Canadian municipalities urge their residents to think about what they flush
To prevent sewage backups, municipalities and water organizations are telling customers to avoid treating their toilets like trashcans, especially during the COVID-19 situation.
“At a...
Hamilton making headway on massive $340M Woodward WWTP upgrades
As the largest single water investment ever for the City of Hamilton, the $340-million series of multi-stage, multi-year process upgrades for the Woodward Wastewater...
BC region closer to success on second funding attempt for sewage treatment plant upgrades
British Columbia’s approval of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary’s Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) ticks off a key box towards the greenlighting of...
COVID-19 resources for waste and water professionals
Various industry water organizations across North America are creating online resources to keep water and sanitation practitioners and providers armed with relevant knowledge about...
New wastewater spreadsheets added to Canada’s open-data website
Canada’s wastewater data is finally wading further into the realm of transparency thanks to Environment Canada’s latest additions to the federal Open Data website.
The...
Yukon settles Corix lawsuit over troubled wastewater plant
The Yukon government says it will no longer be pursuing its $39.5-million lawsuit filed in 2017 against Corix Water Systems, the company that built...
Bishop Water BioCord Reactors to be distributed in Chile by Novatech
BioCord™ Reactors will now be available in South America as part of a new distribution agreement with Novatech, Bishop Water Technologies announced on February...
Manitoba announces wastewater and flood protection investments
Manitoba will provide more than $61 million to support the upgrade of the City of Portage la Prairie’s Water Pollution Control Facility, Premier Brian...
Yukon’s Dawson City exploring lagoons to replace troubled wastewater plant
Dawson City and the Yukon government are in the early stages of creating a plan to replace its problematic seven-year-old wastewater plant with a...
Water Research Foundation accepting pre-proposals for the Unsolicited Research Program
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) announced it is now accepting pre-proposals for the Unsolicited Research Program. The program funds novel, transformative research and innovation...
‘Do Not Flush’ wipes labelling Bill making headway in California
California legislators have shown early support for a critical environmental Bill to rebrand hygienic wet wipes marked “flushable” with written warnings about potential clogs.
Bill...
New study aims to quantify potential for wastewater nutrient recovery
A new international study aims to provide insights into the global and regional potential of the some 380 billion m3 of wastewater produced annually...
Report looks to create clear standard for reducing excess I/I for new sewers
A recent report compiles methods that can be applied when sewers are first constructed to limit the risk of leakage, highlighting the need for resilient infrastructure in an age of climate change where extreme rainfall has risen sharply.
Cold water nitrification and cyanides removal for mining wastewaters
Laboratory and pilot-plant studies have confirmed that biological nitrification and denitrification could be sustained for mining effluent at very low temperatures (<5 °C)
Demographic reality catching up to WWTPs
Municipalities in Ontario are encountering staff succession challenges. For many, proper procedures may not have been captured in operating manuals and other documentation, resulting in manuals and operating procedures that are not consistent with the current practice which is known to the seasoned operators who are about to retire.
Cloud-based alarm and monitoring systems cut costs, improve productivity
Cloud-based alarms and monitoring systems for water and wastewater treatment infrastructure can span a larger service area at a lower cost compared to traditional landlines.
Analyzing heating requirements for mesophilic and thermophilic biosolids digestion
This article compares the heating requirements of both mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion operating modes.
Right equipment helps WWTPs cope with unknowns of septage receiving
By creating a receiving area for hauler trucks to offload septage waste, it becomes practical to employ forms of pretreatment, monitoring and storage.
New technique could accelerate methane production from FOG and food waste
University of Alberta engineers found that adding conductive materials to fats, oils and grease and waste products could boost methane production by 70%.
All eyes on Nova Scotia’s transition through Northern Pulp paper mill closure
Days before Christmas, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil announced he was keeping his promise to the Pictou Landing First Nation and would not allow...
Alberta village shuts down new wastewater system for winter
Municipal officials of a small Alberta village one hour southwest of Edmonton have decided to shut down and winterize the Summer Village of Ma-Me-O...
