New funding set for two major BC wastewater projects
Richmond and Prince Rupert have secured major federal funding, as well as British Columbia investments, in the development of new wastewater infrastructure.
In Richmond, B.C.,...
EPA asks water utilities to include cybersecurity practices for audits
Cybersecurity protocols must be integrated into audits for U.S. water utilities, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as it works to clarify definitions and...
New water monitoring method improves flocculation and minimizes mixing energy
Engineering researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a first-of-its-kind water monitoring technique that improves flocculation and minimizes the energy used for mixing.
Coagulant chemicals...
Methane emissions from wastewater treatment may be nearly double previous estimates
After measuring and analyzing emissions from 63 U.S. municipal wastewater treatment plants, two new studies by researchers at Princeton University show that the process...
Small, isolated wetlands adept at catching pollutants, study finds
University of Waterloo researchers have determined that small, geographically-isolated wetlands make more efficient filters for nitrogen.
The new University of Waterloo study is one of...
DOE invests $18M to research cleantech mineral extraction from project wastewater
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing $18 million into research focused on the beneficial reuse of wastewater, as well as the extraction...
SCG, infinitii ai, win one of the largest flow and rainfall projects in Peel...
Ontario-based SCG Flowmetrix, together with infinitii ai, have been awarded one of the largest multi-year sewer flow and rainfall monitoring projects in Canada for...
Montreal set for incinerator, ozonation upgrades at Jean-R. Marcotte WWTP
The City of Montreal is replacing the aging incinerators at its wastewater treatment plant, as it undergoes other upgrades that will allow it to...
Environmental fine round-up: Ontario construction group, landfill, greenhouse
The Ontario-based Barclay Construction Group Inc. has joined an alternative measures agreement in response to its workers depositing sediment-contaminated water into Lake Ontario from...
An overview on water and wastewater issues in Europe
The market for water and wastewater treatment plants in Europe will continue to grow in the long term, as populations grown and standards improve.
Preserving a town’s natural resources with an all-terrain sewer
An All-Terrain Sewer is constructed of PVC pipe with solvent-welded joints and leak tested to the same standards used for potable water supply piping networks. Water-tight and virtually leak-free, it is not subject to infiltration from groundwater or from surface stormwater entering through leaking pipe joints and manholes.
Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association helps regulators and property owners in rural municipalities
OOWA has developed several resources that are directed to rural property owners, encouraging them to regularly maintain their onsite sewage systems to ensure their longevity and the protection of human health, lifestyle, and the enjoyment of water resources.
Prefabricated stations address wastewater challenges for remote communities
Wastewater pump stations designed for small communities are the heart and arguably the most important component of a decentralized treatment system. They can be assembled on-site by pouring concrete and then adding each required component, or can be pre-assembled (pre-fabricated) before arriving on-site, which significantly reduces project complexity, cost, and the time required for installation.
Pilot Butte, SK upgrades its wastewater treatment lagoons
Working together with Nexom’s Winnipeg-based lagoon process team, the project engineers designed a solution that would enable Pilot Butte to maximize the use of their existing lagoon infrastructure without sacrificing the operation and maintenance simplicity, to meet additional capacity and more stringent effluent limits.
What can you do with adaptive wastewater mixers?
Wastewater treatment plant operators are increasingly turning to mixers with integrated variable speed control, which can dramatically lower energy use and reduce wear. With a growing focus on nutrient removal, energy management and optimization, mixers present an extraordinary opportunity for improvement for most wastewater treatment facilities.
Fibre balls in the fight against micropollutants
Fuzzy Filters, which are made from synthetic fibres and shaped into a sphere, are said to be able to eliminate as much as 95% of all trace substances and also remove microplastics and phosphorus from wastewater. Unlike conventional filter systems, the liquid to be filtered flows both around the outside of the filter material as well as through it.
Understanding the impacts of FOG on wastewater systems
Removal of FOG in the production stage can prevent the need to treat downstream. In some cases, a gravity grease interceptor can be used to remove FOG prior to additional treatment or discharge. Source grease traps identify and treat for FOG at specific high FOG areas and remove them before they make it to the waste stream.
BC researchers find toxic chemical 4NP in endangered killer whales
A toxic chemical often used to make toilet paper was prevalent among an array of concerning chemicals found in the bodies of orcas and...
New reality show navigates sewer infrastructure with commercial divers
A new series from Discovery Channel takes viewers on a journey through sewer systems in several major U.S. cities as they tackle clogs and...
