just some of the many options available for thermoplastic valves. Rod Van is with Asahi/America Inc. For more information, visit www.asahi-america.com, or email: asahi@asahi-america.com

TYPES OF THERMOPLASTIC VALVES There are many types of thermoplastic valves: ball, butterfly, diaphragm, gate, sediment strainer, labcock, needle, relief, www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

June 2022 | 23

STORMWATER

Vancouver hires firms to design new conveyance infrastructure plan By ES&E Staff

ngineering consultant company Brown and Caldwell has been engaged to develop a sewage and rainwater management plan for the City of Vancouver. The two-part plan, entitled Healthy Waters, is a partnership with consulting firm Kerr Wood Leidal to guide policy, regulation, advocacy, and long-range investments in Vancouver’s sewer and stormwater management. The firms will utilize planners, engineers, and public engagement specialists. In a description of the plan, Brown and Caldwell states that it will leverage Vancouver’s Rain City Strategy to integrate

The plan is to catalogue knowledge gaps in the current system, in particular the extent and causes of CSOs and their impacts on receiving water bodies. Credit: yooranpark, stock.adobe.com

rainwater and sewer infrastructure policies, projects and programs, using a One Water approach to find the “right balance of green and grey infrastructure for increased water quality benefits based on scientific analysis and community values.”

“The challenges we face provide an opportunity to recreate healthy and resilient urban watersheds that help restore and revitalize natural, social, and cultural systems while delivering critical water infrastructure to provide residents with affordable and reliable services,” announced Jimmy Zammar, Vancouver’s director of urban watersheds, sewers and drainage, in a statement. Vancouver provides sewage and drainage services to both homes and businesses, managing more than 2,000 kilometres of underground storm, sanitary and combined pipes, plus 45,000 stormwater catch basins, more than 100,000 service connections, and 25 pump stations. The consultants intend to catalogue knowledge gaps in the current system, in particular the extent and causes of combined sewer overflows and the associated impacts on receiving water bodies. Vancouver has already developed an integrated rainwater management plan to treat Vancouver’s abundant rainwater as a resource, and reduce the demand for potable water by encouraging beneficial reuse. The plan also aims to restore the role of urban watersheds to support urban and natural ecosystems and provide clean water. The new Healthy Waters plan is set to be completed by early 2024. For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

24 | June 2022

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

WATER

U of Waterloo grads win AWWA awards for Papers BY ES&E Staff

breakthrough or other correctable process oscillations that lead to reduced operational resilience. Also, in the Ontario portion of the competition, Knezic won for his thesis on the addition of coagulant for managing sediment-associated phosphorus bioavailability. This can prevent cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water reservoirs, he found. Knezic said that a series of lab- and field-scale analyses were conducted to determine the following: • Describe phosphorus release from fine sediment in a raw water reservoir. • Characterize its availability for biological uptake. • Evaluate phosphorus inactivation by application of common coagulants. (FeCl3, alum, PACl) • Evaluate the combination of strategically-timed reservoir dredging and coagulant application on phosphorus inactivation and turbidity reduction. Both award winners studied with the Water Science, Technology & Policy Group (WaterSTP) at the University of Waterloo and are members of the forWater Network, a pan-Canadian interdisciplinary network focused on drinking water source water protection in forested landscapes.

wo graduates of the University of Waterloo’s WaterSTP program have won academic achievement awards from the American Water Works Association for their Master’s thesis papers on drinking water. The Academic Achievement Awards date back to 1966. Kelsey Kundert, senior project process engineer at the City of Calgary, and Nik Knezic, current PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, won first and second place, respectively, in the international competition that will honour their work at a Texas event in June, where the researchers will also receive a cash prize for their efforts. Kundert won for his thesis on coupled chemically-assisted filtration approaches for increasing filter resilience and performance during drinking water treatment. “The goal of this research was to develop an approach for rapid detection of filter performance degradation and methods to assist with prediction of coagulant dosages for increased filter resilience,” Kundert wrote in his paper’s abstract. Kundert’s study found that development of filter performance dashboards can be used to detect underlying conditions that can lead to filter upset conditions, such as early For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

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June 2022 | 25

WATER

The Region had a contract with Veolia to replace the original filtration membrane cassettes at the completion of their 10-year life cycle.

Upgrades made to Halton Region’s Burloak Water Purification Plant By Austin Kanagasuriam

he Region of Halton’s Burloak Water Purification Plant in Oakville, Ontario provides drinking water for residents in Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and parts of Halton Hills. The 55 million litre per day membrane filtration plant uses a treatment process that includes flocculation, ultra-filtration (via membranes), ultraviolet irradiation, ozone for disinfection, taste and odour control, chlorination, and fluoridation. Inside the facility, there are four castin-place and epoxy-lined concrete membrane tanks, each fitted with six membrane cassettes. The Region had an existing contract with SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions (now Veolia) to replace the original ZeeWeed membrane cassettes in all four tanks at the completion of their 10-year life cycle in 2021. Associated Engineering (AE) was retained for design and construction services for replacing the existing membranes, concrete tank linings, large 26 | June 2022

bined commitment to coordination and communication between the Region’s operations teams were critical to maintaining water service at all facilities and minimizing any risk of disruptions. During construction, a program of testing, sampling, training, and fine tuning was implemented by the Region’s operations team to provide assurance of systems operations before each system was returned to a fully operating state. The Region’s operations team, supported by AE, streamlined the original commissioning plan. Instead of commissioning all four membrane trains simultaneously, the team commissioned two membrane process trains first to achieve partial drinking water production, and thus satisfy system demands and other commitments. The remaining two membrane process trains were installed and commissioned later. The project was completed on time and on budget, despite the challenges of construction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The upgraded facility meets the Region’s goals for an easy-to-operate-and-maintain system with low energy consumption requirements.

diameter butterfly valves, as well as SCADA system upgrades. Multiple factors impacted the project, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the need to implement and follow greater safety protocols and construction management approaches to protect the safety of operators, construction staff, and visitors. The pandemic also impacted the supply chain, creating challenges in ensuring product and materials from suppliers could be sourced and delivered in an efficient and timely manner. The AE team worked collaboratively during construction to find and implement solutions to minimize the impact on facility operations and the community. To continue to deliver safe drinking water during construction, the project team coordinated production support from the Region, the contractor, and other Lake Ontario-based water purification plants, well in advance of construction. This allowed the Burloak plant to Austin Kanagasuriam is with Associated remain fully off-line for the entire six- Engineering. Email: suriama@ae.ca month construction period. The com-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

WATER

Yellowknife to get new drinking water supply line

ECOM has been selected to provide engineering services for a new underwater potable water supply line in Yellowknife, now that the existing steel pipeline has begun to leak and reach its end of life. The new 8.5-kilometre pipeline will be cement-mortar lined and polyurethane coated for protection against corrosion and abrasion. It will mean that Yellowknife can avoid drawing water from the region of a nearby and toxic former gold mine site. Instead, drinking water will travel through the pipeline from the Yellowknife River, across Yellowknife Bay. The project will also involve upgrades to two pumphouse facilities at either end of the pipeline. An AECOM water source selection study from 2017 said the replacement pipeline will safeguard the community’s drinking water, increase capacity for flood water retention, better secure essential services from the effects of flooding, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to water line replacement and system operations. The study concluded that while the Yellowknife River source with a new submarine pipeline has a higher capital cost, it has less risk of arsenic contamination. Prior to 1968, Yellowknife obtained its drinking water from the bay that is connected to Great Slave Lake. In 1969, the

The City of Yellowknife. Credit: ti1993, stock.adobe.com

city switched its water source to the Yellowknife River over concerns about arsenic contamination from the Giant and Con mines. Using the bay remained an option, but required a special treatment process for arsenic removal in case levels increased. In 2019, the federal government announced $25.8 million from its disaster mitigation and adaptation fund towards the replacement of the water pipeline. However, Yellowknife needed time to secure an additional $9 million for its share of the project.

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WATER QUALITY

Hydrometric data proves vital to the longterm health of the Okanagan Water Basin By Chris Heyer

he Okanagan Water Basin in British Columbia is deemed a region of interest by the federal government, as it straddles the Canada-U.S. border, and is marveled at by hydrologists as a living laboratory that includes one of two deserts in Canada. It also has one of the highest numbers of species at risk. Due to eutrophication of mainstem lakes in the mid-1960s, the Canadian government conducted the Okanagan Basin study (1974), one of the largest federally funded limnology (freshwater science) studies ever conducted in Canada. Being a relatively small area of 8,200 km², the Okanagan watershed supports residents, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and tourism, resulting in the need for many special interest groups to work together to protect and preserve the flow of clean water through this unique valley. In the 1960s, the Okanagan had water pollution problems from poorly treated sewage effluent, run-off from cattle yards, and organo-phosphate/lead-arsenate insecticides that created algae blooms and toxic conditions in Okanagan Lake. This also led to the establishment of the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) in 1970, which is a valley-wide partnership between the three regional local governments to identify and resolve critical water issues in the Okanagan watershed. One of the earliest programs of the OBWB was its sewage facility grant program, supporting local governments to upgrade areas on septic to community sewer, and purchase state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facilities. Municipalities upgraded their wastewater treatment plants at an impressive pace. Within 20 years, the level of phosphates in Okanagan Lake dropped by more than 90%. The federal government expanded water monitoring in the basin to include 160 hydrometric stations. These were 28 | June 2022

Among other areas, environmental flow data is vital to ensure the successful release and return of salmon in the Columbia River system.

installed, in part, to address the 1974 Okanagan Basin Study recommendations and anticipated increased local water demands. Today, however, there are only 23 Environment Canada operated hydrometric stations left in the watershed, and OBWB is working with partners to bring that number back up as climate change is impacting the area. Nelson Jatel, OBWB’s water stewardship director said: “Prior to the mid1980s we had great hydrometric data from Environment Canada, including some stations that had over 60 years of data. Due to funding cuts, the number of hydrometric stations left operating throughout the region dropped significantly. At the same time, we have seen rapid population growth and evidence of a changing climate. Unfortunately, the reduction in critical hydrometric data has reduced important information for water management that could have

benefited fisheries, forestry, agricultural, and flood/drought infrastructure. The sooner we can get more data on the long-term trends of systems, the better equipped we are to deal with climate change and long-term management of our water system.” In 2021, OBWB started a hydrology monitoring program to fill in the gaps. OPTIMIZING DATA FOR SHARING ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS In 2021, OBWB implemented a new hydrometric program (www.obwb.ca/ hydromet) with a mandate to work with partners and establish new hydrometric stations that would, in part, support the development of environmental flow data, and support new hydrology models. To manage this data, OBWB uses Aquarius software to acquire, process, model and publish water information in real time. OBWB has data coming in from

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

partner agencies and publicly available sources, and they also collect their own Class 2 data. Aquarius enables OBWB to centralize this vast amount of hydrologic time series data, discrete measurement data, and complex river gauging measurements from various locations. From the platform, OBWB can correct and quality control the data, build rating curves, derive statistics, and report in real time to share insights with stakeholders. “Sharing data from Aquarius gives our data a QA/QC stamp of credibility that allows smaller organizations like us to punch above our weight when it comes to delivering reliable and trustworthy data with the big players like Environment Canada,” said Jatel. CLIMATE CHANGE HAS INCREASED THE VALUE OF DATA Hydrometric data is vital to managing and protecting the use, flow and quality of water, and dealing with the impacts of climate change that are affecting the whole planet. Consequently, the need

for reliable data has never been stronger. “Fifteen years ago, the value of water data was said to be a $19 return on every dollar invested. Today, I think it is significantly more valuable,” said Jatel. “With modern data management tools, we can leverage the dollars spent by easily sharing information with water partners across the country through cloudbased internet tools.” Predictive modeling in the Okanagan indicates the net water input into the basin is not expected to change by 2050. But it does indicate that there is an ongoing and significant shift of the hydrograph to the left, representing earlier freshets, based on data trends from the past 50 years. As well as earlier freshets, more of the precipitation will come as rain, rather than snow. This modelling, largely based on hydrometric data, affects decisions on infrastructure, crop selection, water storage and policy. For example, a longer dry period during the early fall will increase demand

for agricultural irrigation at a critical time when the Columbia River Sockeye and Chinook salmon need water to travel upriver to spawn. It is therefore vital that water managers, First Nations, fisheries advocates, and agricultural producers come together to brainstorm and plan different management options to reduce future conflicts. PARTNERSHIPS ARE VITAL TO SMALL WATERSHEDS OBWB’s motto, “One valley, one water” has led to dozens of partnerships, monthly meetings with the Okanagan Water Stewardship Council, and the formation of several council committees representing multiple interests on various water subjects. Within the new Okanagan hydrometric service program, one of these partners is the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), which includes seven First Nations bands, of which four are in the Okanagan Basin. continued overleaf…

