Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine | April 2026
Maximizing the lifespan of membrane bioreactors
The importance of Winnipeg’s $3B wastewater plant upgrade
Toronto’s water meter transmitter replacement program
Wildfires posing long-term threat to drinking water
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Editor and Publisher STEVE DAVEY steve@esemag.com
Managing Editor PETER DAVEY peter@esemag.com
Contributing Editor DAVID NESSETH david@esemag.com
Design & Production MIGUEL AGAWIN miguel@esemag.com
Circulation BRIAN GILLETT ese@mysubscription.ca
TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD
Archis Ambulkar, Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering
Gary Burrows, City of London
Patrick Coleman, Stantec
Bill De Angelis, Metrolinx
Mohammed Elenany, Urban Systems
William Fernandes, City of Toronto
Tony Petrucci, Black & Veatch
Environmental Science & Engineering
is a bi‑monthly business publication of Environmental Science & Engineering Publications Inc. An all Canadian publication, ES&E provides authoritative editorial coverage of Canada’s municipal and industrial environmental control systems and drinking water treatment and distribution.
Readers include consulting engineers, industrial plant managers and engineers, key municipal, provincial and federal environmental officials, water and wastewater plant operators and contractors.
Information contained in ES&E has been compiled from sources believed to be correct. ES&E cannot be responsible for the accuracy of articles or other editorial matter. Articles in this magazine are intended to provide information rather than give legal or other professional advice.
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Let's Solve Water
How the Partnership for Water Sustainability in B.C. is emphasizing the importance of face-to-face networking
In this issue, authors Derek Richmond and Kim Stephens outline the goals behind the formation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia. In their article “ W hen we are part of a network, everyone goes further,” (P.18) they begin by saying that “ networks are a way to get greater leverage on your scarce resources and move forward together with other likeminded, values-aligned colleagues.”
However, they fear that humanto-human connection is being lost.
“Remember those symposiums, conventions and workshops where we exchanged business cards, made eye contact, shook hands, and followed up with phone calls and luncheons?” said the authors. “Those were days of networking at its most basic.”
They point out that with the COVID19 pandemic and the pivot to remote working and now artificial intelligence, this tradition is in decline.
“Foundational knowledge, based on intergenerational networking, is being lost at an ever-increasing rate,” they write.
Recently, the Partnership hosted the Convening for Action Forum, as part of a strategy to help reverse this situation.
Reading about this event brought back my early memories of face-toface networking. This year will mark my 44th anniversary attending the annual lineup of water, wastewater and environmental industry conferences.
After completing my second year of journalism at Toronto’s Humber College on a Friday, I attended the 1982 spring conference of the Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO) the following Monday.
There was no backpacking around Europe at the end of the school year, as this starving student needed to work.
Having exhausted my limited student funds, I had only a few dollars to put gas in my car and I had to borrow an old disco-era light blue suit from my roommate — who was five inches shorter than me. Needless to say, I did not make a fashion statement when I approached the registration desk. Luckily for me, my mother, Sandra Davey, was secretary-treasurer of WEAO at the time, so I felt some sense of belonging.
My first industry luncheon did not go as planned, as I clumsily knocked a glass of ice water into the lap of another delegate, when I reached across the table to shake his hand. Thankfully, he was most gracious about it, obviously aware of my youthful nervousness.
Others too welcomed me to the conference, despite the considerable age difference between us and my inexperience.
While initially daunting, attending my first WEAO conference helped me develop my own network of industry friends and gain an understanding of how associations can help foster pro -
fessional development.
In 1995, I became president of WEAO, an experience that I value to this day. In 2024, my son Peter Davey, ES&E Magazine’s Managing Editor, followed in my footsteps when he was elected to the WEAO Board of Directors.
Networking opportunities are something that we as a company also strive to foster at the annual CANECT Environmental Compliance and Due Diligence Training Event, which ES&E Magazine has organized since 1992.
CANECT 2026 will take place April 28–30 in Vaughan, Ontario. In addition to eight full-day courses and a tradeshow, CANECT provides attendees with networking opportunities throughout the day, including breakfasts, lunches, coffee breaks and evening meet and greet receptions.
Session topics include environmental compliance and regulation, environmental compliance for the construction industry, the evolution of environmental management, air quality, climate change, and decarbonization, excess soils regulation and contaminated sites, environmental compliance for water and wastewater, dealing with environmental emergencies/spills, and environmental due diligence, for supervisors and managers.
I hope you will join us at CANECT 2026 (www.canect.net) or many of the other upcoming events that will help with your professional development and expand your industry network.
For more information on relevant events across Canada, visit www.esemag.com/event-calendar
Steve Davey is the editor and publisher of ES&E Magazine. Email: steve@esemag.com
Steve Davey (left) with exhibitors at CANECT 2025. ES&E Magazine has produced these annual training events since 1992.
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What a physical penetration test revealed about wastewater plant security
By Frank Fazio
When we talk about cybersecurity in water and wastewater plants, the focus is usually on firewalls, ransomware, phishing, and incident response. Rarely does the conversation start with the front door. For critical infrastructure, physical access is often the easiest way in.
I was authorized by the Director of Environmental Services and the Manager of Information Technology Services at the Town of Midland, Ontario, to conduct a physical penetration test at a wastewater treatment facility during normal daytime operations. Staff were on site, work was ongoing and nothing was staged. The goal was to determine whether someone from the outside could access sensitive areas without being stopped, questioned or verified.
This was not meant to embarrass anyone. It was a controlled test to look at physical security, employee awareness and how those connect to IT and operational systems. Andre Pepin, Director of Environmental Services, made sure operations stayed safe throughout, while Michael Hartrick, Manager of Information Technology Services, focused on what physical access could mean for the network. Both understood that if someone can walk into a facility, control changes immediately.
Like most real-world scenarios, the test began before arriving on-site. In the hacker world, this is called reconnaissance, or “recon”, which is the process of gathering as much public information as possible about a target before making a move. For this engagement, I reviewed online public information, such as Google Maps, project updates, contractor names,
job postings and social media posts.
I also used AI to help organize and connect this information, identifying small but valuable details that helped build a clearer picture of the environment. On its own, this information appears harmless, but when combined it can help someone create a believable reason to be there. After reviewing all the data, I decided to pose as a contractor.
The on-site portion of the assessment began with seeing how easy it was to get through the front door, which was locked. At this stage, the aim was not to bypass the physical barrier through technical means, but to test how standard entry procedures would respond to a believable request for access. I announced myself at the intercom, identified myself as a contractor and presented a confident reason for being there. I was immediately buzzed in. The interaction was quick, casual and treated as a normal part of daily operations, which is precisely what makes these scenarios
effective in real-world conditions. Once inside, my focus shifted to human behaviour. Wearing a hi-vis vest and carrying a clipboard with fake documentation, I positioned myself to look routine and expected. I wanted to observe how staff would respond to an unfamiliar individual moving through the environment and whether established processes were followed consistently. The timing of this engagement, around the 10:00 a.m. mark, was intentional, as this time often aligns with routine staff breaks. This allowed me greater freedom to move through the building with reduced oversight.
My ultimate goal was to access sensitive internal spaces, such as network closets, supervisor offices, and chemical storage areas, all of which represented critical points within the facility. From an operational standpoint, Pepin’s concern extended beyond access itself. Any unauthorized presence near chemical systems, control panels or process equip-
Frank Fazio conducts a security test at a wastewater treatment facility in Midland, Ontario.
ment introduces real-world safety risk, not just cybersecurity exposure. In a live plant environment, even a small action taken by the wrong person at the wrong time can have immediate consequences.
That same concern carried directly into Hartrick’s focus. If someone could physically access network hardware, how quickly could they introduce malicious devices, extract configuration data, or pivot into corporate systems? In many municipal environments, Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) networks are designed to remain logically separated. But when physical access is gained, that separation can be bypassed or significantly weakened, often far faster than intended . This changes the risk profile instantly.
Specific results from this engagement cannot be disclosed; however, the assessment revealed how physical access, human behaviour and daily processes intersect, and how small inconsistencies create opportunities that are difficult to detect and easy to exploit.
Following the conclusion of the physical assessment, a structured training session was delivered to plant employees to walk through how the engagement was planned and executed. This included how reconnaissance was conducted and why specific timing was selected. The focus was on learning rather than fault-finding, with an emphasis on how small procedural gaps can create real exposure. By seeing the scenario from an attacker’s perspective, staff gained a clearer understanding of how these situations develop, reinforcing the importance of consistent verification and awareness in day-to-day operations.
While those specific findings remain confidential, the following principles reflect broader security practices that extend beyond any single facility.
Access is often granted on appearance, confidence and familiarity instead of verification. Routine is rarely questioned and that is where exposure starts. Every visitor must be verified using government-issued ID, signed in and visibly identified. No badge, no access. Doors should never be held open and access points must remain controlled at all times. Attackers rely on timing and predictability, so entry procedures need
to be applied consistently, even during busy or routine periods.
Security demands clear alignment between plant personnel and IT, as demonstrated by the vigilance and leadership shown by Pepin and Hartrick. Staff must be expected to challenge unfamiliar individuals and escalate concerns without hesitation, while sensitive areas such as network rooms, con-
trol panels and chemical storage require continuous escort. Access logs need to be actively reviewed, not just collected. Physical access removes layers of protection, which means security does not start inside the building. It starts at the gate.
Frank Fazio is the founder of CySAT Security. Email: info@cysatsecurity.com
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Funding targets wetland expansion and ecological upgrades in Alberta
By ES&E Staff
Alberta and the federal government are directing new funding toward wetland restoration and natural infrastructure projects aimed at improving climate resilience, water quality and biodiversity across the province, with investments announced both for rural wetland replacement and for urban ecological enhancements in Calgary.
Alberta is investing $5.3 million through its Wetland Replacement Program to add 67 hectares of new wetlands across central and southern Alberta.
The seven projects are intended to strengthen natural flood and drought defences, improve water filtration and support habitat for plants and wildlife.
Wetlands are often described as nature’s sponges, storing and slowly releasing water to reduce flooding impacts, recharging groundwater supplies and filtering runoff before it reaches rivers and lakes.
Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter called wetland restoration one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce future flood and drought risks, saying the projects demonstrate what can be achieved through partnerships with municipalities, conservation groups and landowners.
Projects include restoring a drained wetland on private land in Special Area No. 3, converting former industrial end pit lakes into wetlands in Strathcona County, and creating new water-storing wetlands in Parkland County to reduce downstream flood risk.
Since 2020, Alberta has invested more than $25 million through the program, restoring or constructing about 676 hectares of wetlands province-wide.
The Wetland Replacement Program allows developers to pay a replacement fee to the province when wetlands are impacted during construction. Funds are then directed toward restoration in areas with the highest rates of wetland loss.
Rural landowners have received more than $6 million since 2020 for hosting restored or newly constructed wetlands.
At the same time, the City of Calgary is moving ahead with two major projects supported by more than $1.7 million in federal funding through the Natural Infrastructure Fund.
This funding will support restoration of the West Confederation Park wetland in northwest Calgary, including re-contouring the site, removing drainage systems, replanting native vegetation and improving trail access. Work is set to begin this fall.
The city will also advance the Calgary Ecological Network project, which will enhance seven priority natural spaces through invasive species removal, native planting, habitat restoration and improved ecological corridors connecting parks and river systems.
Federal officials said investing in natural infrastructure provides environmental benefits, while also expanding opportu-
nities for Canadians to access and enjoy urban greenspaces. The Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches, such as wetlands, urban forests and bioswales, to increase resilience to climate change, protect biodiversity and improve access to nature.
The federal government is contributing $1.7 million to the Calgary projects, with the city providing an additional $2.1 million. Ottawa noted that at least 10% of the overall Natural Infrastructure Fund envelope is allocated to Indigenous-led projects, and that federal support remains conditional on con sultation and environmental assessment requirements.
Both announcements come as governments across the Prai ries emphasize climate adaptation and sustainability invest ments, including efforts under the federal Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which aims to coordinate regional initiatives and support long-term environmental and eco nomic resilience.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
A restored wetland in Strathcona County. Credit: Government of Alberta
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Water expert appointed to assist with Waterloo Region capacity constraints
By ES&E Staff
An internationally recognized water utility expert has been appointed by the the Region of Waterloo to help tackle ongoing water capacity constraints in the Mannheim Service Area that halted new development approvals in several Ontario communities.
The region announced the appointment of Kenneth Brothers as Interim Commissioner of Water Services and Wastewater Operations. He will work with the development industry, area municipalities and the provincial government to prioritize solutions aimed at strengthening system resiliency and expanding water capacity.
The region has said it would not enter into new servicing agreements, after identifying a water capacity constraint late last year in the Mannheim Service Area, which supplies Kitchener, Waterloo, and parts of Cambridge, Wilmot and Woolwich. As a result, the region cannot support new development that would increase demand on the Mannheim system.
Regional council approved $15 million from reserves in early February to help address the issue, including the installation of a temporary water filtration system at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant near Ottawa Street in Kitchener.
Oakville-based H2O Innovation Inc. is expected to install three temporary ultrafiltration containers. The goal is to add about 25 litres per second (L/s) of water to start, followed by up to 50 L/s total in the fall.
When all containers are online, they could add up to 300 L/s by next year, local officials said. The containers will initially be rented for 12 months to confirm the effectiveness of the technology, before the region decides whether to purchase them.