New lift stations set for WWTPs in Nova Scotia, British Columbia
Two small Nova Scotia communities and the British Columbia District of Sechelt have received funding for wastewater upgrades, Infrastructure Canada has announced.
In both Kings...
SHARC deal aims to triple wastewater energy transfer for Vancouver’s False Creek
British Columbia-based SHARC International Systems Inc. says its new deal with the City of Vancouver will create the largest project in North America that...
Los Angeles River study looks at wastewater reuse impact on receiving waters
The Los Angeles River consists mainly of treated wastewater effluent during periods of drought, so local officials are looking to expand their options for...
Recycled water showed less toxicity than tap water in new study
A new Stanford University study shows that after treating potable reuse water, it can often be cleaner and more dependable than conventional drinking water...
Moose Jaw eyes $24M in ICIP funding to replace aging wastewater lift station
The Saskatchewan City of Moose Jaw is pursuing some $24 million in federal infrastructure funding to replace a 61-year-old lift station that lacks the...
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority becomes Canada’s first Indigenous water utility
The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority has become Canada’s first Indigenous water utility, following a recent service delivery transfer agreement with Indigenous Services Canada.
After...
Hamilton Water discovers hole that leaked sewage into harbour for 26 years
Ontario’s Environment Minister says he’s requiring Hamilton to audit its entire sewage infrastructure and come up with a remediation plan, following the recent discovery...
Mentoring meaningful for all winners of National First Nations Water Leadership Award
Five years in, the National First Nations Water Leadership Award is helping to tell some of the hidden tales of mentorship ongoing in the lives of water operators on Canada’s reserves, and the joy they’re finding in teaching others to carry on the mission towards creating finely-tuned water systems.
Optimal systems for oil terminal wastewater treatment
Aeration systems manufactured by INVENT have been in service reliably and maintenance-free since 2016 in a large industrial park located on an island. There is an oil port with oil terminal and many large storage tanks in the immediate vicinity, including an oil refinery operated there until 1997. Wastewater treatment and purification are particularly important in this environment.
Sludge decanters help cut ship emission control costs
With stricter guidelines from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to better protect oceans from the stresses of high particulate and sulphur emissions, many ship operators are installing wet washers for exhaust gas cleaning in their exhaust systems to comply with the required emissions limits.
Conserving valuable fuel and water resources during sewer cleaning
By Del Williams
One of the most effective ways to decrease water and fuel use during sewer cleaning operations, while improving the cleaning efficiency of...
Converting sewage sludge into biofuels via hydrothermal liquefaction process
Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a biomass processing technology that has recently become prominent in the wastewater treatment field. It could address a number of the issues regarding sludge management in wastewater treatment plants. HTL is a thermochemical biomass conversion method that mimics the natural formation of petroleum converted from dead biomass under high temperature and high pressure, which takes millions of years.
Increasing FOG recovery rates from a meat processing plant’s wastewater stream
A large beef processing facility’s state-of-the-art, dissolved air flotation (DAF) system in their flagship beef processing plant could not consistently recover the level of fat, oil and grease (FOG) possible from the wastewater stream.
B.C. Shuswap plan maps out ways to cut phosphorus to reduce algal blooms
A new action plan is recommending ways that industry and residents can help to reduce their “phosphorus footprint” in British Columbia’s Shuswap watershed.
The Salmon...
French WWTP expected to produce double the energy that it consumes
An extension and upgrade of the Maéra wastewater treatment plant in Lattes in southern France’s Montpellier region, will allow it to be the world’s...
Quebec firm using municipal wastewater ponds to heat, cool new headquarters
Quebec civil engineering firm Équipe Laurence is utilizing wastewater from the Town of Sainte-Adèle to heat and cool its new corporate headquarters.
Company officials say...
WWTP upgrades cut Grand River ammonia levels, UWaterloo study finds
A University of Waterloo team studied what happened to the health and metabolism of the Grand River’s ecosystem when the two biggest wastewater treatment...
Xylem report shows how sensors are helping water sector blaze carbon-cutting path
With some 80 water and wastewater utilities worldwide setting net-zero and climate-neutrality targets, a new report suggests that the water sector could become one...
Saskatchewan, BC First Nations make headway on wastewater infrastructure
Star Blanket Cree Nation celebrates newly upgraded wastewater treatment plant, and shíshálh Nation secures over $6 million in CIB funding.
Ontario puts brakes on Upper York sewage plan after eight-year wait
The Ontario government has nixed York Region’s plan for its long-proposed Upper York Sewage Solution, and instead approved expedited improvements to the existing York-Durham...
