western canada water...vice president – andy barr 403-262-4500 [email protected] past president –...

WINTER 2019 | Volume 71 | Issue No. 4

WESTERN CANADA

WATERWATERTHE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WATER PROFESSIONALS ACROSS WESTERN CANADA

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Roy & Sons Lagoon Cleaning and Lagoon Dredging Services in Manitoba, Alberta & Saskatchewan has a mandate to perform an on-site in cell assessment on the project prior to quoting an estimate.

Scantron Robotics Inc. | Robotic Cleaning Solutions, Division of Scantron Robotics Inc. Canada Office: (724) 444-4217 | Cell: (412) 576-9910 | Toll Free: 1(877) 757-1537

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Scantron Robotics offers a specialized cleaning solution that will streamline and maintain process areas. We are an on-line robotic tank cleaning company utilizing dedicated potable water robotic equipment with 25 years of experience and over 5000 potable drinking water tanks and clear wells cleaned on-line, in-service! Customers benefit from the combination of Scantron’s process expertise along with their state of the art on-line robotic cleaning and survey inspection technology.

Models• 24" and 42" Sizes Available• Water and Chemical Tanks

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• Electric power & control interfaces (including video)• Capability to interface a suitable COTS electrical manipulator

to the WCRC for a suction nozzle placement with a minimum 4 degrees of freedom

RCS (Robotic Cleaning Solutions) is a division of Scantron with worldwide robotic services. RCS is our US/Canada North American robotic consulting company who surveys which type of cleaning crawlers will be best for your projects.

ROV InspectionUnderstanding Your Requirements:• Use of Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV)

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Hydraulic CrawlersLarger Industrial Applications:• Explosive Environments• Digesters,Clarifiers,ScalePits,

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Roy & SonsOn-Site In-Cell Evaluation includes:• Pinpointing areas of concern• Evaluating the lagoon and surrounding area• Recommending solutions for preventative maintenance• Discuss environmental concerns and options for safe

removal of the slurred material• Recommend an appropriate location for a drying bed

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ISSN: 1483-7730Publications mail agreement #40065075

Send undeliverable Canadian addresses to: [email protected]

Editorial Committee Bill Brant (Chair); Vicki Campbell; Ken Johnson; Justin Rak-Banville; Abigail Dyson; Kristen McGillivray; Brian Sibley; Andy Barr; Jamie Abernethy; Edith Phillips; Kyla Kirk; Doug Lemon; Bryan Adcock.

WE WELCOME MEMBERS’ SUBMISSIONS!Send “News” items to Craig Kelman ([email protected]) New Product information and MSSA Profiles to Doug Lemon ([email protected])Calendar information to Kristen McGillivray ([email protected])Project Profiles, Going Green, Last Drop Items, and Other Articles to Bill Brant ([email protected])

WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER

www.wcwwa.ca

Features

CWWA ............................................48AWWA ............................................49

WCS AWWA ...................................50WCWEA .......................................... 51MWWA ...........................................52

CO Reports

The articles published in Western Canada Water do not necessarily reflect the opinion of WCW.© 2019 Craig Kelman & Associates Ltd. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Western Canada Water is published by

3rd Floor, 2020 Portage AvenueWinnipeg, Manitoba R3J 0K4

Tel: 204-985-9780 Fax: 204-985-9795www.kelman.ca

Managing Editor - Terry Ross – [email protected]/layout - Daniel Goulet

Marketing Manager - Rod EvasonAdvertising Coordinator - Jenna Matthes

MSSA Member Profile ...................16 Water Research ..............................18Plant Profile ....................................28The Last Drop .................................53Reach our Advertisers ...................54

President’s Message .......................6Editorial ............................................8Calendar of Events ..........................9News from the Field ......................13WCW Crossword ...........................15

Departments

WCW19: Our Water, Our Future .................................................................................21

Stockholm Junior Water Prize ......................................................................................32

Oil and Gas and Groundwater .....................................................................................34

THEME: OPTIMIZATIONFuture-Proofing Lift Stations ................................................................37

Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater Systems ....................... 40

Northern Water System Innovations for Freeze Protection ..............42

Practical Suggestions for Implementing a WTP Optimization Program ............................................................. 44

Optimization of Operations Using Electronic Tools ......................... 46

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President – Jeffrey [email protected]

President Elect – Natalie Wilson204-928-8322

[email protected]

Vice President – Andy [email protected]

Past President – Nancy McAteer403-886-4265

[email protected]

Treasurer – Arlen Foster867-920-2882 Ext. 249

[email protected]

CWWA Director – Vicki Campbell306-580-1204

[email protected]

AWWOA Director – Bert J Miller403-342-8321

[email protected]

SWWA Director – Tim Cox306-778-2725

[email protected]

WCWEA Director – Alec Mackenzie403-717-8956

[email protected]

WCS AWWA Director – Craig Bonneville780-412-3175

[email protected]

NTWWA Director – Greg Hamann867-767-9164 X21077

[email protected]

MWWA Director – Bill Brenner204-622-3212

[email protected]

MSSA Director – Rana Elbittibssi780-982-1419

[email protected]

Executive Director – Audrey Arisman877-283-2003

[email protected]

Alec Mackenzie ..............................30

Working in Water Profile

PACKAGEDFILTERSYSTEMS

Optimize your filter performanceGranular media filtration is a specialized process.

A site-specific approach to filter design is critical to

ensure sustainable filter performance.

AWI’s packaged filter systems are custom engineered

to suit the unique requirements of each project. Our

stainless steel Phoenix Underdrain System

guarantees uniform backwash and air scour

distribution, increasing the service life of your filter

media bed. Following installation, our operator

training and technical support helps you maintain your

filters in optimum condition.

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optimization can help you reach your filter

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Phoenix Underdrain System

Filter Assessments & Pilot Studies

Filter Media Design & Supply

Canada 403-255-7377USA 801-566-1700awifilter.com

6 | WESTERN CANADA WATER | Winter 2019

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Jeff Halliday, WCW President

From bartender to president

As another year winds down, this edition of Western Canada Water provides an opportunity to reflect on

our recent Conference and the great opportunities it offered for education and networking. I sincerely hope that all of us who came together in Edmonton can look back on a week where we learned from our peers, made new connections, and renewed old acquaintances.

Our Edmonton conference team, guided by Crystal Eggert, did an amazing job setting the stage for this to happen. Crystal’s passion for developing our industry was evident in the quality of this year’s technical programs and training sessions. She was also able to encourage several students of the NAIT Water and Wastewater Technician Program to join us. With the help of educators like Crystal, we are in a great position to develop the future of our industry. “Thank you” Crystal and the Edmonton Planning Committee for all your hard work! Our Regina team under the leadership of Vicki Campbell was watching closely and hopes we can do just as well next fall.

I have dedicated my career to serve this association. Since I first showed up at a conference as a young engineer, serving as bartender in the President’s Lounge, I have been actively engaged in WCW. I am proud to be taking on the role of President of your extremely talented Board of Directors. Following the legacy left by our past presidents will not be easy, but I am committed to keeping our association strong by making sure the members of our Constituent Organizations are well served and continue to benefit from their participation with WCW.

I am taking on this role at a time when our association is at a crossroads. We

are facing significant issues that limit participation of our members in our events. Budgetary constraints, travel restrictions, and competition from other service providers are among the many threats to our association. We need to recognize these challenges and face them together.

Innovation is key to our continued relevance and we will need to consider adapting how we deliver services to the members of each of our Constituent Organizations. Through this, and by working together, we will continue to be the best provider of water programming and networking opportunities in Western Canada. By continuing to engage with associations like Western Canada Water, we are all able to forge strong partnerships that will allow us to collaboratively solve the water problems of today and innovate to solve the water challenges of the future.

For me, the experiences of the past few weeks have reinforced the message that involvement in professional associations is so valuable especially when times are hard. Over the past 18 years, my participation with Western Canada Water has helped me develop a broad professional network. The connections I made by volunteering for this association have enhanced my career and opened doors for me I would not have been able to walk through otherwise. Most importantly, when facing challenges, the list of people I could turn to for help was very long indeed.

As I dealt with the difficulties that faced me the day I returned from our Conference, I was overwhelmed by the support I received from the members of our association who I have come to know well over these past 18 years. It was only through

my active participation with Western Canada Water that I was able to elicit this kind of response. I am truly humbled and extremely grateful to those of you who supported me over the past few weeks.

With renewed focus, I am ready to get back to work for our association. Your board spent the past year developing a new strategic plan and achieving early success of the following priorities:• Improved participation with our

Joint Operators Committee,• Stronger connections with the

northern Territories (we now have two board members who live in the North),

• Revitalization of our Manitoba Provincial Council, and

• Development of a strategy to better engage with and serve the newest members of all our COs.

We will continue to work on actions to support the following strategic goals:• Consistent, Quality Conferences• Enhanced Collaboration with

Constituent Organizations• High Quality Education and

Networking Opportunities• Increased, Active Engagement of

Young Professionals• Supportive Financial Strategy• Board Structure that Reflects WCW

Needs• Becoming a Trusted Advisor on

Water and Wastewater.Finally, please take note of two events that are happening in 2020. We are excited to be once again holding the Door to Edmonton on February 4 and 5. This event is a fantastic opportunity to meet with key utility providers, regulators and operators in one of the largest cities in our region. And of course, please come visit us in Regina September 22-25 for WCW20 where, together, we will seek A Clear Vision for Tomorrow.

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Dame Campus (Winnipeg), and periodically at

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Bill Brant, Editor, Western Canada Water Magazine

EDITORIAL

Optimization

The theme for this issue of the magazine is ‘Optimization.’ Our intention was that it would be interpreted as a broad topic, but

mostly as related to ‘process.’ Process can be interpreted broadly as well, covering treatment processes, business processes, construction processes, design processes, and much more. Optimization is all about improving processes, achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness, enhancing outcomes, making more with less, and so on.

An interesting thought crossed my mind on the day that I first began to write this: I optimize my own personal performance by taking a shower as soon as I get out of bed every morning. Without it, I’m not truly awake. I can’t perform my daily functions nearly as well if I don’t have that critical early-morning immersion in water. It makes sense to me: that first daily contact with water sets me up for a day spent “working in water” here at WSP. My whole career is all about water, and about the people who collaborate with me – colleagues, clients, contractors, suppliers – in delivering water to Manitoba communities.

Many other people get started in the morning by showering, as an essential step toward getting going after (ideally) a good night’s sleep. Very few will know the source of that refreshing flow of clean water, or the steps through which that water passes from that unknown source to the show-erhead. I think about it daily, no doubt because I planned and designed our local

water system in the village where my family and I live. I also planned and designed the upgrades to what had been a source for another village in our municipality, turning it into a regional system. I like to tell neighbours the story of our water system but most of them are just happy that there is plenty of flow and pressure, and that the quality is consistently good.

So as always, we must accept that most of what we water professionals do, is unseen and rarely acknowledged. If we do get public recognition, it is usually because there has been a watermain break disrupting service; or an unexpected water source or treatment system problem that deteriorates quality; or a boil-water advisory imposed by provincial regulators as a precaution when some upgrading work is being done on the system, as our municipality experienced recently when we were connecting a new reservoir to the existing central water treatment plant. Most of our residents knew nothing more than that there was a boil-water advisory in place, with lots of concern and questions and rumours swirling around. That got people thinking about their water for a few days, but after the connections were made and the lab tests came back to confirm that all was well, everyone forgot about their water again except our diligent municipal waterworks crew, me and maybe a few others.

I congratulate the organizers of the WCW Annual Conference in Edmonton, as I heard that it was a great success. Many people attended and found ways

to optimize the way they work and the projects they undertake. As always, there were many ways in which our Western Canada Water members celebrated our success in meeting the water needs of our customers. I regret that due to circumstances beyond my control, I could not be there. I thank Vicki Campbell for chairing the Editorial Committee’s annual planning meeting to select themes for the upcoming year; and my colleague Justin Rak-Banville for taking notes. As I write this, the Editorial Committee members are voting to select three themes from the eight nominated topics, each of which looks interesting.

