Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine | August 2023

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TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Archis Ambulkar, OCT Water Quality Academy

Gary Burrows, City of London

Patrick Coleman, Stantec

Bill De Angelis, Metrolinx

Mohammed Elenany, Urban Systems

William Fernandes, City of Toronto

Marie Meunier, John Meunier Inc., Québec

Tony Petrucci, Black & Veatch

Environmental Science & Engineering is a bi‑monthly business publication of Environmental Science & Engineering Publications Inc. An all Canadian publication, ES&E provides authoritative editorial coverage of Canada’s municipal and industrial environmental control systems and drinking water treatment and distribution. Readers include consulting engineers, industrial plant managers and engineers, key municipal, provincial and federal environmental officials, water and wastewater plant operators and contractors.

Information contained in ES&E has been compiled from sources believed to be correct. ES&E cannot be responsible for the accuracy of articles or other editorial matter. Articles in this magazine are intended to provide information rather than give legal or other professional advice.

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Looking forward to WEFTEC 2023 in Chicago!

Attending the Water Environment Federation’s annual WEFTEC event has been an important part of my career and professional development. This began in 1987, when during the first Great Canadian Icebreaker reception in Philadelphia, we formally announced the launch of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine.

Some years later, I was appointed as a Director of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) to represent the Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO). At that time, annual Director Meetings were held during WEFTEC events. While attending these, I really began to appreciate what a well-run and important organization WEF was for its 34,000 members and 75 member associations like WEAO.

This year’s Great Canadian Icebreaker is scheduled to be held during WEFTEC 2023 at the Bandit Restaurant and Bar in Chicago on October 1. Visit www.weao.org for more details.

WEFTEC will run from September 30 to October 4 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

According to a WEF spokesperson, this year’s opening general session will be a little different than past ones. “Creating a life free of water challenges for all requires us to expand our ideas around who is part of the water community, how we connect with and engage in our communities, how we create and deliver solutions, and to reimagine what we leave behind. This year’s opening general session will combine culture, music, and storytelling to celebrate water, people, and community, and will inspire us to think differently about our work and our world.”

With nearly 150 educational sessions and 17 hands-on workshops, attendees can choose from topics that matter to them, and learn practical skills, techniques, and best practices to apply directly to their job.

Session focuses include municipal design and operations, utility management and leadership, collection

systems, industrial issues, stormwater and watershed management and more. Key workshop topics include:

• Making resource recovery concepts come to life: Operator education through interactive simulation.

• Wastewater microbiology.

• Fate of PFAS through thermal processes at water resource recovery facilities.

• Activated sludge and biological nutrient removal process control: Hands-on in the real world.

• Communicating with public officials and the general public.

• Refinery and petrochemical wastewater treatment: Operations, control, and troubleshooting.

• Aeration control for practitioners: Optimization of aeration, process, and energy.

• Dewatering optimization.

• Inflow and infiltration program management: Strategic approaches for meaningful reduction.

• Design and implementation of membrane bioreactors in water recycling.

• Measuring and reducing water resource recovery facility greenhouse gas emissions.

• Applying resilience and implementing practical applications in a changing climate.

WEFTEC 2023 will also offer 12 Learning Exchanges. These will provide attendees with opportunities to share

their expertise and perspective about trending themes, technologies, and topics in the water sector with small peer groups in a roundtable format.

Additionally, there are 10 technology spotlights scheduled. Formerly called Mobile Sessions, these sessions begin in the exhibition hall and include groups of companies sharing product and service solutions. Often these sessions also tour the exhibition floor to visit selected companies.

During the annual Operations Challenge at WEFTEC, the best wastewater collection and treatment personnel in the industry get to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. In the competition, teams—including several from Canada—will compete to earn the highest score in five different events. Each team includes four members and often a coach as well. Each event is designed to test the diverse skills required for the operation and maintenance of water resource recovery facilities, collection systems, and laboratories. The five events are collections systems, laboratory, process control, maintenance, and safety.

This year, attendance and the number of exhibitors are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels. Hopefully, we will see more fellow Canadians at WEFTEC 2023 than in the past few years. As I first found out in 1987, these events truly reveal the scale and importance of the wastewater sector, especially to young professionals.

Be sure to visit ES&E Magazine’s booth at the Ontario Government Pavilion during WEFTEC to say hi, and pick up our latest issue. (Booth # 6527)

For more information on WEFTEC, visit: www.weftec.org

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

The Navy Pier is a fun place to visit while in Chicago, offering great views of both the city and Lake Michigan. Excellent boat tours depart from here. Credit: noelpowell, stock.adobe.com

Manitoba takes centre stage for water

Since Winnipeg was named home of the Canada Water Agency, Manitoba water project announcements have been nonstop.

By David Nesseth

Known for its more than 1,000 lakes, Manitoba has been making headlines with a series of water-related initiatives, including the modernization of its water strategy, access to water network data, and the establishment of new invasive species inspection stations. The government is also ensuring it keeps pace with wastewater infrastructure upgrades and changes to drinking water guidelines for lead.

These initiatives set the stage for the $750-million Canada Water Agency that will be headquartered in Winnipeg. The new agency is tasked with providing policy leadership and a comprehensive approach to freshwater challenges and opportunities.

With the presence of institutions like the Freshwater Institute and the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg has long been recog-

nized as a hub for water-related issues, particularly in the Lake Winnipeg basin.

But, apart from news of flooding and algal blooms, the city has recently garnered more positive attention for the provincial investment of $75,000 to enhance the Lake Friendly Initiative that improves water quality in Lake Winnipeg and its watershed. Also, the city of 750,000 just celebrated the unveiling of the refurbished Broadway Centennial Fountain in downtown Winnipeg to serve as a tribute to Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and the source of the city’s drinking water.

VISUALIZING A WATER NETWORK

However, water-related developments extend beyond Winnipeg. In the City of Brandon, a partnership with Esri Canada has introduced GIS software to manage and share real-time water net-

work information. The implementation of the ArcGIS Utility Network has revolutionized field operations coordination, allowing immediate updates on the status of valves and other equipment. This improved communication enables prompt identification of affected addresses during emergency incidents or planned outages.

The city’s Municipal Assets Manager, Jamie Hart, called the ArcGIS Utility Network a “gamechanger” in terms of coordination. When a field crew closes a valve, for instance, anyone looking at the utility network map in the office or field can immediately see that the valve is closed and when it is opened.

“We’re at the beginning of our journey in this transformation,” Hart said. “The information value we’re able to deliver now across the utility and the city as a whole is exciting.”

GOING GEOTHERMAL

East of Winnipeg, the City of Selkirk is embracing sustainable practices by converting its water treatment plant to use a geothermal heating and cooling system. With completion of the geothermal conversion for both halves of the plant, Selkirk has significantly reduced its corporate greenhouse gas emissions. The geothermal system not only minimizes environmental impacts, but also helps control moisture within the plant, preventing mould production and reducing corrosion.

“Inside the water plant is a very moist environment, which sometimes isn’t a good thing when you’re dealing with pumps and fixtures, so you want to control that moisture,” explains Selkirk’s Director of Operations, Dan McDermid. “The removal of moisture out of the air reduces the potential for mould production and reduces corrosion, so it’s a lot easier on the equipment.”

Selkirk’s wastewater treatment plant, built in 2021, was also converted to a geothermal heating and cooling system. The two plants accounted for 30% of Selkirk’s total corporate GHG emissions prior to the conversions.

Prior to the partial conversion, the water treatment plant emitted 175 tonnes of CO2e in 2018. By comparison, in 2020, the first full year following the

The new Canada Water Agency will be headquartered in Winnipeg (pictured) and tasked with providing policy leadership and a comprehensive approach to freshwater challenges and opportunities. Credit: Thamyris, stock.adobe.com

conversion of half the plant to geothermal, it produced just 74.7 tonnes.

Selkirk’s Chief Administrative Officer, Duane Nicol, says it’s a community goal to move “towards being the greenest utility we can be.”

WWTP TASK FORCE

While the Canada Water Agency has grabbed recent headlines in Winnipeg, a strong focus remains trained on the delays and rising costs associated with the multi-phase upgrades to the North End Water Pollution Control Centre, the city’s oldest and largest sewage facility. To ensure the project remains a priority, Winnipeg officials formed a task force in collaboration with the province in early spring.

The task force includes experts in wastewater treatment, such as Professor Jan Oleszkiewicz from the University of Manitoba and Michael Paterson from the Experimental Lakes Area. The upgrades, which have soared to $2.2 billion, aim to remove phosphorus and nitrogen from treated wastewater before it is discharged into the Red River.

At the initial task force meeting, the City of Winnipeg’s representatives said they are working to remove as much phosphorus as possible in the short term prior to adding a biological nutrient removal process.

“It was some real moving forward and clearing the air about what we are going to do about wastewater treatment, including phosphorus removal and building capacity for development over the long term,” explained Winnipeg City Councillor Brian Mayes, following the first task force meeting. “Staff were clear that we are committed to our approach and to making progress.”

In late July, Manitoba announced $7.5 million for Winnipeg's southwest sewer interceptor project and $433,000 for risk mitigation infrastructure at the Darcy Sewer Lift station. The work is part of Winnipeg’s long-term combined sewer overflow project to build additional system capacity, and get more wastewater to the South End Sewage Treatment Plant while reducing nutrient loading into freshwater systems.

LEAD TESTING

Another significant development in Manitoba is the government’s commitment to addressing lead contamination in drinking water. Winnipeg schools have faced challenges in meeting new federal guidelines for lead levels. To assist with compliance, the Manitoba government established a $1.6-million grant program to fund testing and mitigation efforts. Most schools have already tested their drinking water, and the results indicate that most are below the new lead standard.

“Safeguarding our children against lead in drinking water is an ongoing effort, but we want to acknowledge the tremendous progress schools have made to address Health Canada’s new lead standard,” Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein announced in response to the new grant for testing.

Health Canada revised the national guidelines for lead in drinking water in 2019. The maximum allowable concentration of lead in drinking water dropped from 0.01 mg/L (set in 1992) to 0.005 mg/L.

WATER ACTION PLAN

Recently, Manitoba released its initial water action plan based on the first comprehensive update of its water management strategy in nearly 20 years. The plan includes targeted investments of nearly $1 billion over five years, with a major focus on flooding mitigation around Lake St. Martin. Additionally, it allocates funds for enhanced drinking water safety, resources for the Manitoba Water Services Board, and implementation of the water strategy.

Manitoba’s water management strategy, released in November 2022, is aimed at conserving, protecting, and efficiently utilizing ground and surface water for years to come.

David Nesseth is a writer for ES&E Magazine. Email: editor@esemag.com

With the completion of the geothermal heating and cooling system conversion for both halves of its water treatment plant, the City of Selkirk has significantly reduced its corporate greenhouse gas emissions. Credit: City of Selkirk

Utility Network Screenshot: The implementation of the ArcGIS Utility Network has revolutionized field operations coordination, allowing immediate updates on the status of valves and other equipment in Brandon. Credit: Esri Canada

In Canada’s busiest cruise ship area – the Pacific region – nearly all ships implemented the new measures during the voluntary period, according to Transport Canada reporting records at the ports of Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Prince Rupert. Credit: Andreas Prott, stock.adobe.com

Canadian cruise ships ready for mandatory wastewater measures

By ES&E Staff

Canada’s federal government has released mandatory environmental measures for cruise ships that address treatment and discharge practices for greywater and treated sewage. The Ministry of Transport changes, which are effective immediately, follow a one-year period when the environmental measures were voluntary for the $4-billion Canadian cruise industry.

The new measures prohibit the discharge of greywater and treated sewage within three nautical miles from shore, where geographically possible across Canada. Cruise ships must treat sewage to fecal coliform counts equal to or less than 250/100 ml within three nautical miles from shore.

Greywater can consist of drainage from sinks, laundry machines, bathtubs and showers, dishwashers, cleaners, and

cooking oils. Blackwater, or sewage, can contain fecal coliforms, ammonia, chlorine, and a variety of toxic pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and organochlorides.

The measures also require cruise ships to strengthen the treatment of greywater together with sewage before it is discharged between three and 12 nautical miles from shore south of 60°N. This must be done using an approved treatment device in non-Arctic waters. The measure complements existing regulations for Arctic waters under the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act.

“Cruise ships are an important part of our economy and tourism sector, but they need to operate in a more sustainable manner to protect our waters and our environment,” announced Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, in a statement. “The measures introduced are additional tools in our tool box to keep them accountable,” Alghabra added.

In the Pacific region, Canada’s busiest

cruise ship area, nearly all ships implemented the new measures during the voluntary period, according to Transport Canada reporting records at the ports of Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Prince Rupert. Cruise ships will be subject to fines for non-compliance with these new mandatory measures, up to a maximum fine of $250,000 under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001.

West Coast Environmental Law in Vancouver has raised concerns over potential loopholes in the new measures. The environmental lawyers’ group says a cruise ship is allowed to dump greywater and sewage within three miles of shore using a marine sanitation device if there are no onshore reception facilities available during the intended voyage.

“For example, in the Great Bear Sea, where Canada’s first marine protected area network is being implemented, there are many narrow passage ways and remote areas where the loopholes in this order may permit cruise ships to dump close to shore,” the law group wrote in a statement. “We also worry that because Canada does not require third party monitors on vessels to observe, it will be very difficult to enforce this order, especially in remote areas.”

The new measures do exceed the current Canadian regulations aligned with international standards from the International Maritime Organization and complement mandatory requirements in place through the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations.

Transport Canada’s measures will also be supported by periodic reporting by the cruise operators to assess levels of compliance. These reports will be made public and the information from them will support a future regulatory approach to controlling discharge of greywater and blackwater in Canadian waters, according to Transport Canada.

These measures are being implemented by an Interim Order, which has the same effect as a regulation, but allows for action to be taken immediately while the process for making the regulations mandatory for the longer term is being implemented.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Canadian cities launch hydrant fountain projects during record heat

By ES&E Staff

Lethbridge, Alberta, and Waterloo, Ontario, are joining the City of Ottawa this summer in offering 24/7 hydrant hookups to beat the heat with seasonal drinking water stations.

While Lethbridge’s and Waterloo’s pilot projects are just getting off the ground in locations across the cities, Ottawa’s hydrant fountain program has returned due to popular demand following a successful launch last summer.

The hydrant fountains arrived as temperatures set heat records worldwide. The average worldwide temperature in mid July reached 17.23°C, with records already broken or tied three times. The previous record for average daily temperature was in mid-August 2016.

Lethbridge invested $15,000 in its hydrant fountain pilot. The stations were designed and manufactured by staff at the city’s water treatment plant. “Access to drinking water is important to the general population but also, it’s perhaps most important to the vulnerable members of our community,” explained Lethbridge City Councillor Nick Paladino, who spearheaded the initiative. “I look forward to seeing how the pilot progresses through the summer and how the community uses them.”

In Ottawa, city councillors said the first season of the hydrant fountain program was appreciated by residents, tourists and even pets. In 2023, the city included the option for residents to request new hydrant fountain locations.

The designs of the hydrant fountains vary between the three cities. While the Ottawa and Waterloo hydrant fountains offer a water bottle filling element to the fountain setup, as well as a pet-level drinking component, the Lethbridge fountains are more basic, offering a simple low-level nozzle for refills.

Waterloo officials noted that local fire officials were consulted on the project to ensure that the fountain does not interfere with the normal use of the fire hydrant. “Take a sip, fill your bottle, or offer your pet a drink,” states a poster on the Waterloo fountains.

A City of Cambridge, Ontario councillor recently put forth a motion to bring back public drinking water fountains, after they were removed around 2006 due to the Walkerton E. coli contamination crisis. The councillor said one fountain could cost in the neighbourhood of $15,000, and the idea must consider the cost of potential vandalism. Council also discussed the possibility that the fountains could be designed as art projects.

The concept of bringing back water fountains was also being considered by Hamilton, Ontario.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Lethbridge’s hydrant fountains were designed and manufactured by staff at the city’s water treatment plant. Credit: City of Lethbridge

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Canadians fare well at AWWA’s 2023 conference and exhibition

By ES&E Staff

An estimated 10,000 water professionals from throughout the world gathered for the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE23) this June in Toronto. The large Canadian contingent earned honours in a range of categories from the Best of the Best Taste Test for tap water, to awards for innovation, recruiting, landmark preservation, and public communications.

Coming off last year’s event in Texas, the AWWA even planned a U.S. vs. Canada hockey matchup, with teams representing the Illinois and Ontario sections of the AWWA. They faced off in the “No Water, No Hockey” match, benefiting AWWA’s philanthropic arm, Water Equation.

“Water is important, even when it’s frozen,” joked AWWA CEO David LaFrance, in a promotional video for the Toronto event, where the AWWA will return in 2029.

The theme of this year’s event was “The Future of Water is 2050”. Autumn Peltier, Anishinaabe Indigenous rights and water advocate from the Wikwemikong First Nation on Manitoulin Island opened ACE23’s general session by providing a land acknowledgment and sharing her personal water story. “The water needs all of you, and we all need water,” she told attendees. “Water is life.”

WATER TASTE TEST

The New Brunswick City of Miramichi won the Best of the Best Water Taste Test at ACE23. The community of nearly 19,000 residents is the largest city in northern New Brunswick. With 4,500 service connections, 175 kilometres of watermains, and one water treatment plant, the area operates three separate water systems sourced from 19 active ground wells.

Receiving the Best Tasting Tap Water award in person were Darren Row, Miramichi’s director of engineering, and Jay Shanahan, the municipality’s director of public works.

INNOVATION

Another prestigious win for Canada came for the Ontario Regional Municipality of York’s Ranin Nseir, recipient of the AWWA Innovation Award, which is designed to “inspire and implement innovative thinking and best practices” within the water industry. Nseir, project manager of inflow and infiltration reduction in York, won the honour for her part on the path towards reducing inflow and infiltration by 40 million litres per day in the York Durham Sewer System by 2031.

HYDRANT HYSTERIA

Canadians also had a strong showing in the annual

Taste Test Winners ACE23: (left to right) Darren Row, Director of Engineering, City of Miramichi; Jay Shanahan, Director of Public Works, City of Miramichi; Dave Gaylinn, Senior Public Affairs Specialist, AWWA. Credit: AWWA, Black Ram Media

Hydrant

The Region of Peel placed first in the women’s Hydrant Hysteria competition. Credit: Elaine Gilliland

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Hysteria competition in which two-person teams assemble a fire hydrant as quickly as possible. In the women’s competition, the Ontario Region of Peel placed first with a total assembly time of 1 minute and 51 seconds. Peel has more than 27,000 fire hydrants across Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. Toronto placed third in the women’s competition with a time of 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

Metro Vancouver’s public communications team took home top honours for fostering and supporting the development of public outreach programs and integrating public affairs as a core element of utility planning and management. AWWA states that the award is intended to “encourage utilities to incorporate public outreach into their operating plans, as well as to provide examples of successful public outreach programs and best practices.”