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WATER QUALITY ONA has a fisheries department that has been working hard to restore salmon stocks in the region. With millions of dollars in funding from U.S. hydroelectric production, they have built and manage a salmon hatchery in Penticton, B.C., where five million salmon fry have been reared and released every spring since 2014 (www.syilx.org/fisheries/hatchery/). Environmental flow data is vital for ONA to ensure the successful release and return of the salmon in the Columbia River system. “Over the past two decades I have had the pleasure of working with the Okanagan Nation Alliance Fishery staff,” said Jatel. “During this time, I have heard elders consistently message that bringing back the salmon to Okanagan valley-bottom lakes is imperative.” Jatel adds that: “Several of our new hydrometric stations, managed in partnership with ONA fishery staff, are prioritized to support the heavy lifting that is being done by the ONA. The ONA fishery team is an outstanding partner in the collection and management of hydrometric data, and they have led the restoration and preservation of the Okanagan’s salmon fish habitat and ecosystem.”

View of Okanagan Lake. Photo credit: Robbie Down

enhance the vulnerability window for flooding. With reliable data, OBWB is expanding the mapping of floodplains to include flood hazard mapping. It shares this information through its Okanagan Flood Story website and flood portal, as well as social media channels. Using historical and current data, stakeholders have access to knowledge HYDROMETRIC DATA IS that can play a role in zoning, planVITAL IN REDUCING THE ning for infrastructure, or helping resIMPACTS OF FLOODING idents choose where to build or buy a The shift in the Okanagan’s hydro- house. It also gives residents strategies graph also means more rain in the snow- to reduce the risks of flooding and tips melt season, which will dramatically for flood-proofing.

PUBLIC OUTREACH BUILDS INDIVIDUAL WATER STEWARDS The Okanagan has the lowest per-person water availability in Canada, so public engagement is critical. OBWB’s outreach and education program, Okanagan WaterWise, is intended to help the public understand where their water comes from, why water conservation and protection is important, and how to do this. Between May and October, it runs an annual valley-wide water conservation campaign called “Make Water Work”, aimed at tackling outdoor residential use. Among its many resources, Okana-

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Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

gan WaterWise has also developed curriculum materials now available to, and being used in, Okanagan schools. It is also active on social media and YouTube to keep the community engaged. Ensuring all stakeholders have up-todate, relevant information allows communities to plan for the future and respond to problems with water systems. Another program that OBWB has initiated is the BC Water Use Reporting Centre. “This started as a local initiative to get municipalities to record water usage monthly rather than annually, but we soon realized this tool would be valuable to all water managers and has been voluntarily adopted in several communities throughout the province,” said Jatel. “The increase to monthly usage reporting has made a meaningful impact on the granularity of data. This enables participating B.C. water license holders to monitor water-use patterns so they can modify consumption and fix aging infrastructure before it becomes critical.” An online portal makes it easy for

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participants to access and input their data, and it streamlines management for the province with automated processing and secure storage of data in one platform. This voluntary water use reporting software also adds a level of transparency to water consumption that can motivate better practices. The Okanagan Water Stewardship Council’s most recent Sustainable Water Strategy: Action Plan 2.0, includes 50 actions designed to protect water at its source, plan for flooding and drought, manage water demand, collect and share data, collaborate and build partnerships. This collaboratively developed, modern, comprehensive strategy is intended to safeguard the Okanagan Water Basin, and is an outstanding model for all watershed monitoring agencies. “Hydrometric data is at the heart of water management,” said Jatel. “Collecting, managing, and making this data transparent are all important steps to ensure the data may be used to support actionable insights into our changing water patterns

for our partners and programs, and is an important OBWB service.” Jatel adds that: “As many watersheds throughout the world struggle with the impacts of climate change, water shortages, and emerging contaminants of concern, it’s essential that governments and partners collaborate to improve our relationship with water. By gathering high quality hydrometric data and sharing insights resulting from data-dependent hydrology models, we can find practical solutions to protect our water, and the social-ecological systems that depend on it.” Chris Heyer is with Aquatic Informatics. For more information, visit: www.aquaticinformatics.com

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June 2022 | 31

WASTEWATER

Controlling odour from wastewater lift stations with oxygen and ozone By Greg Bock

he cause of lift station odours is a combination of many substances being washed down the sewer collection system, from home and restaurant grease, to commercial and industrial solvents. As various parts of a collection system have different sources of sewage and detention times, it is difficult to control odours at the source. This means they must be dealt with at the lift station. A lift station can have both a grease layer, which could lead to an oxygen depleted or anaerobic condition, and additional issues with hydrogen sulfide either in the liquid or vapour phase. The smell is unmissable and overwhelming at times. This rotten egg smell is a warning to stay clear and stand back. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colourless poisonous gas that results from anaerobic conditions. Exposure can be as simple as the horrible rotten egg smell, which can cause mild symptoms such as watery eyes, slight difficulty breathing and skin irritation. Higher H2S values, which typically cannot be detected by sense of smell, can lead to headaches, dizziness, unconsciousness and even death with prolonged exposure time. Safety should always be paramount when it comes to collection lines and lift stations. Hydrogen sulfide gas can also be very corrosive and damaging to the internals of the lift station and its surrounding electrical control systems. As it comes into contact with water, either in the lift station head space, or simply with moisture in the air in the lift station control equipment, H2S will form sulfuric acid. This can wreak havoc on the operation of the lift station, potentially resulting in costly downtime, service needs and overflows from defective level controls or damaged variable frequency drive equipment. So, how do we deal with the fats, oil 32 | June 2022

Anue Water Technologies has a system that will break up grease caps, oxidize water-based sulfides and leave a residual layer of ozone in the air space, which addresses hydrogen sulfide gas in the air.

and grease, and the depletion of oxygen along with the hydrogen sulfide safety concerns and corrosive environment? The best solution would be to have residents, restaurants, commercial and industrial users be more cognizant of what is being sent to the collection lines and lift stations. But the reality is that it needs to be addressed at the collection site for point source odour control. We know that a grease cap can reduce the amount of oxygen available to the waste stream and that H2S is generated by septic conditions. Therefore, it makes sense to break up the grease and add oxygen to the lift station. There are a number of products on the market that will either break up a grease cap or remove hydrogen sulfide gas in the air space. However, Anue Water Technologies has a system that will break up the grease cap, oxidize water-based sulfides and leave a residual layer of ozone in the air space addressing hydrogen sulfide gas in the air. The company’s Phantom ozone and oxygen generation system circulates

wastewater in the lift station water using a dedicated grinder or chopper pump through a venturi, while injecting highly concentrated oxygen and ozone directly into the stream. Ozone that is injected into the recirculated 150 lpm wastewater stream will oxidize the existing aqueous sulfides, along with organic compounds. As the water is sprayed on the surface of the lift station water, any grease cap is broken up and remains homogenized, allowing the surface water to be broken up. Additional free oxygen is introduced to the system, making for a grease and hydrogen sulfide free environment. The ability to provide a lift station environment that is free of a grease cap and minimal hydrogen sulfide generation reduces the amount of service required. This allows operations teams to focus on other areas of the sewer system, saving both time and money. Greg Bock is with Anue Water Technologies. Email: gbock@anuewater.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

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WASTEWATER

A new option for foot-print constrained wastewater treatment plants By Indre Tunile and Dr. Michael Yesin

he City of Salmon Arm in British Columbia faced a challenge that many other communities across Canada have encountered. How do you increase the capacity of a water pollution control centre (WPCC) in a constrained footprint to avoid building a new greenfield facility? For the community located on the southern shore of Shuswap Lake in the B.C. interior, the issue needed to be swiftly resolved as it developed its plan for its Stage IV Upgrade, increasing the WPCC’s capacity from 15,000 PE (people equivalent) to 20,000 PE (Stage IV upgrade) by 2027. Salmon Arm currently has one of the most advanced wastewater treatment facilities in all of British Columbia. The facility uses a liquid-train treatment process, consisting of screening and grit removal, primary clarification, fixed growth (trickling filters) and suspended growth reactors (SGR) for bio-p removal, tertiary filtration (disk filters), and UV disinfection. It also has a solids-train treatment process that uses sludge thickening, autothermal thermophilic aerobic digesters (ATADs) for sludge digestion, and digested solids dewatering. Any solution to be introduced would need to complement the existing advanced system already in place. The WPCC is located along the shoreline of Shuswap Lake, in the community’s downtown core. Its location has caused concerns related to nuisance odours, and the presence of psycoda (filter fly) populations during the warmer weather. Along with the limited footprint available for expansion of the 2.3 acres facility, these factors gave consideration for a change to the plant’s location. However, after a thorough review of nine alternative sites, it was determined that the advantages of the current location and infrastructure were too great to consider a move.

The pilot unit validated the full-scale design criteria, and verified expected treatment performance of the technology specific to Salmon Arm.

WPCCs and wastewater treatment plant applications across Canada. However, the exploration of AGS was a new opportunity that WSP thought could be a good fit for this project. The AGS technology was discovered in the Netherlands in the 1990s. The main feature of the AGS process is the formation of granules. Each granule consists of three zones: aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic. Each zone facilitates the growth of different bacteria. Bacteria in the aerobic zone performs nitrification, while denitrification simultaneously occurs in the inner layer of the granules. The biological phosphorus uptake process occurs by PAOs (polyphosphate-accumulating organisms) that accumulate in the anaerobic zone. The technology is limited in its use to date. There are approximately 56 full-scale installations worldwide, and about six of EXPLORING THE OPTIONS those can be found in North America. With the decision made to stay at the current location, work However, WSP decided to still use AGS as one of the techgot underway to determine what the best options were for nology options to consider, which was evaluated through increasing the WPCC’s capacity from 15,000 PE to 20,000 PE processes focused on eight core criteria. These included and the build-out population of 30,000 PE. high-quality effluent, nutrient removal, physical footprint, low WSP was brought in as a consulting engineer for the proj- odour, energy efficiency, O&M costs, ease of operation and ect, and the firm’s job was to analyze options for increasing modular construction. throughput at the site. Three options were carefully examined. These eight criteria were the key considerations needed to These were integrated fixed-film activated sludge, combined be evaluated for the project based on the expectations from with biological nutrient removal (IFAS + BNR), membrane the municipality. Following WSP’s evaluation, it was recogbioreactor (MBR) and aerobic granular sludge (AGS). nized that AGS scored significantly better than IFAS+BNR IFAS+BNR and MBR technologies are commonplace in and MBR using these criteria. 34 | June 2022

