Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine May 2008

May 2008

Petrolia upgrades itswater treatment system

Solving sewer odour complaintsand corrosion problems

Wastewater reuse byCanada’s oil industry

Storage TanksContainment & Spills

www.esemag.com

May 08:ES&E 5/12/08 1:57 PM

May 08:ES&E 5/12/08 12:13 PM

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Introducing theUniversal Voice of Reason.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:09 PM

FEATURES

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

DEPARTMENTS

Environmental News . . . 74-80

Product Showcase . . . . . 68-72

Professional Cards . . . . . 74-80

Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

ISSN-0835-605XMay 2008Vol. 21 No. 2Vol. 21 No. 2Issued May 2008

42 Canada’s first composite elevated water storage tank installed at HenvyInlet First Nation - Cover Story

44 Reactive barrier wall solves space and on-going activity problems duringremediation project

46 Secondary containment under severe winter conditions48 An environmental emergency calls for just the right

containment solution50 PVC liners prolong life of steel and FRP storage tanks52 Best management practices for testing chemical properties during

emergency situations

56 Simulated explosion scenarios for aboveground storage tanks

7 The incompatibility of plastic bags and aquatic life - Editorial comment by Tom Davey

12 NS town uses an effective combination for water/wastewater monitoring and control16 Long sewer retention time found to be the cause of odour complaints and corrosion problems18 Canada’s “Victorian Oil Town” upgrades its water system with a microfiltration membrane plant20 Big brother is watching - Dealing with Ministry of Environment inspections22 How Canada’s military is optimizing its water and wastewater plants28 Stormwater drainage system a key component in a major Dartmouth brownfield re-development project30 Compact treatment system used to treat mining industry effluents33 Uninterruptable communication networks can prevent environmental disasters34 Putting numbers on risk factors for contaminated sites36 AWWA estimates US water utilities will need to invest $325 billion over the next 20 years40 Drain-water heat recovery saves energy in food processing plant58 Wastewater reuse by Canada’s oil industry can protect the environment and help improve public water supply62 Water for People works to remove arsenic from contaminated water supplies65 Denso protects the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls66 Special activated sludge system works well at small town’s first WWTP

Page 18Page 18 Page 28Page 28

Contents

Pages 42-56

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:59 PM

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:33 PM

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increase flow rates and reduce pumping costs. Tougher than PVC, its unique layeredstructure provides three times the impact absorption and prevents crack-propagation.What’s more, Bionax can handle extreme bends and even withstand 100% wall-to-wallcrushing that would destroy any other piping system.

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7 | May 2008www.esemag.com

Comment by Tom Davey

Worldwide, some five tril-lion plastic shoppingbags are discarded annu-ally. Thousands of shop-

ping malls have free plastic bagsdisplayed at check outs to load gro-ceries and other goods, immediatelyafter the register transactions. Few everthink about the environmental conse-quences of something weighing lessthan ten grams and fewer still wouldlink its origin to oil fields in the MiddleEast, the Far East and diverse oceanicoil drilling operations around theworld.At the time of writing, London was

considering banning plastic shoppingbags, perhaps leading other UK citiesand towns to emulate its initiative. Atleast 33 London councils, as well as anoverwhelming number of their con-stituents, now regard plastic shoppingbags as environmentally bad, even per-haps evil. The councils appear headedto imposing either a complete ban or atax on every bag.British supermarkets distribute more

than 17 billion plastic bags each year,creating an estimated 60,000 tonnes ofplastic for the landfill sites. And theUK is only one country in the prosper-ous European Union.Across the Irish Sea from Britain,

Ireland had already taken an aggressiveapproach with what was dubbed the“Emerald Isle’s Plastax”. The IrishGovernment began charging consumers

20 cents for each plastic shopping bagas early as 2002. Only three monthslater, it was announced that stores hadreduced the number of plastic bagsgiven out by 90% - 277 million fewerbags. The market mechanism clearlycan work.While Canadian cities are still pon-

dering the issue, San Francisco, Dacca,Bangladesh, and other cities have al-ready imposed plastic bag taxes whichmay simply direct shoppers to use othercontainers - such as paper bags - whichat least are biodegradable. But paperbags come from trees; but let’s not gothere, at least for now.Generally speaking, taxing environ-

mental usage of commodities which so-ciety wishes to discourage seems to begaining popularity around the world. InCanada, local governments are tryingto make people think about the multi-ple problems involving drinking andwastewater treatment, garbage disposaland energy consumption.But there may be simpler ways to

reduce the throwaway plastic bags. Su-permarkets could simply emulate theIrish and try charging for plastic bags -but it is always risky charging forsomething people have always got forfree. A cultural and monetary territorialimperative? Perhaps, but charging forthe ubiquitous bags could encouragethe public to simply re-use the onesthey already have, saving money andthe environment quite painlessly.

Increasingly, municipalities are pro-viding residents with systems that en-courage separation of garbage itemsfrom recycling containers. Many On-tario communities recently issuedGreen Bins for kitchen wastes, sometowns even using the tax bills as acatchy reminder, saying: “The Bin isin.” Hardly Hamlet, I know, but his so-liloquy was uncannily prescient fortoday’s garbage disposal ethos when itnoted: “The evil that men do is oft for-gotten, the good is oft interred withtheir bones.”But now household garbage collec-

tion - once at the bottom end of envi-ronmental concerns - has developedinto sophisticated operations which re-quire skill, muscle and versatilegarbage trucks.Operators have to drive large and in-

creasingly complex vehicles which canimbibe a range of wastes, including thelarge cardboard boxes the stuff origi-nally was contained in. Recently I tooknote of just how much diverse junk wasput out along our narrow rear laneways.I watched, admiringly, as drivers navi-gated their wide and high garbagetrucks along these laneways - madenarrower by parked cars. Operatorshopped out nimbly to pick up a varietyof large, sometimes heavy, discardeditems, including furniture and fridges.Nor was all the garbage put out neatlyin the ubiquitous green bags.

The incompatibility of plastic bags and aquatic life -the sophistication of modern garbage collection

continued overleaf...

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:33 PM

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine8 | May 2008

Comment by Tom DaveyEnvironmental Science& Engineering

Editor TOM DAVEYE-mail: [email protected](No attachments please)

Managing Editor SANDRA DAVEYE-mail: [email protected]

Sales Director PENNY DAVEYE-mail: [email protected]

Sales Representative DENISE SIMPSONE-mail: [email protected]

Circulation Manager VIRGINIA MEYERE-mail: [email protected]

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

Publisher STEVE DAVEYE-mail: [email protected]

Technical Advisory Board

Jim BishopStantec Consulting Ltd., Ontario

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

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

Bill DeAngelis, P.Eng.Associated Engineering, Ontario

Dr. Robert C. LandineADI Systems Inc., New Brunswick

Marie MeunierJohn Meunier Inc., Québec

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

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

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

Canadian Publications Mail SalesSecond Class MailProduct Agreement No. 40065446Registration No. 7750

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

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

Recently our town councillors or-dained that all putrescibles had to beplaced in Green Bins, the contents ofwhich are dumped in special compart-ments inside the trucks.

Thankfully, we have disposal depotsfor toxic residuals such as paints, sol-vents, gardening chemicals and otherdiverse toxins.

But for every large green garbagebag destined for landfill, there is aplethora of small plastic bags enteringour ecosystems which, individually, aretrifling but collectively seriously im-pact fish and other creatures in ouroceans.

Dear Mr. Davey

I was very disappointed in readingthe article by David Beck in the Marchissue of ESE Magazine entitled "Assetmanagement and life cycle cost analysescombine to abate water main failures." Iwas hoping to read something that wasrigorous and actually looked at life cyclecosts. Instead the reader gets a simplisticand erroneous impression that PVCtechnology is the answer to asset man-agement. The writer bases some of hisconclusions on a survey conducted bythe NRC and a report funded by the PVCindustry.

The report in question had no analy-sis of pipe age and other important fac-tors such as soil bedding, backfillmaterials, ground water conditions, cli-mate or installation and operational fac-tors which would influence water mainbreaks. Factors such as the corrosivity ofthe soils and whether or not effectivecorrosion control was implemented werealso ignored and are extremely importantconsiderations in analyses of this type.

The NRC report has limitations andto conclude anything from the report isnot good engineering. Attached are 2files that the Ductile Iron Pipe ResearchAssociation has prepared in reviewingthe NRC report in question.

Normand DeAgostinis, Eng.Senior Regional EngineerDuctile Iron Pipe ResearchAssociationNACE Certified CorrosionSpecialistwww.dipra.org

Re: ES&EMagazine celebratestwo decades of publishing

Tom,

ES&E's two decades of existenceremind me of a time 14 years ago whenI was learning English from your mag-azine!

I was taking ESL courses and at thesame time I was trying to read your arti-cles. It was hard at the beginning andmostly not understandable... but therewere a lot of pictures accompanying ar-ticles to help me. This is how I learnedthe terminology and learned about thelatest events and achievements in civilengineering in Canada.

All the time while I was having jobinterviews, or was on my work place-ment or on a co-op course, and finallywhen I got a job, ES&E helped me feelmore comfortable in a new country. Ihaven't been reading your magazine forthe last few years... Today I read yourMarch 2008 issue and felt like I wascoming back home.

Thank you and happy birthday toES&E!

Marijana BulatovicSenior Engineer, City of Toronto

Thanks, Marijana. It was gratifyingto know that our magazine had such apositive influence on a young woman’sengineering career at such a pivotaltime.

Tom Davey

While the evolutionary defences ofthis aquatic life have been fine-tunedover millennia to deal with storms,tides and even the dangers from ship-ping, nothing has trained ocean crea-tures to deal with the deadly aftermathof our plastic discards. Many of thesewe have used just briefly before beingdiscarded forever, yet ironically theymight match the Egyptian Pyramids inlongevity.

So much environmental damage forso little benefit. Tragic.

[email protected]

Letters to the Editor

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:34 PM

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May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:09 PM

NEWS


Along with the scholarships, each re-ceived an AMEC expense-paid trip tothe CEMF Annual Awards Luncheonheld in Québec City at the Annual Gen-eral Meeting of Engineers Canada onMay 23, 2008.CEMF is committed to creating a

world where engineering meets theneeds and challenges of Canadians byutilizing the skills and talents of menand women alike, promoting engineer-ing as a career choice with the generoussupport of Canadian corporations andindividual engineers from coast to coast.

The Foundation provides a total of16 scholarships at the undergraduate,Masters and Ph.D. levels of study andpromotes engineering as a career choicefor women through their website, pressreleases, Annual Awards Luncheon andscholarship winner presentations to highschool students.

The Canadian Engineering Me-morial Foundation has an-nounced its national “Dream tobe an Engineer” scholarship

winners which, following the MontrealPolytechnique massacre, was created toencourage women to enter the profession.

Joanne Bailey of Arnprior, Ontario,is the winner of the 2008 AMEC Mas-ters Scholarship in Engineering worth$10,000. The scholarship also includessummer employment at an AMEC of-fice in Canada. Ms. Bailey, a mechani-cal engineering student at McMasterUniversity, is specializing in ther-mafluid sciences.Third-year engineering student

Deanna Burgart ofThunder Bay, Ontario,is the winner of the 2008 AMEC Abo-riginal Undergraduate Scholarship worth$5,000. Ms. Burgart is studying chemi-cal engineering at Lakehead University.

AMEC formed a partnership withthe Canadian Engineering MemorialFoundation in 2006 to encourage moreCanadian women to pursue a career inengineering.

www.cemf.ca

Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundationannounces 2008 scholarship winners

DeannaBurgart

JoanneBailey

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:34 PM

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:34 PM


Instrumentation

Physical infrastructureAs part of this separation, the Town

of Quispamsis wanted to incorporateinto their new system seventeen remotewater/wastewater management sites.These are spread out over twenty-fivesquare miles of steep hills and deep val-leys. These sites included remote wellhouses, a series of wastewater pumpingstations, the newly upgraded wastewatertreatment facility, and a new waterreservoir. The sites were originallybeing monitored by MOSCAD remotetelemetry units (RTUs) which commu-nicated with the main office via a li-censed UHF radio frequency.By August 2004, CBCL Ltd. was

awarded the design and implementation(programming and commissioning) ofthe system.Marc Arsenault was team leader of

the project.

The Town of Quispamsis is lo-cated along the Kennebecasisand Hammond River water-ways in southwestern New

Brunswick. In the language of the localMaliseet First Nation, the name Quis-pamsis means “little lake in the woods”.By 2004 the town surrounding that ‘lit-tle lake’ had grown from 8,446 residentsin 1991 to over 13,760, making it theprovince’s most rapidly expanding mu-nicipality according to Statistics Canada.In 2002, CBCL Ltd. conducted a Re-

gional Wastewater Feasibility Study forthe Towns of Quispamsis and Rothesaywhich were sharing water/wastewater in-frastructure. Following the release of thisstudy, it was decided that it was time forthe two towns to monitor and controltheir own sites using their own Supervi-sory Control & Data Acquisition(SCADA) systems.

DesignCBCL spent the next two months de-

signing the new telemetry system, se-lecting monitoring equipment and RTUassemblies/enclosures. One of the toppriorities was to eliminate the expenseof the licensed radio frequency they hadpreviously used to relay information tothe main office. A cellular based systemwould have been more expensive giventhat this was a real-time monitoring sys-tem and data charges are usually billedon a ‘per megabyte’ basis. Leased linesystems typically have a high monthlyleasing rate, typically billed on a ‘perkilometre’ basis.It was therefore decided that the li-

censed radio grid would be replaced bya network of Microwave Data Systems -Transnet 900™ spread spectrum radios.Although more time-consuming to setup, due to the necessity of keeping clear

An effective combination for water/wastewatermonitoring and control in New BrunswickBy Christopher Little

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:34 PM


Instrumentation

lines of sight between transmitters, theyprovide a more reliable signal acrosshilly terrain and are more resistant toexternal interference. Best of all, thisapproach uses non-licensed radio fre-quencies and carries no ongoingmonthly fees to operate.For this approach to work, they first

needed to replace the existing RTUsthat provided monitoring and control ateach of the existing remote sites. Theywere sharing a SCADA system with theTown of Rothesay and they wanted tooperate their own. The few existing Mo-torola Moscad RTUs were removed andControl Microsystems SCADAPackRTUs installed into these sites plus allthe additional sites they wanted to mon-itor.One of the reasons for replacing the

existing RTUs was that they were pri-marily designed to work with the UHFradios they wanted to substitute. Plus,replacement components for the exist-ing units were expensive and harder toobtain. SCADAPacks, on the otherhand, were available locally, easier toprogram, and integrated easily withspread-spectrum radios.

VTScada softwareThe last piece of the puzzle was a

SCADA software package that couldcommunicate with the new radios andRTUs plus other common brands ofhardware that the town might choose to

add to the system in the future. Thissoftware would also need to be user-friendly enough to allow city develop-ers to add, remove, and reconfigurehardware themselves as the system con-


May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:34 PM


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Screen shot of overview ‘map’ with two remote site ‘pop-up’ windows.

tinued to grow and evolve.CBCL had been creating water and

wastewater systems for municipalitiessince 1995. It was at that time theystarted using VTS Human Machine In-terface (HMI) software from TrihedralEngineering.Trihedral went on to use VTS as the

foundation for its VTScada softwarewhich was developed specifically for thewater/wastewater industry. VTScada in-cludes features such as industry-specificreports, auto-generated graphic displays,and automatic historical data logging.

VTScada is able to communicatewith a wide variety of monitoring andcontrol hardware, thanks to an extensivelibrary of over one hundred proprietaryand non-proprietary device drivers. Thisallows utilities to purchase a variety ofhardware brands based on their specificneeds and budget.Another advantage is that, within

VTScada, the radio network is transpar-ent to the operator. This means that oncethe radios are up and running, the radionetwork just becomes a pipe. In thiscase, spread spectrum simply appears as

a serial tag.The completed solution

The new spread-spectrum radio net-work connects the new remote site RTUsto the main server located at the townhall and to a redundant back-up server atone of the near-by utility buildings.A series of auto-generated and cus-

tom-made overview pages allow treat-ment plant operators to perform dailymonitoring of the whole system. Thisincludes duties like charting the per-formance of the remote pump stationsand tracking ongoing issues. ProcessControl staff use the integrated Histori-cal Data Viewer to do more in-depthtrouble-shooting in the event of anom-alous data or an unexplained event atone of the remote sites.

The futureAccording to New Brunswick’s Mu-

nicipalities Act, the population of Quis-pamsis now qualifies it for ‘city’ status.Although there are no plans to changethe name to the ‘City of Quispamsis’,there are some big plans ahead for theirwater/water management system. Thereare applications pending for the nextmajor phase of the town’s water/waste-water upgrade which, if approved, willadd over 45 new remote sites.

Christopher Little is with TrihedralEngineering Ltd, E-mail:[email protected]

Instrumentation

Although there are no plansto change the name to the‘City of Quispamsis’, there

are some big plans ahead fortheir water/water

management system.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:35 PM

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:35 PM


Collection Systems

drogen peroxide to rid the system ofodours. The municipality first dosedchlorine at one of the pump stations,with minimal positive results at the sta-tion and no benefit along the sewer line.Thus, the odours persisted.Bayham then turned to the Ontario

Clean Water Agency (OCWA) for sug-gestions. The agency recommendedusing the Bioxide® process fromSiemens Water Technologies. In thepast, OCWA had used the product forodour and corrosion control for a dif-ferent municipality, with great success.Bayham thus decided to perform a trialof Siemens’ process to see if it couldeliminate odours from its sewer collec-tion system.The Bioxide process is a very effec-

tive, safe, and non-hazardous (non-CERCLA listed) product that is appliedusing simple feed systems that are eas-ily designed for any individual feedcharacteristics of a specific application.Unlike masking agents, the process ef-fectively removes existing hydrogen sul-phide and prevents its furtherformation. The biological environment

In the summer of 2002, residentsliving along Bayham, Ontario’s 17-km long sewer collection systemcomplained about odours emanat-

ing from the municipality’s sewer line.Numerous connections to the sewer linemade it difficult to pinpoint the odours’exact point of origin. Not only did per-sonnel at the Port Burwell wastewatertreatment plant (WWTP) receive an ear-ful, but so too did the municipality’scouncillors and Ontario’s Ministry ofEnvironment (MOE).Long retention times were causing

hydrogen sulphide and other odorouscompounds to form. In addition to beingan olfactory annoyance, hydrogen sul-phide had also begun to corrode the in-terior of the municipality’s collectionsystem.During the treatment option evalua-

tion process, the water and wastewatercommission voiced concern that anychanges in the treatment program’s op-eration might necessitate the MOEmodifying Bayham’s Certificate of Ap-proval. However, the MOE concludedthis would not be necessary because anyactions taken would be consideredmaintenance.Following its investigation, the MOE

suggested Bayham use chlorine or hy-

created by the process can also effec-tively remove mercaptans and organicsulphides commonly found in mostwastewater systems.By removing hydrogen sulphide, the

Bioxide process also helps prevent cor-rosion of associated pipe works, build-ings and control equipment, thusextending their lifetime and eliminatingunnecessary replacement costs. Addi-tionally, it helps reduce sewage BODloading and increases treatment plantcapacity where BOD loading is limiting.When comparing the Bioxide

process to conventional products, cost-ing decisions should be based on thevolume of product required and not onthe cost per litre. In general, the processcan be applied in circumstances whereodours are emanating from a waste-water stream that has a biological ele-ment present.

The Bayham trialSiemens carried out initial dissolved

sulphide and hydrogen sulphide tests atthe Eden pumping station. Although theapplication engineers knew the sewerline’s length, they still needed to deter-

Long retention times cause odour and corrosionproblems for Bayham Ontario’s sewer system

Adding two more dosing stations along the sewer system alleviated the increasedhydrogen sulphide levels near the end of Bayham’s collection system.

The BIOXIDE process is applied usingsimple feed systems that are easilydesigned for any individual feedcharacteristics of a specific application.

By Bryan Box and Bryan Haan

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 8:34 PM


Collection Systemsmine retention time in the system todose the appropriate amount of Bioxideprocess for treatment of the entire flow.

The first indication of the product’seffectiveness would be a positive resultat the next pumping location approxi-mately 5 km from Eden. Twenty litresapplied at the Eden pumping station ar-rived at the Straffordville location threehours later. The dissolved sulphidevalue had been reduced from 2 mg/L tonon-detectable levels.

The trial was then set up to dose theprocess continuously into the wet wellat Eden and monitor results for the en-tire system. The retention time for thesystem during mid-autumn was 24 to 36hours. Almost immediately after begin-ning the dosing program, positive re-sults were seen throughout the entiresystem, with residual Bioxide processobserved at the Port Burwell plant. Dis-solved sulphide levels were recorded atnon-detect levels, hydrogen sulphidewas not evidenced anywhere along thesewer system, and neighbours were notnoticing odours like they had before.

Results from the Bayham piloting re-vealed that using the Bioxide processalso decreased the amount of defoamerneeded at the municipality’s treatmentplant, thus saving costs. The processalso lessened Nocardia bacteria activity,which is typically promoted in the sul-phide environment common to foam orbulking at WWTPs.

Any adjustments to the feed rate aredone so manually by changing the dosingpump speed. In addition, capital costs areminimal and depend on each particularsystem as well as the dosing rate re-quired. These factors help determine therequired volume for a storage tank.

Post-trial tweakingAs a result of the trial, Bayham

adopted the Bioxide process as its treat-ment solution.

In late summer 2003, the municipal-ity noticed hydrogen sulphide levelsnear the end of the collection system.Siemens was again asked to evaluate thesituation. Application engineers deter-mined that several ancillary sewer lineswere injecting into the force main beforethe flow reached the Port Burwell plant.

Application engineers first increasedthe flow rate at the beginning of the feedline, with some positive results; how-ever, this was not the most effective way

to treat the problem. They then lookedat dosing at the pump stations that wereadding flow to the sewer system, whichproved to be the best solution. Addingtwo more dosing stations along thesewer system alleviated the problem.Dosing the Bioxide process at these lo-cations prevents sewage that collects inthe wet well from becoming septic be-fore it is pumped. As a result, this doesnot charge the system when the flow isadded and therefore eliminates the hy-drogen sulphide that occurs.

Adding two more dosing sites didnot require two to three times moreBioxide process. The dosing rate atEden, in fact, was reduced and spreadout to the other locations.