RECRUITMENT

Clara Shea, of AWWA’s Atlantic Canada Section, won the Zenno A. Gorder Award for recruiting the most new members. Shea is the executive director of the Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association, based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

WATER LANDMARKS

ACE23 honoured two Ontario cities for their effective preservation of sites at least 50 years old that have had a “direct and significant relationship with water supply, treatment, distribution, or technological development.”

The City of Guelph was recognized for its Waterwork Engine House and Pumping Station built in 1879, while the City of Hamilton was honoured for its first waterworks built in the 1850s.

According to the City of Guelph’s list of Designated Heritage Properties, the stone engine house was “originally only intended for fire protection. But the excavation of the pumping station

changed the purpose of the waterworks when a spring was struck yielding a large supply of uncontaminated water which the Waterworks Commission believed could be used for domestic purposes.”

The Hamilton waterworks was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997 because “it is an early, rare surviving example of a Victorian industrial building complex that is both architecturally and functionally largely intact,” states Parks Canada. It was designed by prominent Canadian engineer Thomas C. Keefer.

ACE is the longest-running water conference in the world, having first convened in 1881. Next year’s event is scheduled for Anaheim, California.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Announcing Promotions at Associated

Associated Engineering is pleased to announce the following promotions in our Water teams in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Based in Calgary, Coenraad specializes in water supply and treatment. He has over 30 years of mechanical engineering experience, encompassing project management, feasibility studies, design leadership, and construction planning. Coenraad succeeds Andy Barr, who has moved into a senior advisory role providing project management, planning, and design support to our water teams in Alberta and across the company.

Working in our Regina office, Nancy provides leadership to our water team, as well as delivering special projects. A Senior Civil Engineer and Project Manager, Nancy has over 28 years of experience in planning, and design and construction of infrastructure projects, most recently, the Westside Irrigation Project Pre-Design. Cory Wihlidal, P.Eng., remains in his role as Manager, Regional Water in Regina, working in collaboration with Nancy.

Jeff is the new Manager of our Water Division in Calgary. He is a Process-Mechanical Engineer with almost 20 years of experience, specializing in computational fluid dynamics, hydraulics, and design of pump stations and water and wastewater treatment plants. Jeff brings expertise in planning, design, construction management, commissioning, project management, and asset management.

Ryan works from our Edmonton office and has over 15 years’ experience specializing in the design of pump stations, water and wastewater treatment facilities. His experience includes planning, modelling, design, construction, and commissioning. Ryan works with Jeff Fetter, P.Eng., Division Manager of our Water Division in Edmonton, including a Regional Water team led by Grant Dixon and a Power and Automation team led by Steve Justus, P.Eng.

Associated’s multi-discipline teams of water specialists, offer expertise from studies and assessments to the design and upgrade of water infrastructure projects. We collaborate with clients to develop sustainable and resilient solutions. Together, we can shape a better world.

Coenraad Pool, M.Eng., P.Eng. Division Manager, Water Calgary

Jeff Ruzicka, P.Eng. Manager, Mechanical Calgary

Nancy Inglis, P.Eng., PMP Division Manager, Water Regina

Ryan Wirsz, P.Eng. Manager, Urban Water Edmonton

Harnessing the power of wastewater treatment plant digesters with co‑digestion

By Tom Ferencevic

As innovative technologies continue to push the concept of circular economies, enhancing and optimizing existing systems can be just as impactful. Infrastructure already in place for environmental and municipal needs, such as wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), can be optimized to contribute to cyclical solutions and benefit both the economy and the environment.

Wastewater is a source of biogas, and WWTPs comprise existing infrastructure that could be rapidly put into service using co-digestion to reduce the carbon footprint of municipalities, while also making them more economically resilient.

WHAT IS CO‑DIGESTION?

Co-digestion is a process that involves the anaerobic digestion of two or more types of organic waste materials in a single digester tank. The concept involves mixing lower-energy materials with higher-energy materials. Balance is taken into consideration and depends on the biochemical characteristics of the materials to keep the biological system operating optimally.

Lower energy content materials include wastewater sludge and manure. In contrast, food wastes usually have considerably higher energy content. Therefore, they often generate tipping fees to those who are able to accept them and utilize them responsibly.

HOW DOES ANAEROBIC DIGESTION WORK?

The anaerobic digestion process involves breaking down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. During digestion, bacteria break down the organic matter and produce biogas, primarily composed of methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas is a renewable fuel source that can be used to produce heat and electricity.

Several factors can affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the co-digestion process. These include: the temperature and pH of the types of sludges, types and quantities of source separated food waste used, and the organic loading rate of the organic matter in the digester.

Overall, co-digestion is an effective means of increasing biogas production of WWTPs while also providing a means of treating organic waste materials. Existing biogas technology can be an important tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating a more sustainable future, and making municipal infrastructure profitable and resilient.

UNDERSTANDING BIOGAS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The environmental and green energy benefits of biogas are

significant. This is in no small part because it is primarily composed of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is approximately 25 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time frame.

When organic waste materials, such as food waste, decompose in landfills, they produce methane, which is released into the atmosphere. By diverting these organic waste materials to anaerobic digesters instead, we can capture the methane and use it as renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In terms of climate change, biogas has the potential to make a significant impact. The International Energy Agency estimates that the global potential for biogas production could be as high as 12% of current global natural gas production by 2040. If we can reach this level of biogas production, it could make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS: A SOURCE OF BIOGAS

Wastewater treatment plants generate large quantities of sludge. This material is commonly treated in an anaerobic digester where the primary concern is to reduce the occurrence of harmful pathogens and produce a safe and stable product. But it is also a source of renewable energy.

The process of anaerobic digestion of this material produces some biogas which can be used on-site to power the WWTP or sold to the grid as a renewable energy source. Several municipalities convert it to CRNG (compressed renewable natural

Energy produced by various feedstocks.

gas) to run their municipal fleet vehicles.

In addition to sludge, plants can also receive other types of organic waste materials, such as food waste, grease, and fats, which can be added to the anaerobic digester. Combining these different types of organic waste materials in the digester can significantly increase energy production, further enhancing the potential for renewable energy generation.

SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF CO DIGESTION AT A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

The Moosburg Co-Digestion Plant is a large-scale co-digestion facility located in Moosburg, Austria. The plant is operated by a municipal wastewater treatment company, and it is one of the largest co-digestion facilities in Europe. Fitec’s partners in Germany, Finsterwalder Umwelttechnik, have acted as consultants in the facility’s transition to co-digestion, making them key partners in their success.

organic materials, making biogas from food waste and agricultural waste, along with wastewater sludge from the munic-

ipal WWTP at a ratio of 47:18:35. The feedstock is sourced from a range of

The plant processes a variety of continued overleaf…

(left) Fitec CEO and Environmental Scientist Tom Ferencevic, working on depackaging and separation with the BioSqueeze200.

suppliers, including local farmers, food manufacturers, and supermarkets.

The co-digestion process takes place in several anaerobic digesters that are designed to optimize biogas production. Biogas produced by the digesters is used to generate electricity and heat, which is used to power the plant. Excess production is sold to the grid as a renewable energy source.

This plant has several notable features that contribute to its success. Firstly, it has a high level of automation, with a comprehensive monitoring and controls system that allows operators to optimize the digester operation in real time.

Additionally, the plant has implemented a comprehensive feedstock management system that helps ensure that the feedstock mixture is balanced and optimized for maximum biogas production.

Finally, tipping fees for food waste it receives contribute to the income of the plant. These earnings contribute to the resiliency of the facility, creating a diversified revenue stream while providing a reliable and responsible way to dispose of waste while turning it into renewable energy.

COMMON MYTHS REGARDING CO‑DIGESTION

Concerns can arise when implementing a co-digestion system that operates using both wastewater and municipal food waste. However, with the proper tools and the right collaborative partnership, WWTP operators can take the guesswork out of feeding and understanding the state of the biological system.

This is crucial as the challenges they may face can impact the efficiency and effectiveness of the process, and these challenges must be carefully managed to ensure the proper functioning of the system and optimal energy production capacity.

The following are some of the myths and debunking facts related to co-digestion:

It can be dangerous to mess with the anaerobic digestion of a WWTP. It is not very risky, and it is commonly done all over Europe. In fact, in Europe, municipal WWTPs compete with the private waste sector for organic waste because it is highly profitable to use that waste for co-digestion.

Co-digestion is more trouble than it is worth. This type

of facility requires very little relative investment in additional infrastructure and produces many benefits, several of which are municipal priorities, such as:

• Renewable energy production.

• Reduced waste going to landfills.

• Lessening municipal infrastructure operating costs (this is made possible by using the power generated from the facility for fleet operation).

• Increasing revenue (tipping fees for waste and renewable energy production can be used as additional revenue streams).

It is difficult to maintain optimal operating conditions. While the anaerobic digestion process is sensitive to changes in temperature, pH, and other environmental factors, simple monitoring tools empower operators to easily make necessary adjustments before the system is out of balance.

There is also a certain level of caution that WWTP operators maintain due to the hypercritical nature of maintaining the functionality of this kind of infrastructure. However, there are sound technical solutions available, uncomplicating the process and opening the industry up to more lucrative and robust opportunities.

OVERCOMING CO DIGESTION MYTHS AND CONCERNS

WWTP operators are often resistant to using additional feedstocks in their digesters for fear of disrupting the process. But, working with a knowledgeable service provider like Fitec Environmental Technologies can help to minimize risks. By partnering and focusing on education, operators can be made aware of the signs to look for, and the adjustments needed, to mitigate problems before they become larger-scale issues.

Overall, the successful implementation of a co-digestion system requires careful design, management, and optimization. Addressing the above-listed challenges is paramount, which can only be accomplished by working with a knowledgeable partner, like an anaerobic digestion consultant or service provider. This reduces risks and increases success and an expert partner can help with the following:

• Developing a feedstock management plan and implementing proper storage and handling procedures.

• Deploying automatic monitoring and control systems and optimizing the digester design to maximize operating efficiency.

• Adjusting feedstock ratios to account for variability.

• Conducting regular feedstock analysis, pre-treatment checks, system checks, maintenance and upkeep.

THE ROLE OF CO‑DIGESTION IN A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE

Co-digestion of food waste in wastewater treatment plants has been common in Europe for over 20 years, but has only recently received attention from North American municipalities. Co-digestion allows municipalities to increase returns by making better use of existing infrastructure.

Tom Ferencevic is with Fitec Environmental Technologies. For more information, email: hq@fitecbiogas.com or visit: www.fitecbiogas.com

Staff monitoring their anaerobic digestion system; Fitec’s self-cleaning digester at Courthouse Hill Energy.

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The use of artificial intelligence in air quality monitoring

By John Vogan

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasing role in air quality monitoring (AQM) strategies in both the private and public sector, especially those involving the acquisition, vetting, management and interpretation of large data sets. Technologies based on AI may offer distinct advantages over traditional approaches.

The need for AI is being driven by the need to cost-effectively gather large amounts of data for a variety of regulatory, carbon management, and health and safety purposes. In addition to greenhouse gas compliance activity, recently passed legislation governing specific contaminant emissions, such as sulphur dioxide (SO) regulations in Ontario, have increased the need for advanced monitoring methods and data analytics. The data needs to be reliable, be available almost instantaneously after collection, and be able to be readily portrayed visually to a variety of stakeholders.

Zach Zehr, an air quality and climate change expert, recently discussed scenarios that could drive the use of such advanced monitoring approaches. His experience over the past 10 years involves air compliance assessments and permitting, dispersion modelling, stack testing, and GHG emissions reporting and offset projects. Zehr explained three possible applications where AI based approaches may have merit.

“In certain instances, large power consumers may want to increase the accuracy and frequency of their carbon emissions monitoring to calculate carbon costs under the federal output-based pricing system regulations. This approach will be driven by the forecast increase in carbon pricing from $65/ tonne currently to $170/tonne by 2030.

“Secondly, implementing such advanced technologies may improve the quality of background data needed for environment assessment approvals governing changes or expansions in land use in Ontario and elsewhere. Ontario legislation now mandates the assessment of climate change on the proposed land use, and the effects of the change/expanded land use on regional projected climate change. A system generating detailed accurate local data would lessen the current reliance

on distant government stations.

“Lastly but significantly, if the devices are reliable and produce high quality results, they could be used as checks, backups, or replacements for current continuous environmental monitoring systems which are used to generate ongoing compliance data.”

Ecosystem Informatics Inc. (ESI) has developed an innovative Air Quality Management System (AQMS) technology based on AI. Dr. Shirook Ali, the founder and chief executive officer of ESI, states that “ESI should be thought of as a software driven technology company. Our AI based algorithms continuously calibrate the air quality parameters we measure, creating a reliable basis for decision making.”

Dr. Ali started the company in 2019, backed by research and development that started in 2016, after recognizing shortcomings in the standard equipment used to monitor airborne contaminant concentrations.

The AI computer algorithms are “trained” using multi-variant data sets (e.g., temperature, pressure, and humidity) generated in a controlled environment over the range of values expected to be encountered by sensors in the field application. The resulting algorithms are then subsequently used to calibrate the field data, ensuring the accuracy of measured sensor readings and identifying and eliminating unreliable outliers.

These algorithms can also be used to forecast future values of the measured parameters. One of ESI’s first steps in technology development was to continuously benchmark the cal-

ESI vehicle mounted mobile devices.

In certain instances, large power consumers may want to increase the accuracy and frequency of their carbon emissions monitoring.

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ibrated data over a year against publicly available government station measurements, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of outputs from its system.

This use of AI allows ESI’s samplers to avoid the requirement of establishing the controlled environment (e.g., temperature and humidity) otherwise required for stable sensor operation in a field unit. This minimizes power demands for hardware and therefore allows the ESI units to be a fraction of the size (and cost) of conventional equipment.

ESI devices currently weigh about one kilogram and are about the size of a large shoe box in volume. They transmit data directly to the cloud where it is pre-processed for further processing and calibration. Currently, up to five concentration sensors and three meteorological sensors can be installed in a single unit. Samplers can be installed as stationary point monitors, but are particularly suited for use on moving vehicles.

Either through the deployment of several cost-effective ESI samplers at several stations, or by data collection using a single mounted, moving ESI unit, a denser, more granular data set can be generated with ESI’s technology. This means not relying on data from a single conventional AQM installation assumed to represent the same geographic area.

Projects completed using this technology include a carbon emissions monitoring program for the Town of Milton, Ontario, which monitored emissions from transit vehicles using ESI mobile units on a street-by-street level. The data was used as part of a benchmarking study for bus electrification.

An ongoing contaminant monitoring study for the City of Hamilton has involved both fixed stations (for comparison of data to an existing conventional monitoring station) and mobile vehicle monitors. Monitoring has included sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and most recently particulate matter (PM2.5).

Hotspots within the study area were identified, and trucking routes modi-

UNDERWATER SEARCH AND INSPECTION DRONE

fied to reduce these impacts. ESI sensors were also deployed in 2022 by private sector consultants to monitor particulate emissions during remediation efforts following a forest fire in western Canada.

Minh Le is president of C3 Environmental (C3), a Canadian environmental technology firm that is one of ESI’s key channel partners.

“I am by no means an AI expert” Le said in a recent interview. “But, we do see the data polishing processes in ESI’s system as a major step forward relative to existing technology, where extra hardware is needed to collect the calibration data. This means that the ESI devices should have a smaller footprint, lower power consumption, and lower maintenance needs than existing hardware in the market,” he added.

C3 and ESI envision that many applications will involve subscription-based services, where they assume responsibility for device installation and maintenance, data collection and analysis, and provide the resulting data sets that can be used for a variety of purposes.

Le says that: “We foresee a lot of end users and consultants taking advantage of the data output that can be used in air quality models or portrayed visually in user dashboards and reports.”

Zehr offered the following comments regarding the acceptance of AI-based technologies:

“As one would expect, the keys are robustness and improvements in cost-effectiveness and data reliability, which really need to be demonstrated at a field scale, ideally in ‘head-to-head’ comparisons with common equipment currently on the market. Equipment flexibility and the ability to operate remotely under a variety of climatic conditions are also very important.”

ESI’s technology is commercially available. C3 and ESI are currently pursuing select pilot-scale field demonstrations to further expand the scope of technology application.

(800) 265-0182

2865

info@cdnsafety.com

www.cdnsafety.com

John Vogan is an environmental scientist and writer who prepared this article on behalf of C3 Environmental. For more information, email: minh.le@c3group.com

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Students design experiential learning tool kits to educate public about stormwater

By Ellen Campbell

The City of London, Ontario, is the 11th largest metropolitan area in Canada with a population of approximately 422,000. It is situated along the Thames River and within the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority area, making it susceptible to flooding during severe weather events.

It is therefore no surprise that it was one of the first cities in Ontario to create a stormwater charge to support the implementation of stormwater infrastructure that protects the city, residents and the environment. The city continues to make rapid improvements to its aging infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Stormwater, its impacts, mechanisms, and mitigation strategies are complex systems that can be difficult for the public to understand. This creates a challenge to justify large capital investments into initiatives to protect public property and environmental health. To help address this knowledge gap, the city partnered with Rain It In, a Canadian non-profit organization that challenges post-secondary students to create climate resilient solutions that focus on intense rainfall and flooding.

In the fall of 2022, a total of 24 Canadian students, in nine different educational programs, were challenged to design experiential learning kits that the city could use to educate the public on stormwater. The grand prize was a $5,000 seed grant from the city to further develop and commercialize the winning prototype. McGill University, University of Toronto Mississauga, University of Victoria and Western University participated in the challenge.

Teams were invited to attend an informational webinar, a mentorship workshop and a skills development workshop. A demonstration video was required by each team to determine which five would be invited to pitch their prototypes live to a judging panel comprised of industry experts.

The mentorship workshop, hosted in

partnership with the Canadian Chapter of the International Water Association’s Young Water Professionals, allowed for networking in a virtual environment. Industry professionals were invited to share their knowledge to inspire the direction of the projects. This opportunity also enlightened students about career paths in the water industry.

The skills development workshop, hosted in partnership with the Canadian Water Resources Association, focused on effective pitch fundamentals. The session was facilitated by Martin Yuill, executive director at Cleantech Commons, who taught the students about pitch types, provided tips, and shared personal experiences that helped prepare the students for the competition, and futures in the profession.

Financial sponsorship from the Sustainability Office at Wilfrid Laurier University allowed Rain It In to award cash prizes to the top three finalists: $500 for first, $300 for second and $200 for third. The real reward, however, was the opportunity to gain hands-on experience solving a real-world challenge, with the support of water professionals.