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

PILOTING THE TECHNOLOGY The issue with deciding to utilize the AGS solution was the fact that it had never been used in Canada before. As a result, it was determined that a pilot project was needed to help verify the information collected during the evaluation. The goals of the pilot project were to validate the full-scale design criteria, verify the expected treatment performance of the technology specific to Salmon Arm, and to better understand the process in terms of operation and maintenance. WSP wanted to ensure that, even at the pilot scale, AGS would be effective at removing nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Also, that it would provide the operations and maintenance savings that were expected based on the initial research conducted on the technology. The WPCC’s Operational Certificate is more stringent than that of the province’s Municipal Wastewater Regulation (MWR) and the federal government’s Wastewater Systems Effluent Regula-

tions (WSER). WSP had to ensure that, if we were going to move forward with the AGS solution, that its effectiveness could reach beyond both provincial and federal standards. For the pilot, WSP focused on how the technology fared in its removal of cBOD5 (carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand), TSS (total suspended solids), TP (total phosphorus), ortho-P (orthophosphate), TN (total nitrogen) and NH4-N (ammonia). Design criteria were set for the removal of each of these, and evaluated how effectively they were removed by the AGS solution, looking at the annual average, maximum month, and wet weather flow and loading conditions. For both the annual average and the max month, the AGS process met all six design criteria based on the effluent concentration of each of the parameters identified for the pilot study. The removal of ortho-P and cBOD5 well exceeded expectations. In the wet weather conditions, we were able to still

reach three of the six overall design criteria. Overall, working hand-in-hand with the product vendor (Aqua-Aerobic Systems) and the local supplier (Waste’n WaterTech), WSP was able to execute the pilot in a tight timeline, and get results that allowed for better appreciation of how this technology fares under the demands of Salmon Arm’s wastewater system needs. The AGS process produced a high-quality effluent, and verified that the full-scale design approach is prudent. WSP will continue to work with the municipality to carry out a detailed economic analysis of the available technologies, and help Salmon Arm achieve its objectives for its stage IV upgrade by 2027. Dr. Michael Yesin and Indre Tunile are with WSP in Canada. For more information, email: andrew.macklin@wsp.com

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June 2022 | 35

WASTEWATER

Sarnia uses microtunnelling for new trunk sewer pipeline By Bryan Prouse

he City of Sarnia, Ontario, is experiencing significant growth and, like many other municipalities across Canada, it must upgrade segments of its infrastructure to meet this increase, as well as the anticipated future growth. One infrastructure project that was top of the list for the City of Sarnia was the Bedford Pumping Station Replacement, which was rolled out in three phases. Phase 3 of the project was specified as a microtunnelling (MT) installation for a sanitary trunk sewer. The microtunnelling option was chosen due to the following challenges and advantages.

36 | June 2022

CROSSING OF A CN RAIL YARD Open cut installation in this location would be very difficult since CN needed to continue to operate the yard. Any temporary rail line shutdowns would also be limited in duration and frequency.

the risks of encountering potential contamination from historical petroleum oil transportation methods. Phase 3 required 1,791 metres of 1,350 mm diameter microtunnelling pipe. The external diameter of the pipe is 1,689 mm. A total of three drives would be required, SEWER DEPTH OF with three shafts sized at 9 metres in diamAPPROXIMATELY 15 METRES eter and one shaft sized at 6.5 metres in Using an open cut excavation for such diameter. The shaft at the pumping station a deep sewer installation would require will be equipped with an IPEX vortex sepextensive and complex shoring of exist- arator for odour control. ing hydro tower pylon bases, as well as In conjunction with CRS Tunnelling protecting the existing sanitary infra- (CRS), the microtunnelling contractor structure that must remain in service. awarded the project, Forterra organized The use of microtunnelling also mitigates a plant tour for City of Sarnia’s engineerdisturbances at ground level, minimizing ing staff, as well as AECOM, who is the consulting engineering firm overseeing the project. This allowed for the City of Sarnia staff to better understand the various aspects of the microtunnelling pipe product being produced, as well as the manufacturing and engineering expertise that Forterra provided to the project. Forterra prepared the required pipe design for the microtunnelling pipe. As with standard reinforced concrete pipe, these structural elements are required to meet the dead and live loading that will be applied to them during their service life. In addition, microtunnelling pipe is required to meet very high axial loading due to the microtunnelling installation process. This is typically the governing factor in the pipe’s design. Forterra was also able to mobilize specialised 1,350 mm MT formwork, from their Ohio operation, to allow for local manufacturing to take place at their Cambridge, Ontario production facility. For this project, they produced 732 pieces (2.4 metres long) of 1,350 mm inside diameter, 140-D microtunnelling pipe. Grout ports are required to be cast into each pipe section, in order to provide lubrication as the pipe sections are jacked into place behind the microtunnelling machine. Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

CRS requested that every 60 metres should include a length of pipe with five grout ports. Of the 732 pieces produced, 30 were produced with five grout ports and the remainder produced with one grout port. From the start of this project, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the construction schedule. Setbacks were caused by individuals being quarantined, as well as travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada that delayed the arrival of members of CRS’s U.S.-based microtunnelling team. As part of the microtunnelling process, CRS utilized an intermediate jacking station (IJS) for drives 2 and 3. The IJS ensures that the axial loads would not be exceeded, given that both these drives exceeded 600 metres in length. For drive 1, the total length was only 498 metres and axial loading would not be an issue. Although shafts 2 and 3 were designed as temporary tunnel launch/reception shafts and shafts 1 and 4 were to be castin-place, AECOM and the City of Sarnia approached Forterra to see if a precast maintenance hole structure could also be designed and fabricated for shafts 2 and 3. Cooperation on this project was key to its success. One example was CRS, Forterra and Hamilton-Kent (the pipe gasket manufacturer) being able to quickly address an issue with the seal between the trail pipe and the steel housing of one of the intermediate jacking stations. Hamilton-Kent was able to redesign the gasket, produce it at their Toronto manufacturing facility and have it delivered to the jobsite within 12 hours. For the City of Sarnia, this was the largest microtunnelling project that has ever been undertaken. A close-up view of the microtunnelling rig and jack. Bryan Prouse, P.Eng., is manager, operation services, City of Sarnia. For more information about the project or Forterra, email: shane.egan@forterrabp.com

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WATER

U of Waterloo study says turn nitrogen pollution into an advantage

recent University of Waterloo study could act as a roadmap for scientists, policymakers and the public to begin to overcome the lasting impacts of agricultural nitrogen pollution on water quality. More out-of-the-box thinking is needed when it comes to addressing nitrogen’s impact from farming fertilizers, the study states. For instance, if it is unknown how long the nutrient can linger in ecosystems, perhaps it’s time to find ways to reuse nitrogen instead of simply adding more. “We have to think about the legacy we leave for the future in a strategic way from both the scientific and socio-economic angles,” said Nandita Basu, a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering at Waterloo and the study’s lead author. “This is a call to action for us to accept that these legacies exist and figure out how to use them to our advantage,” she added. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water causes algae to grow faster than ecosystems can handle, otherwise known as eutrophication. Algal blooms can harm water quality and decrease oxygen for fish, sometimes producing ele-

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38 | June 2022

A recent study says researchers need to develop methodologies to quantify nitrogen legacies and lag times. Credit: Dusan Kostic, stock.adobe.com

vated toxins and bacterial growth that can make people sick when the water is consumed. Infants are particularly vulnerable to nitrates in drinking water. According to Statistics Canada, about 75% of total Canadian fertilizer nitrogen application takes place across the three prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In addition to exploring ways to harvest emitted nitrogen to be reused by farmers as fertilizer, Basu explained that researchers need to develop methodologies to quantify nitrogen legacies and lag times. This would help to set goals, manage expectations, and design the appropriate conservation measures, she said. To be able to assess the economic impacts of conservation strategies, the study notes that experts will need to incorporate both short- and long-term cost-benefit analyses. “It’s time we stop treating nitrogen legacies as the elephant in the room and design watershed management strategies that can address these past legacies,” said Basu. “We need to ask ourselves how we can do better for the future.” The University of Waterloo study recommends that water quality be monitored at both large and small scales so that “shortterm results can be seen at scales like a farm field and long-term results downstream at river basins can also be tracked.” Additionally, researchers suggest combining conservation methods that reduce the amount of nitrogen that has already left farm fields, such as wetland methods that harvest nitrogen from decades of accumulation in the soil. The study acknowledges that nitrogen legacies are different around the world depending on the climate, historical land use, and land management patterns. Recent research from Greenpeace suggests that synthetic nitrogen fertilizer usage in Canadian agriculture is eight times the global average per capita. This fertilizer contributes to roughly 3% of global emissions from nitrogen fertilizers, despite Canada having only 0.4% of the world’s population, the study states. Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

LEGAL AFFAIRS

Alberta wins court appeal on Impact Assessment Act By ES&E Staff

ollowing the Alberta government’s claim that the federal Impact Assessment Act was a “Trojan horse” that intruded on provincial jurisdiction, the Court of Appeal of Alberta has agreed and ruled that the legislation is “unconstitutional” and oversteps when it comes to development in the energy sector. Previously known as Bill C-69, the 2019 legislation lists development projects that trigger an impact review and allows federal officials to consider the effects of new resource projects on environmental and social issues. Essentially, it puts a microscope on projects with the most potential for adverse environmental effects in areas of federal jurisdiction.

Impact Assessment Act “needlessly overhauls” a regulatory review process that is already one of the world’s best, “putting jobs and investment at risk.” Alberta was supported in its challenge of the Impact Assessment Act by the governments of Saskatchewan and Ontario, as well as three First Nations and the Indian Resource Council. The Court of Appeal said in its Following the ruling from the Court of non-binding opinion that, “legitimate Appeal, federal Natural Resources Minisconcerns about the environment and ter Jonathan Wilkinson stated that, “we are climate change shared by all Canadi- very confident that this is constitutional, ans and provincial governments as well that our position will be upheld,” adding as the federal government do not justify that the latest ruling will be appealed. overriding our existing form of federalWilkinson added that the legislation ism and the division of powers.” is designed “to ensure that we actually Jason Kenney, Alberta’s premier at the are addressing substantive environmentime, issued a statement following the tal concerns at the very early stages, such May 10 decision that said, “Trudeau’s that good projects can go ahead and ‘no more pipelines’ law goes against projects that actually are not able to be what the framers of our Constitution conformed to good environmental stanintended, and is certainly not what pro- dards do not.” vincial governments agreed to on patriation of the Constitution.” For more information, email: Kenney explained that the federal editor@esemag.com

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June 2022 | 39

WATER

BC Project employs machine learning predictive analytics to manage water resources By Greg Johnston

n terms of water resources, Canada is in a privileged position, holding 20% of the world’s freshwater supply and 9% of the world’s renewable fresh water. But climate change is affecting this precious resource. In northern regions, it is already having devastating impacts on ecological, economic and human systems. To help mitigate these impacts, a Canadian predictive analytics software company called Carl Data Solutions Inc. led a Fresh Water Data Commons (FWDC) project which is now deployed in Anderson Creek in the Columbia Basin, near the City of Nelson, British Columbia. This region of the province presents a diverse set of data types and monitoring conditions, due to varied geographies that range from remote areas to locations with large industrial users of water. As such, advanced water monitoring becomes essential to understand and characterize challenges. Collecting regional data to provide a real-time view of what’s happening is fundamental in helping water authorities and communities forecast and predict. Achieving better water balance is one of the project objectives. By developing and using a machine learning predictive analytics platform, Carl Data Solutions’

Filtered Discharge (m3/s)

The platform employs pre-configured and user defined algorithms and calculations that run against collected data and instantaneously merges other information sources to create predictive information data channels. Quality control algorithms are available to flag suspect data points to minimize error in alarms and reporting produced in real time. All data is accessible either through a web service, or a SaaS-based application to end users assigned with the appropriate security permissions. Additional data sources through third-party systems (e.g., SCADA) can also be added. This means end users have a comprehensive and standardized view of all data sources required for analysis, without the need to consult multiple, disparate applications and data sources. BENEFITS OF THE MACHINE LEARNING PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS PLATFORM The platform was designed and built to be deployed using a cloud-based computing service. Its architecture was designed with six layers: Collect, Ingest, Transform, Store, Serve, and Present. Some of the noticeable outputs of the FWDC project are measured in operational efficiencies. This is because the

ANDERSON CREEK NEAR NELSON Start Date: 2021-05-01 00:00 End Date: 2021-06-30 23:59

Model Discharge (m3/s) Filtered Discharge (m3/s)

Model Discharge (m3/s)

team of software engineers are gaining a deeper understanding of environmental conditions and the impact of development, industrial and climate change in target areas. Features of the platform enable users to: • Connect to private data sources such as corporate systems, SCADA, and other cloud platforms. • Connect to public data sources such as Environment Canada and other government application program interfaces (APIs). • Connect to remote sensors and dataloggers deployed in the field. • Monitor user data through a GISbased web interface. • Create real-time data alerts to notify users when events occur. • Visualize data with graphs and reports. • Share data with other users and organizations with full control of permissions and access to data. • Transform data using Python scripts deployed in the platform to build realtime analytics, predictive analytics and machine learning (ML) model. • Build applications and services using a REST API that supports integration with applications and services like Excel and PowerBI, cloud-based services like Azure and AWS, or on-premise ERP systems.