Canadian scientists engineer water’s structure to remove industrial contaminants in new study
Canadian researchers are separating solvents in polluted water with hydroxystearic acid (HSA), essentially reengineering the water’s structure for purity, according to a new study...
Canada’s Competition Bureau won’t determine whether wet wipes ‘flushable’ claims are misleading
With no decision reached, Canada’s Competition Bureau has closed its investigation into whether wet wipes labeled “flushable” can be safely flushed down the toilet...
UWaterloo, UBC students win big at WEFTEC for water, wastewater solutions
Student teams from the University of Waterloo and the University of British Columbia walked away as winners this month from the Water Environment Federation’s...
Monkeypox, polio tracing to utilize COVID-19 wastewater expertise
Many communities across Canada that continue to track the spread of COVID-19 in wastewater have begun to use the same surveillance infrastructure created during...
US engineers want to create model for optimal wastewater lagoon performance
A team of U.S. environmental engineers is using new funding to learn more about how rural, low-tech wastewater lagoons impact nutrients remaining after treatment.
Wastewater...
Wastewater monitoring as a community health indicator
The Region of Durham partnered with Ontario Tech University to detect fragments (RNA and proteins) of COVID-19 in wastewater to help with surveillance and early detection of additional outbreaks of the disease. See their findings:
Maximizing process, energy efficiency of heat exchangers for wastewater applications
HRS Heat Exchangers’ Matt Hale examines all the considerations needed when selecting the right heat exchanger, as well as several types of exchangers most suitable for wastewater applications.
Hamilton tackles major sanitary-stormwater cross connection problem
After discovering E.Coli in watercourses, Hamilton identified residential cross-connected sewer laterals, as a source of untreated sewage flows.
What is the real mixing limit for mixed liquor in wastewater treatment?
Instead of accepting traditional rules-of-thumb, there is an opportunity for wastewater plant operators and design engineers to determine actual mixing requirements.
Decanters provide smooth operation for military base’s WWTP
The wastewater treatment plant's most important goal in dewatering was to maximize the reduction of the volume of sewage sludge.
Vancouver firm using electrochemical oxidation to destroy PFAS, WEF begins pyrolysis study
As Vancouver-based Axine Water Technologies reports some success in destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) compounds in water and wastewater through electrochemical oxidation, the U.S.-based...
Penn State studies environmental effects of COVID-19 meds persisting in wastewater
A team of U.S. researchers has determined that a number of COVID-19-related treatment medications do persist in wastewater, but say more work needs to...
Quebec wants private sanitary sewer systems designed with climate resilience
Quebec has launched a review of its draft design standard for new sanitary sewer systems to be built with greater resistance to extreme weather...
International water companies partner to make wastewater treatment greener
Three major water utility companies in Denmark, Australia and the U.K. are partnering to create a new generation of sustainable wastewater management for customers,...
Two B.C. towns upgrade WWTPs to protect aquatic life
As British Columbia’s Ahousaht First Nation celebrates the completion of their new wastewater treatment plant, the province’s Maliview Wastewater Treatment Plant three-phase upgrade project...
York Region wins award for sewage upgrades with microtunnelling technology
Ontario’s York Region is celebrating a new award that recognizes the innovative microtunnelling technology used for its Sewage System Forcemain Twinning Project.
The Peter J....
ULethbridge to study Frank Lake wetland’s ability to handle wastewater effluent
To better understand the elements of how wetlands help to treat wastewater, University of Lethbridge researchers have been given $1.5 million to study Alberta’s...
Manitoba invests millions in wastewater upgrades
Manitoba has announced more than $34.4 million in funding, primarily for a series of wastewater management projects.
The largest of the upgrades consists of $9.1...
Report applauds wastewater surveillance, calls for more frameworks in future
A new report from the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) makes a series of recommendations based on expert analysis and lessons learned from wastewater...
AECOM set to design biosolids upgrades for Bradford WPCP in Ontario
The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario’s second-fastest growing municipality, has hired infrastructure consulting firm AECOM as the design partner for a three-phase biosolids...
Yukon University takes on federal First Nations water operator training
Yukon University has agreed to deliver the classroom and certification portions of Indigenous Services Canada’s (ISC) Circuit Rider Training Program (CRTP) for First Nations...
Water infrastructure spending, construction on the rise, says StatCan
New Statistics Canada data for 2020 shows that capital expenditures and the pace of construction for water infrastructure has accelerated in recent years.