First place finalist, Emily Lafond, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Bioresource Engineering at McGill University, said: “We hope that our target audience

has as much fun using these kits as we did conceptualizing them. Thank you Rain It In for giving us the opportunity to apply creativity, science, and entrepreneurial skills during this fun and flexible competition!”

The winning teams were as follows: First place: McGill University – Team MIST; Second Place: University of Toronto Mississauga – Team Urban Rain; Third Place: Western University – Team Water Benders.

Rain It In would also like to pay special thanks to the judging panel:

• Shawna Chambers, P.Eng., DPA, division manager of stormwater engineering at the City of London

• Aaron Rozentals, P.Eng., division manager of water engineering at the City of London

• Brandon Williamson, land management coordinator at Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

• Erin Mutch, vice principal at Medway High School

“There were so many great and unique ideas. We could tell that everyone put a lot of thought and work into each project,” shared judging panelist Shawna Chambers.

Ellen Campbell is with Rain It In. For more information, visit: www.rainitinsc.com

Team MIST. Top row from left to right: Dylan Gwilliam, Sara Escallon-Sotomayor, Shawna Chambers, Paula Bustard. Bottom row from left to right: Sadie MacDonald, Emily Lafond, Ellen Campbell.

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NASA’s brine processor pushes water reclamation to 98% on ISS

By ES&E Staff

New brine processor technology is helping NASA astronauts reach a water reclamation milestone onboard the International Space Station.

Some of the key items on the station include a processor assembly that utilizes vacuum distillation and produces a urine brine that contains some reclaimable water. A brine processor extracts that remaining wastewater and sends it to the water processor assembly, which produces drinkable water and helps NASA achieve its 98% water recovery goal. This is necessary for long-duration space exploration missions.

Prior to the development of the brine processor, NASA had maxed out at 94% water recovery. Now, the brine is sent through a special membrane technology, then blown dry to evaporate the water, creating humid air collected by the station’s water collection systems. The same process is used for astronauts’ breath and perspiration.

“This is a very important step forward in the evolution of life support systems,” explained Christopher Brown, part of the team at Johnson Space Center that manages the space station’s life support system. “Let’s say you collect 40 kg of water on the station. You lose two pounds of that and the other 98% just keeps going around and around. Keeping that running is an awesome achievement.”

The water processor assembly uses a series of specialized filters, then a catalytic reactor that breaks down any trace contaminants that remain. Sensors check the water purity and unacceptable water is reprocessed. The system also adds iodine to the usable water to prevent microbial growth and stores it for crew use. According to NASA, iodine is used for disinfection instead of chlorine because it is less corrosive and much easier to transport to the space station.

Each crew member needs about 3.6 litres of water per day for consumption, food preparation, and hygiene, such as brushing teeth.

Jill Williamson, NASA water subsystems manager, says the water reclamation process is fundamentally like some municipal water distribution systems, “just done in microgravity.”

“The crew is not drinking urine,” Williamson said in a statement from NASA. “They are drinking water that has been reclaimed, filtered, and cleaned such that it is cleaner than what we drink here on Earth. We have a lot of processes in place and a lot of ground testing to provide confidence that we are producing clean, potable water.”

Williamson added that the less water and oxygen taken into space, the “more science that can be added to the launch vehicle.” Efficient regenerative systems, she said, means the crew can focus on the “true intent of their mission”.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

NASA astronaut Kayla Barron replaces a filter in the space station’s Brine Processor Assembly. Credit: NASA

Dosing hypochlorite in a new wastewater treatment plant

By Mike Knapman

Sodium hypochlorite has outstanding disinfection properties, so it is used in wastewater treatment to kill off bacteria before effluent is discharged back into the environment. For drinking water treatment, it is one of the primary methods of disinfection.

Recently, one new wastewater treatment plant required a pump capable of accurately dosing 15% sodium hypochlorite, which is a challenging product to pump. When being pumped, sodium hypochlorite tends to off-gas, causing some pump types to vapour lock.

After evaluating several pump choices from several manufacturers, plant owners decided to use ten Verderflex VF10 peristaltic hose pumps for the job. They can handle both gas and liquid, ensuring the liquid stream receives a consistent dose.

The fluid being dosed is kept totally enclosed within the rubber hose. It is then compressed by a rotating shoe, forcing the liquid inside along. Upon restitution of the hose, the resulting vacuum draws in more liquid. This process is known as peristalsis and is what makes the peristaltic pump work well for liquid metering. Variations in hose type allow for low strength and even high strength sodium hypochlorite dosing.

Wastewater plants need to run as cost-efficiently as possible and plant staff were impressed with the long hose life provided by the Verderflex hose and the ease of maintenance when the hose needed to be changed.

“These pumps have certainly been a success for us in this industry,” according to Verderflex.

Because of the pumping process used by peristaltic pumps, the hose is the only part that ever comes onto contact with the fluid being pumped. Not only does

this mean that the pump is hygienic and leak free, it also means that there are no moving parts to become clogged or damaged. The only maintenance required is to change the hose, which is done quickly and efficiently, keeping downtime to an absolute minimum, saving costs and increasing profits.

Plant owners decided to use ten Verderflex peristaltic hose pumps for the job.

Mike Knapman is with York Fluid Controls Ltd. who represent Verderflex peristaltic pumps. Email: sales@yorkfluid.com

Exploring the vital role of pollution liability insurance for businesses and wastewater treatment plants

By Shane McCarthy

As the world continues to become more conscious of the environment and how individuals and companies pollute, there is an increase in lawsuits and government-issued fines and penalties addressing environmental issues. Consequently, the need to properly transfer a company’s risks is more important than ever to protect its reputation and financial bottom line.

From massive, multi-billion-dollar construction sites to the gas station on the corner, businesses of all sizes and types may have a need for environmental coverage. However, this is an area that continues to be underinsured.

First, we need to review what is considered a pollutant and what could result in a fine, penalty or lawsuit bringing an insurance claim against your company. A pollutant is any material, substance, liquid, product, etc., which is introduced into an environment for other than its intended use or purpose. In other words, something that ends up where it does not belong. Fresh water, cheese, and milk have all been classified as pollutants by insurance carriers under various circumstances.

Unlike most liability exposures that impact a lot of businesses, pollution losses are not a frequency risk, but rather a severity risk. Since almost all businesses can be impacted by environmental liabilities, consideration needs to be given to the benefits of environmental liability insurance as part of a risk transfer strategy, versus self-insurance.

It is important to note that general liability policies typically do not provide meaningful coverage for pollution-related claims. This means that companies without an environmental liability policy could be left to bear the financial burden of these types of incidents on

their own.

Environmental liability policies are designed to protect companies from the financial consequences of environmental incidents such as pollution, contamination, and damage to natural resources. These policies provide coverage for the costs associated with cleaning up contamination, as well as legal defense costs and damages awarded in lawsuits. Today, there are more insurance companies offering environmental liability so there is more competition. This has resulted in lower premiums.

There are several types of environmental policies available, but understanding what they are, and how they respond, is the first step. A properly negotiated and structured policy can help companies respond to incidents more efficiently without worrying about financial strain. Policies include environmental impairment liability (EIL), contractors’ pollution liability (CPL), and transportation pollution liability (TPL). Each type of

policy provides coverage for different risks and exposures.

For example, an EIL policy would be appropriate for wastewater treatment plants that could be susceptible to an economic loss caused by pollution that actually or allegedly originated from their operations. Sometimes referred to as pollution legal liability, this coverage is for those who own, operate, lease, or have any other insurable interest in real property or the operations.

Coverage can be written in a variety of ways, addressing unknown pre-existing pollution conditions or new pollution conditions. Coverage can include first party on-site cleanup, third-party bodily injury and property damage, along with business interruption and extra expense, off-site cleanup costs, legal defense expenses, non-owned disposal sites, transportation and more. EIL can also be offered on multi-year terms, thus providing contract and budget cercontinued overleaf…

Accidents and oversights can happen at any facility, including wastewater treatment plants. However, environmental insurance policies can assist with cleanup costs, defense costs, claim management, and third-party liability. Credit: pxl.store, stock.adobe.com

tainty for several years at a time.

CPL coverage can be purchased to address two specific exposures. Firstly, contractors that perform environmental remedial service activities (e.g., dayto-day plant operations, asbestos, lead, mould, soil or groundwater remediation, emergency response). Secondly, at nonowned or leased property. CPL protects the insured for pollution conditions they may cause, or if they exacerbate an existing situation whilst performing their covered construction services. The loss must occur away from any premises the insured owns, rents, leases, or occupies. In other words, while they are performing contracting services in the field.

Business auto or trucker’s insurance policies will exclude pollution losses arising from spills or other releases of their cargo. This exposure can be

nesses were evacuated, and several people were hospitalized for inhalation of fumes. Claims against the facility for bodily injury and business interruption, combined with defense costs, exceeded $460,000.

• A liquid wastewater treatment plant utilized sulphuric acid in their process and stored it on-site in a 75,000-litre aboveground storage tank. The storage tank was contained by two-foot-high, chemically sealed masonry walls. Overnight, an area high on the wall of the storage tank ruptured, releasing the sulphuric acid. The leak went beyond the containment walls, releasing approximately 11,000 litres into the soil and into an adjacent stream. Government mandated costs for clean up of on-site soils, the stream and the stream bank exceeded $1 million.

best trained and most attentive staff.

In addition to the actual cost of cleanup, there are three distinct advantages to purchasing an environmental policy:

Defense costs: Environmental liabilities are relatively new and very litigious. Even if you have done nothing wrong you can still get named in a lawsuit and the cost to defend yourself (e.g., legal fees and environmental investigations) can be exorbitant. The environmental insurance policy pays for these expenses.

Claim management: All policies come with specialists to assist you in handling a claim. The policy will provide and pay for experts who will oversee communications, public relations, emergency response, government compliance, financial management, thirdparty claims for bodily injury, property damage and natural resource damage.

Third-party liability: The majority of the time, the cost to clean up the pollution condition is far less than the associated costs that come in from affected third parties who claim for bodily injury, property damage and business interruption. Your liability associated with these third-party claims can be covered by the policy.

addressed through a TPL, which affords coverage during the loading, unloading and transportation, for a spill, release or sudden upset and overturn of transported cargo.

Many businesses do not recognize the need for appropriate and tailored pollution insurance solutions until they are faced with a real-life claim scenario that highlights the value of the coverage.

To shed some light on why wastewater plants should investigate these insurance solutions, we have laid out a few specific claims scenarios that demonstrate how easily accidents can happen and how quickly costs will add up. All the following loss scenarios are covered under an environmental impairment liability policy:

• A wastewater treatment plant that had a chlorine release resulted in toxic air emissions. Area residents and busi-

• A process tank at a wastewater treatment plant malfunctioned. The tank discharged a large volume of untreated wastewater into a nearby stream, causing damage to aquatic life. Several residents and environmental groups filed property damage lawsuits. Costs exceeded $350,000.

• A 25-year-old wastewater treatment plant had been upgraded several times over the years, but improper closure of an old clarifier and on-site surface impoundment had allowed gradual seepage into groundwater. This resulted in the contamination of the potable water supply for the neighbouring community. The costs for groundwater cleanup and emergency water supply for residents totaled $550,000.

These types of accidents and oversights can happen at any wastewater treatment facility, even those with the

All companies should consider an environmental liability policy to protect themselves from the financial consequences of environmental incidents. These policies provide coverage for cleanup costs, legal defense costs, and damages awarded in lawsuits.

The starting point for any prudent company is to partner with a specialized insurance broker, one that will explain your exposures, direct you towards the proper limits of insurance and who understands the nuances of environmental policy wordings.

After finding the right broker partner, you can rest assured that being prepared with an environmental insurance policy, your company can respond to incidents more efficiently without worrying about financial strain, reputational damage or causing years of hard work to be compromised.

Shane McCarthy is with the Complex Risks Unit at HUB International. Email: shane.mccarthy@hubinternational.com

Many businesses do not recognize the need for appropriate and tailored pollution insurance solutions until they are faced with a real‑life claim scenario that highlights the value of the coverage.

UBC researchers say rain gardens can capture 90% of toxic tire runoff

By ES&E Staff

As research progresses on the best ways to handle the toxin 6PPD-quinone, which forms from rubber tire debris and flows into stormwater systems, researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) say that the creation of engineered green infrastructure such as rain gardens may be a solution.

to reduce flooding and soak up contaminants when road runoff such as 6PPD-quinone is directed onto them.

In the new bioretention cells study, UBC researchers developed a rain garden in Vancouver, pumping 14,000 litres of water spiked with 6PPD-quinone onto the garden for four hours. The team tested the water draining from beneath

unlined bottom contains an underdrain wrapped in clear gravel and geotextile, the study says.

UBC researchers Timothy Rodgers and Rachel Scholes said they extrapolated their results using a computer model and estimated that more than 90% of the chemical would be blocked from entering waterways during an

regarding the transformation rates of 6PPD-quinone in soil,” as well as the potential for transport “through interflow and shallow groundwater flow.” However, the researchers suggest that 6PPD-quinone “is not likely” to be remobilized from soil.

Researchers in the Pacific Northwest have been studying why, for decades, as many as 90% of salmon would die when migrating through urban streams to spawn in the Seattle, Washington, area. The scientists spent long hours isolating and testing molecules from some 2,000 chemicals in the tire-wear particles to identify whether a certain contaminant or combination of contaminants was particularly harmful.

They narrowed it down to one named 6PPD-quinone, which, during testing, killed salmon within five hours of exposure to concentrations as low as 0.8 micrograms per litre.

A team at the University of Saskatchewan has been working to develop a treatment system using agricultural residues

for the removal of toxic 6PPD compounds from urban runoff in Saskatoon.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com



 Creep tested; design life of 50+ years

The University of British Columbia research team tested the water draining from beneath the rain garden at frequent intervals and found only about 2% to 5% of the toxin 6PPD-quinone made it through, with about 75% captured by the soil and plants. Credit: Dr. Timothy Rodgers

Overcoming anaerobic digester failures: Shared lessons from municipal and industrial facilities

By David Ellis, James Arambarri and Michael Nelson

Municipal wastewater resource recovery facilities (WWRFs) have a tremendous opportunity to move towards being net-zero energy facilities, by incorporating anaerobic digestion of food wastes or source separated organics (SSO) into their existing operations. This change will require new operating procedures for those facilities that take advantage of co-digestion opportunities.

Municipal and industrial anaerobic digesters (AD) can be prone to process upsets and failures, which present significant issues for owners and operators. Failures can be chronic, resulting in a gradual and terminal decline, or acute, with an immediate loss of biogas or renewable natural gas (RNG) production. Lower biogas and RNG production can lead to lost revenue, increased safety risks, and a greater odour potential. These significant knock-on effects can result in community complaints and attract greater scrutiny from regulators.

Whether at a municipal or industrial facility, digester owners, operators and developers can help safeguard performance by improving their awareness of the most significant shared causes behind digester failures.

RECYCLE STREAMS

Recycle streams are probably the most overlooked aspect of municipal and industrial anaerobic digesters. These relatively small flows can often carry a substantial quantity of complex and dynamic chemistry and biology that has resulted in costly upsets. Examples of recycle streams are:

• Supernatant or filtrate from a waste activated sludge (WAS) thickening process in a WWRF being recycled back to the plant headworks;

• Centrate or filtrate from a digestate

thickening or dewatering process being recycled to the WRRF headworks for treatment or being recycled to the digester to hydrate biomass solids, municipal SSO wastes, or other dry feedstocks;

• Partially digested solids being recycled back into the anaerobic digester for further biodegradation and biogas production.

Recycle streams can harm a digester by causing the accumulation of inhibitory or inert materials. When organic nitrogen in feedstocks is degraded, it is released into the water and measured as total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN), which measures both the ammonium (NH4+) and ammonia (NH3) species. Ammonia (NH3) is highly inhibitory to digesters, with concentrations as low as 100 mg NH3-N/L being inhibitory to methane production, although the biomass in digesters can acclimate to higher ammonia concentrations over time.

In digesters that do not have recycle streams, the TAN concentration usually remains low enough that ammonia inhibition is not a concern. However, if nitrogen-rich liquid effluent is

recycled to hydrate dry feedstocks, then there is a risk of ammonia building up in the digester and leading to an ammonia-driven upset or failure.

Salts, such as potassium, sodium and chloride, play an important role in biology. Large amounts of salts, however, are inhibitory to some microbes, including those in anaerobic digesters. Since salts are not destroyed or consumed in the digester, liquid recycle streams will bring the soluble salts right back into the digester, leading to a salt buildup in the digester, and ultimately a biological upset.

As organic material is broken down in the digester, some byproducts are very small, non-biodegradable particles, i.e., inert colloids. These colloidal particles are also difficult to remove without chemical treatment. Therefore, recycle streams can contain amounts of inert colloids, which get recycled back to the digester. Large buildups of inert solids occupy reactor volume, reducing the digester’s treatment performance. This ultimately leads to a wide range of biological or mechanical upsets.

continued overleaf…

City of Toronto’s Dufferin Organics Processing Facility.

The easiest option may be to avoid having the recycle at all, if practical, or be sure the facility process design considers the impact of recycle streams during the project development stages.

Municipal designers need to pay close attention to the impact of recycle streams on both the solids and liquid treatment trains. Recycle streams should be characterized in detail and monitored regularly during plant operations to identify potential unit process risks to either the anaerobic or aerobic processes.

NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES

Poor nutrition is detrimental to the long-term health of anaerobic digesters. Fortunately, most municipal digesters do not suffer from nutritional deficiencies since biosolids usually provide an excellent source of nutrients. Similarly, industrial digesters that take manure or sewage sludge, plus complex food waste feedstocks, typically do not require any nutritional supplementation.

The industrial digesters that do require nutrient supplements are usually taking a small number of feedstocks streams such as municipal SSO or high fat wastes that are lacking in nutritional diversity.

Trace metals, such as cobalt, iron, nickel, molybdenum, and others, play key roles in metabolic functions of

digester biology. These trace metals can come from either the digester feedstocks or from nutritional supplements. A deficiency of even one of these trace metals can significantly disrupt biogas production and lead to further upsets.

Less extreme cases of nutrient deficiencies typically present simply as underperforming digesters. In these cases, you see feedstocks being only partially degraded in the digester, with low biogas output, and an unusually odorous digestate. In more extreme cases, nutrient deficiencies can lead to organic acid accumulation and subsequent upsets caused by acidification.

Just like a person’s diet, a digester needs a good mix of feedstocks providing the fuel value for the biogas and the nutrients that allows the biology to unlock that potential fuel value.

