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Conceptual Report Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Faulder Well Water Treatment Plant Conceptual Design April 2008

Transcript of Faulder Conceptual Design Rpt April2008 - rdosmaps.bc.ca€¦ · Conceptual Report Regional...

Conceptual Report

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Faulder Well Water Treatment Plant Conceptual Design

April 2008

CONFIDENTIALITY AND © COPYRIGHT This document is for the sole use of the addressee and Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. The document contains proprietary and confidential information that shall not be reproduced in any manner or disclosed to or discussed with any other parties without the express written permission of Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. Information in this document is to be considered the intellectual property of Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. in accordance with Canadian copyright law. This report was prepared by Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. for the account of Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. The material in it reflects Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd.’s best judgement, in light of the information available to it, at the time of preparation. Any use which a third party makes of this report, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, are the responsibility of such third parties. Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this report.

CONCEPTUAL REPORT

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Table of Contents

SECTION PAGE NO. Table of Contents i

1 Introduction 2

2 Radiological Parameters 2

3 Residuals Management 3

3.1 Residuals Management 4 3.2 Regulatory Requirements 5 3.3 Expected Residuals Characteristics and Quantities 6 3.4 Evaporation Pond Sizing and Cost Estimates 8

4 Conceptual Treatment System Layout 10

5 Conceptual Site Layout 11

6 Conceptual Cost Estimates 12

7 Conclusions 13

8 Recommendations 13

CONCEPTUAL REPORT

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1 Introduction

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) operates the Faulder water system just north of Summerland. The Faulder water system has been in operation since 1993 and currently services approximately 75 properties. The system consists of a well and building adjacent to Trout Creek, a 113 m3 reservoir, and a distribution system consisting mainly of 150 mm and 200 mm water mains. Previous water quality testing has indicated that the average uranium concentration of 0.025 mg/L is higher than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of 0.02 mg/L in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ). The RDOS has therefore been investigating treatment options for reducing the uranium concentration. Associated Engineering previously conducted a treatability study on the Faulder well water, which included an evaluation of four alternative treatment methods: ion exchange, coagulation and filtration, lime softening, and reverse osmosis. The evaluation consisted of jar testing and conceptual estimates for capital and operating costs for each treatment alternative. The evaluation showed that an ion exchange system would be the most economical treatment method to remove uranium from the well water. The objective of this report is to further develop the ion exchange option by investigating options for residuals disposal, and developing conceptual building and site layouts. The cost estimates have been refined based on the development of a conceptual layout for the proposed ion exchange treatment system.

2 Radiological Parameters

In order to better assess the requirements for residual management, it is important to understand the radiochemistry of the water, which in turn will be used to predict the radiochemistry of the treatment residuals. Sampling was done on October 22, 2007 and radiological testing was carried out by SRC Analytical in Saskatchewan. Analyses were carried out for several radionuclides. The results are summarized below in Table 2-1 and can be compared to their respective MAC as outlined in the GCDWQ.

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Table 2-1 Radiochemistry for Faulder Well Water (sampled October 2007)

Analyte Result Units GCDWQ1

MAC Units

Inorganic Chemistry

Uranium 23 ug/L 20 ug/L

0.023 mg/L 0.02 mg/L

Radio Chemistry

Beryllium 7 <0.2 Bq/L N/A Bq/L

Lead-210 <0.02 Bq/L 0.1 Bq/L

Polonium-210 <0.005 Bq/L N/A Bq/L

Radium-226 <0.005 Bq/L 0.6 Bq/L

Radium-228 <0.02 Bq/L 0.5 Bq/L

Thorium-228 <0.01 Bq/L 2 Bq/L

Thorium-230 <0.01 Bq/L 0.4 Bq/L

Thorium-232 <0.01 Bq/L 0.1 Bq/L

Thorium-234 <0.5 Bq/L 20 Bq/L

Uranium-234 0.28 Bq/L 4 Bq/L

Uranium-235 0.013 Bq/L 4 Bq/L

Uranium-238 0.28 Bq/L 4 Bq/L

Notes: 1 – Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (March 2007) N/A – not available It can be seen that all of the radionuclides analyzed for are below the respective MAC. It is important to note that the GCDWQ state that when two or more radionuclides are found in drinking water, the sum of the ratios of concentration to respective MAC should be less than or equal to 1 Bq/L. Based on the analytical results presented here, the Faulder well water meets all of the radiological parameters set out in the GCDWQ. The level of total uranium (inorganic measurement) is consistent with the previous samples analyzed and is slightly above the allowable concentration.