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Figure 1: Predicted versus actual water volume. 40 | June 2022

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

highly customizable predictive analytics platform predicts future volumes of water flowing out of the Anderson Creek watershed is an important benefit to water authorities. Predictive channels are produced through a dynamic water balance model, calibrated for the freshet period. The freshet represents the period with the highest potential for peak annual flows in the Anderson Creek. Based on the 2021 freshet from April 1, 2021, to August 1, 2021: • The averaged observed volume over the period from Environment Canada was 12,900 m3/d. • The corresponding average modeled volume was 11,569 m3/d. The platform yielded 89.7% of the observed volume for the freshet period. • For the freshet peak occurring on May 18, 2021, the observed 24hr average peak flow was 0.4607 m3/s. The 24hr average peak flow of the model was 0.3475 m3/s. • The platform yielded 75.4% of the observed peak flow during the freshet.

The platform automates most of the tasks required for data acquisition and preparation. Its machine learning algorithm also optimizes the underlying model, which improves accuracy as more data is collected. The combined impact is a significant savings in time and resources required to produce similar results through less automated methods.

ing and reports, municipal water treatment engineers can quickly see which areas of their systems are most impacted by a storm event and visualize real-time I&I metrics on a geographic information system (GIS) map. Auto QA/QC detects can prevent errors in sensor data from generating poor results or triggering false alerts. Data anomalies are flagged for further NEW PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS investigation by engineers and data anaPRODUCTS CREATED lysts in their manual workflow. Certain FROM THE PROJECT anomalies may be deemed acceptable, Software developed as part of the and automatically eliminated from the FWDC project is now being offered in a data stream. Suggested replacement valseries of new predictive analytics prod- ues generated by the application, based ucts from Carl Data Solutions that are on past patterns, may be used to fill in also aimed at Smart City and industrial errors as a substitute when errors are infrastructure customers. These include flagged and confirmed. Auto I&I and Auto QA/QC. Auto I&I was successfully beta-tested LESSONS LEARNED AND BENEFITS with AECOM in York Region's long- DERIVED FROM THE PROJECT term flow monitoring program. Auto At the beginning of the FWDC projI&I detects storm events that match ect, a significant amount of effort was defined rainfall criteria. By automating placed in developing and integrating inflow and infiltration (I&I) data gathercontinued overleaf…

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WATER advanced tools for predictive analytics. What became obvious over time was that the highest value features were linked to automating tasks, streaming analytics and access to information with a solid API. There have been many attempts to consolidate data collection. Impediments to the consolidation of various disparate data sets include normalization of time series data, queuing, mass storage and access challenges and ownership of the data. The platform addresses each of these areas. It can accommodate data sources produced in real time, make any updates required and then store information alongside data collected from different sources and systems. It is best suited to collect and aggregate data using advanced analytics features to create new channels of information. Analysis using connected datasets from other analytics applications can be used for deeper insight without the need for lengthy data preparation prior to analysis. The platform easily handles data aggregation, scrubbing and enhancement. Importantly, the organization that collects the data remains the owner of the that data. But, they have the ability to extend access as much as they like to other organizations or even make the data publicly available. What data to collect and who to share it with is up to each organization’s system administrator. Continuing innovation accelerates as the sources, frequency and volumes of data coming into the system expand. Another goal of the FWDC project was to make things easier for data analysts by providing access tools that can replace repetitive time-consuming tasks like finding similar patterns of events over time. The platform offers significant benefit to smaller municipalities that need to start monitoring water. As communities grow, new development puts pressure on existing water infrastructure as it is expanded to serve a larger area. Just like big cities, smaller centres can’t continue to grow without expanding services. The platform can assist in both estimating the current capacity and determining if additions are required before development begins. If infrastructure is ageing, the application can be used to estimate the decline in 42 | June 2022

Figure 1: Auto I&I detects storm events that match defined rainfall criteria for inflow & infiltration.

Figure 2: Auto QA/QC detects and prevents bad sensor data from generating results, or triggering false alerts.

capacity and prioritize capital replacement projects, focusing on sections with the greatest need. The platform can accept all time series environmental inputs and arrange data automatically, so a comparison of variables is possible. The application automatically joins disparate data sets. The associated time savings mean certain data gathering tasks that were resource-intensive can now be performed quickly, and automated to re-run on a scheduled basis for sharing information, trigger-based notification or regulatory reporting. All of this makes it much easier to alert the appropriate group if a negative event is predicted, or simply to remain in compliance with regulations specific to a particular industry or infrastructure environment.

The machine learning predictive analytics technology developed for the FWDC project offers a technological toolset to help every part of Canada, and the world, use data to protect water, people, ecosystems, and the economy. This is increasingly important as competition for fresh water continues to rise from impacts of climate change. Greg Johnston is president of Carl Data Solutions Inc. For more information, visit: www.carlsolutions.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

WASTEWATER

Quebec researchers look to alter wastewater testing for endocrine disruptors By ES&E Staff

pair of researchers at Quebec’s Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are developing a new effluent analysis tool to track and understand more about the cocktail of endocrine disruptors found in wastewater. Testing for endocrine disruptors, which can alter organisms’ hormonal systems and development, has often proved expensive and relied heavily on testing fish. However, the Quebec research team relied on biological analyses that can measure the reactions of human cell lines exposed to wastewater samples. The human cell lines are genetically modified in the laboratory to be sensitive to certain hormones, explained INRS researcher Julie Robitaille, a doctoral student in water sciences. “When an endocrine disruptor activates the receptors on these cells, they emit a small light. That’s how we determine whether the wastewater could be posing a risk to the hormonal system,” explained Robitaille in a statement from INRS, noting that further research is needed to reveal how her cellular findings translate to aquatic species. Robitaille said that the challenge in monitoring wastewater comes from the “cocktail” of endocrine disruptors commonly found in pharmaceutical and household products, as well as in other environmental contaminants. “You can’t just look at whether each individual substance is present,” said Robitaille. “You need to analyze whether the entire mixture has any effect, since these contaminants can have different consequences when combined with other chemicals.” Robitaille used several techniques to demonstrate the effectiveness of bioassays, one of which involved making an inventory of all the tools available to regulatory authorities around

the world. The work appeared in the Environmental Research journal’s 2022 Special Issue on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. “There is interest in Quebec and around the world in finding ways to track endocrine disruptors,” announced Valérie Langlois, scientific head of the INRS Ecotoxicogenomics and Endocrine Disruption Laboratory. “These methods could even identify where the contamination is coming from in a given area, whether it’s from agricultural, hospital, municipal, or industrial environments,” Langlois added. The pair of researchers are also working with municipal and industrial partners to monitor drinking water and wastewater to plan for potential infrastructure changes. INRS developed the Intersectoral Centre for Endocrine Disruptors Analysis in late 2020. For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

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Waste Water Environment Natural Areas

Two INRS students test the effects of pesticides on the American toad tadpoles in an agricultural pond. Credit: INRS www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

June 2022 | 43

WATER

The CRD’s new emergency water distribution units are self-contained, location deployable mobile water distribution stations designed to dispense drinking water to the public during an emergency. The public-access sides of the EWDUs are designed to accommodate public “bag fill,” featuring multiple push-button/auto shut-off spigot stations dispensing precisely five litres of water.

BC’s Capital Regional District tackles emergency water distribution and seismic preparedness By David Stewart Jones

t’s midnight on Vancouver Island—on any day or week in the possible future—when a severe earthquake jolts the British Columbia coastal region and instantly wreaks community devastation and widespread disruption of essential infrastructure services to residents living in the provincial capital of Victoria and surrounding areas. “People shaken awake in the middle of the night across the entire region and discovering no water is flowing through their taps will be anxiously thinking: ‘What are we going to do?’’’ says Shayne Irg, senior manager of the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) Water Infrastructure Operations. Serving approximately 430,000 people across 13 municipalities in southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands with water services, the CRD’s emergency preparedness plan identifies the regional district’s Greater Victoria area as having the highest “seismic susceptibility” risk. A major challenge in the aftermath of a natural disaster, where the local water infrastructure has been crippled or destroyed, involves somehow providing vital drinking water to thousands of people in need. “Our emergency preparedness plan will already be swinging into action immediately following a seismic event. It includes a series of shutdown and isolation procedures involving our large-diameter steel water transmission mains, and deploying critical spare parts and specialized repair couplings that we keep 44 | June 2022

warehoused specifically for our critical watermains,” says Irg. “Our emergency response now includes new custom-built emergency water-distribution units capable of distributing drinking water to large numbers of people located anywhere across our region, and delivering that life-sustaining water within hours,” adds Irg. EMERGENCY WATER DISTRIBUTION UNITS The CRD’s new emergency water distribution units (EWDUs) are self-contained, location deployable mobile water distribution stations designed to dispense bagged drinking water to the public during an emergency. The EWDUs, two separate models designed and manufactured for CRD by SCG Process, were purpose-built to a standard mobile-unit specification and a separate stationary-unit specification, both equipped identically inside the units. The mobile EWDU features large side-panel openings to accommodate high-volume public engagement, similar to a mobile lunch wagon when deployed. This enables a trained crew operating inside to rapidly fill and dispense CRD-provided five-litre bags of drinking water to people queued in front. Trailer-based, the mobile EWDU is capable of being towed by a pickup truck, or emergency vehicle. This allows for rapid relocation to impacted areas and quick deployment to Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

meet local emergency water demand. Custom-built to CRD’s specifications, the stationary-unit EWDU model is based on a highly modified intermodal shipping container. It features the same water-dispensing equipment and public side-access design as the standard mobile EWDU model, but offers an expandable design with more interior space. The shipping container-based EWDU is considered “semi-permanent”, but is transportable when loaded aboard a flat-deck truck trailer. “We spent a lot of time brainstorming, improving, and refining the details of the EWDU designs with the SCG Process design and manufacturing team,” says Irg. “Every emergency is different, so our EWDU designs are flexible, modular, fully equipped, and self-contained.” Everything the EWDU crew will need to deploy it, operate it, and maintain it during an emergency is included inside. This includes everything from hoses, fittings, pumps, and pipeline connection equipment, to high-vis safety vests and special gloves for operators, to exterior lights, signs, and traffic cones for public safety. “The EWDUs can be connected to any of our water transmission mains or a water tanker, enabling it to operate without being restricted to specific connections. It is designed to make it deployable everywhere, anytime,” Irg says. “All we need to do is grab a mobile EWDU and go.” “The CRD asked us to design and build these stationary and mobile EWDUs to deliver operational simplicity, rugged reliability, rapid mobile deployment, and ergonomic usability for efficient operation, especially under the stress of distributing drinking water to crowds of anxious people during and after emergencies,” says Brian Mergelas, SCG Process executive VP. “We drew on our half-century of experience engineering and building everything ranging from chemical feed systems to filtration systems for large municipal treatment plants to small and remote systems. As a result, experienced water treatment operators will discover our EWDUs share much of the same