OVER‑ACIDIFICATION

Over-acidification is caused by a buildup of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The buildup of VFAs is caused by the methane-producing microbes that convert VFAs into methane being unable to keep up with how fast the VFAs are produced by the hydrolyzing and fermenting microbes. Buildup of VFAs and pH drops will hamper the methanogens further, worsening the problem. If the VFA

accumulation is not halted, the digester biology will eventually be unrecoverable and the digester will require reseeding.

There are two main ways to avoid VFA accumulation.

AVOID DIGESTER OVERFEEDING

Understanding the limits and risks of digester overfeeding are especially important for industrial digesters. These facilities can have a more dynamic feeding schedule due to a greater uncertainty in the quantity and quality of feedstock.

When a digester is stable, the methanogens are in balance with the hydrolyzing and fermenting bacteria and these methanogens can convert the VFAs to methane in balance with how fast they are generated. As a result, the VFA concentration and pH in the digester are stable.

If the feeding rate is increased significantly, or if the feed becomes thicker, then the hydrolyzing and fermenting bacteria will produce more VFAs than the methanogens can handle, and as a result, the VFAs will build up in the digester. The VFA buildup then causes the pH to drop, which will further inhibit the methanogens, and the digester will become upset.

INHIBITION OF METHANOGENS

Methanogens can be inhibited by many factors, such as ammonia accumulation, heavy metal toxicity, and large temperature or pH shifts, to name a few. If any of these occur, the VFA-to-methane conversion rate will drop and VFAs will begin accumulating.

If the inhibition is not reversed or the feeding rate is not reduced to allow the methanogens to recover, the VFA concentration will increase and the pH drop will worsen to the point where the digester becomes upset. Fortunately, in most cases, VFA buildups are slow, so frequent and accurate measurements of VFA, alkalinity and pH can catch this problem before it becomes critical.

Municipal ADs considering feeding SSO or food waste may need to take extra caution due to the relatively low frequency of sampling common at many WRRFs. Municipal ADs often only track parameters closely associated with their permitting and regulatory requirements

Municipal wastewater treatment plant concrete digesters with geodesic dome.

such as volatile solids reduction (VSR) in the AD process and the heavy metals concentration in the digestate solids. As municipal ADs continue to adopt co-digestion at their facilities, they will need to become familiar with the risks being introduced from dynamic feedstocks and how to effectively manage these materials.

SEASONAL WET WEATHER, HEATING AND COOLING CHALLENGES

Wet weather flows are a growing challenge for municipal and industrial digesters. The timing of these wet weather flows has not only become increasingly unpredictable, but their magnitudes have also begun to increase significantly. Operators of municipal ADs can watch for excessive feedstock dilution, while industrial digesters need to consider how they manage the large volumes of potentially process-impacted stormwater that can result from a major storm.

In many instances, area stormwater is collected and conveyed to the digester. In some cases, this stormwater can be cold and can pose a challenge to digester heating systems.

Digesters operating in cold climates also face challenges during the winter with sustained freezing temperatures. Similarly, in warm areas, digesters can become too warm during sustained hot weather.

If the digester design does not adequately consider how to maintain an optimal temperature of 35°C – 38°C, a drop in biogas production can result. Typically, any temperature shift beyond 1°C – 2°C per day will disrupt biogas production due to the sensitivity of methanogens.

Digester heating, including warming cold stormwater or frozen feedstocks, needs to accommodate worst-case winter conditions. Similarly, cooling systems need to be able to operate during extreme summer hot periods.

Cold weather can also present mechanical challenges. Screw augers for solid feeders can become frozen and inoperable, preventing further feeding until the feed material can be thawed. This issue has been handled historically by flushing the screw auger systems with warm water or digestate to keep the material from freezing. Moisture in raw biogas pipelines can also become frozen at sensors

and dead-legs, causing cracks or blockages in biogas pipelines.

Conversely, hot weather can lead to digester over-heating challenges. Hot weather can be more challenging to deal with than cold-weather heat loss, as many digesters are built without cooling systems. The biological heat generation from the biodegradation activity within the digester can be a significant heat contributor that should be considered during the digester design phase.

UNDER‑APPRECIATION OF AD PARAMETER VARIABILITY

AD parameter variability is typically more of a concern for industrial digesters. Municipal digesters at WRRFs tend to have more uniform waste streams that have been studied in detail for decades (i.e., primary sludge and waste activated sludge). Municipal facilities are also underutilized as they are sized to accommodate future growth of the community.

As a biological system, anaerobic digesters are dynamic and adaptable to change, but their adaptability depends on how fast the changes occur. When monitoring the key digester parameters, understanding the difference between normal sensor or sample variability and significant changes of concern is necessary to understand when and how an operator should respond.

Temperature, pH, VFA and alkalinity measurements will normally be variable from day to day, due in part to the high

solids content of digestate and feedstocks. When these fluctuations are small, for example, within 10% of the long-term average, they can generally be considered stable. For example, an increase in VFA concentration from 2,000 mg/L to 2,200 mg/L the next day is not of concern, as it may be measured at 2,100 mg/L the day after that.

However, if an overall increasing trend continues, reaching 3,000 mg/L to 4,000 mg/L in the next few days, that is an indication of a VFA buildup that warrants investigation.

Rapid changes in temperature and pH can lead to digester upsets and disrupt biogas production. Significant pH shifts can also lead to upsets but are generally more an indicator of some other issue, such as an acid accumulation.

CONCLUSION

Understanding and avoiding upsets begins with getting a complete and accurate picture of the digester itself: what’s going in, what’s coming out, and what’s happening inside.

David Ellis, James Arambarri and Michael Nelson are with Azura Associates. For more information, email: dave.ellis@azuraassociates.com, james.arambarri@azuraassociates.com, or michael.nelson@azuraassociates.com

Frozen fruit and vegetables to be used as digester feedstock material.

Addressing the issues of legacy gas wells in Ontario

By Caitlin Smal

The August 2021 gas explosion in Wheatley, Ontario, brought to light the thousands of abandoned gas wells drilled across the region, which have been in poor condition for decades.

This explosion, which thankfully caused no serious injuries but did displace some residents for more than a year, was a reminder of the distinct possibility that similar incidents could happen in other communities throughout the region because of these understudied environmental liabilities.

Abandoned gas wells are prevalent across the landscape in southern Ontario. Dating back to 1858, when the first commercial oil well was installed in Oil Springs, Ontario, these wells were built to power homes, farms, industrial operations, and other structures.

In some cases, legacy gas and oil wells remain open, but are unused and are in poor condition. In other cases, the wells were capped when they were no longer in use. However, the technology for capping the wells at that time, and the life of those solutions, have made these a serious cause for concern to the environment and public.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Abandoned Works Program provides financial support to homeowners with unused oil and gas wells drilled prior to 1963. The program supports the plugging of inactive oil and gas wells that are at heightened risk to public safety or the environment by providing financial assistance to eligible landowners. To date, this program has spent $29.5 million to plug 415 wells across the province.

In June 2023, The Government of Ontario announced an additional solution to address issues associated with leaking legacy oil and gas wells: The Provincial Strategy to Address Hazards Associated with Legacy Oil and Gas wells and Gas Migration.

It focuses on three key areas of importance: Understand risks, reduce risks, and enhance preparedness. Through engagement, consultation, and partnerships with impacted stakeholders, it is creating a path forward to address the issue. It is an important first step in an otherwise daunting task, as there are thousands of wells on properties throughout southern Ontario, including in Lake Erie.

THE PRESENCE OF GAS IN ONTARIO

Elevated methane concentrations are found in shallow aquifers in several regions of southern Ontario. They are produced by either biogenic means within the host aquifer, or by thermogenic means where methane is transported from depth along vertical conduits. Biogenic methane can be naturally produced within shallow aquifers under reducing conditions by microbes breaking down organic material.

This is commonly observed in shale formations and low-sulphate sedimentary formations that underlie thick, confining sediments. In other cases, natural or artificial vertical conduits can create conditions where thermogenic methane can be transported from depth to shallow aquifers and impact groundwater quality.

Thermogenic methane refers to methane generated by the thermally-activated breakdown of larger organic molecules (Stolper et al., 2015). This process occurs at depth under high pressure and over long geologic timescales. Formations in southern Ontario containing methane at depth include the lower Salina Group, upper Guelph Formation, Irondequoit Formation, Thorold Formation, Grimsby Formation, Gull River Formation and Whirlpool Formation.

Methane can occur in shallow groundwaters naturally from the biolog-

The August 2021 gas explosion in Wheatley, Ontario, (pictured) brought to light the thousands of abandoned gas wells drilled across the region. Credit: Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal

ically mediated breakdown of organic molecules under reducing, low-sulphate conditions. Several areas of southern Ontario contain high levels of methane naturally produced in situ by the fermentation of organic matter and/or reduction of carbon dioxide.

Geological strata particularly susceptible to methanogenesis include organic-rich black shales confined by quaternary sediments such as the Collingwood Shale, Marcellus Shale and Kettle Point Shale. Methane can also be produced in the near subsurface in landfills and wetland settings where dissolved organic material is readily available.

Biogenic methane can be distinguished from thermogenic methane by its highly depleted isotopic signatures due to the preferential uptake of the lighter isotopes during methanogenesis.

The existence of elevated methane in the region makes it very important to understand where these resources have been tapped, safely capped, or migrated to as a result of poor infrastructure. As part of the new provincial strategy, there needs to be a stronger appreciation for where pre-existing wells are located.

Currently, there is a registry of approximately 27,000 oil and gas wells, primarily on private land in southwestern Ontario, which underrepresents abandoned wells in the province. The files that reside with the Oil, Gas and Salt Library include details on well history, construction, location, stratigraphy, oil, gas, and water-bearing intervals.

Included in well records are also geophysical logs, core analyses and chemical analyses of subsurface fluid samples. An extensive collection of publications on subsurface geology is also available. File data and samples from drilling operations are confidential for one year after TD date (drilling of Total Depth) for exploratory wells and 30 days for all other wells.

The Oil, Gas & Salt Resources Library, a not-for-profit resource centre for the study of the subsurface geology, petroleum, salt, and underground hydrocarbon storage resources of Ontario, provides valuable information to help locate where abandoned gas wells may be located. It can trace its origin to the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the Geological Survey of Canada solicited voluntary

submissions of drill cuttings and core from oil and gas wells drilled in Ontario and other parts of the country.

This informal collection evolved into the establishment of a core and sample processing, storage, and study facility in Ottawa. It is currently located in London, Ontario, with records accessible through a membership system.

Lastly, there is the Ontario Geohub, which provides several different provincial mapping resources. There is a map that provides information on petroleum wells. However, the location accuracy is registered at between five and one thousand metres.

These resources provide some level of information on abandoned wells. However, none are a comprehensive listing of all that exist within southern Ontario. Nor do they have the level of information needed to appropriately understand the level of risk that each abandoned well presents.

AGING SOLUTIONS

The early methods for capping gas wells suggest that much of what is in place now may be defective, which creates a real safety concern for property owners.

Thousands of legacy gas wells, installed and subsequently abandoned or orphaned prior to the advent of decommissioning regulations, scatter the landscape of southern Ontario, particularly in and near the shore of Lake Erie. These wells are frequently in poor condition, not properly grouted, and are sometimes cased using unsecure materials such as

wooden planks or severely corroded metal casings.

The integrity of metal well casings is further compromised by elevated concentrations of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which is highly corrosive to metal and is produced by the reduction of dissolved sulphate present in evaporitic carbonate bedrock formations where a carbon source, such as methane, is present. The corrosion of metal casings provides transport pathways for the vertical movement of fluids and gasses from deeper gas-bearing bedrock units to shallow aquifers.

The environmental impacts can also be substantial. Hydrogen-sulphide contamination of surface water, habitats, and the overall natural environment can occur where gas wells are leaking into creeks and riverbeds. There are also examples in the region where groundwater quality is not suitable for human consumption. Large areas of the province rely on cisterns for water, in part, due to this issue, including in the Niagara Region and Haldimand and Norfolk Counties.

The presence of hydrogen sulphide also causes significant concerns for the health and well-being of people throughout the region. Poorly capped wells act as a conduit for deeper fluids and gases to be transported to shallow aquifers. The mixing of methane and sulphate rich water, creating hydrogen sulphide, could present elevated concentrations in groundwater, creating the potential for deadly conditions in the case of someone going into a well pit (confined space) or well hut.

In the case of natural gas, there is also the potential for explosions, like the aforementioned one in Wheatley.

CONCLUSION

As the provincial government continues to develop its new strategy to address legacy oil and gas wells and gas migration, it will be vital to utilize all resources available to locate, evaluate, and resolve all of the abandoned wells throughout the region. It will be a daunting task that will take years to resolve, but it is vital to the future safety of this growing region of the country.

Abandoned gas wells are prevalent across the landscape in southern Ontario.

Caitlin Smal is with WSP in Canada. Email: caitlin.smal@wsp.com

Quebec’s new biochar plant set to be largest in North America

By ES&E Staff

Canada’s first and largest industrial-scale biochar plant—an $80-million project capable of eventually sequestering 75,000 tonnes of carbon per year—is set to be built in Port-Cartier, Quebec, in 2024.

The decarbonization initiative by Canadian cleantech startup Airex Energy Inc., lumber producer Groupe Rémabec and Paris-based waste treatment group SUEZ SA, will operate under the name CARBONITY. Located about 850 kilometres northeast of Montreal, the plant will have an initial biochar production capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year. By 2026, annual plant production capacity will triple, making it the largest biochar facility in North America.

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance

made by burning organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes in the absence of oxygen. Recognized by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as one of five negative-emission solutions to curb global warming, biochar can be used as a soil amendment that offers increased nutrient retention and optimized soil aeration and drainage. Its properties allow it to contribute to soil regeneration, limit the use of fertilizers, and sustain water resources, said project officials.

Biochar can sequester CO2 in soils or other materials for hundreds of years. The project’s certified carbon credits will

be sold on the voluntary market by First Climate. In Quebec, forestry operations on public land discharge some 6.5 million tons of dry biomass each year.

The biochar project will utilize CarbonFX pyrolysis technology developed by Airex Energy that heats organic feedstocks in an oxygen-limited atmosphere. When added to concrete or asphalt formulations, biochar brings new functionalities to the final material while helping to reduce its carbon footprint, a key issue for the construction sector. The production of biochar at high-temperature and with oxygen-free pyrolysis will generate surplus energy in the form of steam or pyrolysis oil, which can be directly reused on site.

The Port-Cartier plant is expected to employ some 75 local workers.

This is the first biochar project resulting from the partnership between SUEZ and Airex Energy, which aims to produce 350,000 tonnes of biochar by 2035. It has already received funding from Quebec and the federal government. A contribution of $7.5 million comes from Natural Resources Canada through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program, which aims to support the competitiveness and transformation of Canada’s forest sector through targeted investments in advanced technologies and products. An additional $3 million comes through Quebec’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Biochar can sequester CO2 in soils or other materials for hundreds of years. Photo Credit: SUEZ

CEPA changes aim to strengthen management of toxic chemicals

By ES&E Staff

New amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) passed a final vote in the House of Commons, offering the potential for stronger and more transparent management of toxic chemicals and hazardous substances.

Bill S-5, now under debate in the Senate, is the first major update to Canada’s cornerstone environmental law since Parliament last reformed the law in 1999. The original version of the bill was introduced in April 2021.

Among the many proposed amendments to CEPA is the creation of a hazardous chemicals watchlist that the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Health have reason to suspect can become

toxic. The watchlist will help importers, manufacturers, and Canadian consumers to select safer alternatives and avoid “replacing one problem chemical with another that, in turn, becomes a problem,” states a backgrounder on the bill.

Additionally, the government would have to provide timelines for action and publish reasons for delay in the risk management of hazardous substances if the process goes beyond two years.

“After more than a decade of advocacy, Canada’s cornerstone toxics law will soon have new legal tools to better protect us from hazardous substances,” announced Cassie Barker, toxics senior program manager with eco-action group Environmental Defence, in a statement. “However, further action is needed, and we are eager to see the government get to work on the next CEPA bill. We urge the government to deliver on its promise to require mandatory labelling of harmful ingredients, because we all deserve the right to know what toxics are in the products, we use every day.”

The bill also calls on the government to develop a Plan of Chemicals Manage-

ment Priorities to address the prohibition of substances. Prohibition priority would be given to substances that can cause cancer, alter DNA, or impact reproduction, as well as those that are persistent, bioaccumulative and inherently toxic.

A new provision would also allow any person to request that the government assess a substance to determine whether it is toxic or capable of becoming toxic.

“The ministers must consider available information regarding vulnerable populations and cumulative effects when conducting and interpreting the results of certain risk assessments under CEPA,” states the proposed amendment.

Vulnerable populations may include pregnant people, children, people in poor health, workers, and those living in areas where levels of pollution are particularly high.

The amendments in Bill S-5 also offer a provision that addresses the recognition of the right to a healthy environment for the first time under Canadian law.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Monitoring geologic carbon sequestration sites is needed to protect groundwater quality

By Jim McMahon

As part of the carbon capture storage (CCS) process, geologic sequestration (GS) refers to a suite of technologies that are deployed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere and help mitigate climate change. GS involves injecting CO2 into deep subsurface rock formations for long-term storage.

CO2 is first captured from fossil fueled power plants or other emission sources such as natural gas processing facilities, petroleum refineries, iron and steel foundries, ethylene plants, hydrogen production facilities, ammonia refineries, ethanol production facilities, ethylene oxide plants, and cement kilns.

Operators typically compress CO 2 to convert it from a gaseous state to a supercritical fluid state where it exists at high pressures, exhibiting properties of both a liquid and a gas. The CO2 is then transported to GS sites, where in a supercritical state, it is injected into rock formations to depths greater than 800 metres for the purpose of maximizing capacity and storage.

When injected into an appropriate receiving formation, CO2 is sequestered by a combination of trapping mechanisms, including physical and geochemical processes. Physical trapping occurs when the relatively buoyant CO2 rises in the formation until it reaches a stratigraphic zone with low permeability that inhibits further upward migration.

Physical trapping can also occur as residual CO2 is immobilized in formation pore spaces as disconnected droplets or bubbles at the trailing edge of the plume due to capillary forces. A portion of the CO2 will dissolve from the pure fluid phase into native groundwater and hydrocarbons. Geochemical trapping occurs when chemical reactions between the dissolved CO2 and minerals in the formation lead to the precipitation of

solid carbonate minerals.

The time frame over which CO 2 will be trapped by these mechanisms depends on properties of the receiving formation and the injected CO2 stream.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as of March 2023 a total of two commercial-scale Class VI wells are in operation in the U.S., with 73 projects awaiting permits.