Bryan Box, P.Eng., MBA, and BryanHaan are with Siemens WaterTechnologies Canada, Inc, inMarkham, Ontario. E-mail:[email protected] [email protected].

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:35 PM


Water Supply

the Department of Health recommendedchlorine disinfection and Petrolia com-plied by installing a gas chlorinationsystem.

By the early 1980s, multimedia fil-tration technology using anthracite,sand, gravel and stone became moreprevalent. In 1984, Petrolia installed onepackaged treatment plant, the NeptuneMicrofloc with upflow clarifiers. Thissystem served Petrolia well for 20 years,when it became clear that the filters andclarifiers had reached their lifespan.Steel storage tanks began to show signsof stress, and the clarifiers were rebuiltmultiple times due to metal fatigue.

Changing times,changing technologies

On the advice of Waterworks Envi-ronmental Services, Inc., the operatorsof the Brights Grove facility since 1989,the Town Council decided to incorpo-rate new technology to handle the

As one of the first sites forcrude oil production inNorth America in the mid1800s, the Town of Petrolia,

Ontario, located on the shores of LakeHuron, became known as “Canada’sVictorian Oil Town.” In the followingyears, as the oil industry was boomingand Petrolia began to flourish and growin population, establishing a safe supplyof drinking water emerged as a primaryconcern.

In 1896, the Petrolia town leaders de-cided to build a water treatment facility,the Petrolia Water Treatment Plant, inneighboring Brights Grove to supplywater to this booming oil town. Waterfiltration technology was in its infancyand this plant was no different, as it con-sisted solely of a settling tank. As tech-nology progressed during the 1920s, theOntario government began to set mini-mum water quality standards. In 1929,

changing needs of the town. Petroliahad not only seen a significant rise inpopulation, but also an increased levelof turbidity (at times greater than 200NTU) in Lake Huron, especially duringthe spring run-off and fall turnoverwhen temperatures and flows were low.

The goal was to deliver a supply ofdrinking water safely and economicallywithout sacrificing the final water qual-ity. In 2002, the Town of Petrolia re-tained KMK Consultants Limited, ofBrampton, Ontario, to work with theTown Council and Waterworks Envi-ronmental Services to design and man-age an upgrade to the Water TreatmentPlant that would serve a population of9,000 people.

Evaluating the optionsInitially, the team considered shut-

ting down the entire Brights GrovePlant and joining the Sarnia Water Sys-tem in a neighbouring larger city. How-ever, after further discussion, it wasdetermined that joining an existing sys-tem was not feasible for Petrolia and itsincreased capacity and filtration re-quirements. There were high capital ex-penses associated with joining theexisting system, and preliminary re-search showed that the town and its res-idents would benefit most from

Microfiltration membrane plant provides a reliablesource of water for Petrolia

Petrolia water works building.

The system’s pipes, pumps andfiltration modules.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:35 PM


Water Supply

building a new plant equipped withmodern technology.Extensive research on different types

of water treatment systems ensued.Pressure membranes emerged as thetechnology that could best remove thevarying levels of turbidity, bacteria, par-asites, and other contaminants in LakeHuron’s water.In mid-2002, Terry Blackmore, Di-

rector of Operations for Petrolia, KMKand Waterworks Environmental pre-sented their findings to the PetroliaTown Council, along with the recom-mendation to proceed with pilot testingof pressure membrane systems. Withthe Council’s approval, requests for pro-posals were then sent out.Three companies were invited to par-

ticipate in the pilot program, whichbegan in the fall of 2002. Side-by-sidetesting was planned for the fall, the mostpivotal and difficult time of year for theBrights Grove Plant. Increased winds onthe Great Lakes cause stronger currents,which stir up contaminants in the water.In addition, colder water is more denseand difficult to push through the filters.By measuring the systems’ perform-ances under the worst conditions, the pi-loting team hoped to identify a systemthat would operate efficiently through-out the year. The pilot testing lasted for

six months, into the early part of 2003.At the conclusion of the pilot testing,

the results were compiled and presentedin a comprehensive engineering report.The Pall Aria™ membrane system waschosen, based on overall performance,

reliability and cost-effectiveness. Therewere no broken membrane fibers, theequipment performed flawlessly, evenin the harshest conditions, and most im-portantly, the system produced excellentquality drinking water.The raw water is drawn from Lake

Huron through the intake pipe, which isconnected to the low lift pumps suctionheader. The water is then pumpedthrough screens to the Pall Aria system,which consists of three trains of micro-filtration membrane modules and aux-

iliary equipment. Chlorine is added todisinfect the filtered water, and fluorideis added prior to storage. The treatedwater is then pumped to a nearby reser-voir and booster pumping station in thetown of Mandaumin. From there, thewater is pumped once again to an ele-vated storage tank in Petrolia.The last step is for the town’s resi-

dents to simply turn on the tap.

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

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A wintry view of Lake Huron, thewater source for the town ofPetrolia.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 7:00 PM


Regulations

later this year. The list of 15 ministriesincludes MOE, MOL and MNR. Thelist of almost 600 acts and regulationsincludes the EPA, OWRA, CWA,OHSA, Mining Act and Aggregate Re-sources Act.

Ministers can authorize staff to:• Collect, use and disclose informa-

tion about compliance and complaints;• Publish compliance and complaint

information about a company, (includ-ing information collected before theRMA came into effect);

• Assemble inter-ministry field teamsthat could allow officers from one min-istry to collect information for othersduring an inspection or audit.

Information sharing between agen-

cies would not be so unsettling if everyministry followed the same investigativerules. But they don’t. A provincial offi-cer from the MOE has broad powers toaccess a site, ask questions and collectdata on compliance and abatement.However, as soon as an officer begins toinvestigate an offence, he or she mustobtain consent, or prepare a case andapply to the court for a search warrant

The Regulatory ModernizationAct, 2007 (RMA) came in likea lamb in mid-January 2008. Ithas far-reaching consequences

for the regulated community. Once reg-ulations are in place, Ontario’s govern-ment regulators and enforcers can sharecompliance and complaint-related in-formation. Government ministries mayalso publish information on complianceand convictions against regulated com-panies on the Internet. Past convictions,even those dated before the RMA, willbe used by the courts to increase finesfor new convictions.

Beware:What your employees say toa Ministry of Labour inspector can alsoend up in the file of an MOE inspector.Companies with multiple points of con-tact with regulators should consideradapting their contact policies and train-ing accordingly. One step is to appointand train a compliance coordinator tomanage contacts with all provincial reg-ulators.

What a Ministry inspector doesn’tdiscover during a sanctioned visitthrough the front gate, he might be ableto finagle from another agency when hegets back to the office. That’s becauseOntario’s new Regulatory Moderniza-tion Act, 2007 will allow staff from 15ministries to share information and ob-servations “likely to be relevant” to theenforcement or administration of a longlist of acts and regulations.

TheAct, proclaimed in force on Jan-uary 17, 2008, will have little impactuntil the regulations come into force

or an investigative order.An “end-run” could be challenged in

court as a violation of the Charter andan abuse of process. Success in courtwould be small comfort for the unluckydefendant stuck being the “test case.”

The RMA permits more than justsharing of data. Ministries can formteams to target repeat offenders, andministers can publish consolidated infor-mation about an organization’s com-plaints and compliance record. Previousconvictions for provincial offences underan unrelated law, including those occur-ring before RMA came into force, willbe considered as factors to increase finesand penalties under environmental laws.

All of this means that plant person-

nel should be careful about what theydivulge voluntarily to any inspector, andwhat they leave in plain view. From nowon, all inspections should be consideredmulti-ministry inspections. Companiesshould be aware that regulators canshare compliance data for approval orreporting purposes. Freedom of infor-mation confidentiality provisionsshould be invoked where applicable.

With the enforcement of some 85statutes and almost 600 regulationsloosely tied together under the Act,most businesses will be challenged torecognize the gaps in their compliancewith each. Consider designating a sin-gle individual at each facility to serveas the compliance coordinator for allprovincial regulatory contacts.

Every inspection should be consid-ered a multi-ministry inspection.

Doug Petrie is a Environmental LawSpecialist and Partner, Willms & ShierEnvironmental Lawyers LLP. Contact:

[email protected]

Big brother is watching By Doug Petrie

“A person who is lawfully present in a place inthe exercise of powers or performance of du-ties under an Act or regulation and who makesan observation, visual or otherwise, that islikely to be relevant to the administration orenforcement of another Act or regulation mayrecord the observation and disclose it to a per-son who administers or enforces the other Actor regulation”. Regulatory Modernization Act, 2007, s. 9(1)

Plant personnel should be careful about what they divulge voluntarily to anyinspector, and what they leave in plain view.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:35 PM


Process Products and Instrumentation - SOLUTIONS

Although it appears to be a solenoidpump, the Grundfos DMI is actuallymotor driven. Whichever model youchoose, you get a sturdy,cost-efficient pump based on awell-proven synchronous motordesign. The DMI range can handlefeed rates from 0.3 to 18 l/h andpressures up to 232 psi (16 bar).Regardless of model, the DMI pumpis among the most quiet pumps ofits type available on the markettoday - just 45 dB(A).

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Monitor, report, and control your systemswith AlarmAgent RACO’s full-featured,

web-based service. AlarmAgent is RACO’snewest wireless technology, bringing a

state-of-the-art, and web-based interfaceto our complete line of alarm detection and

notification products.

The TM 2200 continuously monitors, records,and reports (integrated with SCADA) turbiditycompliance data for municipal waterfiltration processes. It incorporates a sampledegassing chamber and a removable flowcell to simplify unit calibration andmaintenance. A local display prompts theuser with calibration steps, diagnostic data,and immediate turbidity data without theneed for a laptop or data recorder.

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Chemtrac's new TruTrac turbidimeter

timated 2,400 litres of water. Per capita,Americans consume around 6,800 litresof virtual water every day, over triplethat of a Chinese person.Virtual water has major impacts on

global trade policy and research, espe-cially in water-scarce regions, and has re-defined discourse in water policy andmanagement. By explaining how andwhynations such as the US, Argentina andBrazil ‘export’ billions of litres of watereach year, while others like Japan, Egyptand Italy ‘import’ billions, the virtualwater concept has opened the door tomore productive water use. National, re-gional and global water and food security,for example, can be enhancedwhenwaterintensive commodities are traded fromplaces where they are economically viableto produce to places where they are not.While studying water scarcity in the

Middle East, Professor Allan developedthe theory of using virtual water import,via food, as an alternative water “source”to reduce pressure on the scarcely avail-

able domestic waterresources there andin other water-shortregions.Professor Allan

will receive US$150,000 along with a glass sculpture,which will be presented in August.He will also deliver the keynote ad-

dress during the Opening General Ses-sion of WEFTEC®.08, the WaterEnvironment Federation’s 81st annualtechnical exhibition and conferencewhich is being held in October.

Professor John Anthony Allan,from King’s College Londonand the School of Oriental andAfrican Studies, has been

named the 2008 StockholmWater PrizeLaureate. ProfessorAllan pioneered thedevelopment of key concepts in the un-derstanding and communication ofwater issues and how they are linked toagriculture, climate change, economicsand politics.People do not only consume water

when they drink it or take a shower. In1993, ProfessorAllan strikingly demon-strated this by introducing the “virtualwater” concept, which measures howwater is embedded in the productionand trade of food and consumer prod-ucts. Behind that morning cup of coffeeare 140 litres of water used to grow, pro-duce, package and ship the beans. Thatis roughly the same amount of waterused by an average person daily in Eng-land for drinking and household needs.The ubiquitous hamburger needs an es-

“Virtual Water”Innovator Awarded2008 Stockholm Water Prize

Professor JohnAnthony Allan

StockholmWater Prize

Sculpture

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Water & Wastewater

2000, the Director of the Land ForcesReadiness requested that the WTPOP beexpedited to demonstrate due diligence.In response, a risk assessment survey ofwater treatment systems was developedto rank plants for follow-up actions andto identify high-priority issues requiringimmediate attention. The WTPOP pro-gram was the largest single program ofits kind - twenty water treatment sys-tems were evaluated, spanning nineprovinces.

The optimization approach wasbased on the Composite Correction Pro-gram (CCP). The CCP was used to eval-uate the ability of water and wastewaterfacilities to meet regulatory require-ments. As a result of the CCP protocol,cost-effective compliance was achieved.The objectives of the WTPOP andSTPOP were as follows:

In the early 1990s, the Departmentof National Defence (DND) be-came concerned about their agingwastewater infrastructure and its

ability to meet increasingly stringentobjectives. To address these concerns,the Royal Military College of Canadainitiated a Sewage Treatment Optimiza-tion Program (STPOP). The mission ofthe program was: “To promote environ-mental protection through skills trans-fer as measured by improved andcompliant effluent quality at least cost”.In this program, seven sewage treatmentplants across Canada were evaluated.

In 2000, a Water Treatment Opti-mization Program (WTPOP) was initi-ated based on the knowledge andexperience gained from the STPOP. Fol-lowing the E. Coli bacteria contamina-tion of Walkerton’s water supply in May

• Ensuring provision of safe, reliabledrinking water for maximum publichealth protection and clean,environmentally friendly sewageeffluent at least cost;

• Developing and implementing wateror wastewater quality goals that aresustainable over the long term; and

• Enhancing the skills and knowledgeof staff and managers responsible forwater or wastewater treatment plantsthrough on-site activities.To implement the program at the

twenty-seven facilities (twenty watertreatment plants and seven sewage treat-ment plants), the following generalsteps were applied:

AwarenessPlant staff and management at all ap-

plicable levels were made aware of theobjectives, approach and expected re-

Optimizing the performance of sewage and watertreatment plants at Canadian military facilitiesBy Major Nicholas Vlachopoulos,Ted Bailey and Sam Rogers

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:36 PM

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Water & Wastewater

sults of the treatment optimization pro-gram. Optimization demonstrations in-creased awareness which, in turn,generated initial successes that enhancedthe program credibility, support, and mo-mentum. Through meetings, presenta-

tions, workshops, and telephone calls,the Optimization Team was able to pro-mote a better understanding within DNDof the relationship between treatmentplant performance and the protection ofpublic health and the environment.

PrioritizationRisk assessments and performance

evaluations were conducted at all facil-ities to assess the relative risk these sys-tems posed and to identify the majorperformance limiting factors. Facilitieswere identified and prioritized based onpublic health and environmental con-cerns. Prioritization ensured that theprogram resources (financial andhuman) were efficiently allocated tothose facilities that would receive themaximum benefits from optimization.Through the prioritization approach,

the performance (over the most recent12-month period) and capability of ex-isting treatment plants were reviewed;common issues impacting the perform-ance of existing systems were identifiedand documented; and specific recom-mendations to enable individual basesand wings to improve public health andenvironmental protection were devel-oped. For plants that were assessed tobe higher risk, follow-up support wasoffered.


May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:36 PM


EvaluationEvaluation teams were assembled

from the WTPOP and STPOP team andmembers of DND’s Water Fuel and En-vironment (WFE) technicians. Perform-ance limiting factors were identified anda list of activities to be resolved werepresented and reviewed by base andwing staff at all levels.

The activities included: an initialmeeting to explain the objectives and ap-proach to base staff and management anda technical tour of the facility with the su-

pervisor to determine system layout; re-view of raw, process control and treatedto determine performance; evaluation ofthe plant’s major unit processes to deter-mine their ability to treat flows/loads andin order to identify critical unit processes;interviews with operators and adminis-trators to determine any causes of poorperformance; identification, classifica-tion, and ranking of the plant perform-ance limiting factors; and an exit meetingwith all staff (including supervisors andmanagement at all levels) to present the

evaluation results.After the initial performance evalu-

ations and risk assessments were com-pleted, several patterns emerged:a)Lack of performance focus – Therewas often little urgency or incentive foreither plant staff or management to ad-dress performance issues. In some in-stances, staff and management were notaware of the compliance limits.b) Prioritize maintenance over processcontrol – Consistent process control wasnot the prime focus at many of the facili-ties. Maintenance and general house-keeping activities often received a higherpriority.c) Problems with minor modifications– Delays in minor modifications weredue to:

1) A lack of awareness of the need forprocess optimization;2) A fear of legal implications ofapproving modifications which werenot familiar to the approval staff; and3) A lack of urgency arising fromcompeting demands and priorities onthe bases and wings.

d) Role of operators not clearly un-derstood –A hesitancy to acknowledgethe key role of plant operators in oper-ating the treatment process was oftencited during the evaluations. To opti-mize performance, operator skillsneeded to be acknowledged, encouragedand developed.

Other common factors that wereidentified included: inadequate staffing;inability to apply learned concepts toachieve process control; inadequatetesting; inaccurate plant performancemonitoring; excessive process flows;and limited process flexibility. Nomaintenance factors were identified aslimiting plant performance.

Follow-upFor higher risk systems with per-

formance problems, technical assis-tance was provided to systematicallyresolve the factors identified during theevaluation phase. Technical assistanceinvolving site visits and telephone con-sultation was provided in order to assistplant staff at those facilities with oper-ational, administration, maintenanceand/or minor design factors.

The role of technical assistance wasto ensure a transfer of skills to plantstaff and management (i.e. enhance

Water & Wastewater

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:36 PM


www.sanitherm.comNorth Vancouver, BC, Canada

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The Aqua Guard screen’s self-cleaning feature allows efficientoperation for extended unsupervised periods of time withminimalmaintenance.

Over 1,500 unitsare operational inboth industrial andmunicipalapplications asreferences ofperformance andquality.

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knowledge, motivation and confidencein operations staff to achieve and main-tain optimized performance), documen-tation of improved performance (i.esafe, reliable drinking water, publichealth protection and process controlmonitoring), and enhancement of theDND program (i.e. improve facilitationskills, provide consistency in operationsthroughout DND facilities).A timeline from nine to 30 months

was required for the WTPOP andSTPOP teams to support base staff toaddress the performance limiting fac-tors by improving practices and, wherenecessary, implementing minor designupgrades.

Performance maintenanceContinuing efforts are in place to de-

fine and implement policies, practices,and procedures to help ensure that suchimprovements are maintained. How-ever, challenges to implementing a ef-fective performance maintenance phasefor both water and wastewater facilitiesincluded the high turnover of militarymanagers and trained civilian staff, alack of clarity in current and future re-

quirements, the lack of defined proce-dures for reporting and reviewing per-formance data, and poor or nonexistentdocumentation of process control pro-cedures.A number of specific components

have been identified for the perform-

ance maintenance phase based on struc-tured staff feedback and the experiencesin implementing the program. One ofthem was to transfer and review trendgraphs on a monthly basis. Also, sup-port and consultation had been provided

Water & Wastewater


May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:36 PM


to the operators at many facilities tocomplete process control manuals, andto update existing standard operatingguidelines and share them among facil-ities. Site visits would be conducted onan annual basis for most facilities to

evaluate the plant’s status from the rec-ommendations provided during on-sitetechnical assistance and future compli-ance requirements.

As well, efforts have been focusedon identifying how the program’s tools

and lessons learned can be incorporatedinto the training of military technicians,supervisors, and managers. Successfulimplementation of a performance main-tenance phase will ensure plants thathave achieved their effluent goals con-tinue to deliver this performance, and topromote accountability and ownershipby staff for performance.

SummaryThe efforts at the bases and wings to

date have resulted in significantly im-proved performance and brought treat-ment plants better into compliance withfederal, provincial and local guidelinesand objectives. In addition, the programhas saved an estimated $12 million incapital costs and $385,000 in annual op-erating costs. The program was alsoawarded a Deputy Minister’s Commen-dation for its achievements.

Major Nicholas Vlachopoulos,Ted Bailey and Sam Rogers are with

the Royal Military CollegeGreen Team. Contact:

[email protected]

Water & Wastewater

www.greenspoon.net

J.P. MariniEnvironmental Remediation

Jean-Paul Marini joins GSC to oversee the

Environmental Services Division. J.P.’s expertise will be invaluable to GSC’s commitment

to outstanding single-source site preparation and

development services.

Greenspoon Specialty Contracting announces an important additionto its management team:

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May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:10 PM

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May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:10 PM


Site Remediation

Concrete pipe and other pre-cast concrete drainage prod-ucts played a major role in theinfrastructure of Dartmouth

Crossing, a 500-acre Brownfield devel-opment in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Theredevelopment of industrial lands,Brownfields, often makes extensive useof concrete pipe for sewers.

Concrete pipe was chosen to providedesign flexibility, ease of installation,and availability within the tight timeframe of the construction schedule. Theburied infrastructure was expected tohave trouble-free service for the designlife of the project. Shaw Pipe was ableto supply a massive quantity of pipesince it had upgraded its operations witha new Hawkeye Pipe Plus plant.

Halifax is the region’s financial cen-tre with a metropolitan population thatis predicted to grow from 385,000 to450,000 by 2020. It has low unemploy-ment and a large military infrastructurethat generates $1.5-billion for the econ-omy each year. The region has five uni-versities that attract research funds andhelp produce a highly educated popula-tion. The federal government has tar-geted the port facilities for investmentto help attract additional trade from Asiaand elsewhere. The $280 million Dart-

was mid-January 2006 and the delay inprocessing the order could have resultedin a production crisis and delays in de-livery of products. A back-up plan hadbeen set in place to ensure that all pro-duction equipment was ready for a de-manding schedule. In mid-January, theplant started operating over a 24-hourcycle, six days a week. Two shifts pro-duced pipe in various sizes while anight shift worked to prepare the pipefor shipment. Delivery of productsbegan on March 30 and continued un-interrupted until June. By the time thefinal shipment left the yard, nearly 11kilometres of pipe in 16 different diam-eters and various classes had been sup-plied.

The Dartmouth Crossing site is pre-dominantly granite bedrock and over aperiod of eighty years had been home toa rock quarry, an asphalt plant, and aconstruction depot. The site develop-ment plan included the restoration oftwo brooks to historic flow patterns.These brooks had once contributed tothe tributary system on the Dartmouthside of the harbour in Halifax, which isaptly named “the City of Lakes”.

The former quarrying operations haddiverted the natural water flow througha series of ditches and culverts, pre-

Precast concrete drainage products used inrestoration of Brownfield site By Rylan MacDow

mouth Crossing development by NorthAmerican Development Group is an in-novative retail power centre on a scaleand style unlike any other in AtlanticCanada.

