WCW24: Full Schedule

2024 WCW Annual Conference & Exhibition

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7:00am CDT

Registration

Thursday September 19, 2024 7:00am - 10:30am CDT

Registration in the East Concourse-Ground Floor
Pick up your registration package. Nametags will be required for all Conference events.

Thursday September 19, 2024 7:00am - 10:30am CDT
East Concourse, Main Floor RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg

Registration

7:00am CDT

Quiet Lounge

Thursday September 19, 2024 7:00am - 4:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 12

The Quiet Lounge, Sponsored by Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions, is a space designed for relaxation and calmness.

Thursday September 19, 2024 7:00am - 4:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 12 WCC Main Floor

8:00am CDT

Breakfast

Thursday September 19, 2024 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Meeting Rooms 4-8

Fuel for the upcoming day and meet new friends.

Sponsors

WSP Canada Inc

Justin Rak-Banville, WSP Canada Inc

Thursday September 19, 2024 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Meeting Rooms 4-8 WCC Main Floor

Networking

9:00am CDT

Actionable Data Through Targeted Water and Wastewater Based Surveillance

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

Meeting room 17

C.E.C. Analytics is addressing the growing worldwide demand for analysis and understanding of water as it relates to One Health. With increasing awareness of the challenges of waterborne pathogens and chemical contaminants, C.E.C. analytics is uniquely positioned to service numerous horizontal and vertical markets and establish itself as the leader in affordable, accessible, science-based solutions for understanding water data. The emphasis on compact, versatile products coupled with advisory services distinguishes C.E.C. Analytics from competitors. Our patented autosamplers allow for targeted wastewater based surveillance (WBS), giving high-quality, actionable data that organizations can leverage to better support community and environmental health. As opposed to WBS at WWTP's, we collect at the source, providing data at the building, dormitory, floor, or ward level. The data obtained allows for tailored interventions, saving our clients time, money, and uncertainty. Similarly, our compact size and ease of use allows for strategic water collection within freshwater systems, with analysis for contaminants of emerging concern. This presentation will provide an overview of our work, including: - Advanced warning to mitigate outbreaks of respiratory virus infections (RSV, Influenza A&B, SARS-CoV-2, etc), including analysis and confirmation within 1 hour; - Early detection of drug poisoning agents to enable harm reduction through preparation and education of staff and residents at homeless facilities. These drug poisoning agents were under limits of detection at the local WWTP; - Environmental monitoring for contaminants, including 6PPD-quinone which has been shown to have devastating effects on salmon and trout populations. Our work has been validated through projects with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta, as well as several First Nations communities across western Canada.

Speakers

Paul Westlund

Founder and CEO, C.E.C. Innovations Ltd

Paul Westlund is the Founder and CEO of C.E.C. Analytics, a company dedicated to science-based solutions for actionable and accessible water and wastewater data. Taking a One Health approach to water, Paul has done extensive research on water and wastewater management, having over... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Monitoring Technologies

9:00am CDT

Exploring Deployable Technologies for Algae Removal in Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Canals

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

Meeting Room 1

Speakers

Sepideh Hashemi Safaei

Sepideh Hashemi is a PhD student in Environmental Systems Engineering at the University of Regina, working under the supervision of Dr. Stephanie Young on an ADF-funded project focused on the removal of filamentous algae from the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation canals. As a member of... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

9:00am CDT

Transforming Water Industry Operations: Harnessing Open Automation for Efficiency and Sustainability

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

Meeting Room 3

The water industry faces increasingly complex challenges, from aging infrastructure to growing demand and environmental concerns. To address these challenges effectively, there is a pressing need for innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency, optimize resource utilization, and ensure sustainable practices. This presentation explores the transformative potential of Open Automation in revolutionizing water industry operations. Open Automation, characterized by the integration of open-source software, interoperable hardware, and collaborative development frameworks, offers a paradigm shift in industrial automation. By leveraging open standards and modular architectures, Open Automation enables seamless integration of diverse systems and devices, fostering flexibility, scalability, and resilience in water management processes. This presentation highlights the key benefits of adopting Open Automation in the water industry, including: Enhanced Operational Efficiency: Open Automation empowers water utilities to streamline workflows, automate routine tasks, and optimize resource allocation. By leveraging real-time data analytics and predictive maintenance algorithms, operators can identify inefficiencies, preempt equipment failures, and minimize downtime, thus maximizing productivity and reducing operational costs. Improved Asset Management: With Open Automation, water utilities can gain unprecedented visibility and control over their assets, including pumps, valves, sensors, and treatment facilities. By deploying intelligent monitoring and control systems, operators can monitor asset performance, detect anomalies, and implement proactive maintenance strategies, prolonging asset lifespan and minimizing disruptions. Facilitated Collaboration: Open Automation fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders, including utilities, vendors, researchers, and regulatory agencies. By embracing open-source principles and collaborative development models, the water industry can accelerate innovation, drive standardization, and address common challenges collectively, thus fostering a culture of continuous improvement and resilience. Empowered Decision-Making: By harnessing the power of data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, Open Automation equips water utilities with actionable insights and decision support tools. From optimizing treatment processes to forecasting demand patterns and mitigating risks, operators can make informed decisions in real-time, ensuring reliable and sustainable water supply for communities. In conclusion, this presentation advocates for the adoption of Open Automation as a catalyst for transforming the water industry into a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable ecosystem. By embracing open standards, interoperability, and collaborative innovation, water utilities can overcome existing challenges, seize new opportunities, and pave the way for a future where clean and accessible water is available for all.

Speakers

Mike Lauchlan

Business Development Manager, Schneider Electric

Mike Lauchlan is a Business Development Manager for the Water Process Automation in Schneider Electric. Mike holds a BSc in Engineering Physics from Queen's University, and has lived in downtown Toronto since 2020.

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Technologies in Automation

9:00am CDT

Upgrading Lagoon Based Treatment Systems to Meet More Stringent Limits for BOD, TSS and Nutrient Removal.

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

Meeting Room 2

More stringent effluent requirements for BOD, TSS, ammonia and phosphorus are being mandated at lagoon facilities across Canada. Add in a cold climate that adversely affects winter treatment performance, and many lagoons struggle to stay in compliance with their current permit or meet the challenges of new regulations. Lemna Environmental Technologies (LET) will present an updated approach for lagoon based wastewater treatment including a brief comparison of past design standards with current methods, an overview of lagoon technologies used for advanced treatment including nutrient removal, and in-depth review of several cold weather case studies demonstrating how lagoons are being successfully updated in order to meet the challenges of present and future effluent requirements. Using wastewater treatment process design modeling software, which models biological, chemical, and physical treatment processes, LET has optimized the design, performance and reliability of lagoon based treatment systems. Using historical DMR data from an installation base of over 500 facilities, LET created a unique software model of its LemTec Biological Treatment Process, which utilizes a combination of aerated and settling lagoon cells for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal, and the Lemna Polishing Reactor (LPR) for nitrification. The model enables LET to consider the effects of non-steady state factors such as peak flows, constituent loading, and ambient air and water temperatures on treatment performance, improving upon traditional steady state wastewater treatment process design methodology. The discussion will provide data and specific case studies demonstrating the predicted performance vs. actual data, using the calibrated model. Regional case studies will be used to demonstrate the benefits of modeling practices for lagoon design.

Speakers

Tom Birkeland

Booths 83 & 84, Lemna Environmental Technologies

Tom Birkeland is the Director of Project Development for Lemna Environmental Technologies. He previously held management positions with North American Wetland Engineering, Jacques Whitford, Stantec and Natural System Utilities. He holds Class C Water and Wastewater licensees and received... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

9:00am CDT

WCWEA Board Meeting

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 11:45am CDT

Meeting Room 10

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 11:45am CDT
Meeting Room 10 WCC Main Floor

Meeting

Host Organization WCWEA

9:00am CDT

Fresh Ideas Poster Contest

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT

East Concourse, Main Floor

The WCS AWWA hosts the annual AWWA Fresh Ideas Poster competition in conjunction with the WCW Annual Conference and Exhibition.
The Fresh Ideas Poster Contest is an annual poster competition organized by the American Water Waterworks Association (AWWA). Fresh Ideas Poster Contest is designed to encourage Young Professionals (YP) and students to participate at conferences held by individual AWWA Sections as well as the annual AWWA conference. The contest provides participants an excellent opportunity to showcase and share their insight and experience and to exchange ideas with a wide range of water professionals.
Each AWWA Section holds its own competition at its Section Conference to determine the winner. All Section winners are then eligible to move on to compete at the next AWWA Annual Conference and Expo (ACE).
The first step in participating in the contest is to submit an abstract regarding a poster topic. Presenters will then be chosen from submitted abstracts to participate in the poster competition at the WCW conference.

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT
East Concourse, Main Floor RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg

Contest

9:30am CDT

Anaerobic Digestion with Nutrient & H2S Control - What if Your Digesters were the Sidestream?

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT

Meeting Room 2

While popular as a source of renewable energy, traditional Anaerobic Digestion (AD) processes can create undesirable challenges at WWRFs. These problems increase chemical and energy costs and create many operational challenges. By adding an Acid Digester before and an Aerobic Reactor after AD, some significant improvements in plant, digester and dewatering performance can be realized. These proven processes are well-established but, when they are used in concert with an innovative recycle loop, the solids process is enhanced in many ways while providing nutrient control to benefit the liquid stream. The denitrification step inhibits H2S and Struvite Production and produces more and cleaner gas, reduces odor and ensures robust digester performance. This can be accomplished without addition of FeCl, adding further savings and optimization.

