Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine | August 2025
ABB supports every stage of the water lifecycle—from abstraction and treatment to distribution and management—with a robust suite of measurement and analytical technologies, services, and solutions designed to meet the most demanding customer requirements. abb.com/measurement
Editor and Publisher STEVE DAVEY steve@esemag.com
Managing Editor PETER DAVEY peter@esemag.com
Contributing Editor DAVID NESSETH david@esemag.com
Design & Production MIGUEL AGAWIN miguel@esemag.com
Circulation BRIAN GILLETT ese@mysubscription.ca
TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD
Archis Ambulkar, Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering
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, Black & Veatch
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
• Digester Gas – Gas Holders, Gas Conditioning: chilling; compressing; and removal of moisture, sulphur, carbon dioxide and siloxane, complete Co-Generation facilities
Let's Solve Water
Wastewater treatment, the unsung hero of ocean cruising
Recently, I started watching episodes of a Netflix documentary series titled “Trainwreck” These documentaries provide fascinating insights into events that once dominated the news, and feature interviews with the individuals who experienced them.
The first installment, released in 2022, explored the infamous Woodstock ’99 festival. This year’s offerings include the “Mayor of Mayhem”, which details the rise and tumultuous fall of Rob Ford, who became mayor of Toronto in 2010.
Another episode, which intrigued me the most, was “Poop Cruise”, involving the cruise ship Carnival Triumph. It was supposed to be a luxury voyage, a four-day round trip from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico. However, on the return part of the cruise, at 5:30 a.m. on February 10, 2013, the ship suffered a fire in the aft engine room.
Although the fire was automatically extinguished and there were no injuries to passengers or crew, it resulted in a loss of power and propulsion. This left the ship drifting with no electricity for refrigeration, lighting, or air conditioning.
But what became the worst part of this situation was that none of the toilets could be flushed. Without electrical power, the pumps and other mechanisms needed to create the vacuum for flushing became inoperative. Furthermore, a subsequent investigation revealed a design vulnerability in the ship’s plumbing system that exacerbated the flushing problems.
With more than 4,000 passengers and crew on board, the wastewater collection and treatment system aboard the Carnival Triumph would match that of a small town. Typically, a ship this size has to be able to handle
Following the fateful engine room fire and subsequent sewage spillage, Carnival Triumph was given a robust cleaning, repaired and refitted at a reported cost of $115 million USD. In 2019, it was rechristened as Carnival Sunrise. Credit: William A. Morgan,stock.adobe.com
up to a million litres of sewage and greywater during a one-week cruise. Due to several factors, the Carnival Triumph did not make it back to Mobile, Alabama, until after 9:00 p.m. on February 14. For passengers and crew, this meant almost four days without functioning washroom facilities.
The “solution” that the crew came up with was to advise everyone to urinate in the shower stalls, so it would be contained, and to defecate in red biohazard bags. Not an ideal situation, but one that worked temporarily.
However, all that raw sewage in the passenger cabin shower stalls leaked out when the ship listed to one side after being taken in tow by the rescue tug boats. This is when the “poop cruise” became a reality. One can only imagine the mess and odour this caused below decks.
I remember watching this event on the nightly news back when it
happened, musing that this really was not a bad situation to be in. Who could mind an extra few days drinking and partying on a luxury cruise ship? How bad could that be?
Not until I watched “Trainwreck: Poop Cruise” did I learn the true extent of the passenger’s and crew’s ordeal. It made me realize that, for the most part, we landlubbers also take flushing a toilet and wastewater treatment for granted. That is until they stop working.
Thankfully, for most of us connected to municipal water and sewage systems this never happens, a testimony to the work and dedication of their designers, owners and operators.
Steve Davey is the editor and publisher of ES&E Magazine. Email: steve@esemag.com
Greywater recycling’s emerging role in B.C.’s water resilience strategy
By Sofia Corsetti
As climate volatility and rapid urbanization strain water infrastructure, British Columbia is taking decisive steps to modernize water management, particularly through the adoption of decentralized greywater recycling systems. The recent amendment to the Vancouver Plumbing Code formally recognizing greywater reuse marks a critical inflection point.
For the first time, single family, multi-family and commercial developers in one of Canada’s most water-conscious provinces can design systems that recycle lightly used greywater from showers, baths, laundry, and lavatory sinks, for toilet flushing, washing machines, and irrigation, without regulatory constraints. This shift aligns with growing institutional and private sector interest in on-site water treatment as a scalable climate adaptation tool.
British Columbia’s coastal and interior regions have both faced increasing water stress. Urban sprawl, rising seasonal droughts, and wildfire-induced water system disruptions make the case for new solutions beyond traditional water treatment plants. Multi-family buildings in particular are high-intensity users of potable water, often requiring 100,000+ litres per unit annually.
Recycling even a portion of this greywater can dramatically reduce municipal demand. Technologies like the Hydraloop greywater recycling system, which is NSF-350 certified and engineered for decentralized reuse, are now gaining traction as part of a broader sustainability toolkit in B.C. developments.
A prime example of this is an in-progress project in Sechelt, B.C., where RE Group is building a sustainable condominium complex incorporating Hydraloop units. Working in partnership with BARR Plastics of Abbotsford, the project aims to reduce water consumption by up to 45% per year by treating and reusing greywater on-site for toilet flushing and landscaping.
This not only reduces strain on local water infrastructure; it also qualifies RE Group for green financing incentives by improving the building’s energy and water efficiency scores. On-site reuse further reduces the energy required for water pumping, compounding the project’s environmental benefits.
Residential demand is also on the rise. Hydraloop recently completed its first B.C. installation in Kelowna, on a single-family home rebuilt after the Okanagan fires. This home now uses greywater captured from a shower and bath to flush three toilets, reducing municipal dependency and showcasing a path toward resilient, fire-adaptive rebuilding. As more regions face post-disaster reconstruction, demand for futureproof, smart water technology is expected to grow significantly.
From an economic standpoint, greywater recycling is not just a sustainability investment, it is a financial one. A typical single-family home in B.C. uses approximately 300 – 400
litres of water per day. By redirecting greywater from showers and sinks to toilets and irrigation, homeowners can save up to 45,000 – 60,000 litres of potable water use annually.
At current municipal water rates (roughly $2 per cubic metre in many B.C. districts), this translates to annual savings of $90 – $120. While modest on a per-unit basis, these savings scale significantly across larger residential or commercial developments, particularly when coupled with energy and wastewater charge reductions.
HOW GREYWATER RECYCLING WORKS
Hydraloop’s greywater recycling systems utilize a proprietary, filterless technology to treat wastewater from showers, baths, and optionally washing machines, as well as condensate from HVAC systems. The treatment process employs six sustainable methods: sedimentation, flotation, dissolved air flotation, foam fractionation, an aerobic bioreactor, and UV disinfection. This multi-stage approach effectively removes contaminants. Additionally, Hydraloop devices are IoT-enabled, allowing for real-time monitoring and control to ensure optimal performance and user convenience.
As code frameworks evolve and successful case studies like Sechelt and Kelowna multiply, B.C. is poised to become a national leader in decentralized water reuse. Engineers, architects, and developers now have an opportunity and a responsibility to future-proof their projects with systems that conserve resources, unlock green financing, and help communities adapt to a water-scarce future.
Sofia Corsetti is with Hydraloop. For more information, email: sofia.corsetti@hydraloop.com, or visit www.hydraloop.com
The Hydraloop H300 device fits into the home like a luxury appliance.
Regina awarded for swift, sustained response to 2014 Canada Day E. coli beach closures
By ES&E Staff
The City of Regina has been presented with an award for outstanding leadership and achievement in wastewater management, in response to dangerously high levels of E. coli that closed 28 beaches across the Qu’Appelle Valley more than a decade ago on Canada Day.
The new award from Calling Lakes Ecomuseum, a community-led eco-initiative, recognizes Regina’s response to the 2014 situation, and its ongoing efforts to improve effluent quality, noting that local officials took “bold and necessary action” following the closures that eventually led to a partnership with EPCOR.
“What should have been a day of national celebration became a moment of reckoning and a wake-up call about how we treat our water,” a representative from Calling Lakes Ecomuseum stated while presenting the award. “This is a story with a good ending. One that reflects commitment, collaboration, and courage.”
Since the 2014 closures, the group says that Regina has continued to make significant upgrades to its wastewater treat ment plant (WWTP), investing some $175 million in the plant around 2015-2016. These efforts meant that the plant began to exceed national standards by significantly reducing harmful nutrients like nitrates and phosphates in its discharge.
Wascana Creek in particular has seen a positive change in its water quality, according to University of Regina experts. In particular, facility upgrades reduced the amount of nitrogen and ammonia flowing downstream in the creek, a tributary of the Qu’Appelle River, which was previously considered to be one of the most polluted creeks in Canada, following an Envi ronment Canada study.
By 2021, a University of Regina study that tracked the creek over 10 years found that the WWTP upgrades largely reduced pollution, with ammonia and levels of total dissolved nitrogen reduced by approximately 85%.
Calling Lakes Ecomuseum members noted that the award is not only a recognition of technical excellence, but a celebra tion of a “culture shift.”
Efforts by Stantec and Graham Construction saw the Regina WWTP’s capacity expand from 70 to 92 million litres per day. Following upgrades to the primary treatment system, crews also replaced the existing secondary treatment lagoons with a biolog ical nutrient removal process and upgraded them for peak flow management. Upgrades also included the addition of effluent fil tration for phosphorous removal, the replacement of the exist ing disinfection system with a new UV disinfection system, and upgrades to the existing digesters for biosolids management.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
GOT CORROSION? GET CHEM
Regina’s Wascana Creek (pictured) has seen a positive change in its water quality due to WWTP upgrades. Credit: blaze986, stock.adobe.com
The Pinecrest stormwater project includes an inlet, a riffle overflow, a flow diversion berm, outlets to two cells, a quantity outlet, a quality flow outlet, and a maintenance access road.
Ottawa unveils long-awaited stormwater pond to protect Pinecrest Creek
In development since 2006, the project eventually became linked with light rail transit upgrades
By David Nesseth
‘What can we do to make up for what we didn’t do, when nobody was doing it?” asks Darlene Conway, a senior engineer with Ottawa’s Stormwater Management Branch, as she co-leads a walking tour of the city’s newest stormwater project.
Approaching nearly 20 years in the making, Ottawa’s Pinecrest Creek/Westboro Stormwater Management Retrofit Pond is now providing water quality treatment for 435 hectares of existing
development in the area, reducing discharge of pollutants directly entering Pinecrest Creek. The efforts, says Conway, aim to turn over a new leaf when it comes to the negative impacts of urban development that occurred for many decades.
“It’s not a miracle pond,” she says, but notes that it will set the area in a new, positive direction. Conway, who works as part of Ottawa’s Infrastructure and Water Services Department, says that the treatment in the pond is mostly settling.
“It’s not chemical, mostly, and it’s not biological,” she says, noting Pinecrest Creek receives untreated stormwater from 25,000 homes and buildings across 20 different neighbourhoods. Pinecrest Creek is one of the most urbanized subwatersheds in the City of Ottawa, with about 36% of it being impervious.
While the idea for the pond began
to gain traction in 2006, it took time to negotiate the multi-agency aspects of the project, undertake community con sultations, and integrate the facility into an existing community area that already had popular multi-use paths.
Ottawa West—Nepean MP Anita Vandenbeld told the stormwater pond walking tour that there had been sub stantial public concerns about how the facility at Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue would actually look, and whether the steep banks of the pond could pose hazards to pets and children. However, the end result is a visually pleasing and colourful array of riparian plantings and wildflowers have made it a scenic spot, she says, providing a haven for birds, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals.
“This is what happens when there’s continued overleaf…
PONDS EXPENSIVE AND MESSY TO CLEAN?
WE HAVE AN EASY
SOLUTION
INSTALL A SWM SHIELD TO PRE-TREAT YOUR POND
community engagement and there’s progressive policies,” says Vandenbeld.
A densely-planted tall grass area around the large pond aims to provide a safety buffer while also expanding biodiversity in the Ward 8 area. Maitland Area Pollinator Projects, a group known as MAPP, was on hand for the tour to share details about the plant species.
Near the water, cattails line the perimeter, points out Jennifer Lamoureux, a biologist on the stormwater project who works as an environmental construction manager with the National Capital Commission. “They are incredible at pulling out the nutrients, metals, chlorides, etc.,” she explained to the walking tour, noting that the contractor also laced the banks with hydric soils full of organic material and root seeds, acting as a wetland.
Incremental benefits may also be realized downstream at the Ottawa River. The Pinecrest stormwater project is one of 17 separate projects that comprise the Council-approved Ottawa River Action Plan.
Some of the features in the Pinecrest stormwater project include an inlet, a riffle overflow, a flow diversion berm, outlets to two cells, a quantity outlet, a quality flow outlet, and a maintenance access road.
“Stormwater management in its natural form is definitely a way of creating climate resiliency,” says Ward 8 Councillor for Ottawa, Laine Johnson, who helped organize the community tour with Rain
Ready Ottawa, a program that encourages and supports residents to take action to reduce the harmful impacts of rainwater runoff.
The Pinecrest stormwater project, also implemented to fight erosion and flooding, inevitably became linked with the area’s efforts to expand light rail transit (LRT) infrastructure, to the degree that project leaders used the same contractor, Kiewit Eurovia Vinci, to build the pond. The LRT’s presence would only mean further runoff in the area, increas-
ing the need for a new stormwater solution. Construction of the pond began just prior to the pandemic in 2019.
Accumulated sediments will be removed from the stormwater pond, typically in the winter, about once every 10 years. Conway says the sediment will be measured every five years and be emptied out when it reaches one foot deep.
David Nesseth is a contributing editor with ES&E Magazine. Email: david@esemag.com
City of Ottawa engineer Darlene Conway co-leading a tour of the stormwater management project.
Over 50 years ago, Pentair installed its pumps at the Mill Creek Pumping Station in St. Louis. Today, the city has turned to Pentair to breathe new life into the station.
Developing standard operating procedures for chlorination in water treatment
By Amparo Burke
Chlorination is one of the most widely used methods of disinfection in drinking water treatment. Proper chlorination ensures the safety and quality of drinking water. To enhance the consistency and safety of chlorination practices, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends water treatment plants (WTPs) develop comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs).
SOPs serve as detailed instructions for staff to perform tasks consistently and safely. For chlorination, SOPs provide clear guidance on how to prepare, apply, and monitor chlorine levels, minimizing risks and errors. By having documented procedures, organizations can ensure that every team member, regardless of experience, can follow the same protocols, enhancing overall operational efficiency and safety.
KEY COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE SOPS
SOPs should be straightforward and avoid unnecessary jargon or overly complex instructions. In order to ensure adherence, each procedure should be easy to understand for all trained personnel. For example, using simple language and limiting the amount of text per step can help ensure that even less experienced staff can follow the instructions accurately.
The WHO suggests incorporating visual elements, such as diagrams or photographs, which can significantly enhance the usability of SOPs. Visuals help staff of varying levels of literacy and
English language fluency to comprehend key steps and ensure that processes are followed accurately. For instance, a picture showing the correct mixing apparatus or personal protective equipment (PPE) can serve as a quick reference.
Each SOP should focus specifically on the chlorination task at hand. As an example, an SOP for calculating the weight of chlorine powder needed to prepare a liquid batch, includes the required PPE, the type of chlorine powder to be used, desired solution strength and volume and step-by-step calculations for determining the appropriate weight of chlorine powder.
Safety is a top consideration in any chlorination procedure. Each SOP must include crucial safety information, such as the required PPE, safe handling practices for chlorine and its derivatives, and emergency procedures in case of chlorine exposure or spillage. For instance, the SOP for preparing a batch of liquid sodium hypochlorite should specify
the receptacles to use and the necessary mixing equipment, while also highlighting the importance of following proper safety measures throughout the process.
Chlorine dose calculation — The document should explain the methodology for determining the appropriate dose based on flow rates, the types of adjustments that may be needed during operation, and protocols for increased monitoring.