Existing residents and issued building permits within the Mannheim Service Area require 1,356 L/s of sustainable water supply, based on 2024 data. The system can only provide 1,164 L/s of sustainable capacity, while protecting operational resiliency. This means an immediate shortfall of nearly 200 L/s, according to a staff presentation to council.
Brothers’ appointment comes as the Region moves forward with both short-term and long-term measures to address the constraint. His work will include overseeing repairs and maintenance to existing infrastructure, as well as planning and advancing major capital investments needed to increase capacity and support future growth.
Brothers is a professional engineer and Fellow of the International Water Association, with extensive experience in municipal water utility management. He has held senior leadership roles in several Ontario municipalities and previously served as chair of the Regional Public Works Commissioners of Ontario.
Alongside Brothers’ appointment, the region is also considering a number of new hires to support the need to increase
capacity, including senior water engineers, a water resource technologist, as well as instrumentation and control technicians for water operations and maintenance.
Local officials said that while water monitoring reports have consistently shown adequate water supply capacity overall, a different methodology was being used to determine remaining capacity.
Regional staff identified a capacity constraint in the Mannheim Service Area due to a combination of factors. This included the use of a revised methodology, aging infrastructure, lower levels of water in the system, and the pressures of rapid growth.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
The Region of Waterloo treats surface water from the Grand River at its Mannheim Water Treatment Plant. Credit: Region of Waterloo
Toronto to begin replacing 470,000 water meter transmitters
By ES&E Staff
The City of Toronto has joined a growing list of North American cities working to replace water meter transmission units, whose batteries are failing years before their expected end of life.
Toronto will spend $103 million to replace 470,000 of the transmitters, which are used to ensure automated wireless transmission of water-use data and timely and up-to-date billing for customers, after more than 70% had failed. The remainder are expected to fail by the fall of 2026.
Aclara Technologies, the original transmitter supplier and the sole supplier compatible with Toronto’s existing infrastructure, will supply the new units. Neptune Technology Group (Canada) will lead the replacement installation program beginning in April and continuing through to 2028. Neptune also oversaw the original rollout of the city’s water meters and meter transmission units between 2009 and 2015.
The quarter-watt batteries are sealed within the transmitters and are unable to be swapped out by customers. Many of the batteries are about 14 years into a 20-year lifecycle.
According to the city, Toronto is not the only municipality in North America that is facing issues with the meter transmitter batteries. Moncton, New Brunswick, installed the advanced wireless meters in 2005 for its 18,000 metered customers, and is now undertaking a phased 10-year replacement project. Other cities in California, Florida, and Massachusetts are also facing early failures.
“This replacement program is a critical investment in the long-term reliability of Toronto’s water meter system and the value we deliver to residents,” said Lou Di Gironimo, Toronto Water’s general manager, in a statement. “While the recent transmission unit failures have been a challenge, the overall meter pro-
Quarter-watt batteries are sealed within a meter’s transmitter and are unable to be swapped out by customers.
Credit: bastianweltjen, stock.adobe.com
gram has saved the city significant costs over the past decade. It remains the most efficient and cost-effective way to ensure accurate billing for all customers.”
Toronto officials say the replacement program is funded through the city’s budget and helps maintain the auto-
mated meter reading system that has already saved more than $350 million in operational costs since its full implementation in 2015. These savings come from a more automated process that reduces manual work and improves overall efficiency, they added.
There is no separate charge or installation fee for customers, and a dedicated customer support team will be available to help throughout the program, according to Toronto Water.
When a meter or transmitter fails, the City of Toronto no longer receives real-time data and instead relies on estimated bills based on the property’s historical water use.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Winnipeg races to complete $3B wastewater plant upgrade as capacity deadline looms
By ES&E Staff
The City of Winnipeg is pushing ahead with a more than $3-billion overhaul of its largest wastewater treatment facility, warning that failure to complete the project could halt population and economic growth within the next decade.
The North End Water Pollution Control Centre, which treats about 70% of Winnipeg’s wastewater and all sludge from the city’s three treatment plants, is more than 90 years old and expected to reach capacity between 2030 and 2032.
“Right now, we can treat for our current population,” said Linda McCusker, project director of the Winnipeg Sewage Treatment Program. “But in the not so far future, we’re going to run out of capacity, due to population growth and new industries that are coming in.”
Construction on the first phase of the upgrade, a new headworks and power supply facility, began in 2021 and is expected to wrap up this summer. The work represents the largest capital project in Winnipeg’s history and is considered essential to maintaining the city’s growth and environmental compliance.
In 2025 alone, an average of 175 workers were on site each weekday, using 5.2 million kilograms of steel and pouring 30,000 m³ of concrete, as part of the headworks construction, according to city officials.
“These projects are very complex and we need to keep the plant working while we construct the new one,” said Lana Obach, biosolids project manager. “This is like we’re performing multiple organ transplants on a body. We need to keep the person alive while we replace the kidneys, liver, lungs, heart.”
The overhaul is divided into three major projects. The power supply and headworks facilities, has a budget of $565 million and includes a new power substation and upgraded systems to screen and pump incoming wastewater.
The second phase, a more than $1 billion biosolids treatment facility, will handle the solid waste components of sewage, including organic material, fats and grease. Design work is underway, with construction expected to begin later this year.
The third and largest phase are nutrient removal facilities, which have a projected cost of $1.5 billion.
The project is currently in the procurement stage, with three companies shortlisted following the initial request-for-proposals process. Construction is expected to begin in 2028.
While the first two phases have secured funding from provincial and federal governments, no funding agreements are yet in place for the nutrient removal project.
City officials say completing the final phase is critical not only for environmental compliance, but also for Winnipeg’s
long-term economic outlook. A recent economic analysis commissioned by the city found that running out of wastewater capacity in 2032 would “effectively halt all population and employment growth” in Winnipeg. Nearby municipalities would only be able to absorb growth for a limited time before reaching their own infrastructure limits.
“Winnipeg’s growth depends on this project,” said Hazel Borys, director of planning, property and development. Without expanded capacity, new housing construction could stall, businesses could be prevented from expanding, and attracting new industries would become more difficult.
Conversely, completing the nutrient removal project would enable substantial growth. City economists project that between 2033 and 2050, Winnipeg’s economy could grow an additional 16.4%, generating $186 billion in GDP. The labour force could expand by 91,000 people, and the city’s population could surpass one million residents.
Despite the lack of confirmed funding, city officials say planning and procurement work on the final phase cannot be delayed, if Winnipeg is to avoid hitting its wastewater capacity ceiling within the next decade.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Construction on the first phase of the upgrade, which includes a new headworks and power supply facility, began in 2021. Credit: City of Winnipeg
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Health Canada consultation suggests no MAC needed on asbestos in drinking water
By ES&E Staff
Health Canada is not recommending a maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for asbestos in drinking water in its guidance proposal, due to a lack of consistent evidence that oral exposure causes harm in humans or animals.
In a newly-released federal consultation document prepared in collaboration with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water, the department concludes that asbestos fibres ingested through drinking water have not been convincingly linked to adverse health outcomes. As a result, officials say the available scientific data are insufficient to support the development of a health-based numerical guideline.
“Asbestos is a known carcinogen through inhalation,” the document notes, “but oral exposure studies have not clearly demonstrated adverse health outcomes when considering the weight of evidence.”
Rather than establishing a formal drinking water guideline, Health Canada is issuing the document as guidance intended to support water system operators and provincial and territorial authorities.
Guidance documents are developed when a substance does not meet the criteria required for a full national drinking water guideline. Still, the department acknowledges ongoing public concern and recommends utilities adopt best practices to minimize asbestos fibre concentrations where possible.
Given the goal of minimizing particle loading in treated drinking water, Health Canada advises that water systems should take steps to reduce fibre release, particularly in areas with aging asbestos-cement infrastructure.
Asbestos can enter drinking water through erosion of natural rock and soil deposits, industrial activity, or deterioration of asbestos-cement pipes installed in many Canadian municipalities decades ago.
Most asbestos-cement mains were installed between the 1940s and late 1970s and are now approaching the end of their service life. The document warns that as these pipes degrade, they may release fibres into drinking water and become structurally unstable, increasing the risk of pipe failure.
Statistics Canada data cited in the report indicate that approximately 14,000 kilometres of asbestos-cement pipe remain in use nationwide, representing about 6% of Canada’s drinking water distribution network.
Health Canada’s review emphasizes that the health hazards of asbestos are well established through inhalation, which is linked to mesothelioma and other cancers. However, the department says ingestion appears to be fundamentally different.
Studies suggest that more than 99% of ingested asbestos fibres pass through the digestive system and are excreted within 48 hours. The few fibres that may cross the intestinal
Credit: Alex, stock.adobe.com
barrier are typically smaller than one micrometre, which is below the size generally associated with carcinogenicity.
Because existing oral exposure studies have significant design limitations and do not show clear health outcomes, Health Canada says the evidence is insufficient to derive a dose-response relationship, or establish a health-based drinking water value.
The document notes that conventional municipal coagulation and filtration can remove more than 99% of asbestos fibres, when treatment processes are optimized. Certified residential technologies, including carbon-based filters and reverse osmosis systems, are also capable of fibre removal. However, Health Canada notes that while standardized analytical methods exist, there are currently no accredited laboratories in Canada conducting asbestos analysis in drinking water.
Although no MAC is being proposed, Health Canada recommends monitoring in certain circumstances, particularly to assess the condition of older asbestos-cement pipes and guide replacement planning. Utilities are encouraged to manage pipe corrosion, consider structural linings, and replace deteriorating asbestos-cement mains with asbestos-free materials as systems age.
The federal government says it will continue tracking new research on oral exposure and update its guidance if future evidence warrants stronger measures.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
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When we are part of a network, everyone goes further
By Derek Richmond and Kim Stephens
Networks are a way to get greater leverage on your scarce resources and move forward together with other likeminded, values-aligned colleagues. In January of this year, that was a key takeaway from the Convening for Action Forum, which was hosted by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia (the Partnership).
The Partnership’s modus operandi for passing on knowledge in the local government setting is precedent-setting. We operate within a constellation of networks. The storyline that follows is about the power of collaboration when it is grounded in a network-based approach. Our story has three parts: the context, the event, and the way forward.
The Partnership originated as an intergovernmental committee in the 1990s, evolved into a “water roundtable” in the 2000s, and then morphed into a non-profit legal entity in November 2010. We develop tools and resources to support
the policy goals and regulatory objectives of government. Local governments are partners in tools and resources developed by the Partnership.
HUMAN-TO HUMAN CONNECTION IS BEING LOST
Remember those symposiums, conventions and workshops, where we exchanged business cards, made eye contact, shook hands, and followed up with phone calls and luncheons? Those were days of networking at its most basic. That was the way things were done, partly because the system worked and partly because there were not many, if any, alternatives. Then came COVID and after that artificial intelligence (AI).
Reliance on AI has consequences: When starting projects, we assume that we are building on a solid foundation. Often our first source of information is the internet. Appreciated, or not, the internet is a series of networking nodes technically connected, but without human touch.
More recently, ease of access and expediency can lead to reliance on AI, which in turn might provide copious amounts of information, but not necessarily knowledge. It is knowledge-based experience that leads to confidence and success.
Currently, most head-hunting starts with an AI evaluation of possible candidates. A significant decrease in word-of mouth, information sharing and networking has, to a large extent, reduced the individual and human side of human resource searching to an algorithmic cookie-cutting process.
A huge void has been exposed in our daily interactions. Foundational knowledge, based on intergenerational networking, is being lost at an ever-increasing rate. When the baton is dropped, that knowledge risks being lost forever.
With the prevalence of remote working, our human tendency is to work in silos and lose sight of how everything is connected in a system. Just as water knows no boundaries, we need to look at the infrastructure we deal with and its interconnectivity with natural (infrastructure) assets, to appreciate the importance of network connectivity.
Learn how to turn problems into solutions: Ensuring that the decisions we make are sound, inclusive, and knowledge-based means looking beyond our often-self-imposed boundaries. Our first initiative should be to look for history, what has, or has not, worked and why, and to search out others with similar experience.
Oral history sharing, a proven and powerful Indigenous tool, is a much-overlooked asset that can often lead to efficiency,
cost-savings, and richer outcomes. Network leadership principles align with Indigenous wisdom and expertise.
We cannot develop reliable solutions for our partners (and/or clients) if we do not fully understand the underlying issues and history. Being part of a knowledge-sharing environment would prepare future generations for a smooth transition. Until and unless we share what we know with them, they do not know what they do not know!
A SAFE SPACE FOR CONVERSATIONS
Deep knowledge is being lost at an alarming rate. Storytelling is needed more than ever. That is why the Partnership provided a safe space for conversations between past, current and future leaders who toil in the trenches on the frontlines of local government.
The Convening for Action Forum team consisted of Rémi Dubé (team leader and moderator), Michael Blackstock (inspirational keynote speaker), and Dr. Jane Wei-Skillern (facilitator),
who delivered the Forum program.
“It matters how we share information to ensure concepts are conveyed to, and understood by, the people who need to know. Solutions to the issues of our time lie in what stories we tell and how we tell those stories,” emphasized Dubé. “The Forum provided a safe space for current frontline staff to tap into insights from alumni who are retired from leadership positions. The forum theme was that we can support each other to make everycontinued overleaf…
one’s work easier by creating a knowledge network.”
The 2026 Ambassadors of the Partnership Forum will be remembered as the launchpad for the future of the Partnership. Roundtable discussions clearly demonstrated a desire for collaboration in finding solutions to today’s challenges. The forum was an interregional gathering with representatives from Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Okanagan and East Kootenays.