In September 2005, a bid for thedrainage pipe and manhole componentswas issued that called for 2,500 piecesof 36-inch diameter Class 65D rein-forced concrete pipe for both sanitaryand stormwater applications. By thetime the purchase order was received, it

Standard and three-sided boxes used for culvert construction.

Precast concrete arch product used for stream crossing.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM


HEADWORKSBIOLOGYSEPARATIONMEMBRANEDISINFECTIONBIOSOLIDSSYSTEMS

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FlexibleSolutions forClarification

The AquaDAF® Clarifier High-Rate Dissolved Air FlotationSystem is a viable alternative toconventional settling & DAFclarifiers. Highly effective fortreatment of a range of rawwater characteristics.

venting the passage of fish between thelakes, thereby rendering the brooks vir-tually lifeless. The goal of the NorthAmerican Development Group was torehabilitate these waterways, so that fishand other aquatic animals and plantscould be re-established.

The location of access roadwayswithin the new development resulted in

the crossing of one of the two brooksseveral times. To help restore the naturalhabitat of the waterways, all stream-

Site Remediation

crossing culverts were specified with anopen-channel design. The original de-sign specified four-sided precast boxunits for the culvert structures, butShaw Pipe had considerable experiencewith crossing sensitive waterways onother projects, and proposed a more ap-propriate, cost-effective precast con-crete arch solution. The BEBO archsystem was utilized to construct three-sided culverts that proved extremely ef-fective for the rehabilitation of thestreambeds that are once again sustain-ing aquatic life.

Shaw also supplied multiple precaststormwater treatment chambers usingthe proprietary system of CDS Tech-nologies.

Almost a year after the initial pieceof pipe had been produced for the proj-ect, the ceremonial ribbon was cut andthe first group of Dartmouth Crossingretailers opened their doors for busi-ness.

Rylan MacDow is with Shaw Pipe.E-mail: [email protected] Credit: Ramona Clarke,

Shaw Group limited

The site developmentplan included the

restoration of two brooksto historic flow patterns.These brooks had once

contributed to thetributary system on theDartmouth side of theharbour in Halifax,

which is aptly named“the City of Lakes”.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 8:36 PM


Mining Effluent

cations. Even if space is available for astorage reservoir, installation of such fa-cilities may be cost-prohibitive.This article will explore two case

studies from the mining industry andhow a high-rate ballasted flocculationwas used to achieve a compact and ro-bust wastewater effluent treatment.

Process descriptionHigh-rate ballasted flocculation,

patented under the Actiflo® name byVeoliaWater Solutions &Technologies,is a coagulation/sedimentation processthat uses microsand as a seed floc for-mation. As the floc conglomeratesaround the sand particles, it growslarger and heavier and settles rapidly.This enhanced settling allows for clari-fier designs with high overflow rates,short retention times and smaller foot-print than conventional systems of sim-ilar capacity. This system has anextremely small footprint, typically re-quiring less than 15 percent of the spaceneeded for a conventional sedimentationprocess. Even at a high wastewater flowrate, the high-rate ballasted flocculationprocess is capable of producing excel-

Increasingly stringent environmen-tal regulations pertaining to dis-charges containing total suspendedsolids (TSS) and heavy metals

(Zn,As, Cu, Ni, etc.,) are being imposedon effluents from the mining industry.Coupled with often-limited availablesite area to install process equipment,the development of technically and eco-nomically feasible processes for re-moval of these contaminants fromindustrial wastewater prior to dischargebecomes a necessity.Conventional treatment (iron or alum

coagulation) followed by conventionalsolids-liquid clarifier separation is acommon process for removal of TSS andmetals frommining industry wastewater.The overflow rate of a conventional clar-ification system ranges from 0.25 to 1.00gallon per minute per square foot(gpm/sf). This design criterion often re-sults in a large system footprint. Further-more, conventional treatment processescannot handle sudden increases in hy-draulic loading and the installation oflarge storage reservoirs may be requiredto equalize the flow rate in some appli-

lent treated water quality. In fact, thereare 72 Actiflo units in operation inCanada and more than 300 elsewhere inthe world.The high-rate ballasted flocculation

process schematic is shown in Figure 1.The system includes one injection tank,one maturation tank, a settling tank, re-circulation pump and a hydrocyclone. Acoagulation stage or reaction stage lo-cated upstream of the high-rate bal-lasted flocculation is required.Raw water enters the process in the

coagulation/reaction tank. Here, a co-agulant is added to destabilize sus-pended solids and colloidal matter or toreact with dissolved metals in the influ-ent stream. After initial mixing, thewater passes into the injection tankwhere polymer is added as a floccula-tion aid and microsand is injected topromote floc formation. The sand par-ticles will provide “seeding” zoneswhere the floc will conglomerate andgrow in the next process step.The Actiflo process continues as

water passes through an underflow pas-sage from the injection tank into the

High-rate ballasted flocculation technology formining effluent treatmentByGaétan Bourdages,Marianne Dupla,Alain Gadbois,Christian Scott,Dave Oliphant

Mobile Actiflo pilot plant.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM




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Mining Effluent

maturation tank. In this tank, gentlermixing is used to encourage the forma-tion of polymer bridges between the mi-crosand and the destabilized suspendedsolids or metal hydroxides. The largesurface specific area of microsand pro-motes polymer bridging and enmesh-ment of microsand and floc already insuspension. The fully-formed ballastedflocs flow from the maturation tanks tothe settling tank. In this tank, laminarupflow through the settling zone pro-vides rapid and effective removal of themicrosand/sludge flocs.Clarified water exits the process via

a series of collection troughs. The mi-crosand/sludge flocs are collected at thebottom of the settling tank and pumpedto a hydrocyclone for separation. En-ergy from pumping is converted to cen-trifugal forces within the body of thehydrocyclone, causing the sludge toseparate from the higher density mi-crosand (specific gravity of microsand= 2.65). After separation, the microsandis concentrated and discharged from thebottom of the hydrocyclone for reinjec-tion into the injection tank for reuse.Sand lost from the system is typicallyless than 2 g per cubic metre treated.The sludge is discharged from the topof the hydrocyclone because of itslighter density and may flow to a thick-ening tank or is discharged for final dis-posal.Due to the large inventory of mi-

crosand in the system, the process cantolerate changing influent TSS and tur-bidity loadings much better than con-ventional clarifiers can. Settling rateson flocculated microsand are as fast as

most conventional chemically-assistedgravity settling processes. The processis not sensitive to temperature changes,and can easily be placed inside a build-ing for freeze protection. Effluent TSSand turbidity levels achieved are con-sistently low, typically, less than 10 mg/lfor TSS and turbidity ranging from 0.2to 2 NTU. The short 10-minute hy-draulic residence time in the clarifierenables the operator to quickly see theeffects of process changes made to thesystem and enables system optimizationand adjustments.

Case Study: Arsenic removalfrom tailing ponds

Higher flow rates coming from thetailing pondswere to be treated for arseniccontamination. It was decided that a con-ventional liquid/solid separation tech-nique utilizing established chemistrieswas to be adopted.Based on jar test results performed

on raw water during the summer of2005, detailed design of the high-rateballasted flocculation system was de-veloped. Two high-rate ballasted floc-culation treatment trains were builtwithin concrete tanks. Raw water ispumped from lagoons towards the high-rate ballasted flocculation treatment.Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) andferric chloride (FeCl3) are added up-stream of the units. A static mixer en-sures that these chemicals arecompletely mixed together before en-tering the treatment trains. Table 1 sum-marizes the performance data of thesystem fromApril to June 2007. As canbe seen in that table, the value of resid-ual arsenic in treated water is always

Figure 1: ACTIFLO® process schematic

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM


below requirements. Iron concentra-tions increased because of the additionof coagulant (ferric chloride) but werestill below the monthly mean require-ment.

The characteristics of raw waterpumped from lagoons change fromsummer conditions to winter condi-tions. Ice covering the lagoons makesraw water anoxic during winter. In theseconditions, arsenic is not found underthe same chemical speciation duringsummer conditions, As(V), and winterconditions, As(III). During winter con-ditions, both reaction time and dosageof the oxidizing agent increase. A newpilot test of the Actiflo was performedduring these winter conditions and re-sults are presented in Table 2.

These results show that the dosage ofthe oxidizing agent should be increasedcompared to the dosage of the full-scaleunit. Also, additional contact time is re-quired. Based on these new results, anadditional basin will be required up-stream from the Actiflo to increase thereaction time.

Case study: Metal precipitationExisting WWTPs can sometimes be

challenged at handling increased flow

rates resulting from spring runoff. Thiscan lead to capacity limitations of theexisting system and a potential increaseof discharge concentrations. The op-tions to deal with extra volumes are ei-ther to increase storage capacity orimprove the WWTP capacity. The treat-ment train consists of two existing reac-tor clarifiers (diameter of 41 m). Thechallenge was to study the applicabilityof the high-rate ballasted flocculationprocess to increase throughput. Theconcept consisted of using the first clar-ifier to feed directly from the mill pondand to retrofit a high-rate ballasted floc-culation process in the second clarifierto treat all extra wastewater.

On-site pilot plant setupJar tests and an on-site pilot study

were used to confirm the design param-eters of the full-scale high-rate ballastedflocculation unit. A mobile pilot unit is,in fact, a complete treatment systemwith mixing tanks, clarifiers, lamellapacking, recirculation pumps, PLCs, in-struments, control equipment, chemicaland polymer mixing tanks and pumpingsystems. An additional neutralizationtank was installed upstream of the pilotunit to allow more reaction time to the

lime. Raw water was pumped fromditches to the neutralization tank. Limesolution was added in this neutralizationtank to achieve optimum pH for metalremoving. A combination of raw waterand lime was pumped to the Actiflotrain. The on-site pilot plant trials wereconducted during March 2006. A sum-mary of the results obtained during thepilot phase are presented in Table 3. Thepilot testing program carried outshowed that the high-rate ballasted floc-culation process could produce an ex-cellent clarified water quality in regardsto monthly and daily requirements.

Design of the full-scale unitThe pilot plant results were used to

establish the design parameters of afull-scale design system. A design riserate of 60 m/h was used as the main de-sign parameters of the full-scale sys-tem. The available space on site islimited and all new equipment has to beinstalled in the footprint of an existingclarifier (diameter of 41 m). The waterdepth required for the Actiflo is thesame as that for the existing clarifier.All required equipment, neutralizationtank, Actiflo system and sludge thick-ener fit correctly inside the availablespace. Because of the same water depth,the hydraulic profile remains the same.It was thus shown that the Actifloprocess could be retrofitted into an ex-isting clarifier and provide increasedtreatment capacity and meet dischargeregulations.Precipitation of other heavy metals

John Meunier Inc. has conductedmany other jar tests and pilot tests formetal removal (Zinc, molybdenum, etc.,)at various pH values and for various TSSremoval rates.

Although jar testing will often yieldexcellent design data, it is possible tobring a mobile high-rate ballasted floc-culation trailer unit to site to bring valu-able design data for system design andconstruction.

Gaétan Bourdages, Marianne Dupla,Alain Gadbois, Christian Scott,

Dave Oliphant are withJohn Meunier Inc, (Québec) Contact:

[email protected]

Mining EffluentTable 1. Summary of System Performance – April to June 2007

Table 2. Summary of Pilot Tests results for Winter Application

Table 3. Summary of Pilot Test Results for metal precipitation

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM



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Additionally, many clients requiresystems which will operate in the eventof a major disaster or emergency situa-tion. This requires building a turnkeyprivate-based network immune to out-ages, which may affect other public-based systems.

Distance and location of sitesCreating a single communications

platform can be a challenge. Whilesome providers offer services for mostareas, these services become scarce, ornon-existent, the further the site is awayfrom the carrier’s grid. These challengescan be solved by a single integratedplatform. By using terrestrial wirelesspoint-to-point, or multipoint technology,for urban based sites, and satellite tech-nology in more remote areas, capitalcosts can be balanced with monthlyrecurring costs to facilitate a single costcontrol system for its customers. Typi-cally a network would be designed tomaximize the terrestrial (near sky) foot-print. Where sites are too far from serv-iceable points, satellite technology isused.

Joe Hersch is with Glentel Inc.E-Mail:[email protected]

Uninterruptable communicationsnetworks can preventenvironmental disastersBy Joe Hersch

The cost of an accident or fail-ure resulting in an environ-mental disaster for any sectoris enormous. Clean-up can

often cost millions of dollars. Glentel’scommunication systems can ensurewarnings of any equipment failures arereceived at the network operation cen-ter (NOC). Then, actions such as trig-gering a remote shut off can be engaged.Glentel has also designed and de-

ployed many water and wastewaterwireless communications systems inCanada. Controlling the operation ofvarious pump stations, pressure reduc-ing valve stations and reservoirs, re-quires constant attention and a reliablecommunications platform.The two main challenges which most

organizations face when consideringoptions for communications are publicvoice/data networks and carriers; andthe distance and location of the site tobe managed.

Public vs. private networksThe key challenge confronting many

operations is how to control and managetheir systems with an existing platformor network. In most cases, customers op-erate mission critical voice and data sys-tems, meaning network maintenancedowntime is not an option.

Operations

Glentel Satellite Hubis located inEdmonton.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM


Brownfields

While risk-based methodologieshave been in practical use in brown-fields since the 1980s, like many ideas,they have taken time to gain acceptance.As well, growing understanding of whatthe true drivers are in brownfieldsredevelopment, and how concerns aboutenvironmental issues interrelate withplanning, socio-economic and otherconsiderations, all help to put risks intoperspective and manage them.Applying risk-based methodologies

to brownfieldsRisk-based ranking of contaminated

sites is an accepted approach applied inthe National Classification Scheme forContaminated Sites (NCS), establishedby the Canadian Council of Ministers ofthe Environment in 1992. The NCS isused for prioritizing sites for remedial

Across Canada, many proper-ties in prime locations sit idle.In some cases, the reason theygrow weeds, rather than rev-

enue, has to do with the potential or per-ceived risks to human health and theenvironment associated with soil andgroundwater contamination. Govern-ments, property owners and others, con-cerned about potential legal liabilities andunpleasant financial surprises, can be re-luctant to see these properties developed.To help bring these properties back

to productive economic use, there isgrowing acceptance of risk-basedmethodologies. This form of decision-making considers the likelihood of agiven event and its consequences, sothat plans can be developed to deal withsignificant challenges.

action under the Federal ContaminatedSites Action Plan.Prioritization schemes, developed by

regulatory agencies in North Americaand internationally, generally evaluatethe following risk factors:• Chemical-specific hazard:evaluates the ability of thechemical to move in theenvironment and cause adverseeffects to human health and theenvironment;

• Chemical quality: considers thequantity of chemical, based eitheron volume of contamination orthe size of the area impacted;

• Migration potential: considers thepotential for the chemical to movethrough the undergroundenvironment;

• Distance to receptor: includesthe idea that greater distance to areceptor (defined as something thatcan be affected by the contamina-tion – possibly a building such as aschool or dwelling, or an environ-mental feature such as a wetland orstream) means reduced risk;

• Land use/receptor sensitivity:integrates the idea that adjacentland uses influence the nature ofhuman and environmentalreceptors known or potentiallyimpacted by the site; and

• Number of receptors: relates thenumber of human andenvironmental receptors, bothon- and off-site that are potentiallyaffected by chemicals of concern.Better decisions made possibleWith improved understanding of

brownfields and other developments, arisk-based prioritization approach canbe applied to help property owners, mu-nicipalities and others focus their re-sources on developments considered tobe low risk and high economic gain.Risk-based methodologies can in-

clude putting numbers on these risk fac-tors (including land and infrastructure,sustainability, economic and liabilityconsiderations) then adding the scoresfor components to indicate the amountof risk.These methodologies can also help

determine how the property may be de-veloped. This is because on most sites,not all areas are equally contaminated.

The properties are down - but have new risks emerged?

Putting numbers on risk factorsfor contaminated sitesBy Theresa Repaso-Subang and Jeanette M. Southwood

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM


Brownfields

There may be areas with no significantlevels of contamination, which can betreated like any other property. Someareas can be remediated easily; othersare more challenging.

This may mean that plans must bemade so that highly impacted areas re-main inaccessible under the asphalt of aparking lot or roadway, or are in someother way segregated from the rest ofthe property. It can also guide the mu-nicipality or developer regarding reme-diation techniques to be used, allowingexpensive solutions (possibly includingdig-and-dump off-site) to be reservedfor the most seriously-contaminatedareas.

It is important to note that differentprinciples may apply if the property isclose to surface water such as a river,lake or ocean. Because of concern thatgroundwater and soil contaminationwill migrate to the water body, higherstandards may apply regarding remedi-ation for these sites. This can mean thatwhat might be a prime development siteon the water may involve higher riskfactors than otherwise.

Risk-based analysis gives develop-ers, governments and others a tool thatthey can apply to rank what might behundreds of derelict properties and tofocus available funding on those that areconsidered to be a priority, based upondecision criteria they consider impor-tant. Authorities can then develop a planfor working with other levels of gov-ernment and the private sector in clean-ing up some of those derelict propertiesand building better communities.

It can help with financial decisionsas well. Given the limited budgets ofdevelopers or municipalities availablefor the clean-up of contaminated sites,lenders can determine where the moneywill do the most good.

The result is that what might have, atfirst, seemed a huge, intractable problembecomes manageable – the most urgent

tasks defined, a logical process indi-cated, and the development of a realisticbudget developed, possibly extendingover several years.

For property owners, risk-basedanalysis can help determine whetherany part of the property poses a dangerto the environment or to the generalpublic. This, likewise, allows the owner

to set priorities regarding spending.It must be used as a guide, however,

and not an absolute rule. For example, itcould be that because the municipalityhas placed a high priority on develop-ing a waterfront, and because there areprivate-sector entities that will supportthis financially, the waterfront propertyshould be developed before some of thelower-risk inland sites.Trends in risk-based methodologies

for brownfieldsSuccessful brownfield development

involves factors that go well beyond re-mediation of the site itself. Increasingly,brownfield projects run into trouble be-cause of conventional planning and de-velopment issues, such as making surethe roadway near the development cansupport the increased traffic flow, or thatadequate water main and sewer hook-ups

are available. Other challenges could in-clude slope-stability issues or a need forpilings that turn an otherwise-profitableventure into a costly learning experience.

In one recent instance, after a suc-cessful brownfield clean-up, a planned20-storey tower had to be reduced to 10storeys due to floodplain issues. On theother hand, condo units on a success-fully remediated site could still turn outto be unsaleable if the development is inan area without local stores, restaurants,or schools.

While these issues are common to allconstruction projects (and should be anormal part of the business case for thedevelopment), experience shows therecan be a tendency to miss them inbrownfield developments due to fo-cussing on the perceived importance ofa property’s environmental concerns. Asassessment and remediation technolo-gies become quicker and more depend-able and cost-effective, successfuldevelopment hinges more and more ondealing not so much with issues of con-tamination, but rather the normal busi-ness issues of real estate development.

Theresa Repaso-Subang, BSc. (Hon),QPRA, is with Golder Associates Ltd.,

Mississauga, Ontario, and aCertified Toxicologist with theAmerican Board of Toxicology.

E-mail: [email protected] M. Southwood, M.A.Sc.,P.Eng., QPESA, QPRA, is in the

Ottawa office of Golder Associates.E-mail: [email protected]

Successful brownfield development involvesfactors that go well beyond remediation of the siteitself. Increasingly,brownfield projects run intotrouble because of conventional planning and

development issues

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:37 PM


Infrastructure

these health and environmental hazards.While much attention is focused on

the environmental impact of new devel-opments – such as the loss of greenspace, the destruction of natural habi-tats, and the atmospheric and ozoneconsequences of increased emissions –

Drinking water contaminatedwith lead. Sewage dischargedinto the streets. Corrodedpipes leaching chemicals.

Sounds like the third world, but it is thecrumbling infrastructure of our first-world nations that is leading directly to

often overlooked are the severe healthand environmental consequences of thedeterioration of existing infrastructure,particularly wastewater and potablewater systems.The post-World War II economic

strength of North America meant un-precedented growth in infrastructure,urban expansion and booms in com-mercial and residential construction. Asa result of this rapid growth, much ofthe commercial and residential build-ings, and municipal water and sewagesystems, that exist today are now morethan 30 years old. In fact, according toStatistics Canada, 41 percent of all res-idential dwellings in Canada were builtprior to 1970. In the United States, theEnvironmental Protection Agency(EPA) states that the nation’s sewer linesare an average of 50 to 100 years old.And this age is taking its toll. The

decades-old pipes serving as the circu-latory system for waste and potablewater for this infrastructure are becom-ing severely compromised. Compound-ing this deterioration in potable watersystems is water treatment. For the ben-efit of public health, municipal suppli-ers add chemicals to the water supply tomeet government requirements for con-trol of bacteria levels. These additives,mainly chloramines, are sometimes de-tectable in water’s smell, taste, and col-oration and can also etch into pipewalls. Chlorine etching can slowlyerode the pipe, creating pinhole leaksand causing heavy metals to leach intoa system’s water supply.From a health perspective, the most

serious consequence of this deteriora-tion is lead contamination from leadpipes and solder. Lead piping wasbanned in Canada in the 1970s and leadsolder in the late 1980s. A nationwideban restricted the use of lead pipes fordrinking water supplies in 1986 in theUnited States. Structures built beforethat time (and particularly those builtprior to 1950), however, can still con-tain as much as 60 percent above the al-lowable lead content.

AWWAestimatesUSwater utilitieswill need toinvest $325billion over the next 20 years

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM


Infrastructure

According to the EPA, on average,10 to 20 percent of a child’s total leadexposure will come from commondrinking water. To that end, as recentlyas last summer, the Ontario provincialgovernment instituted guidelines statingall schools and daycares must test forlead annually, and any of these facilitiesbuilt before 1990 must flush their sys-tems daily, rather than the previousweekly standard.

Even for those commercial and resi-dential buildings that do not have leadpiping or hazardous plumbing elements,there are still water quality issues asso-ciated with the deterioration of theirpotable water systems as well as the tan-gible cost associated with the leaks thatdevelop in old pipes. Although thewater meter measures the amount ofwater demanded by the building’s in-habitants, pinholes and cracks mean

that not all the water tracked is actuallyused.