Cruise ship scrubber discharges may endanger B.C.’s remaining killer whales
British Columbia cruise ships may be endangering aquatic life by using exhaust gas cleaning systems, or scrubbers, to remove sulphur oxides from heavy fuel...
Toronto set to begin $3B bypass tunnel project to keep CSOs out of waterways
A tunnel boring machine (TBM) named Donnie is nearly ready to dig the City of Toronto’s new 10.5-kilometre long Coxwell Bypass Tunnel, in a...
Report looks to create new standard for reducing inflow and infiltration
A new report compiles methods that can be applied when sewers are first constructed to limit the risk of inflow and infiltration, highlighting the...
Region of Peel working to update Water & Wastewater Master Plan
Ontario’s Region of Peel has initiated a study of a new Water and Wastewater Master Plan for its lake-based systems to update its 2013...
Hamilton introduces new bypass notification system and apologizes for ‘sewergate’
Following its public announcement of a major combined sewage discharge, the City of Hamilton, Ontario has introduced a series of new measures, which notably...
Manitoba denies request for North End Treatment Plant compliance extension
Manitoba Conservation and Climate said the province has denied a request by the City of Winnipeg to extend the deadline for an additional two...
Critics warn of ‘incomplete’ focus report on Northern Pulp’s effluent proposal
A number of critics are sounding alarm bells around the Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation’s new focus report around its controversial proposal to pump...
Water worker labour relations take divergent paths in Saskatchewan
As Saskatchewan’s commercial Crown water utility, SaskWater, ratifies a new deal, Saskatoon water workers with CUPE Local 47 have rejected the latest offer from...
Wetland sewage system helps N.L. company with carbon neutral success
A smart thermostat company in St. John’s hangs a picture of a local wastewater treatment facility on its walls as a reminder of how...
Environmental assessment for Duffin Creek Plant outfall project approved
Durham Region and York Region announced that they are proceeding with the proposed treatment enhancements at the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant in...
Using oxygen and ozone to control odour and corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide
A major contributor to odour and corrosion in industrial systems is hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and its associated compounds. In recent years interest in ozone to treat wastewater has led to new and sustainable technologies for odour and corrosion control in wastewater collection systems.
Parks Canada sites now able to monitor wastewater treatment remotely
SENTRY-BOD systems are now providing Parks Canada operators with the ability to remotely monitor wastewater treatment plant performance in real time at park locations. These plants often see large fluctuations in loading during the year due to seasonal use.
Simulators can help less experienced wastewater treatment plant operators
Simulator technology gives the Regional Municipality of York the ability to test and explore various facility options in a safe, virtual environment, such as responding to a sewer-use by-law violation or a plant upset, taking a treatment cell offline for maintenance, or for plant-specific training.
Retrofitting an existing headworks can solve many WWTP issues
Headworks retrofits are commonly done to improve wastewater treatment plant performance or accomplish a new treatment objective. Headworks changes can be as simple as replacing a worn out screen with a similar system or installing a new finer screen to capture more debris.
Dedicated software helps improve wastewater plant information management and reporting
Learn how a data management solution greatly improved Penticton Wastewater Treatment Plant’s data management practices. Almost overnight, the team noticed an immediate difference not only in functionality, but in the new-found power of the data and reporting tools they had at their fingertips.
Complexity of water, wastewater plants creates opportunity for innovation and cost savings
Municipalities have to continue implementation and operation of needed services, even on reduced budgets. Conventional solutions are often preferred and selected because they are proven and safe, however, they can be more expensive than new, innovative solutions that are proven but less known.
New ‘I Don’t Flush’ campaign launched in Ontario
The Ontario Clean Water Agency and the Clean Water Foundation have teamed up with six Ontario municipalities for a public service announcement (PSA) campaign...
B.C. opens up $150M in second round of water and wastewater grants
A combination of new federal and provincial infrastructure funding is opening up grants totalling $150 million for water and wastewater services in British Columbia.
B.C....
City of Ottawa announces WWTP upgrades as sewage overflow project marks major milestone
Ottawa has now completed all six kilometres of tunneling for its Combined Sewage Storage Tunnel project, which aims to significantly reduce overflows when wastewater...