Wei-Skillern, the network leadership thought leader, is a Senior Fellow with the Center for Social Sector Leadership at Berkeley University’s Haas School of Business, and a former faculty member at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, and London Business School.
Her insightfulness and mentoring helped the Partnership see how powerful and effective networking can be.
“Work is easier, more effective, and more fun when people work in community with each other. In planning the forum, our goal was to foster strong connections among the attendees. We did not want this gathering to be like many professional gatherings where interactions are polite, efficient, but surface level,” explained Wei-Skillern. “In contrast, our objective was to emphasize that we share many of the same goals, can learn from and support each other, and that together we can achieve more than we could ever do alone. We spent significant time to get to know each other informally, in small groups, to learn more about each other’s interests and backgrounds.”
“We deliberately planned exercises that focused on listening, learning, and reflection. It is only when people foster trust and build community, through
authentic interaction with each other that they can begin to do great collaborative work,” said Wei-Skillern.
Blackstock, an independent indigenous scholar, is a retired professional forester and provincial civil servant. He is a member of the Gitxsan Nation, founder of the Blue Ecology Institute, and former member of the UNESCO Expert Advisory Panel on Water.
“Blue Ecology came from my experience as a negotiator and mediator, first with the provincial government and then with BC Hydro. My work in the frontline meant navigating the intersection between resource development and First Nations interests on an issue-byissue basis. My research on water and sharing the message of the Elders turned from a curiosity to a mission and led me to develop the Blue Ecology ecological philosophy,” explained Blackstock.
Dubé concluded the forum by stating that, “Our Partnership mission is to build a network that fosters support in developing solutions to today’s water sustainability challenges. These range from sharing accurate, scientifically grounded knowledge, to weeding through political agendas and misinformation, and from the status quo to embracing a wholistic environmentally sound wisdom.”
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMBASSADOR OF THE PARTNERSHIP
The Partnership is a movement built around a “Design with Nature” vision for achieving water sustainability through green infrastructure. We have steadily worked towards continuity and succession. Five years ago, we created the Ambassadors Program to foster intergenerational collaboration. This laid
the foundation for dialogue about how to sustain the network.
Local governments have naturally segued into becoming part of the network. Regular exchange of intermunicipal oral history and knowledge has proven to be invaluable.
As individuals, facing deadlines and demands for expediency, we can easily forget to look beyond local resources. Accepting and sharing concepts and points of view becomes part of a synergistic process that promotes others above self and focuses on the mission at hand. Constructive collaboration with others creates a powerful tool that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
So what? While we relate to where we are in time though our own experiences with transformational events, such as COVID, we have rapidly shifted to an era where trusted knowledge sharing has become more important than ever.
Looking forward, and beyond the added-value benefits to projects, networking is proving to be the foundation for ambassadors of the Partnership to ensure future generations are properly prepared for transition.
Those transitioning to the leadership roles of the future are embracing the concept of networking as part of their routine for success and are setting the foundation for a next generation of Ambassadors for the Partnership.
Derek Richmond and Kim Stephens are with the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia. The authors would like to acknowledge the collaboration of Rémi Dubé, Dr. Jane Wei-Skillern and Michael Blackstock. For more information email: kstephens@watersustainabilitybc.ca
Aging sewer lines and urban development increase the occurrence of root intrusion and grease accumulation
By Bob Goldsby
Tree roots naturally seek moisture and nutrients, making sewer pipes an attractive environment when structural openings are present. Even small defects such as cracked pipe walls, separated joints, or deteriorated gaskets can allow roots to penetrate the pipe. Once inside, they can expand and form dense masses that trap debris and restrict wastewater flow. Over time, these accumulations may lead to partial or complete blockages within the sewer line.
Many Canadian municipalities operate sewer networks constructed during periods of rapid infrastructure expansion between the 1950s and 1980s. Pipes installed during this period often include clay tile, concrete, or early PVC materials, which may become more susceptible to joint deterioration as they age.
Environmental conditions may also increase the likelihood of root intrusion. Freeze–thaw cycles can cause soil movement and pipe joint separation, creating entry points for root growth. Operational impacts associated with root intrusion may include reduced hydraulic capacity, increased maintenance frequency, elevated risk of sanitary sewer overflow and accelerated pipe deterioration.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspection is commonly used to identify root intrusion and assess its severity. Inspection data allows utilities to prioritize maintenance activities and identify sewer segments that may benefit from preventive treatment.
MECHANICAL ROOT REMOVAL TO RESTORE FLOW
Mechanical root cutting remains one of the most widely used approaches for restoring flow in sewer lines affected by root intrusion. Specialized cutting equipment mounted on maintenance vehicles, or robotic platforms, is inserted into the pipeline to physically remove root masses.
This process can quickly restore pipe capacity and is commonly incorporated into routine sewer maintenance programs. However, mechanical cutting typically removes only the portion of the root system inside the pipe. Because roots often originate from joints or cracks in the pipe structure, regrowth can occur after mechanical removal. In some cases, regrowth may occur within a relatively short period, particularly in areas with mature tree cover or high soil moisture.
For this reason, utilities may combine mechanical cleaning with additional treatments intended to inhibit root regrowth within the pipe environment.
CHEMICAL ROOT CONTROL PREVENTS REGROWTH
Chemical root control products have been used for several
decades as part of sewer maintenance programs. These treatments are generally applied following mechanical cleaning and are intended to contact root tissues remaining inside the pipe.
Application methods frequently involve foaming or dispersing formulations that expand throughout the pipe interior. Foaming delivery systems allow the treatment to reach the pipe crown and sidewalls, where roots most commonly enter through pipe joints.
Several formulations are used by utilities across North America for this purpose. One example is RootX®, a foaming herbicidal treatment designed for application within sewer lines to manage root intrusion inside the pipe environment.
Following application, affected root tissues gradually deteriorate, while the pipe interior remains open for wastewater flow. Treatments of this type are typically intended to affect roots inside the pipe, without damaging surrounding vegetation.
Municipal operators often incorporate root control treatments into preventive maintenance programs targeting sewer segments with recurring root intrusion. Treatment cycles are commonly scheduled every one to two years, depending on local conditions and system history.
Municipal operators often incorporate root control treatments into preventive maintenance programs targeting sewer segments with recurring root intrusion.
GREASE ACCUMULATION IN SEWER SYSTEMS
Grease accumulation is another common operational challenge within wastewater collection systems. Grease originates primarily from food preparation activities in residential kitchens and commercial food service establishments.
When fats, oils, and grease (FOG) enter the sewer network, they cool and solidify as they travel through the system. Over time, these materials can adhere to pipe walls and accumulate into thick deposits.
As grease deposits grow, they reduce the effective diameter of the pipe and create surfaces that trap debris, such as wipes, paper products, and other solids. These conditions can accelerate the development of blockages.
Urban areas with significant restaurant activity often experience higher levels of grease accumulation. However, smaller municipalities may also encounter localized buildup near food service establishments.
FOG-related blockages are widely recognized as a leading
contributor to sanitary sewer overflows in North American collection systems. As a result, many municipalities have implemented grease management programs to reduce these impacts.
MANAGING GREASE BUILDUP
High-pressure water jetting is widely used to remove grease deposits from sewer pipes. Specialized nozzles can break apart hardened grease layers and flush the material downstream.
Jetting is effective at restoring hydraulic capacity, but it generally removes only existing deposits. In areas with ongoing grease discharge, buildup may reoccur relatively quickly following cleaning.
To address recurring grease accumulation, some utilities apply treatments intended to break down grease deposits, or inhibit their formation. These products may contain enzymes, bacteria, or emulsifying agents designed to interact with grease within the sewer environment. Utilities may incorporate these treatments into maintenance programs targeting sewer segments with persistent grease buildup.
One example used in wastewater maintenance programs is Grease-X®, which is applied in some systems to assist in the breakdown of grease deposits within sewer lines.
COMBINING INSPECTION, CLEANING AND TREATMENT
Wastewater utilities increasingly rely on integrated maintenance strategies, that combine inspection, cleaning, and targeted treatment. These programs aim to address recurring operational challenges, while improving overall system reliability.
CCTV inspection provides detailed information about pipe condition and allows utilities to identify developing issues, such as root intrusion, grease accumulation, and structural defects. Jetting and root cutting remove debris, grease deposits, and root masses, restoring pipe capacity. Chemical or biological treatments may be applied in areas where recurring root or grease issues have been identified. Maintenance cycles may be developed based on historical inspection data and system performance.
CONCLUSION
Root intrusion and grease accumulation continue to present operational challenges for wastewater utilities across Canada. As sewer infrastructure ages and urban environments evolve, these issues are likely to remain a concern for municipal collection systems.
Effective management often involves a combination of inspection, mechanical cleaning, targeted treatment, and source control measures. Through preventive maintenance strategies and ongoing monitoring, municipalities can reduce the frequency of blockages and extend the service life of existing sewer infrastructure.
Bob Goldsby is Canada Sales Manager for RootX Company. For more information, email: bobg@rootx.com, or visit www.rootxcanada.ca
RootX is a foaming herbicidal treatment designed for application within sewer lines to manage root intrusion inside the pipe environment.
FOG-related blockages are widely recognized as a leading contributor to sanitary sewer overflows. Grease-X assists in the breakdown of grease deposits within sewer lines.
OFA warns creation of water utility corporations under Bill 60 could conflict with Ontario drainage law
By ES&E Staff
Despite some support for Ontario’s new Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture is raising concerns about how the proposed framework could affect rural and farming communities.
The new legislation gives Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing the authority to designate corporations to provide water and wastewater services on behalf of prescribed lower-tier municipalities. Designated corporations would own and operate municipal water and sewage systems, governed by their own boards and empowered to set rates independently.
As a test case, the province is transferring responsibility for water and wastewater services from the Region of Peel to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, effective January 1, 2029, or a later date set by regulation.
In a November 2025 submission, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) warned that the legislation could undermine protections provided under Ontario’s Drainage Act, R.S.O. 1990, which governs the construction and maintenance of drainage works on agricultural and rural lands.
The federation pointed to provisions in the act that would require municipalities to provide water and sewage services exclusively through a designated public corporation once established. The definition of “sewage” used in the legislation is drawn from the Municipal Act and includes stormwater and other drainage from land. The OFA says that this language creates potential overlap with the Drainage Act
The legislation would also prevail over other acts and regulations in the event of a conflict, raising concerns that drainage works currently managed under the Drainage Act could fall under the authority of a water and wastewater public corporation.
The OFA said it opposes any legislation that could override the Drainage Act and called for the Act’s primacy to be explicitly protected in statute. It also argued that water and wastewater public corporations must be clearly directed in legislation to comply with the Drainage Act, rather than leaving those requirements to future regulations.
The federation further warned against the possibility of landowners being charged additional wastewater or stormwater management fees for drainage services already paid for through Drainage Act assessments.
Beyond drainage concerns, the OFA emphasized that any water and wastewater public corporations must remain fully public utilities, with no private ownership or control, and that municipal participation in the model should remain voluntary.
The submission also called for strong accountability and
dispute-resolution mechanisms, citing past disputes over what it described as excessive or unjustified stormwater management fees applied to agricultural lands by some municipalities.
As an alternative to a broader rollout, the OFA recommended launching the initiative as a pilot project involving Mississauga, Brampton and the Region of Peel, allowing the province to assess governance, financial and operational impacts before expanding the model province-wide.
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing received a total of 69 submissions through the Environmental Registry of Ontario and six additional letters by email in response to the proposal. The majority of submissions opposed the initiative, though some municipalities expressed cautious support.
In its submission, the City of Kitchener pointed to examples elsewhere in Canada where municipally owned utilities operate successfully.
“Across Canada, there are successful examples of municipally owned utilities that offer valuable perspective for Ontario’s transition,” the city wrote. “EPCOR Utilities (owned by the City of Edmonton) and Halifax Water are often cited as benchmarks for both service quality and financial performance. These models demonstrate that public ownership can coexist with operational excellence and long-term sustainability, providing reliable services while maintaining accountability to local communities.”
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
The definition of “sewage” used in the legislation is drawn from the Municipal Act and includes stormwater and other drainage from land. Credit: overflightstock, stock.adobe.com
How the membrane bioreactors at Brandon’s WRF are setting the standard for longevity
By Elliot Wuorinen, Selina Ellinghaus and Wes Knight
The City of Brandon’s Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) has a unique history. Along with achieving exceptional membrane life, the Manitoba facility has become a standout operation in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) space.
The original conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on this site was owned by Maple Leaf Foods and was tasked with treating industrial wastewater from their hog processing facility. Due to stricter effluent parameters for total phosphorus and nitrogen set forth in the mid-2000s, the system required a higher level of treatment to meet the new standards.
In 2007, Maple Leaf concluded that submerged ZeeWeed ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were the technology that suited their needs the best, after completing a MBR pilot study. Two years later, their new industrial MBR with three treatment trains was commissioned and brought online, with a capacity to treat wastewater from increased hog production at approximately 6.3 million litres average per day flow.
In conjunction with adding membrane treatment, the overall upgrade to the existing Maple Leaf WWTP over multiple phases also consisted of expanding the anoxic zone on the existing bioreactor and the addition of two new bioreactors. A new building to house chemical systems, blowers, and a methanol dosing pad was also constructed.