Due to the large CO2 injection volumes occurring and/or planned at these well sites, the relative buoyancy of CO2, its mobility within subsurface geologic formations, its corrosivity in the presence of water, and the potential presence of impurities in the captured CO2 stream, the EPA has determined that existing underground injection control (UIC) regulations for Class VI wells are necessary to manage the unique nature of CO2 injection for GS. A critical com-

ponent of these regulations encompasses monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV).

MONITORING, REPORTING AND VERIFICATION

Monitoring, reporting and verification associated with GS injection projects is an important component of the UIC program. MRV data can be used to verify that the injectate is safely confined in the target formation, minimize costs, maintain the efficiency of the storage operation, and confirm that injection zone pressure changes follow predictions.

These requirements are designed to prevent CO2 movement into underground sources of drinking waters (USDWs) by addressing the potential pathways through which injected CO2 fluids can migrate into them. Mandates include:

• Site characterization with an assessment of the geologic, hydrogeologic,

Fibre optic data acquisition units on a remote well pad location. Courtesy of Neubrex Ltd.

geochemical and geomechanical properties of the proposed GS site to ensure that wells are in suitable formations.

• Well construction using materials that can withstand contact with CO2 over the life of the GS project.

• Computational modelling, which accounts for the physical and chemical properties of the injected CO2 based on available site characterization, monitoring, and operational data.

• Periodic re-evaluation to incorporate monitoring and operational data and verify that the CO2 plume and the associated area of elevated pressure are moving as predicted within the subsurface.

GS sites are required to develop and implement a site-specific MRV plan that, once approved, would be used to verify the amount of CO2 sequestered and to quantify emissions if injected CO2 leaks to the surface. The GS reports must include information to outline how monitoring will achieve surface detection and quantification of CO2, and the amount (flow rate) of injected CO2 for the mass

balance equation that will be used to quantify the amount of CO2 sequestered by a facility.

Robust oversight must be maintained of the CO2 stream, injection pressures, integrity of the injection well, groundwater quality and geochemistry, and monitoring of the CO2 plume and position of the pressure front throughout injection. Additionally, comprehensive post-injection monitoring following cessation of injection is required to show the position of the CO2 plume and the associated area of elevated pressure, to demonstrate that neither poses an endangerment to USDWs.

MECHANICAL INTEGRITY TESTING (MIT)

Testing and monitoring the integrity of an injection well at an appropriate frequency throughout the injection operation, in conjunction with corrosion monitoring of well materials, can verify that the injection system is operating as intended or provide notice that there

may be a loss of containment that may lead to endangerment of USDWs.

Routine MITs enable operators to ensure that well integrity is maintained from construction throughout the life of the injection project. UIC regulations require injection well operators to demonstrate both internal and external mechanical integrity.

Internal mechanical integrity is an absence of significant leakage in the injection tubing, casing, or packer. Leakage occurs due to corrosion or mechanical failure of the injection well’s tubular and mechanical components. UIC regulations require continuous monitoring to demonstrate well integrity.

This is driven by concerns that the potential corrosivity of CO2 in the presence of water and the anticipated high pressures and volumes of injectate could compromise the integrity of the well. Continuous monitoring is essential because it allows for the immediate identification of corrosion-related mechanicontinued overleaf…

cal integrity problems or problems due to temperature and pressure effects associated with injection of supercritical CO2.

External well mechanical integrity is demonstrated by establishing the absence of significant fluid movement along the outside of the casing, generally between the cement and the well structure, and between the cement and the wellbore. Failure of an external MIT can indicate improper cementing or degradation of the cement that was replaced to fill and seal the annular space between the outside of the casing and the wellbore.

This type of failure can lead to movement of injected fluids out of intended injection zones and toward USDWs. EPA requires operators of CO2 injection wells to demonstrate external mechanical integrity at least once annually during injection operations, using a tracer survey or a temperature or noise log.

GROUNDWATER/GEOCHEMICAL

Groundwater and geochemical monitoring are important to ensure protection of USDWs from endangerment, preserve water quality, and allow for detection of any leakage of CO2 or displaced formation fluids out of the target formation and/or through the confining layer.

Periodically analyzing groundwater

quality for salinity, pH, and aqueous and pure-phase CO2 above the confining layer can reveal geochemical changes that result from leaching or mobilization of heavy metals and organic compounds, or fluid displacement. EPA requires periodic monitoring of the groundwater quality and geochemical changes above the confining zone, based on a flexible monitoring regime, with the amounts and types of monitoring being site specific.

PRESSURE FALL OFF TESTING

Pressure fall-off tests are designed to determine if reservoir pressures are tracking as predicted. The results of pressure fall-off tests will confirm site characterization information and verify that projects are operating properly, and that the injection zone is responding as predicted.

Pressure fall-off testing provides valuable information, and the EPA specifies that a five-year frequency is appropriate. The EPA believes that this frequency will allow for adequate pressure tracking in the injection formation. It will also help to verify that the operation is responding as modelled and predicted and allow the operator to take appropriate action if the monitoring results do not match expectations.

MONITORING CO2 PLUME AND PRESSURE FRONT

Monitoring the movement of the CO2 and the pressure front are necessary to identify potential risks to USDWs posed by injection activities, verify predictions of plume movement, provide inputs for modelling, identify needed corrective actions, and target other monitoring activities.

UIC regulations require tracking of the plume and pressure front by direct pressure monitoring via monitoring wells in the first formation overlying the confining zone, or by using indirect geophysical techniques such as seismic profiling, electrical, gravity, electromagnetic surveys, or down-hole CO2 detection tools.

The EPA adds that operators may consider performing additional pressure monitoring in wells that are above the confining zone to provide additional verification that no pressure changes are occurring above the confining zone due to CO2 leakage or displacement of native fluids.

ADDITIONAL MRV REQUIREMENTS

The EPA recognizes that monitoring and testing technologies used at GS sites will vary and be project-specific, influenced by both geologic conditions and project characteristics. At certain sites additional monitoring may be needed. UIC regulations require GS site operators to submit the results of required periodic testing and monitoring associated with the GS project to the EPA.

DISTRIBUTED FIBRE OPTIC SENSING

The deployment of fully distributed fibre optic sensors into deep wells to monitor acoustic vibrations, mechanical strain, reservoir temperature and reservoir pressure distribution, in support of oil and gas down hole applications and CO2 injection, has advanced considerably over the last decade.

Because a fibre optic cable can be installed in harsh environments for long periods of time, the technology holds promise for environmental monitoring of sensitive subsurface operations. Many geofluid systems, including GS, require dynamic acoustic, temperature, strain and pressure monitoring at great pressure, depth and temperature. Sensing sys-

Fibre optic interrogator units that are connected to fibres that run down the wellbore for thousands of feet. Courtesy of Neubrex Ltd.

tems that employ downhole fibre optic cables serve particularly well for longterm well monitoring and well-integrity monitoring.

Distributed fibre optic sensing provides the critical capability of measuring multiple physical phenomena along the entire length of an internal borehole, as well as monitoring the conditions of the near-wellbore region, outside of pipe subsurface rock formations, supporting verification and accounting of geologic carbon sequestration projects.

The increasing demand for monitoring geofluid systems, like geologic sequestration, has encouraged further development of specialized technologies capable of very high sensitivity and reliability, along with mechanical robustness suitable for harsh operational environments.

One of these more recently developed technologies, Distributed Strain Sensing Rayleigh Frequency Shift (DSS-RFS), represents a significant breakthrough for geologic sequestration MRV. It leverages significant advancements in hydro-

carbon production operations and has clear cross over applications to GS applications.

DISTRIBUTED STRAIN SENSING RAYLEIGH FREQUENCY SHIFT (DSS‑RFS)

DSS-RFS is the latest generation of fibre optic sensing systems employed to monitor deep well conditions, and it is a transformative technology for augmenting operational performance in GS. Providing critical data about the downhole well environment from distributed fibre optic sensing, DSS-RFS improves the ability of engineers and scientists to more efficiently and effectively understand strain and temperature dynamics of the subsurface and support engineering operational, monitoring, reporting and verification activities and goals that support GS.

DSS-RFS technology permits tensof-thousands of points down a fibre that is attached to a tubing string or casing string to be measured very quickly every

20 centimetres along the entire fibre length deployed in or along the wellbore. The continuous glass fibre strand inside the cable can sense very small physical length changes at a large range of frequencies. These measurements of thermally or mechanically-driven strain change, as a function of time and depth, are valuable to engineers who use the data to gain an understanding of what is occurring deep down in the well.

Changes in temperature (degrees), strain (micro-strain unit), acoustics (dB, noise) and pressure (psi) can be made in real time while CO2 injection is occurring.

Data driven changes or adjustments to operational plans or maintenance plans can then be made when warranted, to optimize the geologic sequestration operation and make wells with better long-term sequestration performance, efficiency and efficacy.

Jim McMahon writes for Neubrex Energy Services. For more information, visit www.neubrex.com

Creating wastewater system capacity to support housing: Private ‑side inflow and infiltration reduction success

By Murari Raghavan and Matthew Malone

The impacts of reduced sewer conveyance and treatment capacity in wastewater systems caused by inflow and infiltration (I&I) are many. Problems include increased risk of basement flooding, restricted new urban development, increased wastewater operation and maintenance costs, and increased potential for environmental spills and overflows to receiving waters.

Various studies have shown that I&I generated from private property can represent over 60% of the total I&I in a wastewater system (York Region, 2012), and presents unique challenges for municipalities. As well, this number can be significantly higher in older systems. These challenges have been outlined by Belanger et al. (2015) and include policy and legal issues; funding; public outreach; and implementation. Therefore, a significant reduction of I&I originating from private properties has been difficult to achieve in many municipalities.

However, Civica Infrastructure Inc. (Civica), in partnership with several municipalities in Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), has successfully

reduced the amount of private-side I&I through a public-private-partnership (P3).

The specific P3 framework allows municipalities to pass most, if not all, of the liability, cost, and risk of the investigations, remediations, and verifications to the private partner (i.e., land developer), while ensuring proper communication, coordination, and warranties are in place.

In return, the private partner receives a portion of the sanitary servicing capacity created through the sewer flow reduction. This process produces a net reduction in flow (i.e., a “net benefit”) in the public sewer system by only allocating a portion of the reduction.

BENEFITS OF THE P3 PROGRAM

The benefits of reducing significant I&I provide obvious advantages over adding more conveyance and treatment capacity in a system. Additional direct benefits of a P3 include: No program costs to municipalities: The burden of program costs is shifted to the private partner (developer), relieving municipalities of financial obligations.

Liability mitigation: The identification and remediation of I&I defects on private properties become the responsibility of the private partner, reducing liabilities for municipalities.

Improved storm drainage handling: Through the retrofit of Low Impact Development techniques, storm drainage capabilities can be enhanced, and in some cases, stormwater treatment can be improved.

Reduced operation and maintenance costs: Compared to constructing additional sewers, pumping stations, and treatment facilities, I&I reduction leads to decreased long-term operation and maintenance expenses for municipalities.

Lower costs for developers: The elimination of new sewer construction, pumping stations, and treatment system design and construction reduces overall costs for private developers.

Faster timeline for increased sewer capacity: By focusing on I&I reduction, the program achieves increased sewer capacity more quickly than traditional infrastructure expansion.

Residual capacity for future growth: By understanding the available resid-

Figure 1: Inflow and infiltration reduction using a 2:1 net benefit approach.

ual capacity, municipalities can defer planned new infrastructure, leading to potential savings.

Enhanced system resilience: The program contributes to the sanitary sewer system’s resilience and sustainability, helping address climate change risks and system aging.

In Ontario’s York Region alone, significant addition to sewer capacity has been realized through I&I reduction allowing for more service areas and populations serviced by the same sewer system. More specifically, capacity has been created for over 12,000 persons in new developments. After applying a 2:1 net benefit factor, demonstrated in Figure 1, an additional capacity for another 12,000 population has been achieved that is retained by the Region, i.e., 24,000 population capacity created.

Successful transfer of improvement costs and liabilities to the private partner has been a key advantage of the P3 program. The private partner takes on the responsibility for intrusive investigations, remediation works, and construction, while the municipality holds a security for a warranty period to ensure the quality and longevity of the works.

A customer-centric approach based on transparent and friendly communication has contributed to the program’s success. Each private property project is assigned a dedicated and knowledgeable project coordinator who facilitates agreements with homeowners and oversees construction works. The financial and physical facilitation of the program has played a vital role in achieving near-perfect success rates for stormwater disconnection from sanitary sewers.

This success surpasses other programs relying on homeowner-led initiatives or enforcement-based approaches.

STATUS OF COMPLETION

The program commenced in 2010 and is at different stages of implementation throughout the GTA. To date, over 25,000 private lots have undergone investigations using various techniques, including specialty testing.

Overall, testing has resulted in the identification and remediation of over 250 stormwater defects, including over 200 residential downspouts, 25 com-

mercial flat-roof drains and five catch basins disconnected from sanitary sewers, four reverse sloped driveway drains, the entire roof area of a hotel, and other open storm access hatches draining to sanitary sewers.

established framework’s demonstrable successes, the program is expected to expand to include other areas in Ontario facing similar growth and capacity pressures. The completed projects have already created sewer capacity equiv-

Across the GTA, the program has completed each stage, from preliminary design to post-remediation warranty, with all necessary improvements made. The last stage of the program is the warranty period. The warranty mechanism has worked well, with little to no follow-up repairs required and ensuring all storm connections remain disconnected and properly connected to the storm drainage system.

Ongoing investigations and remediation work is taking place in multiple GTA municipalities. Based on the

alent to serving a population of nearly 50,000—similar to the size of a city like North Bay (see Table 1).

CONCLUSIONS

The success of P3 projects can be attributed to the specialized processes followed by private consultants/contractors and the collaborative efforts of all involved parties. Municipalities have achieved significant I&I reductions, resulting in increased sewer capacities that offer flood protection and enable

Smoke is blown through the sanitary system to identify any potential I&I sources and is shown on a residential private property.

The program commenced in 2010 and is at different stages of implementation throughout Greater Toronto Area. To date, over 25,000 private lots have undergone investigations using various techniques, including specialty testing.

land developers to expedite sewage connections using sustainable practices.

The primary focus of the program has been to create “net benefits” by reducing I&I and allowing new development flows. It has achieved tangible and quantifiable fixes that ensure stormwater remains disconnected from sanitary sewers. The P3 program provides an effective mechanism to accelerate improvement works and address challenging fixes on private properties that may be subject to ownership and legal constraints. This flexible framework can be applied in other jurisdictions facing growth and infrastructure challenges.

In summary, the P3 program’s successful reduction of private-side I&I has provided municipalities in the GTA with increased wastewater system capacity. The program’s benefits extend to cost savings, liability mitigation, improved storm drainage, and enhanced system resilience.

With ongoing expansion and the potential to replicate the program in

other regions, the public-private-partnership approach holds promise for addressing inflow and infiltration challenges, and supporting sustainable growth in wastewater systems.

Murari Raghavan and Matthew Malone are with Civica Infrastructure Inc. Email: mraghavan@civi.ca, mmalone@civi.ca

Table 1: Population accommodated with the elimination of wet weather flow in wastewater systems in Ontario.

BC considers bonds to cover high‑risk industrial site project cleanups

By ES&E Staff

British Columbia has proposed legislation that would require owners of high-risk industrial projects to set aside funds for environmental cleanups, even if a project is abandoned. The proposed changes could use the Environmental Management Act to enable future provincial regulations to collect, use and enforce financial assurance requirements for project cleanups to prevent the creation of future contaminated sites.

These amendments are part of B.C.’s multi-year Public Interest Bonding Strategy aimed at strengthening environmental accountability and upholding the “polluter pays” principle. It could ultimately mean that companies will be obligated to plan for decommissioning and closure of their operations, and be required to provide financial security for project cleanups in advance.

“Abandoned industrial projects can negatively affect communities, the surrounding environment and our economic well-being,” announced Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, in a statement. “Improving environmental accountability will strengthen relationships with First Nations, increase investor confidence, support B.C.’s competitiveness and help build a climate-resilient province,” added Osborne.

B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman, said the revised legislation is designed to protect taxpayers who have at times found themselves on the hook for cleanup costs from abandoned projects. The mining, oil and gas, and energy sectors already have frameworks in place to address financial assurances.

Some environmental organizations have recommended the Public Interest Bonding Strategy follow the guidelines set out in the Major Mines Reclamation Security Policy.

If the new system for high-risk industrial projects moves ahead, projects with the highest potential risk will be addressed first, said provincial officials. However, the province has yet to define what those risks could be. In online feedback on the issue, respondents noted that risks apply to ecosystems, wildlife, water quality, and biodiversity.

A 2022 B.C. discussion paper on the Public Interest Bonding Strategy states that, “while most companies responsibly manage their environmental risks, some are either unwilling or unable to do so.” The discussion paper suggests a two-phase review for projects could start with foreseen cleanup costs and end with unforeseen cleanup costs.

“Closure plans could be used to ensure industrial project sites are properly cleaned up and reclaimed in a timely way,” states the discussion paper. “They are a planning tool that helps to identify preliminary closure activities that can

be taken throughout the life of a project to ensure that environmental cleanup and reclamation is ongoing and not left until a project’s end-of-life.”

The discussion paper suggests that “proactive planning” around decommissioning could potentially prove to be more cost-effective for companies and result in improved environmental outcomes. The new legislation could also call for an increased role for Indigenous groups during cleanups in highly-sensitive areas or on land valued by Indigenous communities. The discussion paper also notes that more work needs to be done to clarify and define “environmental cleanup and reclamation”.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman, said the revised legislation is designed to protect taxpayers who have at times found themselves on the hook for cleanup costs from abandoned projects. Credit: photogeek, stock.adobe.com

ES&E ANNUAL GUIDE TO:

ASSOCIATIONS pg. 50

ASSOCIATIONS

ABORIGINAL WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO

PO Box 20001, Riverview Postal Outlet, Dryden ON P8N 0A1

Sara Campbell info@awwao.org

T: 807-216-8085

www.awwao.org

The Aboriginal Water and Wastewater Association of Ontario’s (AWWAO) goal is to attain assurance that First Nations water and wastewater treatment plant operators are confident, efficient and effective in managing the purification of the water and the treatment of wastewater in their community.

AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

Koppers Building, 2100-436 Seventh Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15219

Stephanie Glyptis sglyptis@awma.org

T: 412-232-3444

www.awma.org

ALBERTA ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

21115 – 108 Ave NW, Edmonton

AB T5S 1X3

Lesley Desjardins lesley@aowma.com

T: 877-489-7471

www.aowma.com

ALBERTA WATER & WASTEWATER OPERATORS ASSOCIATION

11318 119 St NW

Edmonton, AB T5G 2X4

Dan Rites

T: 780-454-7745 Ext. 226

www.awwoa.ca

The Alberta Water and Wastewater Operators Association is a member-run source for expert information and training designed for Alberta’s 2,700 utility system operators. AWWOA is dedicated

to providing the essentials in education, networking, promotion and ongoing support that operators need to proudly supply Alberta communities with safe drinking water and a protected environment.