Vancouver-based study measures extent of aquatic pollution from microfibers in laundry
Laundry machines in Canada and the U.S can release upwards of 878 tonnes of microfibres to the aquatic environment each year following wastewater treatment,...
French firm wins build contract for B.C.’s Annacis Island WWTP expansion
Paris-based VINCI Construction has won a $184-million contract to build new pipelines as part of an expansion for British Columbia’s Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment...
Winnipeg aims for cost-sharing to aid $909M wastewater centre upgrades
Four major capital infrastructure project proposals totalling just shy of $1 billion will come before the City of Winnipeg’s Executive Policy Committee later this...
Unserviced portion of North Okanagan to build $36.9M wastewater system
A wastewater recovery system for British Columbia’s North Okanagan district will soon prevent septic system contaminants from leaching into Swan Lake, now that a...
Continuous insulation resistance testing can prevent wastewater pump motor failure
Wastewater treatment plants rely heavily on motors for critical applications and to maintain service objectives and treatment quality levels. Therefore, it is important to continually monitor and maintain pumps.
Comparing spiral and corrugated tube heat exchangers for wastewater
Spiral heat exchangers are synonymous with wastewater treatment due to high-fouling risks, viscous fluids and fibres or solids content. However, in many situations the performance of corrugated tube heat exchangers are equal to, or better than, spiral designs.
Wastewater reuse can help Canada’s dairy industry
The Canadian dairy industry is a major economic contributor, employing roughly 221,000 people and keeping almost 1 million dairy cows. Rising water and wastewater costs have made in-house water treatment and reuse an economic choice.
Treating variable strength landfill leachate and wastewater
Landfill leachate is characterized by extreme biological oxygen demand and ammonia spikes. Changing temperatures, precipitation and waste collection makes operating landfill leachate wastewater treatment plants challenging.
Continuous inflow and infiltration analysis for sewerage systems
As hundred-, even thousand-year storm events increase in frequency, a holistic understanding of wastewater and stormwater systems and their capacities is needed to proactively protect property and assets.
Managing sewer blockages helps prevent overflows
Sewer blockages are a leading cause of sanitary sewer overflows. Proactive sewer cleaning is a data-driven approach that aims to prevent blockages before they occur in an efficient and effective way.
Biosolids dewatering with geotextiles and polymer
Geotextile dewatering of wastewater sludge and biosolids provides simple, low-energy operation, efficient dewatering, minor operator attention and customizable foot-prints.
Complex upgrades needed within existing wastewater digester facility
The Corbett Creek wastewater treatment plant uses anaerobic digestion to break down biodegradable sludge and remove water. To increase plant capacity, complex upgrades of the digester facility were needed.
Canada funds wastewater upgrades in Yukon, Manitoba and Nova Scotia
Infrastructure Canada announced funding last week for a range of water and wastewater projects in Manitoba, the Yukon and Nova Scotia.
Manitoba
The federal government is...
Water and wastewater infrastructure challenges in a changing climate
The water industry is on the front line of the climate crisis. Water underpins agriculture, industry and sanitation and is essential for our daily survival. This article looks at recent water and wastewater cases that were challenged by a changing climate.
Design and construction of an innovative effluent outfall in the challenging Muskwa River
Designing and constructing a treated wastewater outfall in British Columbia’s Muskwa River poised many challenges to engineers and contractors. This project incorporated innovative design features to overcome construction challenges and create a resilient and adaptable piece of infrastructure.
Quebec facility evaluates anaerobic digester performance sensor
A new sensor system was installed on two anaerobic digesters, processing waste activated sludge, at a testing facility in Quebec. The sensors measure microbial electron transfer, which instantly measures microbial activity, allowing for optimization of digester feeding.
The economics of cleaning and removing grit and screenings from WWTPs
Disposal costs are one of the largest expenses a wastewater treatment plant faces in its operation. Equipment designed to wash and dewatering grit and screenings can cut WWTPs disposal fees and provide a return-on-investment.