Operation and maintenance of chlorine dose pumps — Chemical metering pumps are the most common way to administer chlorine in water treatment. SOPs should include details on how to operate and maintain this equipment. Specific steps should follow manufacturer recommendations, but must include any PPE required, how to adjust the dose pump set-point, maintenance and calibration basics, and guidance on troubleshooting common metering pump faults or failures.
Monitoring chlorine levels — Effec-
Chemical metering pumps are the most common way to administer chlorine in water treatment.
tive chlorination requires continuous monitoring. As such, SOPs should outline procedures for collecting water samples for chlorine testing, interpreting results, and taking corrective action when necessary. They should also cover when and how to schedule checks. If the plant uses online monitoring systems, their use, calibration, and maintenance must also be documented.
TRAINING AND COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT
Once a water treatment plant has developed and published its SOPs, management must train staff on them. The WHO recommends regular training sessions, alongside competency assessments, to ensure that staff members are not only familiar with the procedures but also understand their importance in maintaining water quality and safety. This training should be ongoing and incorporate feedback from staff to refine procedures as needed.
Developing SOPs for chlorination is
essential to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of water treatment processes. By prioritizing clarity, conciseness, and safety, WTPs can equip their staff with the tools necessary for consistent and reliable chlorination practices. Regular training and monitoring will further enhance operational integrity, ensuring that water remains safe for public consumption. Ultimately, well-crafted SOPs are not just documents; they are foundational to the effective management of water quality.
Blue-White Industries manufactures full lines of diaphragm and peristaltic type chlorine dosing pumps, as well as complete metering systems, often called skid systems.
Peristaltic metering pumps, which are also referred to as roller, hose or tube pumps, are a type of positive displacement pump. Although they may operate today in a similar manner as they traditionally have, advancements in technology, enhanced design features, and highly functioning materials have sig-
nificantly improved the capabilities and operation of peristaltic pumps.
Peristaltic pumps are extremely effective when dosing fluids that off-gas, such as chlorine, because they are not affected by air bubbles. They simply pass through the tube. There is no vapour lock and no loss of prime.
Multi-diaphragm metering pumps utilize two diaphragms connected through a central shaft. The shaft pulls one diaphragm to create suction while simultaneously pushing the other diaphragm to discharge liquid. The push-pull combination creates a smooth flow that allows the pump to run at high speeds without water hammering. In addition, the dual push-pull action means the pump is resistant to vapour lock, allowing it to handle off-gassing chemicals.
Amparo Burke is with BlueWhite Industries. Email: aburke@blue-white.com
Battery blowups and the lagging pace of extended producer responsibility
By David Nesseth
As global battery production surges — powering everything from light-up baby toys and smartwatches to e-bikes, vapes, and drones — our homes are increasingly filled with old and unwanted items tucked away in closets and basements. But, as old phones, toothbrushes and laptops pile up, the lack of proper end-of-life management for lithium-ion batteries with tendencies to ignite when crushed or bent, poses a growing risk of explosions. They endanger curbside collection, recycling facilities and the environment, when the wrong decisions about their final chapter are made.
For those in the stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR) sectors, the rapid growth of consumer tech and lithium-ion battery use has been daunting. Waste management plans simply haven’t kept pace. They are lagging for many reasons and showing few signs of catching up.
“Within two years we’re going to be an uninsurable industry, if we don’t get this under control,” says Heidi Sanborn, a leading EPR expert in California, and executive director of the Stewardship Action Foundation, who points out that some recycling facilities where products have exploded have as many as four separate insurance policies.
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has gone so far as to declare a “product safety emergency.” It warns of the increasing number of fires and explosions caused by lithium-ion batteries, compressed gas cylinders, marine flares, fireworks, and similar products. These common items often lack plans for end-of-life management, clear labeling, and consumer education
In April, the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories experienced a landfill fire linked to improperly disposed electronics. Credit: City of Yellowknife
on safe management and disposal, states SWANA, which in 2024 formed a new lithium-ion battery workgroup.
“They find their way into household trash and recycling bins, which has led to fires in collection vehicles, transfer stations, materials recovery facilities (MRFs), landfills, and waste-to-energy facilities,” SWANA announced.
FIRES, EXPLOSIONS, AND A GROWING CRISIS
The latest major battery recycling plant fire in Canada was in late 2024 in Sainte-Catherine, on Montreal’s South Shore. A recent annual report published by the Montreal Fire Service states that lithium-ion fires have nearly tripled in the city since 2022, primarily due to the growth of e-scooters and e-bikes.
While data specifically linked to batteries can be harder to find, there were at least 390 fire incidents at U.S. and Canadian recycling facilities in 2022. This is a new record, according to data from fire suppression system company Fire Rover.
In April of this year, the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories experienced a landfill fire linked to improperly disposed electronics. The city wrote on Facebook that it strongly reminds all residents that electronics and other hazardous materials must be properly sorted, separated from household waste, and disposed of through appropriate channels. Cost is often a barrier, though, with many municipalities relying on thirdparty contractors to operate hazardous waste depots, inflating costs and tempting residents to dump items illegally or slip them into curbside waste.
Battery development is surging as global demand rises. In 2024, annual battery demand surpassed 1 terawatt-hour (TWh), driven largely by electric vehicle sales, which rose by 25% to 17 million units, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
At the same time, prices are falling. Lithium costs have dropped over 85% from their 2022 peak. While this
Introducing SyFlo, Barnes’ high-efficiency solids handling solution. With innovative scroll and vortex impellers, SyFlo offers superior clog resistance and hydraulic efficiency, reducing energy consumption and costs. Harness the synergy of innovative design and effortless flow with SyFlo pumps.
cranepumps.com/product-type/solids-handling-pumps
has helped expand battery access, it has also increased risks, prompting Transport Canada to issue public safety videos warning of unbranded battery products and shipping hazards.
In the fall of 2024, a container at the Port of Montreal holding 15,000 kilograms of lithium batteries caught fire, producing heavy smoke for 12 hours and triggering a shelter-in-place order. The year before, Toronto Fire Services reported 55 lithium-ion battery fires, up from 29 in 2022. In New York City, 267 battery-related fires caused 18 deaths and over 150 injuries in 2023 alone, largely from e-bikes and e-scooters. The crisis led NYC lawmakers to mandate compliance with UL and EN testing standards.
Health Canada has also taken note, adding lithium-ion battery products to its 2024 watchlist for potential health and safety risks. The department now endorses CSA and UL standards for battery performance and safety.
Montreal Fire Service says that lithium-ion fires have nearly tripled since 2022. Credit: mino21, stock.adobe.com
LEGACY HAZARDS MEET NEW TECH
While vehicles and mobility devices move towards electric power, old-fashioned propane, CO 2 and other compressed gases remain real threats to waste handlers. The concern is that new waste streams are growing while industry still hasn’t mastered the waste streams of old, such as all those cans of paint in the back storage room, or bins of plain old AA and AAA batteries.
As Sanborn spoke at a SWANA webi-
nar, presenters shared explosion video clips, from waste collection workers unknowingly throwing oxygen tanks placed at the curb to be crushed in the back of the garbage truck, to recycling workers narrowly being spared injury when semi-full propane cylinders make their way down the conveyor belt.
“Even a small amount of propane can cause a significant explosion,” says Jennifer Heaton-Jones, executive director at Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority in Connecticut.
Waste management has long ranked among the most dangerous occupations in North America. The complexity of waste is growing, with businesses often caught in unusual situations. Take the hospitality industry, says Sanborn, telling a story of a group of hotel party guests who left a room littered with nitrous oxide cylinders used as recreational drugs.
“They don’t want it tracked,” Sanborn says of the partygoers, who adds that hazardous waste can easily end up in the waste management stream because people don’t want to be viewed with suspicion. Or perhaps the hotel cleaning staff doesn’t know what the cylinders are and fail to take adequate measures.
To aid battery sorters and handlers in identifying lithium batteries, Battery Council International has even created a lithium battery training toolkit designed to be incorporated into companies’ onboarding programs and learning management systems. The toolkit includes a video, poster and flyer, each developed to aid battery sorters and handlers in identifying lithium batteries.
Toronto-based Li-Cycle once promised to be part of the solution, with a closedloop process to extract battery-grade materials from used lithium-ion batteries. But the company’s future is now uncertain: recently delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, it is now under creditor protection in Canada and the U.S.
Its Rochester Hub, once expected to process up to 35,000 tonnes of shredded “black mass” from expired lithium-ion batteries annually, remains in limbo. It could also produce up to 8,250 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate and up to 72,000 tonnes of mixed hydroxide precipitate annually.
Start saving more with the group tax-free savings account (TFSA) offered through the Engineers Canada-sponsored Group Savings and Retirement Program. Plus, you can transfer your non-registered investments into the plan and watch your savings grow.
Get the guidance you need
Want some advice? Connect with your personal Canada Life health and wealth consultant online when it’s convenient for you at all steps of your financial journey.
ILLEGAL DUMPING AND CONSUMER APATHY
As waste disposal fees rise, illegal dumping persists. Tens of thousands of small propane/butane tanks are left behind at campgrounds each year. A 2023 University of Waterloo study found Canadians had generated enough e-waste over the past two decades to fill the CN Tower more than 110 times.
Canada’s EPR system allows (and in some cases mandates) environmental handling fees (EHFs) to be built into product pricing. Companies either set their own fees or work with stewardship organizations. In most provinces, EHFs are under 10 cents for small lithium-ion batteries but can approach $10 for e-bike or scooter batteries.
Despite the framework, progress remains slow and fragmented. Ontario’s system has proven especially difficult to navigate. In April of this year, the province’s Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) issued major fines: $1 million each to Duracell and Energizer, and $781,725 to Panasonic.
“We are disappointed with the regulator’s decision,” Call2Recycle Canada, the non-profit organization responsible for recycling batteries on the companies’ behalf, told ES&E Magazine. “The three battery producers are actively moving towards appealing the RPRA’s decision, which is viewed as punitive and unwarranted.”
The producers missed Ontario’s 40% recycling target in 2023, achieving an average of just 19%. Some argue the shortfall is due more to a lack of public participation than industry negligence.
The companies are appealing the fines, claiming Ontario’s rules are flawed and evolving too quickly. But the RPRA defended its actions: “The fact that the government recently revised management targets and combined the targets for primary and rechargeable batteries is not evidence in itself that the target for primary batteries in effect for the 2023 year was unattainable or unfair,” the regulator stated in its administrative penalty order.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR CANADA?
Despite the setbacks, there are signs of momentum. Call2Recycle Canada, which in 2024 alone collected over 6.8 million kilograms of batteries nationwide through 15,000 collection sites, has launched battery collection in Alberta as of April 2025 under the oversight of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA). This means that like Ontario, Alberta’s EPR legislation will require battery producers to keep at least 40% of all household batteries out of landfill by 2027.
Recently, Call2Recycle Canada partnered with circular solutions provider RLG to advance battery collection safety through a lithium-ion safety box called LiSa. The box is designed for shipping and storing damaged, defective or recalled lithium-ion batteries. It uses technology that suppresses fire in the event of a thermal runaway reaction, also limiting noxious gases and releasing harmless water vapour.
If the lithium-ion industry could use a battery success story, the Canadian Battery Association (CBA) has one with its focus on lead batteries — the type used in combustion engine vehicles. On average, a new lead battery consists of over 80% recycled material. One of the keys to the success of customers
returning lead batteries is that they get a deposit back in the neighborhood of $10.
That incentive to return, however, isn’t quite as strong when it comes to the likes of AA and AAA single-use batteries that led to fines in Ontario. “Because they’re small and not expensive, they’re not incentivized to bring it back,” CBA Executive Director Jacomien van Tonder, based in B.C., told ES&E Magazine
At its recent annual general meeting in April, van Tonder said there was interest in expanding focus to include lithium-ion batteries and a new working group will investigate the potential for such a shift. As far as where in Canada will be first to develop a lithium-ion EPR program, van Tonder says B.C. is the most likely jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the Toronto-based Circular Innovation Council has compiled a directory of over 500 businesses and events across York, Peel, and Durham Regions to help residents share, reuse, and repair everyday items, including electronics.
SWANA’s new working group has a wish list for lithium-ion battery management. They want producers to stop adding new products to the market that pose a danger of fire or explosion if no end-of-life plan exists; consider recyclability during product design; ensure batteries can be safely removed from products; provide clear disposal instructions to prevent disposal in household waste or recycling; and establish collection and disposal systems funding to manage these hazardous products properly.
As regulators, recyclers, and producers scramble to catch up with soaring battery use, the path forward demands stronger enforcement, smarter design, and more widespread public education — before the next spark sets off.
David Nesseth is a contributing editor with ES&E Magazine. Email: david@esemag.com
Recently, Call2Recycle Canada partnered with circular solutions provider RLG to advance battery collection safety through a lithium-ion safety box called LiSa. Credit: Call2Recycle
Sealing and bearing innovations keep flood control pumps ready to use after prolonged periods of inactivity
By Logan Peak
Reliability is the defining requirement for flood control pump systems. These pumps are often installed as critical infrastructure assets, expected to remain idle for months or even years, only to activate during high-stakes emergency conditions. When they are needed, they must perform instantly and continuously, often while submerged, exposed to corrosive floodwater, and under rapidly changing hydraulic loads.
This operating profile presents unique challenges, particularly for the mechanical systems within the pump. Shaft bearings, seals, and support assemblies must endure not just the stresses of high-capacity pumping, but also prolonged
exposure to moisture, sediment, and idle conditions. A failure to start or a breakdown during operation can compromise entire flood defense systems.
OPERATING CHALLENGES FOR FLOOD CONTROL PUMPS
Unlike pumps used in continuous-duty applications such as water supply or wastewater treatment, flood control pumps may be called upon only a few times each year. In many cases, they remain inactive for long periods, during which time internal components are subject to condensation, corrosion, and the degradation of lubricants.
of flood control pump stations. Pumps are often installed in wet pits, near open channels, or within structures exposed to tidal backflow, sediment-laden water, and debris. When activated, they must operate at full capacity immediately, often under surge flow or unsteady hydraulic loads.
These conditions place considerable stress on the mechanical systems that support the pump shaft and impeller. Any degradation of seals or bearings during idle periods can lead to startup failure, shaft vibration, or premature wear. This can compromise both system performance and operator safety.
BEARING DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR LONG-TERM DEPENDABILITY
Flood control pumps must be engineered with bearings that tolerate both idle periods and full-capacity operation with minimal maintenance.
One approach involves permanently lubricated bearings, which use sealed grease or oil reservoirs to eliminate the need for manual greasing. These systems reduce the risk of lubrication loss over time and offer a longer service interval
These challenges are compounded by the environmental conditions typical continued overleaf…
The West Closure Complex protects New Orleans from storm surges with 11 Fairbanks Nijhuis pumps, each capable of moving up to 3.4 million litres of water per minute.
The Global Water Crisis
1.8 billion people lack access to clean water
2.5 billion people—more than a third of the world’s population —lack access to a toilet
Women and children spend 200 million hours a day collecting water
Hygienic practices such as washing hands with soap can reduce the risk of diarrhea by at least 35%
More than 3.4 million people each year die from water related diseases—that’s nearly the population of LA
Nearly 90% of global cases of diarrhea are estimated to be attributable to unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene
WHERE WATER FOR PEOPLE COMES IN
Our goal
is
simple: Water for Everyone Forever
We’re taking big steps to solve the world’s water crisis—permanently. We want complete water coverage for every family, every school, and every clinic. And we’re teaming up with Everyone to make this difference last Forever.
Water For People brings together local entrepreneurs, civil society, governments, and communities to establish creative, collaborative solutions that allow people to build and maintain their own reliable and safe water systems. We’re not just addressing the symptoms of the problem, but preventing it from happening again in the future.
The road to permanent water coverage for Everyone Forever is challenging. If we invest more now to create sustainable and replicable water and sanitation infrastructure, we can achieve incredible outcomes—more children are in school, more individuals are employed, more families are healthy and thriving, and more communities are collaborating and growing. From there, the impact continues to ripple out on a national and global scale.
in unattended installations.