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3 Residuals Management

3.1 Residuals Management

Water treatment residuals refer to waste byproducts produced as part of the treatment processes. An ion exchange treatment system has been proposed as a result of the work carried out during the first stage of this project. This system could potentially produce multiple waste streams: the regenerate brine, the backwash stream (prior to regeneration), and the rinsing stream (following regeneration). In addition, at some point, the ion exchange resin will become exhausted and will need to be disposed of and replaced. Handling and disposal of all of these must be considered during development of a residuals management strategy. It should also be noted that Trout Creek, which passes immediately adjacent to the site, is the water supply for the District of Summerland. This is an important consideration when developing the residuals management strategy. The handling and disposal options that have been considered for the liquid waste streams include the following: • Discharge to a holding tank, followed by transport to the Summerland septage lagoons. • Discharge to an on-site evaporation pond, followed by solids (e.g. precipitated salt and

solids) disposal to the Okanagan Falls landfill. These options are discussed in more detail in Section 3.3. The most practical disposal option for the exhausted ion exchange resin is disposal to a landfill, possibly the nearby Okanagan Falls landfill, although the radionuclide content of the resin is difficult to predict and would have to be assessed prior to disposal. It may require disposal to a landfill permitted to accept naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). The frequency of resin disposal is expected to be in the order of years – considerably less frequent than the liquid waste disposal. It is worth noting that the resin supplier has indicated that another option would be to consider a fully disposable system, one in which the resin is not regenerated, but instead, the resin would simply be disposed of once it is exhausted. Although this option would potentially eliminate all three liquid waste streams, it would significantly decrease the viable life of the resin. If this option is to be considered, the costs of more frequent resin replacement should be weighed against the costs of liquid waste handling and disposal. The current estimated cost for full resin replacement is approximately $22,000. Yet another possibility is that the resin could be given, or possibly even sold, to a mining company, who would then in turn extract and make use of the uranium. According to the resin supplier, this has been done before. In order to explore this option further, discussions would have to be held with potentially interested mining companies.

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3.2 Regulatory Requirements

Preliminary discussions have been held with the Ministry of the Environment (MoE) to discuss potential options for residuals disposal. If the radioactivity levels in the residuals exceed the limits specified in the Canadian Guidelines for the Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (CGMNORM) then activities involving these materials, such as discharging them, will be considered “prescribed activities” and will require one or more of the following: necessary permit(s), discharge to an authorized site, and/or compliance with appropriate regulations. As was previously noted, these are federal guidelines and that discharge limits set by the MoE may be different than these levels. During these discussions, the MoE confirmed that management of NORMs is dealt with under the Environmental Management Act in the Waste Discharge Regulation and is listed as a “prescribed activity”. That said, the MoE has since indicated that the CGMNORM guidelines will be relevant for handling and disposal of NORM with respect to Faulder. More specifically, the limits outlined in these guidelines will define how the residuals may be disposed of and/or whether or not an authorization is required. As a result, activities and operations associated with controlling or discharging naturally occurring radioactive materials, such as the proposed residuals management activities for Faulder, are governed by the limits specified in the CGMNORM. As discussed briefly in the previous report (issued October 2007), the NORM management guidelines establish radiological limits for the transport and release of NORM material. Derived release limits are listed in Table 3-1. It should be noted that the uranium content limit for transport of NORM material is 70 Bq/g (70 000 Bq/kg), which is substantially higher than the limit listed below for solids release.