This type of age-related damage ispervasive. The Washington SuburbanSanitary Commission observed that anestimated 4,500 customers out of410,000 customer accounts, or 1.1 per-cent, reported pinhole leaks to the util-ity company. With the U.S. Censusreporting over 102 million housingunits in 1990, the potential residentialmarket for pinhole leaks is eleven mil-lion homes, affecting approximately11.8% of the population.

In the case of drainage and sewer sys-tems, root intrusion, calcification, soilcomposition, and ground shifting alsocontribute to pipe deterioration. Theconsequences of this deterioration vary,from pinhole leaks to major cracks tosewer back-ups. Ex-filtration from thepipe into the soil can leach into groundwater. Backed-up sewage in the homecreates health risks such as contamina-tion from mold and harmful bacteria.Blockages and back-ups also cause sew-ers to overflow, spewing waste into theenvironment. According to the EPA, ap-proximately 1.2 trillion gallons of

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM


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Infrastructure

sewage and drain water per year are dis-charged into streets, waterways, andonto beaches through pinholes andcracks in municipal water systems –enough to keep Niagara Falls roaring for18 days.

Governments, businesses, and indi-viduals are recognizing the hazards cre-ated by aging infrastructure and aretaking on the responsibility of fixingthese systems – at great expense. A re-port by the Water Infrastructure Net-work in the United States states that thecountry’s 54,000 drinking water sys-tems and 16,000 wastewater systemsface staggering funding needs of nearly$2 trillion over the next 20 years to ad-dress infrastructure damage. TheAmer-icanWaterWorksAssociation estimatesU.S. water utilities will invest $325 bil-lion during the next two decades to re-place losses from corrosion and toupgrade water distribution systems.

Though costly, the health and environ-mental benefits of safe water infrastruc-ture are priceless. Yet fixing deterioratedexisting infrastructure is not simple.

According to Greg McTaggart, Man-ager of Infrastructure Asset Planning

for the City of Kitchener in Ontario, “noone piece of infrastructure can belooked at in isolation; we have to look atit as part of a utility corridor.” So, forexample, if a sewer main needs repair,McTaggart and his team have to assessthe quality of road it runs under and thestate of adjacent infrastructure, such aswatermains, and then develop an appro-priate remediation program. If the deci-sion is made to reconstruct, all materials

dug up to reach the pipes must be re-moved (and often trucked away to fillgravel pits), and if any of these materi-als are considered contaminated (be-cause of years of salting, for example),the soil may require removal to an ap-proved facility for processing.

From a residential and commercialinfrastructure perspective, replacing de-teriorated pipes and drains can cause ahuge amount of disruption and create

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM

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Infrastructure

additional environmental consequences.Traditional repair methods include theremoval and replacement of the dam-aged pipes, which frequently necessi-tates the destruction of interior andexterior surfaces, building structures,and landscape. This process creates sig-nificant amounts of construction waste,much of which ends up in landfills.

So, what environmentally sustain-able alternative is available to addressthe health and environmental damagewrought by deteriorating water infra-structure systems? Rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation of municipal water andsewers systems is typically done in oneof two ways, relining or pipe bursting;both of these are considered “trenchless”or “no dig” technologies. Relining sewerinfrastructure involves affixing a poly-ethylene liner to the inner wall of thedamaged pipe. In pipe bursting, a ma-chine that is slightly larger than the di-ameter of the deteriorated pipe is runthrough the pipe, causing it to break intopieces. A replacement pipe is dragged di-rectly behind the machine into the spacecreated.

For residential and commercial

waste and potable water systems, thesolution is a substance typically used asan adherent: epoxy. Epoxy can be usedon pipes of any diameter and made ofany type of metal, whether copper, lead,stainless steel, or iron. Through a multi-step process, epoxy fully relines the in-terior of compromised pipes, creating acompletely inert film that covers anypinholes or cracks and creates a barrierbetween the corroded pipe wall and thewater, preventing heavy metals fromleaching into the system.

The first step in epoxy pipelining isto isolate the piping system, identifyinglogical beginning and end points out-side the damaged area. The section ofpipe is then dried using hospital-qualitydry air. Once dried, an aggregate sub-stance composed of granite is used toclean the system. Next, a vacuum is cre-ated at high velocity to take out all thescale and build-up. A final cleaning re-moves all remaining aggregate. Theepoxy is heated to 90 degrees, creatinga viscous substance, which is then shotthrough the pipe to reline the interiorwalls. Finally, the system is pressuretested, then capped.

An additional benefit of pipe rehabil-itation is the limited amount of disrup-tion it causes in the lives of municipalresidents and building inhabitants. Re-construction of municipal water systemsoften means roads are closed for days,and the water supply may be shut off forhours at a time. For pipe replacementwithin buildings, lengthy water shut-offsare also often required, and areas of thehome or building may need to be cor-doned off while walls, floors, and ceil-ings are cut, then repaired. Piperehabilitation limits or avoids almost allof this aggravation.

The overriding benefits of rehabili-tation technologies are that they are pro-viding new options for dealing withdeteriorating infrastructure. And, giventhe billions of linear feet of aging infra-structure across Canada and the UnitedStates and the associated health and en-vironmental concerns, the more op-tions, the better.

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

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM


Wastewater

year. The drainwater flow is typically45-50 gpm at a temperature of 50-55°C. The water heating efficiency wasabout 80%. The freshwater flow to theboiler was only 17 gpm and varied from2°C in the winter to 18°C in the sum-mer. The resulting ∆T was 37°C to48°C. The calculated theoretical sourceof energy was 6100 GJ/year.

In order to accommodate the largeflow rate of drain water, a Power-Pipeunit incorporating four pipes was in-stalled. The drain water flow is splitusing a specially designed manifold tokeep the falling film of drain water thinenough to effectively lose its heat to thefresh water stream. The warm drainwater is piped from a weir to inlet of thismanifold, while the fresh water flowsthrough the coils of the heat exchangers.

The units can recover most of theheat from the warm drain water withoutslowing or affecting the flow. The resultis an average heat recovery effectivenessof 70%, which will yield a reduction ofapproximately 43,000 m3/year in natu-ral gas demand.

The fresh water is preheated to an av-erage of about 29.6°C by the system be-fore entering the boiler. Less energy isthen required for the boiler to heat the

As part of the food processing,at the Unilever facility in Pe-terborough, Ontario, hot wateris used for cleaning bottles

and jugs and as part of the cookingprocess. Excess water falls into a drainagesystem and is pumped into a tank, filteredand then sent to the sewer. The steam isproduced in a boiler using city water andit must remain potable water at all timesto be used in a food product.

The companywished to reduce the en-ergy required by the boiler. The drainwater from the process was still quitewarm; however, the energy could not berecovered by a traditional heat exchangerbecause of concerns regarding cross-con-tamination, clogging and fouling.

The solutionIn order to reduce the energy con-

sumption by the boiler, a Power-Pipe®drain-water heat recovery system wasinstalled in the plant. This system is aspecialized heat exchanger manufac-tured in Canada by RenewABILITYEnergy Inc. (REI). Based on the fallingfilm phenomenon, where water flowingdown a vertical pipe clings to the insidesurface, the heat exchangers efficientlyrecover heat from wastewater streamswithout clogging or fouling. This allowsfor heat to be recovered in many appli-cations where it would be impracticalwith conventional types of heat ex-changers.

In addition, because the Power-Pipeemploys a double wall vented design, itis approved for use with potable water,allowing it to be used to preheat theboiler water which must be potablewater since it comes in contact with thefood product.

As with any type of heat exchanger,a simultaneous flow was required. ThePower-Pipe heat exchangers require thewastewater to fall vertically through thedrainpipe. In the case of Unilever, anavailable drop of 10’ existed to installthe system.

The situationThe plant operates, on average, 20

hours a day, 4 days a week, 32 weeks a

hot water to the desired temperature. Inaddition, the effective capacity of theboiler is increased, as it can reach thedesired temperature more quickly.

EconomicsThe incremental cost for the heat re-

covery system was $25,379, includingthe heat exchangers, piping and labour.The system was expected to save theplant 43,000 m3/year of natural gas, rep-resenting annual savings of about$16,000 and a simple payback period of1.6 years. In the first year only, thePower-Pipe has outperformed, savingUnilever $26,136 and reducing CO2emissions by 130 tonnes.

These heat exchangers require littleor no maintenance, which keeps operat-ing costs to a minimum, and provides along service life in excess of 30 years. Ifrequired, cleaning can be performedwithout shutting down, thus avoidingcosts associated with downtime.

Gerald Van Decker is President andCEO of RenewABILITY Energy Inc.

www.renewability.com

Drain-water heat recovery saves energyin food processing plant By Gerald Van Decker

The System hasalways outperformed

expectations

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM


NEWSWERF to fund research on

land application of soilamendments

The Water Environment Research Foun-dation (WERF) is accepting proposals forpilot testing a protocol designed to helplocal environmental and health officialsrespond to health complaints from citizenswho come in contact with land applied soilamendments, including biosolids.

WERF is providing up to $400,000 forresearchers to test and refine a protocol forcollecting, acting on, and maintaining in-formation about reports and investigationsof exposures and health symptoms re-ported by persons in proximity to munici-pal wastewater treatment biosolids landapplication sites.A practical, objective andreliable protocol would be valuable to cit-izens, health agencies, and environmentalagencies, as well as to wastewater treat-ment plants and biosolids land appliers.

Pilot testing would take place underreal-world conditions by local health offi-cials and environmental agencies that areresponsible for health issues or biosolidsland application practices and require-ments.

Proposals are due no later than June 6,2008. www.werf.org

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM


pumped from the ground is warmer thanthe crisp air of Ontario’s winters, thevery cold water temperatures and rela-tively low water use, versus the largevolume of water in the tank for fireflows, could have resulted in significantice build-up in the water storage facility.

Greatario Engineered Storage Sys-tems, Innerkip, Ontario, was generalcontractor on this first-of-its-kind in-stallation. This may even be the world’sfirst composite elevated, bolted Aquas-tore tank that is insulated and cladded.

RecommendationThe project’s birth is credited to Ross

Slaughter, P.Eng., of Henderson Paddon& Associates Limited of Owen Sound.

“I worked six summers on my stepgrandfather’s farm north of Toronto,”says Slaughter, who has a B.Sc. (Eng)degree inAgricultural Engineering fromthe University of Guelph. “I saw Harve-stores built in the 1970s that don’t haveany noticeable rust even today. So I’veknown about glass-fused-to-steel forsome time. I also saw that Greatario had

Motorists on Highway 69,the major Ontario road-way passing between Sud-bury and Parry Sound, not

far from the shores of Georgian Bay, cannow see Canada’s first composite ele-vated Aquastore™ atop a wooded hill,adorned with the logo of the HenveyInlet First Nation.

The 25-foot (7.62m) diameter, 38-foot (11.58m) high Aquastore contain-ment tank, on a 96-foot (29.26m) highreinforced concrete pedestal, holds136,000 U.S. gallons (515m3) of waterfor use by the Henvey Inlet Community.A high-tech structure, its pedestalhouses two rooms of offices, controlpanels, pumps, alarms, and other so-phisticated mechanicals within its base.

The Aquastore was insulated withthree inches of mineral wool insulationand wrapped in blue cladding to preventfreezing due to the cold climate locationof Henvey Inlet, where minimum dailytemperatures for January are approxi-mately 7ºF (-14ºC). Although water

put up numerous Aquastore structureswithout a problem.”

Henderson Paddon & Associatesalso had experience with Greatarioerecting Owen Sound’s 580,000 U.S.gallon (2,200m3) glass-fused-to-steelAquastore with an aluminum geodesic

A diverse range of casehistories and new developments isreviewed in ES&E’sES&E’s semi-annuallook at tanks, containment systems

and spill management.

Canada’s first composite elevated Aquastore risesabove Henvey Inlet First Nation

The finished tank.

A mobile crane lifts the aluminum perimeter

walkway, which will provide permanent access.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 7:00 PM


dome for sewage sludge containment. Ithas been low maintenance since it wasbuilt in 1995, Slaughter notes.

In 2003, the firm was asked by theOntario CleanWaterAgency in Torontoto do engineering studies and reports onwater systems at three First Nation lo-cations, including Henvey Inlet.

As a result of a water feasibilitystudy done for Henvey Inlet, Slaughterand crew recommended the elevated,composite glass-fused-to-steel Aquas-tore structure that now stands in place.

“We told the First Nation that the lowmaintenance of the installation wouldmore than offset the slightly higher costof building it,” says Slaughter. “Thebiggest point is you don’t have to paintit every 15 years,” Slaughter adds.

Capacity enough to fight firesLionel Fox, Band Councillor for

Henvey Inlet First Nation, has been partof the project for the First Nation fromits inception. He says there was no ques-tion that the quality of glass-fused-to-steel impressed him.

“We looked at cement and steel, too,but once we saw a sample of glass-fused-to-steel we said ‘we like this’,”says Fox. “Not having to paint every 10to 15 years. is what we wanted. The costsavings are big.”

Fox, who runs the Henvey Inlet FirstNation’s fire department and emergencyambulance service, said about 30homes are served by the newAquastore.The 136,000 gallon (515m3) capacity isfed by two connected wells and deliversa minimum of 40 psi pressure, enoughto supply pressure for fire hoses at-tached to any of the 23 hydrants in thecommunity. The capacity, greater thanwhat is needed by the community, wasdetermined with fire fighting in mind.

This spring, the First Nation plans onsurrounding the tank with spotlights toilluminate the logo on its side.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:38 PM


Reactive barrier wall solves spaceand on-going activity problemsduring remediation project

Quantum Remediation, a divi-sion of QuantumMurray LP,was contracted to install apassive reactive barrier wallin Mississauga, Ontario. The

wall was designed to remediate ground-water containing tetrachloroethylene(TCE). What made this job unique wasthe site location. Installation wouldoccur in an operating commercial centrewhere site parameters were tight andcommercial business operations had tocontinue during the installation.

The site geology consisted of sandand clay zones overlaying fracturedshale bedrock at approximately 6 - 9metres below grade.

At first considering a conventionalslurry trench installation, Quantum ul-timately elected to install a zero-valentiron (ZVI) wall and to employ One-Pass© trenching, developed by DeWindCorporation, Michigan. The decision togo with this technology was the beliefthat it would give them a number of ad-vantages within the tight site parame-ters, while avoiding some of thecollateral costs and issues of a tradi-tional slurry trench installation. Addi-tionally, since the project was to becarried out in the dead of winter, Quan-tum wanted to avoid the use of slurry incold temperatures, especially in an op-

erating commercial centre.One clear advantage of usingOne-Pass

was the narrow precision trench cutachievable with this technology. This ap-proach is akin tomaking an incision usinga scalpel. A narrow cut instead of a largeopen excavation trench results in less soildisruption and less disposal of contami-nated spoils, in addition to eliminatingsheeting and the need to pump and treat.

And all of this was installed in a sin-gle pass under the water table.

The One-Pass technology also alle-viates the safety and health hazards

prevalent in open excavations - no smallconcern in a project located in an oper-ating commercial zone.

Because One-Pass cuts such a pre-cise narrow channel into the groundthere was also the potential for cost sav-ings in iron media alone. It was theowner’s request to increase the savingson iron by having DeWind stop the ironwall just above the water table but 3.048metres below grade.

Quantum chose a trench cut of 0.45metres. The depth of 10 metres was madeuniform thanks to the laser-guided con-trol system that assures accuracy of cutto plus or minus 0.1 ft. It was keyed intoa confining layer of clay. The trench it-self ran 1,010 metres within a confinedparking lot that was crossed by utilitieswhich were removed prior to installation.The trench was successfully cut and amixture of zero-valent iron (20% by vol-ume) and concrete sand (80% by vol-ume) was installed, with excess spoilsfalling in above the ZVI/sand mixture.

The entire installation was accom-plished, just as the name suggests, inone-pass in just over 2 1/2 days. Withthis shortened installation time, therewas less disruption and measurably low-ered costs in completing this project.

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

Installation of gravel filled trenches with simultaneous installation of horizontalHDPE screens near the bottom.

Trenchers perform in situ mixing up to 50 feet below grade by homogenizingbentonite slurry directly with the native soil.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:39 PM

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:39 PM


present in the Sorbweb™Plus system. Itis a passive oil containment system so-lution that offers continuous protectionagainst oil spills from transformers.This secondary containment system isan engineered “smart” solution that al-lows water from rainfall and/or meltedsnow to drain through the composite, re-

Conventional secondary con-tainment systems for oil-filled transformers, such asconcrete pits, can be nega-

tively affected in winter weather due toaccumulation of snow and ice and/or thefreezing of standing water in contain-ment sumps and oil-water separators.The effects can result in:• The containment volume originally

designed to contain the spilled oilcould be occupied by the standingsnow/ice or water.

• The freezing pipes can prevent theflow through the system, flooding thecontainment area and causing the oilto spill into the surrounding area.

• Frozen pumps and other mechanicaldevices in the oil-water separatorsystem will fail to operate causingthe sump to overflow and dischargeoil into the environment.The potential problems inherent in

conventional secondary systems are not

taining any oil that might leak or spillfrom the transformer. Sorbweb Plus hasbeen installed in extreme weather con-ditions from 40 degrees Celsius to –50degrees Celsius.

As this system is free-draining wherewater freely drains out, there is no iceformation in the interstices of the stonesand, therefore, the void fraction of thefire-quenching stone layer remainsempty. It is expected that fresh snowwould cover a small fraction of the toplayer of stones and not penetrate to anydepth of the fire-quenching stone layer.

It is also expected that an areaaround the energized transformerswould remain free or relatively free ofsnow due to the radiant heat from thetransformer and the melting of thefalling snow on the surface of the trans-former. As snow falls down on thetransformer surface, the snow is con-verted into liquid water on the trans-former wall.

As the temperature of an energizedtransformer is in the order of 80 degreesCelsius and higher, the conduction ofheat from the transformer to the liquidwater will make the temperature of thewater increase well above the freezingpoint. This warm liquid water wouldadd to the radiant heat of the trans-former, increase the snow free areaaround the transformer. The liquidwater would subsequently drain throughthe Sorbweb Plus composite.

Based on the relative densities be-tween the spilled oil (920 kg/m3) and

Secondary containment undersevere winter conditions

Severe climate installation.

Assmann Double Wall Tank withbuilt-in containment security

Cylindrical storage tanks are rotationally moldedfrom either high density crosslinked polyethyleneor FDA compliant low density linear polyethylene.Both materials are more corrosion and chemicalresistant than fiberglass/thermoset resin materials,stainless or mild steel. Uniform wall thicknesses inboth primary and secondary containment basinsmeet or exceed ASTM D 1998-96 standards. Call,fax or write today for more information.

• Double wall capacities up to 6,550 gallonsDouble wall design assures against hazardous chemical spills in above ground applicationsOuter shell containment equals 120% of primary tank capacities, exceeding EPA standards

Assmann Corporation of America, 300 N. Taylor RoadGarrett, IN 46738 • Phone: 888-357-3181 F AX: 260-357-3738E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.assmann-usa.comManufacturing facilities in Garrett, IN and Marshall, TX

®

WHY ASSMANN?See our website: www.assmann-usa.com

• Double Wall Vertical Horizontal ConicalSecondary Containment Feed Stations Portable Bulk Pallets Accessories/FittingsOpen Top & Miscellaneous

Primary tank dome design extends over containment area to eliminate the entrance ofrainwater. Shown with convenient top entry filland suction lines. Flat recessed area availablefor optional bottom outlet fittings.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:39 PM


the fresh snow (160 kg/m3), it would belogical to expect that oil would gothrough the fresh snow into the fire-quenching stones. In addition, the heatcarried by the hot oil will allow themelting of snow and ice and the meltedwater to travel with the oil into thestones. As indicated earlier, the fire-

quenching stones void area will remainempty, as only a small fraction of thetop layer will be filled with snow.

As snow is typically 1/10th the vol-ume of water, 1 m of snow would beabout 10 cm of liquid water. The systemis designed for the highest rainfall eventover 24 hours in the past 25 years;therefore, the volume area within the

void area of the fire-quenching stoneswill be over the capacity required forthe snow melt that exists.

In event of a decommissioned trans-former, based on the relative densitiesbetween the spilled oil (920 kg/m3) andthe fresh snow (160 kg/m3), it is ex-pected that the spilled oil from the

transformer at a temperature of –50 de-grees Celsius would pass through thefresh snow into the fire-quenchingstones. The much lower temperature ofthe oil in this particular case makes theoil viscosity to be much higher than at80 degrees Celsius, therefore the mo-bility of the oil would be much slower.

As oil and the snow would be at the

same temperature, no thermal effectsare expected.

With an energized transformer spill,the spilled oil would be able to migratethrough the empty fire-quenchingstones. Water from the melting snow, ifit reaches the oil-absorbing mat beforeit is sealed with oil, would be able topermeate the system.

With a de-energized transformer, thespilled oil would be at a relatively highviscosity and would slowly sink throughthe fresh snow into the empty void frac-tion of the fire-quenching stones. Thevoid volume of the stone layer is capableof holding all the oil from the transformer.

For more information onSorbWeb Plus, contact Scott Lucas.Albarrie, www.albarrie.com

www.sorbwebplus.com

This secondary containment system is anengineered“smart”solution that allows waterfrom rainfall and/or melted snow to drain

through the composite, retaining any oil thatmight leak or spill from the transformer

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:39 PM


that runs into a nearby containmentpond. Continuous rainfall caused thepond’s water level to rise. In fact, it hadfilled up to about 770,000 litres (or200,000 gallons) and was getting closeto breaching the concrete retention wallat one end and releasing water withhigh pH levels into a drainage ditch.Animmediate solution was needed to con-tain the water.

Delivering the right solutionSince the weather outside was hov-

ering at around minus 7 degrees C, or19 degrees F, which could cause thewater to freeze, Baker recommended acontainment solution of ten 80,000-litre coil tanks. There was steam accessin the rail yard site that could behooked into the coils. The hot steamcould then be forced through the sys-tem, transferring onto the product in-side the tank and keeping it fromfreezing.

Baker had just the right equipment forthe job. It prepared four coil tanks for de-livery, as well as six safety vapour-linedtanks that it specially modified with pig-tail heating coil inserts on the tophatches. It delivered three tanks that sameday so the job could begin, following upon Sunday and Monday with severalmore each day, for a total of 10 tanks.