Another option common in axial flow pump configurations is the use of water-lubricated sleeve bearings. These bearings rely on the pumped fluid itself to provide lubrication during operation, eliminating the need for sealed lubricant chambers. When properly engineered, they provide low-friction performance while reducing environmental risk.
Shaft support systems are also designed to minimize misalignment and control deflection under load. This is particularly important in vertical axial flow designs, where long shafts connect above-grade motors to submerged impellers. An enclosing tube can eliminate spider supports for bearings, instead providing support through tensioning. Pulling the enclosing tube tight at the
stuffing box helps prevent shaft whip inside the column pipe.
Stiffened column assemblies, heavyduty bearing brackets, and precisely machined bearing housings all contribute to system rigidity and reliable startup.
Material selection plays a further role. Bearing housings and sleeves are often made from bronze, composite polymers, or stainless-steel alloys selected for their corrosion resistance and dimensional stability in submerged environments.
SEALING SYSTEMS FOR INFREQUENT STARTS AND HARSH CONDITIONS
Seals represent one of the most vulnerable components in any flood control pump system. When pumps remain idle for extended periods, standard mechanical seals can become compromised due to corrosion, elastomer hardening, or the loss of lubrication at the seal faces.
To mitigate these risks, modern flood pumps employ several seal design innovations. Double mechanical seals, which use a barrier fluid between two seal faces, provide an additional layer of protection against water ingress and allow the primary seal to remain isolated from harsh external conditions.
In some cases, seal faces are manufactured from materials such as silicon carbide or carbon-graphite composites. These materials can tolerate brief drystart conditions without scoring or ther-
A Pentair Fairbanks Nijhuis vertical axial flow propeller pump.
mal cracking. Dry-run-capable seal materials offer added pro tection in flood control applications where fluid may not fully reach the seal cavity before motor activation.
Other designs use integrated flush ports or closed-loop seal lubrication systems that automatically evacuate debris or replenish lubricant during startup. Corrosion-resistant elastomers and sealing hardware are also specified to match site-specific water chemistry, particularly in brackish or saline flood environments.
The Fairbanks Nijhuis 8200 series pump integrates many of these bearing and sealing strategies into a vertical axial flow platform built for large-scale flood protection. Shaft bearings are supported within precision-machined column assemblies that ensure alignment and minimize deflection during highload operation.
Support is provided through innovative tensioning, a more reliable method than welded spider supports. The enclos ing tube is connected to the horizontal plate, which can be raised using jack bolts to provide tension. Shims are inserted to disperse the load and maintain pressure.
Depending on the installation, the 8200 can be config ured with permanently lubricated or water-lubricated bear ings, along with heavy-duty shaft sleeves and bronze or stain less-steel wear surfaces. Bearing brackets are designed for sta bility and easy access. Seal options include double mechan ical configurations that are suitable for wet pit service and extended downtime.
NEW ORLEANS WEST CLOSURE COMPLEX
Following the catastrophic events of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked with restoring and strengthening the city’s levee system. The West Closure Complex, a critical component of this system, prevents storm surges from entering canals and drains excess water from the city. The station features 11 massive Fairbanks Nijhuis vertical axial flow propeller pumps, each capable of moving up to 3.4 million litres of water per minute. Coordi nating with metal gates that are 10 metres tall and over 68 metres wide, the station transports nearly 34 million litres per minute when all pumps are operating.
Several significant flood events, including Hurricane Ivan in 2012, have tested the capabilities of the station and the Fair banks Nijhuis pumps. In each instance, the pumps and corre sponding components performed as intended, protecting the residents and infrastructure of New Orleans.
RELIABILITY BY DESIGN
Mechanical reliability is a fundamental principle of flood control systems. Pumps that fail to start due to seal deteriora tion or bearing wear can compromise flood protection during the moments it is needed most. By focusing on the mechanical systems that support pump performance, infrastructure plan ners and design engineers can ensure that critical flood control assets are not only effective but also built to endure.
Logan Peak is with Pentair. For more information, visit: www.pentair.com/future-proof
Alberta city pilots stormwater aeration system to improve water quality
By ES&E Staff
The City of Spruce Grove, Alberta, is installing a new aeration system at its McLaughlin stormwater management facility, as part of a pilot project aimed at improving water quality, reducing algae growth, and controlling odours.
The system was expected to be up and running by mid- to late June of this year at the McLaughlin facility, which is one of more than 50 stormwater management sites maintained by the city. It will feature both bottom diffusers and a floating fountain designed to circulate water and boost oxygen levels. Increased circulation promotes the decomposition of organic material and helps prevent sediment from building up on the pond floor. This is a common cause of low oxygen levels and
Cutting-Edge Tornado Mixing Technology
ecosystem disruption, local officials explained.
If the pilot proves successful, the city said similar stormwater aeration systems may be introduced at other facilities, according to the its stormwater management web page.
While they look like simple ponds nestled in neighbourhoods, stormwater management facilities (SWMFs) play a critical role in urban infrastructure. In natural landscapes, stormwater is absorbed into the ground. But in developed areas, hard surfaces like roads and rooftops prevent this, directing runoff into storm sewers instead. SWMFs collect this runoff, which may include oils, road salt, fertilizer, and other contaminants, and allow sediment to settle before gradually releasing cleaner water into the watershed. In Spruce Grove, this means contributing to the health of the North Saskatchewan River watershed.
City officials said these facilities are essential not only for flood prevention, but also for protecting local water quality and supporting urban biodiversity. Many of these areas are designated for naturalization, meaning they are not landscaped or mowed but instead support native wetland plants, shrubs, and grasses that contribute to the health of the system.
During summer, it’s common for algae to appear due to nutrient-rich runoff and warm temperatures. While some algae are beneficial for biological water treatment, excessive growth can cause odour and impact water quality. The city actively monitors and manages water levels and algae conditions to ensure safety and environmental compliance.
Spruce Grove currently operates and maintains approximately 46 wet ponds and seven dry ponds across the city. These facilities are built to handle extreme weather events, including storms with a one percent chance of occurring each year. They must also meet strict performance and environmental standards.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Increased circulation and aeration in stormwater ponds promotes the decomposition of organic material and helps prevent sediment from building up on the pond floor. Graphic: City of Spruce Grove
CHAR Tech partners with Synagro to test pyrolysis PFAS unit
By ES&E Staff
Toronto-based CHAR Technologies held its first U.S.-based demonstration of its commercial-scale pilot for high temperature pyrolysis to test and evaluate the effectiveness of the process to destroy PFAS chemicals in biosolids.
The demonstration recently took place at the Water Environment Federation’s Residuals & Biosolids and Innovations in Treatment Technology Conference at Baltimore’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Biosolids provider Synagro Technologies Inc. utilized its facility on the property and partnered with CHAR Technologies for the demonstration, along with the Baltimore City Department of
Public Works.
CHAR Technologies’ proprietary high-temperature pyrolysis (HTP) technology processes organic material into high-value renewable energy and bioproducts, such as a solid biochar and renewable synthetic gas, or syngas. The HTP system indirectly heats materials in the complete absence of oxygen to stop combustion and odours.
“This project represents a major step forward in tackling one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time,” announced CHAR Technologies CEO Andrew White.
“We are excited to feature a demonstration of our commercial-scale pilot of CHAR Tech’s pyrolysis process, leading
the industry toward sustainable solutions by proactively addressing customers’ future needs,” said Pam Racey, chief commercial officer, Synagro, and the Residuals & Biosolids Conference Co-Chair.
Test data from the demonstration showing pyrolysis PFAS destruction has not yet been made available.
In Canada, the Government of Quebec recently introduced stricter regulations for biosolids to address growing concerns over PFAS contamination, which come into force on November 1, 2025.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
The role of chemical monitoring solutions in building resilient water and wastewater systems
By Christina Rumbel
In the water and wastewater industry, resilient infrastructure means systems that can endure operational stressors, reduce environmental risk, and continue delivering safe, clean water even under adverse conditions. Resilience involves not only structural soundness, but also process reliability. This includes how chemicals are stored, monitored and delivered.
With regulations, such as the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines and Environment Canada’s wastewater effluent standards, requiring careful oversight of chemical use, municipalities need tools that go beyond basic functionality. They need scalable, safety-first systems designed to thrive in harsh, real-world conditions.
THE CANADIAN CHALLENGE
Canada’s diverse geography and climate, ranging from freezing winters in the Yukon to humid summers in Ontario, place intense demands on water infrastructure. Many facilities still rely on aging equipment not built for modern chemical treatment processes. In addition, municipalities often face budget constraints limiting capital improvement plans, regulatory compliance pressures, increased frequency of extreme weather events and shortages of skilled operators.
To meet these demands, many Canadian facilities are investing in futureproof solutions, which include monitoring systems that prioritize accuracy, safety, and long-term reliability. Force Flow provides chemical monitoring equipment
Force Flow’s Chem-Scale™ ensures accurate tracking of liquid day tanks with hydraulic or electronic readout options.
tailored to the needs of modern water systems, particularly those managing fluoride, chlorine, ammonia, or other regulated chemicals.
CORROSION-RESISTANT PLATFORMS AND SPILL CONTAINMENT
Our scale bases are molded from high-impact, UV-resistant polymers engineered to resist harsh chemical environments. For facilities handling corrosive substances, these rugged platforms help extend equipment lifespan and reduce costly maintenance. Spill containment options are also available to minimize risk in the event of a leak. This is an essential feature to protect both operators and surrounding infrastructure.
PRECISION-BASED CHEMICAL DELIVERY
Whether monitoring drums, tote bins, or day tanks, Force Flow scales measure chemical feed by weight, not volume, to ensure a high level of accuracy. This safeguards against both underdosing
(which can compromise public health) and overdosing (which can cause regulatory violations and system damage).
Paired with digital indicators like the SOLO G2™ or WIZARD 4000™, facilities can access real-time readouts, data logging, and alarm functions — key tools in ensuring compliance with Health Canada’s chemical usage tracking recommendations.
SCALABLE SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES
Whether a facility is fluoridating drinking water or managing wastewater chlorination, scale and indicator combinations can be tailored to fit site-specific needs.
These chlorine monitoring solutions are a vital component of resilient water infrastructure, ensuring disinfection practices are safe, reliable and compliant with all safety standards.
For larger operations utilizing one-ton chlorine containers, one-ton container scales deliver the same high level of performance. Designed for harsh environ-
ments, these scales support safe and efficient chlorine gas usage while minimizing operator exposure. When paired with digital indicators, operators can monitor feed rates in real-time and receive alarm alerts if dosing deviates from acceptable thresholds.
Cylinder scales are specifically designed to provide highly accurate weight readings for standard 150-lb chlorine gas cylinders used in municipal water disinfection. These durable, corrosion-resistant scales allow operators to precisely track chemical usage, monitor feed rates, and detect abnormalities that may indicate system failures or leaks.
Chlorine gas is a powerful and widely used disinfectant in both drinking water and wastewater treatment. However, it is also one of the most hazardous chemicals handled at treatment facilities, making accurate monitoring and containment critical to operational safety and regulatory compliance.
DESIGNED WITH OPERATORS IN MIND
At a time when skilled operators are in short supply, equipment must be intuitive and easy to use. Force Flow’s systems feature plug-and-play installation, large digital displays, and minimal training requirements, which is ideal for municipalities with limited technical staffing. Also, by minimizing moving parts and exposure to corrosive agents, our equipment helps reduce downtime, maintenance demands, and operator safety risks.
As Canada invests in infrastructure renewal, the conversation must include not only pipes and treatment tanks, but also the technology that ensures safe, accurate chemical monitoring. Because resilient infrastructure isn’t just about surviving stress, it is also about maintaining excellence under pressure.
Christina Rumbel is with Force Flow. Email: christina@forceflow.com
A Force Flow Chlor-Scale ton container system equipped with a Solo G2 dual-channel indicator.
Granby Composites fiberglass water tanks deliver proven longevity and minimal maintenance, making them a smart investment for decades to come.
They are expertly engineered and tailored to meet your specific drinking water & wastewater storage requirements. They hold up to 42,000 gallons (157,000 liters). BUILT TO LAST, READY FOR THE
granbycomposites.com
Calgary applies new asset management software across multiple departments
The Enterprise Decision Analytics (EDA) platform from Arcadis could help a city like Calgary to better gauge physical asset deterioration and determine how and when to act. Credit: Gelu Popa, stock.adobe.com
By ES&E Staff
As municipalities take stock of aging infrastructure and prepare for increasingly extreme weather, there’s growing urgency to prioritize and optimize investments. To meet these challenges, cities are shifting from outdated asset management systems to advanced software that consolidates data across departments and leverages analytics for smarter decision-making.
In June, the City of Calgary became the first Canadian city to initiate a phased deployment of the Enterprise Decision Analytics (EDA) platform from Arcadis across multiple assets, applying the software to transportation networks, water and wastewater systems, emergency services, public parks, and civic buildings, enabling oversight within a single integrated system.
“Right now, we’re just getting started with this initiative. We’re in the process of introducing this software to internal staff, building business requirements and internal and external reporting mechanisms,” a spokesperson for the City of Calgary told ES&E Magazine.
This is not Calgary’s first experience with asset management software, but it hopes to build on already established processes. While the city made many infrastructure headlines over the last 12 months, its move to this software is unrelated to the impact of the 2024 Bearspaw feeder main break. That sent the
city into crisis mode for several weeks and placed intensive water restrictions on residents and businesses.
With some $2 billion in major projects in the works, particularly for water infrastructure, Calgary hopes the new software switch will over time benefit planned work related to two new feeder mains, a new water treatment plant and major upgrades to two existing wastewater treatment plants, as well as road and transit projects.
While there are never guarantees when it comes to infrastructure, Rob Corazzola, digital intelligence global sales director at Arcadis, says there is still a high level of empowerment that can be reached when it comes to long-term investment dynamics and lifecycle planning. While results vary based on how the platform is integrated, when applied previously, he says EDA has improved system efficiency by 30%, reduced planning and reporting times by 80%, and increased project execution accuracy by 20%.
EDA could help a city like Calgary to better gauge physical asset deterioration and determine how and when to act, he says. “Through EDA, the City of Calgary can confidently make forward-thinking and data-backed decisions that optimize spending, extend the life of critical assets, and enhance the quality of life for its residents,” says Corazzola, who consid-
ers the Calgary contract a milestone for digital transformation in Canadian cities.
EDA allows municipal officials to “drill down” with graphic views of all aspects of an asset that may be in the worst condition, or, list all investments by ward within the city to understand where and when funds were already allocated.
Local officials can even track the condition of municipal fleets. In the U.S. District of Columbia’s 2023 planning report, EDA data shows that the district had 65 firefighting pumper trucks with an average age of approximately nine years and average maintenance costs approaching $131,013 per vehicle, the highest of all its vehicle types. The data further shows that there are 15 pumper trucks ranked in the “poor” or “replace” condition category based on various criteria such as vehicle age, mileage and engine hours.
Corazzola notes that Calgary’s transition to EDA will be a seamless but phased-in data migration approach
that could take up to a year to complete. Arcadis will work with the city on a detailed scope analysis and blueprinting to identify how the system will be configured to fit the city’s needs as it begins its two-year contract with them.
“We will leverage the subject matter that the city has with their engineering and operations team. The kind of intelligence or logic they want to use can be configured in their system, and the models based on their approaches,” says Corazzola, who notes that the system is a significant time saver for users.
Steve Wyton, manager of asset management planning at the City of Calgary, said Arcadis was selected after completing an open and competitive process.
Crown agency Infrastructure Ontario moved to a five-year deal with the same Arcadis EDA platform in 2023 to manage more than 4,000 facilities across the province. Since then, the agency has worked to maximize the value of its data by collecting condition assessment
data across its entire portfolio of facilities and property assets. A year later, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation also moved to EDA with a scope that extends beyond highways and bridges to encompass lighting, traffic signals, overhead signs, airports, and intelligent transportation systems.
The City of Toronto has also been working with the EDA platform in coordination with real estate service company CBRE for some 1,800 facilities.