As a final point, if you’ve been working on an interesting project, been promoted, hired someone new or are aware of a milestone in another member’s life, Western Canada Water needs you to write an article or send in the news. My address is [email protected].

(Epilogue, written many weeks after I prepared my Editorial:) I last spoke with my publishing colleague Terry Ross on Thursday, October 24. His treatment for cancer had finished recently, seemingly with a positive outcome. When I asked how he was feeling, he said he felt fine but tired. I replied that it simply reflected our age (60+). Little did I know Terry would not age any further, as he unex-pectedly passed away the following evening (see p.10). Terry contributed greatly to the success of our magazine. I will miss him and remember him always.

Winter 2019 | WESTERN CANADA WATER | 9

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2019NOVEMBER

25-29NTWWA Annual Conference, Iqaluit, NU | www.ntwwa.com

DECEMBER

24-31WCW Office closed

2020JANUARY

21Communication and Conflict: A Leader's 2 Non-Negotiables, Saskatoon, SK | www.wcwwa.ca

FEBRUARY

4-5Door to Edmonton (WCW), Edmonton, AB | www.wcwwa.ca

23-26MWWA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Brandon, MB | www.mwwa.net

24-26YP Summit (AWWA/WEF)Anaheim, CA | www.wef.org

MARCH

10-13AWWOA Annual Conference, Banff, AB | https://awwoa.ca

THE DEADLINETO SUBMIT IS

FEBRUARY 21, 2020


It is with profound sadness that we inform Western Canada Water members and industry stakeholders of the sudden heart-related passing of our magazine’s Managing Editor Terry Ross on

Friday, October 25.A long-time employee of magazine publisher Craig Kelman &

Associates Ltd., Terry has served as our Managing Editor for close to two decades. During that time, he has been instrumental in working closely with our association and our magazine committee to build Western Canada Water into one of the finest publications of its kind

throughout the North American water industry. As a trusted advisor to our WCW team, Terry’s understanding of our

industry’s key issues and his ability to gather and prepare content that met our communication

objectives has been invaluable. We will truly miss his insight,

professionalism and genuine passion for his craft.

Survived by his wife Debbie and son Miles, Terry was predeceased by his daughter Lisa.

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o f A l b e r t a . T h i s i s a g r e a to p p o r t u n i t y f o r w a t e r

p r o f e s s i o n a l s t o l e a r n m o r e a b o u tn e w a n d u p c o m i n g p r o g r a m s ,

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T H I S

E V E N T

S O L D O U T

I N 2 0 1 6 .


NEWS FROM THE FIELD

EDMONTON, ABAlberta will soon have more consistent and reliable data on the health of (and changes in) the North Saskatchewan River, EPCOR and Alberta Environment and Parks recently announced. The Province, City and utility company are partnering with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance on the new WaterSHED Monitoring Program in order to better understand the river, which supplies water to more than one million people in the Edmonton capital region.

Supported by $4 million from EPCOR over the next four years and in-kind resources from the Province, the project will see eight new monitoring stations and 11 upgraded monitoring stations along the river from Siffleur in the Rocky Mountains about 65 km west of Nordegg to Vermillion in the east.

EPCOR is already adapting its practices to changing weather patterns as a result of climate change, and having more data will help EPCOR plan for future needs and changes to the water.

(Source: Edmonton Journal)

REGINA, SKThe Government of Canada is investing more than $17.6 million and the Government of Saskatchewan is providing more than $16.8 million toward 13 infrastructure projects under the New Building Canada Fund – Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – Small Communities Fund (SCF) and National and Regional Projects (NRP) and the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan (ICIP). Twenty communities across the province will benefit from water, wastewater, waste management or road improvements under these projects.

RM OF ALEXANDER, MBThe Rural Municipality of Alexander, northeast of Winnipeg, has resumed normal water usage.

The community’s boil-water order, in effect since April of 2006, was lifted on September 23 by the Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority. In a letter from the Authority’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Karen Robinson, the RM was

told testing showed its water plant now meets regulatory standards.

A spokesperson for the municipality said a new water treatment plant was finished in July at a cost of $5.4 million, but due to the long-term boil-water advisory, it completed enhanced water testing. The spokesperson said they’re happy those tests showed the water quality was great.

Cost of the plant was shared between all three levels of government, as well as Manitoba Hydro.

(Source: CTV News)

EDMONTON, ABEPCOR has temporarily stopped adding fluoride to water while it upgrades the E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant. The fluoride interruption is expected to

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last until March 2020. During that time, EPCOR will be replacing four bulk fluoride storage tanks that are approximately 20 years old.

“The reason why it’s taking seven months is the work is contained within the existing room,” said Audrey Cudrak, EPCOR’s director of Edmonton water treatment plants. “The space is quite tight and so it has to be done in stages.”

The interruption affects about 280,000 Edmonton customers who live in the north, west and south sides of the city. Beaumont, Leduc, Morinville, Nisku, Onoway, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, Stony Plain and Sturgeon County are also affected. Full lists of affected neighbourhoods, including those in Edmonton and surrounding communities, are available on EPCOR’s website.

People who live in central and east Edmonton will continue to receive fluoridated water from the Rossdale Water Treatment Plant.

EDMONTON, AB Nilex Inc., a leading supplier of geosynthetics and stormwater management solutions, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Western Canada (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan) with CULTEC, Inc. (CULTEC) for their full line of CULTEC Stormwater Chambers. The agreement also includes a non-exclusive arrangement for the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

With increasingly stringent municipal regulations and guidelines in place to protect our waterways and ecosystems, developers are being tasked to manage stormwater in new ways. CULTEC’s underground stormwater chamber systems act as replacements for conventional ponds, concrete structures or pipe and stone installations in the management and absorption of natural stormwater allowing for more controlled infiltration into the ground while

requiring less area and crushed stone for installation.

“Nilex is committed to providing top-tier, engineered stormwater management solutions to help tackle the continuing challenges our customers face in complying with municipal regulations,” said Gurch Sekhon, Nilex VP, Sales & Marketing. “With CULTEC at our side, we are well positioned to offer customers an end-to-end solution, from design and supply all the way through to installation.”

Bob DiTullio, Jr., Chief Business Development Officer of CULTEC added, “Nilex is a great partner for the CULTEC brand. They have the reputation and experience with stormwater chamber systems along with the infrastructure and complementary solutions to make CULTEC a market leader in Canada. We are extremely happy to be working with Nilex.”


Answers on page 20CROSSWORD PUZZLE

1

2 4 3

5

6

7 8

9

10 11

12 13

14 15

16 17

ACROSS

5. A running stream of water. 8. A spherical particle found in aqueous media formed as a

lipid bilayer enclosing an aqueous compartment. 9. Saturated with water. 12. The name of a number of openings per inch in a wire mesh.

Used in specifying well screens and filter screens. 13. A sample that is as identical in content and consistency as

possible to that of the larger body of power. 14. A branch of applied mathematics that determines shape

and size of the earth or a large part of its surface, as well as the location of points on its surface by observation and measurement.

15. A measure of the ability of a solution to retard electrical current.

16. An integrated combination of security measures st up on a computer network to prevent unauthorized access.

DOWN

1. Small instrument for measuring ground motion. 2. A type of illness often caused by microbial infection. 3. An early form of fire hydrant; originally a wooden plug used

to stop a hole bored through a wooden water pipe to allow water to be withdrawn for firefighting.

4. The genus name for a group of single-celled flagellated, pathogenic protozoans found in a variety of vertebrates including mammals.

6. Soil that contains 7-27% clay, 28-50% silt and <52% sand. 7. The emission of light be excited molecules. The emitted will

be the same or lower energy as the incoming light. 9. An area from which water drains and contributes to a

given stream. 10. The science dealing with the mineral composition and

structure of rocks. 11. A mathematical concept used to describe the true chemical

structure of certain compounds that can’t be accurately represented by any one valence bond structure.

15. A process by which granular media filter performance gradually improves at the beginning of a filter run as particles are deposited and act as collectors for subsequent particles applied to the filter.

17. A horizontal member of a timber shoring system for excavation.


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Delco Water is a division of Delco Automation Inc. and has operated as a water treatment solution provider

and equipment integrator since 1994. Delco, as a whole, currently employs over 215 employees across Canada. Delco Water has over 55 employees with a variety of educational and technical backgrounds including, but not limited to: electrical, mechanical, chemical, environmental, and civil engineers; CAD, mechanical, water resources, and instrumentation technologists; certified operators, journeyman plumbers, and pipefitters.

It is Delco’s unique blend of passionate and talented staff that has helped us realize our vision: “Making the world a better place through the use of technology.”

Delco Water is a premier water treatment solutions provider in Western Canada and currently has a significant number of installed and operating water treatment plants across the country. Our organization offers a large line of technologies including reverse osmosis (RO), nano-filtration (NF), and ultra-filtration (UF) membrane units for treatment of surface or well water applications as well as moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR) and membrane bioreactors (MBR) for treatment of wastewater. We also offer a line of non-membrane related products, such as conventional manganese greensand filtration, calcite contactors, containerized systems, and our in-house developed biological filtration system. It is through our strong commitment in Research and Development that Delco has gained the reputation as a leading Canadian technology innovator.

Delco has recently moved into a new 90,000 sq. ft. engineering and manufacturing facility, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which also includes a training facility, multiple research and development labs, as well as our Centre of Excellence (currently under construction). Our Centre of Excellence will be our command center that allows

us to monitor, troubleshoot, and operate remotely, many of the systems that we design and manufacture. This allows us to provide our customer with unrivalled support through the life of the system.

Delco Water is proud to say that our designs are completely customized to the specific needs of the client. We understand that each community, municipality, or company has unique water quality demands and concerns that require tailored treatment solutions. This

customized approach has allowed us to design, manufacture, commission, and service innovative water and wastewater treatment equipment throughout Canada, which in turn has resulted in safe drinking water for countless municipalities and First Nation communities.

The Delco Advantage

• Reverse Osmosis• Nanofiltration• Ultrafiltration• Biological Filtration• Media Filtration• NanoFx• Containerized Plants

DELCO WATER’S CORE TECHNOLOGIES

State Of The Art Manufacturing | Field Services Department | 24/7 Service & Support Availability Water Treatment Technologies | Customized Solutions | Containerized Plants | Mobile Rental Fleet | Conventional Filtration | Biological Filtration | Membrane Filtration | Piloting ServicesWastewater Treatment Systems | Project Management

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THE DELCO ADVANTAGE

• Mobile Rental Fleet• Filtration Skids• Calcite Contactors• Membrane Contactors• Service and Support• MBR• MBBR

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Delco Water partners with the following companies to provide safe drinking water to communities while building positive business relationships and partnerships.

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Chemical Systems & SupplyChemical Feed Panels

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Blue & WhiteSpill ContainmentCalcite Contactors

Water Analysis & Instrumention

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SiemensSWAN

Membrane TechnologiesDupont

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Degassifiers3M

Filter MediaFiltraliteManganese Greensand Granular ActivatedCarbon Activated AluminaIon Exchange ResinNextSand ValvesBrayKeystoneGeorg Fischer Ultraviolet DisinfectionNeotechViqua

ChemicalsAntiscalantsCorrosion InhibitorsCoagulantsPolymersMembrane CleanersPotassium PermanganateReagentspH AdjustmentDisinfection

Calgary | Saskatoon | Humboldt | Winnipeg

Operations:Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

3714 Kinnear Place E: [email protected]

P: 1-888-244-6449 | F: (306) 665-7500https://www.delcoautomation.com/

A Division of Delco Automation Inc.