According to...
Modern waste streams require versatile higher solids handling pump solutions
In recent years, wastewater professionals have witnessed unprecedented growth in flushable wipes being deposited and accumulating in the waste stream. The evolving waste stream is increasing the need for robust solids handling pump technologies that will not clog frequently and are able to withstand higher solids in the media.
Using a phosphorus coagulant can improve wastewater UV disinfection performance
After switching to ClariPhos™ rare earth coagulant to evaluate its ability to improve phosphorus removal, operators at an Ontario WWTP noticed that UV disinfection also experienced a big boost. It turns out that better settling in the clarifier led to higher UV transmittance in the effluent, and a significant improvement in UV disinfection.
The inconvenient truth of nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment
GHG emissions due to water and wastewater services are noted to be a relatively small portion of national inventories. However, from the perspective of a municipal corporation, GHG emissions due to water and wastewater services are much more significant.
What’s up with wipes? An update on flushability standards
Municipal wastewater utilities have always dealt with grease and feminine hygiene products, and tried their best to educate customers to only flush the 3Ps – pee, poop and paper (toilet paper). We would get the odd clog, but we were doing “fairly” well, until the introduction of wipes.
Water should not be judged by its history, but by its quality
The two primary methods of supplying recycled water from wastewater treatment for drinking water reuse are indirect potable reuse and direct potable reuse.
Calgary gas producer fined for acidic release during failed transfer
Calgary-based natural gas processing company Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. has been fined $100,200 by the Alberta Energy Regulator for an acidic water release...
Wastewater pump fails, leads to release into Halifax Harbour
Halifax Water has finalized repairs to an emergency pump failure in the wastewater system that resulted in a combination of wastewater and stormwater flowing...
Stantec leads project management on major Iona Island WWTP upgrades in BC
The $9.9-billion Iona Island wastewater treatment plant upgrade projects mark the largest capital program ever undertaken by Metro Vancouver.
Digester, heating upgrades project completed at Saskatoon WWTP
Three years and $48.2 million have been invested in digester and heating upgrades at Saskatoon’s wastewater treatment plant, which have now been completed ahead...
Quebec mining firm fined $15M for Fisheries Act violations
Quebec-based iron ore mining company ArcelorMittal Canada Inc. has been fined nearly $15 million for 93 offences related to concealing the extent of toxic...
Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant to install additional biosolids incinerators
Two high-temperature fluidized bed biosolids incinerators with steam and energy recovery systems will be installed at the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant in...
Whitehorse investing $5M in 18 water, wastewater upgrade projects
The City of Whitehorse is investing $5.1 million in 18 water and wastewater projects that include new watermains, improvements to the storm sewer drainage...
Wet wipe shore pollution keeps harmful bacteria alive, study finds
Bacteria such as E. coli and intestinal enterococci can survive long enough on sewage-associated plastic waste like wet wipes and cotton swabs to pose...
Waterloo woman wins award for ‘green chemistry’ dye that cuts textile water pollution
A woman from Waterloo, Ontario, has won an environmental entrepreneur award for an all-natural dyeing innovation that may help the textile industry cut its...
Alberta and Ontario municipalities approve major WWTP upgrades
Major wastewater upgrade projects are set to unfold in the municipalities of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, and Petawawa, Ontario, after the local governments reached agreements over...
Fergus, ON completes new steel roof for WWTP secondary digester
Ontario’s Centre Wellington Township has removed and replaced the 30-year-old roof of the Fergus Wastewater Treatment Plant’s secondary digester for biosolids, which had been...
Monitoring nitrous oxide is an important step towards climate-neutral wastewater treatment
Nitrous oxide has a high global warming potential and is produced in biological wastewater treatment as a byproduct of nitrification and denitrification.
Sarnia uses microtunnelling for new trunk sewer pipeline
Phase 3 of the City of Sarnia's Bedford Pumping Station Replacement specified microtunnelling installation for a new sanitary trunk sewer.
A new option for foot-print constrained wastewater treatment plants
The Salmon Arm Water Pollution Control Centre in British Columbia is piloting Aerobic Granular Sludge technology (AGS) in partnership with WSP.
Controlling odour from wastewater lift stations with oxygen and ozone
There are technologies that can break up a grease cap and/or remove hydrogen sulfide gas in the air space of wastewater lift stations.
An overview of thermoplastic valves and their performance
Thermoplastic valves offer a dependable and economical way to handle corrosive chemicals in some of the harshest environments.