Atlantic wastewater and water design to embed climate resilience
Canada's Department of Natural Resources has announced an investment of $318,000 over three years to embed climate change adaptation into design guidelines for municipal...
StatsCan releases new municipal wastewater system data
Statistics Canada released new wastewater data that details sewage flow numbers through municipal wastewater systems, the degree to which it is treated, and the...
Edmonton committee greenlights sewer odour control plan
A City of Edmonton utility committee has approved a $217.3-million corrosion and odour control project for its sewer system that could start this year...
Mississippi turns heads with vanilla misting system to mask WWTP odours
That sweet scent in the air? No, it’s not the perfume of a passing cyclist, it’s the new misting machines wafting over vanilla from...
Wastewater collection systems are under attack from peak flow I & I rates
New growth and development means many communities’ infrastructure is under pressure to accommodate this additional demand.
Electrical design considerations for WWTP headworks buildings
Preliminary treatment is the starting point of a typical wastewater treatment plant.
Electro-oxidation shows promise for treating high strength ethylene glycol wastewater
The complexity of wastewaters is increasing as more chemicals are being used in domestic products and industry.
New wastewater system allows winery to reuse over 5 million litres of water annually
The winery chose a treatment system that uses fiberglass tanks due to their corrosion resistance.
Modelling ammonia-based aeration control shows over 65% energy savings possible
Real-time model for nitrification control based on activated sludge model No.1 has become popular with water resource recovery facilities due to the potential paybacks associated with energy savings and enhanced process control.
North Red Deer wastewater system earns second accolade in a year
The Stantec-designed North Red Deer Regional Wastewater System has received another honour for not only being on time and under budget, but for innovative...
BC awards pump stations contract under massive McLoughlin Point wastewater project
British Columbia’s Capital Regional District (CRD) has awarded a $15.9-million contract to Knappett Projects Inc. to construct three pump stations and bridge crossings along...
New study suggests Great Lakes’ pharmaceuticals need further research
A new study suggests that wastewater treatment plants are the primary source for pharmaceuticals entering the Great Lakes.
The study, Reducing the Impact of Pharmaceuticals...
Eco-groups fight to wipe out wipe clogs with study that disproves flushability
Canadian eco-groups are calling for the Competition Bureau to launch an inquiry and levy false advertising fines to cover the costs of “flushable” wipes.
CRD wastewater project in Victoria, B.C., may require $10M in additional funding
British Columbia’s Capital Regional District (CRD) issued a notice to Victoria-area residents last week to warn that escalating construction and labour costs, as well...
Saskatchewan announces water, wastewater and flood resiliency investments
Saskatchewan announced a number of investments in water and wastewater treatment, as well as flood resiliency, in March 2019.
On March 11, Bernadette Jordan, Minister...
Nova Scotia demands new, detailed report for Northern Pulp wastewater project
On the subject of Northern Pulp’s pending environmental assessment, Nova Scotia’s Environment Minister has released a decision that demands more detailed information about 19...
Ex situ treatment approach used for soil impacted with cyanides
Two environmental site assessments, subsurface investigation and monitoring programs, have been conducted at a former industrial facility in Guelph, Ontario.
Understanding how temperature and substrate influence wastewater nitrification
Cold dilute influent creates a challenge for operators trying to maintain the level of nitrification required to meet low NH3 effluent limits.
Plant based micronutrients can effectively control WWTP and other odours
New biological and environmentally sustainable, plant based organic micronutrients has been developed to eliminate formation of odours.
Manitoba increases water and wastewater capital funding
The government of Manitoba announced a $2 million increase in the Manitoba Water Services Board budget, to a total of $15.8 million, on March 19,...
Alberta invests more than $100M in wastewater upgrades, flood mitigation, transmission lines
More than $100 million in funding has been announced for critical Alberta water projects that range from wastewater treatment plant upgrades to flood mitigation,...
First Nations group seeks more input on major York Region sewage project
The Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, located on Ontario’s Lake Simcoe, say they want the Town of Georgina council to take “an official...