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equipment and operational approaches found at water treatment plants and in the field,” added Mergelas. INNOVATIVE EWDU CAPABILITIES The CRD’s emergency preparedness plan includes longterm infrastructure damage mitigation and prevention measures involving major upgrades and system redundancies designed to make their entire water infrastructure “seismic resilient.” Among the upgrades are special “blue hydrants,” blue-painted seismic-resilient hydrants installed in critical locations to enable reliable access to large-diameter steel water transmission mains, which are expected to perform well during an earthquake event. “The blue hydrants are the EWDU’s go-to connections for potable water after a seismic event,” says Irg. “However, distance-limitations of the blue hydrants require deploying EWDUs within 100 metres of them. In the absence of a nearby blue hydrant connection, EWDUs can also be supplied by storage from the municipal systems, water-tank trucks, or large expandable “pillow tanks” providing temporary local water storage. Likewise, the EWDU’s lights, pumps, tools, and equipment can be operated using available shore-power, but each is equipped with an on-board generator.” The public-access sides of the EWDUs are designed to accommodate public “bag fill,” featuring multiple push-button/auto shut-off spigot stations dispensing precisely five litres of water into one of 10,000 reusable five litre water bags stored inside the unit for people to cap and take away. They can also accommodate manually filling of any size water container. A pressure-reducing valve reduces water pressure to manageable levels, and a backflow preventer valve prevents re-contamination of the system caused by water back-flowed from a contaminated source. This also protects the system from unauthorized people attempting to manipulate the taps. continued overleaf…

June 2022 | 45

WATER “The EWDU features a self-dosing water-dispensing system,” says Irg. “The operator activates a tap, pushes a button selecting the level of required chlorine residual dosing, and the system consistently maintains that residual dosing level. It’s automated and foolproof.” Considered a “re-chlorinating” process and not a water-treatment process, the EWDU’s chlorine-injection monitoring and metering system is designed to maintain chlorine residuals, ensuring the water distribution system remains clean during extended operations. This also preserves the cleanliness of pretreated water as it is transported by people returning home or carried to other locations.

WHAT’S NEXT? The CRD has recently ordered an additional EWDU mobile unit and is evaluating plans to acquire more. In the meantime, the EWDU project has become an inspiration for other CRD emergency-response projects. One is custom-designed mobile emergency equipment that is intended for rapid transport and replacement of failed pipeline infrastructure components vital to maintaining water distribution service during any kind of emergency. Another involves making vital water storage tanks seismic resistant. The CRD is designing and installing special “seismic valves” into dual-cell concrete and steel water storage tanks. The seismic valve installed in one of the water storage tank cells can detect when an earthquake occurs, and automatically close the valve to prevent water from being lost from the storage tank. The CRD’s current design of seismic valve requires a technician to physically go to the storage tank and open the valve after it’s been tripped and closed by an earthquake, Irg explains. “But the seismic valve will ensure water stored in the tank does not get drained because of a broken watermain.” The CRD is actively performing “seismic upgrades” to ensure their facilities and water infrastructure are still standing after a catastrophic earthquake event. They include a program that involves performing engineering evaluations of the district’s watershed, lakes, and dams to determine their ability to resist earthquakes, and upgrades to enhance their seismic resistance as needed. “The experts tell us that we are overdue for a large earthquake. So, it’s not ‘if,’ it’s ‘when’ it is going to happen,” says Irg. “Achieving preparedness, redundancy, and survivability at CRD’s Water Infrastructure Operations ensures that when the fateful day does come, everybody is going to sleep a lot better.”

REGIONAL COLLABORATION AND TRAINING The CRD is training all 40 of their certified water operators on staff to deploy and operate the EWDUs. It has also initiated a “technical working group” outreach focusing on collaborating and sharing the latest emergency preparedness advancements, knowledge, and skills with other technical and operational-oriented staffers working with municipalities, agencies, and First Nations governments located in the Saanich Peninsula area of Vancouver Island. This year, the CRD will offer to train more than nine other municipalities and First Nations governments, including Pauquachin, Tsawout, Tsartlip, and Tseycum First Nations, the Victoria Airport authority, and BC Ferries, which provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in British Columbia. “This is the first time we’ve done this, and it has been very well received,” Irg says. “We will jointly discuss emergency response best-practices, share resources, and provide training using realistic emergency scenarios. Emergency preparedness is a very hot topic, and everyone wants to be involved. When an emergency does eventually occur, we will all be ready to David Stewart Jones is a writer with BusinessWrite Inc. share resources, staffing, and emergency equipment.” For more information, or to contact SCG Process, email: mstadnyckyj@scgprocess.com

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Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

AIR POLLUTION

Flare stacks use a high-temperature flame to destroy unusable waste from an industrial process, or gases released due to over-pressurization or process start-up. Credit: mariusltu, stock.adobe.com

Flare stack monitoring minimizes environmental impact of chemical, hydrocarbon disposal By Terry Nagy

AS Data Loggers recently provided a flare stack monitoring solution to a processor of industrial railcars, which disposes of the reclaimed chemicals and hydrocarbon liquids using a flare stack. A flare stack is the last line of defense for ensuring that toxic hydrocarbons are neutralized before they are released into the air. Flare stacks use a high-temperature flame to destroy unusable waste from an industrial process, or gases released due to over-pressurization or process start-up. By burning at the proper temperature, the final released gases are safer for the environment with reduced volatile organic compounds and toxic pollutants. The key to minimizing environmental impact and maximizing public safety is ensuring that flare stacks are operating within prescribed operational and

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output signal from the CalorVal to provide permanent documentation for the audit. The 4-20mA signal was scaled to BTUs and stored continuously with a time and data stamp every five minutes. Data can be retrieved by simply plugging a USB memory stick into the front panel USB port of the DT82I. This gave the customer a simple method to bring the data from the logger onto a PC where it could be saved to the corporate network storage disks for reporting and as a historical archive. Each data file is named by the data logger’s serial number combined with the time and date the files were created, allowing the customer to easily find data for a specific date. By using the “START=NEW” feature in the unload command, only data collected since the last successful transfer was saved to the USB stick to maximize storage usage and eliminate redundant data sets. Other flare stack monitoring installations may use temperature sensors, such as thermocouples connected directly to the dataTaker, to record actual combustion temperatures in the flare. Also, Modbus connections (either Modbus/ RTU or Modbus/TCP) from PLC-driven combustion control systems to the logger could easily provide additional process information. If a Wi-Fi or wired LAN connection is available, the flare stack monitoring data could be automatically archived using one of the DT82I’s internal schedules. This would allow the data collection and archiving process to be fully hands-off. The dataTaker DT82I has internal logic, alarm, and calculation capabilities that allow it to trigger data logging only when the combustion is active. It can also engage timers to record actual combustion time together with the temperature, as well as other parameters such as wind speed/direction, outside air temperature, and humidity with the appropriate sensors.

regulatory parameters. The regulatory requirements include monitoring of the combustion temperature which serves as proof that the pollutants are properly neutralized prior to venting into the atmosphere. The customer had installed a CalorVal BTU Analyzer, by Control Instrument Corporation. This device continuously measures the energy in the flare and maintains the proper minimum combustion energy in BTUs. While the CalorVal is designed to maintain the flare temperature, it does not record that BTU level to serve as a record for the customer during any regulatory agency audits. Without proper documenta- Terry Nagy is with CAS Dataloggers. tion of the flare’s proper operation, the For more information, visit: customer was subject to fines that were www.dataloggerinc.com expensive. CAS Dataloggers provided one of its dataTaker DT82Is to record the 4-20 mA

June 2022 | 47

INSTRUMENTATION

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Delivering reliable level readings from remote areas helps improve water quality management

hen rivers suddenly overflow their banks, or drinking water becomes scarce, water distribution strategies have to be rethought. In the early days, ultrasonic sensing was used to measure the water level in non-navigable streams, canals and rivers. However, this measuring method has a major drawback, especially outdoors. Sound propagation time depends on the temperature, which can result in considerable measurement errors due to temperature changes or solar radiation. Thick fog, wind and rain, as well as build-up of dirt will also influence ultrasonic measurement. Even cobwebs can cause inaccurate readings. As they gather debris, it interferes with the measuring signal, resulting in an increase in the blocking distance, or dead band, typical of ultrasonic sensors. Radar sensors, by contrast, are not bothered by dirt, sunlight, fog, wind or rain. They also do not require mechanical protection from high floodwaters. For that reason, one water agency made a decision 15 years ago to use radar technology from VEGA Instruments. 48 | June 2022

REAL-TIME LEVEL MEASUREMENTS ENSURE SAFETY Due to climate change, the agency needed a way to get a comprehensive overview of water levels at a wide variety of locations at any time of day. The idea was to build a finemeshed network of real-time level measuring points at smaller, non-navigable watercourses, where information is gathered to help mitigate water shortages or predict floods. Such measured values form the basis for taking more far-reaching decisions, for example to introduce local or regional water withdrawal prohibitions. The agency was particularly focused on periods of prolonged drought, which had been the order of the day in recent years. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE In an effort to improve water management, the agency wanted to have smart IoT level sensors for continuous level measurement of rivers. Up until then, setting up such measuring points had only been possible with considerable effort and expense. To install a river level measuring point, the sensor, together with an adequate housing, sometimes had to be Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

set up in the middle of nowhere and the necessary cables laid underground. Also needed, was special software to configure the system. Then, the measurement data had to be collected, amalgamated and processed. When VEGA Instruments’ new compact radar level transmitter VEGAPULS C 11 became available, many of those problems were eliminated. The instrument contains a newly developed radar microchip that was specially optimized for the requirements of level measurement. Thanks to its high level of integration, it is possible to build very compact sensors. The new VEGAPULS C 11 measures with a frequency of 80 GHz, which enables very good signal focusing. This allows better separation of measurement signals from interference signals. Also, the very small beam angle of only 8° is ideal for small channels. Thanks to its encapsulated cable and protection class IP66/68, the new radar sensor can be immersed in water in the event of a flood.

The agency now has reliable, energy-efficient measurement 24 hours a day. Expanding the sensor network when needed will be easy. A new level measuring point can be put into operation quickly and integrated into the existing network. As soon as the level measurement module is installed, the instrument goes online automatically. The administrator

only has to fill out a few fields in a digital activation form beforehand. Then, all subsequent measurement data are automatically transferred to the database in a continuous stream. This ensures that the level data becomes quickly available on the data platform. For more information, visit: www.vega.com

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CURRENT MEASUREMENT DATA AROUND THE CLOCK Every 15 minutes, the radar measurement is activated and the measured value sent to the agency’s database, via a remote telemetry data logger. This makes it possible to gain a better insight into their water supply and distribution reality and to calibrate hydrological models. Ultimately, the agency purchased 50 compact VEGAPULS C 11 radar level sensors and installed them with microcontrollers at numerous locations. The exact location of each one is determined via a GPS module built into the data logger.