Also, adding new fine air diffusers to the bioreactors and a third polishing reactor, created more contact time for the microorganisms to break down organic matter and for the aluminum-based coagulant to adhere to phosphorus before being pumped through the waste-activated sludge (WAS) line to the lagoon. At this time methanol was added to the anoxic zones in the bioreactors as a carbon source to fuel the denitrification process.
Effluent from the membranes was sent to the existing final clarifier, a UV treatment building for disinfection and then eventually discharged into the Assiniboine River.
In 2011, the City of Brandon began the process to acquire and expand the Maple Leaf facility, with the intent to have it treat the entire city’s municipal wastewater stream. This expansion was fully completed in 2013. It was accomplished by adding an additional six membrane trains and adding capacity to the treatment processes surrounding the MBR.
In its current format, the plant has nine membrane treatment trains, with a tenth spare one. This upgrade also consisted of a new lab and staffing building, an inlet structure and a fourth aerated bioreactor. Storage tanks were added to capture and meter flow into the plant discharged from a
The city decided to leave MBR Train 4 populated with its original 2009 units and run them to “terminal health”.
local pharmaceutical manufacturer. This expansion brought the total capacity to 30.4 million litres average per day flow, making it one of the largest membrane bioreactors in Canada at the time.
DITCHING DISINFECTION
After the city conducted extensive lab testing and monitoring of the bacteriological constituents at various stages of the treatment process, it was determined in 2014 that the permeate directly off the membranes was consistently well under final effluent limits. This resulted in the membrane permeate being allowed to discharge directly into the Assiniboine River.
The final clarifier and UV system were decommissioned, fully abandoning any disinfection treatment applied to the final effluent. With the UV system being placed offline, the
city achieved noticeable savings on their electrical consumption, as well as fully eliminating bulb replacement and maintenance costs.
MBRs not requiring post-disinfection for pathogen deactivation is a growing trend in the industry and highlights the ability of ultrafiltration membranes to reliably produce high quality permeate. With a nominal pore size of 0.04 microns, UF membranes act as a physical barrier that is very effective at rejecting pathogens. Recent empirical testing of effluent coliforms from many MBRs has proven UF membranes are capable of meeting coliform requirements without disinfection.
EXCEPTIONAL MEMBRANE LIFECYCLE
There are currently three vintages of ZeeWeed UF membranes operating in the Brandon WRF. Trains 1, 2 and 3 were installed in 2021, Train 4 in 2009 and Trains 5 to 9 in 2013. Train 10 remains empty, but available for future action.
When the original membranes were installed in 2009, the industry’s standard expectation of membrane life in an MBR was five to seven years. In Brandon, at the end of the seventh year, the membranes still exhibited a level of performance that indicated an abundance of remaining service life. So the city decided to continue without replacement.
By the end of the 11th year of operation, there was still no decline in per-
formance or increased chemical cleaning requirements. However, due to the uncertainty of how long the membranes would last, the city decided to replace a portion of the original cassettes with new ones in 2021.
At this time, with the original membranes still performing well, the city decided to leave Train 4 populated with its original 2009 units and run them to “terminal health”. This test will allow the city to fully determine the true lifespan potential of their ZeeWeed 500 membranes.
It is important to note that the membranes installed in 2013, under the last major expansion, are still in service. When reviewing the historical performance data, the 2013 membranes are
following a similar trend as those from 2009 in Train 4 and are expected to last a similar duration.
It is estimated that if current operations remain the same, all membranes currently installed in the Brandon facility have the potential to exceed 20 years in service. With data from facilities like the Brandon WRF, MBR technology is reaching a level of maturity where longevity of immersed UF membranes is better understood and can assist other similar facilities to maximize their assets.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
There are multiple factors that have contributed to this extended membrane life. Headworks are of utmost importance.
2 continued overleaf…
Figure
Grit removal and 2-mm fine screening systems are typically installed upstream of MBRs to protect the membranes and other equipment from unwanted debris and abrasive material.
Observing a membrane cassette at Brandon WRF shows very little solids accumulation, or ragging, even after 17 years. This is indicative of well-performing headworks.
Operating at the appropriate mixed liquor concentration and membrane aeration rates in an MBR is paramount to keeping the membranes from accumulating excess solids. These can exert unwanted stress on the membranes and possibly shorten their lifecycle.
Unwanted solids buildup can also hinder aeration patterns within the immersed membrane fiber bundles and prevent them from properly scouring the membranes.
When inspecting the Brandon membrane cassettes, visible daylight between the upper portion of the modules indicates that the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) is within spec and being
flushed adequately through the unit, via air scouring.
Membranes, like any other filter, will eventually foul, even with properly applied mechanical cleaning, such as air scouring or backpulsing. The operations team will have to periodically conduct chemical cleans to recover permeability.
MBR operators typically have the option to perform either a lighter maintenance clean, or a more aggressive recovery clean utilizing the appropriate chemicals for removing either organic or inorganic fouling.
Following the membrane manufacturer’s recommended chemical cleaning protocol is a key principle to ensuring the health, performance, and longevity of the UF filters.
There is always room for optimization of the chemical cleans, as is the case with Brandon. Over the years, staff developed a unique cleaning strategy that requires lower chemical concentrations and less frequent cleaning than previously performed.
Maintenance cleans are no longer done and recovery cleans are carried out two to three times per year at lower chemical concentrations than initially recommended.
Transmembrane pressure (TMP) is the trigger used by staff to plan for a recovery clean. It is the force applied across the membrane fibers to draw permeate through the pores which have a nominal diameter of 0.04 microns.
The safe operating TMP range at Brandon is −55 kPa in production to +55 kPa during non-production activities, such as the reverse flow of permeate referred to as backpulsing. TMP values further from 0 kPa on the positive or negative, indicate a greater degree of membrane fouling.
When the TMP of an individual train enters the range of −45 kPa to −48 kPa in production, that is the signal the operators use to schedule a recovery clean.
Removing immersed membrane cassettes from their treatment tanks and performing routine visual inspections can provide indicators to their status as well as clues to other process issues or maintenance requirements.
Brandon WRF staff perform yearly inspections on all 54 of their membrane cassettes from the nine trains to assess their overall health and determine if any action needs to be taken.
Finally, constant communication between the membrane vendor and the operations staff is a critical relationship, that leads to optimal performance of an MBR.
Receiving adequate support and data analysis from MBR experts plays a crucial role in the facility being able to maintain performance and attain long membrane life.
Elliot Wuorinen is with Veolia in Calgary. Email: elliot.wuorinen@veolia.com Selina Ellinghaus and Wes Knight are with the City of Brandon’s WRF. Email: s.ellinghaus@brandon.ca, w.knight@brandon.ca
Restored Ontario wetlands help improve Great Lakes water quality
By Claire Foran
Nature is always hard at work, and Ontario’s wetlands are no exception. When rain falls, or snow begins to melt, water travels over fields, roads and other surfaces on its way toward local waterways. Along the route, it can carry nutrients and sediment with it. Wetlands help interrupt that journey. Acting like natural sponges, they hold and filter the water before slowly releasing it back into the watershed.
In 2025, 10 new wetlands were built along the Great Lakes watershed in central and eastern Ontario, through a partnership between Ducks Unlimited Canada and Watersheds Canada. Thanks to collaboration with local rural and agricultural landowners, areas where wetlands historically existed were identified and restored, bringing water and critical wildlife habitats back to the landscape.
The wetlands were designed with varying depths and native plants to help filter and absorb nutrients. Vegetation within the wetlands takes up excess nutrients from the water. Plants along the shoreline help capture sediment, before it can move downstream. Watersheds Canada further enhanced the ecological benefits of each site by designing custom shoreline renaturalization plans.
In total, 13,500 native plant species including dogwoods, elderberry, meadowsweet, birches, cranberries and tamaracks were added to the constructed wetlands.
The projects were spread across several watersheds that flow into Lake Ontario. In many cases, wetlands can be placed in the upper reaches of creeks and rivers, where nutrient runoff first enters the system. Together, projects like these can have a meaningful impact across an entire watershed.
While these wetlands improve water quality, they also provide essential habitat for wildlife. In spring, waterfowl breed in these small wetlands, and in the fall, the same areas become vital stopover points where they rest and refuel during their journey south. Small wetlands are also an important habitat for amphibians.
With nearly 70 per cent of wetlands in densely populated areas across Canada already lost, every restoration counts. By capturing runoff, filtering nutrients, improving climate resiliency and supporting wildlife, these small wetlands will have a big impact.
These projects were implemented in partnership with Watersheds Canada and supported by the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.
Claire Foran is with Ducks Unlimited Canada. Learn more about Ducks Unlimited Canada’s work to restore and conserve wetlands across Ontario at: www.ducks.ca/ontario
Engineered for Performance. Built to Last
The wetlands were designed with varying depths and native plants to help filter and absorb nutrients.
Feds invest in natural infrastructure to boost flood resilience in Manitoba and Yukon
By ES&E Staff
Federal government investments in natural infrastructure are advancing flood protection and creating new green community spaces in both Manitoba and Yukon, with projects designed to reduce climate risks and improve public access to nature.
In Brandon, Manitoba, a $1 million federal contribution will support the creation of a large naturalized stormwater pond and expanded trail connections, while more than $2.4 million in federal funding is flowing to Yukon communities to restore shorelines, protect critical farmland, and build culturally significant healing and food-growing spaces.
Together, the projects highlight a growing focus on naturebased solutions that combine flood mitigation, climate resilience, and community well-being. Residents of Brandon will
see improved flood protection and expanded recreational opportunities through the investment supporting a project that blends stormwater management with public green space.
The initiative will create a 10-acre naturalized stormwater pond designed to mimic prairie wetlands. By filtering water, absorbing carbon, and reducing pollution, the pond will increase stormwater storage capacity and help prevent overland flooding during heavy rain events.
The project also includes a 500-metre multi-use pathway, which will connect to Brandon’s existing trail network, along with the planting of approximately 100 trees and native wetland species. New benches, signage, and waste bins will further enhance the area as a welcoming and sustainable space for community use.
“This naturalized stormwater pond project will not only be a game-changer for flooding and drainage issues, it’ll also be fantastic for everyone who enjoys spending time outdoors,” announced Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett in a statement.
The federal government’s contribution is being delivered through the Natural Infrastructure Fund, with the City of Brandon contributing $5.2 million toward the project. The fund supports natural and hybrid infrastructure approaches that strengthen climate resilience, protect biodiversity, and expand public access to nature, including wetlands, urban forests, bioswales, and naturalized stormwater systems. A minimum of 10% of the program’s overall funding envelope is allocated to Indigenous-led projects.
The investment also aligns with the federal Framework
Fort McMurray #468 First Nation, Community Water Infrastructure Project.
to Build a Green Prairie Economy, launched in December 2023, which emphasizes a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability and economic development across the Prairie provinces. PrairiesCan has committed $100 million over three years to support projects that advance these priorities.
In the Yukon community of Teslin, approximately 450 metres of shoreline along Teslin Lake will be restored through the placement of rip-rap and armouring rocks, along with the planting of native vegetation. The project will reduce flooding and erosion risks linked to increasingly frequent high-water events, while re-grading the shoreline to create a level walking path, with signage to improve public access.
In Dawson City, funding will help protect the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in farm by constructing a 340-metre berm and planting berry-producing shrubs and other perennial plants to guide runoff water through the site. The work is intended to prevent erosion, while increasing food
In Brandon, Manitoba, a $1 million federal contribution will support the creation of a large naturalized stormwater pond and expanded trail connections. Credit: jacob,stock.adobe.com
security, and includes improvements and expansions to the farm’s existing 1.3-kilometre trail system to support community outreach and access.
Additional funding in Dawson City will establish a natural green space between the local hospital and longterm care facility, creating a healing garden designed to provide patients, resi-
dents, and families with access to nature. The garden will feature permaculture plantings, Hügelkultur garden beds for traditional medicines and culturally significant plants, as well as signage, walkways, and benches.
“Climate change continues to affect our daily lives, especially in the North,” announced the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, Rebecca Chartrand. “Northerners are seeing increased flooding, record high temperatures, wildfires, and impacts to permafrost, that are damaging infrastructure.”
Chartrand added that Teslin and Dawson City are like so many Indigenous and northern communities that are finding themselves on the frontlines of climate change. “I commend their ongoing efforts in confronting this problem head-on, while also increasing food security and making these natural spaces more accessible,” she stated.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Innovation in the family DNA
Four generations later, the Meunier family is still reinventing water treatment
By David Nesseth
FFor nearly 80 years, the Meunier name has been synonymous with water treatment in Quebec. Now, a fourth generation is extending that legacy — not with pumps or imported filtration systems, but with a compact dosing module born from a young engineer’s fascination with engines.
When Vincent Meunier graduated from École de technologie supérieure in 2018, he set out to solve operational challenges he had observed at a Quebec water treatment facility. Now 34, the mechanical engineer and founder of Meunier Technologies has led the development of a compact dosing module, DICE™, that integrates multiple components into a single machined block, reducing leak points, simplifying installation, and improving system reliability. He wondered if he could work to conquer the mechanical fatigue of vibration, while pumping in pressurized chemicals safely inside of a reliable assembly — parts joined together by tubing or piping — and do so with fewer connections and minimal leaks from multiple joints.
Could he integrate everything and make it smaller, simply ready to mount and go?
“The concept of having everything together inside a block was compelling in my mind,” Vincent recalls. “But I knew executing this, in terms of product development, was going to be hard.”