Table 3-1 Unconditional Derived Release Limits – Diffuse NORM Sources (CGMNORM, 2000)

Phase / Pathway Allowable Uranium Content

Aqueous 1 Bq/L

Solid 300 Bq/kg

Air 0.003 Bq/m3

With respect to disposal to a landfill, the MoE has indicated that in order to allow disposal with regular municipal solid waste or in a partition of a regular landfill, they will require prior assurances and a high level of comfort from Environment Canada and Health Canada in order to consider it. Disposal to a landfill already authorized to receive NORM may be an option but would require that such a landfill exist within a reasonable proximity.

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3.3 Expected Residuals Characteristics and Quantities

Based on the radiological analyses, estimates can be made about the radiochemistry of the various residuals. These estimates can then be compared to the limits outlined in the CGMNORM. Estimating the residuals require several assumptions, and therefore it is important to note that radiological testing will be required on-site in order to check these estimates; the management plan may then need to be altered accordingly. The total radiochemistry detected in the sample was 0.573 Bq/L. The total uranium detected in the sample was 0.023 mg/L. Based on these two measurements, the following assumption can be made: for every milligram of total uranium in a sample, the corresponding radiochemistry will be approximately 24.9 Bq (i.e. 24.9 Bq/mg-Utotal). This correlation was used to calculate the expected radiochemistry of the various residuals waste streams. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) in conjunction with the AWWA Research Foundation (AwwaRF) has published a comprehensive report entitled “Water Treatment Residuals Engineering” (AwwaRF, 2006), which includes chapters addressing both “Ion Exchange and Inorganic Adsorption Process Residuals” and “Radioactivity in Water Treatment Plant Residuals”. This report provides an overview of several residuals management trends and strategies. According to AwwaRF (2006), the typical radiochemistry concentration factor for spent regenerant brine is 60 (300/5), which corresponds to the typical concentration factor for ion exchange softeners in general. It follows that if the uranium concentration in the water being treated is 0.023 mg/L and has radiochemistry measurement of 0.573 Bq/L, then, using a concentration factor of 60, it follows that the spent regenerant brine will contain 1.5 mg/L total uranium and have radiochemistry measurement of 37 Bq/L. This is considerably higher than 1 Bq/L, which is the Unconditional Derived Release Limit for Diffuse NORM Sources in aqueous form (CGMNORM, 2000). Based on this, the regenerant brine for the Faulder system would not meet regulatory compliance guidelines for unconditional discharge, for example, to a wastewater treatment plant. This makes discharge to the Summerland septage lagoons, which are owned and operated by the City of Summerland, an impractical option. The AwwaRF report states that for regeneration of ion exchange resin, most plants regenerate with brines containing salt amounts between 130 and 160 kg-NaCl (salt) per cubic metre of resin. Furthermore, the report states that regenerant solution will typically be between 8 and 18% NaCl. Using the upper values from these two ranges provides a conservative estimate of the volume and strength of brine that would be required for resin regeneration in the Faulder system. The following table, Table 3-2, outlines the calculations used to estimate the radiochemistry of the regenerant brine. Note that these values are for regeneration of the entire system (i.e. all three proposed reactor vessels).

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Table 3-2 Characteristics of Regenerant Brine and Precipitated Solids