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A compact VEGAPULS C 11 radar level sensor. www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

June 2022 | 49

WASTEWATER

Monitoring nitrous oxide is an important step towards climate-neutral wastewater treatment By Dr. Bastian Piltz

oping with climate change and environmental protection are a mong the fundamental tasks facing the water sector. Recently, investments in measures to make the sector more sustainable and to reduce negative impacts on the climate have been increasing worldwide. In this context, the emission of greenhouse gases at wastewater treatment plants is increasingly becoming a focus of attention. Particular attention has been paid to nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions for several years now. In their recently published “Road to net zero 2030 strategy”, the UK water company Anglian Water has identified nitrous oxide as the largest single factor in their carbon budget, making up almost half of their emissions. N2O has a high global warming potential (=298 CO2 equivalent) and is produced in biological wastewater treatment by various pathways as a byproduct of nitrification and denitrification. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of 2019, an emission factor of 1.6% N2O-N per TN influent is assumed for an "average wastewater treatment plant". However, both the formation and emission of N2O are highly process-dependent, and emissions factors ranging from close to zero to over 20% have been found, depending on the configuration and local conditions. Furthermore, a strong seasonal variation over the year is usually observed. Significant reductions can sometimes be achieved through targeted measures such as adjusting the aeration or avoiding peak loads. The N2O wastewater sensor system developed by Unisense Environment can detect dissolved nitrous oxide directly in the process liquid. It delivers 50 | June 2022

The Lynetten wastewater treatment plant located in Copenhagen harbour, Denmark.

continuous online data to the operator’s dashboard, next to all other process parameters. This allows for the detection of short and long term trends, and triggers, as well as correlations. Therefore, it can be used for the development of advanced process controls and targeted mitigation actions. On top of this, the measured concentration can be used to calculate the related emission of N2O, based on air-stripping models. This gives operators high quality data for internal and external reporting. The method of emission calculation has been validated by direct comparison with off-gas measurements in a Swedish underground wastewater treatment plant. It has also been scrutinized scientifically and is being used extensively by operators worldwide. The recent focus on nitrous oxide and availability of a robust method has led to sector-wide policy initiatives in Denmark. Similar efforts can be observed

around the world. In connection with the goal of a climate and energy-neutral water sector by 2030, the Danish government has asked operators of wastewater treatment plants to submit data on current and projected emissions of greenhouse gases. Based on these studies, the Danish government plans to introduce a tax or reduction incentive on nitrous oxide emissions at wastewater treatment plants with more than 30,000 PE* capacity after 2025. The detailed procedure for calculating the charges is currently still undefined. However, the reporting should already act as a motivating factor to reduce emissions, as the utilities of course would like to report data showing that they are complying with the required limits. Despite its crucial role as a process emission and the high uncertainty regarding the quantities emitted, nitrous oxide has long been an overlooked fac-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

tor in environmental life cycle analyses. The focus has traditionally been on CO2 and methane (CH4 = 30 CO2 equivalent). It should be noted that with an increasing share of renewable energies in the electricity mix, the CO2 footprint of any wastewater treatment plant related to energy consumption will become smaller and smaller in the future. Therefore, the proportional relevance of N2O process emissions will grow by default. According to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, a national emission factor alone cannot be used to develop universal measures to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from individual wastewater treatment plants. Instead, their study concludes with the recommendation to extend existing online measurements to nitrous oxide. Also, to conduct further studies on the relationship between wastewater load, aeration strategy, sludge volume and age and nitrous oxide emissions. Besides the potential for emission reduction, these initiatives can often

lead to a better understanding of biological processes and increase process efficiency and stability. Operators at hundreds of wastewater treatment plants worldwide are currently monitoring dissolved nitrous oxide as an online process parameter. Many are implementing mitigation strategies based on this. With this growing body of practical experience, the sector now has the tools and the knowledge to move towards truly climate-neutral wastewater treatment. *PE (population equivalent) refers to the population which would contribute an equivalent waste load based on the calculation of total pounds of BOD contributed divided by 0.2. This calculation may be used where a significant amount of industrial waste is discharged to a wastewater system. Dr. Bastian Piltz is with Unisense Environment A/S, who are represented in Canada by Aquafy Water Technologies Inc. For more information, email: max.rao@aquafy-wt.com

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June 2022 | 51

WATER

Using a portable autonomous laboratory to prevent microbiological water supply contamination By Dan Angelescu

any water and wastewater professionals will still remember the May 2000 drinking water microbiological contamination in Walkerton, Ontario. This tragic event resulted in seven deaths, 27 hemolytic uremic syndromes, 65 hospitalizations, and over 2,300 gastroenteritis cases. It also highlighted weaknesses in established water quality testing protocols, microbiological guidelines, and water treatment technologies. These may not always be readily available, easy to implement or effective, even in a developed country such as Canada. As a result, microbiological contamination occurs regularly. A recent example of a major outbreak, attributed to a pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) originating from irrigation canals in the Yuma region of Arizona, resulted in the deaths of five people after they consumed contaminated romaine lettuce. Microbiological contamination of water is often the consequence of fecal pollution. In dry weather, beaches can be contaminated by animal droppings (dogs, birds) or even by human faeces. The latter may result from illegal or faulty connections to the sewage network or due to infrastructure issues (e.g., failure of a sewage pumping station). Insufficiently treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants may also be a source of significant dry weather pollution. In rainy or stormy weather, or during significant snowmelt, plant treatment capacities can be exceeded, leading to combined sewer overflows, which can rapidly increase the microbiological concentration by several orders of magnitude. These various scenarios represent major risks to human health. Consumption of, or even contact with, contaminated water can result in gastrointestinal 52 | June 2022

The in situ version ALERT V2 can be installed in any type of environment.

illnesses. A rarer but much more serious effect is the development of life-threatening conditions, such as the hemolytic uremic syndrome. It is therefore essential to prevent these public health risks by carrying out microbiological monitoring of the water. E. COLI, A MARKER OF FECAL POLLUTION Since it is not feasible to detect all possible enteric pathogens in a given sample, microbiological monitoring of water is based on well-established indicators of fecal pollution. The reference marker for fresh water being the concentration of E. coli bacteria. E. coli is a bacterium that is naturally found in the digestive tract of humans and warm-blooded animals, and therefore present in large quantities in faeces.

While usually harmless, some strains of E. coli are pathogenic and cause symptoms in humans. Such indicators are very useful to water quality professionals, as epidemiological studies demonstrate correlation between their presence in a water sample and risk of disease from associated pathogenic microorganisms (viruses or bacteria). In both drinking water and surface water (such as recreational water bodies or water used for aquaculture and irrigation) the standard preventive approach relies on monitoring the concentration of E. coli in water samples collected periodically. In order to control and prevent human contamination, national authorities generally establish guidelines identifying both reliable analytical techniques and acceptable levels of E. coli in drink-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

ing and recreational water. In Canada, the official federal guidelines for E. coli concentration are as follows: • Drinking water: none detectable per 100 ml. • Recreational water: Geometric mean of at least 5 samples: ≤ 200 E. coli/100 ml, maximum concentration in a single sample: ≤ 400 E. coli/100 ml. The frequency testing is established by the relevant local or regional authority. However, Health Canada indicates that, during the swimming season, weekly testing is the minimum requirement to preserve public health, noting that increasing the number of samples “allow[s] the responsible authorities to more easily observe water quality trends and to more quickly detect persistent water quality problems that may occur.” For drinking water, the recommended sampling frequency to test for E. coli depends on the population served by a given water distribution system. Four samples per month for up to 5,000 people (taken at regular intervals). One sample per month for every 1,000 persons in a population ranging between 5,000 and 90,000 people. Ninety samples, plus one sample per month for every 10,000 persons in a population greater than 90,000 people. The sampling strategies imposed by regulations are just minimal requirements, constrained by currently-available methods and technologies. They are not designed to eliminate risks but to evaluate it over long periods of time. They are insufficient in places that are prone to accidental pollutions, such swimming sites in urban areas that may be prone to combined sewer overflows. In such situations, daily or even higher sampling frequencies may be required to ensure a risk-free environment. As for sampling sites, it must be kept in mind that the quantitative assessment of a microbiological risk must be performed as close as possible to the point of use of the water. Once a major pollution event is identified, sampling at different levels upstream may also be required in order to identify the source of the pollution. Drinking water is thus analyzed at the tap and, if necessary, at different levels of the distribution infrastructure. Recreational waters are systematically analyzed to determine the presence of www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

The visualization interface allows seeing measurement data in real time, to get automatic alerts when thresholds are exceeded, but also to perform quality control in order to confirm an accurate measurement, namely by monitoring incubation temperature and optical signal levels.

pollution, but samples also need to be analyzed from sources that discharge near, or upstream from, swimming areas, such as industrial or municipal wastewater streams. With respect to agriculture, recent regulations impose frequent microbiological quality controls for produce irrigation and wash water in general, and specifically in the case of sprouts and leafy greens consumed quickly after harvest. Sample analysis is generally performed in a laboratory, with the help of either the membrane filtration or most probable number (MPN) methods. It is also possible to use molecular analysis techniques, such as qPCR, which are faster, but require highly-specialized personnel and complex and costly instrumentation. While monitoring protocols are relatively well established, there are important limitations in their practical implementation, related to either the sampling process or the subsequent microbiological analysis. Logistical – Due to the remoteness of some sites, it is difficult to ensure sufficiently short transport times to the laboratory under satisfactory refrigeration con-

ditions. Consequently, the sample may degrade between sampling and analysis. Human – Errors and contaminations are possible at all stages of the process between on-site sampling and the final laboratory result. Temporal – With standard detection techniques, the time required to obtain analysis results and to implement corrective actions can range from two days to two weeks, depending on the laboratory and the local organization. This constitutes a serious delay from a prevention perspective. With molecular techniques, which require specialized laboratories, the wait time is six to 24 hours. Also, they are often too expensive and complex for everyday use. Financial – The costs of sample collection, transport, and analysis, especially at remote sites, can be overwhelming. Higher monitoring frequencies imply proportionally higher costs. AUTONOMOUS WATER QUALITY LABORATORIES Fluidion has developed the ALERT technology, deployed in a range of water quality instruments, to address the previ- continued overleaf… June 2022 | 53

WATER ously-outlined limitations. ALERT instruments are autonomous, portable, and connected laboratories that are capable of accurately and rapidly quantifying E. coli and other micro-organisms (total and faecal coliforms, enterococci). They carry out automatic incubation and optical measurements on fluid samples that are collected either automatically, or manually. Installed on-site, these autonomous laboratories allow rapid bacterial count while eliminating constraints related to refrigerated transport and associated risk sample degradation between collection and measurement. The fully-automated measurement procedure and result archives also greatly limit potential for human error. The accuracy and repeatability of this technology have been demonstrated in multiple studies performed in conjunction with independent approved laboratories to be comparable to those obtained by standard laboratory analyses. Faster results, wireless data transmission to the cloud-based data visualization platform, and the generation of automatic alerts enable greater operator responsiveness in case of detected contamination, and enables the use of such instruments in evaluating complex dynamic pollution patterns. ALERT LAB’s quantification range covers six orders of magnitude. It is able to detect the presence of a single bacterium in a 25 ml test volume, and count up to millions of bacteria. Its optical detection technology allows the quantification of E. coli according to the time of the appearance of a fluorescent

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signal, from the start of the incubation period. Between two and twelve hours are required to obtain results. Two hours is sufficient if E. coli concentrations are very high. Data produced by the system are transmitted every five minutes to produce the bacterial quantification curve. Automatic alerts are issued when thresholds are exceeded, immediately informing the operator of any fecal pollution. This enables them to prevent possible human contamination as soon as possible. This portable laboratory concept allows for more active and effective monitoring of contamination risks, including identification of their sources. The instruments’ power supply options (battery, vehicle power socket, or standard 110v electrical outlet) allow them to be used in both urban and remote locations. In the latter case, ALERT LAB is particularly well-suited to source water surveillance and environmental monitoring. Fluidion’s ALERT technology is also available in a fully automated, floating, in situ version, the ALERT V2. This instrument can be installed either in floating configuration, as a buoy, or on a sliding rail. It collects 50 ml samples automatically and carries out rapid microbiological analysis. These instruments use a novel disposable cartridge concept, which includes all the components required to perform a measurement (check valves, filters, mixers, reagents, optical cell). The cartridges greatly simplify operations and maintenance, while completely eliminating sources of human error and contamination that may occur during manual sampling operations. Installed at the monitoring locations, ALERT V2 can generate time series of bacterial concentrations in lakes, rivers, coastal waters, drinking water reservoirs, stormwater overflows, irrigation basins, or wastewater treatment plants. Quick to install, it can be remotely controlled from a cell phone or a web interface. It can even perform adaptive sampling, through automatic triggering based on specific measurements from optionally-connected physicochemical probes. Dan Angelescu is with Fluidion, who are represented in Canada by SCADALLIANCE. For more information, email: contact@scadalliance.com References are available upon request.