Speakers

Matthew Williams

Matt Williams is a Regional Sales Manager and Anaerobic Product Manager at Thermal Process Systems and has worked in the water and wastewater industry for nearly 20 years, with an emphasis on biosolids and Anaerobic Digestion. He was the lead author for the Stabilization chapter of... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

9:30am CDT

Engineering-Grade OT Security

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT

Meeting room 17

This presentation is an updated version of a briefing Waterfall has provided to a dozen government agencies to date, in Canada, the USA and around the world. We start with the Waterfall Threat Report, the most conservative and incontrovertible OT security incident report on the planet. In spite of its conservatism, the 2023 report shows exponential growth in cyber attacks that impair physical operations, including in the water sector. The 2024 edition is scheduled to release in April of 2024. In this briefing, Rees Machtemes will include a preview of the data and conclusions of the 2024 report-in-progress. The presentation then shifts gears from problem to solution, presenting an overview of the US DOE's initiative at Idaho National Laboratory, developing a Cyber Informed Engineering (CIE) body of knowledge. In layman's terms, CIE positions managing cyber risk to critical infrastructures as "a coin with two sides." One "side" is cybersecurity - teach engineering teams about cyber risks and cybersecurity mitigations - nothing new here. The other "side" is engineering - use powerful engineering tools, such as mechanical overpressure-relief valves and manual operations fallbacks to take entire classes of cyber risk off the table. These tools do not exist in IEC 62443, ISO 27001 or other cybersecurity guidance, the tools are powerful methods of addressing cyber risk, and they need to start being applied much more universally and systematically than they are today. We finish the presentation with an introduction to network engineering from Andrew's new book "Engineering-Grade OT Security: A manager's guide." The book "flies high and slow," introducing in a story-telling style important OT, risk, cybersecurity and engineering concepts that today's business decision-makers need in order to fulfill their due-care responsibilities to their stakeholders and to the public. Network engineering is positioned as living at the boundary between engineering and cybersecurity bodies of knowledge, deterministically protecting reliable operations as well as protecting safe operations in the face of nation-state-grade ransomware and other cyber threats. Free copies of the new book will be available to conference participants, courtesy of Waterfall Security Solutions.

Speakers

Andrew Ginter

VP Industrial Security, Waterfall Security

At Waterfall, Andrew leads a team of experts who work with the world's most secure industrial enterprises. Before Waterfall, Andrew led the development of high-end industrial control system products at Hewlett-Packard, of IT/OT middleware products at Agilent Technologies, and of the... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Monitoring Technologies

9:30am CDT

Multi-Stage Slow Sand Filtration, Design and Operation

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT

Meeting Room 1

The Multi-Stage Slow Sand Filter combines the simplicity of a slow sand filter with the pre-treatment processes that allow its use on relatively high colour and organic laden waters. The pre-treatment includes roughing filtration and when required pre-ozonation. This presentation will focus on the key design aspects and the operational requirements of the system with reference to two case studies, one in Saskatchewan operating since 2009 with pre-ozone, and one in Ontario commissioned in 2023 also with pre-ozone.

Speakers

Robert LeCraw

President, MS Filter Systems Inc

Kristof Karpiuk is the Director of Operation for MS Filter Systems Inc. He has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree from Carleton University. Kristof has experience designing and implementing MS Filter pilot studies and full MS Filter drinking water treatment packages across Canada... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

9:30am CDT

Responding to the Iqaluit Water Crisis and Fuel in the Drinking Water Supply

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT

Meeting Room 3

In early October of 2021, residents of the Iqaluit made water quality complaints regarding a fuel-like smell coming from their tap water. On October 12th, visible fuel-like contamination was discovered on the surface of one of the below ground treated water tanks at the Water Treatment Plant. The Territory’s Chief Public Health Officer issued a Do Not Consume water quality advisory for the population of 8,500 Iqalummiut in the Territory’s Capital City. Consequently, the order placed tremendous stress on consumers for access to potable water, the ability of the Hospital to sterilize equipment, and further logistical complications due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speakers

Ian Moran

Process Designer, Water & Wastewater, WSP Canada Inc.

Ian Moran is an Engineer-In-Training working for WSP based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba.He specializes in membrane filtration and has designed, hand-constructed, and operated several pilot-scale membrane filtration systems for water treatment plants in Western Canada.Ian’s pilot-scale... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:30am - 10:00am CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Water

10:00am CDT

A Journey From Boil Water Advisory to Meeting Drinking Water Requirements - The Story of Lynn Lake WTP Project

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT

Meeting Room 1

The Town of Lynn Lake is a remote community of 579 people in northern Manitoba known for its mining and premier sport fishing in the province. The Town's water supply infrastructure was originally constructed in 1955-56 by the local mine to utilize the West Lynn Lake as a raw water source and supply drinking water to both the Town and the mine. No treatment of raw water was provided at the time except for chlorination. A Water Treatment Plant (WTP) building was constructed in 2003 but did not include a treatment system. Due to limited funds, only the building and reservoirs were constructed, and some upgrades to the existing pumphouse were implemented. Between 2010 and 2012, the Town solicited and commissioned a water treatment system consisting of greensand filtration followed by membrane filtration. Shortly after, the treatment system experienced multiple operational issues and equipment failures resulting in the treatment equipment going completely offline. Untreated raw water was chlorinated and stored in an underground concrete reservoir and distributed via the Town's recirculating distribution system. The treated water did not meet the provincial drinking water standards and the Town was put on a boil water advisory in October 2012. In 2020, Stantec was retained to undertake a feasibility study addressing future growth requirements, review alternative raw water supply sources (groundwater vs surface water) and develop/design an appropriate water treatment system to lift the boil water advisory. Groundwater and alternative surface water sources were evaluated, but the only viable option was to continue drawing surface water from West Lynn Lake. Raw water is characterized by high organics (7 to 13 mg/L TOC), color (30 to 60 TCU), iron (0.25 to 1.1 mg/L), low turbidity ( 1 to 3.0 NTU) and very low total alkalinity of 8 to 13 mg/L. Based on technical and economic factors, a dissolved air flotation (DAF) followed by gravity filtration was identified as an appropriate and cost-effective approach to meet the challenges of the raw water quality. A bench-scale study was completed to confirm the effectiveness of the DAF/gravity filtration process including optimal operating conditions and identifying appropriate treatment chemicals and their dose. Utilizing a collaborative approach with the Town, Stantec developed a design that included selective re-use of existing infrastructure, maintaining water supply to the Town during the upgrades/construction, and implementing a DAF/gravity filtration process to meet the drinking water requirements and lift the boil water advisory. The project was delivered within the available budget of $6.4 M and achieved substantial completion on November 3rd, 2023, despite supply chain issues during the COVID-19 era. The Lynn Lake WTP provides a new beginning for the Town as they plan to extend services to promote local mining activity, and residents have seen a significant improvement in their potable water quality. The paper showcases the planning, process design and construction challenges for a small remote community that has struggled with providing the basic amenity of providing clean drinking water to its residents for over a decade.

Speakers

Saibal Basu

Water/Wastewater Treatment Lead (Prairies and Territories), Stantec Consulting Ltd

Saibal is a Senior Process Engineer and Water/Wastewater Lead for Stantec in the Paraires and the Territories Region. He has over 33 years of diverse Water and Wastewater experience in both municipal and industrial sectors. Saibal is a member of WCW, WEF and AWWA.

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

10:00am CDT

Barren Lands First Nation Lagoon - Resolving Decades Long Operational and Design Issues

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT

Meeting Room 2

Situated in Northern Manitoba, Barren Lands First Nation (BLFN) is home to approximately 520 people. The First Nation initially operated a two-cell facultative lagoon to treat wastewater from both Barren Lands First Nation and the neighbouring community of Brochet. The lagoon was initially constructed in 2006 and although plenty of capacity remained, the lagoon was in need of several major repairs. The liner had floated in multiple locations forming pockets of gas which breached the surface of the lagoon. Adding to that, the berm had also collapsed in several locations and previous attempts to repair only achieved moderate levels of improvement. The First Nation's confidence in the lagoon had waned and a new aerated lagoon was selected as a replacement. Stantec Consulting Ltd. was retained to provide design and engineering services for a new sewage lagoon, lift station upgrades, along with repairs and upgrades to the existing sewage collection system. Several of the lift stations were experiencing operational issues which causes upstream manholes to overflow at times. All 5 of the existing lift stations received new pumps while three lift stations needed control system upgrades. A forcemain flushing and CCTV camera program was included to clean the forcemain and locate areas in need of repair. With a goal of simplicity and ease of operation, a new HDPE lined two-cell aerated lagoon using high efficiency fine bubble diffusers was selected for its smaller footprint versus a facultative lagoon. Following the lagoon and two cell Submerged Attached Growth Reactor was designed to provide nitrification for removal of ammonia. The new lagoon cells were constructed with self-draining under drains and vent pipes, which combined with a layer of sand covering the HDPE liner will prevent the liner from floating. The second lagoon cell was designed to be 1.4m lower than the first cell following the profile of bedrock encountered onsite and allowing the entire system to be designed to flow by gravity through all stages before discharge into the nearby lake.

Speakers

Rob De Koninck

Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Rob is an Associate and Practice Lead in Stantec's Winnipeg Water Group. Rob has over 13 years experience in water and wastewater treatment projects serving rural communities and First Nations in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario.