WATER RESEARCH

UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN (SASKATOON, SK)John Pomeroy, Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), has been awarded one of Canada’s top honours for outstanding contributions to environmental science. Pomeroy, who is among the world’s most renowned snow hydrologists, will be presented with the Miroslaw Romanowski Medal from the Royal Society of Canada at a ceremony in Ottawa on November 22. The award recognizes his exceptional contribution to snow research and the cold-season hydrology of mountain regions.

Pomeroy is director of the USask-led Global Water Futures (GWF) program, the world’s largest freshwater research program. An initiative of USask’s Global Institute for Water Security, GWF is funded in part with $77.8 million from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. His studies on snow distribution, snow cover evolution and energy balance, snow melt, and runoff have defined current understanding of climate warming impacts in cold regions.

Pomeroy uses computer simulation models to predict future water supply and quality. The algorithms he has developed have been incorporated into water and climate models around the world, and his Cold Regions Hydrological Model is now the standard predictive model in Western Canada.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Pomeroy leads many international projects, including those for UNESCO, the

World Climate Research Programme, and Future Earth. He regularly provides advice to governments on new flood mitigation and flood damage policies. Pomeroy is committed to educating the public about pressing hydrological and climate change issues through frequent media interviews, public commentary, and talks.

The prestigious medal is awarded annually for significant contributions to the resolution of scientific aspects of environmental problems. The recipient receives both a bronze medal and $3,000. An annual lecture series for the award recipient is also associated with the medal.

CANADIAN WATER NETWORK & INSURANCE BUREAU OF CANADA (VANCOUVER, BC)Richer data can help improve the accuracy of flood hazard maps that are used by governments, insurers, and investors to determine the flood risk, according to a study by the Canadian Water Network (CWN) and Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).

Large-scale flood risk models currently rely on low-resolution (30-metre) topographical data of mixed quality that give limited consideration to municipal flood defences. The study found that five-metre grid spacing gave the optimal resolution to evaluate flooding from intense rain events.

Craig Stewart, VP of Federal Affairs at IBC, said, “Improving access to richer information is a significant opportunity for Canadian municipalities, insurers, and

homeowners to better understand flood risk and to take action.”

Flooding is a costly issue for homeowners, municipalities, and the insurance sector – and these costs have been growing. Insurance payouts from extreme weather have more than doubled every five to 10 years since the 1980s.

The project’s conclusions support IBC’s position on the need for a National Action Plan on Flooding. Specifically, they strengthen IBC’s call on governments to target priority infrastructure investments in the areas at highest risk of flooding to protect as many people as cost-effectively as possible. Stewart said IBC is also calling on governments to immediately invest in improving the quality of terrain data and to make that data available so that prop-erty-owners can identify their properties’ exposure to floods and take measures to protect themselves.

“We need a proactive, cross-sector effort to continue to advance flood risk evaluation in Canada, one that reaps more value and effective actions from our collective expertise and knowledge,” said Bernadette Conant, CEO of CWN. Conant’s team presented the study’s findings to decision-makers from the various sectors earlier this spring and facili-tated a discussion with IBC on next steps.

“There is a wealth of data available – it’s a matter of coordinating that information in a way that is useful to all sectors,” Conant said.

The study emphasizes that Canada has an opportunity to create a central hub to connect and curate relevant data from the various sectors to improve flood risk evaluation.

(Source: Water Canada)

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WCW19

Our Water, Our Future

09 | 17-20 | 2019

RECAP


WCW19 Our Water, Our FutureThe overall sentiment of WCW19 was unequivocal: change is upon us! Whether we’re speaking about the effects of climate change, aging infrastructure, lack of funding or workforce regeneration, they are all massive challenges. But who is going to provide the solutions?

YOU. You have a stake in this. Whether it’s reinventing the way we

look at water, finding new solutions to old problems, advancing technology to meet growing demands or mentoring the next generation – the responsibility falls to you. The good news is that our community is home to the kinds of powerful, broad-spectrum thinkers and doers, who can influence, evolve and revolutionize our industry towards a better, more sustainable future.

Whether you attended, exhibited, sponsored, volunteered or presented, we thank you for your support. We hope you found value in being a part of WCW19 and that you walked away with a rejuvenated passion for the important work you do.

George Warren Fuller Award Paul Wobma, Jacobs

Leader of TomorrowAbubakar Waraich, Associated Engineering

Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ AwardLisa Van Waterschoot, Hatch Ltd.

Arthur Sidney Bedell AwardAlec Mackenzie, EPCOR

William D. Hatfield AwardDavey Robertson, EPCOR

Laboratory Analyst Excellence AwardColleen Mitchell, EPCOR

George W. Burke, Jr. AwardEPCOR Gold Bar WWTP

WCW19 Awards Al Reimer AwardGarth Carl, Henry Kroeger Regional Water Services Commission

H.C. Lindsten AwardRyan Roberts, Stantec Consulting Ltd.

H.M. Bailey AwardDouglas Kaupp, City of Lethbridge

William McKay Honorary Life AwardKathy AbramowskiEd SpohrNorm Grexton

Exceptional Municipal Project AwardCity of Calgary Shepard Waste Management Facility

WCW Best Article AwardJeffrey Da Silva, City of Prince Albert

WCW Ad of the YearKamstrup (Winter 2018 issue)

See you in Regina for WCW20A CLEAR VISION FOR TOMORROW

September 22-25, 2020


HOST SPONSOR

Conference SponsorsWCW19 was made possible through the generous support of our industry sponsors:

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PLANT PROFILE (NEW!)

Eden Valley Water Treatment Plant

PROJECT OWNER: Stoney Tribal Administration/Eden Valley

DESIGNER: Associated Engineering

PROPRIETARY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS:• AWC – Package Direct Filtration

Treatment System• Trojan – UV Disinfection

CONTRACTORS:• General Contractor:

Alpha Construction• Electrical Subcontractor:

Canem Systems• Civil/Site Works Subcontractor:

Blackie Site Works• Process Mechanical Subcontractor:

ICMS

COMPLETION DATE: • Currently under construction. • Commissioning of the Water Treatment

Plant is ongoing and the new upgrades are now operating.

COST:• Raw water reservoir construction cost:

$1,600,000• Water treatment plant & water

distribution system upgrades construction cost: $4,900,000.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:Located along Highway 40 approximately 30 km west of the Town of Longview, Alberta, the community of Eden Valley is part of the Bearspaw First Nation (BFN) and is a member of the Stoney Nakoda Nation. A direct filtration water treatment plant, constructed in 2005, produces potable water for the residents of Eden Valley, drawing water from the Highwood River. The water distribution system currently services close to 50% of the community while the other 50% of the community receive water that is trucked from the plant and delivered into cisterns.

A feasibility study of the Eden Valley Water System was completed in 2016

that recommended expansion of the existing system to include a new raw water reservoir and a new treatment train at the plant to provide redundancy and meet projected growth of the community for a 20-year horizon.

The scope of the project included three primary components:1. Upgrades to the water treatment

system;2. Upgrades to raw water storage; and3. Improvements to the water

distribution system.The population of Eden Valley at the time of design (2017) was 772. The projected 20-year design population is 1,257.


Water Treatment Plant Upgrades:The existing system treated water through direct filtration and chlorine disinfection. The new system uses the same process but adds UV disinfection.

To achieve the required treatment capacity for the 20-year horizon, a new treatment train with two filters was added resulting in a total of four filters. This increased the capacity from 468 m3/d to 1,256 m3/d (based on one redundant filter). A building addition was constructed next to the existing water treatment plant to house the new treatment train in addition to a chemical storage room, emergency shower and washroom.

Raw Water Reservoir:A new aerated 44,000 m3 raw water reservoir was constructed near to the water treatment plant. The raw water reservoir is hydraulically connected to the existing 6,137 m3 raw water reservoir, providing total storage over 50,000m3.

Water Distribution System:The upgrades to the water distribution system in Eden Valley included installation of: • New service connections to six residences

and the gas station;• 270 m of 150 mm PVC DR 18 water main;• 1,865 m of 200 mm PVC DR 18 water main;

and• 14 fire hydrants.These upgrades increased fire hydrant coverage, connected more residences and expanded the system with the objective of eventually connecting all residents in the community.


Meet Alec Mackenzie, a project manager with EPCOR. He graduated from Queen’s University with a degree in

Chemical Engineering and completed his Master’s at the University of Toronto (also in Chemical Engineering). He is the current Vice-Chair of the Western Canada Water Environment Association and recently received the Arthur Sidney Bedell Award at WCW19.

I’ve known Alec since I began working with Western Canada Water in 2015 and over the past few years we’ve worked on some pretty cool initiatives together. Last fall, we were part of a core group that executed the first National Stormwater Conference in Canada. Alec was instrumental in creating a strong technical program for the Conference and set the standard for the next one. He has solidified himself as a strong supporter of the water community and we are collectively better with him in it. If I ever have a question about the industry, Alec is one of my first calls (thanks for never making me feel like my questions are silly and always making time for them).

STARTING POINT Q. What was your first job after graduation? Did you learn anything that you couldn’t in a classroom?A. My first job out of university was working as a Junior Engineer for GHD on a large WWTP project, one of the first water reclamation projects in Canada. I was embedded in a WWTP for 15 months operating an advanced treatment pilot plant system (with microfiltration and reverse osmosis).

Yes, I learned so much. There’s a huge gap between what you learn in school and the practical knowledge required in the workplace. I knew how

WORKING IN WATER

Do something that matters: Alec Mackenzie

to read a pump curve and size a pump using the right formulas, but had no idea how to troubleshoot a pump that was air locked. The learning curve on that pilot plant was really steep, but looking back I’m grateful to have had the opportunity. There are some things you can only learn by doing, so I think it’s important for junior engineers to spend time in the types of facilities they are designing.

Q. What sparked your interest to pursue a career in the water industry? Can you describe a moment where you realized this was the field you wanted to work in?A. I’ve known I wanted a career in an environmental field for a long time. Growing up in Muskoka and spending summers on the lake, the environment was always a big part of my life. But it wasn’t until after university that I started to pursue a career in water specifically.

The keynote speaker at my graduation was one of the co-founders of Engineer’s Without Borders. In his speech, he talked about how he quit his job to pursue something important to him. As an engineering grad without a job at the time, this sounded insane to me. His advice to my graduating class was, “Do something that matters,” and that really resonated with me. Shortly after that, I attended a water charity event and learned about the impact one clean drinking water well had on an entire village. That was when I realized water was something that mattered and I became interested in the industry.

WORKING IN WATERQ. What are some surprising misconceptions about your job?A. Maybe not my job specifically, but

within the industry in general, I think there’s a common misconception that facilities alone make water clean. Behind every treatment plant, there’s a team of talented operators keeping it running. In my new role with EPCOR, I spend a lot more time in treatment plants working on projects. I’m always impressed at how knowledgeable the operators are, and how quickly they can adapt to changing conditions. As treatment systems get more and more advanced, operators are getting more advanced with them. They are definitely the unsung heroes of the industry.

Q. What advice would you give to someone interested in working in water? What experience should they try pick up?A. Sit down and talk to someone working in the industry. Buy them a coffee and pick their brain. Most water professionals are happy to talk about water all day long. Another option is to get involved with one of the great Young Professionals groups we have in Western Canada Water. It’s a great way to learn more about the industry and meet like-minded water professionals.

From an experience standpoint, my advice would be to spend as much time working in the field as you can (i.e., not in the office) early in your career. The more senior you get, the less opportunity you’ll have to get that practical experience. From an engineering standpoint, practical experience is invaluable and something you’ll continue to rely on the rest of your career.