Regeneration concentration factor (assumed) 60

Expected uranium concentration in regenerant brine 1.5 mg/L

Expected radiochemistry of regenerant brine 37 Bq/L

Mass of salt required per regeneration 408 kg

Volume of brine used for regeneration (total system) 2300 L

Mass of uranium removed from resin during regeneration 3450 mg

Estimated mass of solids (salt and uranium) following evaporation 408 kg

Estimated radiochemistry of solids following evaporation 211 Bq/kg

Based on these calculations, the radiochemistry of the residual solids that precipitate from the regenerant brine is expected to be approximately 211 Bq/kg. Referring again to the CGMNORM, it can be seen that the Unconditional Derived Release Limits – Diffuse NORM Sources (CGMNORM, 2000) for solids is 300 Bq/kg. These estimates show that the solids residuals stemming from regeneration of the resin system at Faulder would be below the guideline limit. As a result, on-site storage of regenerant brine, subsequent evaporation of the water, and disposal of the remaining solids to a landfill may be a viable option for the Faulder system. This would have to be confirmed with the MoE and any other appropriate regulatory parties. Additional liquid waste streams that should be considered include the backwash water and the rinse water required following regeneration. The AwwaRF report (2006) states that ion exchange resin columns are typically backwashed at a rate of 3 to 4 L/m2/s for a period of about 10 minutes. This corresponds to approximately 2045 to 2476 L of backwash waste for each square metre (or 190 to 230 L per ft2) of resin contact area. The resin vessels or columns proposed for Faulder are 1.05 m (42 in.) diameter, which corresponds to a cross-section area of 0.87 m2. Using the backwash rates provided by AwwaRF, the approximate backwash volumes required for each tank would be 1820 L. It is assumed that backwashing will be required prior to each regeneration cycle. The frequency of backwashing is therefore assumed to be the same as the frequency of regeneration. However, it is possible that, given that the Faulder system will be treating groundwater with low solids content, backwashing may not be required prior to regeneration. However, for the purposes of the cost estimate it has been included. Rinsing of the resin may also be required, following regeneration. This may be in addition to or similar to the flow required for pH equilibration indicated by the supplier. Depending on the

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characteristics of this rinse water, it could potentially be blended with water from the other reactor vessels, or it may have to be discharged. Montgomery (2006) states that 2 to 6 bed volumes (BV) are typically used for rinsing ion exchange reactors and sites 6 BV as being a conservative estimate for the volume required to reduce conductivity. Since it may be possible to blend some of this rinse water with treated water from the other reactors in order to produce suitable product water, the required rinse water for the Faulder system is assumed to be 2 BV. This results in a rinse water volume of 1699 L per resin vessel. 3.4 Evaporation Pond Sizing and Cost Estimates

In order to provide a conservative estimate, evaporation pond sizing is based on the assumption that backwash water, regeneration brine, and rinse water will all be discharged to the pond. Furthermore, it is assumed that all three of these steps will occur at the same interval and frequency. The volumes required for sizing the evaporation pond are outlined in Table 3-3.

Table 3-3 Estimated Waste Streams for Ion Exchange Resin Maintenance Operations

Maintenance Operation Volume per Resin Vessel

Backwash water 1800 L

Regeneration brine 770 L

Rinse water 1700 L

Total 4270 L

According to the resin supplier, based on the physico-chemical properties of the water, the resin can be expected to treat approximately 12 ML (3,240,000 gallons) of well water before it has to be regenerated. Based on an average annual demand of 59 ML/yr for Faulder, the resin will need to be regenerated, on average, approximately five times per year. This could be done in a staggered fashion, with each resin vessel undergoing maintenance in turn. Rotational maintenance would reduce the total volume of liquid waste stream that must be dealt with at one time. If each of the three vessels needs to undergo maintenance five times per year, the total number of maintenance events will be 15 per year. This corresponds to an average interval of 3.5 weeks between maintenance events. In order to size the evaporation pond, rates of evaporation are needed. These have been estimated using historical (2007/2008) Summerland evapotranspiration rates, as available online from a website recommended by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands (www.farmwest.com). These values are based on evaporation pan data and are assumed to be adequate approximations

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of evaporation rates for an evaporation pond. Table 3-4 outlines evaporation rates for four three-month periods over the last year, as determined for Summerland, near Faulder.

Table 3-4 Average Daily Evapotranspiration Rate for Summerland, BC

(source: www.farmwest.com)