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

10:00am CDT

It is Hard to be a 'Smart' Smart City

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT

Meeting Room 3

There has been a proliferation of IoT (Internet of Things) devices that are used by municipalities to collect data from Collections Systems, including data from Pump Stations, flow meters, level meters and rain gauges. Integrating this Collection System data with data from numerous other sources is part of the desire by Municipalities to create â€œSmartâ€ Cities, but that integration has proved to be a daunting task. This presentation will therefore focus on what is available and can be done today, to collect flow/level/rain data, then send it to a cloud-environment where it can be analyzed, which leads to informed decisions, whether on a near-real time basis for operational control, or for more long-term planning by engineers for infrastructure decisions. Topics discussed will include: - Goal of â€œSmartâ€ Cities, and obstacles to date. - Current monitoring technologies for Flow, Level and Rain meters. - Data collection methods. - Cloud-based software platforms for Data Storage, Analysis and Machine Learning applications. - Sharing data with other software platforms via the use of API's and other transfer methods. - Uses of Collections Systems flow, level and rain data for Operations and for Engineering.

Exhibition Attendees

Dave Belomy

Booth 40, ADS Environmental Technologies Inc.

ADS Environmental Technologies has been helping clients with flow, level and rain monitoring in Collections Systems for over 45 years. We provide turn-key services for HW/SW, Data Analysis, Field Service, or we sell the HW/SW direct for use by internal operations groups. Applications... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Ripples of Change

10:00am CDT

Protecting SCADA from threats by using a hybrid cloud

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT

Meeting room 17

Operational Technologies (OT) networks are faced with new challenges in maintaining and protecting their SCADA networks against modern threats. These critical networks face many threat actors and unapproved access can result in harm to public safety and/or finances. Cloud SCADA offers a modern solution to protect these systems while simultaneously improving operator SCADA access. Migrating your SCADA network to the cloud will streamline your SCADA operations while protecting your most critical assets. Cloud SCADA can provide operators with the ability to access a fully functional SCADA and Historian clients securely on their phones, tablets, or laptops. Managers can now have easy and reliable access to all their data through trending, historical analysis, and custom reports. Many municipalities throughout BC are seeing improved communication uptime in their OT network after swapping to cellular and fiber plans as a backbone of their Cloud SCADA network. We will discuss a high-level overview of how a Cloud SCADA solution can be securely implemented and utilized in your municipal applications.

Speakers

Joshua Laye

Exceed Electrical Engineering Ltd.

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Project Delivery

10:30am CDT

Break

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:00am CDT

East Concourse, Main Floor

Grab a coffee and solve a problem!

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:00am CDT
East Concourse, Main Floor RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg

Networking

11:00am CDT

Harringtom Mews Sinkhole Response

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT

Meeting Room 3

During a heavy rainfall in early June 2023 a sinkhole developed over a large diameter storm outfall that threatened nearby homes and the Albert Memorial Bridge. In response, the City activated the Emergency Operations Centre which undertook an emergency project to restore critical storm water service to protect public health and safety. The project presented many challenges including tight timelines and working conditions, working on private property and managing public expectations, the application of innovative construction techniques, and coordinating the efforts of numerous City departments, various levels of government, and public sector partners. This presentation details the efforts taken to stabilize and eventually decommission the outfall while at the same time maintaining storm water service.

Speakers

Kevin Syrnick

City of Regina, Manager, Water and Sewer Engineering, City of Regina

Kevin Syrnick was raised in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and attended the University of Regina (U of R) graduating with a B.A.Sc. in Industrial System Engineering (ISE) in 1988. Kevin has over thirty years of professional experience in both the private and public sectors and is currently... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Stormwater

11:00am CDT

Managing FOG in Your Wastewater System - A Pathway to Success

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT

Meeting Room 2

Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) is the number one cause of blockage in the City of Calgary wastewater system. It is estimated that about half is contributed by Food Services Establishments (FSE), despite this category accounting for only two to three per cent of Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) customers. Currently, Calgary has more than 7000 FSE's. To protect the wastewater system from FOG buildup and blockages, the City Wastewater Bylaw 14M2012 has specific regulations for FSEs, with requirements for proper installation, regular maintenance and record keeping of their pre-treatment systems, mainly grease interceptors. Starting in 2012, a pilot project with 144 FSEs was conducted, with the intention to develop a FOG compliance program, FSE inspections tools and to determine if the Wastewater Bylaw requirements related to grease interceptors were being complied with by these customers. Later a FOG education campaign was launched which included creating a slogan (Stop and Think! Not down the Sink!), educational material (posters, stickers, BMPs and handouts) and a FOG program video as well as updating the FOG program landing webpages. In January 2022, The City initiated a customer education-first approach using Water Educators. Educators audited more than 7000 FSE's sites with the objectives to educate customers on FOG onsite management practices using educational materials developed during the FOG campaign and to determine the state of compliance and the level of risk associated with each FSE. Following the audit each business was categorized by risk for further enforcement or follow up from the compliance team. So far, this approach is working very effectively, within a short two year's period, the compliance team was able to work with the businesses to install XX new grease interceptors, which are estimated to prevent more than 170,000 lbs/year of FOG from entering the city wastewater system. Success and challenges experienced throughout the FOG program journey and statistical outcome as well as our next steps for achieving sustainability of the program will be presented.

Speakers

Didier Arnould

Industrial Monitoring and Compliance Inspector, The City of Calgary, Water Quality and Regulatory Assurance

Didier has worked in the water industry at the City of Calgary for 20 years; though ironically, he is still not a big fan of swimming. He has spent the last 12 years as a dedicated Industrial Compliance Inspector, protecting wastewater infrastructure as well as the environment... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

11:00am CDT

Progressive Design Build and Winnipeg's Biosolids Upgrade Project

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT

Meeting room 17

The City of Winnipeg is trying something new. It is using Progressive Design Build (PDB) as its delivery model for its Biosolids Upgrade which has a budget of $1.035 Billion. This presentation will go over what PDB is, what hurdles the City had to do to switch to PDB, where the City is currently in the PDB process, and lessons learned from trying something new.

Speakers

Lana Obach

Senior Project Engineer, City of Winnipeg

Lana Obach and Jaimee Sekanjako are both Project Engineers with the City of Winnipeg's Water and Waste Department. They are both actively working on a collaborative delivery model for the North End Sewage Treatment Plant's Biosolids Project.

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Project Delivery

11:00am CDT

What Wouldn't Homer Do

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT

Meeting Room 1

When many of us think of Nuclear Power, we likely think of the Simpsons, and certainly, we all recognize the classic cartoon figure, Homer Simpson. The Nuclear Power Plant Operator who eats donuts, constantly falls asleep, and neglects his duties. Homer had no idea how to operate such a complex facility and certainly wouldn't be any better off with today's technological advancements and the strive for continuous improvement. The EPCOR (Great Lakes Partners) Darlington Demineralized Water Treatment Plant (DWP) is located on the footprint of the Darlington Nuclear Generation Facility in Ontario. In 2021, EPCOR began a 30-year Design, Build, Finance, Own, Operate, and Maintain Agreement (DBFOM) with Ontario Power Generation (OPG). The Darlington Facility generates over 20% of Ontario's electricity needs and is the future home of Canada's first grid-scale Small Modular Reactor. This presentation will outline the structured 30-year partnership, how risk is transferred to and managed by EPCOR, how the facility was commissioned and integrated into the OPG operation, a sneak peek of the systems employed, how we continue to add value after the construction is complete, and how we work to create and maintain trust over time. And, of course, we will touch on the technology employed, which allows us to take water from Lake Ontario and purify it down to a resistance of fewer than 0.005 microSiemens per meter and total solids of less than 80 micrograms per kilogram!

Speakers

Joe Zimmer

Operations Manager, EPCOR Water Services

My passion for engineering began growing up on a mixed farm in west central Saskatchewan, and continued during my studies as a Civil Engineer at the University of Saskatchewan. I was first introduced to wastewater treatment when I began working as a summer student for the City of... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

11:30am CDT

Achieving Greater Capacity out of Critical Aging Infrastructure through the use of Complex Hydraulic Analysis

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

A major current industry challenge is critical aging infrastructure being put under increasing pressure from growth through densification and catchment expansion, whilst also being asked to provide more for less with respect to capital and operational expenditure, without compromising mitigation of environmental and social impacts. This context creates unique and complex engineering problems like those presented on the Port Coquitlam Pump Station project. The pump station is the single point of collection and outlet for the City of Port Coquitlam with a catchment of 30 km2, a population of over 60,000, and bordered by federally protected salmonid and other fish bearing rivers. The station was constructed in 1976 along with the original forcemain, with a second larger forcemain built 30 years ago. The forcemains have significantly different hydraulic characteristics and profiles, including size, material, intermediate high points, and inverted siphon sections. Both forcemains discharge to an interceptor that experiences varying degrees of surcharge. The required capacity upgrade to address the projected growth exceeds the design of the current system, and as such the combination of these conditions lead to exceptionally complex system hydraulics. Jacobs was engaged to complete the engineering analysis and design for the system upgrade, whereby a combination of the existing forcemains are required to be used to obtain the necessary hydraulic capacity as the pipelines pass through sensitive environments and impacts must be limited. This task was further complicated as the original forcemain had been condemned due to poor condition and associated failures. Jacobs approached the problem incrementally: investigating and recommending specific rehabilitation for the original forcemain, completing field data sampling to establish the actual hydraulic characteristics of elements, hydraulic modelling to validate the field data and enable it to be extrapolated for the entire system, and complex holistic system hydraulics to determine possible system capacities under the wide range of operational and hydraulic scenarios. The complex hydraulics were key to understanding the problem and the solution. Analysis was completed via multiple methods to establish the steady-state upper and lower bound hydraulic conditions, the hydraulic envelope, and identifying hydraulic control points and transition regions. These envelopes and transition zones confirmed how the system could operate so the design could be completed to optimize system performance and assess how the system would respond under unplanned events such as hydraulic transients during a station power failure and what mitigation measures should be incorporated. This paper will present the engineering analysis completed by Jacobs with focus on the development and solution of the complex hydraulic evaluations associated with existing aging infrastructure. The analysis enabled Jacobs to select new pumps, design station upgrades and reliably recommend a system solution that provided exceeded the required capacity increase for the specified design horizon, but also future proofed the system for future capacity increases. This solution provided the optimal long-term solution considering capital and operational cost, adaptability for future changes and longevity of infrastructure, and mitigated environmental and social impacts, which is needed to address our industries aging infrastructure in the current climate.