St. John’s asks for appeal, delay over 2020 secondary wastewater treatment deadline
The City contends that St. John’s was wrongly classified as high risk in the process when initial wastewater samples were taken over 2013 - 2014.
Regulations and testing are needed to fight ‘flushable’ wipes
Wastewater operators in Canada believe new flushability specifications will help reduce the cost and inconvenience to customers from blocked sewer pipes and the impacts to the environment from the flushing of inappropriate products down the toilet.
Niagara-on-the-Lake ramps up decommissioning of old treatment facility, sewage lagoons
With the Ontario city of Niagara-on-the-Lake set to open its new wastewater treatment facility as soon as March 2019, municipal officials have set aside...
Northern Pulp submits plans for new effluent treatment plant, underwater pipeline
Nova Scotia Environment Minister Margaret Miller has until March 29 to decide whether a newly-submitted plan for Northern Pulp to manage a replacement effluent...
Kawartha Lakes agrees to new measures after drain maintenance sediment release
The City of Kawartha Lakes, in southeastern Ontario, has agreed to take several measures after a contractor’s drain maintenance work in 2014 released sediment...
Enhancing wastewater lagoon nitrification in cold climates
With more stringent discharge guidelines, many northern, cold climate communities face challenges in biological treatment.
Maximizing the heat opportunities from anaerobic digesters
The most common uses of biogas produced by anaerobic digesters at wastewater treatment plants are for digester heating, building heating, power generation, or driving process machinery.
Wastewater plant gets major valve upgrade
The Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant is the largest sewage treatment facility in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, treating 1.7 billion litres per day.
Cloth media filter system chosen to treat combined sewer overflows
One city in the Great Lakes Region had to remedy a consent order filed for its untreated combined sewer overflow discharges.
Cape Breton uses new funding formula for applications to meet 2020 wastewater regs
Although Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, is unlikely to meet the 2020 federal compliance deadline for wastewater regulations, its Nova Scotia-based council is still looking...
Newfoundland shifts to earlier timeframes for water project applications
Newfoundland’s shift to earlier annual deadlines for project applications, such as water and wastewater, aim to allow projects to be shovel ready by Spring.
Yukon hoping to be rid of problematic wastewater treatment plant by 2026
The Government of Yukon says its six-year-old wastewater treatment plant “has never operated the way it was intended to,” and is costing Dawson City...
Northern Pulp pipe protestors may be permanently banned from blocking surveyors
The Northern Pulp paper mill in Nova Scotia won an injunction last month against protesters who blocked water surveyors because they were upset over...
New Ontario plan calls for real-time monitoring of sewage overflows
A newly-proposed plan from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks wants to improve municipal wastewater and stormwater management and reporting, and increase...
StatCan releases first cannabis use report based on wastewater testing project
Statistics Canada has released its first report as part of a pilot project that explores the use of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to produce statistics...
BC residents’ outcry changes plan around tree removals for McLoughlin Point WWTP
After more than a month of public outcry, British Columbia officials in the District of Saanich have decided to spare upwards of 50 trees...
Newfoundland breaks ground on new Gander wastewater treatment plant
The new Gander wastewater treatment plant will have a simple aerated lagoon treatment system to promote the biological oxidation of wastewaters.
Fraser report finds optimism on freshwater quality, wastewater progress
A new report by the Fraser Institute offers optimism over Canada’s freshwater quality and improvements to municipal wastewater treatment.
StatCan releases 2016 Canadian wastewater infrastructure data
Statistics Canada has released its latest survey data relating to wastewater infrastructure across the country.
The 2016 data, released last week, covers categories that include...
Niagara-on-the-Lake wastewater plant set to open after delays
Eight years after its initial planning, and some two years past its deadline to be operational, the wastewater treatment facility intended to replace Niagara-on-the-Lake’s...
Study finds liquid gated membranes cut energy, emissions in water filtering
Collaborators at the University of Waterloo and Northeastern University have joined forces for a study conducted by the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering...
Latest Articles
Greater Victoria proposes $1B water filtration plant by 2037
A new water filtration plant proposed for British Columbia’s Greater Victoria region could top $1 billion, according to a new water supply master plan...