Mother Nature doesn’t worka 9 to 5 shift. So when shedecided to open up theskies one recent weekend

for a rainstorm, at the same time an ac-cidental spill occurred in a Canadianrail yard. The response had to be quickand precise to contain the water, treat itand return balance to the local environ-ment.Facing an environmental challengeIt was around 10:30 a.m. on a Satur-

day in mid-February, the start of a longweekend with local businesses closedon Monday for “Family Day.” That’swhen BakerCorp, a company specializ-ing in turnkey solutions for customers’containment, pumping, filtration andshoring challenges, received a call. Anindustrial service company’s emergencyresponse division called with news of aspill at a rail yard on the north end ofToronto. Two railcars had releasedsodium hydroxide into the ground.

Adding to the challenge, the rail yardis built on a stormwater drainage system

An environmental emergency calls forjust the right containment solution

Ten 80,000-litre coil tanks wereselected for the job because of theamount of water that needed to becontained and the near-freezingweather outside.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:10 PM

pH level of 11, would also require treat-ment. To bring down the pH to accept-able levels, sulfuric acid would have tobe introduced into the tanks and pond.

Baker recommended an on-site mixtank for the job. The customer could useit for batch processing, rather then pour-ing the solution directly into the stan-


dard tanks. The approach would resultin less sulfuric acid being used and abetter blend because the water would bein constant motion in the mix tank. Thecustomer could also set up an automaticdrip line system for the sulfuric acid thatwould work in coordination with a pHlevel monitor.

Since the pond water also requiredtreatment, they were able to treat 67,000litres of water on-site and then dischargeit back into the pond. They continuedthis process until the pond pH level re-turned to normal.

The outcome was exactly what thecustomer had hoped for. The water hadbeen contained and treated, and envi-ronmental balance had been restored.

For more information, contact,Kevin Bailey. E-mail:[email protected]

With the initial containment com-plete, the industrial service companynow faced a new challenge. Normally,it would treat the water in the tanks bytrucking it off-site to a nearby waste-water facility, but the water’s pH levelwas too high to be accepted there. Thewater in the pond, which had reached a

Pigtail heating coil inserts added to the top hatch of safety vapour-lined tanksallowed the customer to force hot steam through the system and keep thewater inside the tanks from freezing.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:40 PM


should a problem ever occur with theliner.Since the flexible PVC liner is cus-

tom-made and fabricated in this manner,the entire interior surface of the tank,fittings and manway are lined. This pre-vents the steel tank from coming in con-tact with any liquid or fumes from thenow-contained solution, in this case, theaqua ammonia. Because the PVC lineris not chemically adhered to the tank’ssurface, it is not affected by the tank ex-pansions or contractions. With no needto sandblast prior to installation, mini-mal down time is required. Total instal-lation was completed in just three days.The one piece construction and ex-

cellent chemical resistance make theliner virtually maintenance free.During the installation of the hori-

zontal tank, Brian MacDonald re-quested that Kentain also inspect two oftheir vertical fiberglass reinforced plas-tic (FRP) tanks - both containing 12%sodium hypochlorite. The discussionarose on how to proceed with the liningof these two tanks. Brenntag wantedboth tanks done at the same time to onceagain minimize down time. It wasagreed that the tank drawings would besent to Kentain Products so the linerscould be fabricated. Actual tank draw-ings are a benefit but not a necessity inmanufacturing custom liners.In November 2007, Kentain began

the installation of the two liners in theFRP tanks. One tank measured 8'-0" di-ameter x 12'-0" deep and the othermeasured 10'-0" diameter x 12'-0" deep.

In 1976, Brenntag Canada Inc. (for-merly CIL) in Cornwall, Ontario,had a flexible polyvinyl chloride(PVC) liner installed in a used riv-

eted horizontal steel tank. The tank,which measured 9'-0" diameter x 22'-6"long, was needed to contain aqua am-monia. The PVC liner was purchased toprevent the aqua ammonia from leakingat the riveted seams.In 2006, Brenntag Canada contacted

Kentain Products Ltd. regarding re-placement of the aging liner. After 30years of service, the old liner was re-moved and it was determined that thetank was in decent shape as the wallshad little signs of deterioration.In the spring of 2007, Brian Mac-

Donald, Site Manager of BrenntagCanada, contacted Kentain to proceedwith the replacement of the old liner.They began the design and pre-fabrica-tion of a one piece, 40 mil NSF-61white liner at their plant in Kitchener,Ontario. Working in conjunction withBrenntag Canada Inc., Kentain providedan installation supervisor and twohelpers to assist with the procedure.The lining of a horizontal tank is a

fairly straightforward process. The in-side of the tank is first visually in-spected by the supervisor to ensure it issmooth and free of any scaling.Once the tank preparations are com-

plete, the new liner is passed into thetank through the open manway. Theflexible PVC liner can then be laid outinside the tank. All fittings are sealedoff and secured, making the tank air-tight. The liner is then pulled up and fit-ted to the walls by way of a vacuum.During this process, two Kentain in-stallers remain inside the tank to con-struct a custom-fit, internal rib-cage outof PVC pipe. Once completed, the vac-uum is removed, and the liner becomesfreely suspended.Before the installation is deemed

complete, a water test is performed. Theliner becomes the main containment,while the tank provides extra security bybecoming the secondary containment. Asimple leak detection system is added tothe tank to ensure early awareness

PVC liners prolong the life of steeland FRP tanks

The preparations for a vertical tank arethe same as those for a horizontal tank.Once the tank is ready, the liner ispassed through the manway and un-rolled onto the floor of the tank. Insteadof an internal rib cage, ropes are at-tached to the roof of the liner and theliner is lifted and attached to the roof ofthe tank. Again, no bonding of the linerto the tank is required. The liner be-comes freely suspended.Both of the tanks were installed with

new liners and fully water tested in fivedays.

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

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:40 PM

www.esemag.com

Containment Solutions

Assmann Corporation ofAmerica

Sto

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Flowtite®Water Tanks are the ideal reser-voir for potable and non-potable waterapplications. They are lightweight andnon-corrosive and come in sizes rangingfrom 2,000 –190,000 litres. The Flowtiteline of tanks includes septic, fire protec-tion, rainwater harvesting and more.

Tel: 1-877-CSI-TANK, Fax: 936-756-7766E-mail: [email protected]: www.containmentsolutions.com

Compact feed stations fromAssmannstore small amounts of liquids and otherchemicals. Constructed from high den-sity crosslink or corrosion-resistantFDA compliant linear polyethylene, thefeed stations are lightweight, strong andeasy to handle with capacities from 40to 550 gallons and feature easy-to-readvolume markers and a pump shelf.Tel: 888-357-3181, Fax: 888-826-5329E-mail: [email protected]: www.assmann-usa.com

Albarrie Environmental

Albarrie, a leader incontainment technol-ogy, in partnershipwith Kinectrics Inc.,offers the SorbWebPlus secondary oil

containment system for power utilities.• No maintenance• Cost-effective• Proven system• Rain water passes through, no pumps• Can be installed around energizedtransformers.

Tel: 705-737-0551, Fax: 705-737-4044E-mail: [email protected]: www.sorbwebplus.com

Secondary oil containment Chemical feed stations

Water tanks

Firestone MultiLiner is a reinforcedpolypropylene-based membrane thatenhances the physical properties of themembrane by inserting a strong, poly-ester fabric (scrim) between the top andbottom plies. This combination gives itits extremely high breaking/tearingstrength and puncture resistance. It isideal for geomembrane applications.Tel: 888-292-6265, Fax: 877-666-3022E-mail: [email protected]: www.firestonebpco.ca

Reinforced membrane

Firestone Building Products Canada

The JetMixVor-tex Mixing Sys-tem can be usedin bio-solidsstorage wheresolids suspen-sion is impor-

tant. Benefits of using the JetMix systeminclude: Intermittent operation saves 60-90% in power consumption; expensivetank cleanout and scheduled maintenancenot required; easily installed in existingtanks; multiple tank mixing using a cen-tral pump house. JetMix was a recipientof a 1997 Innovative Technology Awardfrom theWater Environment Federation.Tel: 519-469-8169, Fax: 519-469-8157E-mail: [email protected]: www.greatario.com

Greatario Engineered Storage Systems

Layfield Group

Layfield is a premier fabricator and sup-plier of a complete line of floating turbid-ity barriers. They are designed to restrictand contain the flow of sediment-ladenrunoff and to allow the sediment to settleout before being carried into adjacent orjoining watercourses.Tel: 1-800-840-2884E-mail: [email protected]: www.layfieldgroup.com

Floating turbidity barriers Specialist training

PracticalHands-onProgressiveFormats

Tel: 905-578-9666,Fax: 905-578-6644

E-mail: [email protected]: spillmanagement.ca

Spill Management

51 | May 2008

BakerCorp

BakerCorp maintains an extensive in-ventory of over 18,000 pieces of qualityrental equipment including more than17 varieties of steel tanks, roll offboxes, pumps, filtration and specialtyequipment. For over 65 years, Baker-Corp has provided outstanding cus-tomer service, quality equipment andapplication expertise.Tel: 905-545-4555, 1-800-BAKER12Web: www.bakercorp.com

Equipment rental

H2Flow Tanks and Systems

Field erected processand storage tanks

Permastore glass-fused-to-steel tanks aremanufactured to published quality stan-dards, tested to zero defects and have anaccredited 30-year design life. They han-dle a pH range of 1-14 and are well suitedfor high strength industrial effluents andflexible tank designs.

Tel: 905-660-0649, Fax: 905-660-9744E-mail: [email protected]: www.h2flow.com

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:40 PM


Best management practices fortesting chemical properties duringfirst response - Part 2 By Cliff Holland

site-specific and product-specific train-ing for industry, is important in evaluat-ing the chemical properties that are inthe workplace. It also gives respondersfirst-hand opportunities to handle thechemicals and address potential reac-tions and spills that may occur in indus-trial sites, warehouses, laboratories andshipping terminals.Chemical, Biological, Radiological,

Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) inci-dents, and the intent to harm by terror-ists and criminals, are bringing back theneed for the older methodologies (stilltaught today), combined with modernequipment and instrumentation to de-termine how bad, bad really is. In high-risk areas where skilled and experiencedindividuals may have had to enter a siteto retrieve information or a sample, ro-bots may do the job today. (Can a robot’smovement cause upset, fire or initiatean explosion? Never assume not!)

Testing chemical propertiesin the field

Determining the properties of chem-icals and conditions to avoid can beaccomplished without sophisticatedequipment and supplies if responders aretrained with clear language to knowwhat to look for. TDG guidebooks andmaterial safety data sheets (MSDS) takea lot of the guessing out of the equationand start to point responders in the di-rection they should be looking at for an-swers. Information will need to be

Members of the committeefor the Transportation ofDangerous Goods Regu-lations, (TDG or TDGR)

were pleased in the 1980s that actionwas being taken to make the shipmentof hazardous materials safer. But, therewere still serious concerns that individ-uals would be responding to placardsand labels rather than to the actual risks,hazards and dangers at hand.Prior to TDG, response personnel

had to rely on their skills, knowledgeand first-hand experiences to handlespills and releases. This was demon-strated at the Mississauga train derail-ment in 1979. Responders did not havethe luxury of today’s indicator and sup-port information provided by warningsigns, shipping documents and materialsafety data sheets.As much as emergency and con-

tracted Haz-Mat teams feel they havethe knowledge, experience and trainingto handle Haz-Mat events, if the truthwere known, the tail is still wagging thedog! Grass roots knowledge and bestmanagement practices that include in-vestigative sampling, testing and evalu-ating of substances is still the basis forunderstanding potential impacts andscales of impact as well as what has tobe done to prevent escalation, maintainsite safety and resolve the issue at hand.Today, all-risk and all-hazard train-

ing for emergency agencies, including

prioritized, qualified and quantifiedbased on existing conditions before con-tractors and other personnel are allowedinto the site.Discretion and first-hand experience

are needed to maintain site safety dur-ing sizing up, sampling and testing ofknown and unknown substances. Afterissues such as radiation, toxicity andbiohazards are addressed, the mainfocus should turn to the key risk factorsof fire or an explosion. Do they exist ordo they not? Another risk factor, thechemical reactions and corrosives thatcan eat through personal protectiveequipment, needs to be determined aswell. CBRNE events must also includethe escalation risk factors of ‘intentionalintent to harm and destroy’. The safetyfactors should include all activities andprocedures to handle products from cra-dle to grave.Simple chemistry, or as it has often

been referred to in the field as kitchenor bucket chemistry, still works the bestfor initial and immediate verification ofchemical properties. Working withsmall - or trace-amount sized samples,like a grain of salt or less than one mil-lilitre of liquid, may be enough to verifychemical compatibility and potentialimpacts due to toxicity or chemical re-actions.In earlier days, testing was sometimes

simple and done by using a paper towelor a napkin as a test paper. Water, tea or

Practising the emergency plan at a research facility.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:40 PM


coffee was the primary reagent to wet thepaper and a lighter was a source of heator ignition to perform basic experiments.

By dipping a twisted up piece of papertowel into a liquid, getting a few drops onthe end of the paper and igniting it, therewas enough product to determine if theliquid was highly flammable, slightlyflammable or not flammable at all. If theliquid caught fire it meant that it was in-compatible with any oxidizers involvedat the scene. If it didn’t burn it might bean aqueous or corrosive substance. If thepaper was dipped into a sample and it dis-solved, or started to smoke, the attentionfocused towards strong acids, base, oxi-dizing and reducing agents. Acting onthis information was to act on the highside of caution, not ignorance.

Touching the wet paper to a grain ofsodium could cause a spark, indicatinga water reactive substance was presentand the properties of a substance couldbe verified. Other water reactions mayinclude the generation of hydrogen sul-phide gas (smell of rotten eggs) or theeffervescence/bubbling of substanceslike the products ingested for acid indi-gestion products.

By planning ahead, paper towels can

be replaced with pH paper and potas-sium iodide starch paper, and a bar-beque lighter and a bottle of water for areagent. The test papers can be used wetor dry to determine varying results andconditions.

Monitoring corrosiveand oxidizing vapours

When the test papers are being usedas a monitoring or detecting device foraggressive atmospheres, they can be ap-plied to a face shield or on the suit wherethey are visible. The paper should be ap-plied half wet and half dry. As the dampend of the pH paper starts to turn colour,the responder can visually determine ifthey are appropriately suited for the cor-rosive condition. For example, if there isspilled aqueous ammonia inside a build-ing, the concentration of the vapours willbe identified as the responder moves intothe area. The responder should also betrained that the test paper may be deter-mining the potential for fire. Stop, re-evaluate where you are going, anddetermine if you are properly protectedagainst all eventualities.

Potassium iodide starch paper (halfwet) can be used to pick up oxidizingvapours and to alert responders to the

fact that they may be walking into avolatile or explosive condition, e.g., cal-cium hypochlorite spilled onto an oilyfloor in a warehouse can produce an in-stantaneous fire or explosion.

Corrosive testFive basic levels of corrosiveness

can be identified; strong acid, mild acid,neutral, mild base, and strong base. Ifthe pH paper starts to show a bleachingof the colour, this may be the first indi-cator that the product is also an oxidizer.

Flammability testIgniting a few drops on the end of

the pH paper will indicate three addi-tional properties for site safety. It willdetermine: 1) if a product is highlyflammable and could cause a fire fromnearby ignition sources including staticelectricity; 2) if the sample burns simi-larly to a candle, that it will not cause afire but it will contribute to a nearby


May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:40 PM


fire if it gets involved; and 3) if the sub-stance is not flammable the focus canturn to aqueous products and corro-sives. The determinations of flammabil-ity are based on personal workingexperiences associated with fire.Two other important pieces of infor-

mation can be determined from the burntest. When the product burns and blacksmoke is visible, the product is made upof a blend of chemicals with differentflash points such as diesel fuel or paintthinner. It is also the first clue that theunknown substance in its formula maybe toxic. This toxic information shouldbe considered and acted upon whetherthe product is on fire or not. This is an

example of acting on the high side ofcaution not ignorance.Therefore, responders, including fire

departments, should be wearing, as min-imal protection, vapour masks as part oftheir respiratory protection for ‘routineworker safety’ on the site. If the flameburns clearly, a pure product such as al-cohol is present and vapour masks should

be worn in the presence of vapours.Identifying halogenated solventsHalogenated solvents are identified

during the burn test when the acidicvapours of the product cause red to ap-pear on the pH paper. This test resultgives responders another reason to pro-tect the entry routes of the body, in-crease evacuation distances, and ensurethat people with respiratory sensitivitiesare well back from downwind exposureto the vapour, smoke and toxic gases.Metals such as copper have been

identified by the (green) colour of theflame. Perchloric acid has been identi-fied as having an unusual burn pattern.A drop of a benzol peroxide solutionhas demonstrated extreme energy uponignition.A sample placed on the end of wet test

papers may generate the smell of rotteneggs or hydrogen sulphide gas (H2S).Caution should be taken for concentra-tions of over a thousand parts per millionas these can immediately cause a person’snervous system to become paralyzed. Inother words, CPR is required within fourminutes to revive the casualty.Tests for an oxidizer, reducing agent

and explosivesOxidizers and reducing agents have

been known to cause off-gassing, heat,fires, and explosions when reacting

Destruction of high-risk laboratorychemicals (Inset- chemicals to bedestroyed by the explosion).

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:41 PM


with organic or incompatible materials.Potassium iodide starch test paper(starch paper) can identify the presenceor absence of an oxidizer. On spill siteswhere awareness of chemical propertiesis key, if the starch paper changescolour due to a chemical reaction, (notstaining), the product should be consid-ered an oxidizer. If the starch paper doesnot indicate the presence of an oxidizer,treat the substance as a reducing agentuntil further determinations can bemade. This is acting on the high side ofcaution, not ignorance.

There are times that substances mayhave a coating on them that will inhibitan immediate positive reading of an ox-idizer, so “Never Assume”. Other fol-low-up tests may have to be done withreagents or a Redox meter to verify thestrength of an oxidizer or reducingagent.

Explosive reagents such as ammo-nium nitrate are labelled as an oxidizerwhen purchased from the garden shop.However, if anything that burns, such asdiesel fuel, is added to the product youmay have created an explosive. (An-other reason to do all testing with small-

or trace-amount sized samples is tominimize the impact of fire and explo-sion hazards).

Not all oxidizers or reducing agentsmay show any signs of reactivity whenthey are mixed with incompatible sub-stances or exposed to various atmos-pheres. Some oxidizers and reducingagents may slowly off-gas; others mayspontaneously ignite, detonate or defla-grate. Others that are mixed to form anexplosive compound may need an initi-ating force to set off the reaction or det-onation.

SummaryBest Management Practices should be

used as a key approach for identifyinghazards, providing capability and impro-vising quick tests that will help keep per-sonnel safe at small roadside spills, trainderailments or CBRNE events.

This creative use of test papers canidentify the properties of unknownchemicals, and also be used to providecontinual monitoring of atmospheresfor corrosive vapours. General alarmgas detectors can help locate pockets offlammable liquids, and sources of con-tamination as well as impacting gasses

and changes in atmospheric conditions.Best Management Practices for risk

and hazard training, first response, test-ing chemical properties, sizing-up un-known conditions and addressingtime-critical issues are a sequence of be-haviours and protocols. This commonsense approach has been developed andfield tested for over 25 years and demon-strates how basic tools, combined withimprovising off-the-shelf supplies, aswell as clear language for chemicals, canprovide response capability at majoremergencies and can be used in trainingto provide insight, awareness and under-standing.

Cliff Holland is a regularspeaker at Environmental Science

& Engineering’s annualCANECT conference. E-mail:[email protected]

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:41 PM


The scenarios investigated were: ablast from a vapour cloud such as mightaccumulate at a refinery with explosivepressures at 10 psig (the higher end ofthe range of expected pressures); a blastfrom 50 lbs of high explosive (HE)TNTas might be carried by a typical suicidebomber; and a blast from 500 lbs of high

In today’s increasingly unstable po-litical and social environment,safety and security has become atop concern with facility owners

storing petroleum and other flammablematerials.

With this heightened awareness of se-curity in mind, ConVault Inc. retainedKaragozian & Case (K&C) to complete ablast effects analysis (BEA) on the designof the ConVault protected abovegroundstorage tank (AST). ConVault ASTs fea-ture six inches of reinforced concrete sur-rounding both the primary and secondarycontainment of the fuel tank.

Three different threat scenarios wereinvestigated to determine the inherentblast resistance of the ConVault design.Scenarios were chosen to reflect blastdistances recommended in FEMA’s Ref-erence Manual to Mitigate Potential Ter-rorist Attacks Against Buildings.

explosive (HE) TNT representing a typ-ical car bomb.

A 2,000 US gallon tank was used torepresent a typical ConVault tank design.The criteria for a successful test was con-sidered to be one where the tank wouldnot move more than two inches, and theintegrity of the primary tank would not

Simulated explosion scenarios foraboveground storage tanks

Blast Test ScenariosVapour cloud explosion (10 psig)

50 lbs. of explosives at 5ft.500lbs. of explosives at 20 ft.

Scenarios SimulatedA suitcase bomb

A car bombBlast from a vapour cloud

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be compromised. There should be no re-sulting fuel leaks from the primary tank.

Overall, the Blast effects analysisindicated that the ConVault AST wasvery resistant to the effects of the blastloads considered. The mass provided bythe reinforced concrete outer shell pro-tected the steel tank extremely well, andgreatly enhanced the resistance to allblasts. It withstood the blast with highlimit pressures resulting from the ex-plosions from a vapour cloud, a 50 lbHE – TNT blast centered at 5 feet fromthe tank, and a 500 lb HE – TNT blastcentred at 20 feet from the tank.

The magnitude of these blasts at therespective proximities would be ex-pected to destroy and/or relocate lighter,less robust fuel storage tanks. However,the ConVault AST would not remain inplace, but could survive with no fuelleakage from the primary tank.

Contact Justin Britt, [email protected]

Sanitherm is pleased to announce theaddition of Larry Sawchyn to the positionof General Manager at its Office in NorthVancouver. Sanitherm’s primary businessis the design, assembly and installationof both portable and permanent waterand wastewater treatment systems forboth industrial and municipal clients inNorth America and worldwide.

Larry brings with him many years ofmanagement experience, most recentlyas a senior level manager in charge ofproject development of water and waste-water projects within the EnvironmentalInfrastructure business unit of a major en-gineering company.With Larry’s previousexperience, we expect to provide a highlevel of service to solve the most chal-lenging water and wastewater applica-tions.