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ENGAGE EDUCATE EVOLVE 54 | June 2022

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

INDUSTRY NEWS

Endress+Hauser opens new ‘green’ and LEED certified customer experience centre

ndress+Hauser Canada’s new customer experience and process training centre in Burlington, Ontario, is a state-of-the-art 4,400-square-metre building, which is LEED Gold, and net-zero carbon and energy certified. Designed by mcCallumSather, the building generates electricity using solar power, and uses a geothermal system for heating and cooling. According to Endress+Hauser, the new building reflects the company's solid growth in the past years. “The Customer Experience Centre is an impressive example of Endress+Hauser’s global strategy of cultivating and managing customer partnerships. This is how we grow – in Canada and worldwide,” said Matthias Altendorf, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group, in a press release. Altendorf also said that the building’s energy efficient features, LEED Gold and net-zero carbon and energy certifications represent the brand values of Endress+Hauser and, “our dedication to customers and our commitment to sustainability.” The 800 rooftop solar module panels can generate around 408,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, more than the building consumes. Excess electricity is sold back to the electricity utility, and there is a possibility for the building to use on-site battery storage, should that technology become feasible and cost-effective. Fittingly for a high-tech company like Endress+Hauser, the new building is laden with sensors and automation software that controls lighting, power consumption, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). For instance, ambient light sensors detect and monitor sunlight coming in from the plentiful triple-glazed windows, and accordingly raise or lower the light provided by LEDs. The facility’s air temperature is conditioned using a geothermal system that draws heat from 50 wells at a depth of www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

Endress+Hauser Canada's new Customer Experience Centre in Burlington, Ontario.

180 metres, and distributes it across the entire building via 63 heat pumps. Proudly displayed behind large floorto-ceiling windows at the entrance of the building is a process training unit – the heart of the new Customer Experience Centre and the second of its kind in Canada. According to Endress+Hauser, customers can use the process training unit's (PTU) pilot plant systems to practice hands-on and operate a wide range of measurement instruments. These include products from Endress+Hauser, as well as its partner companies such as the long-standing partnership with Rockwell Automation and other manufacturers. PTUs are located across the world and they allow customers to simulate conditions similar to their own operating environments, said Endress+Hauser in a press release. In addition to the PTU, the Customer Experience Centre also houses commissioning and testing facilities, a large calibration lab and a repair facility. Endress+Hauser has maintained a

presence in Canada since 1990, when it opened its own sales centre that managed customers from Manitoba to the Atlantic provinces. Currently, the company has 150 employees in Canada, with customers supported by its direct sales team and channel partners. In planning this Customer Experience Centre project, the company focused on the needs of its customers, said Anthony Varga, general manager, Endress+Hauser Canada. “We can provide the best possible support to our customers over the entire life cycle of their systems. We offer an inviting environment while setting standards for ecological building design.” To learn more about Endress+Hauser Canada, visit: www.ca.endress.com

June 2022 | 55

PRODUCT & SERVICE SHOWCASE

UNMATCHED CUTTER CUSTOMIZATION

Since materials in the waste stream vary, grinders often need to address multiple challenges from the bottom to the top of the grinder. JWC’s Monster Stack™ addresses those specific challenges. No longer do you need to settle on a single cutter type. The Monster Stack mixes and matches the right cutter at the right location to optimize grinder performance and unit longevity. Represented by ACG-Envirocan T: 905-856-1414 E: sales@acg-envirocan.ca W: www.acg-envirocan.ca JWC Environmental T: 949-833-3888 www.jwce.com

LAGOON AERATOR

Triplepoint’s Ares Aerator combines high efficiency fine bubble aeration and turbulent mixing in a single, portable unit that simply drops in from the surface for lagoon upgrades without downtime. The diffuser Quick Connect™ assures rapid, reliable installation. SOTE of up to 2.4%/ft or 4–7 lb/ O2 per horsepower hour translates to up to 60% energy savings over standard lagoon aerators. Represented by ACG-Envirocan T: 905-856-1414 E: sales@acg-envirocan.ca W: www.acg-envirocan.ca Triplepoint Environmental T: 800-654-9307 E: www.lagoons.com 56 | June 2022

THERMOPLASTIC DIAPHRAGM VALVES

Asahi/America’s diaphragm valves’ square body and bonnet are made of solid thermoplastic material for maximum corrosion resistance. Their uniquely designed body, bonnet and diaphragms offer superior sealing. Available in true union (1/2"– 2") and flanged (1/2" – 10") end connections in PVC, CPVC, PP, and PVDF body materials. Ideal for throttling, slurry lines, chemical processing, and bleach plants. NSF 61-G certified. Asahi/America T: 800-343-3618 F: 800-787-6861 E: asahi@asahi-america.com W: www.asahi-america.com

PERISTALTIC PUMP TUBES

Blue-White’s innovative and exclusive Flex-A-Prene® Multi-Tube pump head tubes provide optimal performance even while operating at much higher pressures than conventional single tube designs. The Multi-Tube design delivers tube life up to four times longer than average single tubes. The multichannel pump tubes are equipped with Quick Disconnect Fittings that will assist the operator in quickly and safely disconnecting the tube, avoiding chemical spray and spills. Blue-White Industries T: 714-893-8529 F: 714-894-9492 E: info@blue-white.com W: www.blue-white.com

ELIMINATE GREASE AND SLUDGE

Waste Go eliminates grease and sludge better than any other biological augmentation product on the market today. Our concentrated enzymes work together with our select blend of bacteria to digest these wastewater irritants. That’s right, Waste Go is NOT an emulsifier. We don’t push problems around, we eliminate them! Bio Pro Distributions T: 866-286-5931 W: www.wastego.ca W: www.bio-pro.ca

PERISTALTIC DOSING PUMP

Standardize on one chemical feed solution with a FLEXFLO® M1 Peristaltic Dosing Pump. M1 will not vapour lock and never loses prime. This self-priming chemical feed pump delivers smooth, precision chemical dosing. SCADA inputs include: 4-20mA. Feed output range: .0001 – 5.6 GPH (.0004 – 21.2 LPH), pressures to 100 PSI (6.89 Bar). Blue-White Industries T: 714-893-8529 F: 714-894-9492 E: info@blue-white.com W: www.blue-white.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

PRODUCT & SERVICE SHOWCASE

ROTARY LOBE PUMP

The Nova is the newest generation of our BLUEline rotary lobe pump. The rotors and the casing were created together to form a perfect partnership, and it shows. The result is a volumetric efficiency that has never been achieved before—and that’s not all! What’s most exciting is that smooth pumping is maintained even at high pressures. Boerger T: 612-435-7300 E: america@boerger.com W: www.boerger.com

LEVEL MEASUREMENT OF LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS

Endress+Hauser’s Micropilot FWR30 revolutionizes level measurement of liquids and solids. It is the world’s first wireless 80GHz IIoT sensor, that unites high-end measurement technology and user-friendly digital services in one economical device. Its continuously recorded measurement data can be accessed at any time, from anywhere, via the sensor’s cloud connection, providing users with facts where previously only assumptions were possible. Endress+Hauser Canada T: 800-668-3199 F: 905-681-9444 E: info.ca.sc@endress.com W: www.ca.endress.com

SOLAR-POWERED MIXERS

BLOCK WATER FROM ACCESSING ASSETS

Road erosion, premature concrete failure or water ingress into wastewater systems? Denso’s 12 "LT tape has been proven for nearly a century to block water from accessing assets. It won’t harden or crack and is the perfect solution to protect concrete and prevent I&I. Applied in minutes, requiring minimal surface preparation, no mixing or curing, it can be buried immediately. Denso North America T: 416-291-3435 E: sales@densona-ca.com W: www.densona.com

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@ESEMAG

WATER VELOCITY PROBE

The Flow Probe is a highly accurate water velocity instrument for measuring flows in open channels and partially filled pipes. The water velocity probe consists of a protected water turbo prop positive displacement sensor, coupled with an expandable probe handle ending in a digital readout display. GENEQ inc. T: 800-463-4363 E: info@geneq.com W: www.geneq.com or www.geneqonline.com

CHEMICAL DAY TANK SCALE

The CHEM-SCALE™ from Force Flow allows operators to accurately monitor chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, polymer and fluoride when stored and fed from day tanks. Systems prevent over and underfeed conditions, and enable the documentation of amount fed. Available with Century™ hydraulic dial, advanced multi-channel Wizard 4000™, and other indicators. Force Flow T: 925-686-6700 E: info@forceflow.com W: www.forceflowscales.com

SolarBee® mixers leverage solar power to provide effective circulation from all areas of a lake, reservoir or pond. They are designed to operate 24/7/365, using digital logic for onboard battery management and have an auto-reverse/ anti-jam feature. Active mixing a reservoir controls odour, eliminates cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), and improves biological processes. A single unit treats up to 35 acres. Greatario T: 866-299-3009 E: info@greatario.com W: www.greatario.com/greatwater

June 2022 | 57

PRODUCT & SERVICE SHOWCASE

CHLORINE EMERGENCY SHUTOFF

The Terminator™ Actuator from Halogen Valve Systems can be used on chlorine ton containers as well 150 lb cylinders to instantly stop the flow of chlorine in case of an emergency. Chlorine shutoff is initiated when the controller receives a close contact signal from a leak detector or included emergency shutoff switch. Halogen Valve Systems T: 949-261-5030 W: www.halogenvalve.com

OGS/HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR

The new Stormceptor® EF is an oil grit separator (OGS)/hydrodynamic separator that effectively targets sediment (TSS), free oils, gross pollutants and other pollutants that attach to particles, such as nutrients and metals. The Stormceptor EF has been verified through the ISO 14034 Environmental Management – Environmental Technology Verification (ETV). Imbrium Systems T: 800-565-4801 E: info@imbriumsystems.com W: www.imbriumsystems.com

HYPERBOLOID MIXERS

Invent Environment is the manufacturer of hyperboloid mixers which have revolutionized anoxic and swing zone mixing. Invent provides low-shear, efficient mixers with no submerged motors or gear boxes for easy access for maintenance. They have now released the Hyperclassic Mixer Evo 7 which has increased the number of motion fins and adjusted the geometry of the mixer to maximize mixer efficiency, reducing operation costs even further. Pro Aqua T: 647-923-8244 E: aron@proaquasales.com W: www.proaquasales.com

CATCH BASIN INSERT

The LittaTrap Catch Basin Insert is a low-cost, innovative technology that prevents plastic and trash from reaching our waterways. Designed to be easily retrofitted into new and existing stormwater drains, the LittaTrap is installed inside storm drains and when it rains, catches plastic and trash before it can reach our streams, rivers and oceans. Imbrium Systems T: 800-565-4801 E: info@imbriumsystems.com W: www.imbriumsystems.com

58 | June 2022

WATERTIGHT DOORS

Huber, a proven German manufacturer, now provides watertight doors that allow safe access to tanks for construction and/ or maintenance. Doors can be provided as round or rectangular for installation onto existing concrete surfaces or cast-inplace in new concrete. They can handle heads up to 30 m and hold pressure in seating and unseating directions. Huber’s watertight doors can greatly reduce construction and maintenance costs and dramatically improve safety/access. Pro Aqua T: 647-923-8244 E: aron@proaquasales.com W: www.proaquasales.com

CONTROL CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER OR SOIL GASES

Waterloo Barrier® is a containment wall for the control of contaminated groundwater or soil gases. Formed of steel sheet piling with interlocking joints that are sealed in-place in the ground, the Barrier offers a long service life, exceptionally low hydraulic conductivity, and documentable construction QA/QC. Installation is clean and rapid with minimal site disturbance. Waterloo Barrier Inc. T: 519-856-1352 E: info@waterloo-barrier.com W: www.waterloo-barrier.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

ES&E NEWS FEDS PROVIDING FUNDING FOR NEW WATER AGENCY AND AUTHORITY The federal government has earmarked funding to create a Canada Water Agency that will centralize work with communities on freshwater issues, as well as a new Indigenous-led water authority designed to protect eastern Canada. Budget 2022 proposes to provide $43.5 million over five years, and $8.7 million ongoing to Environment and Climate Change Canada to create the new Canada Water Agency later this year. Meanwhile, the budget included almost $400 million over two years for infrastructure in First Nations communities across the country, of which at least $247 million is earmarked for water and wastewater infrastructure, in addition to $173 million over the next decade for the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority. Communities across Canada have lobbied to be the headquarters for the Canada Water Agency; however, no final decision has been made other than that it will be located outside Ottawa’s National Capital Region. As for the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 18 First Nations communities in the Maritimes will receive support from the new not-for-profit group. In 2020, the federal government provided $2.5 million to assist in the formation of the authority, which is the first Indigenous-owned and operated water authority in the country. Key activities in the new fiscal year include the hiring of staff, the development of an asset management plan, and completion of a 10-year business plan as the basis for long-term funding from the federal government.