While the EDA system has only been taking root in Canada for a few years, it has been popular internationally, particularly in the U.K, where the system launched in 2002. In 2018, Arcadis purchased the software and analytics firm, SEAMS, which had developed the EDA system.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Niagara Region standardizes an innovative chemical dosing system across water treatment plants
By Jim Mullins and Vincent Meunier
In a decisive move toward operational efficiency and modernization, Niagara Region in Ontario has standardized the use of the DICE™ Dosing Module in chemical dosing systems across its municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities. Key operational benefits include improved safety, simplified troubleshooting, and better space utilization.
Since 2019, more than 50 DICE units have been installed across the region, including in St. Catharines, Grimsby, Stoney Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Fort Erie, Welland, and Port Colborne. The vast majority of these installations were to retrofit older, conventional systems and support the treatment of both potable water and wastewater.
DICE equipment, manufactured by Meunier Technologies and supplied through Vissers Sales Corp., integrates all necessary discharge components for a chemical dosing system within a compact, clear acrylic block. This innovative design reduces potential leak points by minimizing connections and is at least two times smaller than traditional setups. This makes it suitable for retrofit applications, or upgrading water treatment plants within the same footprint.
Operators across the region have found the system to be extremely intuitive. The clear block design allows them to visually monitor flow and performance in real time. Its simplified layout supports quick troubleshooting, even remotely on the phone, which has saved considerable time and labour. It also makes onboarding and training new personnel much easier.
DICE modules are designed for reliability and safety, and are produced as single machined blocks. To maximize the benefits of the module, the Niagara WTP teams use tubing connections
from the pump to the DICE Dosing Module and then from it to the injection point. This reduces the need for fittings in their chemical dosing room. Considering that the operating pressure of such systems reaches 125 psi, the teams feel much safer from accidental spills.
Most potable water facilities in the region now use DICE as part of both their pre- and post-treatment process, with many sites operating multiple chemical dosing systems to meet demand. The system’s compact design has freed up valuable space in smaller plants, while its straightforward installation supports consistent deployment across multiple sites.
Looking ahead, Niagara Region plans to continue upgrading their dosing systems to incorporate DICE. As of now,
none of the installed units have required replacement parts and all remain in active service. Four additional units are scheduled for installation in Port Colborne later this year.
Jim Mullins is with Vissers Sales Corp. Email: sales@vissers.on.ca. Vincent Meunier is with Meunier Technologies. Email: info@meuniertechnologies.com
DICE installations in the Rosehill Water Treatment Plant. The region said it plans to continue updating its dosing systems to incorporate DICE.
York Region approves CMAR contract delivery model for large-scale, complex wastewater projects
By ES&E Staff
AConstruction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contract model has been approved for the York Region Sewage Works Project. This will improve cost control, schedule efficiency, risk management, flexibility, and overall quality for larger and more complex wastewater projects.
York Region Council’s recent approval for the model, which would see the region hire a designer and construction manager under separate but overlapping contracts, means that it could be used for 22 upcoming wastewater projects across the towns of East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, Ajax and the cities of Richmond Hill, Markham and Pickering.
The construction manager is deemed “at risk” due to being financially liable if the project exceeds its guaranteed max imum price, or GMP. “The mix of larger scale infrastructure programs in the Region’s 10-Year Capital Plan, such as the York Region Sewage Works, provides an opportunity to explore more innova tive and advanced contracting methods,” states a Public Works report to council that moves away from the region’s tradi tional design-bid-build contracts.
The CMAR model will also allow con struction to advance with early material procurement, helping to meet the project’s overall 2028 implementation timeline.
City of Richmond Hill Mayor, David West, who is also Chair of Public Works for Environmental Services, said that implementing CMAR will “offer a stra tegic advantage” to the region’s planned infrastructure projects.
The York Region Sewage Works Project will improve the existing York Durham Sewage System by adding new or expanded wastewater sewers, pumping stations and enhancements to the Duf fin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant on the shore of Lake Ontario in the City of Pickering.
Additionally, York Region secured $140 million in funding for the Aurora Sewage Pumping Station Gravity Sewer Twinning and 2nd Concession South Gravity Sewer from the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, contingent on award of the CMAR contract by September 2025.
The Primary Trunk Sanitary Sewer is a critical section of the York Durham Sewage System that collects wastewater flows from eight municipalities in York Region, the Town of Ajax and the City of Pickering. The southern section of the primary trunk will require a new twinned trunk sanitary sewer parallel to the existing. The twinned sewer, with a capital budget
of more than $227 million, is about five kilometres long and will ensure essential service is maintained by increasing conveyance capacity and overall system security.
“By engaging the contractor early in the process, the team can ensure greater alignment of all project components during the design and construction while maintaining a clear understanding of cost and schedule,” adds the York Region report.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Sault Ste. Marie chooses high-performance centrifugal dispersers to solve sludge mixing problems
As the impeller rotates, it disperses liquid radially, generating a lowpressure vacuum-like zone both above and below it.
Complete Wastewater
By Li Wang, Greg Jackson, Dale Jackson and Mike Nelson
Operators at Sault Ste. Marie’s East End Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) were long frustrated by poor sludge mixing, which negatively impacted sludge pumping dewatering and polymer dosing processes. The plant uses two fermented sludge tanks that receive a complex mix of anaerobically digested sludge, intermittent flows from the primary scum chamber, clean-in-place (CIP) wash water during centrifuge shutdown, and centrifuge sludge cake bypass during startup and shutdown.
This results in a wide range of sludge solids concentrations and flow characteristics that behave as a non-Newtonian, pseudo-plastic, thixotropic fluid. Typically, it has a solids content of 4.5% – 9.0%, particle specific gravity of 1.0 – 1.2, temperatures ranging from 10°C – 35°C, limit viscosity of 0.2 Pa at 20°C and particle sizes from 1–1000 µm (D90 = 300 µm).
These characteristics, combined with the presence of fats, oils, grease, fibrous materials, and biological solids, create a highly abrasive and aggressive sludge environment that makes efficient mixing difficult.
The plant utilized a jet mixing system. It operated by withdrawing sludge from the tank and recirculating it back through multiple jets designed to increase flow velocity in an effort to resuspend settled solids and prevent sludge accumulation. However, the system relied on expensive components, including chopper pumps, valves and extensive piping.
Over two decades of operation, this system became increasingly problematic. The mixing nozzles frequently clogged, rendering the system inoperable for extended periods. Pump failure and reliability became a serious concern, as units routinely failed due to internal wear caused by grit and other abrasive solids in the fermented sludge.
Ineffective mixing led to sludge stratification in the tanks, which in turn caused significant variability in the feed consistency delivered to the centrifuges, often requiring operators to make frequent manual adjustments to polymer dosing. Finally, the system was unable to effectively incorporate surface scum into the mix, leading to the formation of a thick, persistent crust at the top of the tank.
To address these challenges, two high-performance centrifugal dispersers (HPCDs) developed by AP Mixing Ltd. were installed. Unlike traditional mixers that push fluid outward, HPCDs generate a tornado-like radial flow pattern. As the impeller rotates, it disperses liquid radially, generating a low-pressure vacuum-like zone both above and below it.
Solutions by Xylem
This pressure differential induces fluid movement from both the bottom and the top of the tank toward the mixing zone. As a result, settled solids are lifted from the tank floor, while surface scum is simultaneously drawn downward. This dual-directional flow creates a powerful vortex that promotes thorough vertical mixing throughout the entire tank volume.
The impeller’s curved vanes, modeled after bisected pipe cross-sections, maximize lifting and suspension forces with minimal energy use. This configuration significantly improves sludge uniformity and reduces power requirements.
PERFORMANCE RESULTS
Since installation, the HPCDs have delivered measurable improvements in sludge uniformity and operational stability. When the HPCD mixers were in operation, the centrifuge feed sludge TSS remained consistently stable in the range of 4.0% to 6.5%, demonstrating a strong correlation with the fermented
When the HPCD mixers were in operation, the centrifuge feed sludge TSS remained consistently stable in the range of 4.0% to 6.5%.
sludge concentration.
With the mixers off for two months, sludge solids increased sharply (>11.5%) due to solids settling. Scum buildup also returned during mixer shutdown, preventing mixer restart due to crust for-
mation. Once restarted, the HPCDs again prevented scum accumulation and restored uniform mixing.
CONCLUSIONS
HPCD technology has been successfully implemented at numerous water and wastewater treatment facilities, both as a replacement for underperforming mixing systems and as part of new installations. Its performance has consistently demonstrated improved mixing outcomes while delivering substantial cost savings across capital, operation and maintenance. The adoption of HPCD has enhanced the overall efficiency of associated process units, resulting in rapid payback periods and sustained operational benefits.
Li Wang is with AP Mixing Ltd. Email: li.wang@apmixing.com. Greg Jackson (greg@acg-envirocan.ca); Dale Jackson (dale@acg-envirocan.ca) and Mike Nelson (mike@acg-envirocan.ca) are with ACG-Envirocan, which represents AP Mixing Ltd.
Droplet templating unlocks ‘programmable’ aerogels for wastewater treatment and carbon capture
By ES&E Staff
Researchers led by a team at the University of Waterloo say that a technique known as droplet templating could allow for applications in wastewater treatment by filling aqueous-based droplets with specific nanomaterials to create stable, hybrid aerogels.
Dr. Milad Kamkar, a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering, says that droplet templating could allow aerogel beads to be loaded with different nanoparticles, each targeting specific contaminants, strategically packed in a column to optimize treatment as wastewater flows through it.
“Researchers can now control not only the composition but also where each droplet is arranged within a liquid, essentially making the droplets and the resulting soft materials and aerogels programmable,” Kamkar said in a statement from the University of Waterloo.
A paper on the work, “Droplet-templating soft materials into structured bead-
based aerogels with compartmentalized or welded configurations“, appeared in Material Horizons earlier in 2025. Kamkar and the Waterloo team collaborated on the project with researchers at the University of British Columbia and Drexel University in Philadelphia. The paper states that by utilizing “a simple one-step freeze-drying” of soft materials, aerogels with any specific composition can be achieved.
The technique allows researchers to create tiny droplets of one liquid inside another liquid without mixing the two together. Scientists are now able to control the precise location of components and nanomaterials, Kamkar added.
In the fight against climate change, droplet templating would also allow for aerogel beads to be infused with metal-organic frameworks and other functional materials to capture carbon dioxide from the air for potential applications involving sensors, electronics and the aerospace industry.
Another potential use case for drop-
let templating is to shield against electromagnetic waves, which can interfere with sensitive equipment. Aerogel beads filled with magnetic and conductive nanomaterials could be strategically placed in buildings like hospitals to protect patients and equipment from electromagnetic interference.
“In the modern world, we’re constantly surrounded by electromagnetic waves from electronics such as cell phones, laptops and Wi-Fi, which can negatively affect the performance of sensitive equipment,” Kamkar said.
The Town of Carleton Place, just west of Ottawa, has awarded the largest set of water and wastewater infrastructure projects in its history, after council recently approved $145.8 million to expand its primary facilities.
The upgrades, which have been in the planning stages since 2021, will see Carleton Place use Veolia to supply membrane bioreactor technology as the town of 13,000 works to accommodate future growth and improve overall capacity.
Engineering firm Stantec has been leading the detailed design and tendering work since May 2023, in collaboration with local officials and the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), according to a committee report.
Following a 12-week tendering period, Carleton Place received three bids from pre-qualified contractors. ASCO Construction Ltd. submitted the lowest compliant bid at $123.5 million. ASCO’s proposal includes a team of subcontractors
In
such as Thomas Cavanagh Construction (civil and blasting work), Black & McDonald Ltd. (process mechanical, building mechanical, and instrumentation), and Rosa Formwork Ltd. (concrete).
Work on the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is expected to continue until at least September 2027, while the water treatment plant (WTP) expansion is scheduled for completion by January 2028.
While the original cost estimates were $73 million for the WWTP and $40 million for the WTP, the final project budget totals approximately $145.9 million. This includes construction costs, contract administration, permitting, utilities, and a $10-million contingency fund to account for change orders and unforeseen conditions, the committee report states.
Stantec, already engaged for the earlier planning phases, is expected to continue providing contract administration and inspection services throughout the construction period. These services are budgeted based on a timeline to the end of 2028, but will cost less if the project is completed sooner.
In anticipation of U.S. tariffs, general contractors were asked to estimate the value of U.S.-sourced components (approximately $14 million), but were instructed not to inflate bids to account for tariff uncertainties. As a result, any future tariff increases will be a financial risk carried by the town.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Carleton Place had a population of 12,517. Credit: P199, Wikimedia Commons
Ontario proposes new flexibility for its emissions performance standards program
By ES&E Staff
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is proposing two amendments to the province’s Emissions Performance Standards (EPS) program that aim to provide greater flexibility for businesses and strengthen emissions oversight in key industrial sectors.
These proposed changes include allowing voluntary participants in the EPS program more options for exiting, as well as expanding the list of industries required to participate in the program to include additional manufacturers of petroleum-based products, such as lubricants, coke and oils.
The EPS program is supported by Ontario’s GHG reporting program, which provides the required verified emissions, production and emissions limit data for all registrants. These are needed to determine either a facility’s compliance obligation, or the number of emissions performance units (EPUs) it is eligible to receive for emitting less than its emissions limit.
Mandatory participants are facilities with annual emissions over 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in any year, since 2014, that are engaged in an industrial activity in items 1-38 of Schedule 2 of the EPS regulation.
Currently, facilities that voluntarily join the EPS program can only leave if they either shut down, or reduce annual emissions to below 10,000 tonnes of CO2e for three consecutive years. Under the proposed amendment, any facility that qualifies as a voluntary participant at the time of its request would be allowed to exit the program.
Exiting facilities would still have compliance obligations for emissions generated up to the effective date of their exit and would not be eligible to rejoin the program for five years, unless they meet mandatory participation thresholds, the ministry stated on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.
The ministry says the change is intended to give businesses more flexibility in light of the federal government’s decision to set the federal fuel charge to zero starting April 1. Exiting facilities may also still sell any remaining EPUs.
The second proposed amendment would require facilities engaged in petroleum and coal product manufacturing to register as mandatory participants if their annual emissions are 50,000 tonnes CO2e or higher. Currently, these facilities can participate voluntarily.
The province aims to “level the playing field” by ensuring manufacturers of petroleum-based products with significant greenhouse gas emissions, such as lubricants, oils, and coke, are subject to the same requirements as other major emitters.
“All known petroleum refineries and petrochemical man-
Ontario’s EPS program is designed to encourage emissions reductions in the industrial sector while minimizing competitiveness impacts and the risk of production shifting to jurisdictions with weaker climate policies.
Credit: Michael Connor Photo, stock.adobe.com
ufacturers with annual emissions over 100,000 tonnes CO2e are already mandatory participants in the EPS program,” the ministry noted, adding that the change will ensure additional high-emitting manufacturers are also covered.
According to the ministry, smaller facilities such as voluntary participants, accounted for about 7% of the emissions covered under the EPS program in 2023. As a result, the proposed changes are not expected to significantly impact Ontario’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, but could reduce compliance costs for facilities that choose to exit.
Ontario’s EPS program, established under Ontario Regulation 241/19, is designed to encourage emissions reductions in the industrial sector while minimizing competitiveness impacts and the risk of production shifting to jurisdictions with weaker climate policies. It is supported by the province’s greenhouse gas reporting program, which provides verified data used to determine compliance obligations or credits for facilities.
The proposed amendments also align with recent federal changes under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, which include setting the federal fuel charge to zero and adjusting compliance periods for certain facilities.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
with CropMarks-CWWA-NWWC Ad-7x4.875.pdf 1 2025-07-02 11:14 AM
Credit: JJ Gouin, stock.adobe.com
of the 20th century.
Ontario’s ghost wells: Why
Wheatley’s explosion should still keep us up at night
By Todd Parker
On a warm evening this past June, firefighters again cleared part of downtown Wheatley, Ontario, after a hydrogen sulfide gas leak was discovered. This leak is the same gas that was responsible for Wheatley’s 2021 explosion that levelled a local pub on Erie Street North.
