Zenon Environmental has received a repeat order from Citizens Water Resources (CWR) of Anthem, Arizona, for the third expansion of its drinking water plant. The current expansion will increase total drinking water capacity to eight million US gallons per day.
In 1998, Del Webb built a self-sustaining gated community in Anthem for families looking for an alternative to the pressures of city life. In addition to having its own shopping centres and recreational facilities, the community in Anthem is also self-reliant for the treatment of drinking water and wastewater.
ZeeWeed® membranes were initially chosen for both the water and wastewater treatment facilities. Treated water is reused for irrigation on the golf course and aquifer recharge.
This methodology is also the way Zenon operates its corporate headquarters and system assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario. Not connected to a municipal sewer grid, the facility purifies its drinking water and treats its wastewater for reuse.
Removing oxygen from water used as ballast in ocean going vessels could help stem the spread of invasive species, while also protecting the ships from corrosion, a new study suggests. A novel method for combating ship ballast tank corrosion -- using nitrogen gas to remove oxygen from the ballast water -- presents a rare win-win solution for the shipping industry and environmentalists, says marine ecologist Mario Tamburri of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), who led the study reported in the January issue of the journal Biological Conservation.
Previous research has shown that ballast water from the shipping industry transports enormous numbers of aquatic organisms from one port to another. These invasive species have changed habitats, carry huge economic costs, and are thought to have contributed to 70 percent of native aquatic species extinctions in the last 100 years.
Current solutions to sterilizing ballast water, such as filtration, heat treatments and poisons, are expensive, could possibly pose dangers to ship crews, and can harm the surrounding environment where the treated waters are discharged. Deoxygenation is said to be the first solution that removes the majority of organisms found in ballast water while also providing an economic benefit for ship owners.
"Deoxygenation was seen as too expensive for controlling invasive species in ballast water but our study shows that the anticorrosion benefit of this technique is a strong economic incentive for the shipping industry," said Tamburri. "It's a win-win treatment for solving an environmental problem and reducing ship maintenance costs."
The governments of Canada, Alberta and Ontario signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association (CCPA) February 13, 2002, that will lead to a reduction in pollutants, including those causing smog. The objectives are to prevent and reduce the release of toxic and other chemical substances through voluntary, non-regulatory action by encouraging and publicly recognizing progress on the part of the CCPA and its member companies.
The MOU was developed in cooperation with industry, the Government of Canada, the provinces of Alberta and Ontario who account for over 80% of chemical production in Canada, and non-governmental organizations including Pollution Probe and two members of the CCPA Advisory Panel for Responsible Care.
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| Elizabeth Witmer |
Environmental offenders could face penalties of up to $10,000 a day under Ontario's proposed Administrative Penalties Regulations, says Environment Minister Elizabeth Witmer. If enacted, the Ministry of the Environment would be able to impose monetary penalties for a broad range of clear and simple infractions without going to court. Typical infractions include failing to submit reports on time or not complying with some operating conditions.
"Administrative penalties will send a strong message that no one will be able to disregard even the most basic environmental laws," said Witmer. "The proposed regulations are an important step toward a comprehensive, more flexible set of tools for ensuring compliance."
Other measures include:
An Administrative Penalties Regulation has been designed for each of the Environmental Protection Act, the Ontario Water Resources Act, and the Pesticides Act. The three proposed regulations have been posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) registry for a 90-day public comment period. The proposed regulations set out the violations subject to monetary penalties, the amounts that could be imposed and the process to be followed when calculating a penalty.
Editor's Note: Since this was published in ES&E magazine, Elizabeth Witmer became Ontario Minister of Education.
Contact: www.ene.gov.on.ca
The City of Greater Sudbury has hired engineering consultant CH2M HILL to retrofit and upgrade the existing David Street Water Treatment Plant and allow the city to meet the requirements of the new Ontario Drinking Water Protection Regulation, which outlines more stringent standards for drinking water treatment.
Water from Lake Ramsey will be treated using Zenon's newest product for the drinking water market -- the ZeeWeed® 1000. Wastewater produced from this process will then be sent to a second stage where the ZeeWeed® 500c, Zenon's product for wastewater treatment, will further filter the water, resulting in greater than 99% recovery.
Expected completion is set for 2003.
In the St. Lawrence River Valley of Québec, cities like Saint-Laurent used to pile snow in dumps or discharge directly into the river. Such dumps required large amounts of valuable land, and river dumping is now illegal.
With the help of USFilter's John Meunier Products, in 1998, the city successfully developed a new Snow Management Program, purchasing and installing the first two DÖGENS© snow disposal machines for commercial use. In 2001, the city added another machine to its snow removal arsenal.
According to Robert Fortin, engineering manager from the city of Saint-Laurent, the first two snow disposal machines purchased by the city have already paid for themselves. "We sold the former snow dumping site to commercial developers and are now receiving important tax income from the newly developed area. In addition, the citizens of Saint-Laurent will not have to look at unsightly mounds of gray snow this coming winter and spring!"
The snow disposal machines progressively discharge snow to the underground collection system, without blocking or freezing the city's pipes. Anywhere from 5 m3/minute or 1-truck/5 minutes to 15 m3/minute or 3-trucks/ 5 minutes of snow can be unloaded directly into the loading chamber of the machines. After pulverizing snow with an average density of 500 kg/m3 to prevent plugging or bridging in the hopper or sewer shaft, the machine then utilizes the melting capacity of the sewer's water. Snow sent to the sewer is in either solid or liquid form, depending on specifications and local conditions.