Q. What do you think the future of the water industry looks like? A. It’s an exciting time to be in the water industry. Water utilities are

Kristen McGillivray, Western Canada Water


going through a digital transformation of sorts, with a lot of investment in smart water distribution and metering systems. It will be interesting to see how data analytics impacts operations and allows for more data-driven diagnostics and planning. I’ve read about some really interesting technologies being developed that leverage data to help automate master planning projects. As these systems get more advanced, I think we’ll see more innovative practices being developed and changing the way we do things.

CHALLENGES Q. How do you respond to constructive criticism? A. It can be challenging to hear, but it’s important not to take constructive criticism personally or get defensive. I always try to approach it with an open mind and as an opportunity to learn. Getting constructive criticism helps you grow by allowing you to focus on specific areas to improve your skills and performance.

Q. In thinking about career progression, what are some of your fears? How do you respond to them?A. I recently started a new job with EPCOR after spending the first nine years of my career in consulting. When considering leaving the only company I’d ever worked for, there was certainly a fear of change and a fear of the unknown. Fear is the enemy of action. I knew it was totally natural to want to stay in my comfort zone, so I didn’t let that impact my decision. Occasionally it’s good to step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself with a new opportunity.

PERSPECTIVE Q. Do you have a mentor? How important do you think mentorship is? A. I’ve been lucky to have had excellent mentors throughout my career who were always willing to advocate on my behalf and provide meaningful opportunities for growth. Mentorship is incredibly important to the success of a young professional’s career. I wouldn’t be where I am today

without the support and guidance of my mentors. One thing I’ve learned is mentorship can mean a lot of different things and all of them are valuable. Whether they are a technical expert, the champion of your cause, a trusted advisor or a sounding board for ideas, it’s rare that one person can provide everything you need to grow in your career.

Q. What advice would you give to your younger self?A. My advice would probably be to relax. Earlier in my career I tended to be a little impatient when it came to career advancement and “where I saw myself in five years.” I wanted to be a project manager with three years of experience under my belt. The older I get, I realize there is no real rush. Don’t worry about others ‘getting somewhere’ ahead of you. Good things will come if you work hard, but it’s important to take time and learn things the right way. Allow yourself time to grow and make mistakes.

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T his past May, volunteer judges from the Canadian Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) selected

“A Heavy Metal Extraction Process to Clean Contaminated Water Using Tannin-Embedded Biopolymers,” authored by 16-year-old Emily Mah and 17-year-old Jazlyn McGuinty from Widdifield Secondary School in North Bay, Ontario to represent Canada at the SJWP. They spent their summer tailoring their project and creating two formats of posters to meet the competition requirements. I had the great pleasure of accompanying Emily and Jazlyn to the SJWP as the National Organizer for Canada in August. After getting to know both young women, I can assure you of one thing – if this is the future, we are in good hands. Last month I had the opportunity to catch up with them and reflect on their experience.

Can you explain your project and what inspired you to research that topic? Our project is about using tannin-embedded biopolymer to extract heavy metals from contaminated water. We extracted tannins, an organic substrate, from oak leaves, and embedded them into an eco-friendly plastic called biopolymer. The tannins attracted the heavy metal ions, thus removing the heavy metals from the contaminated water. After this, the biopolymer could either be reused, or left to degrade naturally into the earth. While researching environmental problems with our mentor, Ms. Peterson, we came across the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a mining and smelting operation set to open in 2024 and is located in Northern Ontario. This 3.3-billion-dollar investment has the potential to be an environmental disaster and the surrounding bodies of water are likely to become contaminated by heavy metals. Heavy metals are toxic even at low concentrations and can cause nervous system damage, organ damage,

Catching up with the Canadian SJWP winnersKristen McGillivray, Western Canada Water Environment Association

reduced growth and development, cancer, and even death. Our solution is an environmental protection practice to ease the contamination levels in the bodies of water involved.

When you learned your project was selected to represent Canada at the world’s most prestigious water prize, what was your initial reaction? Emily: I was very humbled and grateful to learn we were selected to represent Canada. I had no idea what to expect after our essay was submitted, but when I found out, I was extremely excited. I was thrilled to be able to continue working on our project.

Jazlyn: Three hours leading up to the announcement, I was constantly refreshing my email, checking to see if we won. Every time I logged on, I felt a thrill of anticipation. After about the 14th time checking my Inbox, I finally received the email! I was so excited and happy, and immediately called my parents from school

to tell them the wonderful news. I couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day.

Were you nervous about anything during your preparation for the SJWP? Emily: I was nervous about creating our iPoster (a requirement of the SJWP). We had never made one before, so I was worried about developing it because it was such a large component of the interviews. I was also nervous about the judging, and whether or not they would ask difficult questions. It was hard to prepare for it because I had never presented at this level before.

Jazlyn: Making sure the presentation was the best it could be was the most nerve-racking part of the preparation. I was mostly nervous about preparing and conveying our information to the judges, since Emily and I both were at camps the week preceding the trip. I was also a little nervous about the flight as I’d never flown out of North America without my parents before.

Em & Jaz on Stockholm Bridges tour.Em & Jaz see their iPoster for the 1st time.


Once in Sweden, they split you up to room with other contestants from around the world. What was that experience like? Emily: I think it was a really great idea. I became quite close to my roommates, who were from Thailand and Cyprus, and still talk to them regularly. We shared a lot of stories about our countries. I’m really happy I got to stay with them as now I have friends from all over the world.

Jazlyn: I became very good friends with my two roommates from Chile and Belarus. We had so much fun getting ready together for the banquets, talking about current global environmental problems, and sharing information about our cultures.

What did you think of the other projects? Did you have any favourites? Emily: The other projects were phenomenal. Each one was unique and has such potential to make a difference in our world! It showed me that our future is in great hands. The dedication and hard work that went into the projects was very inspiring. It’s difficult to pick one favourite, but one that stood out to me was Bole Pan’s project; he is from China. His project prepared activated carbon by using peanut shells and defect-rich MoS2. He synthesized it using hydro-thermal method and then used it to address the fresh water crisis where he lives. I thought that this was unique because I had never heard of using peanut shells in any other projects.

Jazlyn: Every single project was very creative, and it was obvious that so much time went into perfecting each one. One of my favourite projects was about using waste materials and solar power to address the problem of fresh water crisis. Bole Pan (James), from China, conducted research on this subject matter. When he explained it to me, I was quite amazed by his hard work and determination to solve this water problem.

You went through three different judging periods. Can you share that experience? Emily: For the first set of judges, I was really nervous not knowing what to expect. When they interviewed us,

however, they were very friendly and less intimidating than I anticipated. They asked great questions about our project and also provided us with valuable feedback and advice on how to improve our project. After the first set of judges, I was not as nervous anymore, and really enjoyed the opportunity to share our hard work with an international panel of judges.

Jazlyn: Like Emily, I was very nervous for the first judging period, but as each period passed, it got easier and easier. The judging period was broken up into two portions: a five-minute presentation followed by a 10-minute Q&A period. The question period was the hardest as the international jury asked very difficult, thought-provoking questions.

You are both considering the medical field after graduation – any changes to your plan? Emily: Working on this project helped me explore many different areas of science. I am still leaning towards medical school and becoming a physician; however this experience allowed me to expand my interests. For example, an undergradu-ate degree in bio-medical engineering is something I am definitely considering.

Jazlyn: For now, I’d like to continue on the same path and pursue a bachelor’s degree in Life Science, followed by medical school. I hope to become a pediatrician. However, I’d still like to continue researching ways to solve environmental problems in the future (as a side hobby).

We hear a lot of doom and gloom about the future. Did participating in the SJWP give you hope for what’s to come and what your generation is capable of? Emily: There are lots of negative concerns about the environment right now in our world. Of course, this makes me very nervous about my future. However, when I met all the finalists, I realized there are still people that want to make the world better and will do everything they can to make this possible. I believe if we can continue to support and empower more youth around the world, there is indeed hope for what our generation can accomplish.

Jazlyn: Going to Sweden for the SJWP has given me so much hope for the future. Everyone was very determined, motivated, and had such creative solutions to many of the world’s biggest water-related challenges. By coming together, we expanded our thinking and collaborated when discussing problems facing our world. I believe and hope that our generation will be able to solve these problems and that the future is in good hands.

What was your favourite part about attending the SJWP? Emily: Meeting all the other finalists. I realized that this opportunity was about making lifelong friendships and networking with other like-minded people. Growing up in a smaller community in Northern Ontario, I’d never been surrounded by so many people who share the same love for science.

Jazlyn: I thoroughly enjoyed being able to meet people from around the world. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to spend a week with like-minded individuals from over 30 countries; one that I will cherish forever. I am very thankful for this amazing opportunity to learn, grow, and work together with these amazing people. I hope to meet them again in the future.

Our sincere thanks to all of the other Canadian WEF Member Associations, the CSJWP Committee, the SJWP and WEF for making this all possible. Congratulations to Macinley Butson of Australia for winning this year’s SJWP and to all of the contestants for their exceptional achievements in water research. And because I know they’re reading, Em and Jaz, as you move forward in life, keep the words of the 2019 Stockholm Water Prize Winner Dr. Jackie King as the constant voice in your head: “Follow your heart and reach beyond your grasp.”

Thank you to Jacobs for sponsoring the 2019 Canadian Stockholm Junior Water Prize. For more information about the CSJWP, please visit www.csjwp.ca.


When it comes to groundwater quality, fracking receives much of the public attention, but misses most of the picture, according to hydrogeologists Jennifer McIntosh from the University of Arizona and Grant Ferguson from the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

“There’s a critical need for long-term – years to decades – monitoring for potential contamination of drinking water resources not only from fracking, but also from conventional oil and gas production,” McIntosh said.

Fracking, also known as high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF), is the practice of injecting liquid under high pressure into petroleum-bearing rock formations to produce fractures or cracks that allow recovery of oil and natural gas. But it’s a smaller player in the underground water scene.

“The amount of water injected and produced for conventional oil and gas production exceeds that associated with fracking and unconventional production by well over a factor of ten,” McIntosh said.

While groundwater use varies by region in both countries, about 30% of Canadians and more than 45% of Americans depend on the resource for their municipal, domestic, and agricultural needs. In more arid regions of the United States and Canada, surface freshwater supplies are similarly important.

The researchers’ work appears in an issue paper published in the journal Groundwater. It looks at the relatively new practice of fracking alongside established activities such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and saltwater disposal (SWD) that have been around almost as long as the oil industry itself.

As its name implies, EOR involves injecting water into petroleum-bearing rock formations to ‘push’ the

Oil and gas and groundwaterMark A. Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan

oil and gas toward extraction wells to enhance production. Saltwater is produced as a by-product of petroleum production, and while it is used for EOR, any excess must be disposed of, typically by injecting it into depleted formations.

There are regulations governing the petroleum industry with regard to groundwater, but information about what is happening underground varies by province and state. Some jurisdictions keep excellent data while for others it’s virtually nonexistent. Despite this, Ferguson said they can make some observations.

“I think the general conclusions about water use and potential for contamination are correct but the details are fuzzy in some areas,” said Ferguson, a researcher with USask’s Global Institute for Water Security. “Alberta probably has better records than most areas and the Alberta Energy Regulator has produced similar numbers to ours for that region. We saw similar trends for other oil and gas producing regions, but we need better reporting, record keeping and monitoring.”

Both fracking and conventional practices can affect both groundwater and surface water used to make up volumes when there are insufficient other sources to continue petroleum production.

McIntosh and Ferguson looked at how much water was and is being injected underground by petroleum industry activities, how they change pressures and water movement underground, and how these practices could contaminate groundwater supplies. They also compared fracking with the older practices.

What they found is that there is likely more water now in the petroleum-bearing formations than


Louis-Philippe Milot at 514-451-9915or [email protected]


Oil and gas and groundwaterthere was to begin with due to EOR, and this has changed the behaviour of liquids underground. The concern is that this increases the likelihood of contaminated water making its way into aquifers, that is, the freshwater-bearing formations on which so many communities depend.