Time Period Average Evapotranspiration Rate

April 2007 to June 2007 4.0 mm/d

July 2007 to September 2007 5.0 mm/d

October 2007 to December 2007 0.9 mm/d

January 2008 to March 2008 1.1 mm/d

Using the rates outlined in Table 3-4, an assumed pond water depth of 1 m and a required capacity to receive 4270 L of liquid waste every three and a half weeks the pond sizing was determined. To facilitate pond management and cleaning, it was assumed that two half-capacity evaporation ponds would be provided. Calculations were based on waste disposal commencing in October, which would provide a worst-case scenario, as this is the start of the period with lowest evaporation rates. Based on iterative calculations, the optimal pond capacity was determined to be 45 m3. For a depth of 1 m, this results in a pond surface area of 45 m2. Although one pond is not expected to reach capacity until at least a year has passed, utilizing two ponds will have important advantages. It was determined that if liquid waste discharge is directed to a second pond (Pond B) in April and the liquid in the first pond (Pond A) is left to evaporate, that Pond A should be free of water by the end of the summer (i.e. late August or early September) due to evaporation. This will allow for collection and disposal of the solids from Pond A. The waste stream can then be redirected back to Pond A while the water in Pond B evaporates, and so on. It is important to note that accumulation due to precipitation was not accounted for in these calculations. A rain barrier may be required, or the ponds could be oversized to deal with this variable. There are other options that could also be explored to mitigate the accumulation of liquids during the cold weather months. For example, evaporators that take advantage of solar energy could be used. These involve a roof similar to that of a greenhouse. As noted above, the climatic criteria used for sizing the ponds has been based on average evapotranspiration rates. Should extended periods of wet weather occur, additional pond capacity or alternative management procedures may be required.

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The cost for two evaporation ponds, with a capacity of 45 m3 and a depth of 1 m, was estimated and determined to be approximately $11,000. This includes excavation, a sand bed, a geotextile layer, and a suitable linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) liner. Allowing for some extra length (i.e. for securing the liner during installation), the liner was assumed to have dimensions of 9.7 m x 9.7 m. A contingency of 20% is also included in this cost. These costs are outlined in Table 3-5.

Table 3-5 Evaporation Pond Cost Estimates

Item Unit Cost Cost

Excavation $55/m3 $2,500

Sand (delivered) $45/m3 $1,000

Geotextile layer $2/m3 $200

LLDPE liner $5.50/m2 $500

Engineering & Contingencies

30% $1300

Sub-total (each pond) $5,500

Total $11,000

It is important to note that due to the limited space at the current site of the Faulder pump-house, land acquisition would be required in order to allow sufficient space for the installation of evaporation ponds using the above noted approach. However, It may be possible to fit the evaporation basins constructed of reinforced concrete into the existing site. The estimated construction cost to provide two reinforced concrete basins each with a surface area of 45 m2, operating depth of 1 m, and a freeboard of 0.3 m is $40,000.

4 Conceptual Treatment System Layout

The new ion exchange treatment system would be located on the same property as the Faulder well and would be housed in a new masonry block building adjacent to the existing building. The ion exchange system would consist of three resin tanks, three brine tanks for resin regeneration, and treated water booster pumps. Figure 1 shows the preliminary process flow diagram for the ion exchange treatment system. Raw water from the well pump flows through the three ion exchange tanks, where uranium ions are

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removed by the resin. At a flow rate of 12 L/s (195 gpm, the maximum flow rate of the well pump), the resin would impose a headloss of approximately 6.3 m (6 psi) when all three tanks are in service. When one tank is taken out of service for resin regeneration, the flow rate of 12 L/s can be maintained through the two tanks in service, though this would increase the headloss through the system substantially (to approximately 16 m or 23 psi). Since the well water pump is operated on a VFD, it may be possible to reduce the water flow rate during a regeneration cycle to limit the increase in head loss. A booster pump then pumps treated water into the distribution system. The resin tanks are rated for a maximum working pressure of 862 kPa (125 psi), which is less than the maximum static pressure in the distribution system (approximately 1078 kPa or 157 psi). The existing well pump will therefore be operating at a lower pressure when the ion exchange system is operating and the treated water booster pump will increase the water pressure up to the operating point of the distribution system. A connection to the water distribution pipe downstream of the booster pump will provide treated water for making brine solution and rinsing the resin after regeneration. A pressure reducing valve would be provided to reduce the water pressure to the working pressure for the brine mixing system. The brine tanks are filled with water and salt to form a saturated brine solution. When the regeneration cycle begins, treated water flows through a Venturi valve that creates a negative pressure that draws the brine solution out of the tank and mixes the brine with the treated water. Control valves are used to adjust the concentration of the resulting salt solution. Once the brine solution flows through the resin tank, it is discharged to a sump where a pump transfers the brine to residuals storage. Plan 1 shows the building layout for the ion exchange system. The new building will consist of two rooms. The salt room will provide space for salt storage and the brine tanks and will measure approximately 4.5 m by 4.9 m. Salt for resin regeneration will be delivered in bulk on palettes and moved into the salt room with a monorail. The salt is then loaded into the brine tanks as required. Locating the brine tanks and salt storage area in a separate room prevents exposure of the mechanical and electrical equipment to salt dust, in order to reduce the potential for corrosion of this equipment. The resin tanks, treated water booster pump, brine booster pump, and electrical and controls equipment will be located in the treatment room. The treatment room will measure approximately 6.3 m by 4.9 m, and will have a separate access to the outside.