ONTARIO EXTENDS FUNDING FOR COVID-19 WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE IN GUELPH

As subvariants of COVID-19 persist, the Ontario government has extended funding for the University of Guelph’s wastewater community surveillance program to keep tabs on the virus under limited PCR testing. It recently committed an additional $24.7 million to continue testing for COVID-19 in community wastewater for at least another year, alongside a dozen other universities and research www.esemag.com @ESEMAG

institutions that are part of a provincial network for public health units. Sampling takes place in more than 170 locations across the province, providing a snapshot of community spread for about 75% of Ontario’s population. Dr. Lawrence Goodridge, a food science professor in the Ontario Agricultural College, leads wastewater testing on the University of Guelph campus and in Guelph, Orangeville and other cities in the Niagara Region. He said that monitoring wastewater for the virus is even more important nowadays for detecting and predicting infection trends. The team typically takes wastewater samples three times per week in the communities and five days per week on campus. It takes on average seven to 10 days for samples to undergo genomic testing and analysis.

BC COLD WAR FALLOUT BUNKER SET TO UNDERGO CONTAMINATED SOIL CLEANUP The area surrounding a Cold War nuclear fallout bunker in British Columbia is set to be remediated, according to a federal tender for the cleanup job. The 61,000-square-foot, two-storey Nanaimo bunker is one of seven created under former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker in the 1960s, when political tensions escalated with the former Soviet Union. According to environmental assessment documents, the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Nanaimo Military Camp Bunker remediation will involve the removal of some 7,400 tonnes of contaminated soils. Excavation may involve contaminants such as ethylbenzene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, trichloroethylene, lead, hydrocarbon fraction F2, and copper. New soil will be brought in to fill up the area. continued overleaf…

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June 2022 | 59

ES&E NEWS BC’S SQUAMISH WWTP GETS A $10M UPGRADE

from the increased treatment capacity, seismic and flood resiliency, as well as British Columbia’s near-capacity Squa- improved plant performance and efflumish Wastewater Treatment Plant is get- ent quality. Biosolids production will ting a $10-million overhaul that includes decrease by 10%, as will the associated a new secondary clarifier and concentric energy usage, carbon emissions and ring bioreactor, as well as a new septage handling costs. This upgrade will reduce receiving station. aeration requirements in the treatment Construction on the upgrades has process, resulting in a 35% reduction in already begun, and will continue electricity consumption. through to September 2023, as crews The new upgrades were identified as perform electrical and control system necessary in 2015 in Squamish’s liquid upgrades, as well as convert an old clari- waste management plan. These upgrades fier tank into a primary clarifier. should sustain population growth until Currently, some 24,000 people in approximately 2040 and will provide Squamish, connected through some 142 post-disaster operability and withstand kilometres of sewer pipe, will benefit seismic and flood events.

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60 | June 2022

FIRST GRID-SCALE SMR UNDER NEW NUCLEAR PLAN TO BE BUILT IN ONTARIO

Artists rendering of a BWRX-300 reactor. Credit: OPG/GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alberta are planning to expand the nuclear industry in Canada through the development of small modular reactors (SMRs). The goal is to position Canada as an exporter of global SMR technology, which generates between 200 and 300 megawatts. This is about onethird of the power generated by a conventional reactor, yet enough to power about 300,000 homes. The modularity of the reactors means that major components can be made in a factory setting and sent by truck, rail or ship to their point of use, with the ability to add reactor modules as energy demand increases. The plan aims to have the first SMR built in Ontario, with four to follow in Saskatchewan between 2034 and 2042. The initial build focuses on a gridscale SMR project of 300 megawatts constructed at the Darlington nuclear site in Ontario by 2028. Officials are working closely with technology partner GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy to engineer, design and plan for the construction of the BWRX-300 reactor design, pending regulatory approvals. According to Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the deployment of one 300 megawatt SMR in Ontario could displace between 0.3 and 2 megatonnes of carbon emissions per year. Additionally, OPG has partnered with Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation and Bruce Power has partnered with Westinghouse Electric Company to advance micro-SMR designs and pursue deployment of demonstration units in Canada in the mid-2020s. Lastly, a new class of micro-SMRs will be designed primarily to replace the use of diesel in remote communities and mines. A 5 MW gas-cooled demonstration proj-

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

ES&E NEWS ect is under way at Chalk River, Ontario, with plans to be in service by 2026.

The team says it is leveraging the enzymes of microorganisms identified in petroleum hydrocarbons to accelerate the rate of chemical reaction. The appliUSING ENZYMES TO DEGRADE cation results in the degradation of petroGROUNDWATER CONTAMINANTS leum compounds by reducing the activaA York University research team is tion energy for a particular reaction. developing an enzyme-based technology Researchers believe the work has sigfor emerging contaminants in ground- nificant implications for Canada’s oil water, and has so far found success in and gas industry, particularly as the removing petroleum hydrocarbons. federal government starts to remediate nearly 24,000 sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The next stage for the research, which started in 2014, is to test the enzymes in situ at petroleum COMPANY PAGE sites in northern Canada and the Arctic.

Advertiser INDEX

ACG-Envirocan...................................63 ACO Systems......................................51 Aerzen Canada...................................35 Annacis Research Centre..................38 Asahi/America....................................13 Associated Engineering....................30 Avensys...............................................41 BARR Plastics.....................................25 BDP Industries.....................................2

NEW ‘GREEN CHEMISTRY’ DYE CUTS TEXTILE POLLUTION

A woman from Waterloo, Ontario, has won an environmental entrepreneur award for an all-natural dyeing innovation that may help the textile industry cut its industrial wastewater pollution footprint without compromising its colour palette.

The breakthrough project “grows” colour with microorganisms, says creator Iris Redinger, who wanted to reduce the fashion industry’s estimated impact of contributing some 20% of industrial wastewater pollution worldwide. Redinger founded Material Futures in 2018 and hired a research team to help develop her method, which is patent pending. After identifying microorganisms that naturally produce colour, she applied genetic engineering techniques to make it their primary function. The end products, she explained, are fully biodegradable colorants that can be easily substituted into existing manufacturing processes. “Pollution from textile dyes in many countries occurs because of lacklustre wastewater treatment processes,” said Redinger. While one solution is to develop dye that doesn’t require water for the colouring process, that approach often means overhauling infrastructure. She believes her “green chemistry” approach is a more accessible and cost-effective option with wide-reaching applications.

Blue-White............................................7 Boerger...............................................37 CANECT 2022 Thank you...................33 CB Shield............................................11 Denso..................................................46 ERIS – Environmental Risk Information Services.........................39 Force Flow..........................................24 Geneq.................................................18 Greatario............................................16 Halogen Valve Systems.....................36 Harmsco.............................................12 Imbrium..............................................64 Interprovincial Corrosion Control....41 IPEX.......................................................3 NETZSCH...............................................9 Pro Aqua...............................................5 Scadalliance.......................................43 Service Filtration...............................27 SPD Sales............................................29 Troy-Ontor..........................................31 Vanton Pump & Equipment..............15 Vector Process Equipment................49 VEGA Canada......................................21 Vissers Sales.......................................17

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June 2022 | 61

WASTEWATER

Aerial rendering of how the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant may look once construction has potentially been completed in 2023. Credit: Metro Vancouver

Metro Vancouver finds new contractor for delayed North Shore WWTP By ES&E Staff

fter terminating its contract with Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP last fall, following the stalled construction of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant, Metro Vancouver has now hired PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc., at a cost of $40 million, to act as general contractor on the project that is already more than two years behind schedule. To fill the role of the design consultant, Metro Vancouver staff indicated that they are working collaboratively with AECOM senior leaders to allow them to assume “Engineer of Record” responsibilities and obligations for the new plant, including both the constructed and future works. “Metro Vancouver has developed a contract approach to bringing in the general contractor that allows for completion of design and progress on construction 62 | June 2022

in the shortest possible time frame, while still planning for tenders or work packages that could be bid on to keep overall costs of delivery competitive,” states a staff report, adding that “the approach allows for maximum agility and opportunities for competitive pricing, and is driven by schedule without sacrificing the need for competitive pricing.” The new North Shore plant on West 1st Street had originally been scheduled for completion by the end of 2020 at a cost of $700 million. Now, the timeline is uncertain and may be closer to 2023 at a cost of more than $1 billion, Metro Vancouver officials said. It had been a point of contention between Metro Vancouver and Acciona Wastewater Solutions LP about precisely what caused the delay and ultimately led to the end of the contract. The municipal-

ity claimed that Acciona had laid off a significant amount of staff and then essentially “abandoned” the project. However, Acciona officials responded that the company had merely “streamlined” its efforts in terms of the labour force, and added that the region owes the company some $100 million in outstanding payment for contracted work. The new treatment plant is being built to serve 250,000 residents in the Districts of West and North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. It will feature a modern, enclosed design and robust odour control system, and recover heat for use by the Lonsdale Energy Corporation as an alternative energy source. For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

Have You Worked in Our Industry for Over 175 Years? Well, we have! At ACG-Envirocan, we understand that you come across new problems and requirements every day. That’s why it’s important that you have a trusted company with the experience and know-how to find the right solutions for you. Since 1981, ACG-Envirocan’s staff have helped some of Ontario’s leading municipalities and corporations solve their wastewater, water and stormwater issues. With a combined 175+ years of experience in this industry there’s virtually no problem we can’t overcome, big or small. Through the years ACG-Envirocan has built long-term, trust-based relationships with consulting engineers, municipal engineers, treatment plant operators and municipal managers. Some of the world’s best manufacturers and technology providers have chosen us to be the face of their businesses, because they trust ACG-Envirocan to bring their products and services to the market – by ethical and honest means, while providing the knowledge to make your project a success. We have become one of the leading wastewater, water and stormwater providers in the industry because our years of experience result in determining the right solution for people like you. To find out how we can help you with your next project, please call 905.856.1414 or email sales@acg-envirocan.ca today.

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Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine | June 2022

Articles inside

McGill researchers call for action on urban runoff impacts

Handling water supply cross connection and backflow prevention with ease

Looking back at 40 years of covering the water and wastewater sectors

Replacing solar drying beds reduces time and labour costs for sludge dewatering

Three BC engineers reprimanded over Mount Polley tailings disaster

Vancouver hires firms to design new conveyance infrastructure plan

Calgary commissions five-megawatt biogas cogeneration facility

An overview of thermoplastic valves and their performance