AMERICAN CONCRETE PIPE ASSOCIATION

340 – 5605 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving TX 75038

Steve Hawkins shawkins@concretepipe.org

T: 972-506-7216

www.concretepipe.org

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

Fl23 – 120 Wall St, New York NY

10005-4020

T: 203-702-7660

www.aiche.org

AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION

1400 – 1200 Main St, Kansas City MO 64105-2100

Scott Grayson sgrayson@apwa.net

T: 816-472-6100

www.apwa.net

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

1801 Alexander Bell Dr, Reston VA 20191

T: 703-295-6300

www.asce.org

AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION

6666 W Quincy Ave, Denver CO 80235

T: 303-794-7711

www.awwa.org

The American Water Works Association is an international, nonprofit, scientific and educational society dedicated to providing total water solutions assuring the effective management of water. Founded in

GOVERNMENT pg. 53

1881, the Association is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world.

ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSORS OF CANADA INC. PO Box 8551, Revelstoke BC V0E 2S2 info@aesac.ca

T: 877-512-3722

www.aesac.ca

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES CANADA

PO Box 4369 Stn E, Ottawa ON K1S 5B3

John Gamble

jgamble@acec.ca

T: 613-236-0569

www.acec.ca

ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES – ONTARIO

www.acecontario.ca

ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES OF ONTARIO

801 – 200 University Ave, Toronto ON M5H 3C6

Brian Rosborough

brosborough@amo.on.ca

T: 416-971-9856 Ext. 362

www.amo.on.ca

ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO LAND SURVEYORS

1043 McNicoll Ave, Toronto ON M1W 3W6

Brian Maloney

brian@aols.org

T: 416-491-9020

www.aols.org

ASSOCIATION OF POWER

PRODUCERS OF ONTARIO

PO Box 756 Toronto ON M5C 2K1

David Butters

david.butters@appro.org

T: 416-322-6549

www.appro.org

ATLANTIC CANADA

WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION (ACWWA)

PO Box 28141, Dartmouth NS

B2W 6E2

Clara Shea

contact@acwwa.ca

T: 902-434-6002

www.acwwa.ca

ACWWA is a section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and a Member Association of Water Environment Federation (WEF). With more than 500 water and wastewater professionals from Atlantic Canada, the ACWWA provides training and information that keeps members current in the rapidly advancing water and wastewater profession.

AUDITING ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

6 Wigston Private, Ottawa ON L1Y 1K9

admin@auditingcanada.com

T: 866-582-9595

www.auditingcanada.com

BRITISH COLUMBIA

ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION info@bceia.com

www.bceia.com

BRITISH COLUMBIA GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

1334 Riverside Rd, Abbotsford BC V2S 8J2

David Mercer

general-manager@bcgwa.org

T: 604-530-8934

www.bcgwa.org

BRITISH COLUMBIA WATER & WASTE ASSOCIATION

247 – 4299 Canada Way, Burnaby BC V5G 4Y2

Lee Coonfer info@bcwwa.org

T: 604-433-4389

www.bcwwa.org

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ACCREDITATION INC.

Stephen Williamson swilliamson@cala.ca

www.cala.ca

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCERS

2100-350 – 7 Ave SW, Calgary

AB T2P 3N9

T: 403-267-1100

www.capp.ca

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF RECYCLING INDUSTRIES

PO Box 67094 Westbro, Ottawa ON K2A 4E4

Tracy Shaw tracy@cari-acir.org

T: 613-728-6946

www.cari-acir.org

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION ON WATER QUALITY

155 – 2 King St W Unit 258 Hamilton ON L8P 4S0 Dr. Elsayed Elbeshbishy elsayed.elbeshbishy@ryerson.ca

T: 833-426-7825

www.cawq.ca

CANADIAN BROWNFIELDS NETWORK

4243C Dundas Street West Unit #312 Etobicoke ON M8X 1Y3

Tammy Lomas-Jylha admin@ canadianbrownfieldsnetwork.ca

T: 647-873-5873

www.canadianbrownfieldsnetwork.ca

CANADIAN CENTRE FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

135 Hunter St E, Hamilton ON L8N 1M5

T: 905-572-2981

www.ccohs.ca

CANADIAN CONCRETE PIPE & PRECAST ASSOCIATION

1575 John Counter Blvd, Kingston, ON K7M 3L5 admin@ccppa.ca

T: 519-489-4488

www.ccppa.ca

CANADIAN COPPER & BRASS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

210 – 65 Overlea Blvd, Toronto ON M4H 1P1

Stephen Knapp library@copperalliance.ca

T: 416-391-5599

www.coppercanada.ca

CANADIAN COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT LABORATORIES (CCIL)

Alnor Nathoo

anathoo@ccil.com

T: 613-746-3919

www.ccil.com

CANADIAN NETWORK OF ASSET MANAGERS

705 – 1 Eglinton Ave E, Toronto ON M4P 3A1

Doug Cutts execdir@cnam.ca

T: 416-335-0171

www.cnam.ca

CANADIAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION

T: 800-848-2792

www.cpwa.net

CANADIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION

211-110 Didsbury Rd

Ottawa ON K2T 0C2

Vittoria Bellissimo info@renewablesassociation.ca

T: 613-234-8716

www.renewablesassociation.ca

CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING

2167 166 St, Surrey BC V31 0V6 admin@csce.ca

T: 514-933-2634 Ext. 2 www.csce.ca

CANADIAN WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION

11 – 1010 Polytek St, Ottawa ON K1J 9H9

Robert Haller rhaller@cwwa.ca

T: 613-747-0524

www.cwwa.ca

CWWA is a non-profit national body representing the common interests of Canada’s public sector municipal water and wastewater services and their private sector suppliers and partners. CWWA is recognized by the federal government and national bodies as the national voice of this public service sector.

CANADIAN WATER NETWORK

200 University Ave W, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1

Nicola Crawhall ncrawhall@cwn-rce.ca

T: 519-904-2897

www.cwn-rce.ca

CANADIAN WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION

4–180 Northfield Drive W, Waterloo ON N2L 0C7 info@cwqa.com

T: 416-695-3068

www.cwqa.com

CANADIAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION

Box 93

Parson BC V0A 1L0

Maggie Romuld executivedirector@cwra.org

T: 613-237-9363 Ext. 1 www.cwra.org

CANADIAN WOOD WASTE RECYCLING BUSINESS GROUP

Jim Donaldson jdonaldson@ cdnwoodwasterecycling.ca

T: 780-239-5445

www.cdnwoodwasterecycling.ca

CEMENT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

1105 – 350 Sparks St, Ottawa ON K1R 7S8

Adam Auer info@cement.ca

T: 613-236-9471 Ext. 3 www.cement.ca

CENTRE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGIES

200 University Ave W, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1 catt@uwaterloo.ca www.catt.ca

CHEMISTRY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

1240 – 45 O’Connor St, Ottawa ON K1P 1A4

Bob Masterson membership@canadianchemistry.ca

T: 613-237-6215 www.canadianchemistry.ca

COMPOST COUNCIL OF CANADA

16 Northumberland St, Toronto ON M6H 1P7 info@compost.org

T: 416-535-0240 www.compost.org

CORRUGATED STEEL PIPE INSTITUTE

PO Box 20104, Kitchener ON N2P 1B4

Ray Wilcock rjwilcock@cspi.ca

T: 519-650-8080 www.cspi.ca

CSA GROUP

www.csagroup.org

CSA Group provides testing, inspection, and certification services that enable manufacturers to demonstrate that their products are in compliance with applicable safety, environmental, and operating performance standards for markets around the world.

DUCTILE IRON PIPE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION

PO Box 19306, Birmingham AL 35219

Patrick J. Hogan patrick.hogan@dipra.org

T: 205-402-8700

www.dipra.org

ECO CANADA

400 – 105 12th Ave SE, Calgary AB T2G 1A1 info@eco.ca

T: 403-233-0748

www.eco.ca

ECO Canada provides environmental employment

programs and services.

ECONEXT

PO Box 1011 Torbay Stn Main, Torbay NL A1K 1K9

Kieran Hanley kieran@econext.ca

www.econext.ca

ECONEXT is a not-for-profit association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA

102 – 2528 Ellwood Dr SW, Edmonton AB T6X 0A9

Joe Chowaniec info@esaa.org

T: 780-429-6363 Ext. 223

www.esaa.org

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION MARITIMES

Michael Doucet contact@esamaritimes.ca

www.esamaritimes.ca

GEORGIAN BAY ASSOCIATION

138 Hopedale Ave, Toronto ON, M4K 3M7

Rupert Kindersley rkindersley@georgianbay.ca

T: 416-985-7378

www.georgianbay.ca

The Georgian Bay Association works with water-based communities and other stakeholders to ensure the careful stewardship of the greater Georgian Bay environment.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ONTARIO COALITION

Jennifer Court

jcourt@greeninfrastructureontario.org

www.greeninfrastructureontario.org

INTERNATIONAL OZONE ASSOCIATION

1521 I St, Sacramento CA 95814 support@ioa-pag.org

T: 916-441-0629

www.ioa-pag.org

INTERNATIONAL ULTRAVIOLET ASSOCIATION

207 – 6935 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase MD 20815 info@iuva.org

www.iuva.org

MANITOBA ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION

310 – 112 Market Ave, Winnipeg MB R3B 0P4 admin@meia.mb.ca

T: 204-783-7090

www.meia.mb.ca

MANITOBA WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION

Box 1600, Portage La Prairie MB

R1N 3P1

office@mwwa.net

T: 866-396-2549

www.mwwa.net

MARITIME PROVINCES WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION

PO Box 28142, Dartmouth NS

B2W 6E2

Clara Shea

contact@mpwwa.ca

T: 902-434-8874

www.mpwwa.ca

MUNICIPAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION

22 – 1525 Cornwall Rd, Oakville ON L6J 0B2

Dan Cozzi

dan.cozzi@municipalengineers.on.ca

T: 289-291-6472

www.municipalengineers.on.ca

MUNICIPAL WASTE ASSOCIATION

C/O 10C Shared Space, 42 Carden St, Guelph ON N1H 3A2 mwa@municipalwaste.ca

T: 519-837-6863

www.municipalwaste.ca

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CLEAN WATER AGENCIES

1050–1130 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20036

Adam Krantz

akrantz@nacwa.org

T: 202-833-2672

www.nacwa.org

NATIONAL GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

601 Dempsey Rd, Westerville OH 43081

customerservice@ngwa.org

T: 614-898-7791

www.ngwa.org

NORTH AMERICAN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

220 – 12110 N Pecos St, Westminster CO 80234

T: 303-451-5945

www.nahmma.org

NORTHERN TERRITORIES WATER & WASTE ASSOCIATION

201 – 4817 49th St, Yellowknife

NT X1A 3S7 info@ntwwa.com

T: 867-873-4325

www.ntwwa.com

The Northern Territories Water & Waste Association is a not-for-profit with the purpose of supporting the professional development of all personnel engaged in the provision of water and sanitation services to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut public.

NORTHWESTERN

ONTARIO MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

PO Box 10308, Thunder Bay ON P7B 6T8

Andrea Strawson admin@noma.on.ca

T: 807-683-6662

www.noma.on.ca

ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS & TECHNOLOGISTS

700 – 10 Four Seasons Place, Etobicoke ON M9B 6H7

Cheryl Farrow cfarrow@oacett.org

T: 416-621-9621

www.oacett.org

The Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) is a non-profit, self-governing, professional association of over 25,000 members. OACETT promotes the interests of engineering and applied science technicians and technologists in industry, educational institutions, the public and government.

ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF SEWAGE INDUSTRY SERVICES

4815 Rathkeale Rd, Mississauga ON, L5V 1K3

Numair Uppal numair.uppal@oasisontario.on.ca

T: 289-795-2528

www.oasisontario.on.ca

ONTARIO CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

Maike Althaus maike@octia.ca

www.octia.ca

ONTARIO ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

300 – 192 Spadina Ave, Toronto ON M5T 2C2

Michelle Noble info@oneia.ca

T: 416-531-7884

www.oneia.ca

ONTARIO ENVIRONMENT NETWORK oen@oen.ca

www.oen.ca

OEN represents a group of small and large environmental organizations.

ONTARIO GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION

203 – 750 Talbot St E, St. Thomas ON N5P 1E2 admin@ogwa.ca

T: 519-245-7194

www.ogwa.ca

ONTARIO MUNICIPAL WATER ASSOCIATION

Ed Houghton admin@omwa.org

T: 705-443-8472

www.omwa.org

ONTARIO ONSITE WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION

PO Box 2336

Peterborough ON K9J 7Y8 info@oowa.org

T: 855-905-6692

www.oowa.org

ONTARIO POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION (OPCEA) Coxwell-Danforth PO Box 72070, Toronto ON M4C 0A1 Rebecca Alexander opcea@opcea.com

T: 416 524-8988

www.opcea.com

Originally founded in 1970, OPCEA has over 140 member companies whose fields encompass a broad spectrum of equipment and services for the air and water pollution control marketplace.

ONTARIO PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION info@opwa.ca

ontario.cpwa.net

ONTARIO RURAL WASTEWATER CENTRE

University Of Guelph, School Of Engineering, Guelph ON N1G 2W1

Bassim Abbassi babbassi@uoguelph.ca

T: 519-731-3122

www.ontarioruralwastewatercentre.ca

ONTARIO SEWER & WATERMAIN CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

400 – 5045 Orbitor Dr, Unit 12, Mississauga ON L4W 4Y4 info@oswca.org

T: 905-629-7766

www.oswca.org

ONTARIO SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

502 – 4950 Yonge St, Toronto ON M2N 6K1 info@ospe.on.ca

T: 866-763-1654

www.ospe.on.ca

W2RO - WASTE TO RESOURCE ONTARIO (FORMERLY THE ONTARIO WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION)

580 – 170 Attwell Dr, Etobicoke ON M9W 5Z5

Ashley De Souza adesouza@owma.org

T: 905-674-1542

www.owma.org

ONTARIO WATERPOWER ASSOCIATION

550 Braidwood Ave Unit 5, Peterborough, ON K9J 1W1

Paul Norris info@owa.ca

T: 866-743-1500

www.owa.ca

ONTARIO WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION

215 – 507 Lakeshore Road E, Mississauga ON L5G 1H9

Michele Grenier

mgrenier@owwa.ca

T: 416-231-1555

www.owwa.ca

OWWA, with the support of its parent organization, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), is at the forefront of research, technology and policy development with respect to safe, sufficient, and sustainable drinking water.

PLASTICS PIPE INSTITUTE

825 – 105 Decker Court, Irving TX 75062

T: 469-499-1044

www.plasticpipe.org

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ONTARIO

101 – 40 Sheppard Ave W, Toronto ON M2N 6K9

T: 416-224-1100

www.peo.on.ca

Established in 1922, PEO is the licensing and regulating body for professional engineering in the province.

PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

executivedirector@pwabc.ca

www.pwabc.ca

PULP & PAPER TECHNICAL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

440 – 6300 Ave Auteuil, Brossard QC J4Z 3P2

Greg Hay ghay@paptac.ca

T: 514-392-0265

www.paptac.ca

RÉSEAU ENVIRONNEMENT

295 Place d’Youville, Montréal QC H2Y 2B5

info@reseau-environnement.com

T: 514-270-7110

www.reseau-environnement.com

Réseau Environnement brings together experts from the public, private and academic fields who work in the sectors of water, residual materials, air, climate change, energy, soil, groundwater and biodiversity.

SASKATCHEWAN

ENVIRONMENTAL & INDUSTRY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

PO Box 22009 RPO Wildwood, Saskatoon SK S7H 5P1

info@seima.sk.ca

T: 844-801-6233

www.seima.sk.ca

SASKATCHEWAN ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

449 Haviland Cr, Saskatoon SK

S7L 5B3

Charles Hallett charles@wcowma.com

T: 306-988-2102

www.sowma.ca

SASKATCHEWAN WATER & WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION

PO Box 7831 Stn Main, Saskatoon

SK S7K 4R5

T: 306-668-1278

www.swwa.ca

SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA

650 – 1100 Wayne Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910

David Biderman membership@swana.org

T: 800-467-9262

www.swana.org

STEEL TANK INSTITUTE/STEEL PLATE FABRICATORS ASSOCIATION

944 Donata Ct, Lake Zurich IL 60047

T: 847-438-8265

www.steeltank.com

THE GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVE

7805 SW 40th Ave, PO Box 80010, Portland OR 97219

Vicki Worden info@thegbi.org

T: 503-274-0448

www.thegbi.org

GBI is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing climate impacts by improving the built environment.

WATER RESEARCH FOUNDATION

6666 West Quincy Ave, Denver CO 80235

Peter Grevatt

pgrevatt@waterrf.org

T: 303-347-6100

www.waterrf.org

WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION

601 Wythe St, Alexandria VA 22314 csc@wef.org

T: 800-666-0206

www.wef.org

Founded in 1928, WEF is a not-forprofit technical and educational organization of more than 30,000 water quality professionals.

WATER FOR PEOPLE – CANADA

1 Hunter St E, Hamilton ON L8N 3W1

T: 905-777-7908

www.waterforpeople.org/water-forpeople-canada

Water For People – Canada is a charitable nonprofit international humanitarian organization, dedicated to the development and delivery of clean, safe water and sanitation solutions in developing nations.

WATER SUPPLY ASSOCIATION OF B.C. Box 21013 Orchard Park, Kelowna BC V1Y 8N9 admin@wsabc.ca

www.wsabc.ca

WESTERN CANADA ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

21115 – 108 Ave NW, Edmonton

AB T5S 1X3

T: 780-489-7471

www.wcowma.com

WESTERN CANADA WATER ASSOCIATION

PO Box 1708, Cochrane AB T4C 1B6

Audrey Arisman

aarisman@wcwwa.ca

T: 403-709-0064 F: 403-709-0068 www.wcwwa.ca

F: 303-730-0851

WRF is a nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems.