The technology has since been installed more than 2,000 times at facilities across Europe, North America, South America, and Australia, with individual plants often deploying multiple units depending on treatment requirements.
Nearly eight decades after his greatgrandfather John Meunier founded his pump repair business in Montreal, Vincent is carrying the family’s influence into a new era — one defined less by mechanical repair and more by precision-engineered innovation.
MECHANICAL CURIOSITY, INHERITED AND LEARNED
Vincent did not initially plan to enter the water sector, despite growing up sur-
rounded by it. His father, François Meunier, and aunt, Marie Meunier, both built careers in the industry, but Vincent’s early fascination was with engines.
The family recalls his first word: “Tractor.” It foreshadowed a desire to understand the mechanical workings of engines and opened up a path to study the family’s own tractor stored at the cottage, or as it’s called in Quebec, the chalet.
“It was big and noisy, my first passion, and I was fascinated by it,” he told Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine by phone from Saint-Eustache, Quebec, where he runs Meunier Technologies.
His father remembers that curiosity vividly because his son always had an “instinctive curiosity” for mechanics. He recalls that as a child, Vincent would take apart his toys to uncover their secrets.
“As a teenager, he did not hesitate to completely dismantle the engine of one of his cars — piston in hand, his eyes shining with enthusiasm,” François says. That instinct to understand how things
worked would later shape Vincent’s engineering approach — and ultimately his contribution to the family legacy.
FOUNDATIONS LAID IN POSTWAR QUEBEC
The Meunier family’s presence in water treatment began in 1948, when now notable industry figure John Meunier founded his own business after 25 years in the pump and filtration industry. Two years later, the company opened its first store, and by 1956 its property had tripled in size.
His son, Gabriel Meunier, would later lead the company through a period of modernization and expansion. After studying in Europe, where water treatment technologies were more advanced at the time, Gabriel focused on introducing innovative solutions from international manufacturers to the Canadian and U.S. markets. By the late 1990s, more than 75% of medium and large-scale water treatment plants in Quebec utilized at least one piece of process equipment or instrumentation and control system from the company. Gabriel led John Meunier Inc. (now a subsidiary of Veolia Water Technologies Canada Inc.) from 1974 to 1998, helping expand its role in wastewater and drinking water treatment.
François grew up immersed in that environment, in an apartment connected directly to the company’s pump repair workshop.
“It was through this door that the world of water treatment first opened up to me,” he recalls.
continued overleaf…
DICE™ Module
For Vincent Meunier, 34, the connection to the water treatment industry was shaped as much by mentorship as by heritage. Credit: Meunier Technologies, Laura Bonturi
Vincent was seeing the water sector for the first time as a way to connect with the environment and ecology, as well as protect it, and it provided a greater sense of purpose for him and his talent for technological innovation.
“That meaning is the result of everything we are doing as a team here at Meunier Technologies, and as an industry.” — Vincent Meunier
François would go on to help operate and commission wastewater treatment plants across Quebec during the province’s major infrastructure expansion in the 1980s, when hundreds of municipalities built facilities to improve environmental protection and public health. He also contributed to early mobile data collection applications used in plant operations. Now, he heads Helios Academy for training in the water sector.
The family’s influence extended beyond engineering and operations. Marie Meunier built a distinguished career in sales, marketing, and business development with John Meunier Inc. and Veolia Water Technologies Canada. She was highly involved in both the Association québécoise des techniques de l’eau (AQTE) and the Québec Water & Waste Water Association, helping guide the sector during a period of rapid growth.
Marie and Gabriel served as presidents of the AQTE — now known as Réseau Environnement — one of Quebec’s largest professional networks of environmental specialists.
MENTORSHIP ACROSS GENERATIONS
For Vincent, the connection to the industry was shaped as much by mentorship as by heritage — particularly his
relationship with his grandfather Gabriel. François recalls watching the two work side by side in the garage.
“Together, they carried out jar tests on a special settling process that Vincent had in mind. The process was ‘Top Secret,’ but I still had the privilege of witnessing this beautiful blend of passion, knowledge transfer, and creativity.”
Those experiences helped cement Vincent’s interest in engineering innovation. Gabriel’s emphasis on introducing new technologies left a lasting impression.
The innovation portion was always in Gabriel’s DNA, Vincent says.
FROM CONCEPT TO COMPANY
Shortly after graduating, Vincent says he was fortunate enough to count on the help of many individuals, including his old friend Jean-Christophe Fortin Houde, also a mechanical engineer. Vincent eventually pitched the integrated dosing module for distribution in Quebec through Pumpaction Inc., securing his first commercial foothold. Early installations for DICE™ (which stands for Dosing Injection Chemical Equipment), provided valuable feedback, allowing refinements that improved performance and reliabil-
François, Gabriel and Vincent Meunier
ity. After some installations and more product feedback that resulted in minor fine-tuning, Meunier Technologies was about to embark on a new chapter.
One defining moment came during a trip to Toronto, when Vincent drove his aging Volvo to meet with industry distributor Greg Vissers, president of Vissers Sales Corp.
“With one old bearing screaming for help,” he recalls.
The risk paid off. Significant orders were placed on the spot.
“To this day, I appreciate the audacity and tolerance to risk that Greg had,” he says. “Because at that time I was just another young professional.”
Even then, his focus remained on the work ahead.
“One thing I need to work on is being happy with the things that I achieve,” Vincent says. “Was something checked? Yes. Now the next milestone was to get enough excitement, capital, and orders to really get things started in a pretty risk-averse industry. The balance between ambition and fulfillment is difficult,” he added.
THE MEANING BEHIND THE WORK
What clicked for Vincent more recently in life was a values alignment that he had not foreseen having with the
sector. He got into the line of work from an innovation standpoint, but as he got deeper into it, he was pleasantly surprised that the work was more meaningful and impactful than he had initially thought. He was seeing the water sector for the first time as a way to connect with the environment and ecology, as well as protect it, and it provided a greater sense of purpose for him and his talent for technological innovation.
“That meaning is the result of everything we are doing as a team here at Meunier Technologies, and as an industry,” says Vincent. “There is a net positive impact on the living, not only humans, but protecting the environment,” he adds, noting he also enjoys that connection to nature through rock climbing and skiing in his limited spare time.
That realization reinforced his connection not only to the sector, but to the values passed down through his family. During a trip to Germany, he met a former industry executive who had worked closely with his grandfather. The encounter revealed the depth of professional relationships built over decades. The experience was less one of business opportunity, and more one of appreciation. He saw that the CEO and his grandfather had each other’s backs, and
had cultivated a relationship built on loyalty and kindness.
“That’s where I felt this legacy,” he says.
Despite that history, Vincent says he has sought to establish his own path, relying on the strength of his technology rather than his family name. Still, he has encountered a community that remembers the Meuniers’ contributions.
For his father, watching that continuation has been deeply meaningful.
“It is an immense source of pride to see Vincent carrying on the Meunier family legacy while forging his own path,” François says. “His innovative mindset, combined with his leadership and entrepreneurial skills, is already shining well beyond our borders.”
Few families can trace their influence across an industry for four generations: From John Meunier’s postwar repair shop to Gabriel’s international expansion, to François and Marie’s operational and institutional leadership.
Today, Vincent is adding his own chapter — proving that while technologies evolve, the family’s defining characteristic remains the same: A drive to innovate.
David Nesseth is a contributing editor with ES&E Magazine. He can be reached at david@esemag.com
Gabriel Meunier
Study finds $450M wastewater upgrades by Region of Waterloo cut ammonia by 80% and drive Grand River recovery
By ES&E Staff
Anew study finds that the Region of Waterloo’s $450-million investment in wastewater treatment upgrades has delivered measurable environmental gains, significantly reducing pollution and improving ecological health in Ontario’s Grand River watershed.
Completed in 2019 at two treatment facilities, including the Kitchener WWTP, the upgrades included a shift to fully nitrifying activated sludge systems. According to the January 2026 University of Waterloo study, that change led to a more than 80% reduction in total ammonia discharged to the river.
Drawing on more than a decade of biological monitoring data, researchers found that aquatic communities downstream of both plants increasingly resembled those upstream, after the upgrades were completed. This is a key indicator of ecosystem recovery.
“This study reinforces the positive impact that the infrastructure upgrades have had on the health of the Grand River,” said Dr. Mark Servos, co-author of the study, Water Institute researcher and professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo, in a statement.
The findings are based on a longterm biological monitoring program established by the Region prior to construction and maintained through 2022. Beginning in 2009, researchers sampled sites upstream and downstream of effluent outfalls at roughly three-year intervals, using a before-and-after control-impact (BACI) study design.
The team focused on benthic macroinvertebrates that live on the river bottom and are highly sensitive to water quality changes. These species form the base of the aquatic food web and are widely used as indicators of ecosystem condition.
declined. Researchers concluded that improved effluent quality reduced ecological stress and supported recovery toward more natural conditions.
Adam Yates, a Water Institute researcher and study co-author, said the Region’s commitment to long-term monitoring was critical to detecting those changes. “The resilience of river communities is astounding. This study shows that they just need us to take action to reduce pollution in order for significant recovery in ecological health to occur,” he said in a university statement.
The resilience of river communities is astounding. This study shows that these communities just need us to take action to reduce pollution in order for significant recovery in ecological health to occur.
While natural variation influenced upstream communities over time, the BACI study design allowed researchers to separate background ecological shifts from changes linked to the wastewater upgrades. That approach strengthened confidence that the recovery patterns were tied to the infrastructure investments.
Earlier research by Waterloo scientists had documented improvements in water quality and fish health following the plant upgrades. The new study extends those findings, demonstrating that benthic macroinvertebrates, a foundational component of the aquatic ecosystem, also responded positively.
The authors say the results underscore the value of pairing major environmental infrastructure investments with sustained biological monitoring to assess outcomes, guide policy decisions and demonstrate public return on investment.
The full study, Benthic Macroinvertebrate Recovery After Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades: Implications for Biomonitoring, was published in River Research and Applications.
Prior to the upgrades, macroinvertebrate communities downstream differed substantially from upstream sites. Following completion of the nitrification improvements, those differences steadily
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Researchers sampled sites upstream and downstream of effluent outfalls at roughly three-year intervals. Credit: UWaterloo
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Wildfires may pose longterm threat to Canada’s drinking water
By ES&E Staff
Anew review led by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) warns that wildfire pollution can threaten drinking water supplies for years after the flames are extinguished, raising concerns for communities across Canada as fire seasons intensify.
The global review analyzed 23 studies spanning 28 watersheds worldwide, comparing pre- and post-fire levels of sediment, nutrients, metals, organic
carbon, ions and firefighting chemicals. Researchers found that contamination often worsens months, or even years, after a blaze, particularly when heavy rain or snowmelt flushes stored ash and debris into rivers and reservoirs.
The findings come as wildfire activity
in Canada reaches unprecedented levels. In 2023, more than 15 million hectares burned nationwide, which was more than double the previous national record.
“The same delayed contamination pattern kept appearing,” noted Raúl de León Rábago, a study author and mas-
A new review led by researchers at the University of British Columbia warns that wildfire pollution can threaten drinking water supplies for years. Credit: cannon, stock.adobe.com
ter’s student in civil engineering at UBC, which issued an announcement about the wildfire review.
According to the review, wildfire-related contaminants, including sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can complicate drinking water treatment by reducing removal efficiency and driving up operational costs. Researchers note that while modelling tools exist to simulate contaminant transport, wildfire scenarios require more sophisticated approaches. These must account for atmospheric deposition, erosion, hydrology and sediment exchange to better predict concentration spikes and remobilization events.
Alberta case studies underscore the long-term risks. Following the 2016 wildfire near Fort McMurray, rivers recorded elevated levels of sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and lead. This was even in areas where less than a quarter of the watershed had burned. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo increased its annual treatment chemical spending by roughly $500,000 to manage wildfire-related changes in raw water quality.
In southern Alberta’s Rockies, impacts from the 2003 Lost Creek wildfire persisted for years. Flooding in 2013 reintroduced stored ash and soil into waterways, causing phosphorus levels to surge seven to nine times normal levels, with some increases lingering more than 14 years downstream.
“Imagine emptying a bucket of ash into a bathtub,” said Dr. Qingshi Tu, an assistant professor in UBC’s faculty of forestry & environmental stewardship. “When the water is stirred, the ash resurfaces. That’s what can happen in watersheds after large fires.”
The study also points to the role of smoke and firefighting chemicals in compounding risks. Long-term fire retardants such as Phos-Chek, commonly used in B.C. and Alberta, contain nutrients and trace metals which can fuel algal blooms and further strain treatment systems.
Researchers say the ability of utilities to respond depends on factors including fire intensity, watershed size, weather patterns and the design of local treatment systems. Smaller or resource-limited communities may face heightened vul-
nerability to prolonged post-fire impacts.
To help utilities anticipate multi-year risks, the research team is developing a model linking wildfire behaviour, smoke transport and river systems. They argue that provinces, such as B.C. and Alberta, require coordinated long-term water monitoring and preparedness planning, particularly where fires occur near drinking water sources.
“Canada is entering a new era of wildfire risk,” said Dr. Loretta Li, senior author and UBC civil engineering professor. “If we want to protect drinking water, we have to treat wildfire impacts as long-term, not short-term.”
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
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Developing a framework approach to life cycle management for wastewater pumping systems
Barry Jongsma Patrick Yehl
Wastewater pump behavior evolves as components wear, grout settles, supports relax, piping loads shift, duty cycles drift and fluid conditions change. Without a structured method for capturing and interpreting these changes, degradation processes can develop unnoticed until they progress into advanced failure modes.