Speakers

Izak Green

Mechanical Conveyance Engineer, Jacobs

Izak Green is a seasoned engineer with over 14 years of experience in the water industry. Having worked in South Africa, Australia, and Canada, Izak brings a global perspective to his expertise. He currently serves as mechanical conveyance engineer at Jacobs, where he specializes... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

11:30am CDT

Optimizing Water Treatment: Adding a Closed Circuit RO to City of Winkler's WTP Expansion

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

Speakers

Ken Anderson

Practice Lead, Water - Winnipeg Water Group, Associated Engineering

Ken is the water group manager for Associated Engineering's Winnipeg office. Ken is responsible for delivering water and sewer projects throughout Manitoba for a variety of municipal clients. He is excited to be here to share his experiences with this project.

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

11:30am CDT

Traditional vs Emerging: Alternative & Collaborative Delivery Methods for Successful Water Projects

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Meeting room 17

Wastewater and water project delivery is changing. Projects are most typically delivered using traditional methods such as Design-Bid-Build as they are the most common, well-understood models that provide perceived stability, certainty and confidence. However, in the aftermath of covid, the pressures have exponentially increased which has resulted in a paradigm shift. Project expectations have accelerated to greater speeds, higher quality and reduced rates, at a time when the risks are much greater as we are still living with the aftershock of unprecedented uncertainty and instability across all supply chains. There continues to be an ongoing desperate struggle to supply materials, equipment and labor to meet specific project schedules, demands and expectations. Regardless of which role any of us plays in our water and wastewater project deliveries, owners, project managers, engineers, and construction experts are all experiencing negative and significant impacts. As a total industry we need to take a step back and objectively view the unique challenges inherent in our projects and consider that we need to consider a different approach to their foundational set up including the delivery method used. The alternative and collaborative delivery methodology includes Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Alliancing, and even Progressive Design Build (PDB). These methods are all focused on integrated practices that break down silos within our industry, especially between design and construction. They are focused on early contractor involvement to designing in constructability, supply chain availabilities, and increased consideration for innovation. They have an increased focus on proactive, integrated, adaptive, and agile planning systems to reconcile and balance all variables in improved ways to achieve owners' value proposition working within constraints of time and budget. This has also raised increased awareness on the importance of the more humanistic domains and related topics for work team environments including team performance, engagement, behaviors, trust and culture. Lastly and possibly more importantly, these methods also have proven themselves as a way to lower risk, stabilize schedule and navigate our increased complexity. This session will explore the new and emerging methodologies that are playing out in North America in infrastructure and dig into the key aspects and challenges to delivering them. Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of how to determine when to consider these models, and how to prepare themselves for successfully implementation.

Speakers

Carla Ciepliski

National Director, Lean & IPD Practice, Colliers Project Leaders

Carla is a Lean Integration coach, advisor and industrial engineer with over 25 years of multi-sector experience including in the infrastructure and built environment. For the past 12 years, she has been deeply imbedded in the design and construction community, having coached every... Read More →

Curtis Krul

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Project Delivery

11:30am CDT

Wet Weather Treatment with Pile Cloth Filtration

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

Wet weather conditions can bring about challenging conditions for operators of municipal wastewater treatment facilities, especially those facilities that operate with a combined sewer system. Extreme wet weather conditions can bring about flows that exceed the hydraulic capacity of the mainstream treatment process, leading to bypass events that channel the excess water away from the mainstream treatment process. Although dilute, the bypassed water can still carry harmful contaminants that should be reduced prior to discharge. In this presentation, we will review pile cloth filter configurations for wet weather and primary wastewater treatment. Full-scale designs and pilot-scale results will be showcased to demonstrate the technology for these wet weather conditions at municipal wastewater treatment facilities.

Speakers

Tanner Devlin

Booth 37, Nexom

Tanner Devlin is a process engineer with Nexom specializing in water and wastewater treatment system design.

Thursday September 19, 2024 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Stormwater

12:00pm CDT

Absorbent Landscaping & Permeable Pavement to Reduce Icy Sidewalks: A Retrofit Case Study in Edmonton

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

Many municipalities experience troubles with drainage crossing pedestrian walkways, creating maintenance and safety concerns, especially during freezing months. The neighborhoods of Donsdale and Carter Crest in Edmonton have experienced issues with water ponding and icy sidewalks in winter due to concrete swales between neighboring backyards collecting flows and draining them directly to sidewalks prior to overflowing to the treed boulevard and road gutter. Stantec was retained to design Absorbent Landscapes or other LID facilities to slow and promote the infiltration of flows conveyed by the concrete swales. This included designing a method of conveying the storm flows below the sidewalk and determining how to install the preferred LID facilities around existing obstacles including mature trees, Canada Post mailboxes, and utilities to minimize disturbance while maximizing the LID storage capacity. This project was completed on behalf of EPCOR Drainage and consisted of the conceptual and detailed design (complete) and support during/post construction (Fall 2023 and expected completion in 2024). Various locations experiencing ponding and ice issues were inspected and solutions were developed including Absorbent Landscapes, Bioretention Gardens, Soil Cells, Permeable Pavement, and grey infrastructure (i.e., catch basins connecting to the existing sewer). Fourteen locations were selected from the concept design to proceed to detailed design and construction. A method for flows to cross the sidewalk from the concrete swale outlet to the Absorbent Landscapes in the boulevard was developed and Stantec coordinated with the City of Edmonton Urban Forestry to construct the facilities around City trees to maximize LID storage while protecting existing tree roots. This presentation will summarize the LID locations and designs, some of the construction challenges and successes, and discuss the applicability of this stormwater management approach to other municipalities.

Speakers

Sara Kardash

Civil Engineer in Training, Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Sara Kardash is a Water Resources EIT with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering and an Environmental Specialization. Prior to joining Stantec, Sara spent time with EPCOR drainage in the construction and LID teams. Based in the Stantec Edmonton Water Resources group, Sara currently provides... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Stormwater

12:00pm CDT

Hybrid DAF and Clarifier: The best of both worlds

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

This presentation will showcase a unique hybrid DAF technology implemented at the Ruthven Water Treatment Plant in Southwestern Ontario and will cover the existing system, the basics of DAF, how the new hybrid DAF was integrated into the existing system, and the performance since construction. The raw water source for the plant is Lake Erie. Lake Erie is the shallowest and warmest of the Grate Lakes, which leads to frequent and severe algae blooms often concentrated near the plant's intake. Additional challenge is posed by so-called high turbidity events (HTE), i.e. periods when lake sediments are disturbed either by storms on the lake or by pulsing river discharge. The turbidity of raw water intake may exceed 400 NTU. Water treatment systems in such conditions need to be able to simultaneously and effectively remove solids that naturally tend to float, like algae and heavier mineral suspension which tends to settle. The existing treatment plant comprised of upflow clarifiers followed by gravity sand filters. The clarifiers were effective in the removal of heavier mineral solids but struggled with removing algae. A pilot test of a conventional DAF proved that DAF would be able to remove the algae, but it could be overwhelmed with mineral solids during HTE. The project team chose a third option: combining the two technologies for a different solution. In 2020, the project converting one of the clarifiers to a hybrid DAF commenced. The clarifier mechanism was completely removed and a new internal mechanism including flocculation well, reaction zone, new scum throughs and sludge rakes was installed. The result was a system that effectively doubled the unit capacity without increasing its footprint. The new hybrid system proved to be easy to operate, and resilient to both fluctuating water demands and fluctuating intake characteristics.

Speakers

Damian Kruk

Booth 36, Napier-Reid

Damian Kruk is a process engineer with 17 years of experience in water and wastewater treatment. He recently moved from Nexom to its sister company Napier-Reid, a Canadian-based manufacturer of water and wastewater treatment systems, where he leads the team of dedicated Application... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

12:00pm CDT

Newton Force Main River Crossing

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

This project replaced a failing system to ensure the safe, daily conveyance of over 2.3 million litres of wastewater across the Red River in Winnipeg. The existing crossing was installed along the river bottom in 1978 and was connected to lands that became densely urbanized limiting replacement solutions. An alternate solution was developed to both reroute the force main and install it safely within the bedrock strata below the river. The solution required 780 metres of new force main including a 466-metre-long river crossing installed using horizontal direction drilling. The selected alignment considered several environmental, infrastructure and social issues and included both horizontal and vertical curves (a first for Manitoba). The project was commissioned safely, and the crossing is now effectively supporting the wastewater flows across the Red River in Winnipeg.