WATER & WASTEWATER EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

304 – 540 Fort Evans Rd, Leesburg VA 20176-3379

Vanessa Leiby vanessa@wwema.org

T: 703-444-1777

www.wwema.org

WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO

PO Box 21038, RPO Meadowvale, Mississauga, ON L5N 6A2

T: 416-410-6933

www.weao.org

PROVINCIAL & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES

KEY GOVERNMENT WEBSITES:

Government of Canada

www.canada.ca

Environment & Climate Change Canada

www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change

Health Canada

www.canada.ca/en/health-canada

Natural Resources Canada

www.nrcan.gc.ca

National Research Council of Canada

www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

ALBERTA

www.alberta.ca

Information Centre

Ministry of Environment and Parks

9th Floor, South Petroleum Plaza

9920 108 St, Edmonton, AB T5K

2G8

aep.info-centre@gov.ab.ca

T: 877-310-3773

Environment and Water

Peace Region

3rd Floor, Provincial Building, 9621 96 Ave

Peace River, AB T8S 1T4

Lower Athabasca Region

2nd Floor Provincial Building

9503 Beaverhill Rd, Lac La Biche, AB

T0A 2C0

T: 780-623-5240

Upper Athabasca Region

Contacts for inquiries related to the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and Water Act

Peace Region

3rd Floor, Provincial Building 9621 96 Avenue

Peace River AB T8S 1T4

T: 780-624-7133

Red Deer/North Saskatchewan Region Twin Atria Building #111, 4999 98 Ave

Edmonton AB T6B 2X3

T: 780-427-7617

Lower Athabasca Region 2nd Floor Provincial Building 9503 Beaverhill Road Lac La Biche, AB T0A 2C0

T: 780-623-5240

South Saskatchewan Region #303 Deerfoot Square Building 2938 11 St NE

WCW was founded in 1948 to promote the exchange of knowledge of water treatment, sewage treatment, distribution of water and collection of sewage for towns and cities in Western Canada.

1st Floor, Provincial Building

5020 52 Ave, Whitecourt, AB

T7S 1N2

T: 780-778-7153

Red Deer/North

Saskatchewan Region

Twin Atria Building #111, 4999 98 Ave Edmonton, AB T6B 2X3

T: 780-427-7617

South Saskatchewan Region 303 Deerfoot Square Building

2938 11 St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7L7

T: 403-297-7602

Energy & Environmental Response Line

www.alberta.ca/energy-andenvironmental-response-line.aspx

T: 800-222-6514

Calgary AB T2E 7L7

T: 403-297-7602

Upper Athabasca Region 1st Floor, Provincial Building 5020 52 Avenue

Whitecourt, AB T7S 1N2

T: 780-778-7153

Local Offices

To call toll-free in Alberta, dial 3100000 then the phone number: Camrose – 780-679-1274

Edson – 780-723-8527

Fort McMurray – 780-743-7472

Grande Prairie – 780-538-5260

High Level – 780-926-5263

Lethbridge – 403-381-5322

Lac La Biche – 780-623-5394

Medicine Hat – 403-529-3151

Red Deer – 403-340-7052

Rocky Mtn. House – 403-845-8272

Sherwood Park – 780-464-7955

Slave Lake – 780-849-7282

Spruce Grove – 780-960-8600

continued overleaf…

BRITISH COLUMBIA

www2.gov.bc.ca

Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

Headquarters

PO Box 9339 STN Prov Govt, Victoria, B.C.

V8W 9M1

T: 250-387-9870

Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

Cariboo Regional Office

400 - 640 Borland Street

Williams Lake B.C. V2G 4T1

T: 250-398-4530

Ministry of Environment & Climate

Change Strategy

Kootenay Regional Office

401 - 333 Victoria Street

Nelson, B.C., V1L 4K3

T: 250-354-6333

Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

Lower Mainland Regional Office

#200-10470 152nd Street

Surrey B.C., V3R 0Y3

T: 604-582-5200

Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

Okanagan Regional Office

102 Industrial Place

Penticton B.C., V2A 7C8

T: 250-490-8200

Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

Omineca Regional Office

4051 18th Ave

Prince George B.C., V2N 1B3

T: 250-565-6135

Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy

Peace Regional Office

Room 400, 10003 – 110th Avenue

Fort St. John B.C., V1J 6M7

T: 250-787-3411

Ministry of Environment & Climate

Change Strategy

Skeena Regional Office

3726 Alfred Street, Bag 5000

Smithers B.C., V0J 2N0

T: 250-847-7260

Ministry of Environment & Climate

Change Strategy

Thompson Regional Office

1259 Dalhousie Drive

Kamloops B.C., V2C 5Z5

T: 250-371-6200

Ministry of Environment & Climate

Change Strategy

Vancouver Island Regional Office

2080-A Labieux Rd

Nanaimo B.C., V9T 6J9

T: 250-751-3100

Ministry of Environment & Climate

Change Strategy – Communications & Public Engagement

PO Box 9360 Stn Prov Govt,

Victoria, B.C., V8W 9M2

T: 800-663-7867

Environmental Emergencies

T: 800-663-3456

Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP)

British Columbia

T: 877-952-7277

Environmental Appeal Board

PO Box 9425 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, B.C., V8W 9V1

T: 250-387-3464

info@bceab.ca www.bceab.ca

Environmental Assessment Office

PO Box 9426, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, B.C., V9W 9V1 eao.compliance@gov.bc.ca projects.eao.gov.bc.ca

Monitoring, Assessment & Stewardship

Environmental Standards Branch

PO Box 9341, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, B.C., V8W 9M1

MANITOBA www.gov.mb.ca

Manitoba Conservation and Climate

200 Saulteaux Cres, PO Box 22, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W3

T: 204-945-6784, 800-214-6497 cc@gov.mb.ca

Manitoba Environment and Climate

Environmental Approvals Branch

14 Fultz Boulevard Winnipeg, MB R3Y 0L6

T: 204-945-8321

EABDirector@gov.mb.ca

Clean Environment Commission

305-155 Carlton St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3H8 cec@gov.mb.ca www.cecmanitoba.ca www.gov.mb.ca/sd/about/ environmental-stewardship/ environmental-approvals/index.html

The Manitoba Water Services Board

1A-2010 Currie Blvd

Brandon, MB R7B 4E7 mwsb@gov.mb.ca www.mbwaterservicesboard.ca

Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Service

Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks

T: 204-944-4888

NEW BRUNSWICK www2.gnb.ca

Ministry of Environment and Local Government

Head Office

Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A,

Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-453-2690

egl-info@gnb.ca

Environmental Emergency

24-Hour Service

Maritimes Regional Office

Canadian Coast Guard

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

T: 800-565-1633

Environmental Science & Protection (Division)

Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-444-5382

elg/egl-info@gnb.ca

www.gnb.ca/environment

Assessment & Planning Appeal Board

City Centre, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-453-2126

Climate Change Secretariat

Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-453-3700

Surface Water Management

Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-457-4850

Policy, Public Education & Engagement (Division)

Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-453-3700

Waste Diversion Unit

Marysville Pl, PO Box 6000 Stn A, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

T: 506-453-7945

elg/egl-info@gnb.ca

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

www.gov.nl.ca

Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Municipalities

4th Floor, West Block

Confederation Bldg 100 Prince Philip Dr, PO Box 8700

St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6

T: 709-729-3046

MAEInfo@gov.nl.ca

www.mae.gov.nl.ca/

Environmental Assessment Division

PO Box 8700

St John’s, NL A1B 4J6

T: 709-729-2664

Water Resources Management

Division - St. John's (HQ)

Department of Environment and Climate Change

PO Box 8700, 4th Floor, West Block

Confederation Bldg

St John’s, NL A1B 4J6

T: 709-729-2563

water@gov.nl.ca

Water Resources Management

Division - Grand FallsWindsor – Regional Office

Department of Environment and Climate Change

3 Cromer Avenue

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1W9

T: 709-292-4997

Water Resources Management

Division - Corner Brook

– Regional Office

Department of Environment and Climate Change

9th Floor, Sir Richard Squires Building

84 Mount Bernard Avenue

P.O. Box 2006

Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G2

T: 709-637- 2035

Pollution Prevention - St. John's Head Office

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities

PO Box 8700, 4th Floor, West Block

Confederation Bldg St John’s, NL A1B 4J6

T: 709-729-2556

Pollution Prevention - Grand FallsWindsor – Central Regional Office

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities

4th Floor, Provincial Building

3 Cromer Avenue

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1W9

T: 709-292-4220

Pollution Prevention - Corner Brook - Western Regional Office

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities

84 Mount Bernard Avenue

P.O. Box 2006

Corner Brook, NL A2H 6J8

T: 709-637-2528

Pollution Prevention - Stephenville - Western Regional Office

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities

35 Alabama Drive

Stephenville, NL A2N 2K9

T: 709-643-6114

Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Service

Newfoundland and Labrador

Regional Office

Canadian Coast Guard Fisheries and Oceans Canada

T: 709-772-2083

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

www.gov.nt.ca

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

600, 5102-50th Ave

Yellowknife, NT X1A 3S8

T: 867-767-9055

www.enr.gov.nt.ca

24-Hour Spill Report Line

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Government of the Northwest Territories

T: 867-920-8130

NUNAVUT

www.gov.nu.ca

Department of Environment

PO Box 1000, Stn 1300, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0

T: 867-975-7700

www.gov.nu.ca/environment

24-Hour Spill Response Line

T: 867-920-8130

environment@gov.nu.ca env.gov.nu.ca/

NOVA SCOTIA

www.novascotia.ca

Nova Scotia Environment

1800-1894 Barrington St, PO Box 442, Halifax, NS 3J 2P8

T: 902-424-3600

Environmental Emergency

24-Hour Service

T: 800-565-1633

Environmental Compliance

T: 902-424-2547, 877-936-8476 emc@gov.ns.ca

Water and Wastewater Branch

T: 902-424-2553

novascotia.ca/nse/water

ONTARIO

www.ontario.ca

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

Macdonald Block, 11th Floor 77 Wellesley St W Toronto, ON M7A 1N3

T: 416-325-4000

www.ontario.ca/environment

Climate Change and Resiliency Division

15th Flr, 438 University Ave, Toronto, ON M7A 1N3

Corporate Management Division

Foster Bldg 5th Flr, 40 St Clair Ave

W, Toronto, ON M4V 1M2

Drinking Water and Environmental Compliance Division

8th Flr, 135 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M4V 1P5

Land and Water Division

North Tower 5th Flr, 300 Water St, PO Box 7000, Peterborough, ON

K9J 3C7

Environmental Policy Division

15th Floor, 438 University Ave

Toronto, ON M7A 1N3

Environmental Assessment and Permissions Division

14th Floor, 135 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON M4V 1P5

T: 416-314-8001

Environmental Sciences & Standards Division

14th Floor, 135 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON M4V 1P5

Sudbury MECP District Suite 1201, 199 Larch St. Sudbury ON P3E 5P9

T: 1-800-890-8516

North Bay MECP Area, Timmins MECP District

Unit 16 & 17, 191 Booth Rd

North Bay, ON P1A 4K3

T: 1-800-609-5553

Sarnia MECP District 1094 London Rd.

Sarnia ON N7S 1P1

T: 1-800-387-7784

Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Service

Spills Action Centre

T:800-268-6060

Pollution Reportiung Hotline: 866663-8477

www.ontario.ca/page/reportpollution-and-spills

Advisory Council on Drinking Water Quality & Testing Standards

7th Floor, 40 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON M4V 1M2

T: 416-212-7779

www.odwac.gov.on.ca

Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA)

500-2085 Hurontario St

Mississauga, ON L5A 4G1

T: 905-491-4000

ocwa@ocwa.com

www.ocwa.com

Walkerton Clean Water Centre

20 Ontario Rd, PO Box 160

Walkerton, ON N0G 2V0

T: 519-881-2003, 866-515-0550

inquiry@wcwc.ca

www.wcwc.ca

The WCWC is an operational service agency, which was established in 2004, to ensure clean and safe drinking water for the entire province. It provides education, training and information to drinking water system owners, operators and operating authorities, and the public.

Laboratory Services Branch

125 Resources Rd, Toronto, ON M9P 3V6

T: 416-235-5743

Technical Assessment and Standards Development Branch

Foster Bldg 7th Flr – 40 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON M4V 1M2

Ontario Land Tribunal

1500 – 655 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5G 1E5

T: 416-212-6349

OLT.General.Inquiry@ontario.ca

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

www.princeedwardisland.ca

Department of Environment, Water and Climate Change

Floor 4 – Jones Bldg, 11 Kent St, PO Box 2000, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 7N8

T: 902-368-5044, 866-368-5044

Environmental Emergency Response

Canadian Coast Guard

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

T: 800-565-1633

QUEBEC

www.gouv.qc.ca

Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Service

National Environmental Emergencies Centre

Environment and Climate Change

Canada

T: 866-283-2333

Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change

Marie-Guyart Building, 29th Floor, 675 René-Lévesque Blvd East Quebec City, QC G1R 5V7

T: 418-521-3830, 1-800-561-1616 acces@environnement.gouv.qc.ca www.quebec.ca/gouv/ministere/ environnement/ www.quebec.ca/en/government/ ministere/environnement/

The Environmental Emergency Service (Quebec)

T: 418-643-4595, 1-866-694-5454 www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/ ministere/rejoindr/urgence.htm www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/ ministere/rejoindr/urgence-en.htm

212, avenue Belzile

Rimouski QC G5L 3C3

T: 418-727-3511

124, 1re Avenue Ouest

Sainte-Anne-des-Monts QC G4V 1C5

T: 418-763-3301

104-125, chemin du Parc

Cap-aux-Meules QC G4T 1B3

T: 418-986-6116

Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean

3950, boulevard Harvey, 4e étage

Saguenay QC G7X 8L6

T: 418-695-7883

Capitale-Nationale et Chaudière-

Appalaches

100-1175, boulevard Lebourgneuf

Quebec QC G2K 0B7

T: 418-644-8844

200-675, route Cameron

Sainte-Marie QC G6E 3V7

T: 418-386-8000

Mauricie et Centre-du-Québec

102-100, rue Laviolette

Trois-Rivieres QC G9A 5S9

T: 819 371-6581

1579, boulevard Louis-Frechette

Nicolet QC J3T 2A5

T: 819-293-4122

Point de services

62, rue St-Jean-Baptiste S-02

Victoriaville QC G6P 4E3

T: 819-752-4530

Estrie et Montérégie

770, rue Goretti

Sherbrooke QC J1E 3H4

T: 819-820-3882

201 Place Charles-Le Moyne, 2e etage

Longueuil QC J4K 2T5

T: 450-928-7607

Points de services

101, rue du Ciel, Bureau 1.08, Bromont QC J2L 2X4

T: 450-534-5424

900, rue Léger, Salaberry-deValleyfield QC J6S 5A3

T: 450-370-3085

Montréal, Laval, Lanaudière et Laurentians

5199, rue Sherbrooke Est Bureau 3860

Montréal QC H1T 3X9

T: 514-873-3636

850, boulevard Vanier

Laval QC H7C 2M7

T: 450-661-2008

100, boulevard Industriel

Repentigny QC J6A 4X6

T: 450-654-4355

Sainte-Thérèse

260, rue Sicard, suite 200 Sainte-Thérèse QC J7E 3X4

T: 450-433-2220

Point de services

1160, rue Notre-Dame

Joliette QC J6E 3K4

T: 450-752-6860 (Pour les questions relatives à l’eau potable seulement)

Outaouais

170, rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, bureau 7.340, Gatineau QC J8X 4C2

T: 819-772-3434

Abitibi-Témiscamingue et Nord-du-

PRODUCT & SERVICE SHOWCASE

Québec

180, boulevard Rideau, 1er étage

Rouyn-Noranda QC J9X 1N9

T: 819-763-3333

Point de services

Case Postale 160

101, rue Springer

Chapais QC G0W 1H0

T: 418-745-2642

Côte-Nord

818, boulevard Laure

Sept-Îles QC G4R 1Y8

T: 418-964-8888

20, boulevard Comeau

Baie-Comeau QC G4Z 3A8

T: 418-294-8888

SASKATCHEWAN

www.gov.sk.ca

Saskatchewan Environment Inquiry Centre

Box 3003

Prince Albert, SK, S4S 5W6

T: 306-953-3750, 1-800-567-4224 centre.inquiry@gov.sk.ca

TIPS (Turn in Poachers) Toll-free

Line: 1-800-667-7561

Environmental Emergency 24 hour Service

Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment

T: 800-667-7525

Environmental Assessment & Stewardship

Floor 4 – 3211 Albert St, Regina,

SK S4S 5W6

T: 306-787-6132

Environmental Protection

Floor 5-3211 Albert St, Regina, SK S4S 5W6

T: 306-787-5419

Resource Management & Compliance Division

Floor 5 – 3211 Albert St, Regina, SK S4S 5W6

T: 306-787-8567

Climate Resilience Branch

Floor 3 – 3211 Albert St, Regina, SK S4S 5W6

T: 306-787-2323

SaskWater – Head Office

200-111 Fairford St E, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 1C8 www.saskwater.com

T: 888-230-1111

YUKON

www.gov.yk.ca

Department of Environment

10 Burns Road

Box 2703 (V-3A), Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6

environmentyukon@yukon.ca

T: 867-667-5652

www.yukon.ca/en/department-

environment

Environmental Emergency 24 hour Service

Yukon Department of Environment

T: 867-667-7244

Climate Change Secretariat

PO Box 2703 (V-205)

Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

T: 867-456-5544

climatechange@yukon.ca

Environmental Protection and Assessment

Box 2703 (V-8)

Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

T: 867-667-5683 envprot@yukon.ca

Yukon Fish & Wildlife Management Board PO Box 31104

Whitehorse, YT Y1A 5P7

T: 867-667-3754 officemanager@yfwmb.ca www.yfwmb.ca

Yukon Environmental & Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB)

200-309 Strickland St

Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2J9

T: 867-668-6420 yesab@yesab.ca www.yesab.ca

Water Resources Branch

Box 2703 (V-310)

Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

T: 867-667-3171

waterresources@yukon.ca

MAG-DRIVE PUMPS

Vanton Chem-Gard CGM-ANSI magnetically driven end suction pumps are sealless, single-stage process pumps which meet ANSI B73.1 specifications and conform to Hydraulic Institute Standards. All wet-end components are homogenous, injection-molded polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), eliminating metal-to-fluid contact, making them ideally suited for handling corrosive, hazardous and ultrapure fluids. Flows to 450 GPM, heads to 180 ft, and temperatures to 225°F.

Vanton Pump & Equipment Corporation

T: 908-688-4216 | F: 908-686-9314

E: mkt@vanton.com | W: www.vanton.com

VERTICAL THERMOPLASTIC SUMP PUMPS

Vanton’s vertical thermoplastic sump pumps are engineered for the dependable handling of corrosive, abrasive, and ultra-pure process fluids, plant effluents and wastewater, over broad temperature and pH ranges. Available in polypropylene, PVC, CPVC, or PVDF, these rugged pumps are widely used across various manufacturing industries and water treatment facilities. Every Vanton pump is performance tested to the specified service condition intended.