Potential effects can be felt far from petroleum-producing regions. For example, previous studies show that operation of disposal wells can cause seismic activity detectable from more than 90 kilometres away. Conventional activities, while they use lower pressures, take place over longer periods of time and may allow contamination over greater distances.

Another wild card is that there are thousands of active, dormant, and even abandoned wells across North America. Some of these are leaky or improperly decommissioned, providing possible pathways for contamination from petroleum-producing formations into freshwater aquifers.

While there is some effort to deal with this problem through organizations such as Alberta’s Orphan Well Association, there is little consensus as to the size of the problem. Ferguson said depending which source is cited – highly speculative based on per-well decommissioning costs – the price tag ranges from a few billion to a few hundred billion dollars.

“We haven’t done enough site investigations and monitoring of groundwater to know what the liability really looks like,” he said. “My guess is that some wells probably should be left as is and others are going to need more work to address migration of brines and hydrocarbons from leaks that are decades old.”


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The future is uncertain, but we must prepare for it regardless, and deal with the present at the same time.

If history rhymes with both the present and future, it follows that they also rhyme with each other, meaning the problems we’ll be facing in the future should have the familiar ring of the past and present to them. Thus, to prepare for what is to come, we should eliminate or mitigate current and past problems so the future is less burdensome, and provide ourselves with the necessary flexibility and spare capacity to deal with the coming years more effectively and efficiently.

The ongoing operations and maintenance of the City of Calgary’s wastewater and stormwater lift stations (i.e., pump stations), and the "program" to improve them and their O&M processes, may not seem to be terribly epic or poetic to the untrained or uninterested eye; but as both a driver and a passenger in this 10-year journey, I can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that Mark Twain’s idiom pertains to this effort as much as it does to anything else, and I believe this line of thinking may be the best way to explain the "program" to operate, maintain, improve, and sometimes replace the City’s lift stations in a fashion that prepares us for future risks and unknowns.

I say “program” because it wasn’t a fully thought out and mapped process from the beginning, but evolved over time from a roughly understood set of ideas into the current informal quasi-program that is still evolving towards a more mature and refined formal program. While a fully-fledged set of directions certainly would have been more convenient, no coherent singular pre-existing plan seemed to exist for the City’s lift stations, which were a mish mash of different vintages,

designs, and circumstances, with poorly documented post-construction histories. As such, the first step towards the future was to develop a more complete understanding of the lift stations and their current condition, without being overly exhaustive.

In 2011, the City undertook an assessment program, where each facet of a lift station was visually inspected, tested, and measured to provide a detailed list of equipment and systems; and then given a rating on their condition and an overall score. This information established the current state of the lift stations in a comprehensive manner, and helped flesh out the various types of problems that plagued this type of infrastructure in general, and those specific to each style of lift station, both concrete and abstract. For example, older lift stations had such deficiencies as:• Outdated equipment that was

antiquated or obsolete:• Standby generators • Pump controls panels• HVAC blowers;

• Asbestos containing materials;• Severely corroded steel wet wells,

platforms, ladders; and• Previous conversions to close-

coupled pumps, without any apparent engineering oversight.

These and other concerns, including the assessment scoring results, helped inform the short- and mid-term needs from the standpoint of capital maintenance, but also the long-term issues that could rear their ugly heads as time marched on. It also helped establish which lift stations could be significantly improved in their current form and which needed complete replacement. By establishing our overall starting point status (i.e., Point A), our ‘destination’ status (i.e., Point B) came

partially into focus, allowing us to chart a path forward.

Point B is both where you are headed and where you end up, depending on your perspective. In order to reach a more ideal destination, you must know how to find it – and that requires defining it accurately and precisely. For lift stations, this meant creating a theoretically ideal lift station design in terms of each engineering discipline (i.e., civil, mechanical, electrical, etc.), as well as the configuration and layout to best meet the needs of your O&M staff and contractors (e.g., safety), and improve the ease of future capital maintenance work. The conceptually simpler elements, or low hanging fruit, would be the well-known or familiar causes of problems, such as: • Steel wet wells,• Flat roofs,• Flood risks, and• Inaccessible equipment. The thornier and more difficult aspects to pin down, due to the complexity of the systems or due to the abstract and subjective nature of the problems, were such issues as:• Standardization of pump controls

design;• Telemetry and Supervisory Control

and Data Acquisition (SCADA) implementation;

• Process piping configuration; and• Building and room layouts.The application of lessons learned from previous projects, along with sound engineering judgment, and the wisdom and experience of the O&M staff and contractors, provided all the information required to offer direction on all future lift station projects.

Once we had our first iteration of the perfect asset, it needed to be codified

FUTURE-PROOFING LIFT STATIONSDaniel Schaefer, Operations Engineer, Operational Performance, Wastewater and Stormwater Collection, The City of Calgary

If you want to change the future, you must change what you’re doing in the present.Mark Twain

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into a set of guidelines that could be applied as standard requirements for all future lift station work, whether they were improvements to existing lift stations, capital replacements of these assets, or completely new ones. However, because each lift station is a different kettle of fish, the first and current versions of this document require a certain degree of interpretation to be applied correctly to any given set of circumstances, which in turn lead to further iterations and improvements to the guidelines document. As the document matures, so does our understanding of a lift station’s plight, our cognizance of previously unrealized problems, and the anticipation of potential future problems beyond those that are well known, in terms of capacity and functionality. For example:• Pump controls via Programmable Logic

Controller (PLC) allow for a lift station’s Process Control Narrative (PCN) to be flexibly programmed;

• SCADA connectivity allows the PLC to provide vast amounts of data to evaluate a lift station’s condition; and

• Secondary relay-based pump controls will allow the pumps to safely continue operation should the PLC fail, or be disabled by a malicious network actor (e.g., Stuxnet, botnets).

While PLC failures may be somewhat rare, and SCADA network attacks are currently not persistent problems in Calgary, they and other potential problems are certainly worth considering when thinking about lift

station design and planning for the future.The City’s Lift Stations Flood Resiliency

Improvements are an excellent case study of this future-focused design philosophy, where multiple lift stations were damaged or otherwise impacted by Calgary’s 2013 flood event, and each one required a different set of solutions based on their unique circumstances. After performing the initial assessment of the post-flood condition of the 13 lift stations within flood-affected areas, and completing the remedial work required to return them all to service in the short-term, work on the longer-term solutions to address flood resiliency concerns began.

The lift stations were separated into two groups: those where significant flood resiliency improvements (i.e., up to 1 in 50-year return period or greater) could be made within their existing building; and those that clearly required new buildings to achieve a similar or greater result. The six lift stations from the latter category were then evaluated to determine the exact flood resiliency improvements their existing buildings could accommodate, what further changes would be triggered by these improvements (i.e., code requirements, personnel access), and what general improvements could be incorporated with these modifications.

Flood resiliency improvements to existing lift stations are generally defined as modifications to prevent the unwanted ingress of flood waters

Sunnyside Lift Station, before and after.

Roxboro Lift Station after construction.

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into a wet well, dry well, or building – while mitigating geotechnical buoyancy forces and the potential structural damage – as well as to prevent vulnerable equipment from being damaged. The former involves strategies like: • Disconnecting local stormwater

drainage from a sanitary lift station; • Elevating hatches and other access

points; and • Elevating building penetrations

(e.g., HVAC, electrical). The latter requires modifications such as:• Putting equipment on taller

housekeeping pads;• Installing equipment higher up on the

wall; or• Hanging equipment closer to the

ceiling. The typically triggered upgrades resulting from flood resiliency improvements are:• HVAC requirements (e.g., ventilation

rates, segregating systems);• Natural gas standby generator related

changes (e.g., emergency exhaust fans, generator lock-out interlocked with gas detection); and

• Elevated access modifications (e.g., ramps, catwalks, and ladders).

Non-flood related general improvements were added where they could be reasonably extended from the existing scope, based on the existing lift station guidelines document and engineering judgment, such as:

• Safety: confined space entry equipment, new guardrails and gripped rung ladders;

• Building systems: durable wall sheathing, better insulation;

• Civil: paving gravel driveways, improving drainage flow paths; and

• Electrical: consolidating discrete breakers and fused disconnects into a breaker panel, new lighting.

Flood resiliency improvements requiring complete or near-complete replacement of existing lift stations is more straightforward, conceptually speaking. Flood damaged lift stations slated for capital replacement pre-2013 (with their new designs being in accordance with the guidelines document) had additional flood requirements added to their design scope. Otherwise, conceptual designs were developed for future capital replacements with flood resiliency improvements so that these improvements could be applied uniformly, to thoroughly understand the effects of flood resiliency on overall costs, and to be better prepared should additional funds be made available for these projects (i.e., ‘shovel ready’). With a completely new lift station building, moving its vulnerable equipment to an ideal elevation becomes feasible, and two-storey structures with above grade ground floors were the primary outcome of this new possibility.

The completed flood resiliency improvements, with the triggered

and additional improvements, delivered modernized lift stations that are better prepared for a future with flooding, as well as one with the more familiar problems. Furthermore, lessons learned during the design and construction of these assets are being implemented in the next version of the guidelines document, allowing subsequent lift station improvements and capital replacements to be even better prepared for the future.

The long and the short of it is that the City of Calgary’s lift stations improvement program process is:1. Assess the current state,2. Determine the ideal ultimate state,3. Complete projects to get closer to the

ideal state, and4. Repeat.This continuous improvement process has brought the City’s lift stations out of a ‘present-only’ focused mindset – albeit, a devoted and active one – into one with an eye towards the horizon. In a nutshell, the City and its citizens are better off for it. However, there are always improvements to be made, and we’ll never quite reach ‘Point B,’ but that’s just the nature of things. Like a canoe paddling upriver, never quite moving forwards or backwards, but where stopping means being swept downriver, the future flows towards the present and we paddle forward as efficiently and effectively as possible.

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Water and wastewater treatment systems are energy intensive resulting in significant costs

to municipalities. In the USA, drinking water and wastewater systems use approximately 2% of the total electricity use and spend about $4 billion a year on energy to pump, treat, deliver, collect, and clean water. A municipality’s total energy bill can have up to one-third expended on energy costs for water and wastewater treatment. The electricity use of water and wastewater systems typically accounts for 80% and 25-40% of their respective operating budgets.

With increasing populations and more stringent regulations, energy loads and the associated costs are expected to increase. There is value in assessing energy efficiencies in water and wastewa-ter systems, where even minimal reduc-tions can result in significant potential cost savings. For example, a 10% reduction in the energy use of American drinking water and wastewater systems would collectively save approximately $400 million and more than 5 billion kWh annually.

Municipalities should consider exploring opportunities to improve energy efficiencies of water and wastewater systems to reduce energy use and environmental and economic costs.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMSBrian Sibley, Project Engineer, City of Saskatoon

There are multiple areas within the water use cycle (storage, treatment, distribution, end use) where energy efficiency improvements can be evaluated and applied. Energy opportunities can include having adequate storage to avoid pumping at times of peak energy cost, installing SCADA software in facilities, reducing water distribution and wastewater collection leaks, implementing automatic meter reading, recycling of water and process by-products, installing renewable power options, pump system assessments and water conservation. Reducing water consumption, water loss, and wastewater leads to reductions in energy use and the associated costs. The goals and risks of an organization should be considered when evaluating energy efficiency opportunities and how well options align with financial and master plans.

To improve energy efficiencies, communities should assess their water and wastewater facilities as a whole, considering all facilities within the system. Environmental, economic, and other benefits of improving energy efficiency in water and wastewater facilities can include reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, reduced energy costs, job creation and market

development, improved energy and water security, protection of public health, and demonstrating leadership and responsibility as an organization. The USEPA has developed a seven-step process, consistent with the Plan-Do-Check-Act management systems approach, which water and wastewater treatment facilities can follow to develop, implement and sustain energy efficiency programs.