Most Ontarians have already forgotten about Wheatley’s explosion. But for residents, the memory is fresh, with storefronts boarded up, families displaced for months, and a lost sense of safety. And although Wheatley has been at the receiving end of the consequences of legacy wells, the town is not alone.
Ontario’s public database lists about
27,000 oil and gas wells, but that figure excludes wells that were drilled before reporting was made mandatory around the turn of the 20th century. Early drillers often back-filled the wells with mud and walked away, leaving them improperly sealed. To make matters worse, the locations of many reported wells are vague, making it difficult to locate them precisely.
“When you pull data from an old well, there’s often a tolerance of 50, 100 or even 1,000 metres of uncertainty on the exact location of the well. It’s so uncertain that it’s almost meaningless data,” says Adam Derry, director of engineering at 360 Engineering & Environmental Consultants (360 EEC), the company that conducted the cleanup of the Wheatley explosion.
A SITE THAT COULD BLOW UP AGAIN
address further risks in the event that other wellheads or harmful substances were discovered during the demolition. Geochemical samples already hinted at a second gas source within metres of the destroyed pub.
At the start of their work, there was no evidence that the well responsible for the leak had been adequately plugged, meaning it could still be buried below a foundation. Before removing the basements and foundations, the team had to assume a worst-case scenario. This would be uncovering a live conduit that would likely vent both methane and hydrogen sulfide gas. The latter becomes dangerous to human health at 10 parts per million (ppm) and can be fatal above 100 ppm.
As part of their execution strategy, 360 EEC developed an emergency response plan that included detailed emissions modelling and plume dispersion calculations to predict how gas would travel in the event of a release, factoring in local wind patterns and topography. Based on these models, they established tiered emergency planning zones to guide evacuation protocols and safety measures.
“We created a plan on how to re-enter the well and what remediation steps would need to be taken,” explained Derry. “We would re-enter the well, go to the bottom of it and install new casing and cement it in place.”
As crews began removing debris and soil, every layer of ground was methodically tested. The team used a laser spectrometry tool designed specifically to detect methane, rather than broader volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can trigger false alarms. When methane was detected, they immediately followed up with hydrogen sulfide testing, which was crucial given how toxic even small concentrations can be.
To expand their view beyond the immediate site, the team conducted a drone-based methane scan of the entire town. This provided a baseline snapshot of existing methane emissions before any digging occurred. If sealing the well forced gas to migrate and emerge elsewhere, as has happened in similar cases, the team could fly the same pattern
After the 2021 explosion, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent hired 360 EEC to demolish the damaged block and continued overleaf…
Ontario’s public database lists about 27,000 oil and gas wells, but that figure excludes wells that were drilled before reporting was made mandatory around the turn
November 19 – 20, 2025
Holiday Inn & Suites Calgary South Conference Centre, Calgary, AB
“CANECT offers real-world lessons that will help you understand Canadian environmental regulations.”
— ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER, ROCKWOOL
Introducing the CANECT West Environmental Compliance and Due Diligence Training Event
We’re excited to announce that the Western Canada edition of the CANECT Environmental Compliance and Due Diligence Training Event will take place November 19 – 20, 2025, in Calgary.
For over 30 years, CANECT has been Canada’s leading training event for environmental compliance and due diligence. Now we are expanding west to bring the same expert-led training and networking opportunities closer to you.
again and measure any changes, helping identify new emission points before they posed a danger.
They also turned to more advanced lab work. Gas samples collected during excavation were sent to a specialist at the University of Windsor, who used isotope fingerprinting to determine the origin of the gas, helping the team identify whether the risk was ongoing.
Planning for invisible dangers, measuring gas in real time, tracking its movements above and below ground made the difference between a controlled cleanup and another disaster.
WHY YOU MAY NEVER SEE THE WARNING SIGNS
Many Ontarians are unfamiliar with the classic giveaways of old gas wells.
Atlantic Canada Water & Wastewater Conference 2025
The ACWWA Annual Conference is held annually to bring together professionals in the water and wastewater industry.
OCTOBER 5 - 7
ST. JOHN’S CONVENTION CENTER
ST. JOHN’S NL
These include rotten egg odours, longdead vegetation, an unexplained ground depression that never fills, or oily sheens in puddles. While these warning signs are useful, they are unreliable. Gas can migrate sideways through buried manmade or naturally occurring features and appear blocks away from the wellhead. Also, the absence of these signs doesn’t mean there won’t be a problem in the future.
Under current Ontario regulations, the liability follows the land title. Current owners are responsible for abandoned wells on their property, while oil and gas operators, most of whom are no longer in business and sold the land decades ago, have no residual obligation. Municipalities bear the same burden under roads and parks. First responders, meanwhile, may find themselves dealing with an incident most have never trained for.
GETTING AHEAD OF THE NEXT WHEATLEY
Getting ahead of this issue is much easier before an explosion. But this is a challenge when the data across Ontario is so unreliable. If a well on a property is suspected of posing a risk, the first step is to get gas samples collected and analyzed to help determine whether the gas is thermogenic (from deep underground, with a distinct chemical signature) or biogenic (produced by bacteria near the surface). Identifying the gas type can help locate the source and assess the level of risk.
As Wheatley gears up for restoration of its downtown core, the bigger question is how many other Ontarian towns sit atop the same hidden risks? The technology exists to retire these ghost wells for good. But what’s needed is a province-wide push to find them before they remind us, explosively, where they are.
The conference provides a platform for learning about the latest technologies, industry developments, and best practices, as well as networking opportunities and social events.
For more information please visit www.acwwa.ca
Until then, the lesson is simple: if your property history is murky and your basement smells vaguely of rotten eggs, assume nothing and test everything, before the sirens start again.
Todd Parker is chief operating officer at 360 Engineering & Environmental Consultants. For more information, visit www.360eec.com
Protecting groundwater in the Kootenays with centralized modern data management
By Erik Larsen
Nestled in the heart of British Columbia’s Kootenays, the Columbia River Basin is home to a labyrinth of aquifers formed by ancient glaciers. Here, Living Lakes Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to water science and stewardship, is leading an innovative groundwater monitoring program to safeguard the region’s vital underground water supplies.
Over countless millennia, geological processes have sculpted this mountainous landscape, giving rise to hundreds of small aquifers, some of which are interlinked and others that feed directly into surface waters. These water sources are essential for local ecosystems and communities alike. The area’s geology is a patchwork of ancient metamorphic rocks and younger sedimentary layers, presenting unique challenges for effective water management and monitoring.
Many residents rely on groundwater as their primary potable water source, making effective monitoring not just beneficial but essential. Before Living Lakes’ program, groundwater monitoring in the region was fragmented at best. The province monitors several wells in the Columbia River Basin as part of the Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network, but these do not cover the full range of aquifer types and climatic conditions that exist across the region. There are isolated monitoring efforts by various consultants working on different projects, but these data are generally not publicly accessible for collaborative analysis and are typically collected over short time periods.
FROM PRIVATE WELLS TO REGIONAL COVERAGE
Carol Luttmer, an environmental consultant with Living Lakes, heads up the groundwater monitoring program in the Columbia Basin. With limited program funds, the cost of drilling wells, which can range from $20,000 to $50,000 or higher per well, was prohibitive, so Living Lakes turned to the community to find existing wells.
“We focused on finding well owners that were not extracting water,” she explains. This approach allows her team to deploy instrumentation into the well to track water level changes throughout the year, capturing both seasonal variations and long-term trends.
The strategy for the monitoring program was to seek community engagement at all levels. The provincial government completed a review of its Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network in 2009 that identified priority aquifers for monitoring. Living Lakes began its search for wells to monitor in those aquifers, but they didn’t stop there.
“We had the list of priority aquifers from the province, but we were also responding to concerns from First Nations, community members and local governments who wanted to see monitoring in areas important to them,” Luttmer recounts.
Through an extensive outreach campaign utilizing local newspapers and community newsletters, and attending community events, Living Lakes recruited well owners to participate in the monitoring network. Today, the program has an impressive coalition of partners across B.C.’s Columbia River Basin, including local governments, municipalities, water supply system operators, First Nations communities, the Nature Trust of BC, and private landowners. This diverse network of 32 active monitoring wells provides valuable insight into the region’s groundwater dynamics.
The program has found a way to fill in data gaps.
“Some municipalities or organizations hire consultants to do
Living Lakes water monitoring coordinator Braeden Toikka and environmental consultant Carol Luttmer taking groundwater level measurement in the field.
groundwater studies for a year or two and will put data loggers in to take water level measurements, but they may not have the capacity to keep going with data collection over the long term,” Luttmer notes. “We can step in to continue long-term monitoring that provides multi-year publicly available data sets.”
Living Lakes’ intervention provides continuity in data collection, building valuable historical datasets that are crucial for understanding long-term trends in groundwater availability.
CREATING A POWERFUL CENTRALIZED DATA PLATFORM
At the heart of this groundwater program is modern data management software. Through a sponsorship, Living Lakes gained access to the Aquarius platform by Aquatic Informatics allowing them to effectively manage and publish its water information. This sponsorship aligns Living Lakes with other provincial networks that also use the software, to provide seamless data integration across different monitoring programs and enabling data sharing and analysis of groundwater trends.
The groundwater program tracks hourly groundwater levels in the volunteer observation wells. In collaboration with the well owners, five dedicated technicians conduct three field visits at pivotal times of the year: spring (snow melt), midsummer (drought levels), and fall (heavy rains).
Field technicians download the hourly water level data and utilize ArcGIS’s Survey123 for meta-data collection, enabling efficient bulk uploads of field visit information into Aquarius. Some well owners contribute monthly data downloads, providing regular data updates and streamlining the review process.
Braeden Toikka, water monitoring coordinator with Living Lakes, spends most of his time collecting hydrometric data and overseeing volunteer observation wells. He has had a positive experience with the software: “Unlike custom-coding software or Excel, working with the data in Aquarius is intuitive; there’s not a steep learning curve.”
In some cases, Living Lakes can get the water level data directly from the sensors using the manufacturer’s software or have Aquarius calculate pressure to water level within the program.
“It’s nice to have that flexibility to process data using external software or within Aquarius. Loggers aren’t always perfect, so being able to include all the raw data and go back and regenerate the level data from first principles is helpful for troubleshooting,” adds Toikka.
STREAMLINING DATA QUALITY
Quality assurance is paramount in groundwater monitoring and for the program’s future. The software’s comprehensive suite of tools for error detection, data review and corrections, flagging, and grading reduces tedious manual processes while ensuring data integrity.
For the program to prove its worth and find additional funding to add more wells and capabilities, it’s vital to demonstrate that the data is quality assured. One of the tools Luttmer likes is data grading, saying, “The way it manages the data is great. You can confidently make corrections while the raw data remains in the background, so it’s easy to go back to the raw data at any point if you need to.”
“During this process, the team can make notes to give back-
College of the Rockies students taking water level measurements.
ground on the rationale for corrections or note any special circumstances, like equipment failures. The software makes it easy to demonstrate quality data thanks to this grading tool,” said Luttmer.
The impact of this program is far-reaching. Sharing its quality-assured data through the Living Lakes Columbia Basin Water Hub, makes it accessible to the general public in easy to interpret graphs. Data are also being shared with the provincial government’s real-time water data tool, which is typically where researchers, academics, governments, and consultants go to look for data. Consolidating water data sources is key.
As many government and private water organizations across Canada, including the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks and the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship use Aquarius, it makes it much easier to share and extrapolate data from each other.
While the focus right now is water quantity, the software is also well suited for tracking water quality if that ever becomes of interest. Over time, Luttmer hopes also to pull in climate data, to compare groundwater data with climate conditions.
The Living Lakes groundwater program is part of the broader Columbia Basin Water Monitoring Framework, which is also collecting surface water and climate data. These data are managed in the same Aquarius database, providing tremendous benefits for analyzing the relationships among surface water, groundwater, and climate once longer data sets are collected.
FUNDING GOES FURTHER WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION
Living Lakes is dependent on grants from the government, as well as private donations and foundations. The program is currently unable to expand by adding more wells until it secures more funding.
“This region has complicated geology and climate conditions, so we’d like to monitor as much as we can and provide this information to local people impacted by the availability of groundwater,” said Luttmer. “Now that we have a solid protocol for monitoring and managing data in Aquarius, we can share our data easily and expand efficiently when funding is secured. Additional funding will go further, as we can easily add more wells and additional layers of data,” said Luttmer.
There are 144 mapped aquifers in the region, and there are many wells in areas where aquifers have not yet been mapped, so the program is doing a prioritization study to identify vulnerable aquifers and expand most effectively.
As climate change impacts water resources around the world, the value of the Living Lakes’ water monitoring work becomes increasingly evident to the Columbia Basin and surrounding regions. The objective of the monitoring is to track these changes and support informed water management and stewardship.
“Sharing our data with partners will help to keep our communities safe and sustainable through research, community planning, and decision-making around climate change and freshwater needs,” Luttmer concludes, pointing to a future where data-driven decisions help preserve the region’s water.
Erik Larsen is with Vancouver-based Aquatic Informatics. For more information, visit www.aquaticinformatics.com
Quebec report says U.S. climate policies will impact its GHG targets
By ES&E Staff
The U.S. has created a politically challenging environment for climate action, the Quebec government says in a new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report, where it estimates that it is now on a path to achieve just 65% of its 2030 target.
In Quebec’s 2025-2030 Green Economy report, it points to a series of factors, including the U.S. trade dispute, which will have a “deep and permanent impact in Quebec”, including a “slowdown in decarbonization” investments, according to the province’s Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.
The report says that the break in U.S. climate change policies will likely lead to a slowdown in investment in the development of emission reduction technologies, which could contribute to higher climate transition costs.
Quebec set a 37.5% GHG reduction target by 2030 in relation to the 1990 level, a drop of about 30 million tonnes from projected emissions in the absence of climate policies.
“Quebec is facing significant economic
and political uncertainty, particularly in the wake of the new U.S. administration, an uncertainty that will influence changes in the economy and GHG emissions over the next few years,” the June 2025 report states.
Another challenging factor is the abolition of the federal carbon tax, the report says, making Quebec the only Canadian province to charge for household and small and medium-sized businesses GHG emissions through its carbon market.
The report adds, however, that Quebec still considers itself ahead of a number of jurisdictions with regard to decarbonization, primarily due to its production of electricity from renewable sources. It also says there was a record number of electric-vehicle sales in Quebec in 2024, with more than 125,000 new registrations.
The 2025-2030 implementation plan also notably includes a tightening of the regulation on methane reclamation and destruction at engineered landfills.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
The report says that the break in U.S. climate change policies will likely lead to a slowdown in investment in the development of emission reduction technologies. Credit: Oleksii, stock.adobe.com
Moving the dial back 60 years in Ontario: The case for wetlands and sufficient buffers
By Jack Imhof
As an ecologist and watershed scientist with over 45 years of experience, I have deep concerns about the reduction of environmental standards now updated in the Ontario Provincial Policy Statements. Case in point is the reduction of buffer width around specific wetlands, such as Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSWs), from 120 metres to 30 metres. These include forested wetlands (called swamps), marshes, fens, bogs and thicket wetlands. Other wetlands do not have PSW status, but they too provide important functions and benefits.
Two major questions come to mind:
• What happened to the 40 – 60 years of research that identified the need to set a default of 120 metres as an important buffer for wetlands?
• Why was 120 metres set in the first place, given decades of publicly funded research?
The answer to the first question is that the current provincial government wants more housing and their policy folks think that reducing wetland buffers will provide more development opportunities. This is despite the fact that professionals and scientists over the last 40 years determined that 120 metres was a reasonable starting point to protect wetlands and people.
The reason for the 120-metre buffer is to capture all or most of the various pathways, functions and processes that maintain wetlands and their ecosystems, including plants and animals, and provide maximum benefits to us. These include:
• Flood attenuation
• Water filtration and water quality improvement through capture and transformation of surplus nutrients and contaminants within the wetland and their buffers
• Protection of the terrestrial parts of wetlands that also protect the active wetland and its biodiversity
• Protection of the groundwater discharge or recharge zones associated with the wetland (often found around the margins/ buffers of wetlands)
• Protection of built infrastructure that could be damaged by the annual and seasonal expansion and contraction of wetlands (based on weather and time of year)
• Many other functions related to biodiversity, soil ecology, rare plant life, aquatic life, waterfowl, shore bird habitat, amphibian habitat, etc.