Vanton Pump & Equipment Corporation

T: 908-688-4216 | F: 908-686-9314

E: mkt@vanton.com | W: www.vanton.com

TRAINING AND ONLINE LIBRARY

The Walkerton Clean Water Centre delivers a range of training through in-person, correspondence and online options. Enroll in a session in the format and location that best suits your needs to learn about water treatment, distribution and compliance, and earn CEUs. The online Drinking Water Resource Library contains free resources to help water professionals better understand common water concerns. Access fact sheets, how-to videos, templates, regulations and industry standards in one place and leave the searching to us.

Walkerton Clean Water Centre

T: 866-515-0550

E: inquiry@wcwc.ca | W: www.wcwc.ca

PP PIPING SYSTEM

Asahi/America’s Proline® piping system is made from copolymer polypropylene resins. Proline is suitable for a wide range of applications with a pH range from 1 to 14, and at temperatures over 140° F. Proline is joined through electrofusion, butt, and socket fusion weld methods and is an ideal choice for process waste drains that typically see varying media and temperatures.

Asahi/America

T: 800-343-3618

F: 800-787-6861

E: asahi@asahi-america.com

W: www.asahi-america.com

NEW CO2 FEED SYSTEM

Blue-White’s new CO2 Feed System is a safe and effective way to adjust pH and minimize exposure to strong acids and fumes. The 0-100% scaled flowmeter has an integral adjustment needle valve for increased accuracy. The CO2 Feeder is easy to adjust and will self-regulate by not allowing pH to drop below 7 under normal operating conditions.

Blue-White Industries

T: 714-893-8529

F: 714-894-9492

E: info@blue-white.com

W: www.blue-white.com

WATER NETWORK MONITORING

Optimize and automate your water networks - anywhere, anytime. Netilion Water Network Insights by Endress+Hauser allows you to monitor your water networks throughout multiple locations without field presence. Gain complete access to all measuring data from process field devices in a water network, via control room or smart device. Learn more at: https://eh.digital/ nwni_ca

Endress+Hauser Canada

T: 800-668-3199

F: 905-681-9444

E: info.ca@endress.com

W: www.ca.endress.com

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

The Platin tank features signature quality in a low-profile design for belowground rainwater harvesting. Minimizing the installation depth makes for faster installation and reduces excavation costs. Available with either the standard pedestrian loading lid or a cast iron vehicle loading lid. Its rugged design is paired with lightweight material to ensure easy handling. A 15-year warranty is included.

Barr Plastics

T: 800-665-4499

E: info@barrplastics.com

W: www.barrplastics.com

CHEMICAL METERING PUMPS NOW WITH 4-20MA FEATURE

Blue-White® now offers 4-20 mA signal out from our CHEM-FEED® MD1 Multi-Diaphragm Metering Pump and our FLEXFLO® M1 Peristaltic Metering Pump. The 4-20mA signal can be sent from the pump to a SCADA system where operators can remotely monitor the pump, allowing for improved automation and monitoring. The mA signal can be used as an input for another device to control multiple devices.

Blue-White Industries

T: 714-893-8529

F: 714-894-9492

E: info@blue-white.com

W: www.blue-white.com

SOIL NITRATE QUICK TEST KIT

With the Nitrachek Soil Nitrate Quick Test Kit you can perform a quick and accurate test for extractable nitratenitrogen in soil. You can manage your nitrate fertilizing program for economical and environmentally efficient crop production. The kit follows the Penn State Quicktest Procedure for soil samples. It was developed during a PSU research program to perform a quick nitrate-nitrogen test for corn.

GENEQ inc.

T: 800-463-4363

E: info@geneq.com

W: www.geneq.com

PRESSURE PIPE

CATCH BASIN INSERT

The LittaTrap Catch Basin Insert is a low-cost, innovative technology that prevents plastic and trash from reaching our waterways. Designed to be easily retrofitted into new and existing stormwater drains, the LittaTrap is installed inside storm drains and when it rains, catches plastic and trash before it can reach our streams, rivers and oceans.

Imbrium Systems

T: 800-565-4801

E: info@imbriumsystems.com

W: www.imbriumsystems.com

OGS/HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR

The new Stormceptor® EF is an oil grit separator (OGS)/hydrodynamic separator that effectively targets sediment (TSS), free oils, gross pollutants and other pollutants that attach to particles, such as nutrients and metals. The Stormceptor EF has been verified through the ISO 14034 Environmental Management – Environmental Technology Verification (ETV).

Imbrium Systems

T: 800-565-4801

E: info@imbriumsystems.com

W: www.imbriumsystems.com

Since its groundbreaking introduction of Bionax® PVCO pressure pipe in 2008, IPEX has continued to impress with over 5,500 km of pipe in operation throughout North America. This proven track record has instilled customer trust in the product’s reliability and performance, solidifying IPEX as the industry’s leading provider of innovative pressure piping systems.

IPEX

T: 866-473-9462

E: sales@ipexna.com

W: www.ipexna.com

WATERTIGHT DOORS

Huber, a proven German manufacturer, now provides watertight doors that allow safe access to tanks for construction and/ or maintenance. Doors can be provided as round or rectangular for installation onto existing concrete surfaces or cast-inplace in new concrete. They can handle heads up to 30 m and hold pressure in seating and unseating directions. Huber’s watertight doors can greatly reduce construction and maintenance costs and dramatically improve safety/access.

Pro Aqua

T: 647-923-8244

E: aron@proaquasales.com

W: www.proaquasales.com

AUTOMATIC SELFCLEANING FILTERS

Orival Water Filters remove unwanted organic and inorganic suspended solids to protect nozzles, membranes, ozone and UV treatment systems or chlorination systems. With models from ¾" to 24" and filtration degrees from 5 to 3,000 microns, Orival Automatic Self-Cleaning Filters are designed to withstand the day-in and day-out rigours of POTWs and stay on-line during the rinse cycle, providing uninterrupted flow of clean water.

Orival

T: 201-568-3311

E: filters+ese@orival.com

W: www.orival.com

HYPERBOLOID MIXERS

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

Pro Aqua

T: 647-923-8244

E: aron@proaquasales.com

W: www.proaquasales.com

MABR modules installed as part of Elmira WWTP upgrade

Several DuPont OxyMem™ membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) modules have been installed at the Elmira Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to increase biological treatment capacity, thus becoming the largest deployment of these units in Canada.

The project was implemented by DuPont, with facilitation by local water and wastewater equipment specialist Aquafy Water Technologies Inc. Support for the project was provided by engineering consultancy Jacobs and construction contractor H2Ontario.

Located in the Region of Waterloo, in southwestern Ontario, the Elmira WWTP is a Class III wastewater treatment plant, constructed in 1967 with process upgrades in 1983 and 2000. This activated sludge plant uses tertiary filtration to treat wastewater from the Town of Elmira, providing an average daily capacity of 7,800 m3/d and a daily peak flow capacity of 19,500 m3/d. Local industrial activity is one reason the plant approaches maximum capacity at times.

“This is the second full-scale operational MABR deployment in the Region

of Waterloo,” said Max Rao, president of Aquafy Water Technologies Inc. “It will allow process intensification at the Elmira WWTP. The OxyMem MABR units will help expand current treatment capacity without requiring additional footprint, and will consume little energy when compared to traditional upgrade solutions.”

MABR technology was selected for the project due to space limitations on site. Site personnel were eager to achieve and verify actual process intensification, and were able to do so without substantial construction and without expanding operations. According to Dupont, the drop-in modular nature of the OxyMem MABR gives the Region the ability to easily expand capacity in the future, if and when desired.

For most plants, these modules can be installed into existing tanks, without the need for over pumping, draining of tanks or pausing the treatment process. The modules at the Elmira WWTP were slid into a receiving steel framework over a few days and connected to small process blowers.

They contain membranes that carry

a flow of air (source of oxygen) at low pressure. This oxygen diffuses across the gas permeable membrane wall, on a molecular level, and is readily utilized by an attached biofilm to reduce ammonia.

This latest means of treating wastewater biologically consumes only a small fraction of the energy required by alternative attached-growth systems often considered for plant upgrades. It also provides effective year-round performance and lower process emissions.

The Region of Waterloo has a population in excess of 630,000 people and is one of the fastest-growing areas in the province. The Region has been a leading advocate for MABR in Canada, first trialing the technology at Elmira in 2018 in collaboration with Aquafy and OxyMem. This trial showed the benefits of the technology, with performance results indicating a drop-in MABR solution could help reduce pollutants year-round.

The system being deployed at the Elmira WWTP has been designed to target ammonia reduction.

For more information, email max.rao@aquafy-wt.com

Several DuPont OxyMem membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) modules have been installed at the Elmira Wastewater Treatment Plant to increase biological treatment capacity.

What are the pros and cons of arch chamber and modular tank systems?

By Amy Woods

Stormwater runoff poses significant challenges to urban environments, often leading to flooding, erosion, and contamination of natural water bodies. To address these issues, underground stormwater management systems have emerged as effective and sustainable solutions. There are two popular systems: the arch chamber and modular tank.

The arch chamber system comprises open bottom chambers placed end to end, while the modular tank system employs stackable blocks arranged side by side. Both systems allow for the underground storage and controlled release of stormwater runoff, alleviating the burden on surface infrastructure during heavy rain events.

The modular tank system boasts a higher void ratio, enabling it to store significant stormwater volumes in a compact footprint. However, its assembly can be more complex and require some planning during installation. On the other hand, the arch chamber system is a cost-effective option but requires more

space and additional clear stone during construction.

Despite their differences, both systems play vital roles in effective stormwater management.

Flood reduction and space saving –Urbanization has led to increased impervious surfaces, exacerbating stormwater runoff and flooding. Underground stormwater management systems play a crucial role in reducing the risk of flooding by capturing and storing stormwater during intense rain events. This controlled release of water helps prevent downstream flooding and encourages infiltration, recharging groundwater aquifers.

Moreover, the underground placement of these systems optimizes land usage, especially in densely populated urban areas where space is at a premium. They can be installed beneath parking lots, parks, and other areas, making more efficient use of valuable real estate. This contrasts with traditional stormwater management methods, such as retention ponds and swales, which consume large amounts of land area.

Enhanced property value and easy maintenance – Underground stormwater systems offer more than just flood reduction. They also enhance the value

The arch chamber system comprises open bottom chambers placed end to end.

Delivering clean water solutions for 60 years

Barrie • Belleville • Brampton • Collingwood • Kingston • Ottawa

of properties by serving as attractive features. With thoughtful design, these systems can incorporate bioswales with grasses and flowers to create pollinator habitats, facilitating contaminant uptake and transpiration. Additionally, the incorporation of rainwater harvesting capabilities can provide on-site irrigation, further adding value to the property.

One of the key advantages of underground systems is their easy maintenance. Unlike traditional stormwater ponds, which often require costly and large-scale dredging operations, underground systems only need minimal upkeep. Periodic inspections and sediment removal ensure their continued proper functioning. These low maintenance requirements reduce maintenance costs and area disturbance.

Sustainability and environmental impact – Urban stormwater runoff carries pollutants and contaminants into natural water bodies, threatening aquatic ecosystems and public health. Underground stormwater systems promote sustainability by effectively filtering sediments and maintaining lower temperatures before releasing the water downstream.

This reduces the negative impact of contaminants like sediment and hydrocarbons, ultimately benefiting local water quality. Furthermore, these systems encourage groundwater recharge, mitigating water shortages during drought periods. By gradually releasing captured stormwater, underground systems replenish aquifers and promote more sustainable water use practices.

Underground stormwater management systems, including the arch chamber and modular tank, have emerged as powerful tools to combat the challenges of urban stormwater runoff.

In the face of increasing urbanization and climate change, these systems provide a pathway to create more resilient and eco-friendly urban landscapes. As cities continue to seek innovative solutions to address stormwater challenges, the adoption of underground storm-

water management systems can pave the way for a more sustainable future.

Amy Woods leads Titan Environmental Containment’s Stormwater Management team. Email: amy@titanenviro.ca

The modular tank system employs stackable blocks arranged side by side.

Nutrients and not temperature impact blue‑green algae blooms

By ES&E Staff

Using data from 464 lakes in North and South America, scientists have determined that temperature by itself does not influence the biomass of blue-green algae, and that phosphorus concentration is the more defining factor.

The study says that a lot of attention has been paid to possible links between rising temperatures due to human activities and cyanobacteria blooms. While blooms do occur in summer, it is instead because that is the time of year when nutrient inputs from natural runoff, lake sediments and human activities are at their highest, the study found. In addition to phosphorus, nitrogen abundance also has an effect, but it is most apparent in lakes less than three metres deep.

In the Université Laval study, geography department Professor Dermot Antoniades says the studied bodies of water are distributed along a 14,000 km north-south gradient, from Tierra del Fuego in Argentina to Ellesmere Island in Nunavut.

“No matter how hot it is, if there is no phosphorus and nitrogen, there will be

no cyanobacteria blooms. Conversely, they can flourish in very cold climates,” Antoniades explained in a statement from the university, where he is also a researcher at Université Laval’s Centre for Northern Studies.

The algae water temperature study used a remote sensing technique called Medium-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer, or MERIS, that can detect reflected light from cyanobacteria pigments in the water. Researchers found “no clear association” between the latitude of the studied lakes, their position along a climatic gradient and the biomass of the cyanobacteria living in them. The selected lakes are in areas with climates ranging from equatorial to polar.

The study highlights the case of a lake in Resolute, Nunavut, one of the coldest inhabited places in the world, which had experienced blooms in the past. “Wastewater from the airport and military base was bringing nutrients into this lake,” says Antoniades.

For more information, email: editor@esemag.com

Scientists examined data from 464 lakes in North and South America, including the Rio Negro river in Uruguay. Credit: Luis Aubriot, Université Laval

LEADERS IN INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

PRIMARY TREATMENT

• Complete line of fine screening equipment

• Self-cleaning perforated plate screens

• FlexRake® front-raked fine screens

• FlexRake® front-raked bar screens

• FlexRake® Low Flow

• Self-Cleaning trashracks

• Muffin Monster® grinder (for sludge, scum, septage, screenings & wastewater)

• Channel Monster® grinder for pump stations and sewage treatment plant headworks

• Honey Monster® septage receiving station

• Auger Monster® fine screen system

• Monster® fine screen & band screen perforated plate fine screens with 2, 3 & 6mm perforations

• Screenings washer/compactors

• Rotating drum screens (down to 2mm perfs)

• Raptor screenings washer press

• Grit removal

• Rotary drum screens

SECONDARY TREATMENT

• AquaNereda® Activated Granular Sludge Technology

• Aqua-Jet® direct drive floating aerator

• Aqua DDM mechanical floating mixer

• Fine bubble aeration systems using membrane or ceramic diffusers with gas cleaning systems

• Stainless steel coarse bubble aeration systems

• Multi stage activated biological process (MSABP)

• Two & three rotary lobe P/D blowers

• Centrifugal multistage blowers

• Hybrid screw/lobe compressors

• Floating diversion curtains (for aerated lagoons, activated sludge systems & clear wells)

• Subsurface jet aeration/mixing systems

• Spiraflo & Spiravac peripheral feed clarifiers

• Closed loop reactor oxidation ditch systems

• Rotary brush aerators

• High efficiency single stage integrally geared blowers

• Direct drive turbo type blowers

• Aeration system controls & instrumentation

• Chain & flight clarifier systems & components (plastic, cast iron or stainless steel)

• Half bridge, centre feed, circular clarifiers

• Spiral blade clarifiers

• Lagoon aeration & mixing systems

TERTIARY TREATMENT

• AquaDisk® - cloth media tertiary filter

• AquaDiamond® tertiary cloth media for traveling bridge filters

• Filter Underdrain Systems

HIGH EFFICIENCY MIXING TECHNOLOGY

• High Performance Centrifugal Dispersing Impeller (HPCDI™) mixers

BULK MATERIAL HANDLING

• Shaftless & shafted screw conveyors

• Screw pumps (open & closed designs)

• Industrial grinders

ADVANCED LAGOON TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

• Ares™ Wastewater Lagoon Aeration

• NitrOx® Cold Weather Lagoon Ammonia Removal

• LRAS™ Advanced Lagoon Treatment

• PhosBox Lagoon Phosphorus Removals

TANK COVERS & DOMES

• Aluminum geodesic domes

• Flat aluminum and FRP tank covers

• Aluminum channel and launder covers

• Aluminum hatch covers

DISINFECTION

• Ozone disinfection systems

BIOSOLIDS PROCESSING/HANDLING

• Sludge storage bins & live bottom dischargers

• Rotary Drum Thickeners

• Gravity Belt Thickeners

• Belt filter presses & screw presses

• Centrifuges for thickening & dewatering

• Shaftless and Shafted Screw Conveyors

ODOUR CONTROL

• Biofilters

• Bioscrubbers

• Carbon adsorbers

• Chemical wet scrubbers

FLOWMETERS

• Open channel flow metering (portable & permanent); wireless data transmission

• Non-contact radar & submerged sensor area velocity flow metering (portable & permanent); wireless data transmission

• Insertion mag flow meters with wireless data transmission

• Data loggers with wireless data transmission

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT

• Industrial wastewater treatment systems

• Coalescing oil/water separators

• Inclined plate clarifiers

PACKAGE TREATMENT PLANTS

• Package potable water treatment plants

• Package sanitary wastewater treatment plants

• Package industrial wastewater treatment plants

• Package industrial process water treatment plants

WATER TREATMENT

• Reverse Osmosis, UF, & Nanofiltration Membrane Systems

• Filter Underdrain Systems

ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL STORMWATER

TREATMENT SYSTEMS

• Removal of free oil, TSS, metals, nutrients, BOD/COD, bacteria, toxic organics, floatable trash

The most complete oil-grit separator on the market

• High flow sediment removal

• Scour prevention of collected sediment during high flow

• 99% oil/hydrocarbon retention during high flow

• Canada ISO 14034 Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)

TWO LEVELS OF STORMWATER TREATMENT

Imbrium® has been synonymous with stormwater treatment in Canada for decades. With the Stormceptor® EF oil-grit separator and the Jellyfish® Filter membrane filtration system, Imbrium® provides engineers and regulators options for all levels of stormwater treatment.

Filter

The highest level of sediment and nutrient removal using membrane filtration

• Removal of 90% TSS and 77% TP

• Low driving head of 457mm

• Lightweight, rinseable and reusable cartridges

• Canada ISO 14034 Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS

SIZING & DESIGN ASSISTANCE

INSTALLATION SUPPORT MAINTENANCE SUPPORT

www.imbriumsystems.com

(800)565-4801