The costs of energy efficiency investments are typically low relative to the savings. Opportunities for improving energy efficiency in water and wastewater facilities fall into three basic categories: 1) equipment upgrades, 2) operational modifications, and 3) modifications to facility buildings. The potential savings due to operational modifications may be greater than equipment upgrades and may require minimum or no capital investments with funding through operating revenues.

In water and wastewater systems pumping is typically the largest source of energy consumption, accounting for 55% to 90% of overall electricity use. Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of pump used in these industries. Historically, these pumps have been oversized in an attempt to anticipate future plant capacity expansions and pumping

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conditions, and due to rounding up to the next available size. Additionally, pumps may not be sized correctly due to the pumping requirements not being clearly defined during the design phase. These factors often lead to pumps having operating points that do not align with their design points.

When selecting a pump, the performance and system curves should have a point of intersection (or Operating Point) that is at or near its Best Efficiency Point (BEP). The BEP is the operating point of a centrifugal pump where the efficiency is at a maximum point. Pumps often are unable to achieve maximum efficiency due to over-design and incorrect sizing. The Hydraulic Institute recommends a Preferred Operating Range of 70% to 120% of BEP flow rate.

Generally, greater efficiency and savings can be achieved through properly sizing pump and motor systems and correctly designing the system to optimize energy use; almost two-thirds of the potential energy savings for motor systems involve system optimization. Typically, 15% to 30% energy is saved through optimizing pump system efficiency, with up to 70% available in retrofit situations where projections did not meet the expected forecast. Upgrading from low-efficiency to high-efficiency pumps should only be applied after system optimization and lifecycle costing has been completed. Upgrading to high-efficiency pumps can typically produce energy savings of 5 to 25%. The payback period and lifecycle costs are important factors to evaluate when prioritizing energy efficiency opportunities.

Pump system optimization requires assessing the existing conditions and needs of the system and adjusting parameters to try to operate at or near the BEP while meeting the needs of the system. When assessing pump system optimization, effort should be made to eliminate all outside influences. It is common for pump optimization to follow the 20:80 rule where about 80% of the energy savings will come from optimizing 20% of the pumps. Adjusting the characteristics of the performance curve and modifying the system curve by changing system losses or flow are the key areas for adjusting the system operating point towards the BEP.

There are several resources and tools available to assist with assessing pump system optimization. The US Department of Energy developed a computer-based Pumping System Assessment Tool (PSAT) which can assist with recognizing, both qualitatively and quantitatively, opportunities to improve pumping efficiency. The PSAT uses achievable pump performance data from Hydraulic Institute standards and motor performance data from the MotorMaster+ database to determine the achievable

and optimum efficiencies for a pump, as well as correction factors at specified operating conditions which the tool uses to calculate potential energy and associated cost savings. The Hydraulic Institute also provides publications and software for pump system flow modeling, pump selection, pump system analysis, and troubleshooting. In addition to computer tools and literature, there is extensive experience and knowledge amongst professionals in the water and wastewater industries.

Water and wastewater systems use a significant amount of energy and may not be operating at optimum efficiency. The environmental and economic benefits of system optimization can be substantial relative to the costs involved with optimization. As facilities assess and implement system energy efficiency opportunities, they will gain experience which can then be applied to future planning, designs, pump selection, and system optimizations. Facilities should consider implementing an energy efficiency improvement program including pump system optimization to achieve higher operating efficiency to reduce energy use and costs.

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Step 1 – Get ReadyStep 2 – Assess Current Energy Baseline StatusStep 3 – Establish an Energy Vision and Priorities for ImprovementStep 4 – Identify Energy Objectives and Targets

Do Step 5 – Implement Energy Improvement Programs and Build a Management System to Support Them

Check Step 6 – Monitor and Measure Results of the Energy Improvement Management Program

Act Step 7 – Maintain the Energy Improvement Program

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The Northwest Territories and Nunavut are a vast expanse of land lying mostly north of the

60th parallel and making up about one-third of Canada’s total area. The population of this huge area is only 84,000, and the communities of Yellowknife and Iqaluit have 40% of the population. In both territories, the territorial governments are ultimately responsible for providing water distribution and sewage collection systems to the 58 communities, although in the Northwest Territories a significant amount of this responsibility has been devolved to the communities, particularly the larger communities.

Of the 58 communities, only 10 of the communities have piped water and sewer, and the remainder of the communities are served with trucked water and sewer. Water supply and sewage collection systems of many types and materials have been installed over the past 60 years. While not always successful, these systems have provided invaluable experience and have all contributed to the development of the standards utilized today.

Many innovations have been made as part of the development and evolution of standards used today, and one of the most significant has been the freeze protection of the water and sewer systems. Freezing is the inevitable outcome of placing water-filled piping in an environment that is colder than 0˚C. Freezing usually leads to substantial damage to the piping, and therefore it is an undesirable situation.

Classic responses to freeze protection have been to avoid freezing environments, or provide freeze protection measures. In avoiding the freezing environment, the most common approach has been to bury the piping deeply enough to ensure that it operates in unfrozen soil, or provide insulation over the pipe to prevent the frost from penetrating to the depth of the pipeline.

NORTHERN WATER SYSTEM INNOVATIONS FOR FREEZE PROTECTIOND. Farrell McGovern, Independent Consultant and Ken Johnson, AECOM Canada Ltd.

Other common freeze protection measures applied in the Far North have been insulation of the pipe itself by applying a factory installed layer of polyurethane foam to reduce heat loss and heat tracing with a heating cable adjacent to the pipe to offset the heat loss from the pipe. Pipe insulation reduces the rate of heat loss and delays the time to freeze; however, freezing is still inevitable given sufficient time. There are limited opportunities to optimize freeze protection by heat tracing, such as a thermostatic control in small portions of the distribution system; but heat tracing cables are expensive to operate and have historically been unreliable and subject to failure after a period of time.

The fundamental practice for water systems developed in southern Canadian environments has been to design and construct water distribution systems as a grid to improve reliability and hydraulic performance. The hydraulic analysis often has the assumption that there are uniform water demands applied across the entire system. The hydraulic design includes consideration for high water demands for fire flow plus maximum day demand, or maximum hour demand.

Freeze concerns in this approach arise during low demand periods, and non-uniform distribution of demand, which may cause a change in direction, or stagnation of flow in the piping.

An innovation to freeze protection emerged with the consideration of the physics of water freezing, which included the principles of heat loss, mass flow and ambient temperature to estimate a temperature depression for the water. However, the thermal analysis requires ground temperature data, which was not easy to find. Some data was available from records of Canadian Climate Norms and more site-specific data was available from areas where agricultural research had taken place. However, it was usually

required to assume a value based on experience and make judgements that the ground temperature would be somewhat lower than the climatic mean, but warmer than surface temperature.

Another element to the analysis was the water temperature in the system itself, which could be obtained from system operating data. With groundwater supplied systems there is a freeze protection bonus because groundwater is usually considerably warmer than surface water that is available during the winter months. Unfortunately, groundwater supplies are unusual in the North.

Yellowknife system

Rankin Inlet system

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Surface water supplies can be challenging and may require tempering (heating). The most significant concern is the ‘temperature depression,’ which emerges from a calculation of heat loss. The volumetric flow rate is used to calculate mass flow rate, and by applying the specific heat, the temperature depression may be determined. If all things are in order with this calculation, the mass of water leaves the section of pipe under analysis with a temperature above 0˚C. It is true that water can remain liquid at 0˚C, but only the brave depend upon latent heat to avoid freezing.

Calculations alone may not be enough to finalize the system. Developing a comfortable understanding about the flow patterns in the distribution system may be needed. This understanding includes a determination of the flow patterns during periods of low demand. The energy gradient may be very flat during low demands, leading to challenges in reliably estimating flow directions and volume of flow. The available history of a water system can provide guidance about low demand rates, but if information is not

available, assumptions may be necessary about the demands.

It should be noted that flowing water can freeze with the formation of frazil ice, which is ‘soft’ or amorphous ice formed by the accumulation of ice crystals in water that is too turbulent to freeze solid. Basically, the water needs to be moved out of the system before the heat needed for freeze protection is lost, and newer, warmer water must be added to offset the heat loss. Freeze protection is best applied at a point remote from the supply, which assures that the system sees consumption plus freeze protection demands, and assures some energy gradient across the system.

The action to remove water out of the system before too much heat is lost is accomplished via two approaches. The traditional approach has been to ‘bleed’ water from the water system into the sewer system, which is generally easy to do, but is wasteful and expensive. The second approach is to use pumps which create a recirculation flow, but which demand that the system does not include any

local closed loops, that could simply circulate the water until it uniformly freezes. This design provision often creates single loop, non-gridded water systems that are somewhat complex.

Associated with looped systems are some unique configurations of piping and some unique pieces of hardware. The unique configurations can include three pipe systems, where the third pipe is looping back on itself to overcome a dead-end system. The unique hardware includes the insulated access vault system, where the water and sewer pipe pass through a common access point.

In summary, the development of a freeze protection strategy for a water system requires a reliable understanding of flow patterns that is independent of demand; a method to predict heat loss and temperature depression; and sufficient flow that the returning water remains above 0˚C. It is also important to recognize that, despite our best efforts, things can go wrong. There are places where piping that resists damage due to freezing, such as HDPE, may be a good choice.

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U tility owners in growing municipalities may find themselves in the position

of needing to meet higher levels of production and service more customers. Increasing capacity through capital upgrades is an option, but this is a costly approach that typically takes several years to plan and bring into service. What if more water could be produced from an existing plant utilizing the existing infrastructure within a short period of time, while still meeting treated water quality requirements? Optimization can potentially provide these benefits and should be considered as the first approach to increasing treatment capacity.

What exactly does optimization mean? In the context of potable water treatment, it means producing more water out of the same plant, with only minimal capital investment. Although the maximum level of capital investment is undefined, the idea is that only small modifications would be required to push existing treatment processes beyond the capacity levels at which they are currently operating. This could apply to any of the conventional treatment steps; pre-treatment processes, filtration, and disinfection may all have the potential for optimization.

When a water treatment plant (WTP) is first designed, key performance parameters like treated water production, treated water quality, and the quality of the raw (untreated) water are considered. For many plants, especially the older ones, many of these criteria change over time. For example, regulatory requirements become more stringent, and raw water quality may improve or degrade. The result is that a plant’s ‘actual’ or ‘true’ production capacity may differ from its ‘rated’ capacity. Optimization is the process of bringing those two ratings back into alignment.

What can actually be optimized in a typical conventional water treatment plant?

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING A WTP OPTIMIZATION PROGRAMJeff Huber and Sutha Suthaker, Associated Engineering

PRE-TREATMENT/CLARIFICATIONIf some form of pre-treatment is present, it might be possible to optimize that process while still maintaining acceptable effluent quality. Sedimentation basins, clarifiers, and dissolved air flotation are common examples where loading rates can be assessed for optimization. Handling of increased pre-treatment wastes generated should also be considered.

FILTRATIONFilters that are operating at low loading rates are good candidates for optimization. The program should consider the impact of filter optimization on backwashing requirements (as this may impose an operational constraint) and generation of additional backwash water.

DISINFECTIONChemical disinfection can be optimized through increasing baffling factors in contact basins. Dye (tracer) testing may be a useful approach to validating higher baffling factors that could allow higher flows within the same contact basin.

Of course, there are practical limits to optimization. While it may be possible to run a clarifier or a filter at a higher loading rate and still maintain the same effluent quality, hydraulic capacity could become a limiting factor at some point. Optimization efforts must therefore include an assessment of the hydraulic capacity for major unit processes to determine what flows are possible while still staying within an allowable hydraulic

grade line (i.e., not overflowing the plant). To increase hydraulic capacity, it may be necessary to install larger piping, conduits or channels, which are more difficult and costly to resolve, and are therefore likely to be major optimization constraints.