To understand why a wider buffer is recommended to capture the above functions and processes, one has to ask, where does the water come from that maintains and is held by the wetland? This is an important question to ask, if we wish to maintain wetlands and all (and more) of the above listed functions and processes.
Many wetlands fill in the spring after snowmelt and rainfall. Others are maintained by surface flows and groundwater discharges from the surrounding landscape year-round.
Wetlands expand in the spring and then may contract somewhat during the rest of the year as water drains, evaporates or is recharged. If they persist yearround, it is due to water coming in, over or through the surrounding landscapes, as groundwater. Therefore, the reason for the larger buffer is, in part, to maintain this delivery of water and its associated functions and benefits.
In ecology we define a system by its composition (the pieces that make it up), its structure (how those pieces are put together on and in the landscape) and their functions (how the pieces interact with the other pieces and with water and soil).
Back in the early 1980s and 1990s we simply identified a wetland, put a fence around it and said it was protected. We then developed the land around it, created impervious surfaces and then built stormwater management systems to capture the runoff water from the developed land and send it somewhere else, bypassing the fenced-off wetland.
This often killed the wetlands by depriving them of the water that they needed to maintain themselves. By fenc-
Wetlands do not stop at the terrestrial vegetation, but their interconnectedness extends under the margin and is influenced by the shallow water table under the margin to capture and transform nutrients and to maintain the terrestrial vegetation critical to biodiversity.
ing off the wetlands, we were basically creating a wetland corpse. It had structure, and composition, but we eliminated critical functions and pathways that maintained it.
Some may think that the 120-metre buffer was simply to protect the wetland for the wetland’s sake. But this is not the case. The 120-metre buffer was the best “number” to protect all the functions above, but especially two of them. These are flood attenuation and water quality improvements.
These two things affect us and our communities. Wetlands play a critical role in the storage of water during snowmelt and heavy rainfall events. They are considered part of “depression storage” that captures surplus water, cleans it, and releases it gradually over a long period of time, rather than adding to flood volumes and severity.
Loss or reduction in their buffers, which allow for expansion and contraction to store water and nutrients, will cumulatively increase flood risk, prop-
erty damage, and degrade more rivers, streams and lakes. With higher climate variability, these functions are more important than ever to protect us and maintain healthy, resilient watersheds.
I would urge municipalities to consider all these factors and to realize that the new 30-metre buffers will not, in most instances, protect the community or the wetland and surrounding environment over the longer term.
We need to maintain and apply our understanding, which is derived from 40 years of research, and go beyond this new minimum. Municipalities should use the 120-metre wetland buffer as the default to ensure this protection, unless overwhelming evidence through an environmental impact statement or scientific study can be provided to reduce this number and still protect these critical functions.
The application of sound environmental management promotes the “precautionary principle”, a risk management strategy that emphasizes preventative
measures when there is a potential for serious or irreversible harm, even if scientific evidence is not fully conclusive.
This suggests that we, as resource managers, default to higher levels of protection in order not to miss important protections that are critical to natural systems and to the well-being of ourselves and our communities.
If we wish to have sound land development and a sustainable natural environment, using the long established 120metre buffer around specific wetlands as a default is critical.
Jack Imhof retired in 2017 as the National Biologist and Director of Conservation Ecology for Trout Unlimited Canada (TUC), now Freshwater Conservation Canada. Prior to that, he was with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Email: jackthetrout@gmail.com
Concerns raised over Great Lakes chemical designations for sulphates and radionuclides
By ES&E Staff
The Great Lakes Executive Committee (GLEC) has determined that sulphates do not meet the criteria to be designated as a Chemical of Mutual Concern (CMC) under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The designation is a necessary step before developing binational action plans to address chemical threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Sulphates were nominated for CMC designation following concerns raised by the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), which highlighted the chemical’s role in transforming mercury into methylmercury — its most toxic form. GLIFWC also emphasized the harm sulphates cause to wild rice, a plant of deep cultural and nutritional significance to Indigenous communities in the region.
Sulphate occurs naturally in numerous minerals, but can
2025 WATER WEEK 2025 WATER WEEK CONFERENCE CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 28 - 31, 2025 OCTOBER 28 - 31, 2025
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL D OUBLETREE BY HILTON WEST EDMONTON, AB WEST EDMONTON, AB
Connect with fellow operators and industry professionals for educational and networking opportunities in Alberta’s capital city.
Community and environmental groups across the Great Lakes basin are preparing formal responses to the proposed recommendations on sulphates and radionuclides.
Credit: robertbiedermann, stock.adobe.com
also be discharged into an aquatic environment from wastes in industries that use sulphates and sulphuric acid, such as mining and smelting operations, kraft pulp and paper mills, textile mills and tanneries. According to Health Canada, distillation systems for sulphate and chloride removal must be capable of reducing an average influent concentration of 800 mg/L to a maximum concentration of 250 mg/L.
In a related development, the Canadian and U.S. co-leads of the Annex 3 Extended Subcommittee on CMCs have recommended that radionuclides also not be designated as a candidate CMC. GLEC is expected to make a final decision on that recommendation by the end of 2025.
Radionuclides were first nominated in 2016 by more than 100 non-governmental organizations and again in 2022, including a renewed call from GLIFWC. Community and environmental groups across the Great Lakes basin are preparing formal responses to the proposed recommendation.
Environmental advocates, including the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) and the Great Lakes Ecoregion Network, have voiced concerns about both the recent decisions and the broader criteria framework used to evaluate CMC nominations. They argue that the current approach may fall short in addressing harmful chemicals that threaten Great Lakes health and the communities that rely on them.
“In assessing whether a substance should be a CMC in the great lakes, it is not good enough to say that currently it isn’t a problem or is only a limited problem,” CELA stated in a January 2025 letter to the GLEC. “Instead, if there are indicators of problems and potential problems, we should list it as a CMC so that we commit to monitor it and [understand] whether its use is increasing, etc., and take preventive measures to avoid creating a worsening situation.”
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
ES&E ANNUAL GUIDE TO:
ASSOCIATIONS
ABORIGINAL WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO
PO Box 20001, Riverview Postal Outlet, Dryden ON P8N 0A1
Sara Campbell info@awwao.org
T: 807-216-8085
www.awwao.org
The Aboriginal Water and Wastewater Association of Ontario’s (AWWAO) goal is to attain assurance that First Nations water and wastewater treatment plant operators are confident, efficient and effective in managing the purification of the water and the treatment of wastewater in their community.
The Alberta Water and Wastewater Operators Association is a member-run source for expert information and training designed for Alberta’s 2,700 utility system operators. AWWOA is dedicated to providing the essentials in
education, networking, promotion and ongoing support that operators need to proudly supply Alberta communities with safe drinking water and a protected environment.
AMERICAN CONCRETE PIPE ASSOCIATION
340-5605 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038
Steve Hawkins shawkins@concretepipe.org T: 972-506-7216 www.concretepipe.org
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
Fl23-120 Wall St, New York, NY 10005-4020
T: 203-702-7660
www.aiche.org
AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION
1400-1200 Main St, Kansas City, MO 64105
Scott Grayson sgrayson@apwa.net
T: 816-472-6100 www.apwa.net
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
1801 Alexander Bell Dr, Reston, VA 20191
T: 703-295-6300 www.asce.org
AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION
6666 W Quincy Ave, Denver, CO 80235
T: 303-794-7711
www.awwa.org
The American Water Works Association is an international, nonprofit, scientific and educational society dedicated to providing total water solutions assuring the effective management of water. Founded in 1881, the Association is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world.
ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSORS OF CANADA INC. PO Box 8551, Revelstoke, BC V0E 2S2 info@aesac.ca T: 877-512-3722 www.aesac.ca
ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES CANADA PO Box 4369 Stn E, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B3 John Gamble jgamble@acec.ca T: 613-236-0569 www.acec.ca
ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES – ONTARIO 501-77 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, ON L5B 1M5 T: 416-620-1400 www.acecontario.ca
ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES OF ONTARIO 800-155 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5H 3B7 Brian Rosborough brosborough@amo.on.ca T: 416-971-9856 Ext. 362 www.amo.on.ca
ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO LAND SURVEYORS 1043 McNicoll Ave, Toronto, ON M1W 3W6 Alnashir Jeraj T: 416-491-9020 www.aols.org
ASSOCIATION OF POWER PRODUCERS OF ONTARIO PO Box 756, Toronto, ON M5C 2K1
David Butters david.butters@appro.org T: 416-322-6549 www.appro.org
ATLANTIC CANADA WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION (ACWWA) PO Box 28141, Dartmouth, NS B2W 6E2 Clara Shea contact@acwwa.ca T: 902-434-6002 www.acwwa.ca
ACWWA is a section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and a Member Association of Water Environment Federation (WEF). With more than 500 water and wastewater professionals from Atlantic Canada, the ACWWA provides training and information that keeps members current in the rapidly advancing water and wastewater profession.
AUDITING ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 6 Wigston Private, Ottawa, ON L1Y 1K9 admin@auditingcanada.com T: 866-582-9595 www.auditingcanada.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION info@bceia.com www.bceia.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION 6500 Beechwood Place, Sooke, BC V9Z 0Y7 James Spankie general-manager@bcgwa.org T: 604-362-5132 www.bcgwa.org
BRITISH COLUMBIA WATER & WASTE ASSOCIATION 215-4259 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC V5G 1H1 Lee Coonfer lcoonfer@bcwwa.org T: 604-433-4389 www.bcwwa.org
The BC Water & Waste Association is a not-for-profit organization that represents around 4,000 water professionals. The Association delivers professional development, certification, and advocacy programs and services to ensure that our water systems continue to protect public health and the environment.
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ACCREDITATION INC.
102-2934 Baseline Rd, Ottawa, ON K2H 1B2
Kevin McKinley kmckinley@cala.ca
www.cala.ca
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCERS
421 7 Ave SW #2800 Calgary, AB T2P 4K9
Lisa Baiton
T: 403-267-1100
www.capp.ca
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF RECYCLING INDUSTRIES
1101 Upper Middle Rd E, Unit C3 Oakville, ON L6H 5Z9
The CBN has developed strategic alliances with environmental industry associations and organizations across Canada that have a vested interest in brownfields redevelopment, in order to create a truly national Canadian network.
CANADIAN CENTRE FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY
135 Hunter St E, Hamilton, ON L8N 1M5
Anne Tennier
T: 905-572-2981
www.ccohs.ca
CANADIAN CONCRETE PIPE & PRECAST ASSOCIATION
1575 John Counter Blvd, Kingston, ON K7M 3L5 admin@ccppa.ca
T: 519-489-4488
www.ccppa.ca
CANADIAN COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT LABORATORIES (CCIL)
PO Box 41027, Ottawa, ON K1G 5K9 Alnor Nathoo anathoo@ccil.com
T: 613-746-3919 www.ccil.com
CANADIAN NETWORK OF ASSET MANAGERS
705-1 Eglinton Ave E, Toronto, ON M4P 3A1 Nzinga White execdir@cnam.ca T: 416-335-0171 www.cnam.ca
9211 116th St NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9 cuiic@ualberta.ca www.cuiic.ca
CANADIAN WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION
11-1010 Polytek St, Ottawa, ON K1J 9H9
Robert Haller rhaller@cwwa.ca T: 613-747-0524 www.cwwa.ca
CWWA is a non-profit national body representing the common interests of Canada’s public sector municipal water and wastewater services and their private sector suppliers and partners. CWWA is recognized by the federal government and national bodies as the national voice of this public service sector.
CANADIAN WATER NETWORK 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
CANADIAN WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION 4-180 Northfield Dr W, Waterloo, ON N2L 0C7 info@cwqa.com T: 416-695-3068 www.cwqa.com
CANADIAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION PO Box 31008 Toronto RPO College Square, ON M6G 4A7
Meg Olson executivedirector@cwra.org T: 613-237-9363 Ext. 1 www.cwra.org
CANADIAN WOOD WASTE RECYCLING BUSINESS GROUP Jim Donaldson jdonaldson@ cdnwoodwasterecycling.ca T: 780-239-5445 www.cdnwoodwasterecycling.ca
CEMENT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 1105-350 Sparks St, Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8
Adam Auer info@cement.ca T: 613-236-9471 Ext. 3 www.cement.ca
CHEMISTRY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 1240-45 O’Connor St, Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 Greg Moffatt gmoffatt@canadianchemistry.ca T: 613-237-6215 www.canadianchemistry.ca
COMPOST COUNCIL OF CANADA 16 Northumberland St, Toronto, ON M6H 1P7 info@compost.org T: 416-535-0240 www.compost.org
COPPER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INC. 1660 International Dr, Ste 600 McLean, VA 22102
Adam Estelle adam.estelle@copperalliance.us T: 416-391-5599 www.copper.org
CORRUGATED STEEL PIPE INSTITUTE PO Box 20104, Kitchener, ON N2P 1B4 Ray Wilcock rjwilcock@cspi.ca T: 519-650-8080 www.cspi.ca
CSA GROUP www.csagroup.org
DUCTILE IRON PIPE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
PO Box 19306, Birmingham, AL 35219
David Cole dcole@dipra.org T: 205-402-8700 www.dipra.org
ECO CANADA 400-105 12th Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 1A1 info@eco.ca T: 403-233-0748 www.eco.ca
ECONEXT: ACCELERATING CLEAN GROWTH IN NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR Suite 200 – 235 Water St, St. John’s, NL A1C 1B6
Colin Heffernan, Manager, Industry and Community Engagement heffernan@econext.ca www.econext.ca
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA 102-2528 Ellwood Dr SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0A9 Erin Ciezki info@esaa.org
T: 780-429-6363 Ext. 223 www.esaa.org
The Environmental Services Association of Alberta (ESAA) was established in 1987, and with over two hundred member organizations it has grown to become one of Canada’s leading environment industry associations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION MARITIMES
Penny Allen contact@esamaritimes.ca www.esamaritimes.ca
GEORGIAN BAY ASSOCIATION 138 Hopedale Ave, Toronto, ON, M4K 3M7 Rupert Kindersley rkindersley@georgianbay.ca T: 416-985-7378 www.georgianbay.ca
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ONTARIO COALITION
Jennifer Court jcourt@greeninfrastructureontario.org www.greeninfrastructureontario.org
INTERNATIONAL OZONE ASSOCIATION 1521 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814 support@ioa-pag.org T: 916-441-0629 www.ioa-pag.org
Box 1600, Portage La Prairie, MB R1N 3P1 office@mwwa.net
T: 866-396-2549
www.mwwa.net
The association is dedicated to environmental stewardship, protection of public health and advancement of water and wastewater professionals through training and educational opportunities.
MARITIME PROVINCES WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION
PO Box 28142, Dartmouth, NS B2W 6E2
Clara Shea contact@mpwwa.ca
T: 902-434-8874
www.mpwwa.ca
MUNICIPAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION
22-1525 Cornwall Rd, Oakville, ON L6J 0B2
Dan Cozzi
dan.cozzi@municipalengineers.on.ca
T: 289-291-6472
www.municipalengineers.on.ca
MUNICIPAL WASTE ASSOCIATION
C/O 10C Shared Space 42 Carden St, Guelph, ON N1H 3A2 mwa@municipalwaste.ca
T: 519-837-6863
www.municipalwaste.ca
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CLEAN WATER AGENCIES
1050-1130 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
NORTH AMERICAN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
220-12110 N Pecos St, Westminster, CO 80234
T: 303-451-5945
www.nahmma.org
NORTHERN TERRITORIES WATER & WASTE ASSOCIATION
201-4817 49th St, Yellowknife, NT X1A 3S7
info@ntwwa.com
T: 867-873-4325
www.ntwwa.com
The Northern Territories Water & Waste Association is a not-for-profit with the purpose of supporting the professional development of all personnel engaged in the provision of water and sanitation services to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut public.
