Back in ES&E’s February 2017 issue, I commented that like it or not, Canadians would have to accept that Donald J. Trump had become the 45th President of the United States. This put many long-standing political issues in flux, including cross-border trade, infrastructure, water, climate change, etc.

By Robert Bowen Conditions within high total phosphorus lakes vary significantly over the course of a year as available nutrients allow for the ramping up of large biomasses, creating algal blooms and strong diurnal cycling...

The water system recovery plan was based on similar work following the wildfire in 2016. This latest river flooding caused contaminated water to enter treated water clearwells and disseminate throughout the water distribution network....

The unintended underground of crisscrossed avenues provides an effective avenue for any seepage that “came down the crack” on the concrete slab. Releases of solvents and chemicals “eat away” at these between-slab expansion joints. As such, an annual inspection and recaulking may be a good investment.

There are no surface roads to Old Crow, located north of the Arctic Circle in Yukon Territory, so all equipment needed to be flown in. This provided a challenge as most dredges are too large to be transported by air.

More than a century after what many consider to be the greatest “event” in the history of the Arctic, the Klondike Gold Rush, it is interesting to compare the delivery of projects during that era to today. Dawson City, and in fact much of the Arctic remains a project delivery challenge.

In the new study, researchers sequence RNA extracted from wastewater samples, but there may be many different strains present because there are many individuals contributing to the sample. This makes it challenging to distinguish the SARS-CoV-2 genetic signal from the billions of bacteria and viruses people excrete every day.

The filter is based on a revolutionary fluid mechanics general concept. The basic idea is to combine an optimized fluid mechanics design with the cross-flow filtration process engineering approach.

As radar technology has become more prolific, it has also become more affordable and cost-effective for wastewater treatment plants of any size. Operators need reliable measurements to keep pumps running smoothly, maintain inventory of important chemicals and additives, and measure how much water is moving through their facility.

Government and other stakeholders will drag companies out of their silos to face a warming planet's challenges. Smart businesses will not wait for this, they will be proactive and partner with governments and others to shift the economy.

The design and construction of a wastewater management system includes two new sewage pumping stations; 32 kilometres of 100 mm, 200 mm and 250 mm high-density polyethylene wastewater forcemains; two new truck dump stations; a new booster station; and a new aerated lagoon to treat wastewater from the region.

Is it possible to turn landfill leachate from being a liability into an asset? Many minds have been exercised with this challenge but so far no one has broken through. Leachate remains a potentially troublesome problem with no clear route to becoming an asset.

As a result of increased demands on the 430 m³/day facility in St. Jacobs, Ont., upgrades were necessary for it to run as efficiently as possible with minimal downtime. It took only three days to install the panels of the prefabricated modular insulated floating cover system, while the plant was kept in operation

By using some of the latest cleantech solutions, industrial wastewater can be recycled, so a variety of manufacturing plants, mining companies, and oil and gas producers no longer have to withdraw millions of litres of freshwater daily.

Many water asset managers are adopting a pyramid approach to pipe condition assessment. On a selected group of assets, the concept uses cost-effective methods to collect information where possible, and progress to high-resolution and high-cost inspection options where needed.

There are a few ways to ensure water quality is maintained through the system, once it leaves the treatment plant. The primary one is that the water continues to flow through the system without the opportunity to sit stagnant. Dead-end watermains are the enemy in this scenario and unavoidable in old distribution systems.

To help keep facilities running smoothly and optimize scheduled downtime, industrial cleaning specialists employ a variety of handheld and automated water-blasting equipment designed for these challenging applications. Selecting the right equipment goes beyond how fast crews can get the job done.

A key component of Mississauga’s natural landscape will be returned to its native state through a unique, extensive restoration project that will help revitalize its greenspace. Serson Creek will be restored and returned to its traditional home and be reconnected with Lake Ontario.

Since it is installed after the pipe is in place, each control valve must be adapted to the specific application. With so many applications being unique to a utility, there are some best practices that every control valve operator should have in their toolbox before trying to tackle some of the more difficult concepts.

There are many options for wastewater lagoon technologies that can likely achieve upgrade objectives. However, there are also several important aspects to consider to ensure that the system aligns well with the current operational process, at a price the community can afford.

New research by Ontario’s York University suggests that if the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions aren’t drastically reduced, 179 lakes could permanently lose ice cover within the decade, then skyrocket to 5,700 iceless lakes by...

A new report examining pharmaceuticals found in the Great Lakes considers how citizen science initiatives could be developed to educate as well as fill gaps in data. The Pollution Probe report, prepared for Environment and...

After years of research, environmental scientists believe they have identified a link between urban stormwater runoff and substantial annual die-offs of coho salmon after heavy autumn storms in the Pacific Northwest. For decades it was...

Canada has opened online consultations towards establishing the new Canada Water Agency, a venture to improve and centralize the country’s freshwater management under the direction of a more dedicated governmental authority. The agency could provide...

A new bill introduced in the Alberta Legislature proposes to construct one of the province’s longest regional waterline connections, to end drinking water quality and reliability issues for two small communities in central Alberta.  Bill...

Despite the population of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, continuing to grow, city officials say the introduction of water meters is significantly reducing local water consumption. Charlottetown’s annual consumption was at one of its highest points...