IMPLEMENTING AN OPTIMIZATION PROGRAMHow should a utility owner approach optimization? The first step would be to collect historical data on raw water quality, treated water quality, flows, and performance data on the different treatment processes within a plant. Examples of useful performance data are clarifier and filter loading rates, chlorine residual concentrations, and filter backwashing data. An assessment of the data against industry benchmarks may indicate where treatment processes are being underutilized. If there appears to be unused capacity in one or more processes, the next step would be to move onto validation through full-scale stress testing to observe performance at elevated loading rates. Although pilot scale testing is useful for assessing per-formance, it will not predict operational issues at full plant flows.

Stress testing is a critical step to confirm whether optimization is feasible because it exposes potential issues that are not apparent from a desktop study, or from operating at lower production rates. Operational issues may be exacerbated by higher flows; these may not be immediately apparent and might take days or even weeks to emerge,

While it may be possible to run a clarifier or a filter at a higher loading rate and still maintain the same effluent quality, hydraulic capacity could become a limiting factor at some point.

OPTIMIZATION


which is why the duration of stress testing is important. A series of tests should be planned to span different seasons and raw water conditions. This will confirm whether higher demands can be met under all conditions, or whether they are dependent on raw water conditions.

CHALLENGESAfter the initial steps, the optimization potential for a given plant may look very promising, but then what happens? Implementation of the program will almost certainly be the most challenging step. This is the step in which actual changes are taking place within the plant, and where the most risk is present. For staff accustomed to operating a plant in a certain manner, changing the way things are done can be daunting because it means operating outside the historical comfort zone and having less time to react to upset conditions. Nonetheless, this step is necessary for optimization to occur. Including operations staff in the optimization program provides hands-on experience with the plant under the optimized conditions and allows for a more efficient transition if and when optimization is fully embraced.

Stress testing can be challenging for utilities to complete; by its very nature, operating at higher than normal loadings represents a risk to treated water quality, and utilities will naturally not wish to be in this position. A stress testing program must be well thought out, with contingency plans in place for unforeseen situations. Process stress testing may require a higher level of staffing to monitor water quality, and to be available to quickly respond to deviations in water quality if they were to occur.

Raw water quality is another challenge that must be considered. Ideally, testing will coincide with different seasons and periods of raw water quality; turbidity, organics, temperature, and pH are key raw water parameters for which to plan around. However, be prepared for unexpected variations in raw water quality that impact the planned testing schedule – this applies especially to surface water supplies.

Is it realistic to expect that significant production gains can be made without making modifications to the plant?

That depends on the specifics of the plant; small gains in production might be possible with little or no capital investment simply by increasing loading rates. To achieve more significant gains, modifications will likely be required to address issues with ancillary equipment. Chemical storage and dosing, electrical components and pumping systems are examples of infrastructure that might end up being undersized for optimized flows, and the cost of these modifications should be factored in. A thorough optimization program will link

the required replacement/upsizing of these components to different levels of optimization, and thereby cost out the different levels of production gain. At some point, a larger scale capacity upgrade will become more economical.

The overall message to owners thinking about optimization? It is a sensible approach to increasing your production, but implementing it is not a simple task. It requires a high level of planning and some dedicated resources, but positive results can defer costly capital projects.

Some practical suggestions for implementing an optimization program:

Designate Operations Staff

Designate Operations staff to the program as a go- between for Operations and the optimization team, and make that person responsible for coordinating testing with other activities and constraints.

Scheduled Optimization Stress Tests

Schedule stress tests to not conflict with other projects that the utility is undertaking. These might include capital projects at the treatment plant, distribution system work, or planned maintenance activities. Numerous activities happening at different locations can result in risk that is unacceptable to the owner, and resultant deferral of optimization activities.

Frequency/ Costs of Water Quality Testing

Don't forget about the frequency and cost of water quality testing. Depending on the size and scope of the program, the number of tests required may be quite high, and could impose additional load on staff doing the sampling and testing.

Contingency Plans/Redirecting/Disposing of Off-Spec Water

Have contingency plans in place for redirecting or disposing of off-spec water in the event that stress testing results in poor water quality. For smaller plants, this may be difficult to achieve in practice.

Implementing Support Systems

Operating at higher production rates through optimization means that operators may have less time to react to upset conditions. Consider implementing support systems such as upstream water quality monitoring, or additional process monitoring to provide early warning of quality deviations.

OPTIMIZATION


T he management of a utility can be complex. It requires analysis of information from many sources

in order to make good decisions. By compiling and documenting the right information and using it on an ongoing basis it can be used to support your efforts and to demonstrate that you are providing a high-quality product in the most effective and efficient way possible.

Reporting results is an increasingly important part of transparent operations and typically includes documentation of key performance indicators (KPIs) that are measured and tracked. In commercial utility operations, these performance measures are crafted to summarize the details required to establish how the system is operating; indicate how you are taking care of the assets including the refurbishment, replacement, and maintenance; in addition to the daily operations. The information can also be used for long-term planning of these activities and forecasting of resources such as financial expenditures and manpower allocations.

EPCOR Water Partners was awarded the P3 project for the design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of the Regina wastewater treatment plant in May 2014. Along with construction activities, the transition of the site from the City to EPCOR included transferring all relevant historical data from the existing laboratory, SCADA systems and business systems. EPCOR established a new computer network, implemented its computerized maintenance management and SCADA systems, and integrated the site with its existing business networks within a six-month timeframe. In addition, the Regina EPCOR team had contract commitments to become ISO 14001 certified, Certificate of Recognition for safety (COR) certified, and the lab needed to be Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA) accredited (ISO 17025) in an 18-month

OPTIMIZATION OF OPERATIONS USING ELECTRONIC TOOLSVicki Campbell, Senior Manager and Rui Li, Operations Engineer, EPCOR Water Prairies

window following substantial completion. Further, the detailed P3 contract required a Quality Management System (QMS) that integrated with ISO 9001, 18 management plans per year, monthly reporting to the City and 11 annual reports, as well as other requirements. How do you keep on top of the deliverables? How do you roll this all together in a manner that makes sense? What tools are available for today’s utility manager?

For a contracted operation, optimization of work processes and documentation is essential to meet all regulatory, contract and internal corporate requirements. The Regina team needed to develop a robust document control system to keep on top of every aspect of site management including operational and maintenance processes, action trackers, regulatory and client reporting, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), drawings, management of change documents, and safety documentation, to name a few areas. The reporting requirements were a key driver for selection of a

document management system. We needed a system that would allow several employees to work on reports at the same time while avoiding the challenges of emailing large files. An online Microsoft SharePoint based system was implemented as the foundation of the document control system to ensure everyone was abreast of changes, the latest version was always used, and the tracking of changes was auditable. This approach is called our integrated Management System (iMS) and it is essentially an intranet repository with links to access all safety, operations, lab, environmental and regulatory information. The ‘one-stop shop’ approach makes it easy for employees to find the documents they need and brings together the health and safety, quality management, and environmental management systems.

This approach was chosen as it is an intuitive way to find information. Great documentation is not helpful if employees can’t find it. It is also necessary for employees to be able to

Integrated Management System Components

For a contracted operation, optimization of work processes and documentation is essential to meet all regulatory, contract and internal corporate requirements.

OPTIMIZATION


find the information easily in order to achieve ISO certification, as the external audits involve interviewing employees to test their ability to locate files. It is an important part of success.

Also, as far as auditors are concerned, if it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen – and it if isn’t used, and regularly updated, it is not a quality process.

ASSET MANAGEMENTThe Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is the backbone of the asset management and maintenance programs.

The asset management approach used in EPCOR follows ISO 55000 standards. Knowing the conditions of the assets, predicting when replacement may be required, and allocating resources appropriately over a 30-year contract term are essential for not only contract requirements, but also to be consistent with corporate business planning and operational expectations. Further, the system includes not just asset information, but also the feedback loop goes one step further so that it includes a tradesperson’s time, parts and supplies in the warehouse – for efficient and optimized maintenance planning purposes.

The compilation of this data in one central location also makes reporting and optimization easier. Reports can be generated and provide management information that includes asset conditions and key performance indicators such as downtime, backlog, schedule completion and aids in forecasting replacement of key process equipment.

SCADA, LAB AND OPERATIONS DATA Other systems and practices that were developed to assist operators and management to make process decisions uses software tools available on the market to integrate SCADA, operational and laboratory data.

Tying this information together generates a critical set of data for operators and management to make informed decisions to control the process. Generating trends using operations data, SCADA data, in-house lab results and external lab results optimizes efforts, saving time and resources. Currently, the data is emailed to a distribution list every morning in a

spreadsheet so it can be easily viewed from anywhere on a smart phone.

Operators can view trends and red-flagged cells can reduce errors in data entry and/or draw appropriate attention to upset conditions. Links are provided in appropriate places to refer the operator to a specific SOP for review. The next level of optimization the team is working on is to program the system to automatically generate reports in a format suitable for clients, stakeholders and regulators.

Knowing what is going on, producing measurable results and tracking progress using information at our fingertips (even when out of the office) help us on our path to continuous improvement. Using these tools to align manpower and other resources with actual needs optimizes the operation. These tools also further our commitment to operational excellence by helping us understand the true cost of operations and maintenance including individual pieces of equipment, parts and downtime.

OPTIMIZATION

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Vicki Campbell, WCW Director, CWWA

Committees focusing on a variety of water issues

CWWA REPORT

The Canadian Water Wastewater Association continues to be busy and represents you on many very important issues.

With the recent federal election on every-one’s mind, this is a good time to look at what is going on at that federal level and within your national association.

After years of advocating for infrastructure renewal, we have seen significant federal funds directed to the Canada Infrastructure Plan, with specific funds identified for water projects including for First Nations. CWWA has worked closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on how some of these funds are distributed through the Green Municipal Fund and other community capacity building programs such as those related to asset management and climate change.

The focus on climate change includes a directed effort to address flood risk. CWWA represents our sector on the Flood Risk Advisory Council and is participating in working groups on flood

mapping and financial relief programs/insurance. We should start to see new mapping information and portals in 2020 and more national discussions on storm water management expectations.

The CWWA technical committees have also been very busy, sponsoring research, producing reports and proposing national positions. The

highlighted committee for this update is the Efficiency Committee. This energetic team has produced three reports, all available on the CWWA website, including pump efficiency and high water users. We hope members appreciate the report on food grinders – this is a good overview of all factors a community should consider when developing policies. Our Flushable Wipes group, along with MESUG, has sponsored research at Ryerson University into the ability (non-ability) of wipes to breakdown in our systems. This report verified that few products meet their advertised claim of ‘flush-ability.’ Another study at Western University demonstrated that few manufacturers even meet their own code of practice for labeling of products. These reports have led to a formal complaint to the Canadian Competition Bureau calling for $230 million in fines against wipes makers.

As I write this article, the CWWA Executive is very busy preparing for the National Conference. This year, the Conference is in Banff, Alberta from November 3-6, 2019. It will be an amazing event in our own backyard and I will provide a summary of the Conference in the next issue.

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Paul Wobma, Director, Western Canada Section AWWA

Setting goals to meet the needs of our members and the water industry

AWWA REPORT

The recent Western Canada Conference in Edmonton was well attended and I was very impressed with the trade show,

the technical sessions, and the social events. The exhibit hall was well laid out and provided an excellent forum in which to engage with exhibitors and network with friends and associates. I was joined by our AWWA representative Kristin Kihs, Manufacturers/Associates Council Chair (2019-2022). It was a real pleasure spending time with Kristin. I found her engaging, personable, thoughtful, with a great sense of humour, and an excellent ambassador and speaker for AWWA. Kristin joined us for our annual WCS AWWA Board meeting at the Conference and updated us on several AWWA initiatives. Some highlights included:• MAC currently has a Canadian Member

(Ontario).• The AWWA Innovation Initiative is

going well.• AWWA/WEF collaboration-

transformative issues symposium. The most recent event dealt with the workforce.