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION
PO Box 10308, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6T8
Andrea Strawson admin@noma.on.ca
T: 807-683-6662
www.noma.on.ca
ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS & TECHNOLOGISTS
700-10 Four Seasons Place, Etobicoke, ON M9B 6H7
Cheryl Farrow cfarrow@oacett.org
T: 416-621-9621 www.oacett.org
The Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) is a non-profit, self-governing, professional association of over 21,000 members. OACETT promotes the interests of engineering and applied science technicians and technologists in industry, educational institutions, the public and government.
ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF SEWAGE INDUSTRY SERVICES
4815 Rathkeale Rd, Mississauga, ON, L5V 1K3
Numair Uppal numair.uppal@oasisontario.on.ca
T: 289-795-2528 www.oasisontario.on.ca
ONTARIO CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
Paul Connor pconnor@octia.ca www.octia.ca
ONTARIO ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
300-192 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2C2
Michael Fagan info@oneia.ca
T: 416-531-7884 www.oneia.ca
Established in 1991, ONEIA is the business association representing the interests of the environment industry in Ontario.
ONTARIO GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION
203-750 Talbot St E, St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2 admin@ogwa.ca
T: 519-245-7194 www.ogwa.ca
ONTARIO MUNICIPAL WATER ASSOCIATION
Ed Houghton admin@omwa.org T: 705-443-8472 www.omwa.org
ONTARIO ONSITE WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION
PO Box 2336, Peterborough, ON K9J 7Y8 info@oowa.org T: 855-905-6692 www.oowa.org
The Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association is a provincial notfor-profit association dedicated to promoting the benefit and value of onsite and decentralized wastewater management through education, improved standards of practice, and advocacy for sound policies.
ONTARIO POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION (OPCEA) 1192 Andrade Lane, Innisfil, ON L92 4X6 opcea@opcea.com
T: 416 524-8988 www.opcea.com
Originally founded in 1970, OPCEA has over 120 member companies whose fields encompass a broad spectrum of equipment and services for the air and water pollution control marketplace.
ONTARIO PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION chapterservices@apwa.org T: 647-726-0167 ontario.cpwa.net
ONTARIO RURAL WASTEWATER CENTRE University Of Guelph, School Of Engineering, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Bassim Abbassi babbassi@uoguelph.ca T: 519-731-3122 www.ontarioruralwastewatercentre.ca
ONTARIO SEWER & WATERMAIN CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
400-5045 Orbitor Dr, Unit 12, Mississauga, ON L4W 4Y4 info@oswca.org
T: 905-629-7766 www.oswca.org
ONTARIO SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS 701-5000 Yonge St, North York, ON M2N 7E9 info@ospe.on.ca T: 866-763-1654 www.ospe.on.ca
ONTARIO WATERPOWER ASSOCIATION
5-550 Braidwood Ave, Peterborough, ON K9J 1W1
Paul Norris info@owa.ca
T: 866-743-1500 www.owa.ca
ONTARIO WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION
215-507 Lakeshore Rd E, Mississauga, ON L5G 1H9
Michele Grenier mgrenier@owwa.ca
T: 416-231-1555 www.owwa.ca
OWWA, with the support of its parent organization, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), is at the forefront of research, technology and policy development with respect to safe, sufficient, and sustainable drinking water.
PLASTICS PIPE INSTITUTE 825-105 Decker Court, Irving, TX 75062
T: 469-499-1044 www.plasticpipe.org
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ONTARIO 101-40 Sheppard Ave W, Toronto, ON M2N 6K9
T: 416-224-1100 www.peo.on.ca
PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA executivedirector@pwabc.ca www.pwabc.ca
PULP & PAPER TECHNICAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 440-6300 Ave Auteuil, Brossard, QC J4Z 3P2 Greg Hay ghay@paptac.ca T: 514-392-0265 www.paptac.ca
SASKATCHEWAN ENVIRONMENTAL & INDUSTRY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
PO Box 22009 RPO, Wildwood, Saskatoon, SK S7H 5P1 info@seima.sk.ca
T: 844-801-6233 www.seima.sk.ca
SASKATCHEWAN ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
449 Haviland Cr, Saskatoon, SK S7L 5B3
Lesley Desjardins lesley@wcowma.com
T: 306-988-2102
www.sowma.ca
SASKATCHEWAN WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION
PO Box 7831 Stn Main, Saskatoon, SK S7K 4R5
T: 306-668-1278
www.swwa.ca
The Saskatchewan Water and Wastewater Association is an organization made up of persons involved in the operation, maintenance and trouble shooting of water and wastewater systems and its components.
SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA
230-8484 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Amy Lestition Burke membership@swana.org
T: 800-467-9262
www.swana.org
STEEL TANK INSTITUTE/STEEL PLATE FABRICATORS ASSOCIATION
944 Donata Ct, Lake Zurich, IL 60047
T: 847-438-8265
www.stispfa.org
THE GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVE
67 Oak St., McAdam, NB E6J 1N3
Vicki Worden canada@thegbi.org T: 503-274-0448 ext. 300 www.thegbi.org
WASTE TO RESOURCE ONTARIO 580-170 Attwell Dr, Etobicoke, ON M9W 5Z5
Ashley De Souza adesouza@w2ro.org T: 905-674-1542 www.w2ro.org
WATER RESEARCH FOUNDATION 6666 West Quincy Ave, Denver, CO 80235
Peter Grevatt pgrevatt@waterrf.org T: 303-347-6100 F: 303-730-0851 www.waterrf.org
WATER & WASTEWATER EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 510-1801 Alexander Bell Dr Reston, VA 201919
WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO 310-6711 Mississauga Road Mississauga, ON L5N 2W3
Mary Beth Holmes, Executive Director marybeth@weao.org T: 416-410-6933 www.weao.org
WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION
601 Wythe St, Alexandria, VA 22314 csc@wef.org T: 800-666-0206 www.wef.org
WATER FOR PEOPLE – CANADA
1 Hunter St E, Hamilton, ON L8N 3W1 T: 905-777-7908 canada.waterforpeople.org
Water For People — Canada is a charitable nonprofit international humanitarian organization, dedicated to the development and delivery of clean, safe water and sanitation solutions in developing nations.
WATER SUPPLY
ASSOCIATION OF B.C.
Box 21013 Orchard Park, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8N9 watersupply@wsabc.ca T: 250-809-8548 www.wsabc.ca
WESTERN CANADA ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION 21115-108 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5S 1X3 T: 780-489-7471 www.wcowma.com
WESTERN CANADA WATER ASSOCIATION
PO Box 1708, Cochrane, AB T4C 1B6 Audrey Arisman aarisman@wcwwa.ca T: 403-709-0064 F: 403-709-0068 www.wcwwa.ca
PROVINCIAL & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES
Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks T: 204-944-4888
NEW BRUNSWICK www2.gnb.ca
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Head Office
Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
T: 506-453-2690
egl-info@gnb.ca
ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY
24-HOUR SERVICE
Maritimes Regional Office
Canadian Coast Guard Fisheries and Oceans Canada
T: 800-565-1633
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & PROTECTION (DIVISION)
Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
T: 506-444-5382
elg/egl-info@gnb.ca www.gnb.ca/environment
ASSESSMENT & PLANNING APPEAL BOARD
551 King Street, Suite 102, Fredericton, NB E3B 1E7
T: 506-453-2126
CLIMATE CHANGE SECRETARIAT City Centre, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
T: 506-453-3700
SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT
20 McGloin St, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
T: 506-457-4850
E: wawa@gnb.ca
POLICY, PUBLIC EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT (DIVISION)
Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB 3B 5H1
T: 506-453-3700
WASTE DIVERSION UNIT
Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB 3B 5H1
T: 506-453-7945
elg/egl-info@gnb.ca
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR www.gov.nl.ca
CLIMATE CHANGE BRANCH
PO Box 8700, 4th Floor, West Block, Confederation Building St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6
T: 1-709-729-1210
E: climatechange@gov.nl.ca
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DIVISION
PO Box 8700
St John’s, NL A1B 4J6
T: 709-729-2563
E: ECCInfo@gov.nl.ca
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DIVISION – ST. JOHN’S (HQ)
Department of Environment and Climate Change
PO Box 8700, 4th Floor, West Block Confederation Bldg St John’s, NL A1B 4J6
T: 709-729-2563 water@gov.nl.ca
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DIVISION – GRAND FALLSWINDSOR – REGIONAL OFFICE
Department of Environment and Climate Change 3 Cromer Avenue
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1W9
T: 709-292-4997
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT DIVISION – CORNER BROOK – REGIONAL OFFICE
Department of Environment and Climate Change
9th Floor, Sir Richard Squires Building 84 Mount Bernard Avenue P.O. Box 2006
Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G2 T: 709-637-2035
POLLUTION PREVENTION –ST. JOHN'S HEAD OFFICE
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities PO Box 8700, 4th Floor, West Block Confederation Bldg St John’s, NL A1B 4J6 T: 709-729-2556
POLLUTION PREVENTION – GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR –CENTRAL REGIONAL OFFICE
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities 4th Floor, Provincial Building 3 Cromer Avenue Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1W9 T: 709-292-4220
POLLUTION PREVENTION –CORNER BROOK – WESTERN REGIONAL OFFICE
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities 84 Mount Bernard Avenue, 9th Floor Sir Richard Squires Building, P.O. Box 2006 Corner Brook, NL 2H 6J8 T: 709-637-2528
POLLUTION PREVENTION –STEPHENVILLE – WESTERN REGIONAL OFFICE
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities 35 Alabama Drive Stephenville, NL 2N 2K9 T: 709-643-6114
ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY
24-HOUR SERVICE
Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Office Canadian Coast Guard Fisheries and Oceans Canada T: 709-772-2083
Toll Free: 800-563-9089
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES www.gov.nt.ca
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
T: 867-767-9055
www.gov.nt.ca/ecc/en
24-HOUR SPILL REPORT LINE
Department of Environment and Climate Change Government of the Northwest Territories
T: 867-920-8130
continued overleaf…
NUNAVUT
www.gov.nu.ca
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
PO Box 1000, Stn 200, Iqaluit, NU 0A 0H0
T: 867-975-7700
www.gov.nu.ca/environment
24-Hour Spill Response Line
T: 867-920-8130 env.gov.nu.ca/
NOVA SCOTIA
www.novascotia.ca
NOVA SCOTIA ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
1800-1894 Barrington St, PO Box 442, Halifax, NS 3J 2P8
T: 902-424-3600
ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY
24-HOUR SERVICE
T: 800-565-1633
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
T: 902-424-2547, 877-936-8476 ice@novascotia.ca
WATER AND WASTEWATER BRANCH
T: 902-424-2553 novascotia.ca/nse/water
ONTARIO
www.ontario.ca
MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVATION AND PARKS
5th Floor, 777 Bay Street Toronto, ON M7A 2J3
T: 416-325-4000 www.ontario.ca/environment
CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCY DIVISION
15th Flr, 438 University Ave, Toronto, ON M7A 1N3
CORPORATE MANAGEMENT DIVISION
Foster Bldg 5th Flr, 40 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M4V 1M2
DRINKING WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE DIVISION
8th Flr, 135 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M4V 1P5
LAND AND WATER DIVISION
North Tower 5th Flr,
300 Water St, PO Box 7000, Peterborough, ON K9J 3C7
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DIVISION 15th Floor, 438 University Ave Toronto, ON M7A 1N3
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PERMISSIONS DIVISION
14th Floor, 135 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON 4V 1P5
T: 416-314-8001
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES & STANDARDS DIVISION
14th Floor, 135 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON 4V 1P5
Sudbury MECP District
Suite 1101, 199 Larch St. Sudbury, ON P3E 5P9 T: 1-800-890-8516
NORTH BAY MECP AREA, TIMMINS MECP DISTRICT
Unit 16 & 17, 191 Booth Rd North Bay, ON P1A 4K3 T: 1-800-609-5553
SARNIA MECP DISTRICT 1094 London Rd. Sarnia, ON N7S 1P1 T: 1-800-387-7784
The WCWC is an operational service agency, which was established in 2004, to ensure clean and safe drinking water for the entire province. It provides education, training and information to drinking water system owners, operators and operating authorities, and the public.
LABORATORY SERVICES BRANCH
125 Resources Rd, Toronto, ON M9P 3V6
T: 416-235-5743
TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT AND STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT BRANCH
Foster Bldg 7th Flr – 40 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON M4V 1M2
T: 416-327-5519
ONTARIO LAND TRIBUNAL
1500-655 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5G 1E5
T: 416-212-6349
OLT.General.Inquiry@ontario.ca
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND www.princeedwardisland.ca
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND CLIMATE ACTION
Floor 4 – Jones Bldg, 11 Kent St, PO Box 2000, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 7N8
T: 902-368-5044, 866-368-5044
ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Canadian Coast Guard Fisheries and Oceans Canada
T: 800-565-1633
QUEBEC www.quebec..ca
ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY 24-HOUR SERVICE
National Environmental Emergencies Centre
Environment and Climate Change Canada
T: 866-283-2333
THE ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY SERVICE (QUEBEC)
T: 418-643-4595, 1-866-694-5454
212, avenue Belzile Rimouski, QC 5L 3C3
T: 418-727-3511
124, 1re Avenue Ouest
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC 4V 1C5
T: 418-763-3301
104-125, chemin du Parc Cap-aux-Meules, QC 4T 1B3
T: 418-986-6116
Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean 3950, boulevard Harvey, 4e étage
Saguenay, QC 7X 8L6
T: 418-695-7883
Capitale-Nationale et ChaudièreAppalaches
100-1175, boulevard Lebourgneuf Quebec, QC 2K 0B7
T: 418-644-8844
200-675, route Cameron Sainte-Marie, QC 6E 3V7
T: 418-386-8000
Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec
102-100, rue Laviolette
Trois-Rivieres, QC 9A 5S9
T: 819 371-6581
1579, boulevard Louis-Frechette
Nicolet, QC 3T 2A5
T: 819-293-4122
Estrie et Montérégie
770, rue Goretti
Sherbrooke, QC 1E 3H4
T: 819-820-3882
201 Place Charles-Le Moyne, 2e etage Longueuil, QC 4K 2T5
T: 450-928-7607
Points de services
101, rue du Ciel, Bureau 1.08, Bromont, QC 2L 2X4
T: 450-534-5424
900, rue Léger, Salaberry-de-
Valleyfield, QC 6S 5A3
T: 450-370-3085
Montréal, Laval, Lanaudière et Laurentians
5199, rue Sherbrooke Est Bureau
3860 Montréal, QC 1T 3X9
T: 514-873-3636
850, boulevard Vanier Laval, QC H7C 2M7
T: 450-661-2008
100, boulevard Industriel Repentigny, QC J6A 4X6
T: 450-654-4355
Sainte-Thérèse
260, rue Sicard, suite 200 Sainte-Thérèse, QC J7E 3X4
T: 450-433-2220
Point de services
1160, rue Notre-Dame Joliette, QC J6E 3K4
T: 450-752-6860 (Pour les questions relatives à l’eau potable seulement)
Outaouais
170, rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, bureau 7.340, Gatineau, QC J8X 4C2 T: 819-772-3434
The annual Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) returns to Chicago this fall, representing the largest annual water quality exhibition in North America and a gathering of the global wastewater and stormwater community.
This year’s event is expected to be a little different for Canadians as a number of municipalities and organizations have restrictions on travel to the U.S. Nevertheless, ES&E Magazine has put together details on what to expect at WEFTEC 2025, and we encourage you to visit us at the show, where we will be participating in the Government of Alberta’s exhibition pavilion.
CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW: BY THE NUMBERS
With nearly 140 educational sessions and hands-on workshops, WEFTEC attendees can choose from a wide variety of topics that matter to them, and learn practical skills, techniques, and best practices to apply directly to their job.
On the exhibition floor you will find over 1,000 exhibitors from across the world showcasing the latest solutions, products and technologies, including real-world equipment on display.