You can contact Larry at(604)986-9168, fax (604)986-5377 orE-mail [email protected].

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May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:10 PM


Wastewater Reuse

quirements. In locations such as thesemi-arid regions of southern Alberta,the province has imposed a moratoriumon further withdrawals of water from theBow, Oldman and South Saskatchewanrivers. Alberta Environment has stoppedaccepting applications for new water li-censes from these rivers.This has forced industry to explore

improved methods to increase recyclingand reuse of wastewater as a means ofconserving and reducing its reliance onthe limited availability of fresh water.Newalta pioneered and has refined

the use of centrifuge technology for oil-field applications. Closed-loop drillingsystems using portable machines enable100 per cent of water-based drillingfluid to be re-circulated at the wellhead,thereby reducing both fresh water con-sumption for oil and gas well drillingand dramatically reducing the volumeof drilling fluid requiring disposal. Thistechnology is now deployed throughout

Anumber of regulatory driversacross the country are creat-ing wastewater treatmentchallenges for industry.

In western Canada, water scarcity isa topic of almost daily discussion in theeditorial pages of newspapers and mag-azines. It is widely recognized that freshwater has become a finite and limitedresource that is critical to sustaining thehealth of both aquatic ecosystems andthe economy. The situation has becomeso serious, in fact, that the University ofAlberta’s David Schindler wrote re-cently that the area will soon face “a cri-sis in water quantity and quality withfar-reaching implications.”

Wastewater reuseThe rapidly growing demands of mu-

nicipalities and industry, which are com-peting for water with traditionalagricultural users, have focused attentionon the need for more efficient use offresh water to meet forecasted future re-

western Canada, Wyoming and Texas.This technology is also finding appli-

cation in Alberta’s oilsands. It takes twoto four barrels of water to produce onebarrel of bitumen. To reduce the demandon surface and fresh groundwater, greatemphasis is placed on recycling andreusing the brackish produced water re-covered from in situ, thermal productionof bitumen.While most operators use sophisti-

cated produced-water recycling systems,all require effective oil/water separationas the first step in their treatmentprocess. Many struggle with the accu-mulation of stable oil/water emulsionsin the front end of their recycling sys-tems. The emulsions are frequently re-sistant to traditional chemical treatmentmethods of separation. Some who relyon flash treatment of these emulsions toevaporate the water fraction now findthat this impairs their oil quality by leav-ing behind residual salts, particularlychloride. Centrifuges are able to effec-tively separate these emulsions into aclean on-spec bitumen product and awater stream of a quality that can be re-cycled and reused for steam generation.In the semi-arid regions of southeast

Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan,5,000 to 7,000 shallow natural gas wellsare drilled each year. It is estimated thatapproximately 1 million cubic metres offresh water, usually municipal drinkingwater, is used annually to prepare the hy-draulic fracturing fluids that are used tostimulate and improve the productivityof these wells. Approximately 50 percent of this water is consumed during thefracturing process and the remainder isusually disposed of by deep-well injec-tion.Recognizing that such consumptive

use of communities’ limited supplies ofdrinking water in these water-shortareas is not sustainable, Newalta em-barked on a multi-year program to de-velop a method for recycling the wasteflow-back water from gas well fractur-ing. This resulted in the successful de-velopment of a two-step membranefiltration process that produces an ef-fluent which can be reused for prepar-

Oil industry water reuse protects the envirinmentand improves water supplies

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:41 PM


Wastewater Reuseing new fracturing fluids with a compa-rable cost to using and disposing offresh water, while offering obvious con-servation benefits.Since this still requires 50 per cent

make-up to replace the fraction of waterconsumed in the fracturing process,Newalta is now working with a com-munity in southeast Alberta to recycleits municipal wastewater effluent into asuitable water supply for industrial use.This innovative solution will replaceoilfield use of potable water, ensuringpriority access to drinking water for res-idents, while providing a secure long-term source of water for industrial usersin the region. This approach also holdsgreat potential for broader applicationacross the country.Wastewater treatment for dischargeWhile a shortage of water is the pri-

mary issue in the Prairie provinces,manufacturing and other industrial sec-tors, more strongly represented insouthern Ontario, Québec and BritishColumbia, face other challenges. Inthese urban locations, the concerns andinterests of industry and regulators aremore focused on water quality issues,specifically with regards to the contam-inants being discharged to municipalwastewater treatment systems and ulti-mately to the ecosystem.Many industrial facilities, which by

virtue of their size or the nature of theiroperation find it difficult to treat theirwastewater on-site, rely on third-partywaste treatment services to process theireffluent at off-site centralized waste-

water treatment facilities. Newalta hastreatment facilities across Canada toservice such customers.The focus, first and foremost, is to

recover materials of value from waste –the most common of which in industrialwastewaters is oil. A variety of chemi-cal, thermal, and mechanical processesare used for recovery and purificationof oil to convert this common waste-water contaminant into a reusableand/or marketable by-product.Heavy metals, another common con-

taminant in industrial wastewaters, areprecipitated, separated from the waste-water and immobilized in a dewatered

filter cake that can be safely disposed ofin non-hazardous landfills.Dissolved organic compounds, which

contribute excessive oxygen demand,and volatile organic compounds (VOCs),which contribute toxicity, often must alsobe addressed.Newalta has invested in the develop-

ment, demonstration and deployment ofwastewater treatment technologies to ac-complish these treatment objectives. InBrantford, Ontario, a new state-of-the-artfacility was commissioned in 2007 withthe ability to treat oily and metal-conta-minated wastewaters. It incorporatesboth horizontal-bowl and disk-stack cen-

Pilot testing membrane filtration technology for recycling of oilfield wastewater.Author is pictured in foreground.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:41 PM


Wastewater Reuse

tive development of biological treatmenttechnology used to co-treat industrialwastewater and landfill leachate at theNewalta Laterrière Facility nearChicoutimi. Industrial wastewater is pre-treated for removal of oil and metals andblended with anaerobically-digestedleachate prior to treatment in an aerobicbioreactor. Residual organics are oxi-dized with ozone and hydrogen peroxide

At its Surrey, BC facility, Newalta re-cently installed electrocoagulation incombination with rotary drum vacuumfiltration to provide simultaneous removalof emulsified hydrocarbons and heavymetals. The technology uses electric cur-rent and sacrificial depletion of iron elec-trodes in place of chemical coagulation todestabilize emulsions and precipitate met-als. More than a year of operating experi-ence has indicated that the technology iscapable of providing effluent quality thatconsistently meets discharge criteria at alower operating cost than the facility’s ear-lier chemically-based treatment system.An additional benefit has been the sim-plicity of operation.

Opportunities to deploy electrocoag-ulation technology at other facilities are

trifuges to process emulsions and pro-duce high quality by-product oil. Newfilter presses produce a landfill-ready fil-ter cake with low water content whichpasses theTCLP leaching test. The facil-ity also incorporates some of the mostadvanced environmental controls of theirkind, including tertiary containment innew waste storage and processing areasand thermal oxidation of process emis-sions, for reliable control of odours andVOC emissions.

At the Newalta Chateauguay Facilityon the south shore of Montreal, an aginglamella clarifier was replaced in 2007with a dissolved air flotation (DAF) unitto clarify treated wastewater and separateprecipitated metal sludge. Experiencewith the technology elsewhere coupledwith bench-scale testing indicated thatDAFwould improve throughput capacity,produce a higher quality effluent con-taining lower suspended solids concen-trations, and generate a thicker sludge fordewatering in the facility’s filter press.The unit was commissioned in early 2008and performance has thus far met or ex-ceeded expectations.

Québec is also home to the innova-

currently being evaluated, includingToronto, where air stripping was re-cently added to improve the removal ofVOCs from treated effluent.

Emerging issues and evolvingstandards

While the ability to provide consis-tent removal of conventional contami-nants such as hydrocarbons, heavymetals and dissolved organics remainsimportant, regulatory standards are con-tinually evolving. The Canadian Coun-cil of Ministers of the Environment iscurrently finalizing its strategy for themanagement of municipal wastewatereffluent.When released, this initiative isexpected to prompt municipalitiesacross the country to review their sewer-use bylaws and, in some cases, adoptstricter standards for the discharge ofindustrial contaminants to sewers.

In parallel, public interest and regu-latory attention is increasingly turningtowards emerging contaminants such asendocrine disrupting compounds, phar-maceutically active compounds and per-sonal care products. Conventionalindustrial wastewater treatment tech-nologies commonly used today are notnecessarily adequate to deal with thesechallenges.

Recognizing that technology will bethe key to addressing these issues,Newalta continues to invest in the de-velopment and demonstration of inno-vative and new wastewater treatmenttechnologies to ensure it stays ahead ofemerging issues and is ready to respondto the needs of its customers as newtreatment standards arise.

SummaryIndustry is increasingly recognizing

water as a valued resource to be con-served and used wisely. Effluent stan-dards of yesterday often do not meet therequirements of stakeholders today orthe expectations of tomorrow. The evo-lution of technology will continue toprovide opportunities to reduce wateruse, improve reuse opportunities andimprove effluent quality. Those whoembrace these technologies will be pre-pared for the challenges that lie ahead.

Clyde Fulton, P. Eng, is SeniorProcess Engineer for Newalta Corp.,

based in Calgary. E-mail:[email protected].

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:41 PM

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:41 PM


Water Supply

munities and contributing to localeconomies by creating new businessand job opportunities.

Where did the arsenic come from?Arsenic is a naturally occurring

semi-metallic compound found ingroundwater around the world, includ-ing Bangladesh, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico,parts of the United States and India.Some argue that the increasing occur-rence of arsenic in groundwater mightbe the result of the rapid and significantdrawdown of aquifers as we struggle tomeet our water demands.While arsenic may be tasteless and

odorless, the human impact is deadlyevident. Early indications appear in theform of dark spots on the chest, back,limbs and gums; then, in the more ad-vanced stages, wart-like skin eruptionson the hands, feet, and torso. Continu-ing exposure can result in enlargementof the liver, kidneys, and spleen, devel-

In ruralWest Bengal, India, desper-ate poverty, hunger, and diseaseare a daily reality. To make mattersworse, their water is killing them.

With every drink of water and everymeal they eat, hundreds of thousands ofpeople are being slowly poisoned by thevery water they need to survive.Residents in eight of this region’s 19

districts are drinking and cooking withgroundwater contaminated with natu-rally occurring, highly toxic arsenic.Tasteless and colorless, the arsenic hasslowly seeped into their water sourcesand then into their bodies. The result:chronic arsenic poisoning of hundredsof thousands of West Bengalis, withmany more at risk.Thankfully, village-by-village, sim-

ple, locally developed solutions aremaking a change for the better. Thesesolutions are providing much more thansafe water. They are empowering com-

oping into malignant tumors and evendisorders of the gastrointestinal, circu-latory, and nervous systems.The arsenic problem hasn’t always

been present in West Bengal. It is actu-ally the result of efforts to solve micro-biological contamination of surfacewater during the 1970s and 1980s whentube wells were installed throughout theregion. The switch to groundwater camewith a deadly price and awareness of theissue was slow to come. Because of theextreme poverty of the region, affectedpeople often hesitated to seek medicalcare. By then, the damage was done. Itwas in the late 1980s that scientistsbegan to find evidence of arsenic con-tamination in the groundwater, and bythe 1990s the extent of the health im-pact became widely known.

Partnering sustainable solutionsWater For People began working in

India in 1996. Its initial effort was a

Arsenic mitigation in West Bengal, India:much more than just water By David Stevenson

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:42 PM


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small pilot program designed to helpeliminate the health threats of arsenic inrural village water supplies. Soon WaterFor People partnered with Bengal Engi-neering & Science University to de-velop a local, sustainable solution.

After pursuing a number of options,the university developed a simple arsenic-removal filter for use at community well-heads, incorporating activated alumina.

The wellhead unit consists of a 12-inch diameter, seven-foot, two-inch-tallstainless steel column. Water flowsthrough a 51-inch layer of activated alu-mina and then through an eight-inchlayer of gravel. Every eight to 12months the filter media is regeneratedand the waste safely contained. Onewellhead unit can serve up to 300 fam-ilies and is expected to last for 10 to 15years, with little maintenance required.

The filter incorporates a simple, highlyeffective technology, is locally manufac-tured, easy to operate (no electricity re-quired), easy to maintain, and relativelyinexpensive – approximately $2,000 foreach wellhead unit. Most important, thetechnology is sustainable, offering effec-tive protection for years to come.

Working with the local villages,water committees were formed to helpimplement the installations and encour-age ongoing local input and control. Todate, Water For People has helped fi-nance the installation of 110 of theseunits, providing safe, arsenic-free waterfor more than 33,000 people in multiplevillages across West Bengal.

Water Supply

Dipak Das makes a living deliveringsafe drinking water daily to villagersnearby.

In villages where wellhead unitshave been installed, the incidence of ar-senic poisoning has dropped dramati-cally. People are reporting livinghealthier and more productive lives.

The difference, according to onewoman, indicates a variety of positivechanges. “I used to have indigestion andchronic dysentery. Now all these prob-lems are gone, and I have an appetite. Iused to spend 150 rupees (US$3.43)each month on medicine, and now I savethis money.”

Safe water and economicopportunities

Dipak Das churns the pedals of histhree-wheeled bike earnestly. Immedi-ately behind him, packed tightly on theflat platform that’s wedged between thetwo rear wheels, rest 20-or-so jigglingjugs of his most precious cargo - safe,filtered, arsenic-free drinking waterfrom the wellhead.

Dipak delivers filtered water to 45families. The 2,800 rupees (US $70) heearns each month is a good living by In-dian standards. Before, he ran a road-


May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:42 PM


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side tea shop, worked longer hours andmade less money. Now, his deliveriesrequire only four hours a day, givinghim time to pursue other business op-portunities.For Nirmal De and his family, their

sole source of income is work that is re-lated to the arsenic filter in DaharthubaVillage, where they live. He used towork in a plastic toy factory that hassince closed. He started out by deliver-ing water to three families. Now that hasgrown to 50. On every delivery he at-tempts to sell the service to other fami-lies along his route.Sumitra, his wife, is the paid care-

taker for the filter. She spends fourhours every morning and three hoursevery evening operating the pump. Shemust periodically backwash the filter toensure its effectiveness. She also keepsthe platform clean throughout the day.The pump station has become the centerof the community and even has a tele-vision to entertain women as they wait.Their older son, Sudip, also helps out atthe filtration station and with deliveries.Besides the water delivery, a variety

Water Supply

of other business enterprises oftenemerge around the arsenic filters. Thereare vendors who sell jerry cans for car-rying the water. Others sell food andsnacks at the wellhead. And, at everystation, an individual, like Sumitra,earns a salary to collect and recordwater payments from villagers.

Day-by-day, village-by-villageWater For People makes it a point to

support our partners in West Bengal,who in turn work closely with commu-nities. The goal is to obtain commitmentto each project from community mem-bers, enabling them to take ownership ofits long-term operation. In 2006, Waterfor People opened an office in Kolkatawith a full-time country coordinator, Ra-jashi Mukherjee, to facilitate the work inthe region.

David Stevenson is a freelance writerwho lives in Denver, Colorado.

He has participated in numerouscommunity work projects with thepeople of the Dominican Republic,Venezuela, and the San Luis Valley

in southern Colorado.Visit www.waterforpeople.org

Professor Anirban Gupta, Ph.D., anassistant professor with BengalEngineering & Science University,was involved with the developmentof the arsenic filtration technology.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:16 PM


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In Newfoundland and Labrador, aspecial activated sludge wastewatertreatment plant (WWTP) for St.Philip’s has been operating suc-

cessfully since the end of 2003, with asimilar and larger plant scheduled tostart up for Portugal Cove later this year.

The currently operating plant, with adesign average flow of 7.7 litres/sec. andpeak flow of 28.5 litres/sec., has consis-tently met effluent standards for bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD), totalsuspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen(TKN), phosphorus (P), and fats/oils/grease (FOG). It has required onlyminimal, routine, maintenance-class op-erator attention, and has converted99.999% of influent solids to landfill-dis-posable sludge. The larger plant is to han-dle a design average flow of 15.2litres/sec. and peak of 34.2 litres/sec.

The ISAM™ Integrated SurgeAnoxicMix System, manufactured by FluidyneCorp. of Cedar Falls, Iowa, is specially de-signed to provide for lower amounts ofsludge production compared to other ac-tivated sludge processes. Here, the systemhas processed over 129,000,000 US gal-lons of raw sewage since start-up, and, todate, only about 15,000 US gallons ofsludge have been removed.

The St. Philip’s WWTP was the firsttreatment system for the town. Sewagefor the 300 residences and a few com-mercial operations was previously han-dled via septic tanks.The WWTP influentlevels are BOD, 200 mg/l; TSS, 250 mg/l;TKN, 50 mg/l; and FOG, 50 mg/l.

The Department of Environment andConservation for Newfoundland andLabrador presently requires effluenttreatment levels for BOD of 20 mg/l andTSS of 30 mg/l. A reduction to 10 mg/lfor both parameters by both provincialand federal regulators is considered pos-sible within a few years. The new planthas consistently met the 10 mg/l level,with less than 5 mg/l measured morethan 90% of the time.

TKN and FOG are also both consis-tently below 10 mg/l. Phosphorus hasbeen recognized as consistently reducedto the 1 mg/l limit or below, and has

often been non-detectable. Fecal andtotal coliform counts in the influent at>10,000 cfu/ml, have been reduced tonon-detectable.

Design limitations for the new WWTPthat were established by the town’s engi-neering firm included location on pristineoceanfront property; placement withinresidential development, as close as 60 mto a residence; available footprint of only1200 sq.m; and service for a small com-munity that did not have a large, trainedWWTP staff available, and needed a sim-plistic and economical plant to operateand maintain.

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Wastewater Treatment

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Table 1: Reduction of WastewaterSolids at St. Philip’s WWTP.

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dynaBLEND® polymer blending andactivation system features thepatented HydroACTION® non-me-chanical, high-energy polymer mixingchamber, with a choice of diaphragmmetering or progressing cavity pumps.Control options range from simplemanual systems to fully instrumentedPLC-based units with unlimited varietyof inputs/outputs. Choice of mechani-cal or water force mixing (mechanical,60 to 1,200 gph; water force, 300 to21,000 gph).

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:42 PM



options were ruled out early in the selec-tion process because of the large footprintthey required, with the lagoon conceptalso having the disadvantage of openbasins in a residential area,” recalled Dar-ryl Mills, project engineer, Newfound-land and Labrador Consulting Engineers(NLCEL), who had been given the man-date in the fall of 2002 to provide the ap-propriateWWTP. “Oxidation ditches arealso open processes, and cannot providethe same level of treatment and technicaleffectiveness as RBC and SBR, which,therefore, became finalists.”“Choosing between the finalists, we

recognized SBR as a more forgivingtechnology for a situation where therewere no storm sewers, and no separatesystem underground for groundwaterand rainwater runoff,” he continued.“There was a high potential for infiltra-tion that could cause the flow rate to theWWTP to jump to 7-10 times the aver-age efficiency.”The initial technology evaluation

took about 4 - 6 weeks. After SBR wasselected, visits were arranged to six ex-isting SBR sites, representing severaldifferent manufacturers.

“We wanted to know what the opera-tors liked and didn’t like, and what theywould have done differently,” Mills re-called. “Key issues that emerged includedprocess reliability from a controls per-spective; user-friendliness of controls andtechnology; and personnel requirements.SBR had always been considered theprocess that achieved the highest levelsof treatment, but it was also one of themost complicated, and until the advent ofthe programmable logic controller (PLC),huge labour input was required.”

“We found the selected vendor hadcombined a strong process backgroundwith good programming people to de-velop a good controller for the operatingplant,” he noted. “What was previouslyvery complex for operators was nowsimplified.We also learned that SCADAwas essential, and that we wanted it forevery piece of equipment, so that every-thing was on the operator’s screen in hisoffice, and changes could be made fromhis desktop.”

In SBR tank, jet aeration header, right,has back flush valve that providesmeans for reversing flow throughheader manifold, to remove any ob-structions that could plug aeration jet.The overflow weir/scum skimmer, left,takes nitrified mixed liquor back to theSAM compartment for anoxic mixingand denitrification.

continued on page 82...

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:42 PM

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ACG TechnologyACG Technology

AWIArmtec AWI

Armtec

Flo-Dar Radar Ve-locity Flowmeteroperates above theflow and couldsave thousands ayear at each site. Iteliminates fouledsensors and the

risk and expense of confined spaceentry. Provides highly accurate flowmeasurements under a wide range offlows and site conditions. Recipient ofthe prestigious Water Environment Fed-eration Innovative Technology Award.Call to schedule a FREE demonstration.Tel: 905-856-1414, Fax: 905-856-6401 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.acgtechnology.com

“Above the flow” flowmeter

Marsh-McBirney, a Hach Companybrand, now offers Data Delivery Serv-ices (DDS) to provide users with a truly‘hands-off’ approach to sewer flowmonitoring - all from the comfort oftheir office. Current DDS customers areseeing significant savings as well asfreeing their personnel for other tasks. Tel: 905-856-1414, Fax: 905-856-6401 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.acgtechnology.com

Hand-off approach to monitoring

Canadian Safety Equipment Claessen Pumps


Armtec provides BEBO concrete archbridges in Québec, Ontario and WesternCanada. Based on technology devel-oped in Switzerland, BEBO arches arean economical alternative to cast-in-place concrete or structural steelbridges. They are available in a range ofshapes with spans up to 31m.Tel: 519-822-0210, Fax: 519-822-1160E-mail: [email protected]: www.armtec.com

Concrete arch bridges

Stormwater solutions

Armtec provides awide range ofCONTECHstormwater qualitymanagement systems through-out Canada. Prod-ucts includeVORTECHS hydrodynamic

separation systems and VORTFILTERfiltration systems. These systems areamong the best for capturing suspendedsolids, oils, grit and trash from storm-water runoff.Tel: 519-822-0210, Fax: 519-822-1160E-mail: [email protected]: www.armtec.com

The new Grace em-ployee monitor em-ploys a small batteryoperated transmittingalarm unit that isworn by the em-ployee. It detects

lack of motion so that, if a worker stopsmoving, they are given a pre-alert for 8seconds and then the alarm device emits a95db audio alarm and sends a radio signalback to the receiver (up to ¾ mile line ofsight). Use of a remote antenna and re-peaters will allow the unit to cover anysize facility.Tel: 800-265-0182, Fax: 905-272-1866E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.cdnsafety.com

Lone worker protection system

Phoenix Panel System

• Upgrades and optimizes all types of filters

• Removal of existing underdrain not required

• Eliminates the need for filter gravel• Improves backwash distribution• Longer filter runs and lower turbidity effluent

Tel: 403-255-7377, Fax: 403-255-3129E-mail: [email protected]: www.awifilter.com

Phoenix Underdrain System

• Optimizes vertical and horizontal pressure filters

• Low profile, filtered water pick-up lateral orifice is <25 mm

• Manufactured from corrosionresistant stainless steel

• Custom hydraulic distribution• Guaranteed uniform air scour

distribution. Tel: 403-255-7377, Fax: 403-255-3129E-mail: [email protected]: www.awifilter.com

Cancoppas

The Aysix SRSis a solution formonitoring andcontrolling thereceipt andtransfer of sep-tage/sludge andtrade waste ap-

plications in the field. The facility is con-trolled via an actuated valve with furtherancillary instrumentation including aflowmeter, suspended solids monitor andother instrumentation, depending on theapplication and end user requirements.