A life cycle framework outlines how engineering parameters are established, monitored and updated over time. It specifies the baselines collected at commissioning, the sensor data required to detect deviation and the diagnostic methods used to verify mechanical or hydraulic causes.
It also guides design review, condition measurement, diagnostic evaluation and maintenance planning as elements of one unified technical process.
Long-term performance begins with correct hydraulic and mechanical fit. The pump curve must align with the system curve, so that operation stays near the best efficiency point (BEP), where hydraulic losses and radial forces are minimized. Operation outside this region increases vibration, temperature gains and energy intensity, accelerating wear across bearings, seals and hydraulic surfaces.
Design modelling should define static and dynamic head, friction factors, duty points and transient behavior. The operating envelope should identify preferred and allowable ranges, while avoiding zones based on stability and expected mechanical loading, particularly in applications where system demand and operating conditions vary over time. An adequate net positive suction head (NPSH) margin must be established to prevent damaging cavitation and the pitting,
imbalance and vibration signatures it produces.
Mechanical design parameters, such as grout quality, baseplate stiffness, anchor condition, pipe strain limits, shaft alignment tolerances and geometric stability should be documented at commissioning. These measurements become reference values for every future comparison and are especially important in wastewater and environmental infrastructure where operating conditions are rarely steady-state.
Continuous measurement is central to the life cycle approach. Vibration monitoring captures overall vibration levels and spectral content. Running speed peaks, vane pass frequencies, bearing tones and broadband energy levels indicate potential imbalance, misalignment, looseness, bearing degradation and hydraulic excitation.
Aligning current data with commissioning baselines enables early detection of developing problems before alarm thresholds are reached. This reduces the likelihood of reliability issues, energy inefficiency or unplanned service disruptions.
Temperature and lubrication measurements add context by showing friction level changes and early signs of wear or contamination. Hydraulic performance data such as flow, suction and discharge pressure, differential head and power draw are compared against reference performance curves to detect internal wear, recirculation or system modifications that often occur as infrastructure ages.
When deviations appear, diagnostic tools reveal the underlying behavior. Modal analysis identifies natural frequencies and ensures separation from forcing frequencies. Operating deflection shape testing visualizes dynamic deformation in structures and machine interfaces that may indicate soft grout, base distortion or piping strain.
Motion amplification video exposes
small, but meaningful, structural movements in supports, fasteners and components. These diagnostics differentiate hydraulic, mechanical and structural drivers so corrective actions are accurate and effective.
Assessments extend beyond diagnostics by examining broader contributors to wastewater pump performance and reliability.
Root cause failure analysis (RCFA) provides a structured method for identifying the true underlying cause of a failure, rather than only the immediate symptom. Structured techniques such as “Five Whys”, fault tree analysis and cause and effect diagrams help trace hydraulic, mechanical, operational or procedural contributors. RCFA prevents failures from repeating by identifying installation errors, operational drift or maintenance gaps that would otherwise remain hidden.
Physical inspections provide confirmation and context that measurements alone cannot supply. Visual assessments of grout integrity, alignment condition, component wear, support structure condition and piping strain identify issues that affect stability and long-term behavior. These inspections validate, or challenge, assumptions developed from vibration or hydraulic trends.
Energy use is a powerful indicator of system health. As pumps drift from their best efficiency point (BEP) due to wear or system changes, power consumption increases. Energy assessments evaluate pump efficiency, friction losses, duty cycle alignment, throttling losses and avoidable operating
conditions. They help quantify performance deterioration and highlight opportunities for operational improvement.
Assessment integration diagnostics show the symptoms, assessments reveal the causes. Trend analysis shows how quickly conditions are changing. When combined, these approaches provide a complete understanding of pump and system behavior. This supports corrective actions, which are
Life-cycle management begins with the proper design and sizing of wastewater pumping systems. continued overleaf…
targeted, justified and scalable across facilities.
Maintenance execution should be driven by actual conditions, rather than fixed schedules. Preventative work includes lubrication quality, alignment verification, balance checks, sealing system inspection, fastener torque verification, grout assessment and cleanliness. Predictive maintenance uses trend analysis and reliability tools to estimate remaining useful life for bearings, seals and couplings.
Plan for Every Part (PFEP) transforms spare parts management into a data-driven and proactive discipline. PFEP defines each part’s specifications, material composition, dimensions, storage location, packaging method, supplier information, usage rate and delivery expectations. It improves inventory accuracy by aligning stocking levels with real consumption patterns.
PFEP minimizes shortages and excess inventory by ensuring that critical parts are available when needed and that long
lead items are planned with sufficient time. It connects maintenance planning with procurement and supports reliability improvement by integrating condition-based data into spare parts strategy.
For aging infrastructure, PFEP provides the foundation required to manage the unique demands of legacy components with long manufacturing lead times. Operations strongly influence reliability throughout the life cycle. Control logic should prevent deadheading, reverse flow, rapid cycling and extended low flow operation. Duty cycle analysis ensures that real operating points remain within preferred ranges, even as system conditions evolve over time.
Accurate documentation is essential for stability. Alignment measurements, vibration baselines, diagnostic reports, hydraulic test results and corrective actions should be captured in a structured system. Periodic hydraulic performance testing confirms that measured head and flow remain consistent with commissioning curves. Consistent
deviation indicates developing hydraulic wear, or system changes, that require inspection.
An ongoing review of collected data supports long-term predictability. Vibration signatures, hydraulic deviation, alignment changes, bearing temperature trends and energy intensity should be evaluated regularly. If thresholds are exceeded, the response may include inspection, expanded monitoring or adjustments to operating envelopes and mechanical interfaces.
Reliability in wastewater pumping systems is dependent on controlling hydraulic loading, mechanical alignment, structural support, and system dynamics. A life-cycle framework provides the engineering practices required to measure, interpret, and correct these factors.
Barry Jongsma and Patrick Yehl are with Pentair. For more information, visit: www.pentair.com
Cutting-Edge Tornado Mixing Technology
Ontario moves to modernize aging water systems in many communities
By ES&E Staff
Ontario is pressing ahead on multiple fronts to modernize aging water and wastewater systems, rolling out a series of infrastructure investments aimed at protecting public health, unlocking housing and strengthening communities, as population growth and climate pressures intensify.
As part of that broader push, the province has recently approved funding for major municipal water projects in eight communities across northern, central and southwestern Ontario. This signals an accelerated, province-wide effort to keep critical infrastructure on pace with demand.
The new projects, funded primarily by the Health and Safety Water Stream of the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, form part of a $4-billion investment through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. This program is included in Ontario’s $220-billion capital plan to build and modernize transit, highways, hospitals, schools and water systems.
In northern Ontario, the Municipality
of West Nipissing will receive up to $18.2 million to expand water infrastructure and secure an alternative drinking water source for residents of Verner. The project includes construction of a new water
main from Cache Bay to Verner and conversion of the community’s existing treatment plant into a pumping station.
Preliminary designs estimate the
continued overleaf…
Water related projects form part of a $4-billion investment through Ontario’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. Credit: tong2530, stock.adobe.com
project cost at roughly $24 million, with provincial funding covering about three-quarters of eligible expenses. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by March 2029.
Verner’s existing treatment facility is expected to reach the end of its service life by 2035.
The City of Timmins is receiving up to $23.6 million for construction of the new Tisdale Water Tower, a 58-metre structure designed to significantly increase water storage capacity and improve pressure across the system.
The tower will hold 10 million litres of water, replacing an aging in-ground reservoir. The project, valued at more than $26 million, is being phased in over three years. The balance of the cost is being funded through the city’s water and wastewater budget.
The City of North Bay has received more than $11.5 million in provincial funding to upgrade wastewater infrastructure, allowing the replacement of a 65-year-old intake chamber at the waste-
water treatment facility. The funding will also improve stormwater management to prevent flooding, and protect homes and businesses across the community.
Ontario is also investing more than $5.1 million for the rehabilitation of the Kenora Wastewater Treatment Plant and $162,881 for the rehabilitation of the Vermilion Bay Water Treatment Plant.
The WWTP serves approximately 5,200 households, including Wauzhushk Onigum First Nation.
Vermilion Bay Water Treatment Plant funding is for the replacement of two distribution pumps, repairs to fire pumps, structural improvements to flooring, pH meters and additional upgrades to critical infrastructure.
More than $1.4 million is being invested in wastewater upgrades for the Township of Emo. The funding will help to construct a new sanitary holding tank with duplex pump systems, provide upgrades to electrical, mechanical and SCADA systems, and modernize controls and electrical systems.
This will improve the monitoring and resiliency for weather-related impacts and system demands.
In Simcoe North, the province is investing up to $78.4 million across five municipalities to build, expand and rehabilitate water and wastewater infrastructure. Projects include:
• Victoria Harbour Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Phase II ($29.5 million)
• Orillia’s Fittons Road West Sewage Pumping Station upgrades ($3.27 million)
• Town of Penetanguishene’s Robert Street West Well Treatment Facility ($11.5 million)
The Town of New Tecumseth has secured up to $12.5 million to rehabilitate clarifiers at its Alliston Wastewater Treatment Plant. The work will address aging infrastructure, improve treatment effectiveness and maintain compliance with environmental standards, while supporting future growth.
Southwestern Ontario is also seeing significant investment, with just over $61 million committed to water and wastewater projects across five Elgin County municipalities. Projects include:
• Town of Aylmer sanitary lagoon treatment upgrades ($7.2 million)
• Flood mitigation in Port Stanley ($9.3 million)
• Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich wastewater treatment plant and pump station upgrades ($4.7 million)
• Rehabilitation of the Port Burwell secondary main ($15.3 million)
• Township of Southwold wastewater treatment plant expansion ($24.7 million)
In Eastern Ontario, Quinte West will receive $16.5 million for replacement of the Trenton Zone 1 Mount Pelion Booster Station and construction of a new elevated storage tank. The project is expected to improve pressure, increase storage capacity and strengthen long-term system reliability for roughly 14,000 homes.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
Drone boat gives Lethbridge wastewater plant a safe way to inspect toxic underground channels
By ES&E Staff
How to inspect sealed, toxic underground channels without putting workers at risk has been a longstanding question at the Lethbridge Wastewater Treatment Plant. The answer has come in the form of a homemade, low-cost drone.
For years, plant operators knew hydrogen sulfide gas was corroding concrete inside enclosed wastewater channels at the Alberta facility. But with no inspection ports and gas levels far exceeding safe exposure limits, sending workers inside was not an option.
Shutting down operations to investigate was equally impractical, leaving staff unable to assess the extent of damage or emerging blockages.
That changed when the plant’s Senior System Integrator, Lee Allen, designed and built a remote-controlled drone boat capable of navigating the narrow, submerged channels. “There was no good way to peek inside,” Allen told City of Lethbridge officials. “It’s a small, enclosed concrete channel with no inspection ports and you can’t put a person down there.”
The custom-built device, inspired by an idea from the plant’s Maintenance Lead, Shaun Young, was developed by Allen over three months using 3D printing and off-the-shelf components. It floats along the wastewater surface, maneuvering through tight bends while transmitting live video back to operators via an ethernet-enabled camera system.
Controlled with an Xbox 360 controller, the boat-style drone uses dual jet drives to maintain stability and precise movement in confined spaces.
Allen completed the project for less than $1,000, far below the cost of comparable commercial systems, which can run into the tens of thousands.
Initial testing in a local storm pond confirmed the drone could skim, pivot and remain stable. When deployed inside the sealed channel, it delivered the first-ever visual assessment of the space.
The footage revealed the concrete structure was in better condition than expected, easing concerns about severe corrosion. However, it also uncovered a significant buildup of grease and organic material along the channel floor and walls, large enough to require staged flushing and ongoing maintenance. The boat drone was unable to pass beyond the blockage.
Hydrogen sulfide levels in the channel measured around 35 parts per million, well above Alberta’s occupational exposure limit of 10 ppm. While the gas remains contained underground, the readings underscore the risks that had previously prevented inspection.
The WWTP’s Senior System Integrator, Lee Allen, designed and built a remote-controlled boat drone capable of navigating the narrow, submerged channels. Credit: City of Lethbridge
Plant Manager Adam Campbell said the Lethbridge project delivers value on multiple fronts. “This tackles a real issue, it’s very cost-efficient and it creates a high level of team engagement,” Campbell said. “It’s great to see Lee combine his personal interests and skillset to improve operations.”
Allen, who grew up building remote-controlled machines in his father’s garage, said the goal is not to replace workers but to make hazardous tasks safer. “Our systems take on the dirty, dangerous, boring work humans shouldn’t have to do,” he said. “Robots should make human work safer, more fun and more meaningful.”
With the success of the boat drone, Allen is already developing his next project to target sludge removal in the wastewater lagoons, continuing his hands-on approach to solving real-world infrastructure challenges.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
When is a mechanical fluid metering pump the better option?
By Jeanne Hendrickson
When discussing advanced technology, it can be said that sometimes less is more. This can be true for many applications where fluid metering pumps are used. The proliferation of smart technology in metering pumps has resulted in a variety of high-tech features and capabilities.
However, in many applications the increased complexity does not necessarily translate to better performance. In such cases, the high-tech features of these sophisticated metering pumps are simply overkill, adding cost without value.
This has led many contractors, OEMs, and end-users to take a closer look at the
value of small motor-driven diaphragm and peristaltic pumps. In the right application, these workhorse devices can offer a better blend of value and performance.