Visit the Alberta Pavilion at Booth 3871 in the South Building to see Canadian companies on showcase, including: FREDsense Technologies, PICA (Pipeline Inspection and Condition Analysis Corp.), ecoAI Innovates Inc., Guardian Telecom, Swirltex, Aqua Pure Technologies, Lotic Technologies, Allied Industrial Dynamics, Blackline Safety, MOBILTEX®, NeutraTek Odour Solutions, BioLargo Water, Inc., and ES&E Magazine. Overall, WEFTEC expects to attract more than 20,000 water professionals
from around the world during the fiveday event.
THE GREAT CANADIAN ICEBREAKER
A “can’t miss event” each year, the 2025 Great Canadian Icebreaker at WEFTEC is taking place on Sunday, September 28th and is organized by the Water Environment Association of Ontario. Network and enjoy ping pong, beer pong,
We encourage you to visit us at the show, where we will be participating in the Government of Alberta’s exhibition pavilion (Booth 3871).
shuffleboard, and live sports, all served with a side of great food at AceBounce, which is near the Canadian host hotel.
To learn more and register, visit: www. weao.org/canadian-icebreaker-chicagosept-28/
OPERATIONS CHALLENGE
During the annual Operations Challenge at WEFTEC, the best wastewater
collection and treatment personnel in the industry get to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
In the competition, teams will compete to earn the highest score in different events. Competition events are designed to test the diverse skills required for the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants, collection systems, and laboratories.
STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION
The WEF Student Design Competition helps students gain practical design skills while learning about careers in water and wastewater engineering and science. Student teams participating at WEFTEC will have already won their own Member Association (MA) competitions, and are now representing their schools and MAs on a global stage.
Canadian student teams are highly accomplished in the WEFTEC Student Design Competitions, with the University of Guelph winning the 2020 and 2017 Environmental Design category, and the University of British Columbia (UBC) winning first place in the 2019 and 2018 Environmental Design category.
Competing at WEFTEC 2025 are: Team StormWise Innovations from UBC, and Team Waterloo Flow Masters from the University of Waterloo. Be sure to cheer them on during the competition on Sunday, September 28.
Navy Pier is a fun place to visit while in Chicago, offering great views of both the city and Lake Michigan. Excellent boat tours depart from here. Credit: Spiroview Inc.,stock.adobe.com
CLOTH MEDIA FILTRATION SYSTEM
The AquaPrime® cloth media filtration system is designed as an economical and efficient solution for the treatment of primary wastewater and wet weather applications with high quality effluent, even under varying influent conditions. This system utilizes a disk configuration and the exclusive OptiFiber PF-14® pile cloth filtration media to effectively filter high solids waste streams without the use of chemicals.
Represented by ACG-Envirocan T: 905-856-1414
E: sales@acg-envirocan.ca
W: www.acg-envirocan.ca
Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc.
T: 815-654-2501
E: solutions@aqua-aerobic.com
W: www.aqua-aerobic.com
CLOTH MEDIA FILTER
The Aqua MegaDisk® tertiary filter “expands” on the reliability and exceptional performance of the original AquaDisk® filter, but on a larger scale. The Aqua MegaDisk offers larger diameter disks and fewer mechanical components than the AquaDisk filter. The result is the smallest footprint available, operating in 80% less space than sand filters with comparable hydraulic capacity.
Represented by ACG-Envirocan
T: 905-856-1414
E: sales@acg-envirocan.ca
W: www.acg-envirocan.ca
Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc.
T: 815-654-2501
E: solutions@aqua-aerobic.com
W: www.aqua-aerobic.com
MANUAL LIMIT SWITCH
Asahi/America’s J-Switch manual limit switch, compatible with our Type-21/21a ball valves and Type-23 Multiport ball valves is a new low-cost manual valve position indication solution. Available in 1/2˝, 3/4˝ – 1˝, and 1-1/2˝ – 2˝, the J-Switch features a compact profile, direct mount, glass-filled polypropylene enclosure that requires no tools for installation. Ideal for on/off applications in water treatment facilities.
Asahi/America Inc.
T: 800-343-3618
W: www.asahi-america.com
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR EVERY SITE
Need a solution for your site? BARR Plastics offers reliable stormwater management solutions that help you meet regulations and protect your site. Our systems support infiltration, detention, and retention while saving space and reducing flooding risks. Ideal for residential, commercial and municipal projects. Explore underground and aboveground options backed by expert support.
BARR Plastics Inc.
T: 1-800-665-4499
E: info@barrplastics.com
W: www.barrplastics.com
WALL MOUNT DUPLEX SKID SYSTEM
The CHEM-FEED CFWS-2-M is a space-saving wall-mount chemical feed system for municipal applications. It is available in simplex or duplex configurations with multiple pipe material options. The optional SONIC-PRO Flow Meter offers precise chemical measurement and advanced control with 4-20 mA output and configurable set-point triggers.
Blue-White Industries
T: 714-893-8529
E: info@blue-white.com
W: www.blue-white.com
MULTI-DIAPHRAGM METERING PUMP
The CHEM-FEED MD1 provides smooth, reliable chemical dosing, even with off-gassing fluids. Hyperdrive Technology ensures continuous flow with minimal pulsation. Featuring durable DiaFlex and Flex-A-Prene diaphragms for long-lasting chemical resistance and performance.
Blue-White Industries
T: 714-893-8529
E: info@blue-white.com
W: www.blue-white.com
POWERFUL INLINE MACERATOR
The Boerger OrbitGrinder is a powerful inline macerator engineered for consistent, energy-efficient solids reduction in fluid streams. Featuring the innovative Constant Cutting System, it ensures optimal particle size and clog prevention across demanding wastewater and industrial applications. Compact, durable, and easy to maintain, the OrbitGrinder offers unmatched performance for facilities requiring dependable solids handling technology.
Boerger, LLC
T: 612-435-7300
E: america@boerger.com
W: www.boerger.com
OPTIMIZE HYDRAULIC MIXING
HydroMix is a low-maintenance hydraulic mixing system designed to reduce energy use and operating costs. With no moving parts inside the tank, it minimizes wear and downtime while maximizing mixing efficiency. Ideal for wastewater and biogas applications, HydroMix delivers reliable, cost-effective performance with minimal maintenance requirements.
Greatario
T: 866-299-3009
E: info@greatario.com
W: www.greatario.com/hydromix
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
STORMWATER QUALITY TREATMENT
Inspection and maintenance are fundamental to the long-term performance of any stormwater quality treatment device. The Stormceptor EF/EFO design makes inspections and maintenance an easy and inexpensive process conducted at grade. Once serviced, the Stormceptor EF/EFO is functionally restored as designed, with full pollutant capture capacity. Learn more at: www.imbriumsystems.com
Imbrium Systems
T: 800-565-4801
E: info@imbriumsystems.com
W: www.imbriumsystems.com
VORTEX FLOW INSERTS
The IPEX Vortex Flow™ Insert (VFI) revolutionizes vertical sewer drops by eliminating odorous emissions and minimizing corrosion. With no moving parts and zero maintenance, VFIs offer significant cost savings for municipalities across North America.
IPEX
T: 866-473-9462
W: www.ipexna.com
EXPAND-IN-PLACE LINER
NovaForm™ offers a durable, cost-efficient solution for sewer and culvert rehabilitation. This styrene-free, expandin-place liner eliminates the need to capture and treat contaminated curing liquid. Made from engineered thermoplastic, it is installed using steam, with water as the only job-site discharge.
IPEX
T: 866-473-9462
W: www.ipexna.com
END SUCTION PUMPS
Pentair Aurora end suction pumps deliver powerful hydraulic performance for HVAC, pressure boosting, and industrial water transfer applications. High performance motors result in quieter and more efficient operation. Designed for longevity and backed by a 5-year warranty, these pumps are constructed with superior quality materials such as ductile iron casings and stainless-steel impellers.
Pentair Aurora
T: 630-859-7000
W: www.pentair.com
VERTICAL TURBINE PUMPS
Pentair Fairbanks Nijhuis vertical turbine pumps are ideal for applications without surface equipment, serving municipal, industrial, fire protection and agricultural needs. A space-efficient vertical design eliminates the need for suction piping, simplifying installation. Multiple options for construction materials, include cast iron, bronze and stainless steel. These ensure that each pump provides optimal performance and durability for the intended application.
Pentair Fairbanks Nijhuis
T: 913-371-5000
W: www.pentair.com
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-in-place 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, Inc.
T: 647-923-8244
E: aron@proaquasales.com
W: www.proaquasales.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, Inc.
T: 647-923-8244
E: aron@proaquasales.com
W: www.proaquasales.com
PERISTALTIC METERING PUMPS
Built to NEMA 4X standards, the Stenner S Series ensures seamless integration with process control systems, offering multiple input options including scalable 4-20mA, 0-10VDC, Hall Effect, PPM feed, pulse, and timer modes. Since 1957, Stenner has delivered reliable, repeatable chemical injection with self-priming, dry-run capability, and a practical design that reduces downtime and prevents overdosing. Dependability is built into every pump.
Summit Water
T: 519-843-4232
E: sales@summitwater.ca
W: www.summitwater.ca
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
Expanding Fulton County’s Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility
By David Clark
In the field of public infrastructure, the true measure of success often lies in what goes unnoticed, such as seamless service delivery, regulatory compliance and systems that silently support growing communities. But when a major facility must be expanded and reengineered from the ground up, the stakes shift from quiet efficiency to deliberate innovation.
Such is the case with the newly expanded Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility in Fulton County, Georgia. Representing the county’s largest infrastructure investment to date ($350 million USD) the project embodied a data-driven, performance-focused approach to sustainable wastewater treatment. Through the integration of advanced membrane technology, progressive project delivery and longrange planning, Big Creek now serves as a national model for municipal utilities navigating growth and complexity.
ENGINEERING CAPACITY FOR DECADES OF GROWTH
The Big Creek facility serves a diverse and rapidly growing service area encompassing residential, commercial and industrial users. Originally constructed in 1971 with a capacity of 2.5 million litres per day, the plant had been operating at over 80 million litres per day prior to expansion.
The completed upgrade increases treatment capacity to 121 million litres per day and is designed for seamless scalability to 144 million litres per day. This flexible configuration enables the county to meet projected population growth and development demand for at least the next 20 years without the need for addi-
To deliver a project of this scale and technical sophistication, Fulton County employed a progressive design-build delivery model.
tional structural investment.
Moreover, the facility’s hydraulic profile and modular layout enable future expansion with minimal disruption. Additional treatment units can be incorporated without reconfiguring the existing system or altering key operational parameters. This is an intentional strategy aimed at minimizing future capital and operational expenditures.
ADVANCED MEMBRANE FILTRATION AS A PERFORMANCE ENGINE
At the core of the plant’s transformation is the implementation of flat-plate membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology provided by KUBOTA. Building on Fulton County’s positive experience with membranes since 2009, this system was selected over hollow fibre alternatives for its superior durability, reduced maintenance demands and high throughput performance.
The flat-plate configuration supports consistent effluent quality even under
peak flow conditions, aligning with increasingly stringent regulatory discharge limits. The upgrade is expected to result in measurable reductions in total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen and phosphorus, significantly decreasing nutrient loads discharged into the Chattahoochee River.
In addition to enhanced treatment outcomes, the membrane system offers a compact footprint and optimized energy efficiency, which lends itself to critical consideration for urban and semi-urban facilities managing both spatial constraints and sustainability goals.
DESIGNING FOR RESILIENCE AND REDUNDANCY
Modern wastewater facilities must be equipped not only for current demand, but also for a broad spectrum of contingencies. The Big Creek upgrade prioritized resilience engineering across multiple systems to ensure operational continuity in the face of environmental
or infrastructure-related disruptions.
While the previous facility relied on dual utility feeds for electrical redundancy, the upgraded plant incorporates a network of on-site diesel generators capable of operating the entire facility independently for up to 72 hours. This self-sufficiency is essential for maintaining treatment operations during grid outages, storms or other regional emergencies.
Additionally, the facility’s new construction footprint was elevated above the 100-year floodplain, providing critical protection from extreme weather events and hydrologic variability associated with climate change.
MINIMIZING CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING
Even with its technical ambitions, the Big Creek project prioritized minimizing negative impacts on the surrounding environment and community during construction. Construction logistics were carefully designed to minimize disruption to surrounding communities and environmental resources.
The team implemented material reuse strategies to reduce hauling activity and installed noise and light mitigation systems to address quality-of-life concerns in the surrounding area. Sediment and erosion control measures were also implemented to protect adjacent waterways and ecological features.
Throughout the construction phase, a 24-hour hotline and regular stakeholder communications helped maintain transparency and foster community trust, which are critical components of any large-scale public works initiative.
David Clark is the Director of Public Works for Fulton County in Georgia. Email: david.clark@fultoncountyga.gov
Delivering Clean Water Solutions For More Than Six Decades
Pumping station construction continues as Windsor finetunes new stormwater fees
By ES&E Staff
Work is continuing on the new $22-million stormwater pumping station at St. Rose Beach Park in Windsor, as the Ontario municipality settles into its stormwater financing plan launched earlier this year.
The new station will be situated almost entirely below grade, centralized within the eastern portion of the site. It will include an above-grade electrical building, and an emergency back-up generator that has an architectural enclosure to mitigate noise.
This stormwater project is intended to help relieve local street and basement flooding for more than 1,100 residential and business properties in the Riverside area and is a key part of Windsor’s broader multi-phase strategy to address the risks posed by the increasing number of extreme weather events in recent years.
“By improving our stormwater infrastructure, we are working to ensure the safety, security, and prosperity of this area and beyond for generations to come,” announced Windsor’s Ward 6 Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac.
Through Windsor’s $419 million in flood resilience funding available for immediate use, local officials are also working on upgrades to the St. Paul Pumping Station, as well as a series of other projects such as the Jefferson Drainage Area Improvements and Sewer Separation Project, and the Prince Road Storm Relief System Outlet to the Detroit River.
After some seven years of planning, in 2025 Windsor began to separate its previous sewer
into distinct wastewater and stormwater components, shifting costs for stormwater management to properties with large impervious surfaces, such as parking lots for
stores.
city
This stormwater project is intended to help relieve local street and basement flooding for more than 1,100 residential and business properties. Credit: City of Windsor
lations, the vast majority of city residents and many small and medium-sized businesses are expected to see a reduction in their total wastewater and stormwater costs in 2025.
Earlier this year, city council provided a transitional rebate over 2025 to all residential property owners experiencing an annual increase over their 2024 sewer surcharge costs. This provided a four-year phase-in period for the stormwater fee to residential property owners on septic systems, with a 75% subsidy in 2025; and approved an ongoing 60% exemption to qualifying places of worship and cemeteries.
Construction of the new St. Rose flood resiliency project began in late 2024 and is slated for completion by the fall of 2026.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
The New Progressive Step-Screening Solution is Here.
Now the industry’s original Meva step screen has been re-engineered for today’s demanding applications and high removal requirements.
The new MevaScreen RSM Monster is a selfcleaning, progressive-step fine screen and solids separation system that delivers leading performance in many of the most difficult operating conditions.
• Higher screenings capture and removal rate than traditional bar screens
• Customizable system, fine screen with no rotating brushes or spray bars
• Progressive motion ensures uniform slot width over entire screening surface, minimizing water in rush
• Patented pulse operation and enhanced solids removal result in fewer running hours, reduced energy consumption and less mechanical wear
• Covered lower bars minimize solids pass-through, eliminating risk of blockage by sand, stones, etc.
To discover how the revolutionary MevaScreen® RSM Monster can help you, contact ACG-Envirocan, today.
EFO
The most complete oil-grit separator on the market
• High flow sediment removal
• Scour prevention of collected sediment during high flow
• 99% oil/hydrocarbon retention during high flow
• Canada ISO 14034 Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)
Imbrium® has been synonymous with stormwater treatment in Canada for decades. With the Stormceptor® EF oil-grit separator and the Jellyfish® Filter membrane filtration system, Imbrium® provides engineers and regulators options for all levels of stormwater treatment.
Filter
The highest level of sediment and nutrient removal using membrane filtration
• Removal of 90% TSS and 77% TP
• Low driving head of 457mm
• Lightweight, rinseable and reusable cartridges
• Canada ISO 14034 Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)