Tel: 905-569-6246, Fax: 905-569-6244E-mail [email protected]: www.cancoppas.com

Septage reception systemGrindex’s new stainlesssteel pump line combinesthe integrity of years oftested design with the in-genuity and durability ofnew technology. Inoxpumps can be used in ap-plications that would de-

stroy their aluminum predecessors. Theirstainless steel construction enables themto endure pH values from 2 – 10, mak-ing them ideal for extreme environmentswith highly acidic or alkaline contents.They are ideal for use in copper mines,coal power plants, saltwater fish farms,shipyards, etc.Tel: 705-431-8585, Fax: 705-431-2772E-mail: [email protected]: www.claessenpumps.com

New stainless steel pumps

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:42 PM

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Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute

Denso DeWind Duall Division, Met-Pro Corporation

EMRP Endress + Hauser Export Development Canada


The Handbook ofSteel Drainage &Highway Con-struction Productshas been reprintedand is once againavailable (January2007). There areminor changes tothe 2002 version.Most significant

are design examples for large soil steelstructures that illustrate proceduresusing Canadian Highway Bridge DesignCode (CHBDC).Tel: 866-295-2416, Fax: 519-650-8081E-mail: [email protected]: www.cspi.ca

Engineering Textbook

Stormwater management using large di-ameter corrugated steel pipe under park-ing areas is a cost-effective way to meetreduced runoff and environmental re-strictions while allowing revenue pro-ducing services and commercialdevelopment. Comprehensive designsoftware is available, FREE.Tel: 866-295-2416, Fax: 519-650-8081E-mail: [email protected]: www.cspi.ca.

Undergroundstormwater detention

Degremont Technologies/Infilco

TheAquaDAF® Clarifier High-RateDissolvedAir Flotation System is a vi-able alternative to conventional settlingand DAF clarifiers. TheAquaDAF is ahybrid of conventional DAF and opti-mally designed system components. It ishighly effective for the treatment of arange of raw water characteristics includ-ing troublesome waters exhibiting lowturbidity, high TOC, color and algae.Web: www.infilcodegremont.com

Dissolved air flotation system

Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute

Proven worldwidefor well over 100years, DensoPetrolatum Tapesoffer the best,most economical,long-term corro-

sion protection for all above and belowground metal surfaces. Requiring onlyminimum surface preparation and envi-ronmentally responsible, Denso Petrola-tum Tape is the solution to your corrosionproblems in any corrosive environment.For applications in mines, mills, refineries,steel mills, pulp & paper, oil & gas, and thewaterworks industry.The answer is Denso!Tel: 416-291-3435, Fax: 416-291-0898E-mail: [email protected]: www.densona.com

Denso Petrolatum Tapes

With DeWind's One-Pass trencher tech-nology, deep environmental horizontal col-lection trenches, reactive barriers, andslurry walls are installed in a single passdirectly into contaminated water and soil.There is no need to dewater or remediate.Tel: 616-875-7580, Fax: 616-875-7334E-mail: [email protected]: dewinddewatering.com

One-Pass trenching

The Hydro-Lance™wet particulate dustcollector with Sub-merged Air Venturi(SAVe) technologyavoids possible oper-ational issues associ-ated with standardVenturi scrubber sys-tems, including pumpfailures, small orificenozzle clogging, ma-

terial failures, and general maintenanceheadaches, while still providing the time-provenVenturi collection methodology.Tel: 989-725-8184, Fax: 989-725-8188E-mail: [email protected]: www.dualldiv.com

Wet particulate dust collector

The latest watertreatment trailerdesigned andsupplied byEMRP is for theemergency re-sponse andgroundwatertreatment indus-tries. It has aMOE portableC of A for dis-

charge to open environment or sanitarysewers. The trailer is Hazardous Class 1Div 1 explosion proof.Tel: 519-751-3405, Fax: 519-751-3443E-mail: [email protected]: www.emrp.ca

Water treatment trailer

Full knowledge ofyour plant statusallows for goodmaintenance plan-ning. W@M –Life Cycle Man-agement fromEndress+Hauserprovides up-to-date and complete information on allyour assets, including products fromother suppliers. It is an open informationmanagement system providing data flowand archiving for the technical and oper-ational management of your plant.Tel: 905-681-9292, Fax: 905-681-9444E-mail: [email protected]: www.ca.endress.com

Life cycle management

Export Development Canada is Canada'sexport credit agency, offering innovativecommercial solutions to help Canadianexporters and investors expand their in-ternational business. EDC's knowledgeand partnerships are used by 7,000 Cana-dian companies and their global cus-tomers in up to 200 markets worldwideeach year.Web: www.edc.ca/utilities

Export credit agency

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:43 PM

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GlobeStar SystemsGardner Denver Engineered Products Division

Gorman-Rupp Grundfos

Gorman-Rupp

Heron Instruments Heron Instruments


Greenspoon Specialty Contracting

Remediation/Demolition

Greenspoon Spe-cialty Contract-ing has beenactively engagedin the Demolition

and Environmental Remediation indus-try for over 50 years. Spanning acrossthe commercial, industrial and govern-ment sectors, GSC is proficient in allareas of demolition (implosion and dis-mantlement), asbestos, mould and leadabatement, soil remediation and site de-commissioning. Proficient in LEEDsprojects. Offices in Toronto, Winnipeg,Buffalo.Tel: 800-928-8812, Fax: 905-458-4149E-mail: [email protected]: www.greenspoon.net

Genuine parts Quick Ship program

Gardner Denver offers Quick Ship pro-grams for many common bearing andseal kits. Only genuine Gardner Denverparts can reliably meet the performancestandards of the original blower design.This program ensures superior factoryparts and fast delivery.Tel: 770-632-5000, Fax: 770-486-5629E-mail: [email protected]: www.gardnerdenver.com

Sewer bypass pumping

Sewer bypass pumpingand applications requir-ing sound attenuationare ideal for Gorman-Rupp Prime Airemodel PA6C60-4045T-ESP. It offers flows to2,750 USGPM, headsto 200 feet, 3-inch

solids handling capability, sound attenu-ation and an environmental containmentbase.This pump has the ability to rundry indefinitely with no pump damageand is standard fitted for automatic floatcontrolled operation.Tel: 519-631-2870, Fax: 519-631-4633E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.grcanada.com

Emergency notification

ConnexALL® is a powerful software en-gine which brings diverse emergencymonitoring systems together on one plat-form for monitoring alarms, creating aneffective fan-out application. In an emer-gency event, ConnexALL sends real-timenotification of that event to one person orgroup of persons on any device, any-where.

Tel: 1-800-661-2340, Fax: 416-635-1711Web: www.globestarsystems.com

Solids handling pumps

The Ultra V Seriespump is a revolu-tionary solids han-dling, self-primingcentrifugal pump,available in 3”, 4”

and 6” discharge sizes. When system re-quirements exceed its basic, single stageperformance range, it can be configuredwith a second stage, the UltraMatewhich increases maximum pressure upto 300 percent, and is simply mounteddirectly to the discharge of the basicmodel through an innovative transitionchamber.Tel: 519-631-2870, Fax: 519-631-4633E-mail: [email protected]: www.grcanada.com

Pump flow monitoring

The Grundfos All-dos Flow Monitor,specifically de-signed for DDI se-ries digital dosingpumps provideson-board flow and

pressure monitoring directly in thepump dosing head without the need foradditional external accessories. Suctionand pressure side malfunctions are im-mediately reported even at very low vol-umetric flows. The system will shutdown and alarm if excess pressure ismeasured. You can monitor actual sys-tem pressure with the touch of a button.Tel: 905-829-9533, Fax: 905-829-9512Web: www.grundfos.ca

Water level indicator

Contact Heron forpricing on the eco-nomical Water Tape.You will be sur-prised at the lowcost. The white,flexible, solid poly-ethylene tape rein-

forced with Kevlar makes it extrastrong. The permanent markings are in-delibly heat stamped and recessed intothe tape. Fully encapsulated, water re-sistant electronic module with A/C sig-nal eliminates probe corrosion. Splicingkits are available. 3 year warranty.Tel: 800-331-2032, Fax: 905-634-9657E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.heroninstruments.com

Groundwater level monitoring

The Heron dipper-Log measures andrecords groundwa-ter levels and tem-peratures over longperiods of time. ThedipperLog has auto-

matic barometric pressure and elevationcompensation together with a recalibra-tion facility that allows for changes ingroundwater density. Water levels arereported as either height of water abovethe transducer or depth of water below alocal datum.

Tel: 800-331-2032, Fax: 905-634-9657E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.heroninstruments.com

Hoskin Scientific

HOBO water level logger

The HOBO Water Level Logger is a high-accuracy, pressure-based water levelrecording device that combines research-grade accuracy and durability with a pricetag that is roughly half the cost of mostcomparable solutions.

Available from Hoskin Scientific Ltd.www.hoskin.ca

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:43 PM

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KSB Pumps Inc. MS FilterIndustrial Scientific

NorthAmerican Green Orival Rocky Mountain Soil Sampling

Rocky Mountain Soil Sampling Schneider Electric


Submersible pumps

KSB’s line of AMAREXKRT submersiblepumps features a closedjacket cooling system ofthe motor. Independentof the fluid handled, itensures optimal heatdissipation in alloperating conditions(wet, dry, partly flooded,or permanently

submerged). AMAREX KRT pumpshave a maximum flow rate of 10,000m3/h, with heads up to 100 m.

Tel: 905-568-9200, Fax: 905-568-3740E-mail: [email protected]: www.ksb.ca

Sediment controlNorth AmericanGreen’s StrawWattlesare an effective andeconomical alterna-tive to silt fence andstraw bales for sedi-ment control andstormwater runoffCylinders of recycled,

compressed, 100% agricultural straw,they are wrapped in tubular UV stabi-lized black synthetic netting. They canbe placed and staked along the contourof newly constructed or disturbedslopes. Their use to capture and retainsediment is an EPA-recognized bestmanagement practice.Tel: 1-800-772-2040Web: www.nagreen.com.

Water filters

Stainless steel, carbon steel, NSF coat-ing, Hastelloy, titanium – whatever ma-terials are required, ORIVAL will meetall customer specifications when manu-facturing fully automatic self-cleaningfiltration systems, in sizes ranging from¾” to 24”.Tel: 1-800-567-9767E-mail: [email protected]: www.orival.com

Underwater sampling

Site investigations

RMSS specializes in difficult access siteinvestigations. Our equipment is easilybroken down into helicopter, ATV andman portable packages so you can getyour job done without huge mobilizationcosts. Soil sampling, monitoring wells,geo-technical testing, we go anywhere.Tel: 604-947-RMSS (7677),Fax: 604-947-9500Web: www.rmsoil.com

Sanitherm, a di-vision of WellcoEnergy Services,has perfectedcontainerizingtheir SaniBrane®MBR. ThecontainerizedSaniBrane isportable, provides

excellent effluent on start-up, is operatorfriendly and comes pre-wired, pre-plumbed and tested. The system for any-where needing reliable waste treatmentwith a small footprint!Tel: 604-986-9168, Fax: 604-986-5377E-mail: [email protected]: www.sanitherm.com

Membrane bioreactor

Sanitherm, a division ofWellcoEnergy Services

RMSS offers an in-novative solution forunderwater sam-pling. Our RossfelderVibracorer uses con-tra-rotating dual-eccentrics and high-frequency vibrationsof 8,000 VPM, tocore into the seabed.Optimum penetrationis in the unconsoli-dated sediments of a

marine environment, especially silts andclays.Tel: 604-947-RMSS (7677),Fax: 604-947-9500Web: www.rmsoil.com

A DS2 DockingStation™ is nowavailable for theGasBadge® Plussingle gas monitor.The GasBadge Plusis a two-year, low-

cost, personal gas detector. The DS2Docking Station recognizes individualinstrument serial numbers, performscalibration and bump testing and itsinstrument diagnostics and record keep-ing functions limit safety hazards andliability concerns.

Tel: 800-338-3287, Fax: 412-788-8353E-mail: [email protected]: www.indsci.com

Optimization of equipmentmaintenance can increaseelectrical availability in yourfacility. Schneider Canada

Services & Projects' multiyearmaintenance contracts aredesigned with your specific

operational and financial needsin mind. Maintenance services

range from preventivemaintenance activities, testing,and inspection to emergency

on-site assistance.

Tel: 416-615-3406, Fax: 416-752-8944Web: www.schneider-electric.ca

Personal gas detector

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 7:00 PM

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Siemens Water Technologies

SPD Sales

SPD Sales

Siemens providesinnovative watertechnologies:• Vantage®

NF/RO Filtration Systems

• TRIDENT® HSC and Trident® HS Packaged Water Treatment Systems

• MEMCOR® Membrane Filtration Systems

• CenTROL® Filter Systems• MULTIBLOCK® FilterUnderdrainsTel: 800-525-0658 or 724-772-1402E-mail:[email protected]:www.siemens.com/drinking_water

Water treatment


Waterra PumpsVictaulic

Depend-O-Lok is the new standard forjoining pipe to 144”. Engineered for re-strained and unrestrained systems, De-pend-O-Lok allows angular deflectionand pipeline thermal expansion/contrac-tion while maintaining seal integrity.Specify in systems to 600 PSI forstrength, reliability and ease of mainte-nance.Tel: 905-884-7444 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.victaulic.com

Internal joint seals

Although it ap-pears to be a sole-noid pump, theGrundfos DMI isactually motordriven.Whichever modelyou choose, youget a sturdy, cost-efficient pumpbased on a well-proven synchronousmotor design. The DMI range can handlefeed rates from 0.3 to 18 l/h and pressuresup to 232 psi (16 bar).Tel: 905-678-2882, Fax: 905-293-9774 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.spdsales.com

Simple, cost-efficient andquiet dosing

Monitor, report,and control yoursystems withAlarmAgentRACO’s full-fea-tured, web-basedservice. AlarmA-gent is RACO’snewest wirelesstechnology,bringing a state-of-the-art, and

web-based interface to our complete lineof alarm detection and notification prod-ucts. Tel: 905-678-2882, Fax: 905-293-9774 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.spdsales.com

Wireless alarm monitor

Val-Matic’sSurgebuster®Check Valveachieves rapidclosure through ashort 35° discstroke and ad-justable disc ac-celerator. TheSurgebuster fully

meets ANSI/AWWA C508. Val-Maticguarantees that the valve will outperformany air cushion swing-check valves withweight and lever.Phone: 905-951-8000, Fax: 905-951-8002E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.syntecpe.com

Check valves

The DynamicLifter® SewagePressure ReliefValve is a direct-acting, spring-loaded reliefvalve. It openswhen the inletpressure exceedsthe set point andcloses drip tightwhen pressurefalls below setpoint. It has patented opening and servic-ing features. Consult Syntec for sizing.Phone: 905-951-8000, Fax: 905-951-8002E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.syntecpe.com

Pressure relief valves

Waterloo Biofilter

Trickling filters

Waterloo Biofilters® are efficient, modulartrickling filters for residential and commu-nal sewage wastewaters, and landfillleachate. Patented, lightweight, syntheticfilter media optimize physical propertiesfor microbial attachment and water reten-tion. The self-contained modular design forcommunal use is now available in20,000L/d and 40,000L/d ISO shippingcontainer units - ready to plug in on-site. Tel: 519-856-0757, Fax: 519-856-0759E-mail: [email protected] Web: www. waterloo-biofilter.com

Hydrolift rental program

The WaterraHydrolift-2 is aportable, elec-trically oper-ated device thatis the idealchoice for thefrequent user ofthe inertialpumping sys-

tem with moderate to extreme pumpingrequirements. Waterra maintains a fleet ofHydrolift-2s, available for both short- andlong-term rentals. Please call for pricing.

Tel: 905-238-5242, Fax: 905-238-5704E-mail: [email protected]: www.waterra.com

Water treatmment

Siemens also offersthese technologies: • MULTICRETE®

II Filter Underdrains

• CONTRAFAST® Clarifier

• GFH® Arsenic Removal Media • Barrier® M and Barrier® A UV

Disinfection Units• OSEC® On-site Hypochlorite

Generation System

Tel: 800-525-0658 or 724-772-1402E-mail: [email protected]: www.siemens.com/drinking_water

SyntecSyntec

Siemens Water Technologies

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 7:00 PM

If you can only attend one water quality event during the year…make it WEFTEC and discover why it is the largest water quality event in North America.

WEFTEC offers the best water quality education and training available and is the leading source for water quality developments, research, regulations, solutions, and cutting-edge technologies.

Collection Systems | Facility Operations | Membrane Technologies | Microconstituents/EDCsNutrient Removal | Residuals and Biosolids | Stormwater Management | Sustainable PracticesUtility Management | Wastewater Treatment | Water Reuse | Watershed Management

Online Attendee Registration is Now Open! See you in Chicago.

McCormick Place | Chicago, Illinois, USAConference: October 18-22, 2008Exhibition: October 19-22, 2008

Visit www.weftec.org for more details81st Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference

If it’s about water, it will be at

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nly attend one watFTEC and discoverth America.

e best water quality educaech, reesearcevelopments, re

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uring the year…est water quality

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e | USAIllinois,Chicago,200818-22,ober

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mfor .weftec.orgwwwisit V detailsemor

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:43 PM


NEWSAGAT Labs appoints newpresident and BDM for itsenvironmental division

Michel Tremblay has been appointedPresident of AGAT Laboratories’ Envi-ronmental Division. He will have directresponsibility for the Division’s opera-tions across Canada and will be workingout of the firm’s newly expanded facilityin Mississauga.Camilla Swagar has been appointed

Business Development Manager of theEnvironmental Division. She will over-see all aspects of environmental businessdevelopment and marketing in Ontarioand will be reporting directly to MichelTremblay.

www.agatlabs.com

John Meunier Inc. appointsnewWestern Canadarepresentative

John Meunier Inc., subsidiary of VeoliaWater Solutions &Technologies, has ap-pointed BD Watertech from Calgary asits Western Canada representative in themunicipal wastewater market.Among thewastewater technologies available fromJohn Meunier Inc., BD Watertech willhave exclusivity on the AnoxKaldnesMoving Bed Biofilm Reactor.

For more information, [email protected]

First green roof installed inCollingwood

When the GreenlandGroup of Companiesrecently expanded its Collingwood engi-neering office, it implemented “green”construction practices, including recycledand composite building materials, har-vesting rainwater for landscape mainte-nance, creating low maintenance plantgardens, and constructing a permeableparking lot to infiltrate rainfall and reducelocal climate warming compared to a con-ventional black top surface.The company is also installing a

“green roof ”, which will reduce heat is-land effects by absorbing solar energyand gradually releasing water, which inturn cools the air and reduces the ambi-ent air temperature. Other benefits in-clude the reduction of stormwater runofffrom traditional hard surface roofs which

20 Sharp Road, Brantford, Ontario N3T 5L8 • Tel: (519) 751-1080 • Fax: (519) 751-0617E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.anthrafilter.net

• ANTHRACITE • QUALITY FILTER SAND & GRAVEL• CARBON • GARNET ILMENITE • REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

www.aquaterre.ca

Environmental Scientists & Engineers

Aqua Terre Solutions Inc.

TORONTO OTTAWA CALGARY LETHBRIDGE SASKATOON

Responsible, Practical, Innovative,Cost-effective Environmental Solutions

Member of the SNC LAVALIN Group

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:43 PM

“Specialists in non-intrusive ground investigations”

• UST's, buried metal, debris & fill• Former excavations & structures• Leachate plumes• Voids and fractures• Stratigraphy• Pipes and utilities

Tel: 905.458.1883Fax: 905.792.1884E-mail: [email protected]: www.geophysics.ca

Get a clear view of:

4 Edmondson St.Brantford, ON, N3R 7J3


NEWShelps prevent erosion and overloadingthe town’s stormwater infrastructure.There is also a carbon dioxide exchangeas the roof garden puts oxygen back intothe environment, thereby improving theair quality through the reduction ofgreenhouse gases and other airborne par-ticulates.

For further information, [email protected]

Dover Corp acquiresNeptune Chemical Pump

Company

The Neptune Chemical Pump Companyis now part of Dover’s newly-formedPump Solutions Group. Based in Lans-dale, Pennsylvania, Neptune’s key prod-uct lines are used in metering, dosing andinjecting chemicals for water and waste-water treatment.

With over $7 billion in annual rev-enues, Dover Corporation is a globalportfolio of manufacturing companiesproviding components and equipment,specialty systems and support servicesfor a variety of applications in the indus-trial products, engineered systems, fluidmanagement and electronic technologiesmarkets.

For more information, [email protected]

Uranium removal systemallows water well to reopen

A new uranium removal system fromWater Remediation Technology, LLC,will enable the City of Lawrenceville,GA., to open a well that has concentra-tions of uranium that exceed the USEnvironmental ProtectionAgency’s max-imum contaminant level (MCL) fordrinking water. The installation of theLawrenceville system will be the first ofits kind in Georgia; plans are in place foradditional systems.Located near Atlanta, Lawrenceville

is home to just over 28,000 people. Itcurrently purchases about 90 percent ofits water supply from Gwinnett County,which pulls from nearby Lake Lanier.With the installation of WRT’suranium removal system, the City ofLawrenceville can begin reducing its de-pendence on Lake Lanier, which is criti-


May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:44 PM

Accurate and Innovative Laboratory Services• Microbial Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)• Microbial support for UV reactor

validation efforts – bacteriophage and collimated beam analysis

• Pathogen detection (Legionella spp. accredited test)

Phone: 519-681-0571Fax: 519-681-7150

Email: [email protected]

Internationally recognized laboratory – accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 Standard (CAEAL)


cal considering the recent record-break-ing drought.