The main appeal of a simple mechanical pump lies in its ability to get the job done, while also delivering cost-effectiveness. Smart pumps are the high end of the chemical metering world, as they offer extreme precision for critical applications like drinking water and wastewater remediation. However, many applications don’t need such highlevel features. In these systems, a reliable AC shaded-pole motor, with manual adjustment, can provide exactly what is needed, without a hefty price tag.
By stripping away the bells and whistles, these pumps eliminate the expensive components, resulting in a more bud-
get-friendly option. Users are no longer paying for remote start/stop functions, or flow-pacing capabilities, that they will never plug in. Instead, they receive a durable device designed to do one thing well: move fluids reliably.
VERSATILE APPLICATIONS
Simple mechanical pumps are an ideal fit in environments where a basic on/off function is the primary requirement. They do not need the level of control offered by 4-20 mA signals and DC brushless motors. Mechanically driven pumps provide good accuracy and are activated by an external switch or controller.
In rural settings, metering pumps treat well water with chlorine to provide clean, safe drinking water, and even to remove iron and other minerals.
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EFFICIENCY IN INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE
Another big advantage to choosing a mechanical pump is the reduction in labour costs. These pumps lack complex electronic control boards and navigation menus and require little to no operator training. Installation is also simple. In most cases, a non-specialist is able to mount the pump on a wall, connect the suction and discharge lines, and get the pump up and running within minutes.
Maintenance is also very straightforward. Their simple design means the pump has fewer components that can fail. When something does go wrong, the solution is often a basic cleaning, or a diaphragm change. Complex overhauls are not only uncommon, but also unnecessary, as most pumps offer an adequate return on investment in under two years. They can perform reliably for two to three times as long.
To maximize the lifespan of mechanical pumps, it is essential to deploy them in applications requiring intermittent
duty. While higher-end pumps are built for round-the-clock operation, simple mechanical pumps are designed for shorter bursts, such as a soap pump running for 10 minutes during a dish cycle or a well pump activating 10 times per
day for a few minutes each time. Operators should also be sure to run them at the lowest possible RPM and pressure, as this further ensures the longevity of the motor and other components. In addition, while many such pumps come with NEMA 3R (IP23) enclosures to protect them from splashes and dirt, they are not designed for continuous exposure to the elements and should be housed accordingly.
Understanding these operational boundaries reinforces a simple truth that the most expensive tool is not always the best tool for every job. For a contractor, or OEM, focused on containing costs without sacrificing reliability, mechanical pumps offer a robust solution. They provide the necessary protection and the back-to-basics reliability that modern smart systems sometimes lack. In the right application, the simplest tool is often the smartest choice.
Jeanne Hendrickson is with Blue-White. Email: jeanne@bwadvertising.com
Simple mechanical pumps, like Blue-White’s C-1500N, are an ideal fit in environments where a basic on/off function is the primary requirement.
A progressive cavity metering pump, featuring an integrated gear motor, variable frequency drive, and advanced analog and digital I/O options.
Mastering variations in pump design flow for optimal performance
Westyn Bennington Alicia Kadar
The most effective way to deliver chemicals into a process is through continuously dosing pumps. These not only save time, they also enhance safety and reliability, making them a crucial upgrade for any modern facility.
But how does one select the proper metering pump? It can be challenging due to the variety of technologies available. The key factor is repeatability, which ensures a consistent flow rate over time. A highly repeatable pump simplifies control, allowing for accurate adjustments based on feedback from downstream analyzers.
Equally important is the drive and control mechanism. A repeatable pump is ineffective without a robust system that enables operation and remote control. By focusing on both repeatability and an effective control mechanism, one can ensure optimal performance and operational efficiency.
To assess the repeatability of metering pump technologies, a comprehensive test was conducted. Each pump was evaluated at 50% of its rated capacity, a deliberate choice reflecting standard sizing practices for nominal process conditions in metering applications.
This approach enables pumps to operate efficiently across a wide range, accommodating up to 200% of nominal capacity, while still performing effectively at as low as 20%. This ensures operational flexibility and precision, making it essential for metering applications where consistency is crucial.
During the test, both instantaneous flow rate and average flow rate were recorded. The instantaneous flow rate captures the exact measurement that downstream instruments detect at any given moment.
The average flow rate reveals the total amount of chemical delivered over an extended period.
Understanding the relationship between these two metrics is essential for effective operation. When the instantaneous flow rate falls below the average flow rate, there is a significant risk that the instrumentation may sample during this low phase and inaccurately indicate that not enough chemicals are being
dosed. This situation compels operators to increase the pump rate, ensuring that even the periods of reduced flow meet, or exceed, the necessary average flow rate.
However, this reactive approach often results in unnecessary chemical consumption, as operators are forced to set dosing levels higher than required to counter the variability in instantaneous flow rate.
By proactively managing these rates, we can optimize chemical usage, enhance operational efficiency, and minimize costs, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and effective process.
The findings presented in Table 1 provide insights into the first standard deviation for each pump technology, expressed as a percentage of the mean flow rate. Moreover, it highlights the minimum excess chemical feed, derived from the observational deviation of the instantaneous flow rate, relative to the mean flow rate.
The table also reveals the maximum excess chemical feed, which reflects the statistical deviation as a percentage of the mean flow rate. This maximum figure significantly exceeds the observational value, underscoring the impact of the non-normal distribution of the data.
Such a distribution signals a considerable likelihood of sampling when flow rates stray farthest from the mean. This emphasizes the need for careful consideration in the analyses and decision-making processes.
After examining pump technologies and their repeatability, it’s crucial to assess drive and control mechanism capabilities. This assessment largely depends on how operators manage pump control. For manual operations, simple local speed control via a potentiometer, or keypad on the drive, is often sufficient, enabling precision and responsiveness in pumping systems.
Certain operations utilize advanced technology, by leveraging an analog signal from the plant’s control system to adjust the pump’s speed remotely. The drive must accept an analog signal (4-20 mA or 0-10 VDC) that aligns with the pump’s speed range, allowing for precise control.
A key feature is the digital input on the pump drive, configured as a run/stop
command, enabling the control system to monitor the pump’s status effectively. Additionally, having analog and digital outputs allows for real-time feedback on speed and operational status.
These features enhance automation, reduce operator workload, and boost overall efficiency, making this technology essential for optimizing productivity in any operation.
In modern facilities, the need for advanced pump drives with integrated communication buses is paramount. This technology enables efficient data transmission between devices through a single connection, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.
Understanding the communication protocol used in a plant’s programmable logic controller is essential for optimal performance.
Ethernet/IP is a leading protocol, that adapts standard Ethernet for industrial applications. It allows for easy management of multiple parameters, like pump speed and run status, without complex
Table 1.
setups for separate inputs and outputs. Additionally, pump drives with extra sensors can provide real-time insights into device health, monitoring key factors such as motor temperature, drive temperature, fault status, and run time. Adopting these advanced solutions posi-
tions a facility for greater productivity and reduced downtime.
Westyn Bennington and Alicia Kadar are with SEEPEX-Ingersoll Rand. Email: westyn.bennington@irco.com, alicia.kadar@irco.com
Why you should have certain critical spare aeration parts in stock
By Enrique Chapoy
Under normal conditions, wastewater aeration systems should last up to 20 years before needing to be replaced or upgraded. But even before then, any number of things can go awry that can cause an aeration unit to go down. Unfortunately, it’s common for many wastewater operations to wait until a critical part failure to order replacements, which can drag out downtime, increase costs, and cause a wide range of other problems.
While many operators know to keep a steady stock of oil, belts, and air filters, there are many other critical parts that should be readily available, in case the unthinkable happens.
WHY STOCK CRITICAL SPARE PARTS?
In a perfect world, aeration units shouldn’t need replacement parts until three to five years after they are installed. However, there are several reasons why certain parts should be kept in stock from day one. These components have the potential to shut down the aeration unit and bring about unplanned downtime.
Many variables can cause premature failure, such as insufficient or infrequent preventative maintenance, improper handling, extreme conditions, such as temperature or humidity, and chronic exposure to dust, pollen, or other airborne particles.
Even with regular preventative maintenance, it is not always easy to tell if, or when, a part may need replacing. In addition, once a critical part fails, operators will be in a rush to order a replacement.
If there is a backlog on parts, or they simply aren’t available to ship overnight, it will mean extensive (and expensive) downtime.
WHICH PARTS SHOULD YOU STOCK?
Temperature sensors – The discharge temperature sensor is installed at the outlet of the blower to prevent it from overheating. If the sensor fails, the blower will shut down automatically to protect itself. Units that run 24 hours a day, and/or operate outside in extreme temperatures or weather conditions, can sometimes fail prematurely.
The second sensor on blower units provides oil temperature, a key parameter that can help indicate when there is a lubrication problem and help prevent unplanned downtime due to bearing failure. Both of these sensors should be part of a critical spare parts stock.
Pressure transducers – By monitoring the pressure of air supplied to the aeration tanks, pressure transducers help control the speed and output of the aeration blowers. Not only is this an essential control mechanism, it also
prevents over-pressurization, which can lead to long-term damage to the unit. In addition, a differential pressure transducer across the air filters will indicate when they need to be replaced.
Pressure relief valve – The primary purpose of the pressure relief valve is to protect equipment from damage caused by excessive pressure. In emergency situations where the pressure control mechanisms fail, or are unable to handle sudden pressure spikes, the pressure relief valve serves as a last line of defense to prevent system failure. However, if the valve itself fails, the blower can over-pressurize and damage the rotating assembly.
Oil demister – This device takes the oil steam, separates the oil from the air, and brings it back into the machine. If this fails, it can cause oil leaks and result in damage to the blower rotating assembly. Oil demisters can fail due to normal wear and tear, as well as exposure to
In a perfect world, aeration units shouldn’t need replacement parts until three to five years after they are installed.
extreme temperatures, or lack of maintenance. If a leak is detected on the air/ oil separator, it should be replaced as soon as possible.
Check valve – This simple valve prevents air from backflowing into the aeration stage, when it is not running, to prevent windmilling and damage to the rotary assembly. It is most vulnerable to very high and very low temperatures, which can cause premature wear.
Power supply – Although uncommon, poor energy quality issues, voltage fluctuations, and extreme temperatures can cause the power supply for the control systems to fail, which will prevent operators from running the unit.
Drive shaft seal – Shaft seals are located at the point where the rotating shaft penetrates the housing of the blower. The drive shaft seal can leak due to overpressure, extreme conditions, and normal wear. Although this part should be replaced by a manufacturer-licensed technician, a spare should be kept in stock to prevent downtime due to supply chain issues.
For the above items, operators should aim to have one spare on hand for each model of aeration unit in use. In addition, if the plant has a compressor, operators should stock spare coupling parts for the direct drive system.
Each of these items are relatively simple to remove and install and can be done in-house by operators. However, there are other items that could fail that operators should not attempt to replace on their own.
For example, if bearings are show ing signs of wear, the stage may need an overhaul. It is also worth stocking at least one spare stage and one spare motor. The value of having them is reduced downtime. Should a stage or motor need to be overhauled, a manu facturer-licensed technician can remove the unit in question and replace it with the spare.
When the overhauled unit is returned, it can be placed in storage as a backup until the next overhaul.
Enrique Chapoy is with AERZEN who are located in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec. For more information, visit: www.aerzen.com
Operators should aim to have key spare parts on hand for each model of aeration unit in use.
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Federal Court of Appeal upholds listing of plastic manufactured items as ‘toxic’ under CEPA
By ES&E Staff
The Federal Court of Appeal has upheld the federal government’s decision to classify “plastic manufactured items” as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). This reverses a lower court ruling and reinforcing Ottawa’s authority to regulate single-use plastics.
In a unanimous decision, a threejudge panel overturned the Federal Court’s 2023 ruling in Responsible Plastic Use Coalition v. Canada (Environment and Climate Change), which had struck down the classification as unreasonable and overly broad. The appellate court found the federal government acted within its legal authority in adding plastic manufactured items to Schedule 1 of CEPA’s List of Toxic Substances.
The ruling preserves the current regulatory framework, including prohibitions on the sale, import and manufacture of designated single-use plastic products across Canada.
The case marked a major legal test of the federal government’s environmental powers, after industry groups challenged the classification, arguing it amounted to regulatory overreach and infringed on provincial jurisdiction.
They also contended that only a small fraction of plastics becomes pollution and that broadly labelling all manufactured plastic items as toxic was unjustified. Specifically, industry groups argued that only 1% of plastic manufactured items, or PMIs, enter the environment each year.
“The respondents latch on to this, contending that this fact is conclusive evidence that the Order is unreasonable,” the court wrote in its decision. “This argument fails as it, in effect, invites this Court to develop its own measurement, or yardstick, to assess the reasonableness of the Order.”
Environmental Defence Canada, Greenpeace Canada and Oceana Canada intervened in support of the federal government. The groups were represented by environmental law charity Ecojustice.
Industry groups also suggested that there is an absence of quantitative testing establishing which particular plastics cause particular harms.
The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) expressed disappointment in the decision. “While we respect the Court’s decision, CIAC remains concerned that the government’s approach departs from the core principles of CEPA, which require decisions to be based on robust, substance-specific scientific risk assessments,” said Greg Moffatt, President and CEO of CIAC, in a statement.
The court affirmed that plastic manufactured items can be categorized as a “substance” under the law and that sufficient scientific evidence exists to support their listing based on potential environmental harm. It further emphasized that CEPA is designed to operate under a precautionary principle, allowing federal regulators to act where there is credible risk of harm, even in the absence of complete scientific certainty.