Replacing solar drying beds reduces time and labour costs for sludge dewatering
The Municipality of Clare, Nova Scotia, realized faster sludge dewatering times and dramatic savings in time and costs after replacing sand drying beds with...
Calgary commissions 5 MW biogas cogeneration facility
Calgary’s Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant will soon be using all of its biogas as the primary fuel source to meet its electrical power and steam needs.
BEAST system ‘shocking’ wastewater in remote Canadian communities
For tiny, remote communities unable to have a full-scale wastewater treatment plant, or that are located in frigid climates that make sewage lagoons unfeasible,...
Vancouver hires firms to design new infrastructure plan for sewer, rainwater
Engineering consultant company Brown and Caldwell has been engaged to develop a sewage and rainwater management plan for the City of Vancouver.
The two-part plan,...
BC’s Squamish WWTP set for new secondary clarifier during $10M upgrade
British Columbia’s near-capacity Squamish Wastewater Treatment Plant is getting a $10-million overhaul that includes a new secondary clarifier and concentric ring bioreactor, as well...
Researchers see sustainable alternative in extracting ammonia from wastewater
A new study led by Rice University researchers has taken steps toward producing fertilizer in a more sustainable way through the electrochemical conversion of...
Quebec researchers look to alter wastewater testing for endocrine disruptors
A pair of researchers at Quebec’s Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are developing a new effluent analysis tool to track and understand...
McGill researchers call for action on urban runoff impacts
New research from McGill University suggests that urban runoff’s toxicity for aquatic organisms may be underestimated and unmonitored, as detergents, pesticides, heavy metals, and...
Ontario extends funding for COVID-19 wastewater surveillance in Guelph
As subvariants of COVID-19 persist, the Ontario government has extended funding for the University of Guelph’s wastewater community surveillance program to keep tabs on...
Feds to fund creation of Canada Water Agency and Atlantic First Nations Water Authority
The federal government has earmarked funding to create a Canada Water Agency that will centralize work with communities on freshwater issues, as well as...
Manitoba mining company fined again for releasing radioactive material into lake
A Manitoba mining company has been fined a second time for depositing radioactive effluent into the fish-bearing waters of Bucko Lake, according to a...
Cleaning industrial wastewater collection systems requires specialized equipment
The task of industrial pipe cleaning typically falls to third party cleaning companies, who come to facilities with a vacuum truck and perform the work periodically, unless emergency debris removal is required. Industrial plants cannot afford production downtime, so contractors rely on high-performance nozzles to get the job done quickly and reliably. Using the right nozzle and technique can be the difference between cleaning out a pipe within 20 minutes or having it take hours, days, or even fail completely.
Choosing the right heat exchanger for wastewater applications
The challenging nature of wastewater and sludge, such as its high viscosity and high fouling potential, means that it is important to choose the right type of heat exchanger to reduce costs, maximize energy efficiency, and maintain heat exchanger operational performance.
Using an early oil spill influent warning system can prevent WWTP fouling
Although treatment plants are meant to handle all sorts of wastewater, incoming oil contamination still poses a considerable threat to a facility’s operations. These oil spill incidents can occur any time and without warning. If not handled properly, they can lead to contaminated wastewater flowing into natural environments.
Optimizing wastewater utility operations, asset management with custom applications
When a large, privately-owned sewer utility company wanted to improve service for their 16,500+ customers, they realized that digitizing their business processes would be the key to increasing efficiency and maximizing asset life cycles.
Pumping long chain polymers in wastewater applications without damaging them
Flocculant and coagulation polymers are used in the removal of solid particles. Flocculants separate solid content in the wastewater from the liquid content. A coagulant combines small particles to form larger chain particles. These polymers change the charge of the particles, so that they will combine rather than repel other particles.
Alberta hamlet conducts bioaugmentation optimization study for wastewater lagoons
Treating a lagoon with Waste Go bioaugmentation can restore its health, mitigate costs, and postpone dredging for lengthy periods of time. However, eventually, even the healthiest of wastewater lagoons will require dredging as their capacity for biodegraded sludge will be reached. Sludge that has been properly treated with Waste Go will meet or exceed all environmental standards, thus making it readily available for disposal without further treatment or penalties, saving the treatment facility substantial costs.
Mushroom farms fined $650K for polluting BC creeks
Two British Columbia mushroom farms with a history of contraventions have been fined for piping waste effluent into fish-bearing waters, after ignoring multiple warnings...
Latest Articles
What’s happening around Canada for World Water Day 2023
World Water Day 2023 is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine has put together a...