• Water Equation Canada Charity is being established.

• Diversity Committee is very active; the goal is to have a Diversity Committee in every section.

Kristin and I were also both struck by the high number of young professionals at the Conference. The YPs are the future of our industry and they were very engaged in all the events. They hosted a Pub Night, conducted effective Water for People fundraising events, and are active members of the Section Board and Committees. All in all, a very successful conference and my hats off to the organizing committee and all those that helped make it a success.

AWWA is in the process of reviewing and updating their strategic plan which is updated every three years. The main goals of the current plan are:

• Member Engagement and Development – AWWA to be the association of choice for water utilities, professionals, and organizations;

• Organizational Stewardship – AWWA to effectively and efficiently use its resources to serve its members and the water community;

• Knowledge Creation and Exchange – AWWA to advance and expand its knowledge resources for total water solutions; and

• Water Policy & Leadership – AWWA to be recognized as a valued and credible voice for water.

Over the last three years, AWWA has done a great job in achieving these goals. The current plan is being revisited and updated to ensure that it best meets the evolving needs of membership and the water industry. The Western Canada Section will be meeting in February 2020

to update its strategic plan with our Section’s goals of providing high value to members, providing valuable tools and resources, supporting the industry in dealing with today and tomorrow's water challenges, and helping to ensure a sustainable water industry.

On November 1-2, 2019, key Board members from our Section and I will be attending the Regional Meeting of Section Officers in Tucson, Arizona. This has always been an excellent venue for several sections to get together, review overall objectives, share ideas and practices, and strengthen our common vision. Also, we had our Canadian Summit in Banff on November 7, 2019 where we discussed water industry issues and initiatives specific to Canada. I will report back on these in the next issue.

Have a great winter and keep warm.

The Western Canada Section will be meeting in February 2020 to update its strategic plan with our Section’s goals.


Joe Zimmer, WCS AWWA Chair

Conference, new scholarship program and membership survey

WCS AWWA REPORT

It is my privilege to be the incoming Chair, and to represent the members of the Western Canada Section of AWWA for 2020. Mark Draper did

a fantastic job this past year, and I look forward to working with not only him, but also with everyone involved on the Board and in committee roles as Mark finishes out his term as the past-chair.

It was great to see many of you at the WCW19 Conference in Edmonton. The planning committee, the WCW office, and all of the other volunteers did an excellent job and put on a great show. Thank you to the YP committee and everyone who attended the YP Pub Night; a great time was had by all.

As you may or may not be aware, the annual Best of the West Water Taste Test was held at the Exhibition. There was great turnout with 15 utilities submitting their water. EPCOR Edmonton was voted unanimously as having the best

tasting water for the second consecutive year. Their water will now participate at ACE2020 next year, where they will attempt to defend their People’s Choice Award for the best tasting water in North America. Congratulations EPCOR on your back-to-back win in Western Canada.

WCS AWWA is very excited to announce a new scholarship program that will be launching in the near future. A wide variety of scholarship opportunities will be offered for people in the water industry, and to support partners who promote the water industry. Watch for more information in the near future.

Members of your Board of Directors represented our section at a couple of events this fall. The Regional Meeting of Section Officers was conducted in Tucson, Arizona. This provided an excellent opportunity for sections from across Western North America to discuss

their challenges and opportunities with a focus on providing membership value. The Canadian Summit held in conjunction with the CWWA Conference in Banff provided the opportunity for AWWA Sections from across Canada to meet and discuss similar challenges and opportunities.

Last but not least, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the membership survey which was sent out this fall. If you have not participated in the survey yet, you are still able to go back into the email and submit the survey. This year’s survey results are especially important as WCS is conducting an Operations Plan review in 2020. Your responses and comments will be used to shape the direction of WCS for the next five years.

Have a great winter everyone, and I hope to see you at a future networking event.

If you have not participated in the survey yet, you are still able to go back into the email and submit the survey. Your responses and comments

will be used to shape the direction of WCS for the next five years.


WCWEA is your connection to WEF resources

WCWEA REPORT

Matt Feige, Chair, WCWEA

First off, I would like to thank outgoing Chair Rasel Hossain, our other Board members, and the WCW staff for their service to WCWEA this past year. I’d also like to welcome our newest Board member, Pat Fisher, as our

Alberta Trustee. The WCWEA Board has continued to advance the knowledge of stormwater, biosolids, wastewater and water quality in Western Canada. WCWEA delivered a very successful Canadian Stormwater Institute Conference (CSIC) in November 2018 which brought knowledge of stormwater control, flood prevention and water quality from all over North America. We look forward to the continuation of the conference as it moves around Canada over the next few years.

I would also like to congratulate this year’s WCWEA-WEF award winners, including our incoming Vice Chair, Alec Mackenzie. Alec received the 2019 Arthur Sidney Bedell Award for his incredible personal service to WCWEA. He was instrumental in organizing the CSIC Conference and his dedication to the water and wastewater industry is greatly appreciated.

Congratulations also go out to the award winners including Davey Robertson, winner of the William D. Hatfield Award; Colleen Mitchell, winner of the Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award; and the EPCOR Gold Bar WWTP, winner of the George W. Burke Jr. Award.

WCWEA is your connection to WEF resources in Western Canada. Did you know that as a WEF member, you have access to an immense variety of online content and training opportunities? The information on the site is applicable to all

water professionals including operators, designers, managers, and regulators. With training budgets sometimes hard to get approved, this online content can provide valuable resources in order to stay on the forefront of technology. There are two dozen webcasts a year on a variety of industry topics including air quality, biosolids, collection systems and small communities – which are all eligible for PD hours. The On-Demand Wastewater Library (OWWL) is O&M focused information that can be downloaded and added into your staff training or stored in your library. There are also online courses available for more advanced learning in a variety of topics. Most of the information is available free to WEF members and is available at www.wef.org/resources/online-education.

Our WCWEA Board and the WCW Staff will continue to work on behalf of our members to connect local interests with national and international resources. Please feel free to reach out to any of our Board members about how WCWEA and WEF can serve and help you in your professional development. Our website is currently being improved to better serve you.

Members can also receive our e-newsletter with links to upcoming events and noteworthy news articles. Please watch for our member survey that will be sent out in November. This feedback only takes a few minutes and will guide our Association to serve you better in the coming years. The Board will review this feedback at our November planning meeting. I look forward to another year of promoting the Value of Water.

Please feel free to reach out to any of our Board members about how WCWEA and WEF can

serve and help you in your professional development.

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Bill Brenner, Chair, MWWA

Conferences, workshops and getting involved

MWWA REPORT

As I type this report, I look out at a couple inches of snow on the ground in early October and fear that fall is

a thing of the past here in Manitoba. Hopefully everyone had a great summer and enough time to complete all those projects that had to get done.

The 2020 Annual Conference planning is in full swing and we are looking for anyone with a project or presentations that will benefit our members. Please go to our website https://www.mwwa.net, click on ‘Annual Conference,’ check out the call for papers and submit your idea to the Conference Planning Committee because the November 29 deadline is fast approaching.

We are also looking to hear from you about an employee or colleague who is deserving of an award. The 2020 Award Nominations information is now available on the Conference page. Please take the time to nominate a deserving individual for one of the awards.

Registration for the tradeshow and sponsorship opportunities are now available on our website, too, and registrations for delegates to the Conference will open on November 16. Register early to get the early bird rate and check the website frequently for more information on the Conference.

Are you interested in being on the Board of Directors? Please contact any of the members of the Nominations Committee and they can walk you through the expectations of Board members and the election process, which is part of the Annual General Meeting during the Conference.

From November 19 to 22, we are once again hosting a four-day training event in Portage la Prairie where we will be presenting six workshops over the four days:• Confined Space and Non -Entry Rescue

(2 days)• Lagoon Operation and Maintenance• Pressure Testing & Disinfection Post

Repair and Installation• H2S Alive• Flag Person Certification Course

• Fundamentals of Pumping; Centrifugal Pump Basics, Hydraulics Applications & Troubleshooting

The workshops are filling up, so I encourage everyone to register as soon as possible.

I was fortunate enough to be asked to speak at the First Nation Water and Waste-water Conference on September 12. My thanks to Ken Mattes for this opportunity. We look forward to working with Ken and his organization as members of MWWA.

I was also able to attend WCW19 in Edmonton, September 17-20. Congratulations to the WCW Conference Committee on a fantastic event! I attended many great presentations, met many new faces and had a lot of good conversations. My thanks to Nancy and Bert for their hospitality while I was there. It was great to see representation from NTWWA at the Joint Operators meeting as well; I hope that we will be able to have more interaction going forward.

I hope everyone has a great winter and I hope to see you all at the MWWA Conference in February.


CROSSWORD ANSWERSThe LAST DROPA palace loses its throneSubmitted by Bill Brant

We’ve seen our share of interesting news items, such as quarter-million-dollar salaries for sewer maintenance workers, and absurd ones like $100,000 bottled water. But the news about a stolen C$7.5M gold toilet trumps them all.

In September, an announcement was issued from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, UK, birthplace of one of Britain’s greatest heroes, Sir Winston Churchill, proclaiming that it had put on public display an unusual “installation”

(codeword for “artwork”). Created several years earlier by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, it took the form of a fully-functional 18 karat solid gold toilet, that he entitled “America.” As reported by the BBC, “Visitors to the exhibition were free to use the Palace’s throne for its intended purpose, with a three-minute time limit to avoid queues.”

Really? Anyone could visit and use this extravagant ‘throne,’ depositing their personal waste in a gold receptacle named after our neighbour to the south. Does anyone else detect that the artist was making a rather unsavoury political message here? It is ironic too, that Winston Churchill was a dual British-American citizen, his mother having been born in the US.

On September 14, within a couple of days of going on display, the toilet had disappeared overnight. The overarching questions are “why, why, why?”

First, why would an artist conceive of a solid gold toilet? And call it “America?” Interestingly, BBC reported that “the gold toilet was famously offered to US President Donald Trump in 2017.” I wonder why he didn’t accept?

Second, why would it have been fully-functional, plumbed in so that it would work like any other toilet?

Third, why put it on display with such lax security that some midnight plumber could break in at 4:30 in the morning, detach it from incoming water and outgoing drain piping, and leave the water running so that there was major flooding damage? Who ever heard of plumbers working in the middle of the night, anyway? It is hard enough getting tradespeople to stick to daytime appointments.

A £100,000 reward has been offered, and at least one suspect was arrested, but so far there is no trace of the missing loo. Odds are it has been melted down and sold off, ultimately to be reincarnated as jewelry. It boggles the mind.

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sectors.

A Carbon Neutral Company

Winner of 2019 Consulting Engineers

of Alberta Award of Excellence

Calgary Zoo’s flood mitigation system reduces risks to animals and infrastructure during extreme weather

Building Better Communities

PRODUCINGROBUST VALVES

THAT IMPROVETHE INDUSTRY.

CONSTRUCTED WITH SUPERIOR MATERIALS FOR RELIABLE LONGER

LASTING SERVICE.

J&S Valve’s quality products have been solving the toughest flow control requirements in the waterworks industry. With a wide range of robust gate valve sizes and configurations. J&S Valve is a leading producer of large robust gate valves for municipal and industrial applications. Sizes 2”- 108” Resilient Seated and Metal Seated Gate Valves.

We also produce Ball Valves, Butterfly Valves, Plug Valves, Plunger Valves, Pump Control Valves, Flow Control Valves, Pressure Control Valves, Stainless Steel Wafer Swing Check Valves, and Ductile Iron Wafer Swing Check Valves.

To learn more about our products, visit us at JANDSVALVE.COM

western canada water...vice president – andy barr 403-262-4500 [email protected] past president –...

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