Easily installed on top of main sewer collectors, the snow disposal machines quickly reduce unsightly mounds of "dirty" snow, operate with a minimum of noise, and comply with provincial environmental regulations.
Alberta Environment's 2000/2001 annual report says that the province's air, water, lands, forests, fish and wildlife continue to be well protected by the Alberta government. The report lists major environmental initiatives and activities that were undertaken last fiscal year by Alberta Environment and its boards, which include the Environmental Appeal Board and the Natural Resources Conservation Board.
Highlights of the annual report include:
Copies of the Alberta Environment 2000/2001 annual report are available from the Information Centre in Edmonton (780-422-2079), toll-free by first calling 310-0000.
Suncor Energy Inc. retained CH2M HILL Canada Ltd. to evaluate the quality of their current GHG (greenhouse gas) measurement and reporting processes, and to improve the existing system to meet rigorous global standards. The firm has also been retained to identify and evaluate GHG emission reduction opportunities among key production and distribution operations.
Currently, a universal and global standard for measuring and reporting GHG emissions does not exist. However, a variety of guidelines have been developed by several notable agencies and coalitions. These include the World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Environmental Defense Partnership for Climate Action, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers reporting standards, the American Petroleum Institute guidelines, and others.
Suncor and CH2M HILL are members of a team of organizations working towards an international standard for measuring and reporting GHG emissions, which is being led by World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The US EPA has recently selected CH2M HILL to develop industrial sector measurement and reporting protocols for Climate Leaders, the new voluntary US federal GHG emissions tracking and reporting program.
Although neither Canada nor the US currently has a federal requirement to report GHG emissions, there are indications that these requirements are on the horizon. For example, the state of Oregon makes GHG offsets part of the requirements for issuing permits for new power plants.
A stream of toxic chemicals flowing down the St. Lawrence River "shocked" citizen environmental investigators in late January. Members of environmental groups Société pour Vaincre la Pollution (SVP) and the Environmental Bureau of Investigation (EBI) found the slick during what the groups call "a routine investigation" at the Technoparc Saint Laurent, an advanced technology research park situated on an old hazardous waste site in Greater Montréal.
The slick was estimated to extend 400 metres down the St. Lawrence River from the waste site, situated next to the Victoria Bridge, less than two kilometres from downtown Montréal. Mark Mattson, executive director of EBI, and SVP executive director Daniel Green, immediately called Environment Canada's 24-hour emergency hotline for pollution and spills. Green and Mattson said they would deliver the results of the sampling to Environment Canada as soon as lab analyses were complete.
Historically, the site was used to bury domestic and industrial waste until 1966. It was then covered with asphalt to be used as a parking lot for the Expo '67 World's Fair. Then, it was used as a small city airport until 1972.
The city of Montréal assumed responsibility for the Technoparc site in the 1980s and decided to develop it into a park dedicated to research in advanced technology.
A new organic matter recycling regulation will make British Columbia the first jurisdiction in North America to limit the use of recycled organic materials in drinking water watersheds.
Standards set by the regulation are more stringent than those developed by the United States and are equal to those used in Europe. As well, the regulation gives medical health officers the ability to veto the use of recycled organic material where it could threaten public health. Under the changes, the process of recycling organic material will adhere to strict performance-based standards. For example, all material used in drinking water supply areas must be pasteurized by heating it for a specific length of time to eliminate disease-carrying organisms. Changes in the composting and recycling regulatory framework will reduce landfill and incineration costs by allowing local governments to recycle materials that previously required permits.
Recycled materials will also provide mining operations with a product that can be used to reclaim mines and gravel pits. Similarly, forestry companies, farmers and topsoil manufacturers will benefit by having access to nutrients that are more effective and less expensive than chemical fertilizers.
The amended regulatory framework has undergone extensive public consultation and is supported by municipal governments, agriculture, health and recycling groups.
A US-based manufacturer of circular-knit geotextiles was instrumental in the publishing of a landmark Standard Specification that helps differentiate this niche product from competitors. Carriff Corporation Inc. and its Director of Operations John Knip, led a task force that co-authored D 6707, a new Standard Specification for circular-knit geotextiles for use in subsurface drainage applications. The Standard was published by The American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM), November 2001, and is believed to be the first of its kind in the US industry.
Subsurface drainage pipes are wrapped with circular-knit geotextile to prevent them from filling with sand or sediment. The fabric is applied to the outside of pipe, thus eliminating the need to wrap an entire trench. "Previously, the only published standards for geotextiles were written for non-woven products," said Jim Goddard, Chief Engineer for Carriff customer Advanced Drainage Systems and a member of the D 6707 task force.
The Specification assures design engineers and specifiers that the product specified will consistently meet the standard. The geotextile products must pass tests for minimum levels of water permeability, apparent opening size, and static puncture strength using a 50 mm probe. A statement released by ASTM called circular-knit geotextiles a "cost and time saver" used in applications including golf courses, highways and agriculture.
Nova Scotians planning to buy a home will be able to rely on their real estate practitioner to help them understand how to maintain their on-site sewage disposal system. This will make it easier for homeowners to protect their investment as well as the environment. The Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour and the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors have agreed to co-operate on the development and delivery of an On-site Sewage Disposal Systems Awareness course. The three-hour pilot course was to be delivered in March 2002.
Municipal sewer systems only cover about 60% of Nova Scotia homes. Homeowners who buy in communities that use on-site septic systems often have little or no experience with these systems. Without proper maintenance, the systems can begin to malfunction, possibly leading to expensive repairs and other environmental concerns for the homeowner.