A number of environmental organizations welcomed the decision. The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, David Suzuki Foundation,
“From production to end-of-life, plastic is a ubiquitous and persistent pollutant that threatens the environment and burdens our economy,” announced Lindsay Beck, a lawyer at Ecojustice, in a statement from the David Suzuki Foundation. “In its ruling, the Federal Court of Appeal recognized that listing ‘plastic manufactured items’ as toxic under CEPA is entirely in line with the law’s purposes of preventing pollution and protecting Canada’s biodiversity.”
Beck added that the decision affirms the federal government’s ability to respond to emerging environmental risks and implement precautionary measures to prevent long-term ecological damage.
The appellate ruling restores legal certainty after the federal court’s 2023 decision cast doubt on Ottawa’s regulatory framework for plastics. That earlier ruling had concluded the designation was unconstitutionally broad and encroached on provincial authority over waste management.
By overturning that decision, the Federal Court of Appeal has reaffirmed CEPA as a key federal tool for addressing plastic pollution and regulating products that may pose risks to ecosystems and human health.
The decision is expected to have significant implications for Canada’s ongoing efforts to reduce plastic waste and advance its broader environmental and climate policy objectives.
For more information, email: editor@esemag.com
The ruling preserves the current regulatory framework, including prohibitions on the sale, import and manufacture of designated singleuse plastic products across Canada. Credit: wachiwit, stock.adobe.com
Environmental
Environmental
Environmental
Environmental
ZENITH OZONE GENERATOR
The Zenith Ozone Generator from Pinnacle Ozone Solutions delivers high-capacity ozone production with exceptional energy efficiency and reliability. Built on Pinnacle’s advanced QuadBlock® technology, the Zenith provides precise turndown control and scalable performance for municipal and industrial water treatment. Its robust design and advanced controls ensure dependable operation while minimizing operating costs and maximizing treatment performance.
Represented by ACG-Envirocan
T: 905-856-1414
E: sales@acg-envirocan.ca
W: www.acg-envirocan.ca
Pinnacle Ozone Solutions
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OZONE FOR DIRECT POTABLE REUSE
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Pinnacle Ozone Solutions
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MULTI-RAKE, SELF- CLEANING FINE SCREEN
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Represented by ACG-Envirocan
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Sulzer Pumps Solutions Inc.
W: www.sulzer.com
CUT WWTP BLOWER OPERATING COSTS
AERZEN Canada delivers efficient, resource-saving blower technologies designed for wastewater treatment. With system-intelligent aeration, compact high-capacity designs, and plug & play digital readiness, our solutions help reduce both investment and operating costs. Future-proof your plant with proven technologies: Delta Hybrid, Turbo Blower, and Delta Blower Generation 5.
AERZEN Canada Inc.
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T: 437-703-7630 Ancaster
T: 587-316-0155 Calgary
E: sales-ca@aerzen.com
W: www.aerzen.com/canada
QUARTER-TURN AND MULTITURN ELECTRIC ACTUATORS
Asahi/America’s Series 19 electric actuators offer multi-voltage capability, visual position indicators, LED lights to indicate valve position or fault, auxiliary contacts, and QR codes for user manuals. They come with a corrosion-resistant NEMA 4X resin enclosure with stainless steel trim to protect the unit’s reversing brushless DC motor and permanently lubricated steel gear train. Available in various configurations, ensuring reliable, precise control.
Asahi/America Inc.
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CUSTOM CHEMICAL FEED SKIDS
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CHEM-FEED MD3 DUAL DIAPHRAGM PUMP
CHEM-FEED MD3 technology will help mitigate problems and ensure smooth, accurate, and dependable chemical dosing. The MD3 is equipped with our exclusive Dual Diaphragm Hyperdrive Technology for smooth, near continuous feed, like a peristaltic pump, but with no tube to change. The MD3 is outfitted with DiaFlex® Diaphragms, which are designed to last the life of the pump.
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TRUE UNION BALL VALVES FOR LEAK-FREE PERFORMANCE
Engineered for reliability, Chemline Plastics’ Type 26 True Union industrial ball valves deliver leak-free performance, easy maintenance and superior chemical resistance. PVC, CPVC, PP and PVDF in sizes 1/2" to 4" with socket, threaded, butt, flanged or ChemFlare™ end connectors. With optional lockouts, vented ball and electric or pneumatic actuation. PVC and CPVC valves are certified under NSF/ANSI Standard 61. Chemline Plastics
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SIMPLIFY LIQUID ANALYSIS WITH MEMOSENS TECHNOLOGY
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OGS/HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR
The new Stormceptor® EF is an oil grit separator (OGS)/hydrodynamic separator that effectively targets sediment (TSS), free oils, gross pollutants and other pollutants that attach to particles, such as nutrients and metals. The Stormceptor EF has been verified through the ISO 14034 Environmental Management – Environmental Technology Verification (ETV).
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E: info@imbriumsystems.com
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SOLIDS HANDLING PUMP
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WATERTIGHT DOORS
HUBER, a proven German manufacturer, now provides watertight doors that allow safe access to tanks for construction and/or maintenance. Doors can be provided as round or rectangular for installation onto existing concrete surfaces, or cast-in-place in new concrete. They can handle heads up to 30 m and hold pressure in seating and unseating directions. HUBER’s watertight doors can greatly reduce construction and maintenance costs and dramatically improve safety/access.
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HYPERBOLOID MIXERS
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PRE-ENGINEERED SUBMERSIBLE TURBINE PUMP
The Goulds Water Technology 5–11”
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MAG-DRIVE PUMPS
Vanton Chem-Gard CGM-ANSI magnetically driven end suction pumps are sealless, single-stage process pumps which meet ANSI B73.1 specifications and conform to Hydraulic Institute Standards. All wet-end components are homogenous, injection-molded polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), eliminating metal-to-fluid contact. This makes them ideally suited for handling corrosive, hazardous and ultrapure fluids. Flows to 450 GPM, heads to 180 ft, and temperatures to 225°F.
Vanton Pump & Equipment Corporation
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E: mkt@vanton.com
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VERTICAL THERMOPLASTIC SUMP PUMPS
Vanton’s vertical thermoplastic sump pumps are engineered for the dependable handling of corrosive, abrasive, and ultra-pure process fluids, plant effluents and wastewater, over broad temperature and pH ranges. These rugged pumps are widely used by various manufacturing industries and water treatment facilities. They are available in polypropylene, PVC, CPVC, or PVDF. Every Vanton pump is performance tested to the specified service condition intended.
Vanton Pump & Equipment Corporation
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E: mkt@vanton.com
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CONTROL CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER OR SOIL GASES
Waterloo Barrier® is a containment wall for the control of contaminated groundwater or soil gases. Formed of steel sheet piling with interlocking joints that are sealed in-place in the ground, the Barrier offers a long service life, exceptionally low hydraulic conductivity, and documentable construction QA/QC. Installation is clean and rapid, with minimal site disturbance.
Waterloo Barrier Inc.
T: 519-856-1352
E: info@waterloo-barrier.com
W: www.waterloo-barrier.com
Why cycling can cause premature tank failure
By Marshall Lampson
One of the most underestimated threats to a chemical storage tank’s longevity is cycling, which is repeated filling and emptying. This process subjects storage tanks to continuous thermal and mechanical stress which, over time, can lead to premature failure.
Understanding how cycling affects storage tanks and choosing the right material to withstand these challenges can save thousands of dollars and prevent catastrophic chemical spills.
Every time it gets filled, the tank material expands under the weight and pressure of the liquid. When it is emptied, the tank contracts back to its original shape.
Add temperature fluctuations into the mix, especially with chemicals that are delivered at varying temperatures and you have created a perfect storm for material fatigue.
Because polyethylene tanks expand and contract with cycling, they can experience operational stress. Over time, this can lead to environmental stress cracking (ESC). This is particularly dangerous, because microscopic cracks can develop unnoticed, eventually compromising the structural integrity of the entire tank.
Environmental stress cracking also occurs when microscopic cracks form in polyethylene tanks, as a result of storing aggressive chemicals. Soaps, detergents, and wetting agents, or surfactants, are particularly hard on polyethylene, causing cracking over time.
The cycling process accelerates this deterioration, as each fill-and-drain cycle introduces new stress points. When combined with harsh chemical expo-
Repeated filling and emptying subjects storage tanks to thermal and mechanical stress, which can lead to premature failure over time.
sure, the risk of tank failure increases exponentially.
This is why material selection becomes critical. For aggressive chemicals and high-cycling applications, it is better to use high-density cross-linked polyethylene (HDXLPE) tanks.
Over-pressurizing a storage tank, through repeated fill cycles, can also damage and weaken its sidewalls, resulting in stress cracks and premature failure. For pneumatically filled tanks, it is important to use appropriately sized venting systems.
Users can minimize thermal cycling stress by controlling the temperature of chemicals, before their introduction to the tank, when possible.
It is important to look for signs of environmental stress cracking, especially around fittings and high-stress areas. Using flexible connections can reduce mechanical stress on tank fittings during expansion and contraction.
For oxidizing chemicals, antioxidant resin layers can significantly extend tank life.
Cross-linked polyethylene represents a fundamental advancement in tanktechnology. Cross-linking is simply theformation of bonds between the polymer chains. This molecular bondingcreates a completely different material with superior properties. The result is impact resistance, tensile strength, and resistance to fracture that linear polyethylene just can’t match.
This means that when you are storing valuable or hazardous chemicals, the question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in HDXLPE. It’s whether you can afford not to. While these tanks may cost slightly more upfront, they deliver a longer lifespan, eliminate catastrophic failure risks, and provide significantly better total cost of ownership.
Marshall Lampson is with Poly Processing Company. Email: mlampson@polyprocessing.com
Generating clean energy from human urine
By ES&E Staff
Researchers at McGill University have improved the efficiency of a system that converts human urine into clean electricity, while simultaneously treating wastewater.
The method uses microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which rely on bacteria to break down organic waste and release electrons, producing electricity. The McGill study provides new insight into how different urine concentrations affect the fuel cells’ performance, pollutant removal and microbial activity.
“While MFCs are known to clean wastewater and generate electricity, the specific effects of different urine concentrations on their electrochemical function, pollutant removal efficiency and microbial community behaviour are still not well understood,” said Vijaya Raghavan, a professor of bioresource engineering at McGill in Montreal, and co-author of the study.
“This study addresses that gap by systematically examining how varying urine proportions affect the electrochemical and biological performance of MFCs,” he added.
Raghavan said the technology could help generate clean energy in rural sanitation systems, disaster relief camps and off-grid communities. Because the electrical signals produced by MFCs change in response to organic pollution levels, they may also serve as low-cost biosensors to monitor wastewater quality.
The researchers constructed four dual-chamber MFCs and fed them mixtures of synthetic wastewater and human urine at concentrations of 20%, 50% and 75%. They monitored electricity production, pollutant removal and microbial continued overleaf…
in System Integration
Delivering Clean Water Solutions For More Than Six Decades
Urine contains ions and organic compounds that promote microbial growth, improving both electricity generation and pollutant breakdown. Credit: amazingstudio, stock.adobe.com
behaviour over a two-week period.
“While synthetic wastewater provides a controlled environment for research, realworld applications often involve complex wastewater streams with varying characteristics,” the study states. “Human urine, a readily available and nutrient-rich waste stream. It also presents a potential substrate for MFCs due to its high organic content and presence of essential elements for microbial growth.”
The study found that higher urine concentrations between 50% and 75% produced stronger electrical output. “Urine contains essential ions and organic compounds that support rapid microbial activity. This improves power generation and pollutant breakdown,” Raghavan said.
Analysis of the microbial communities showed that Sediminibacterium and Comamonas were the dominant bacterial groups in the fuel cells. Sediminibacterium was more prevalent at 50% urine concentration, while Comamonas became dominant at 75%.
Because such microorganisms help break down pollutants and transfer electrons within the fuel cells, changes in which species dominate may influence how efficiently electricity is generated.
The findings suggest urine concentration plays a key role in shaping microbial communities and overall system performance.
Raghavan said the research supports the potential of urine-based energy systems, as part of more sustainable wastewater treatment and resource recovery. “Using urine as a resource supports sustainable sanitation and nutrient recovery, reducing pressure on freshwater systems,” he said.
The study, Investigating microbial interactions in dual chamber microbial fuel cells using a hybrid substrate of synthetic wastewater and human urine, was published in the journal Results in Chemistry
Research was supported by the Government of India’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC).
T H E O N E A N D O N LY.
With over two decades of installed experience at more than 100 facilities worldwide, Nereda® technology is the One and Only true aerobic granular sludge on the market today
Since its introduction to the U.S. and Canada in 2017, more than 40 AquaNereda® plants are currently in design, under construction or in operation throughout North America.
AquaNereda technology through on-site pilot testing, installation visits and technical seminars.
AD VAN TA GE S O F A Q UAN E R E D A ® T RU E A G S TE CHN OLOG Y:
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Re pr e sente d by:
www.acg-envirocan.ca sales@acg-envirocan.ca
• Robust process that adapts to changing conditions
• Applicable for municipal and industrial waste streams
• conventional treatment
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SVI5 comparison of aerobic granular sludge (left) and conventional activated sludge (right)
AquaNereda® Installation: Wolcott WWTP at Wolcott, KS
EFO
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Filter
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