5 Conceptual Site Layout

The existing building and well of the Faulder water system are located on Lot A, in Plan 42524, between Trout Creek and the Kettle Valley Railway right-of-way. This lot is privately owned, and the RDOS currently has a statutory right-of-way over a portion of the property covering the well, building, and access road. Plan 2 shows the portion of Lot A with the statutory right-of-way.

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Plan 2 also shows the proposed location of the new ion exchange treatment building. The proposed building measures approximately 11 m by 5 m, and would be located immediately adjacent to the existing well and building. Although the building footprint itself can fit within the statutory right-of-way, an expansion of the existing right-of-way may be required to provide improved building access. There is an existing driveway running diagonally across the right of way near the existing well and building that may need to be relocated to accommodate the new building. It may be possible that the RDOS could arrange with the existing property owner to use this driveway to access the new building.

6 Conceptual Cost Estimates

A conceptual level cost estimate was developed for the proposed water treatment facility based on utilizing ion exchange technology, including the residuals treatment system. An allowance of 30% has been included for contingency and engineering costs. This cost estimate does not include upgrading the electrical service at the site, which will most likely be required given the additional electrical loads being added in the new building. These should be established with the local utility. The estimate does not include any allowance for land acquisition which will be required for the residuals handling ponds. Table 6-1 shows the estimated costs for the proposed facility.

Table 6-1 Conceptual Cost Estimate

Item Estimated Cost

General Overhead and Site Work $50,000

Water Treatment Building $150,000

Mechanical $135,000

Electrical and Controls $42,000

Engineering and Contingencies @ 30% $113,000

Total Estimated Cost $490,000

Total Annual Operating Cost $16,000

The estimated cost of the ion exchange building is higher than the previous estimate in the treatability study for several reasons. The estimated building size has been expanded to include a separate room for salt storage and the brine tanks, and the area allowed for salt storage has been expanded to minimize the frequency of deliveries required. An allowance has also been included

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for a monorail for moving salt palettes into the building. A brine pump has been included to pump the used brine to disposal (either an evaporation pond or a storage tank).

7 Conclusions

.1 Based on radiological testing conducted in fall 2007, the Faulder well water meets all radiological parameters set out in the GCDWQ; however, total uranium is slightly above the allowable concentration.

.2 The proposed ion exchange water treatment process will produce multiple residuals

streams for which a residuals management strategy has been developed herein. These residuals streams include regenerate brine, backwash water, and rinsing water will generate approximately 64 cu.m. of liquid waste annually.

.3 The exhausted resin will have to be occasionally (years) disposed of, although there may

be other options for dealing with it. .4 The most practical option for handling the liquid residuals is evaporation ponds or basins.

These could either be lined earth ponds which would necessitate additional land or reinforced concrete basins which could be incorporated into the existing site.

.5 A conceptual design consisting of a process flow diagram and plant layout for an ion

exchange water treatment plant has been developed which could be incorporated into the existing well pump station site.

.6 The estimated cost (in 2008 dollars) for the proposed facility is $490,000. This estimate

does not include any allowance for additional land acquisition.

8 Recommendations

.1 The RDOS arrange a public meeting with the residents of Faulder to present the information contained in this report.

.2 The RDOS consult with the District of Summerland about the proposed project due to its

proximity to the District’s water supply source. .3 The RDOS prepare and submit an application for funding assistance under the federal

provincial infrastructure funding program based on the information included in this report. .4 The RDOS forward a copy of this report to IHA for their review.