Speakers

Ray Offman

KGS Group Consulting Engineers

Ray Offman is a Municipal Director for KGS Group and the Municipal Department Head for KGS Group’s Manitoba Offices where he has worked for 21 years. Mr. Offman holds three degrees from the University of Manitoba including a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and a Master... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

12:00pm CDT

Planning for the Future - the City of Winnipeg WEWPCC Facilities Plan

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT

Meeting room 17

Speakers

Andrew Kleisinger

Water & Wastewater Manager, MPE a division of Englobe Corp

Andrew holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Systems Engineering (2006) from the University of Regina. Andrew has been with MPE since graduation and during his more than 17 years with the firm, has experience in planning, design and construction of water and wastewater treatment... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

12:30pm CDT

Lunch

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Meeting Rooms 4-8

Network and nourish, there's still an afternoon of sessions and a celebration to get to!

Sponsors

The City of Calgary

Thursday September 19, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Meeting Rooms 4-8 WCC Main Floor

Networking

1:30pm CDT

Combating Lead in Drinking Water - A Corrosion Control Study

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

The City of Brandon's Water Treatment Facility (Facility) operates as a conventional lime softening plant with residuals treatment with a current capacity of 54 ML/d, with the intent to increase the water system capacity with the construction of a new membrane plant. The transition from a conventional solid contact unit (SCU) facility to a combined SCU and membrane water treatment facility may affect water quality stability and the potential for corrosion or scaling in the distribution system due to the lower pH and alkalinity of the filtered water. Consequently, filtered water will be mixed with treated facility water before distribution to mitigate these effects. Health Canada recently lowered the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of lead from 10 to 5 Âµg/L at the consumer's tap. Despite the City's regular replacement of lead service connections within public rights-of-way, it seeks additional methods to reduce lead concentrations in its distribution system. As a result, the City is conducting a bench-top study (Rapid Response Rig) to assess current and future water quality impacts using harvested lead service connections. Current corrosion control treatment (CCT) at the water treatment facility includes pH adjustment with carbon dioxide. However, the City plans to implement orthophosphate-based CCT as part of the Facility upgrades. The findings from this Rapid Response Rig will guide the selection and dosage of the corrosion inhibitor. Jacobs conducted a desktop water quality assessment to understand the current corrosivity of the Facility's raw, treated, and distributed water, as well as the expected corrosivity of future treated water following the addition of the membrane plant, the blending of the existing Facility and membrane plant waters, and the addition of orthophosphate. Initial desktop modeling of the expected water chemistry and corresponding scaling and corrosion indices provided theoretical estimates for water chemistry and pipe scale behaviors. These modeling results were used to design the Rapid Response Rig, the operation of which will proceed in two phases. The reasoning behind and the details of these phases will be discussed, as well as the available results from the study. This presentation will be of interest to owners and operations staff who are implementing or optimizing corrosion control programs due to the reduction in lead and copper MAC values.

Speakers

Jezuli Iddrisu

Process Specialist, Jacobs Engineering

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

1:30pm CDT

Do I Need Grit Removal?

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

The purpose of this presentation is to clearly answer the question â€œDo I Need Grit Removal?â€ This will be accomplished in a straightforward, easy to understand manner with references to widely known and commonly used literature in the wastewater industry. The information presented will be backed up with clear and simple photos which put the values into real and tangible sizes which we are all familiar with. Grit in wastewater is often thought of as a necessary evil as it settles throughout the treatment plant. Cleaning of grit-laden basins and repair of rotating equipment due to grit wear are commonly seen as routine maintenance. As wastewater technology progresses and the processes used to treat wastewater become more complex, the need for grit removal will increase to protect these processes. This presentation will also outline the cost of such grit related maintenance items so the attendee can clearly understand the true cost of grit in their plant and decide if grit removal will save enough money in repairs to offset the initial purchase and installation costs of a grit removal system. However, we acknowledge that every plant is different and as such, the amount of grit related maintenance varies widely. It is not every plant which has the need for grit removal because some can simply store it in their lagoons or dispose of it in their sludge. This presentation is intended to help each plant engineer, owner, or operator know what information they need to gather so they can decide for themselves if their plant has reached the point of needing grit removal.

Speakers

Patrick Herrick

Booths 85 & 86, Hydro International

Pat Herrick is Regional Sales Manager for Hydro International – Water & Wastewater Division which specializes in the development, design and fabrication of unique, high performance equipment and systems for removal of grit, sugar sand, abrasives and fixed solids. Mr. Herrick has... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

1:30pm CDT

How to Select a Contract Model for Your Project

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Meeting room 17

This presentation will provide a simple process for owners of water / wastewater / conveyance projects to select a Contract Model for their engineering and construction project. The presenter Brian Maksymetz has over 25 years of Project Management experience from employment with the Project Owner, the Design Consultant, and the Construction Contractor. Brian is an expert in procurement for water treatment and conveyance projects in the private and public sectors. In addition to improved risk management and more successful projects, the Right choice of contract model will provide a return on investment to the Owner for the costs of using that model in the first place. And there's nothing wrong with the old way of doing things. The presentation will explain how to optimize the traditional design-bid-build and construction management methods for more successful project outcomes. Brian's company is www.better-projects.ca.

Speakers

Brian Maksymetz

Lead Consultant, Better Projects Incorporated

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Project Delivery

1:30pm CDT

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Asset Condition Reporting at 23 Indigenous Communities in Manitoba

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

Asset Management of water and wastewater infrastructure is at the forefront of the decision-making process for infrastructure management, maintenance, and planning in Indigenous communities in Manitoba. This presentation focuses on utilizing a mobile electronic field data management tool to collect, analyze, and present asset knowledge gained from site inspections. The approach was developed to conform to the requirements of Indigenous Services Canada's (ISC's) Extended Asset Condition Reporting System (e-ACRS). Dillon Consulting completed site inspections and asset condition reporting for 23 First Nation communities in Manitoba totalling more than 1800 assets including lagoons, lift stations, water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, and piping infrastructure. The assessment team utilized ESRI Survey123 to collect data on-site including each asset's general information (name, quantity, year of construction, location), General Condition Rating (GCR), Estimated Remaining Life (ERL), and deficiencies. All data was collected digitally using consumer-grade mobile devices with data synchronized in real-time to a web-accessible geospatial database. The project's subject matter experts reviewed and managed the collected data using ESRI Survey123. The collected data was analyzed to develop a 35-year Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) and Estimated Replacement Value (ERV) for each asset. Collecting data using digital methods and avoiding paper allowed for easier integration with ISC's reporting templates and asset management protocols, reduced person hours, reduced data entry and analysis human error, and increased time available for data analysis and conversion of information into actionable knowledge. The Asset Condition Reports are distributed to participating communities, which provides asset managers and/or public works departments with asset inventories, LCCA, and maintenance priorities. These data and summary analysis allow First Nation communities to take the lead on managing their water and wastewater infrastructure assets according to the desired level of service identified by the community. The expectation of the e-ACRS reporting includes improved understanding of asset intervention needs, more efficient planning, and active insightful asset management to achieve more resilient infrastructure.

Speakers

Saher Ghanem

Civil Engineer, Dillon Consulting Limited

Saher is a Civil Engineer with over three years of experience delivering municipal infrastructure projects in Manitoba, Alberta, and Northwestern Ontario. His project responsibilities include water distribution network modelling and planning, conceptual and detailed design, scheduling... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Small & Indigenous Communties

1:30pm CDT

WCW Editorial Committee Meeting

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 10

Current and interested WCW Editorial Committee volunteers are welcome to attend this meeting.

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 10 WCC Main Floor

Meeting

Host Organization WCW

2:00pm CDT

Improving Hydraulic Conditions in Rectangular Secondary Clarifiers for Process Intensification

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant (GBWWTP) operated by EPCOR in Edmonton, Alberta has a limited footprint for expansion. To meet the treatment demand for population growth and regulatory requirement in the future, EPCOR strives to improve the treatment efficiency by intensifying the existing process. One of those efforts was to improve the settling performance by improving the hydraulic condition of secondary clarifiers. The purpose of this presentation is to share some of the experiences learned from this journey with others. The GBWWTP currently has 11 biological nutrient removal (BNR) bioreactors, each followed by a rectangular secondary clarifier. Mixed liquor from each BNR bioreactor is distributed to its secondary clarifier via a mixed liquor channel (MLC) through 10 distribution ports. Each secondary train is designed for a maximum flow of 42 million liters/day (MLD) and average of 28 MLD. In 2018, a dye test was completed in selected secondary clarifiers. During the test it was noticed that dye added at the end of the bioreactor was almost immediately visible in one front corner of the secondary clarifier. It was concluded that the MLC was not evenly distributing the mixed liquor into the secondary clarifier and density currents were causing short circuiting within the clarifier. In 2019, further field testing was completed to better understand flow patterns in the clarifier. Multiple measurements were taken using a portable flowmeter at each MLC distribution port into the clarifier, at both 28 and 42 MLD. The results confirmed the short circuiting when the mixed liquor was distributed to the secondary clarifiers. The amount of mixed liquor distributed through the distribution ports of the MLC varied from -8 to 248% of the average. In 2020, baffles were designed and installed based on computer fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling of the MLC and two full-width baffles were installed in the clarifier. Access and maintainability were strong drivers in the design. Baffles were hinged or removable to allow access, materials were chosen to reduce maintenance, and spacing was designed to reduce solids build-up With the MLC baffles, modelling predicted the amount of mixed liquor distributed through each distribution port in the range of 90% to 107% of the average flow. To validate the actual effects of the baffles, additional dye testing and field measurements were performed in 2023. In general, the dye test indicated that the baffles provided a 20% improvement on overall hydraulic retention time in secondary clarifiers. The field flow measurements showed that the MLC baffles significantly improved the distribution of mixed liquor to secondary clarifiers. The amount of mixed liquor through each distribution port is about 69% to 180% of the average flow, which presents a significant improvement and provides validation of the CFD model. Although baffles are a relatively simple means of improving clarifier hydraulics, this study took a systematic approach in design and validation of in-tank and MLC baffles. Unique challenges were experienced throughout this study, especially during performance validation, and learnings from these challenges could be helpful for other utilities undergoing this journey.

