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August/September 2020 Articles
Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine’s August/September 2020 issue includes ongoing coverage of how COVID-19 is affecting drinking and building water systems. Also inside, are many articles covering other water, wastewater and environmental protection subjects. Topics include: Designing resilient infrastructure; monitoring pulp and paper black liquor discharge; using eDNA for environmental surveys; urban stormwater systems; understanding wastewater treatment’s impact on lake nutrient levels; and more.
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities say stimulus water restoration projects can kick-start economy
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative says that up to 40 jobs could be created per million dollars spent on erosion control and infrastructure.
A look at the history of freeze-protected water systems in the Canadian Arctic
The use of piped water distribution systems in the Canadian Arctic is a century old practice that began with an installation in Dawson City, Yukon, in 1905.
Looking for a “New Deal” to foster post pandemic economic recovery
We are now six months into the COVID-19 pandemic and I am sure that Canada’s consulting engineers, equipment manufacturers, and contractors are hopeful any forthcoming infrastructure spending gets appropriately allocated to the water and wastewater sectors.
Water resilience: The missing piece in dealing with climate change
What has been missing from the discussion is the idea of resilience, defined as how easily and quickly a system can recover from extreme weather events, whether these events involve too much water or too little.
Finding the right dosing pump for water and wastewater treatment processes
Both diaphragm or peristaltic chemical metering/dosing pumps are positive displacement pumps, but they work in very different ways. A question often asked is which of these pump types will be the most effective and reliable?
Environmental forensic tools help answer legal, groundwater contamination problems
Recent court decisions have interpreted regulatory liability for contaminated lands in ways that expand the liability of polluters and, in some instances, innocent owners of contaminated sites.
Removing a large water intake and concrete pier poses environmental challenges
Now in its seventh year, the Keeyask Generation Project has managed a number of location-specific challenges. One such challenge occurred when water in a 60 cm pipe in the intake froze, damaging a 2.5 metre thick concrete pier. To minimize impact to the overall project, Keeyask managers opted to use hydrodemolition to remove the damaged section.
Creating a closed-loop process to recycle 99% of lead batteries
East Penn and Terrapure have developed a closed-loop solution to recycle East Penn’s batteries. The two companies decided a “tolling” agreement was the best way to ensure a circular life cycle.
Hydro excavation waste slurries should no longer be a worry
Hydro excavation, also known as daylighting, trenchless digging, and non-destructive digging results in slurry, made up of 60% water and 40% solids. This type of byproduct is difficult and expensive to deal with, especially if the intention is to dump it at a landfill site, due to its solid/liquid state and weight.
Biofilm technology improves wastewater treatment in cold weather lagoons
An MBBR system is versatile and can be used to provide consistent ammonia removal throughout the year, as demonstrated by many pilot studies and full-scale applications.
Cutting the risk of Legionnaires’ disease from shuttered water systems
The continued growth of Legionnaires’ disease is the result of the lack of a water management plan and other factors such as environmental and epidemiological.
Stormwater system installed at B.C. First Nations new mega mall
To control stormwater runoff from two new mega malls in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, a large diameter pipeline was designed and installed under the public roads surrounding the sites.
Calgary wastewater treatment plant can achieve energy-neutral status
To reduce energy use, Associated Engineering reviewed the treatment processes and compared them to less energy-intensive options, with the potential for improved biogas production. For energy recovery, the team conducted an in-depth analysis of cogeneration, the process of converting gas to electricity and heat.
Environmental DNA will enhance environmental surveys for 500 Canadian lakes
Using eDNA in environmental biomonitoring studies can improve accuracy of surveys, reduce costs and provide more time-effective workflows. The potential utility of this molecular approach can have great implications in many fields and industries.
Validating real-time monitoring platform to detect pulp and paper black liquor discharge events
Black liquor spills can subject a system to periods of upset conditions and could potentially push the total BOD loading beyond the plant’s aeration capacity, leading to potential permit violations.
SCADA communications network enables remote operations in Wood Buffalo
The project was developed in three stages. Stage one was to develop a SCADA master plan for the municipality, including developing a network plan for every water and wastewater facility.