According to the USEPA, uraniumcan be found naturally in soil, water andfood at low concentrations. But high lev-els of these contaminants ingested overa long period of time can lead to serioushealth problems. WRT will also be re-sponsible for the environmentally safehandling and removal of the uraniumfrom the treatment site to a remote li-censed facility, thus preventing futurecontamination in Lawrenceville.

www.wrtnet.com

Earthworms found tocontain chemicals

from households andanimal manure

Earthworms studied in agricultural fieldshave been found to contain organicchemicals from household products andmanure, indicating that such substancesare entering the food chain.

Manure and biosolids, the solidbyproduct of wastewater treatment, wereapplied to the fields as fertilizer. Earth-worms continuously ingest soils fornourishment and can accumulate thechemicals present in the soil.

The chemicals investigated are con-sidered indicators of human and animalwaste sources and include a range of ac-tive ingredients in common householdproducts such as detergents, antibacter-ial soaps, fragrances, and pharmaceuti-cals. Some of the detected chemicals arenaturally occurring, such as plant andfecal sterols and fragrances. All of thesechemicals tend to be concentrated in themunicipal waste distribution and dis-posal process and are referred to as an-thropogenic waste indicators (AWI).

U.S. Geological Survey scientists andtheir colleagues fromColorado State Uni-versity at Pueblo published their newfindings in Environmental Science andTechnology. The results demonstrate thatorganic chemicals introduced to the envi-ronment via land application of biosolidsandmanure are transferred to earthwormsand enter the food chain.

Scientists found 28AWIs in biosolidsbeing applied at a soybean field for thefirst time and 20 AWIs in earthwormsfrom the same field. Similar results werefound for the field where swine manure

NEWS

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From multi-billion dollar Fortune 100 companies to family-run Owner-Manager enterprises, Geomatrix serves industrial and commercial clients locally and around the world from our18 North American offices.

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H2FLOW EQUIPMENT INC., Concord, OntarioTel: (905) 660-9775 Fax: (905) 660-9744Email: [email protected] Website: www.h2flow.com

• Centrifugal & PD Blowers• Industrial Treatment• Oil / Water Separators• Package Treatment Plants• Stormwater Treatment• Tanks & Tank Covers

• Drinking Water• Screening / Filtration• Separation / Flotation• Sludge Dewatering / Collection• Biotreatment / Aeration• UV DisinfectionSuppliers of Water And

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May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:44 PM

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was applied. Several compounds weredetected in earthworms collected bothfrom the biosolids- and manure-appliedfields, including phenol (disinfectant),tributylphosphate (antifoaming agent andflame retardant), benzophenone (fixa-tive), trimethoprim (antibiotic), and thesynthetic fragrances galaxolide, andtonalide. Detergent metabolites and thedisinfectant triclosan were found in earth-worms from the biosolids-applied field,but not the manure-applied field.About half of the 8 million dry tons of

biosolids produced in the US each yearare applied to the land. Biosolids havebeen found to be rich inAWIs, comparedto levels in wastewater treatment plant ef-fluent. In addition, the 1.3 million farmsraising livestock in the US generate an es-timated 500 million tons of manure an-nually, much of which is also applied tofields as fertilizer for crops.This study is part of a long-term effort

by the USGSToxic Substances HydrologyProgram to determine the fate and effectsof chemicals of emerging environmentalconcern in aquatic and terrestrial environ-ments, and to providewater-resourceman-agers with objective information thatassists in the development.

www.usgs.gov

North Bay store fined forstorm sewer discharge

Mike & Lori’s No Frills grocery store inNorth Bay, Ontario, experienced a poweroutage in July 2006, which caused alarge quantity of food products at thestore to degrade. The spoiled food wascompacted and during the process an un-known quantity of liquid leaked from thecompactor, entered the storm sewer andflowed into a nearby creek.Charges were laid, following an inves-

tigation by the Ministry of the Environ-ment’s Investigations and EnforcementBranch.

Interim phosphorus limitsset on discharges to

Lake Simcoe

The Ontario government has set new in-terim limits on sewage plants andstormwater facilities around Lake Sim-coe, to target phosphorus, a key water

NEWS


GROUNDWATERTECHOLOGY SPECIALISTSEngineers & Hydrogeologists

Serving the Groundwater Industry for 75Years

342 Bayview Drive, Box 310,Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4M 4T5

Tel: (705) 733-0111, Fax: (705) 721-0138E-Mail: [email protected]

INTERNATIONALWATER SUPPY LTD.WWW.IWS.CA

May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:10 PM


quality concern for the lake.The new interim regulation will cut

the amount of phosphorus entering LakeSimcoe from specific municipal and in-dustrial sources by:• limiting phosphorus discharges from

municipal and industrialsewage plants

• stopping new plants that woulddischarge phosphorus

• making new stormwater facilities• serving new development• meeting the highest design standardsThese rules are in place fromApril 1,

2008 to March 31, 2009 and will helpprotect the lake’s water quality until thegovernment brings in comprehensive newlaws and measures to protect the lake.The regulation puts a new annual

phosphorus loading limit on each of the14 municipal sewage treatment plants,and the one industrial plant in the LakeSimcoe watershed. Together, these 15plants are legally permitted to dischargeup to approximately 12.5 tonnes of phos-phorus each year. The new limits cut thistotal loading to 7.3 tonnes a year for theperiod of the regulation.

Ontario recognizesenvironmentalachievements

Fourmore companies were welcomed intoOntario’s Environmental Leaders pro-gram. GeneralMotors, Fielding Chemical,Nalco and Exhibition Place were recog-nized recently at the Green Living Showfor the following environmental efforts:General Motors reduced its total fa-

cility greenhouse gas emissions by 49per cent between 1990 and 2006 whileassembling over 12 per cent more vehi-cles. GM also invested in one of the mostenvironmentally advanced paint systemsof its kind for the Oshawa plant.Fielding Chemical operates a sophisti-

cated chemical and refrigerant recyclingplant in Canada, and is converting750,000 litres of hazardous waste into are-usable product.Nalco, a water treatment company, is

reducing electricity use by 20 per centand making a 30 per cent reduction inhazardous waste generation.Toronto’s Exhibition Place is home to

the first urban wind turbine and has com-mitted to 80 per cent waste diversion by2010.

NEWS

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King City, OntarioCANADA

tel: +1.905.833.6738

fax: [email protected]

Consulting Engineer

Environmental Engineering Services

Peter J. Laughton, P. Eng.

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:44 PM


Largest environmentalclean-up in St. Catharines

history gets federal support

The Federal government has announcedits intention to clean up the contaminatedSurplus St. Lawrence Seaway propertyin St. Catharine’s, Ontario. The full costof clean-up is estimated at $7 million.

The clean-up will be a part of the2008 round of the Federal ContaminatedSites Action Plan, which provides assis-tance to federal departments, agencies,and consolidated Crown corporationsthat are custodians of known or sus-pected contaminated sites. The programassists in evaluating these sites and dealswith the environmental and health risksthey may pose. It also contributes to em-ployment and promoting innovative tech-nologies to clean up or deal withcontaminated sites. Projects will receivefunding once the necessary due diligencehas been completed and all federal re-quirements have been met.You can view the federal contaminated

sites inventory at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dfrp-rbif/cs-sc/.

Manitoba’s proposedregional hog moratoriums

become law

Water protection would be strengthenedand the long-term environmental sus-tainability of the hog industry would beensured under amendments to the Envi-ronment Act, Manitoba’s ConservationMinister Stan Struthers said recently ashe introduced the legislation.

Under the amendments, the three re-gional hog moratoriums announced re-cently would be permanently enshrined inlegislation and would legislate the halt toindustry expansion in three regions of theprovince where enhancement of existingenvironmental protection is necessary:1. Southeastern Manitoba:This regionis classified as an intensively-developedarea, meaning it does not have sufficientland base to allow for further sustainablespreading of livestock manure.2. The Red River Valley Special Man-agement Zone: This high-risk area,which includes the capital region of theprovince, was identified by the Phos-phorus Expert Committee as a vulnera-

NEWS

[email protected] www.tsh.ca

• Hazardous Site Clean-up & Remediation• Decommissioning and Demolition• Asbestos and Mould Abatement• Contaminated Soil Removal• On-site Water Treatment

Tel: (905) 823-7965Fax: (905) 823-7932www.pcbdisposal.com

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Experience, Innovation,Diversity, Teamwork& Commitment

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May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:45 PM


hired to complete the study, and submit-ted the plan to the ministries of Environ-ment and Energy, Mines and PetroleumResources and theTsolum River Partner-ship for review in December 2007.

www.tsolumriver.org

BrandonWWTP to beupgraded

Brandon’s industrial wastewater treat-ment facility is to be upgraded, allowingMaple Leaf Foods to expand its opera-tions, increase provincial hog-processingcapacity, and better prepare the provinceto respond to potential trade action in-cluding country of origin labeling.

The plant will receive $15.5 millionin upgrades, allowing Maple Leaf to in-crease processing to 86,000 hogs from75,000 per week with benefits to otherindustrial users.

The province will provide a total con-tribution of $7.8 million towards the$15.5-million upgrade. Manitoba’s con-tribution includes $3.9 million while anequal amount has been allocated underManitoba’s share of the federal govern-ment’s Community Development Trust.This is a new program to help provincesand territories assist communities andworkers suffering economic hardshipcaused by the current volatility in globalfinancial and commodities markets.Maple Leaf Foods and the City of Bran-don will provide the remaining funding.

WERF announces updatedstormwater BMP database

Improvements in the InternationalStormwater BMPDatabase were recentlyunveiled by the Water Environment Re-search Foundation (WERF) and its part-ners. It will better enable BMP searches,data collection and uploading, and accessto BMP performance analyses.

The BMP database provides scientif-ically sound information to improve thedesign, selection, and performance ofBMPs. The program is supported byWERF, U.S. EPA, the Environmental andWater Resources Institute of the Ameri-can Society of Civil Engineers, the Fed-eral Highway Administration, and theAmerican PublicWorksAssociation. Theresults, tools and information notedabove are all available from the databasewebsite. www.bmpdatabase.org

ground power line to the water treatmentplant, ensuring a secure, efficient powersupply for the disinfection system.

The Government of Canada, throughtheAtlantic CanadaOpportunitiesAgency,the Government of New Brunswick, andthe City of Campbellton, each contributed$1,483,333 towards the total project costs.

BC mine remediation willhelp restore fish habitat

It is hoped that the $4.5-million remedi-ation of an abandoned Mount Washing-ton open pit copper mine will support therecovery ofVancouver Island fish stocks.

“This is the best long-term solution toclean up toxic copper leachate that hasbeen contaminating the headwaters ofthe Tsolum River for decades,” said BCEnvironment Minister Barry Penner.

Remediation will take place in threephases, between 2008 and 2010. The proj-ect will include the installation of a thick,pliable, roofing-like material (bituminousgeomembrane) that will cover the entiresite. This will be covered by a one metrethick glacial till layer, which will beplanted with vegetation to stabilize andprotect the material from the elements.TheMinistry of Energy, Mines and Petro-leum Resources will lead the project.

In March 2006, the BC governmentprovided the initial $50,000 contributionto the Tsolum River Partnership for anengineering study to develop the optimalremediation plan for the mine site. SRKConsulting, a leading international expertfirm in the field of mine remediation was

ble region because it is a flood-pronearea. At 54 per cent, the Red River is thehighest source of phosphorus loading toLake Winnipeg.3.The Interlake:This region borders onLakeWinnipeg to the east and LakeMan-itoba to the west. In addition, wetlandsand other marginal and ecologically-sen-sitive land make the region unsuitable forfurther hog industry expansion.

The remaining regions of the provincewould be subject to new, more strict re-quirements as recommended by theClean Environment Committee (CEC)including extending the ban on winterspreading of manure to all operations by2013. A cross-departmental team led byManitoba Conservation will be respon-sible for implementing the CEC recom-mendations.

Campbellton, NS to get newwater treatment plant

Residents of Campbellton, Nova Scotia,will benefit from a higher quality andmore secure water supply, thanks to anew water treatment plant funded by theprovincial, federal and municipal gov-ernments.

The $4.5-million project was under-taken in two phases. Under the Canada-New Brunswick Infrastructure Program,the city improved its water source anddistribution systems, which involved theaddition of a large-scale water reservoirand ultraviolet disinfection equipment.Under the Municipal Rural Infrastruc-ture Fund, the city installed an under-

NEWS

Toronto | Kitchener | Kingston | Edmonton | Cincinnati | www.xcg.com

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• Municipal Infrastructure • Site Assessments• Wastewater • Remediation• Drinking Water • Risk Assessments• Water Reources • Solid Waste

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 7:00 PM


Ad

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AAd Index

Company Page E-mail Website

ACG Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.acgtechnology.com

AECOM Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . .www.aecom.com

Albarrie Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . .www.sorbwebplus.com

Aquastore Tanks & Domes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.aquastore.com

Armtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,13 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.armtec.com

Ashtead Technology Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 . . . . . [email protected] . . .www.ashtead-technology.com

Assmann Corporation of America . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.assmann-usa.com

Associated Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ae.ca

AWI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.awifilter.com

AWWA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.awwa.org/ace08

BakerCorp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.bakercorp.com

CAEAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.caeal.ca/t_intro.html

Canadian Safety Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cdnsafety.com

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association . . .14 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cwwa.ca

Cancoppas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cancoppas.com

CH2M Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . .www.ch2mhillcanada.com

Cla-Val . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cla-val.com

Containment Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.containmentsolutions.com

Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cspi.ca

Degremont Technologies Infilco . . . . . . . . .29,31,33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.degremont-technologies.com

Delcan Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.delcan.com

Denso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.densona.com

Duall Division, Met-Pro Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.dualldiv.com

Endress + Hauser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ca.endress.com

Fluid Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.dynablend.com

Greatario Engineered Storage Systems . . . . . . . .45 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.greatario.com

Greenspoon Specialty Contracting . . . . . . . . . . . .26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.greenspoon.net

H2Flow Tanks & Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.h2flow.com

Heron Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . .www.heroninstruments.com

Hoskin Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hoskin.ca/ysi600

Hoskin Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hoskin.ca/waterlevel

Hoskin Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hoskin.ca/weather

Industrial Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.indsci.com

IPEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ipexinc.com/bionax

ITT Water & Wastewater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ittwww.ca

John Meunier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . .www.johnmeunier.com

Master Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.mastermeter.com

MSU Mississauga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.msumississauga.com

Mueller Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.muellercanada.com

Myron L Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.myronl.com

Neptune Chemical Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.neptune1.com

Parkson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.parkson.com

ProMinent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.prominent.ca

Rocky Mountain Soil Sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rmsoil.com

Rusmar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rusmarinc.com

Saf-T-Flo Chemical Injection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.saftflo.com

Sanitherm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sanitherm.com

SaskTel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.loadtrak.com

Schneider Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 . . . . . [email protected] . .www.schneider-electric.ca

SEEwater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.seewaterinc.com

Siemens Water Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . .www.siemens.com/memcor_evo6

Smith & Loveless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . .www.smithandloveless.com

SPD Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.spdsales.com

Stantec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.stantec.com

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority . . . . .24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.trca.on.ca/paie

Victaulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.victaulic.com

Waterra Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.waterra.com

WCI Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . .www.wcienvironmental.ca

WEFTEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.weftec.org

XCG Training & Operations Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.xcgtraining.com

May 08 2:ES&E 5/16/08 2:10 PM


Mills added that service availabilitywas also a key consideration. “Wewanted to use high-level equipment for

all system components, to promote max-imum reliability for a long-term com-mitment beyond warranty,” he said.“This has helped the realization of littleon-site presence required for reliableand continuous operation. The operatorhas been needed on site only for an houror so every three days, versus an originalestimate of an hour to an hour and a halfevery day.”

For the first four years of operation,the plant has removed about 60,000litres of sludge to landfill. The secondand larger WWTP, for Portugal Cove, isdesigned to mirror the successful St.Philip’s WWTP, with minor improve-ments.

In particular, a special piping systemwill allow for easy transfer of the sludgeblanket from one treatment train to an-other. Both projects have two treatmenttrains, with one of them redundant at agiven time.

“At the request of the superintendent,if the active train gets a peak load, andthe biology is killed off due to contami-nant shock loading or infiltration, they’llbe able to quickly seed the disturbedtrain with the undisturbed train just byopening a valve and turning on a pump,”Mills said.

Fluidyne describes its IntegratedSurge Anoxic Mix (ISAM) system as asingle-train type, with a constant-levelanaerobic selector chamber followed bya surge/anoxic/mix (SAM™) tank, andthen one or more SBR basins. It is de-signed to incorporate BOD,TSS, and ni-trogen removal with sludge reduction, inan integrated process.

The system has consistently demon-strated 0.15-0.25 lbs of sludge produc-tion per lb. of BOD removal, comparedto 0.5-0.6 for other SBR systems, and anaverage daily conversion of influentwastewater to sludge of about 0.1%,compared to a typical conversion ratefor other biological processes of about2%.

In operation, all influent flow entersthe anaerobic chamber, where solids set-tle in the manner of a primary clarifier.Elimination of primary solids at thatstage is said to allow for much smallerSBR basins, at equivalent SRT, thanwith conventional SBRs.

The anaerobic selector creates solu-ble carbon as a food source for biologi-cal nutrient and phosphorus removal,through conversion of settleable BOD tosoluble BOD, while forcing the releaseof phosphorus by subjecting the recircu-lated biomass to anaerobic conditions.

Influent then continues to the SAMsurge basin, also known as the influentequalization basin. This part of the sys-tem is said to provide flow and nutrientequalization that allows for optimizationof treatment at the full range of flowsand loadings.

Mixed liquor is maintained in theSAM tank for immediate reaction withflow from the anaerobic chamber, inorder to suppress odours, and also initi-ate and accelerate carbon and nitrogenreactions. In addition, mixed liquor is re-cycled from the top of the SBR tank, forremoval of scum by a proprietary flowand scum control sub-system.

Nitrates are recycled to the SAMtank for denitrification, with reactionsaccelerated in the presence of unreactedcarbon from the raw sewage enteringthat tank.

Aeration and energy requirementsare said to be reduced, as nitrates arefully reduced to nitrogen gas there.

For further information, [email protected].


In SBR tank, where the liquid level ismonitored while mixing and dissolvedoxygen are controlled, a decanterdraws off treated water fordisinfection and discharge.

In SAM tank, which receives influentfrom the ISAM tank, liquid level ismonitored while air is introducedfrom the atmosphere.

Neptune Chemical Pump Co.Lansdale, PA

Tel: 888-3NEPTUNE or 215-699-8700E-Mail: [email protected]

www.neptune1.com

Neptune’s Series 7000 mechanically ac-tuated diaphragm metering pumps han-dle viscosities in excess of 5,000 cpsand pump chemicals that off-gas(sodium hypochlorite) without binding.All models provide suction lift to 20 feet.Maximum capacities range from 15 gphto 300 gph with adjustable 10:1turndown by micrometer dial; variablespeed option allows automated flowcontrol. Liquid ends are available inPVC, Kynar, and 316SS.

Series 7000 mechanical di-aphragm metering pumps

Visit us at AWWA ACE’08Booth #1746

Special activated sludge system (con’t from page 67)

May 08 2:ES&E 5/14/08 6:45 PM

PURIFIED SOLUTIONSTO SUIT YOURSPECIFIC NEEDS.

MARSH-MCBIRNEY

area/velocity and insertion

mag flowmeters for water

and wastewater applications

rental units available

DUPERON CORPORATION

FlexRake self-cleaning

bar screen

FlexRake self-cleaning

fine screen

self-cleaning TrashRack

screenings washer/compactors

VIKING CHAINS

chain and flight collector

components

PHOENIX PROCESS EQUIPMENT CO.

belt filter presses

gravity belt thickeners

REDOX WATER TECHNOLOGY B.V.

advanced industrial wastewater

treatment systems

dissolved air floatation, plate

clarifiers

BAY PRODUCTS, INC.

odour control systems

adsorbers, scrubbers,

biological filters

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ZMI PORTEC

lime slakers

chemical feed systems

GRISWOLD WATER SYSTEMS

electronic precipitation

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advanced non-chemical scale

reduction

EPIC INTERNATIONALEPIC INTERNATIONAL

> Archimedes screw pumps

> mechanical floating

aerators/mixers

HYDRO INTERNATIONAL

STORMWATER

gross pollutant removal

advanced hydrodynamic oil/

grit separation

stormwater storage media

vortex quantity control valves

CSO

non-powered screens

powered self-cleansing screens

vortex separator with

non-powered self-cleansing

screen

WASTEWATER grit removal

grit washing

suspended solids removal

PUREFLOW FILTERATION DIV.

arsenic removal

iron removal

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fluoride removal

radium removal

uranium removal

GENERAL COMPANY SERVICES

wastewater treatment products

stormwater treatment products

water treatment products

flowmeter sales, service

and rentals

engineering services

on-site installation

INDUSTRIAL WATER TREATMENT

membrane filtration systems

ion exchange

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

TREATMENT

batch and continuous

treatment systems

MBR – membrane

bio-reactors

membrane filtration systems

coalescing oil/water separators

alkaline cleaner recycling

systems

clarifiers

skimmers

evaporators

coolant treatment systems

With 25 years of proven experience in advanced water quality solutions, ACG Technology Ltd. has established itself as a leading provider of water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment systems for industries and municipalities. By offering high quality, innovative products and systems, we continue to meet the operational and compliance needs of our valued customers. The way we see it, the solution is pure and simple.

REPRESENTED PRODUCTS ACG TECHNOLOGY

131 Whitmore Road, Unit 13 Woodbridge, ON L4L 6E4 t. 905.856.1414 f. 905.856.6401 e. [email protected] w. www.acgtechnology.com

WATER SOLUTIONS: PURE & SIMPLE

May 08:ES&E 5/12/08 12:13 PM Page 91

May 08:ES&E 5/12/08 12:13 PM Page 92

Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine May 2008

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Transcript of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine May 2008