Speakers

Saif Molla

Manager, Planning and Engagement, EPCOR Water Services

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

2:00pm CDT

Maintaining Decentralized Systems: Alexander First Nations Cistern and Septic Inspection Program

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

Connecting to a centralized water or wastewater system is not always possible for many Canadians, whether it be due to remote location, cost of connection, or both. Therefore, numerous rural residents and First Nations communities rely on decentralized systems, including cisterns and septic systems. Maintaining these systems is critical to providing reliable potable water and safe wastewater management. This presentation will focus on an inspection program developed by ATAP to assess cisterns and septic systems in First Nations communities throughout Alberta. In particular, this presentation will focus on using this inspection program at Alexander First Nation where 170 cisterns and 250 septic systems were inspected. During this presentation, our team will provide the perspective of the inspector and the administrator. The inspector will provide an overview of the program, which uses an ArcGIS data collection program and a submersible camera to identify potential maintenance and contamination concerns. The administrator will discuss the importance of communication with community members to ensure the program is successful.

Speakers

Sarah Larlee

Process Engineer, Associated Engineering

Sarah Larlee is a Process Engineer with Associated Engineering in the Edmonton office. She primarily works with small communities in Alberta, B.C., and Nunavut on their water and wastewater systems.

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Small & Indigenous Communties

2:00pm CDT

Starting Up a Business in the Water Industry

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Meeting room 17

Speaker will outline his journey from establishing a a sole proprietorship in 2006 and becoming incorporated in 2015 as Almaquin Enterprises Limited. The company is a merging of the owners technical background in water treatment and writing responses to Request for Proposals (RFPs). Will cover the following topics: number of certified operators; increasingly stringent regulations driving technology, plant classification, what operators want, what clients want, value of marketing and website, and price-to-win.

Speakers

Mike Hewitt

Business Capture Manager, Almaquin Enterprises Limited

Mike Hewitt, founder of Almaquin Enterprises Limited, started his business in 2006, becoming incorporated in 2015. With a technical background in water treatment and expertise in RFPs, he has participated responses to the RCAF Future Aircrew Training program, CFS Alert Commercial... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Project Delivery

2:00pm CDT

Strategies and Considerations for Organics Removal

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

A recurring challenge for water treatment systems using surface water sources in Northern Manitoba and Northern Ontario is ensuring that disinfection by-product (DBP) concentrations in treated water are below their Maximum Allowable Concentrations (MACs) as outlined in the provincial and federal guidelines. Two (2) groups of DBPs of interest include trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total organic carbon (TOC) are known as DBP precursors as they can react with chlorine, a commonly used method to disinfect drinking water, to form DBPs. An effective water treatment system must therefore be able to reliably and consistently remove sufficient DBP precursors to ensure that DBPs are below their respective MACs. The same levels of DOC / TOC in one system may behave differently from the DOC / TOC drawn from another source. Further, concentrations of DOC / TOC can have considerable seasonal variations even from the same water source, underscoring the importance of obtaining as much historical raw water quality data and completing as much site-specific testing as soon as possible, as well as utilizing conservative design practices. Neegan Burnside Ltd., with the help of various water treatment suppliers and laboratories, has recently completed bench-scale and pilot-scale testing programs for several communities in Northern Manitoba and Northern Ontario to inform and support treatment system design. The primary focus of the bench-scale and pilot-scale testing programs was the removal of DOC / TOC and preventing the formation of THMs and HAAs. Simulated distribution system testing was completed to evaluate THM and HAA formation. Several alternative treatment technologies were evaluated including conventional filtration, membrane filtration, slow sand filtration, granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration, ion-exchange as a post-treatment process, and Magnetic Ion Exchange (MIEXÂ®) as a pre-treatment process. In addition to treatment effectiveness, technologies were evaluated against other criteria including capital and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost, ease of operation, and operator familiarity, among others. An important consideration was the lifespan over which filtration media would provide effective treatment, and the process required to restore treatment capability of the media. As an example, GAC filtration has historically been used as an effective post-treatment process to remove organic content in water. Over time, GAC media is exhausted and must be replaced or treatment performance will decline. Rapid small scale column testing (RSSCT) for GAC media was completed to estimate the lifespan of GAC media and the results indicated a short lifespan at some sites, dependent on the other water treatment processes upstream. Information such as this suggests that the required replacement frequency of GAC media to maintain treatment at an acceptable level should be considered using site-specific testing, especially if there is a reliance on the media to remove sufficient DOC / TOC to meet the required guidelines.

Speakers

Matthew Winter

Water/Wastewater Project Engineer, Neegan Burnside Ltd

Greg Koncan and Matthew Winter are Project Engineers with Neegan Burnside and their work experience has covered a wide area of responsibilities including planning, studies, preliminary and detailed designs, approvals and construction. Through this work Greg and Matthew have been involved... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

2:30pm CDT

Implementation of Residuals Management Project - City of Medicine Hat WTP Residuals Management Facility

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

In 2018, the City was required to undertake an environmental impact study of the waste stream's effects on the South Saskatchewan River. The purpose of the study was to assess the downstream impact the treatment system residuals will have on the receiving stream and to determine the assimilation capacity of the receiving water body. The study was completed by Clearwater Environmental Consultants Ltd. From the evaluation of the process waste streams, it was found that the CBD, FBW, and FTW streams would not meet discharge requirements and would require further treatment. Following this study, the City was required to construct a residuals management facility before December 30th, 2024, to handle the WTP waste streams and maintain the City's Operating Approval. In 2020, MPE and our design partner AE2S were commissioned by the City to provide engineering services for the detailed design, tendering, and construction of the WTP Residuals Management Facility. MPE/AE2S began with an extensive preliminary design phase, which included a thorough review of the basic design concepts previously established and the development of the final design criteria. Review of final design concepts with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) was also a key component. The strategy utilized for the CBD stream was connecting to existing piping near all the existing clarifiers to reroute the flows to the new Blowdown Transfer Pump Station (BTPS). After reaching the BTPS, the CBD would be pumped to the new Residuals Management Facility (RMF) on the eastern part of the site. At the RMF the CBD would be dewatered for disposal. The FBW and FTW waste streams require additional treatment to avoid any negative impacts on the South Saskatchewan River. The Residuals Clarifier was added for further treatment of the FBW/FTW streams prior to being discharged to the river. The CBD from this process will be transferred to the RMF to go through the same dewatering process as the blowdown from the existing Solid Contact Unit Clarifiers. All liquid residuals from the thickening and dewatering process at the RMF will be pumped to the Residuals Clarifier Building (RCB) for further treatment prior to river discharge. Tendering of this project occurred between the fall of 2022 and the spring/summer of 2023, utilizing multiple contracts. Construction commenced on site in late March, 2023 and will continue through the remainder of 2023, 2024 and into the spring/summer of 2025. Full implementation of the project is required by the end of 2025. This paper provides a background for the entire project, focusing on the design concept development. Discussion on the early phases of construction will also be included.

Speakers

Andrew Kleisinger

Water & Wastewater Manager, MPE a division of Englobe Corp

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

2:30pm CDT

M.O.B.y Dick – Chasing the White Whale of Winter Nitrification

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

Mobile Organic Biofilm (MOB) technology has been implemented at several sites throughout North America to increase the settling characteristics of Wastewater Treatment Plant Biomass. The increase in settling allows for increased biomass capacity resulting in the ability to achieve greater Biological Nutrient Removal (ie. in cold conditions). Currently, the H. McIvor Weir Wastewater Treatment Plant in Saskatoon does not achieve cold weather nitrification due to a combination of the slower biological activity at cold temperatures, the Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of the aerobic zones within the Bioreactors and the design solids loading rate of the secondary clarifiers under conventional conditions. Pilot implementation of the MOB technology will be used to increase the mixed liquor suspended solids and biological activity within the constrained aerobic HRT, while using the increased settling characteristics to increase the design solids loading rate of the secondary clarifiers and protect final effluent quality. The increased settling characteristics of MOB also allow for peak flows to be better handled while minimizing the risk of biomass washout. Pilot implementation to MOB technology will also be used to simulate storm flows to determine allowable peak flow loading that can be encountered at the H. McIvor Weir Wastewater Treatment Plant without affecting final effluent quality. This presentation will provide a background on MOB technology and its purpose for being trialed at the plant, the process of trial implementation, the validation of trial success and the lab data obtained to date on pilot progress.

Speakers

Mike Sadowski

Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager, City of Saskatoon

Mike Sadowski With a career spanning 17 years at the Saskatoon Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), Mike Sadowski is a seasoned professional in the field of wastewater management. He has held various roles with the WWTP, including Operations Manager, Maintenance Manager, and currently... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

2:30pm CDT

Saving Money and Time with an Operation and Maintenance Specialist

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Meeting room 17

Did you know there is a simple way to save money and time while improving the design and construction of a water or wastewater facility upgrade and/or expansion? Understanding the importance and key role of operability and maintainability in the design and construction phase is crucial for the long-term success of a water or wastewater facility upgrade and/or expansion project. By including the expertise of an operation and maintenance specialist into the project team valuable experience is inputted during the planning, design and construction stages resulting in a project that has reduced whole life cycle costs, minimized risks, improved communication with stakeholders and a completed facility that is operable, maintainable, safe, and sustainable over its lifespan.

Speakers

Kerri Barenz

Project Manager | Operation and Maintenance Specialist, Jacobs

Kerri is a water professional with over 14 years of hands-on experience in the industry. She has over a decade of experience as a certified operator in Manitoba, managing, operating and optimizing BNR facilities. Over the past decade her shifted her career to project management where... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Project Delivery

2:30pm CDT

Water Infrastructure & Resiliency in Remote and Northern Communities

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

Since 2019, WSP water & wastewater subject matter experts and engineering professionals have assisted several communities across Canada navigate the challenges faced during unique water crises. Informally known as the WSP Emergency Ready Team, their services have been employed in several critical situations across Canada. These Project include several water shortage and water quality emergencies in Iqaluit, a water contamination & flooding event in Whitedog First Nation, and a water shortage emergency in Attawapiskat First Nation. This presentation discusses the many challenges in designing and maintaining water services remote & northern communities, addressing unique water emergencies across Canada, and applying the lessons learned toward future resiliency and sustainability.

Speakers

Ian Moran

Process Designer, Water & Wastewater, WSP Canada Inc.

Thursday September 19, 2024 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Small & Indigenous Communties

3:00pm CDT

Break

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

East Concourse, Main Floor

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Sponsors

ISL

ISL Engineering

At ISL, we share an enthusiasm for community infrastructure. From planning through to design and construction management, we create nimble teams to tackle the unique requirements of every project. Our technical knowledge encompasses transportation, land use planning, civil engineering... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
East Concourse, Main Floor RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg

Networking

3:30pm CDT

Corrosion a Generational Problem

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

Corrosion in water infrastructure has been largely misunderstood by cites, designers and operators for decades. There are many ways to protect water infrastructure and those solutions can get jumbled and confusing. This presentation will get back to the science of what corrosion is and how it directly effects the most important resource. Many believe that the science of corrosion is simple. We put metal components in the ground, and they get broken down. This is a false and misleading narrative and can be confusing for professionals to fine the right solutions. Microbial and galvanic corrosion have different effects and properties. Moisture content, sulfides, redox, PH value, bi-metallic connections and stray currents all have an impact on how the metal components in water systems will be affected by corrosion. Corrosion in water systems can be stopped but first it must be understood. Prevention is also greatly misunderstood, there are several ways to stop corrosion but even more companies that provide them. This presentation will go through all the main corrosion prevention methods: bonded coatings, polyethylene encasement, cathodic protection and petrolatum tapes will all be discussed. Going through all the methods giving a background of science will shed light one a previously confusing subject. The waterworks industry will always use metal components this presentation will explain how to protect them for generations.

Speakers

Brent Williamson

Booth 65, Integrity Pipeline Products West

Corrosion and protection specialist, representing the Denso product lines. Works with Cities municipalities and engineers to strengthen their corrosion specifications.Denso Road Products are also available, that can save thousands in road maintenance

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

3:30pm CDT

Enhancing Water System Resilience: Assessing Drought Preparedness Across 100 Public Water Systems in Manitoba

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

In recent years, the escalating challenges posed by more frequent and intense intermittent droughts have heightened concerns about water supply in the Western Canadian Provinces. As part of the development of Manitoba's Water Management Strategy, stakeholders emphasized a pivotal measure to improve water supply availability: the initiation of a sector-by-sector analysis of water needs. This analysis is vital for informed decision-making in meeting basic human needs, sustaining healthy ecosystems, ensuring food security, generating energy, and fostering economic growth. In alignment with this strategy, Manitoba Environment and Climate Change engaged Associated Engineering to conduct a resiliency assessment on 100 water systems across the province. The objective was to gain a deeper understanding and document risks within the municipal water supply sector (municipalities, water cooperatives, etc.) for effective drought planning and response. The presentation will offer insights into the project methodology, the engagement of 100 Public Water Systems through a comprehensive questionnaire and interview process, and the presentation of high-level overview findings from the assessment.

Speakers

Jeff O'Driscoll

Jeff is a professional engineer with over 30 years of experience in consulting engineering related to the design, construction, and operations of water and wastewater infrastructure. Jeff graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1990 and has spent his career in Winnipeg. In recent... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Ripples of Change

3:30pm CDT

Safeguarding Water Quality in the Elk Valley

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT

Meeting room 17

Teck Coal stands as a beacon of environmental sustainability and development in the global mining industry, exemplifying a steadfast commitment to the responsibility of preserving natural ecosystems in which it operates. Central to this commitment is the Water Quality Management in the Elk Valley, aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts of mining activities. Of particular interest are the residual rocks containing elements such as selenium and nitrate which are a natural byproduct of the mining process. When carried by water runoff, these elements pose a threat to aquatic health in the local watershed. The innovative water quality management approach by Teck includes the development of a breakthrough passive water treatment technology known as a Saturated Rock Fill (SRF) and the utilization of Active Water Treatment Facilities (AWTFs). Such efforts showcase a multifaceted strategy to addressing the complex environmental challenges posed by mining steelmaking coal. Leading by example with state-of-the-art water treatment facilities and diligent monitoring, Teck Coal achieves an impressive 95% removal of selenium and nitrate, marking a monumental stride towards safeguarding water quality in the Elk Valley. With a notable four-fold increase in treatment capacity to 77.5 million liters per day since 2020, Teck anticipates a stabilization and reduction of selenium trends, aligning with the primary objectives of the Elk Valley Water Quality Management Plan. With two facilities in the Elk Valley, Teck's SRFs treat 50 million litres of water per day utilizing naturally occurring biological processes in former mining pits backfilled with spill rock and saturated with water to remove selenium and nitrate. Within the SRFs, the growth of bacteria strains that efficiently convert selenium into solid forms and nitrate into inert nitrogen gas is promoted. This optimization can enhance the process of selenium removal and storage within the SRF. By harnessing the power of biological processes, Teck's SRF technology offers a sustainable and efficient solution for environmental restoration in mining areas, ensuring the safe release of treated water back into the ecosystem. Teck also operates two AWTFs in the Elk Valley Region that treat 27.5 million litres of water per day. Similar to the SRF pit, Bioreactors house anaerobic bacteria proficient in selenium and nitrate removal from water. Bioreactors in these facilities promote denitrification, the process in which nitrates are converted into nitrogen gas, and the removal of selenium through biological reduction processes. Regular monitoring of influent and effluent water parameters, advanced laboratory technologies and the maintenance of appropriate environmental conditions within the bioreactors and SRF are all crucial components for optimized water quality management within the Elk Valley. Teck stands as a global vanguard in driving forward these advancements, exemplifying leadership through its pioneering efforts in enhancing efficiency, capacity and establishing cost-effective treatment solutions.

Speakers

Libanshu Malhotra

Water Technician, Elk Valley Resources

Libanshu Malhotra Libanshu Malhotra is currently a Water Operations Technician at Elk Valley Resources' Level 4 Active water treatment facility. With a degree in Water Resource Science, Libanshu has overseen projects in municipal and mining water wastewater treatment sectors. Libanshu... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Resiliency

3:30pm CDT

Threading the Needle - Pump Selection at the Winnipeg Perimeter Road Pump Station

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

PUMP SELECTION AT THE WINNIPEG PERIMETER ROAD PUMP STATION
The Perimeter Road Pump Station (PRPS) acts as the headworks for the West End Water Pollution Control Centre (WEWPCC), conveying wastewater from western Winnipeg to the influent screen channel at the plant. The PRPS has four different pumps in parallel, each with a unique suction and discharge piping arrangement. The PRPS also uses a branching force main system, with two force mains of different sizes and different lengths which separate from each other at the PRPS and rejoin in the WEWPCC just upstream of the discharge into the screen channel. The force mains and pipe network have changed since construction, but the pumps are mostly original, meaning they no longer operate in their original design conditions, and they require a specialized control strategy to keep pumps maximally operating in their allowable ranges.
The pumping system is also subject to a large set of operational constraints. Neither the PRPS or the WEWPCC are supplied with potable water services. The process water at the WEWPCC is supplied by the incoming wastewater from the PRPS. Therefore at least one pump at the PRPS is required to be running at any given time. The wet well is also relatively small for the flows to the station so the pumping system is required to precisely match their discharge rate to the incoming flow. The incoming flows vary widely, therefore, the pumps are required to cover a very wide range of flows by varying their speed.
Therefore, pumps with large and specific allowable operating regions were required. The smaller of the two pumps was required to meet the minimum measured dry weather flow during nighttime operation. The larger of the two pumps was required to achieve a maximum of almost 8 times the minimum flow. Finally, the two pumps were required to have ranges significantly overlapping each other and the ranges of the other two dissimilar pumps in order to smoothly stage one pump to the next in many possibly scenarios.
Finally, valuable operator insight into historic performance demanded additional constraints on the pump speed and impeller free channel size. Meeting all of these constraints simultaneously required many hours of precise hydraulic modelling and coordination with many pump vendors in order to identify a set of two ideal pumps.
Precise modelling of a relatively complex system was required. Two complementary models – one in Bentley WaterCAD, and the other an internally-designed program based on the Darcy Weisbach formula – were created. These models were calibrated with the help of City operators, and were then used to complement each other in the precise prediction of pump performance in a wide array of possible combinations of running pumps, pump speeds, and open force mains, and thereby develop a control strategy complementing the four pumps in the station.

Speakers

Brett Baker

Project Engineer, Englobe Corp

Brett Baker is a Process Engineer with MPE a Division of Englobe and a graduate student at the University of Manitoba. He has 9 years of experience in municipal, civil, structural, and process design. In recent years his design work has included a variety of wastewater pumping systems... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

3:30pm CDT

WCW Joint Operators Committee Meeting

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 10

AWWOA, SWWA,MWWA and NTWWA will be represented at this meeting. Members interested in operator related industry issues are welcome to attend.

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 10 WCC Main Floor

Meeting

Host Organization WCW

4:00pm CDT

A Unique CIPP Lining Process Solves Logistics for a Large Diameter Pipeline

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 2

ARROW Utilities (formerly Alberta Capital Region Wastewater Commission) serves a large geographical area surrounding Edmonton. It operates the 3rd largest WWTP in Alberta, serving 400,000 residents in 13 municipalities with a conveyance system including 138 km of gravity sewers and 58 km of forcemains. ARROW identified 3.2 km of 1350 mm diameter concrete pipe in need of repair or replacement. A design/build request for proposal was issued, and CIPP lining was selected as the rehabilitation method. The pipe alignment runs through an environmentally sensitive area and is close proximity to residences in other areas. The project was planned to minimize liner installations to reduce impacts to these areas while optimizing cost effectiveness. The project was installed in five segments, with the longest over 700 m. The liners required for these long installations far exceeded the allowable transport weight. The project was only feasible using a unique process, over the hole wetout (OTHW). For the vast majority of CIPP lining projects, the dry liner is shipped from manufacturing to a regional wetout facility where it is impregnated with resin. For the OTH process, the dry tube is transported to installation site, where a mobile wet out facility is constructed, and the resin is introduced. This is one of few OTH installations in Western Canada. This presentation describes the project background, design and tendering, and installation with the OTH system. It discusses key considerations including environmental impact mitigation, site for curing equipment and resin tankers, and the overall OTH process.

Speakers

George Bontus

Director of Engineering, Booth 19, Insituform Technologies Limited

Insituform® CIPP has been used for more than 45 years to protect pipelines from corrosion, restore structural integrity, reduce infiltration, eliminate leaking joints, improve water quality and increase pipeline flow capacity. We offer a variety of solutions for renewing wastewater... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 2 WCC Main Floor

Session, Wastewater

4:00pm CDT

Industrial Wastewater Re-use through Irrigation for a Southern Alberta Food Processor

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 3

Inner City neighbourhoods are often some of the oldest developments in a large metropolitan area. Due to the vintage of the area, their drainage infrastructure is often limited in it's performance and does not meet modern standards. The often do not contain any defined overland drainage paths. Implementation of drainage upgrades are often difficult due to the retrofit nature of the setting: set underground drainage inverts, utility congestion, poor record information, and mature trees. Stantec was retained to provide engineering consultant services to EPCOR for the design of a flood mitigation project in the mature Parkdale neighbourhood of Edmonton, including sewer separation and a dry pond, and had to over come many of the difficulties with inner City drainage upgrades. The Parkdale Dry Pond and Sewer Separation Project has many components that showcase EPCOR's commitment to providing storm water management services that protect communities long term. The Parkdale neighborhood was identified through EPCOR's Stormwater Integrated Resource Plan (SIRP) as being exposed to significant health and safety, environmental, social and financial risks caused by stormwater impacts. This project aims to reduce the risk posed to this community through separating targeted combined sewers into dedicated sanitary and storm sewers, installing a dry pond supplemented with underground storage, and installing absorbent landscaping and low-impact development in the area to provide stormwater management for varying rainfall conditions. 2D modeling was completed under a variety of storm scenarios to better understand the areas of surface ponding concern and sewer surcharge. This in combination with EPCOR's data on floods reported by residents played a part in selecting the location of the dry pond and the areas targeted for sewer separation. The dry pond will be located within an existing Parkdale school field (constructed in 1912) and the decision was made to incorporate underground storage as this would allow the dry pond bottom to be raised up and create a larger space for community activities and recreation. New storm sewers in the area direct surface runoff first to the underground storage system before surcharging into the dry pond. For the majority of storm events, runoff will be stored in the underground storage system and only in very large events will it surcharge into the dry pond. This combined storage system then outlets to a deep existing storm trunk at a controlled release rate to damped the impacts to the downstream system. It is anticipated that there will be new residential development downstream of this site and by creating this storage opportunity, capacity in the storm trunk will be made available for these future developments. In the vicinity of the dry pond and sewer separation, absorbent landscaping was installed in public boulevards to help manage the road runoff from smaller storm events (approximately the first 17mm of rainfall) and will be planted with shrubs and grasses. Minimal ponding will be allowed in these facilities and a primary function will be the storage of runoff in the soil media and the plants themselves.

Speakers

Guillermo Charles Garcia

Stantec Consulting LTD

Guillermo Charles Garcia is a senior project manager with over 30 years of experience in the Water Industry, that includes the completion of numerous studies, conceptual and detailed designs, technical and cost reviews, as well as construction supervision of water and wastewater treatment... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 3

Session, Ripples of Change

4:00pm CDT

Integrating Human and Technical Approaches for Resilient Water Systems

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Meeting room 17

Engineering has historically been a technical discipline, but water engineers have the unique opportunity to make a lasting social impact. By expanding our perspective beyond pure technical knowledge, we can integrate critical social, cultural, and human factors into our designs. This holistic approach is essential for creating sustainable solutions that address the diverse needs of communities.
In Colombia, water challenges vary widely – from the contamination of Bogotá's rivers to the severe water shortages in La Guajira. These issues stress the importance of understanding not only the technical problems but also the human context, including local infrastructure, trust, and cultural resilience. For example, while urban centers like Bogotá deal with industrial pollution, rural areas such as Anolaima face challenges related to resource limitations and public engagement. In La Guajira, indigenous communities struggle with water scarcity exacerbated by climate change.
By incorporating human factors into technical decision-making, we can develop solutions that are more equitable and enduring. This approach reminds us that clean, accessible water is not just a technical goal but a fundamental human right that connects us all. Through case studies in Colombia, this presentation will demonstrate how water engineers can contribute to resilient, inclusive systems that uplift underserved communities and protect ecosystems.

Speakers

Carlos Rodriguez

Designer EIT, WSP Canada Inc.

Carlos Rodriguez is a Chemical Engineer who began his career in industrial wastewater treatment at a former refinery in Brooklyn, NY providing engineering and compliance support. After moving to Canada, he gained experience in environmental site assessments and site remediation, eventually... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Meeting room 17 WCC Main Floor

Session, Resiliency

4:00pm CDT

Leak Detection/Monitoring and Pressure Management to Reduce Non-Revenue Water (Water Loss) and Pipe Bursts

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Meeting Room 1

Managing Water Loss in today's water systems is a significant challenge for all Water System Managers. The need to supply water at adequate pressures for all types/demands of customers, as well as for fire protection is an ever-changing challenge. Adding the Financial and Regulatory demands that are now requiring water managers to do even more with less money, as well as reduce the water being supplied. pressure management and leak detection are key strategies to help achieve everyone goals. Managing water pressure can help save water, money, and reduce pipe bursts, and then adding a leak detection and leak monitoring program will help save as much lost water as possible Key topics of the session - What is Non-Revenue Water (NRW) - Why do we want to reduce it - 4 Pillars of Water Loss Reduction - What option does one have for Leak Detection and Leak Monitoring, and how to implement them to save water and reduce system downtime. - Pipe Condition Assessments and how they help guide you to the right pipe to be replaced. - District Meter Areas (pressure zones) how these are implemented for system management - How does Pressure Reduction reduce leakage and pipe burst. - Different methods and equipment to reduce pressure

Speakers

Jody Malo

Booth 6, CB Process

Jody has worked in the water industry for over 30 years after graduating from UBC in Vancouver, BC. Previously Jody was the Director of Sales for Singer Valve, an automatic control valve manufacturer for the water industry based in British Columbia. At Singer he traveled the world... Read More →

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Meeting Room 1 WCC Main Floor

Session, Water

4:30pm CDT

Closing Carnival Reception

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:30pm - 6:30pm CDT

Ballroom, Delta Hotels Winnipeg

Join us for our Happy Hour Carnival. A complimentary drink ticket and snacks will be offered to all conference delegates, Play games, win prizes, and celebrate.
The WCW Presidential Gavel transfer will also take place.

Thursday September 19, 2024 4:30pm - 6:30pm CDT
Ballroom, Delta Hotels Winnipeg 350 St Mary Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3J2, Canada

Networking